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Wade Thiel·
Motorcycle News
··6 Comments·1 min read

Honda Improves the Gold Wing Even More for 2020

Honda Gold Wing

The Best Touring Machine in the World? Many Think So

Honda isn’t resting on its laurels with the Honda Gold Wing. The company has continued to innovate with the machine. For the 2020 model year, Honda focused on low-speed maneuverability with the Gold Wing. It refined the fuel injection and DCT systems so that they would work better when tooling around a parking lot or other low-speed situations. 

The bike also added the Tour edition. That version gets a Top Box and airbag safety system. It also gets some updates to the suspension settings and larger pillion grab handles. For 2020, the Gold Wing comes in two new paint options including Matte Ballistic Black Metallic (DCT models only) and Pearl Glare White (Tour version). 

We’re only a couple years out from the Gold Wing getting an entire overhaul. The bike features better handling, reduced weight, more electronics than a fighter jet, and a fancy-schmancy 7-speed DCT in place of the standard 6-speed manual. The bike is ready for action for 2020, and we know people will use these things to gobble up the miles.

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Wade Thiel
Wade Thiel divides his time between motorcycles, cars, and the outdoors. He lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, and tries not to let the cold winter months get him down too much.
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6 Comments

  1. I was interested in the new Goldwing until I heard of the reduction in luggage capacity. The side cases literally have the same capacity as the Yamaha FJR1300, a sport tourer. And sport tourers aren’t known for having generous luggage capacity.

  2. They seem to be trying to appeal to the younger crowd. But maybe they should try for both crowds. You know us older people who can afford to buy their bikes and the younger people. You know kind of like Harley have a sportster and a full dress and a few in between. Some of us still use them for long trips and just don’t need a sport bike. Yes it sounds nice Sport Tourer but at my age it’s not the way I ride. So being truthful they need to make bikes for the people who can afford them.

  3. Yeah I have a 2009 FJR. The FJR side case design wastes space and carries about 30 liters per side. The FJR weighs about 650 lbs or so while the new Wing weight about 780 lbs depending on options. It is great to have all the gee whiz bang stuff but if you can’t take anything with you what’s the point?

    The FJR is an excellent one up touring bike. The new Wing is an excellent two up touring bike with a luggage problem. My wife doesn’t care to ride long distance so the FJR is fine for me, but if she did the new Wing would not work for us. I don’t know what Honda was thinking. I can see the side bags getting larger in 2021 or 2022 cause.

    An excellent used FJR can be had for around $10,000.

  4. Dan

    I agree with you and being a Goldwing owner for many years and found the luggage is paramount with it being designed mostly for touring. I am disappointed they lessened the storage compartments and this is where the Harley out shines the Goldwing. I have a 2013 Goldwing and I have been waiting since 2018 for the Goldwing to add more storage and I am still holding out and hoping for this change in 2021. Adding larger storage back would not effect the handling of the Goldwing, for it is only plastic. Come on Honda, add more storage on the 2021, for I am 80 yrs old and can’t wait that much longer.

  5. Honda did not design a new Goldwing. They designed a new Goldpan. They closed down the Pan European production line and sold out the traditional Goldwing owners and they did not need to keep 100% of either rider type. They needed just 50% of each rider type to make the excercise worthwhile to Honda. As for the GL1800 Tour being used by a typical couple for an average 3 day trip, that is simply bollocks. So, not a Goldwing but a £30,000 price tag all the same. Not enough luggage capacity and 1 UK gallon less fuel when all previous GL owners were calling for more! Shame Honda ruined an icon.

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