How can I demo a goldwing? Are there actual Honda events specifically for this? I'd probably have bought one long ago if I could get a demo, but Honda dealers don't let you ride them.
They are far and few between, but I did have a dealer near me allow me to take one on a 45 minutes demo ride - no group ride, on my own. It was awesome. There is also the Honda Demo truck(s) that go around the country and that’s how I did this ride. My guess is there is a demo truck schedule on the website that may be useful. I’ve always been of this opinion - if a dealership won’t let you test ride a bike, then they don’t want your business. Leave them and move on elsewhere until you find a dealership that will allow to try the vehicle you’re about to drop $30k on!
Owned and ridden Harleys since 2001. Have approximately 300K on a 2001 XLCH Sportster, 2006 RK Classic, 2009 Road King Classic, 2015 Ultra Limited. Nary a problem on any of them. Having my 74th birthday this year. Thought I was done riding…Then I had to watch this video…….. My wife is gonna kill me!
This is my dream bike, has been since I was 20, i'm now 30. 5 more years, and I think i'll buy one brand new because I know i'll put 200k+ miles on it. Thanks for the video man, I love dreaming about owning it.
I know everyone has their reasons, but if you can, I'd say why not go for it now? I felt the same way when I was 20. Started riding when I was 22 - thankfully my wife supported this crazy idea and said "let's make some memories" at 23 - bought my dream bike (Indian Chieftain Dark Horse) and have been riding it ever since. Currently on a 7000 mile ride around the country to Sturgis and National Parks.
@@MOTOBLADE I have a wife, 2 kids, a house, and a business. I can be recklessly irresponsible and finance one, but I want a bit more money saved up for my business and emergencies, to buy my wife a nice car, and pay off more debt before I take the plunge. I just bought a Roadstar 1700 with 16k miles on it. That will hold me until I can get everything together. Funny enough, I think I'll want an Indian Roadmaster after my Goldwing because I fell in love with the V twin engine and want another RELIABLE cruiser ( I will never buy a Harley).
@@jmh4ggg best of luck my friend! Lots of responsibilities. I can understand that. My Harley has been reliable (so far) but even so - it’s not the one I’ve ridden around the country twice. Indian and Honda are top quality in my book. Great machines. Can’t go wrong with either one.
@@neilurquhart8622 I’d say the Indian pursuit rivals it. Even had the electronic adjusted suspension and a better seat than the gold wing (heated and cooled too). Just saying, it’s a competitor. For a stock bike, Harley doesn’t have one to compare with. But the pursuit would.
"In a parking lot" or as you are riding, those controls you are wishing for are on the 'control pad' offered on the left handlebar or the center console when not moving! The control pad works at all speeds/modes. The system was designed to protect those of using limited abilities enabling disaster. The engineers protected us as best in class capability. As in my flight instruction I counseled to not take a training problem and turn it in to an emergency! Good Rides
Thank you! Honda has an awesome legacy and they continue to make long lasting bikes. Saw some 70s original wings riding around at the rally. It was very cool.
Have never ridden one but one thing I know I absolutely must have on any bike is a nice sounding exhaust and this one lacks that for sure. Different strokes for different folks and it may be my cup of tea one day but not at the moment (and I'm turning 60 soon).
Not where I’m at either. I like the Indians better, but as far as the exhaust goes there are aftermarket exhausts available that make it sound 100% better.
Only issue I have with this bike is that with my far-sighted vision now, there are simply too many "buttons" on both this bike and other makes of old man bikes. Notwithstanding all the cool features offered by mfr's these days, I don't ride a bike to carry all these cool features with me on the road. I'm more of a minimalist. While Bluetooth is great, about all I need is the basic instrumentation necessary to enjoy a great ride on the open road. I mean who, these days doesn't own a cell phone that has the ability to listen to your own music piped into your ears directly or thru the vehicle's speaker system. I ride to get away from day-to-day life; not to take day-to-day life with me, notwithstanding having safety features that I doubt this bike or any other, has should I have an accident. What features? Like automatically calling 911 should I get into an accident that tells the operator my bike went down and/or the bike shuts the engine down should my bike go down so that hopefully it won't explode should my bike go down while my body becomes pinned underneath. Imagine those two kind of features being offered? And also having the ability to turn those features off should the rider, for whatever reason, not want them active while riding. Just my thoughts. Currently just too many buttons for my taste.
