All-new Honda Goldwing for 2018
Hey there, new Gold Wing! Not that I’ve been super excited about it or ever been a Gold Wing fan, the new model looks good. The 2018 overhaul has changed it’s personality of a sofa-on-road to a proper neo-cruiser — something which would pull a younger customer set towards the big Honda. With the outgoing GL1800 essentially unchanged since 2001, the all-new bike looks like a revolution of sorts.
There’s updated styling, new chassis and a new powertrain. The exercise also involved a staggering drop in overall weight by 48kgs compared to the previous model. To start with, the all-new frame is lighter and more compact, and is made completely out of aluminium. This ensures chassis rigidity, and better ride and handling characteristics.
Styling is very contemporary, focusing on a younger silhouette and sportier looking cruiser. The focus is on better aero and enhanced airflow around the rider and pillion for a more comfortable ride. There’s nothing that you can do in your luxury car and not aboard the new Gold Wing. There’s a TFT display for infotainment and navigation, Apple CarPlay, an Airbag and what not! All lighting on board is LED.
Next up is the all new motor; 1833cc flat-six now delivers peak power of 125bhp @ 5,500rpm and peak torque of 170Nm @ 4,500rpm. The engine alone is 6.2 kg lighter. And then there are electronics, loads of ’em in the form of circuitry and acronyms. It features Cruise Control, Throttle By Wire (TBW) with four ride modes — TOUR, SPORT, ECON & RAIN to alter the engine’s power delivery. This is linked to Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), suspension damping and the Dual Combined Brake System (D-CBS).
The big news through is the addition of DCT, as seen on a few other Honda models. This is the third all-new generation of the system and the first to sport 7-speeds, specifically designed for long-distance cruising. It is also lighter than the 5-speed manual transmission fitted to the previous design. The new Gold Wing’s DCT features a 1.8kmph forward Walking Mode and reverse of 1.2kmph, operated instantly from a +/- switch on the left handlebar to ease parking chores. You you still want to work the cogs, there’s a 6-speed manual transmission on offer too.
