The name of the family of Japanese luxury tourers, created for the US market four decades ago, has now become a household name: each new generation has set class standards and brought about a revolution. The current one was no exception. Meet the Honda Gold Wing Tour 2022 DCT
Just as a rare bird flies to the middle of the Dnieper, so a rare bike lingers in production for more than 7–9 years, fashion changes too quickly and technology develops. However, the previous generation of Gold Wing was an exception to the rule; the motorcycle turned out to be so successful that it was produced for 18 years with only minor changes, competing on equal terms with the “youth”.
Velvet revolution: test drive Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT 2022
The history of the Honda Gold Wing motorcycle began in 1974. In those days, fairings had not yet come into use on touring motorcycles, but the liter boxer “four” at that time looked almost cooler than the “six” today. Here it is, the ideal touring motorcycle - huge, high-torque and comfortable.
It was these three words that determined the vector of development of the “golden wings” family for more than forty years. And even though the times when the Japanese shocked the world with the wonders of their engineering reached our country only as an echo: in the form of used GL1500 and GL1800, this was enough to once and for all gain a foothold in the minds of compatriots as the motorcycle of the son of his mother’s friend.
Video review of the new Honda Gold Wing Tour 2018:
Do not laugh. Any person at least somewhat connected with motorcycles has probably heard from a person far from the topic of motorcycles about “this one, you know, huge, with music and lights, so beautiful!” And even though the Golda has competitors in the form of the HD Ultra Limited and the BMW K1600GTL, they will talk to you with genuine delight about it, a device that is too popular in our latitudes.
The new “Golda” is so much smaller than the old one that from certain angles it looks more like “Paneuropa”
The success of the Japanese motorcycle, created for the USA (and until recently even produced there), in our latitudes was obvious. We also love everything big and expensive: more than 400 kilograms of mass, 6 cylinders, 1.8 liters of working volume (leave the measurements in “cubes” to scooterists!), an incredible number of options and cases that even a not too finely chopped person will fit into – a super motorcycle for serious adults and those who want to appear as such.
Moreover, “Golda” has been developing exclusively in one direction for forty years - becoming larger, heavier, more powerful and more functional. It is not surprising that the emergence of a new generation (the previous one, let me remind you, appeared already in 2000) simply drove everyone involved and concerned crazy: is it even possible to create a motorcycle cooler than the Gold Wing 1800?
There are only two rear lights, there is not even a brake light on the trunk. But owners can easily turn the tourer into a bagger
Today's Honda is a game against the rules and canons. A striking example is the Africa Twin: in a world where large tourenduros have grown to 1200-1300 cc, and medium-sized ones have swelled to 800-900, the Japanese have produced an absolutely classless “liter”. Too simple and light to be called a large-capacity car, too fast and progressive to compete with mid-sized ones, and the only “automatic” transmission in the class has become a real challenge.
Not just a motorcycle
It is the last line that separates a motorcycle from some luxury coupe: a 1.8-liter flat-six and more than 400 kg of curb weight! Where to next? For Honda, a step forward was... a 180-degree turn - following electronic gadgets that are becoming more functional and smaller in size, shrinking in size and luxury. The new model, although it retained the length of the wheelbase, overall became more compact and lighter. The curb weight of the new generation Gold Wing has decreased by 48 kg and is now “only” 383 kg in the automatic version. At the same time, the opposed “six” provides such a low center of gravity that, together with other changes, it allows you to move comfortably on this motorcycle even without outstanding physical characteristics.
The new engine is shorter and lighter, but its characteristics have changed little: the volume has increased by a “cube” (to 1833 cc), power – from 117 to 126 “horses”, and two-valve cylinder heads have given way to four-valve ones. Having received electronic throttle control and a Start-Stop system, the engine is now more economical, and therefore the tank, reduced to 21 liters, does not affect the power reserve.
But the transmission is a real revolution; from now on the Gold Wing is available not only with a 6-speed manual transmission, but also with a 7-speed DCT robot. The test bike was equipped with it, and it is with it that the acceleration to a speed now limited to 180 km/h is especially impressive. Gear changes are so lightning fast that they are more like the alternate separation of stages from a rocket, and the engine thrust is crazy.
There is also reverse gear, which is necessary for such a large motorcycle, activated by a special key on the remote control. By the way, it was also present in the previous generation, but the new one was supplemented with the ability to “ride” the motorcycle by pressing a button not only backwards, but also forwards. There is an unusually large amount of electronics here: a hill start assist system, completely keyless entry, traction and cruise control, ABS, music, navigation, separate heating of the saddle and handles, adjustment of suspension stiffness and windshield height, wheel pressure sensors ... It’s even strange that the parking brake remained mechanical.
