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• 500 miles with the new Honda luxury tourer
• This is new to the 2012 Gold Wing
• Honda model history
• Honda GL 1000
• Honda GL 1100 Interstate
• Honda GL 1200
• Honda GL 1500
• Honda GL 1800
• Technical specifications

Honda

10 photos

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

1/10
The new Honda luxury tourer after the facelift. The 2012 model has been available in the USA since May and, like all motorcycles, is several thousand euros cheaper than in Europe.

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

2/10
And the driving experience! This is the gentlest, most supple of all
Motorcycle engines. As smooth and free of vibrations as if the longitudinal crankshaft was rotating in bearings made of butter instead of sintered metal.

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

3/10
The only question left is: rough oldtimer or sleek youngtimer?

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

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It all started with the 1000 four-cylinder boxer (left) – 36 years later, the latest model with a six-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine boasts.

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

5/10
The new Honda flirts with an improved sound system with six surround speakers. The music steamer plays rock classics by Tom Petty, David Bowie and U2 – to be heard crystal clear even at three-digit speed. Yeah, it’s a rock’n’roll ride.

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

6/10
The side case of the Honda Gold Wing was enlarged by 3.5 liters each.

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

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55 switches distributed over the front.

8/10
The new Honda model is available in blue, black and white.

9/10
The flowing lines of the two-tone paint make the Gold Wing appear more delicate.

10/10
In the USA, the combination brake with three-piston floating calipers is also available without ABS. She should bite harder. The storage volume cannot be topped. New: sleek taillights without clear glass.

Driving report: Honda Gold Wing 2012

500 miles with the new Honda luxury tourer

Honda has slightly revised the luxury tourer Gold Wing. In the US that is "2012 model" in stores since May 2011. The opportunity to drive the road cruiser on a 500-mile trip comes in handy.

An oppressive, heavy sultriness has settled over Knoxville. The small town in Tennessee is overflowing with giant motorcycles at the largest Gold Wing meeting in the USA. A suitable frame for the 2012 version of the 1800s. It’s more of an update than a new model. The engine, drive train, chassis and brakes are completely unchanged. But after ten years of construction, it was time for fresh make-up.

ZWhite lacquer with flowing lines and three new colors, blue, black and white, are intended to loosen up the surfaces of the colossus and make it sleeker. Otherwise, the revision is very limited, see next page. A storage compartment that has been enlarged from 1.2 to 2.8 liters above the fuel filler neck swallows sunglasses and a wallet. Unless the airbag rests there in a world exclusive, an additional charge of 3000 euros. Then there are still 150 liters of storage space in the top case and in the enlarged side cases. Everything still cannot be removed. But to open with radio remote control and sooo practical.

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Driving report: Honda Gold Wing 2012
500 miles with the new Honda luxury tourer

Gold Wing will eventually take off?

A great touring motorcycle that makes every meter a pleasure.

Here and now, the first-class driving experience is lively. The landscape moves past in cinemascope widescreen format, vultures circling above us. Without the ventilation flap in the huge pane, we would have died suddenly from heat in the subtropical climate. Careful modifications to the cladding promise to top wind and weather protection again. A good idea at 36 degrees? After all, with a heavy rain shower you stay incredibly dry. As before, to adjust the disc, you have to stop and open its mechanical lock. An electric motor would have required a completely new front.

At the redesigned stern, new air outlets are intended to minimize turbulence – the result of a lot of research in the wind tunnel. The improved sound system with six surround speakers sounds great. The music steamer’s radio plays rock classics by Tom Petty, David Bowie and U2. They can be heard crystal clear even at three-digit speed. Yeah, it’s a rock ‘n’ roll ride. Soon to be taken literally. The street called Dragon’s Tail ennobles the predicate "valuable for motorcyclists". 318 turns over eleven miles. Krrikk-krrakk-krikk. Again and again the footrests create furrows in the eel-like winding asphalt. Really agile. When hot-tempered Europeans exaggerate, the fairing keel and front crash bars put on. So what? Even then, the golden swing arm remains on course unimpressed. Litter-like, good-natured and predictable, she plows through time and space.