You may enjoy my review of the new Indian Springfield then. Sounds exactly like what you're looking for. And for what it's worth, I have dropped my Indian twice on my recent 7200+ mile adventure around America. Both times the engine shut off immediately and the bike entered some sort of safe mode with an alert on the gauges up front. After picking the bike up and restarting, they went away and bike went back to normal operation. Most new iPhones and Samsungs have crash detection for accidents too so that could be helpful! I like that idea though of having it built into the bike, like Onstar, having it detect a bad crash and immediately give a gps position and call 911. You should pitch those ideas to Indian or Honda man - great ideas!
As long as Honda sticks with this blackout themes on their bikes I won’t be buying a wing. This blackout fad has gone on too long. When I was growing up, you blacked out your wheels and parts when you couldn’t afford chrome and polished parts. It will always look cheap to me. I can’t drop the cash on a new wing and get something that doesn’t look good to me. I cannot emphasize this enough. I attend many car shows and have talked to many people about this blackout fad. I have many people that agree with me. All manufacturers have gone with this trend as it’s much cheaper to paint the part black than chrome or polish the parts. Until then I will continue to ride my Raider and Magna.
@@patriot1751 would be a good idea for Honda to make a chrome trim version as well. Harley and Indian make ‘normal’ (chromed) bikes in their lineup and then offer a blacked-out trim package for those who want it. Hondas styling dept is “you get what you get”. They could open up to a much larger market if they offered chrome, I agree. I personally like the blacked-out looks, but I ride an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse. Which, now that I thing about, actually has quite a bit of chrome 😂
There are lots of Gold Wing trikes out there, but direct from Honda, no. They are 3rd party kits but a Honda dealer can do the conversion and get a quote for you on installed kit prices. I would LOVE to own a Gold Wing trike. About as comfy as you can get on the road!
The gold wing is perfection on two wheels, there is not another motorcycle manufacturer that makes a better bike than Honda, and the gold wing is their platform made to 100% perfection.
I thought so too until I rode the BMW K1600GT and absolute beast! I use to have a Gold Wing and in my personal opinion sense I now own the BMW K1600GT, Honda doesn't even come close to the HP and Torque. As for comfort? Honda is a little better. But what I enjoy the most about the BMW is I can remove all the boxes which only takes 3 minutes, I now have a sport bike. The K bike has 165 HP and 173 POT! You just have to try one out for yourself to see what I am talking about. If I could afford both BMW and Goldwing, I would probably have both just because they are great bikes!
The Goldwing is the minivan of motorcycles. Practical, non-offensive, no one notices it, elicits no real feelings, bland. I’ll keep my Harley Ultra Limited.
That is one of the best critiques of the look I think I've heard. I love the bike mechanically, so when people ask me why I would still prefer my Indian - the Indian has more "soul" I guess. The gold wing is an amazing machine, but it just lacks an iconic look for me personally. I wouldn't hesitate to ride one around the country tomorrow, but I would prefer to ride something that makes a little more noise and turns a few more heads. Well said!
As an owner of both 2022 and 2023 Goldwing DCT tours I don't think anything has changed since 2020 other than the color. Plus I also Own a 2023 Chieftain DH and the Goldwings seat is not comfortable, I wish I was wrong but 2 hours for most people where i can stay on my chieftain for 3 or more.
@@louv3080 throwing my 2 cents in here as well, but I could flat-foot the chieftain. I couldn’t on the gold wing. I’m short so I know that’s a “me” problem 😂 but it makes it more comfortable walking around. However, one point in the goldwings favor is the reverse. That’s still a crazy thing for me. Not used to a bike with that.
