At xBhp, we are travellers and we love motorcycles. So in a nutshell, we love travelling on motorcycles. In the two-decade existence of xBhp, we have had the pleasure of riding some of the most wonderful motorcycles ever made. Some were brutally fast, some could go virtually anywhere, some looked majestic, and some were simply legends and icons from the glorious history of motorcycles. But coming back to the point, we love travelling on motorcycles and because of that, we love motorcycles that make it as easy and as elegant as possible. In that particular case, the Honda Gold Wing is the yardstick. And if you do not mind the wordplay, the Gold Wing is the Gold standard. 

One of the most well-known motorcycles in the world due to its characteristics and presence, the Gold Wing is a brand in its own right. Its name speaks for itself and we are sure that if it ever existed as a standalone brand, it’d still sell just as well simply because it is magnificent in what it does. What does it do? Well, it lets you travel sublimely; you travel nestled in the lap of one of the best engines in the world and surrounded by creature comforts and amenities rarely seen on motorcycles. All in all, it is the ultimate machine for both bragging rights and munching miles. 

All that we said was about the Honda Gold Wing. The latest one, that we got to experience in Germany, is the evolution that has gone beyond all that. The earlier Gold Wings were big and intimidating. The one we rode is not small by any stretch of the imagination but it feels more refined and its size seems proportionate and… just right. The weight of the Honda Gold Wing varies with the spec or different trims but it can go up to 390 kilos. That is a lot of mass and yet, it does not feel that way even at a standstill. The seat is very low and very comfortable so the surefootedness of the rider negates some of the weight. Moreover, it gets a reverse gear and the added assist again nullifies some adverse impacts of the weight. 

Now, the weight, despite being considerable, completely disappears once you are on the move. The Honda Gold Wing employs a liquid-cooled flat-six engine that displaces 1,833cc. While the numbers are huge, the application is geared more towards comfort and approachability rather than outright power. So the engine is good for 124 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque. With ride-by-wire, that grunt is delivered in the softest and friendliest manner possible via a dual-clutch transmission and shaft drive. 

Just to understand the extent of what you get with the Gold Wing, listen to this; in addition to the 7-Speed DCT, you even get airbags! Yes, airbags on a motorcycle. The encompassing yet stylish bodywork is complemented by all-LED lighting. The electronically adjusted windscreen is there to nearly completely mitigate windblast. The rider’s seat is spacious and so is the pillion’s. The latter even gets an adjustable backrest. There’s a 7” LCD screen that helps navigation and is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. It has Bluetooth along with two USB type-C sockets as well. Let us also not forget about the crisp sound system that is there at your disposal. 

Despite the sound system though, we found ourselves enjoying the silken soundtrack of the flat-six engine. It sounds so amazingly smooth and it is ever-present throughout the rev range, only getting better and better as the revs climb. Because of the inherent balance of the flat configuration, the engine feels as smooth as it sounds. It is a gentle giant in every sense of the word. Despite its mellow demeanour, it is a potent mill and can do Autobahn speeds all day. While we think that the DCT here is a great unit and all the shifts are very well-judged, we are still suckers for manuals. The DCT’s minuscule shortcomings are apparent in hairpin bends or in quick overtakes. Other than that, it is wonderful. 

Moving on, the Honda Gold Wing features a very unconventional front suspension for a motorcycle. The double-wishbone setup is exceedingly rare in motorcycles but it works wonders for the Gold Wing and its intended purpose. It is superbly pliant and poised on bad roads and yet, feels taut and confident in the twisties. We rode the Gold Wing on the Black Forest Road in Germany and it is one of the best pieces of tarmac for riding a motorcycle. Even the twisties, the Gold Wing never lost its composure and we still could not feel the weight of the motorcycle. 

In terms of braking, we can say that the Gold Wing is simply astounding. The amount of speed the engine makes possible and the amount of heft makes for a lot of inertia. Yet, the Gold Wing comes to a stop without any drama at all. One is left awestruck when one realizes the kind of motorcycle the Gold Wing is and the kind of things it is capable of. To see the wishbones working away while riding is a sight to behold. 

The Gold Wing excels even in the storage department. While the one we rode was missing the top box, the panniers on the side were more than enough for our needs and we believe that’d be the case for most people unless you’re planning a world tour on the Gold Wing. And trust us when we say that the Gold Wing can do that as well while still being elegant and opulent. To sum it up, there are not a lot of motorcycles like the Gold Wing and even if there were, it’ll be very hard to go toe to toe with this magnificent motorcycle… after all, Gold Wing is supremacy incarnate!