Honda?s latest flagship Gold Wing is a bona fide tour de force, with up to 123 pounds less weight than its predecessor depending upon model and a shorter, slimmer profile that still oozes with excellent comfort, performance and handling. Photos by Kevin Wing.

When Honda introduced a pair of radically new Gold Wings for 2018, its strategy was quite clear. After 17 model years, everyone who wanted a luxotourer like the previous GL1800 model already had one, and at 900-plus pounds, it was hardly a good starting point for adding modern features like an electric windscreen, computer-controlled adjustable suspension or an automatic dual-clutch transmission (DCT). No, to get the attention of riders across the board (not just younger ones), the new Wing had to start from a lighter, more compact place with a clean sheet of paper, and then add the latest electronic and digital features that contemporary riders expect. The result is a pair of bikes so evolved from their predecessor that some marketing types at Honda didn?t even want to call them Gold Wings.
The standard Gold Wing model with a shorter electric windscreen and no top trunk has a slight advantage in the corners over the heavier Tour model, though both can hustle through the turns like a big sport-touring bike.

Mark’s Gear
Helmet: Arai Regent-X
Jacket: Olympia Motosports Switchback 2
Pants: Olympia Motosports Airglide
Boots: Dainese Long Range

Job one was to put the bike on a serious diet with a new light...