Menus
- Test over 3000 km of the GT par excellence
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- Highway
- Departmental
- Braking
- Comfort
- Duo
- Consumption
- Convenient
- Conclusion
Test over 3000 km of the GT par excellence
The Honda Goldwing GL 1800 is undoubtedly the benchmark for Grand Touring motorcycles, the very symbol of the motorcycle made for long journeys. It must be said that it has literally been scouring the world for 30 years, since the "Gold" is the descendant of the GL 1000 that appeared in 1975 ! It has since gained in addition to cubic centimeters – with an intermediate GL 1500 version – always more comfort and accessories to open up roads even further. But is it still a motorcycle? Test….
Discovery
The Honda Goldwing GL 1800 is imposing, very imposing even with a huge exterior size. The figures speak for themselves: 1832 cc, 16.4 mkg of torque, 369 dry kilos, 417 full kilos, over half a ton loaded, over 2.5 meters long, 1, 10 meters wide, 147 liters of storage…. It is the biggest two-wheeler in motorcycle production.
In the saddle
The saddle is immediately welcoming, comfortable, even soft. The feet touch the ground for the 1.70 rider but not quite flat anyway despite a low saddle of just 740mm. The pilot backrest even allows you to properly support your back. Arms barely extend to grab the handlebars, hands slightly raised.
The dashboard is close to a cockpit with no less than 45 indicators and buttons: speedometer (graduated up to 240 km / h), rev counter with red zone at 6,000 rpm, fuel gauge, engine temperature…. The commodos are full of buttons to control everything, from the radio to cruise control.
The large mirrors provide excellent vision, identical to car mirrors. On the other hand, they contribute to the width of the machine and make it more difficult to squeeze in interlocking.
Contact
The 6-cylinder lying under the double aluminum beam frame gives a deep and discreet sound.
Reverse for a first maneuver (electric, yes), the first engages easily and the first few meters are easier than expected. The first kilometers per hour require a little vigilance because in the event of imbalance, the foot on the ground does not allow to catch anything..
In the city
In the game of the stopped start, the “Gold” surprises with a short and swift opening which quickly propels the monster, fast enough to take control quickly, and in – almost – all confidence. The second is happening quickly, even the third in town. Anyway, the 1800 cm3 is flexible enough to accept running on the gas net on the last report, in 5th. Smooth as you wish, the 6-cylinder also provides phenomenal torque at all engine speeds..
With traffic jams, we tend to get closer to the edge of the front saddle, in order to better put our feet on the ground; because firmly seated in the saddle, the feet only touch the ground with the tip.
On the other hand, improvisation is not its strong point, especially in the city where the half-ton on board takes you faster than expected and even if the braking is effective does not stop as quickly and simply as a roadster. Anticipation is essential here, if you do not want to find yourself dragged along in spite of yourself.
Highway
The Goldwing launches briskly on the highway, especially since the bubble protects very effectively. The bike is particularly stable, although its size makes it sensitive to strong crosswinds. She willingly settles at 150 km / h in complete comfort and almost calm, while in last and 5th gear it only turns at 4,000 rpm, ie 2,000 rpm in the red zone. It is then enough to give a blow of gas, and the Gold sets off swiftly, with plenty of enough to overtake any automobile in the blink of an eye, especially since the 4-5000 rpm zone is its preferred area. Impressive, while one would have thought that his overweight would make his acceleration rather quiet.
It is at these highway speeds that cruise control really makes sense. Indeed, once the last gear is engaged, an “OD” warning light for Over Drive appears. All you have to do is press the set button to adjust to the current rpm, without having to touch the accelerator. It is then possible to speed up or slow down using this same button which then allows you to set the cruising speed very precisely. What about security? The system disengages automatically when the brake is used. It is even possible to accelerate for an overtaking and to let go of the throttle, the Gold resets to its previously defined speed.
Departmental
The Goldwing ends up on departmental roads with a bit of apprehension, won’t it all scrape at each turn like a custom? Well no. In fact, the pace can even pick up on small departmental roads, the Gold willingly swaying left to right, with wide handlebars making maneuvering easier. Once again, only the inertia of the weight, will not encourage the transformation of the vessel into a sports car, but allows one to consider going relatively fast…. within the authorized speed limits.
The exercise becomes a little more difficult when paved roads give way to country lanes. We then inevitably decrease the pace and overweight is felt when the unflattened "road" makes the vessel rock…. not to mention possible gravel. This is when the Goldwing requires experience and guts so as not to sweat a lot.
Braking
Dual CBS combined braking is excellent and helps to secure the bike during hard braking.
Comfort
The Goldwing is automatically the benchmark in terms of comfort on a motorcycle: saddle as soft as you want, a shock absorber that smoothes out road defects, a bubble that protects well from the wind…. There is little or nothing to say. Only an electric height adjustment of the bubble and a slightly larger bubble to protect the hands would be welcome and would further improve the overall feeling of riding a Pullman..
Duo
The pilot is well off and the passenger just as much. The saddle is just as soft. Located high up, the passenger can see well ahead and also has a full backrest to rest perfectly. The footrests are well placed and really allow you to plan long, very long runs without particular fatigue. With a little summer heat, the overall position encourages a nap … which the passenger can do in complete safety !
Consumption
The average consumption stabilizes at 7 liters per hundred, which allows nearly 350 kilometers of autonomy with the 25-liter tank..
Convenient
The two side cases and the perfectly integrated top case offer 150 liters of storage space, not to mention the front storage compartment. Everything you need to consider a two-week trip is easily accommodated.
Reverse – electric – is very practical, because moving the Gold when stationary is impossible. On the other hand, be careful, this pumps a lot on the battery, and even with the engine running, you can end up with a discharged battery faster than expected / wanted. I tested it, and I bitterly regretted having abused the system a bit. On the other hand, if 2 people are available to push, it is restarted with the stroller effectively.
We appreciate the central stand, which even if it requires a little practice, is easier than we imagine.
In terms of the shortcomings, we will note the absence of a wiper because when the rain appears, the visibility is not as good as we would like.
Conclusion
The Honda Goldwing GL 1800 is the GT par excellence, offering comfort and performance to ensure long trips in peace. She delights in casting, a rhythm she proudly wears on all roads. Only its price of 26,500 euros, the price of a family minivan, is enough to put the buyer back.
Strong points
- Absolute comfort
- Equipment
- Handling
Weak points
- Weight / agility
- Price
- Manual screen
available in white, red
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