The low center of gravity of the motor, which is suspended in the aluminum frame, makes it easy to handle for such a giant. Longitudinal grooves and long, gentle swell in the tar take the ship of the line with royal dignity. However, short, hard, quickly successive heels and edges push the 45 mm fork to its limits. It then hardens noticeably and no longer responds as well. Despite the slightly revised interior and new Simmerrings, which are supposed to cause a more sensitive response. The rear central spring strut is coupled to the on-board compressor.

Its spring base can be adjusted electro-hydraulically at the push of a button, "Memory functions" included. With less pre-tensioning, the single-sided swing arm glides more sensitively over the asphalt. However, the stern then seems to bob up and down. The next generation of Gold Wing should brake a little harder. Pulling the hand lever recruits four brake pistons at the front and the middle one at the rear, quite transparent. Stepping on the pedal activates the four other brake pistons. All brake calipers are involved in every braking maneuver. But even when combined with the dual CBS, this represents the technical level of braking performance from 2001.

The payload, only 190 kilograms, is likely to be larger for such a space cruiser. The 1800s currently cost in good old Germany from 28,300 euros. In the US, roughly this amount is due in dollars. The price for the 2012 version in Europe has not yet been determined. The Honda flagship is a few thousand euros cheaper in America, like all motorcycles, including European ones. The "new" 1800s won’t come to us until December. Until then, the modified Gold Wing will remain what it was in the US: a huge, great touring motorcycle. One that makes every journey an experience, every meter a pleasure. Can you give a tourer a bigger compliment??

This is new to the 2012 Gold Wing

• Paint, headlights and taillights design Surround audio system with 80 watts and iPod / USB connection (CD changer not required.
• More modern, better navigation system with a brighter screen (airbag model), wind protection and aerodynamics improved.
• Side cases enlarged by around 3.5 liters each, larger glove compartment (only without airbag).
• Production moved back to Japan.

Honda model history

10 photos

Pictures: Driving report: Honda Gold Wing 2012

To home page

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

The 1972 M1 prototype had suitcases, six cylinders and 1470 cubic meters.

Honda has built around 650,000 Gold Wings in 36 years, 160,000 of which were 1,800. For the season 1975 Honda brought the Gold Wing GL 1000, the first touring dream on wheels. With a four-cylinder boxer engine, 999 cc, 82 hp, 80 Newton meters and 295 kilograms, it set new standards: For the first time, a Japanese series motorcycle had a cardan instead of a chain, a Japanese four-stroke water cooling system. And a Honda full 1000 cubic meters.

Honda GL 1000

1975: A 1000cc four-cylinder boxer went into series production, opening up new dimensions .

Other inspiring highlights were three disc brakes, a tank placed under the seat (the dummy tank carried a glove compartment) and the overhead camshafts driven by toothed belts.

Honda GL 1100 Interstate

1980: The 1100 had more steam than a top touring Interstate version with full fairing.

1980 held the fairing and king-size bench in the 1100s-"Interstate"-Version indentation. There were also cases from the factory. The longer wheelbase of the air-assisted landing gear and stereo option were clearly aimed at the US market. The complete production became logical 1982 Relocated to the USA, where she stayed until 2010.

Honda GL 1200

1984: The GL 1200 had even more torque at a lower speed.

1984 the again strengthened GL 1200 appeared with maintenance-free hydraulic valve lifters.

Honda GL 1500

1988: In the form of the GL 1500, a silky six-cylinder boxer went into series production.

Marked the ultimate luxury liner with unmatched silky smooth running 1988 the six-cylinder boxer in the GL 1500/6. Already had one 1972 the prototype M1 of the later Gold Wing series, with around 1.5 liters!

Honda GL 1800

Completely redeveloped with improved chassis and ABS: the GL 1800 (2001).

Ten years ago, 2001, the significantly improved 1800s appeared with injection, a much more stable chassis and ABS. After a slight update, it will be the first airbag motorcycle ever (available since 2007) to cross the streets of the world for the next few years.

Technical specifications

10 photos

Pictures: Driving report: Honda Gold Wing 2012

To home page

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

Kevin Wing / Honda, TSR

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