Episode 90 of the Brap Talk motorcycle podcast is out with another “weekly” episode, for your two-wheeled listening pleasure.
In this episode, we did it…we finally did it. We finally produced the long-lost Honda Gold Wing episode, which is actually also our first video podcast.
There were many naysayers amongst you – and if we’re honest, there were some naysayers in the Brap Talk ranks as well – but we got it down, only two years and change after its original recording.
If there is one complaint to make about the current edition of the Honda Gold Wing Tour, it is that Big Red really screwed the pooch when it came to the size of the integrated luggage compartments.
At the time, the thinking was that the modern motorcyclist needs less room to pack for a weekend getaway, thanks primarily to the fashion and use of compact camping materials.
That thinking lead the Japanese down a fatal path though, as the panniers became awkwardly shaped and small, and the top box couldn’t even fit two full-face helmets inside it (despite Honda’s insistence that it could).
Well, for the 2021 model year, Honda has finally answered the call for a revision on the luggage situation on the venerable Gold Wing.
In Episode 2 of the MOTR Podcast, I sit down with motorcycle journalists Adam Waheed (freelance), Lemmy (RevZilla), and Abhi Eswarappa (Bike-urious) to discuss what it’s like to ride Big Red’s flagship motorcycle, the Honda Gold Wing.
Recoded at the international media launch for the Gold Wing – in Austin, Texas – the four of us gathered around the microphones to discuss the sixth generation of this iconic touring machine.
With no shortage of opinions, the show is an interesting discussion about our first impressions of the Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour models. We think you will find it quite interesting.
To get our full opinions on the new Honda Gold Wing you can read my review here on Asphalt & Rubber, as well as Adam’s reviews on Rider’s Domain, Lemmy’s review on RevZilla’s Common Tread, and Abhi’s review on Bike-urious.
You can find the latest episodes of the MOTR Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, SoundCloud, or via your RSS feed, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well.
If you’re not already, you should also listen to our sister podcasts, the Two Enthusiasts Podcast and The Paddock Pass Podcast.
We just finished riding the 2018 Honda Gold Wing Tour in Austin, Texas – a day early I might add…because it’s snowing…in Texas. Still, clocking close to 200 miles on Honda’s sixth generation of this venerable touring machine has provided us with some interesting insights into the next Wing.
A bike designed for long-distance riding, we have gathered our thoughts on the new Honda Gold Wing Tour, in a short and sweet format, so you can sound informed at your next bike night or internet forum.
Overall, the all-new Honda Gold Wing Tour is a smart update to an iconic motorcycle, and it brings the Gold Wing name inline with the current state of technology.
As we found on the road, the new Gold Wing is an improvement over its predecessor, but that comes with a caveat or two. There might be some deal-breakers here for modern touring riders, as Honda shifts its focus to “younger” riders. Let me explain.
Every time we write a story about the Honda Gold Wing, we end up using the word “iconic” as a descriptor, but why is that? Is it because there are over 250,000 Gold Wings on the road today, putting down miles?
Is it because the model was so important to the American market, that it was the only Honda motorcycle that has been built on US soil? Or is it the legion of loyal fans, that continuously replace their old Gold Wing with a new one, rather than stray to another brand?
It is probably a combination of all these things, and now for the 2018 model year another chapter of the Gold Wing story is about to be told.
Big Red has made considerable changes for the 2018 Honda Gold Wing, most notably putting the giant tourer on a diet (roughly 90 lbs). Now a more compact machine, Honda has made space savings by switching to double-wishbone front suspension.
In person, the Gold Wing (bagger) and Gold Wing Tour (tourer) retain the obvious lines of the previous Gold Wing motorcycles. We think Honda has walked a fine line too in making the 2018 edition look more edgy and modern, while still being true to its classic shape.
The fit and finish on the new Honda Gold Wing is impressive as well, with there being strong attention to the details. When you consider how many miles, and how many years, a typical Gold Wing must endure with a single owner, Honda has to build the Gold Wing to a standard beyond the typical motorcycle.
For next year, Honda hopes to sell upwards of 14,000 Gold Wing motorcycles worldwide, most of which will be here in the United States. Nearly a doubling of the current sales volume, this goal is a tall order. But, the new Gold Wing seems up to the challenge.
Don’t worry, we’ll swing a leg over one in January and see for ourselves. Until then, we have got about 120 high-resolution photos for you to peruse of this iconic motorcycle. Enjoy!
Enthusiasts of the Honda Gold Wing motorcycle have waited a long time for this day, and now it is finally here, as Honda has finally brought a new Gold Wing to market – the sixth generation of this iconic motorcycle.
The 2018 model comes in two flavors, a bagger version which Big Red is calling the Honda Gold Wing, and a touring version, which is aptly named the Honda Gold Wing Tour.
Both of the 2018 models are all-new motorcycle designs, with virtually no part of the machines being shared with the previous generation bike, and both built around a brand new six-cylinder engine.
Focused around a more compact design, the 2018 Honda Gold Wing is staggeringly lighter than before, with roughly 90 lbs of bulk removed from its mass.