The Honda Gold Wing has long been the gold standard in luxury motorcycle touring, but it’s sportier than most people realize. When the GL1000 was launched in 1975, its 999cc flat-Four was the largest, most powerful engine yet created for a Honda motorcycle. And the GL1000’s quarter-mile acceleration was second only to the Kawasaki Z1, the fastest “sportbike” of the era, and it had a top speed of 129 mph.
Related: 50 Years of the Honda Gold Wing
As the Gold Wing evolved over multiple generations from the GL1000 to the GL1500, it became bigger, heavier, and more luxurious. Thanks to its low center of gravity, the Gold Wing has always handled well for its size, but due to its plush seating for two, generous luggage capacity, and other accoutrements, it developed a reputation as a “couch on wheels.”
With the introduction of the GL1800 in 2001, Honda steered the Gold Wing’s development in a sportier direction. Masanori Aoki, Large Project Leader for the GL1800, had previously developed some of Honda’s CBR sportbikes. Compared to the GL1500, the GL1800 had a more aerodynamic shape, a lower curb weight, and an extruded aluminum twin-spar frame that vastly improved its performance capabilities.
In 2018, Honda introduced a new version of the GL1800 that was even sportier. It was more compact and 90 lb lighter than its predecessor, and its double-wishbone front end allowed the engine and rider to be moved closer to the front wheel for better handling. Over the last couple of model generations, the Gold Wing’s handling, acceleration, and braking have improved significantly.
Related: 2025 Honda 50th Anniversary Gold Wing Preview
Every Gold Wing we’ve tested has been returned to Honda with beveled footpegs and scuffed engine guards, its potential limited only by its cornering clearance. We’ve heard the “couch on wheels” stereotype parroted many times over the years, often by people who have never ridden one. To dispel the myth, with support from Honda, we created a video titled “Think you know the Gold Wing? Think again.” We take a pair of Gold Wings into the canyons and onto a closed-course track to show what they can do.
For more information about the 2025 Honda Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour, visit the American Honda website.
Its taken me 10 years to figure you can drag pegs on the 1800. Scares me, but it’s my issue not the bike. A good friend has gone through 3 pegs on his. They enjoy being riden at a brisk pace