Luxury tourers
In the luxury tourer class, interesting motorcycle features are quite expected, and they are here.
Everything, including satellite navigation, electric windshield, electronic suspension adjustment, cruise control, traction control, combination brakes and ABS. Golda has all these features as stock, and there are several upgrade packages for BMW. But the presence of the same functions does not mean that they work the same.
Take, for example, heated seats and handles. BMW's handles heat up faster and are so hot at maximum that they are impossible to hold. Both have large central panniers (although the Honda pannier didn’t fit two integrals), but the BMW pannier is made of a higher quality, it has a felt carpet, automatic lighting and a 12-volt socket. Honda's panniers are bare plastic, and feel rather flimsy compared to BMW's plush and substantial luggage system.
At the same time, the Honda Goldwing has additional compartments for storing various small items, including a glove compartment under the tidy and a small niche near the driver’s right knee. The central glove compartment is equipped with a USB socket and a soft phone holder - this is clearly more convenient than putting the phone to charge in the right case of a BMW. It’s quite strange that in that glove compartment, near the driver’s knee, there is a button that opens the gas tank cap. Something like a "Goldberg machine" for refueling - a device that performs a simple function in a complex way and at the same time prevents the gas tank from opening while driving.
There is one thing on the BMW K1600B that is worthy of all praise - a headlight that illuminates the corner. BMW's Adaptive Xenon headlight uses a servo-driven movable mirror that changes the direction of the beam based on the angle of inclination and speed sensor readings. 65 kilometers of complete darkness turned out to be a good test of this function, and the test was passed perfectly. It works disarmingly well, improving speed and ride quality in the dark. The bright LED headlight of the Golda is good in itself, but in comparison with the magnificent light the K1600 loses outright.
Where BMW falls behind is in the dashboard, which remains at 2011 levels. One of the important updates of the Gold Wing - 2022 is the tidy, which has been simplified and polished compared to the previous version. The crown jewel of this device is the 7-inch full-color TFT screen, next to which the BMW display looks dull and backward. Both bikes have the same huge (and equally intuitive) menu, the same controls, and as with any complex interface, you need to put in the same many kilometers to figure it all out and get used to it.
Which one should you buy?
Despite the fact that these motorcycles are roughly speaking on the same supermarket shelf, there is a significant difference between them. The engine power, tank capacity (26 liters versus 21) and luggage capacity speak in favor of BMW. Also in its favor is the fact that some functions on it are optional and their absence makes the price of the new bike lower.
Buying a BMW K1600B Grand America seems like a smart decision, but it remains difficult to come to terms with its stance, because without optional platforms the thought of driving it for a couple of hundred kilometers without stopping must be scary. The Gold Wing is more comfortable, more majestic and better suited for long and long journeys, just like its intended purpose. Slight disappointment was caused by the unclear operation of the gearbox and jammed latches of the glove compartment and airflow, but overall the new “Golda” is a brilliant heir to its glorious ancestors.
Again, if a wonderful engine, quickshifter and other features attract you, there is always the BMW K1600GTL, which was not tailored to the tastes of the American public and therefore remained a purebred Aryan - strict, practical and slightly defiant.
Our clear conclusion from the comparison is that six-cylinder tourers are more than “V-twin plus 4 cylinders.”
BMW K1600B Grand America
The BMW K1600B is practically a twin of the Golda in terms of specifications: a 6-cylinder engine, a funny front fairing design, sweeping lines and a lot of touring features. The latest version of the K16B - Grand America - is equipped with a central trunk, built-in GPS, heated seats for the driver and passenger. The most significant difference between them is that everyone is talking about the “Gold” and it’s as if no one has heard about the new luxury tourer from the Bavarians. So we have planned a route of approximately 1600 km, during which we will learn more about these motorcycles and reveal their features that are important for this class of motorcycles.
The main novelty is electronics
If we leave aside technical and mechanical progress, the main innovation is electronics. This is especially true for those electronic sweets, without which it is difficult to imagine everyday life. The navigation system is standard, and Honda promises a free update 10 years after purchase. Also standard are proximity key, remote central locking, a seven-inch color screen, smartphone connectivity, heated seats, heated levers, LED lighting, cruise control and more. First of all, there are fewer buttons for the driver, making it easier to control. Otherwise, the steering is dual: via a center hub in front of the rider when the bike is stationary, and via switches on the handlebars while riding. An excellent audio system with the ability to connect a USB stick and similar devices is, of course, included as standard. The entire information system is commendable, it is easy to manage, and the data is clearly visible in any conditions. From an aesthetic point of view, the whole situation is perfectly complemented by analogue speedometers and engine speed. Wonderful.
