This year, the Honda Gold Wing will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Since 1975, Rider has tested every Gold Wing model – from the GL1000 to the current GL1800 – multiple times. Over the past 50 years, the Gold Wing has been on our cover 29 times, we’ve selected it as Motorcycle of the Year twice (2001 and 2018), and we’ve included it in comparison tests, travel stories, product reviews, and other features.
Related: 50 Years of the Honda Gold Wing
Later this year, we expect Honda to announce a special 50th anniversary edition of the Gold Wing to commemorate its golden jubilee. In the meantime, there are tens of thousands of Wings on the road, and they all need tires.
Michelin has developed a new sport-touring tire aimed specifically at the Gold Wing called the Road W GT. Gold Wings and their riders place high demands on tires. For the current-model GL1800, the standard Gold Wing bagger has a curb weight of 807 lb while the fully loaded, trunk-equipped Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT tips the scales at 855 lb. Add a rider, passenger, and luggage, and it’s easy to approach the maximum weight capacity of 1,272 lb.
The sixth-generation Gold Wing, which was introduced in 2018, is the sportiest and most technologically advanced GL ever produced. Thanks to its low center of gravity, aluminum frame, and double-wishbone front suspension, it handles remarkably well for its size. Hustling more than half-a-ton of bike and cargo down a winding road with 106 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel puts a lot of stress on the tires’ rubber, carcass, and sidewalls.
Michelin’s objectives in designing the Road W GT tires were to deliver extended mileage, good wear resistance, and reliable wet-weather performance. It brought some of its proprietary technologies to bear, including:
- Radial X-Evo: reinforced three-layer plys that enhance stability by preventing tire deformation during cornering.
- Aramid Shield: high-density aramid reinforcement in the casing to reduce the number of punctures.
- Silica: added to rubber compounds to improve grip in wet/cold conditions.
- Water Sipe: patented tread grooves that enhance water evacuation.
I’ve been testing the Road W GT tires on a 2024 Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT. They have provided a smooth, quiet ride on interstate highways, city streets, and winding backroads. I’ve pushed the Wing hard on numerous canyon roads with surfaces ranging from freshly paved to bumpy, cracked, and patched, and the tires provide confident grip, neutral handling, and fluid side-to-side transitions.
See all of Rider‘s tire reviews here.
After two wet winters here in California, we’ve cycled to a La Niña climate pattern that produces warm, dry conditions. We’ve only had a few bouts of brief, light rain – enough to bring months of accumulated oil and dirt to the surface but too little to wash it away. Even on wet, slick roads, the Michelins continued to deliver dependable grip during cornering and hard braking.
Michelin Road W GT tires are excellent replacement tires for your Gold Wing. They’re available now in one front size (130/70-R18, MSRP $279.95) and two rear sizes (180/60-R16, $367.95; 200/55-R16, $376.95).
A pity they didn’t do a 180/70 or at least a 180/65. I would have bought even though tyres much dearer in Australia.
Worst tyre I’ve had, the old Dunlop Elite 4 was worn out but still handled better. It feels like the tyre is running at 15psi, and it squirms and reacts to every single paint line, overbanding and undulation in the road…. Really disappointed
That wasn’t even remotely our experience. Sounds like you’re describing a completely different tire, or blowing hot air. Are you sure the tires were mounted and balanced correctly and they’re properly inflated? If so, there’s no way it would behave this way.
Down in Texas. Hot and dry. I’ve put 11,000 miles on the Michelins and nothing but good things to say. Grip is very good on braking and acceleration. I’ve put them in some extreme lean angles down to pegs and not a bit of loss of grip. The tar snakes are difficult for all tires. I was with three other bikes and all complained about grip. That was in Utah. Harley guy put his foot down. I’ll only run Michelin W GP on my 2018 Wing. Love them. Want to cure the tar snakes ?Go down to your local highway department and ask the engineer if he wants to go for a ride on the back of your bike. Tim