If you haven't already, test ride the BMW K1600GT. Honda doesn't come close to the power and handabiltiy of the BMW K1600! Nothing against Honda for I love the Honda. Use to have one. But when I rode the K1600 it was a total game changer for me. And I might add, you can remove all boxes switch to dynamic and you know have a sport bike. So essentially you have 2 bikes in 1 with the BMW.
@@williambowen6471 thanks for the suggestion! I don’t have a bmw dealer near me but next year I will add it to the list of bike requests for the rallies and try to get on one! It definitely sounds cool - I have essentially zero experience with bmw other than 1 single test ride I did. So I will need to do some research and get ready to do a good review on one!
@@MOTOBLADE Yes it is. I’ve been riding 4 new Harley Ultras since 1990. 225K miles on them. My current is a 2012 FLHTK Stage II. I almost traded it for a 23 DCT but life got in the way. At 73 now, if I buy a wing, it may be my last. Btw, I had a 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale that was the best motorcycle I’ve ever owned or ridden, up until I rode the Wing.
Had lots of bikes over my 60 years of riding. First one was a Honda Scrambler, then a BMW K1200S, V-Rod, Yamaha 3banger, to name a few. I've always liked the GW but never have I test rode one. Where did you go on the test ride? Kinda looks like NH. But the Gold WIng has been one that I have not owned. Maybe I should get one. BTW, the K1200S was the best bike I ever owned.
This was at a demo event that Honda brought a truck to. Unfortunately there are a LOT of Honda dealers that are not interested in selling bikes - they allow no test rides. If you find a dealer like that, they aren't worth your time. Move on. Best thing you can do is go test ride this machine. I would highly recommend trying one. They are incredible!
Well I ride a model 2020 sinds 5 weeks, and I drive already over 5000KM and heating grip at [3] it is hot, seat at 2 I start to toast so that looks model specific, navigation is an other point, I did not use it, it is bad :( but I have a aftermarket navigation and that works well), even apple CarPlay works great. an onther thing I will mention is driving in the rain, the dashboard is getting wett and harder to read, but I like the bike verry much :)
I’m in my late 70s and only riding experience is from the 1970s when I owned a 200cc street bike for a short period. So, all this is over my head. That said I enjoyed riding with you and I found your review most enjoyable and informative. Only comment is from my viewing angle the two black vertical support pieces on windshield cause a small viewing obstruction. I don’t know why Honda wouldn’t make them from something transparent although I suspect there is a reason why they’re like they are. My son recently presented me with a small plastic Honda Gold Wing which sits on my desk and allows me to dream. 😊 Cheers!
@@Eric-kv1ip glad you enjoyed the video and the ride! For what it’s worth, the camera is mounted on the chin of my helmet, lower than my actual line of sight, so my eyes are set above those windshield supports. I never noticed them.
Greetings, As always another brilliant detailed video production 🇺🇲🍾🎉🇺🇲 FYI My 2021 Africa twin adventure sports ES has touch screen. Keep producing more videos.
Thank you! And thanks for the info on the Africa Twin. I think having a touch screen makes it so much easier to navigate, at least for when you’re at a stop. Having to use the handlebar controls on the gold wing to make every little change feels a bit outdated.
13:00 in my opinion, they are doing very well with the new styling and finally catching up with features that have already been out. I feel if they really want to tap into the younger age market, they need to find a way to drop that $30k price tag by a lot cause at that point you can just buy a new car for $5k less
Exactly. My generation is not about to drop $30k on a bike (albeit a beautiful and well-equipped bike). Just not happening for the majority of the younger generation. It’s the same with Harley and Indian as well. Bike prices going higher and the smaller, more affordable bikes, are just not as interesting (always a few exceptions, obviously).
I currently have a few cruisers and sport tour bikes. I have a 2015 Honda Goldwing and just love the bike. I will probably upgrade end of the year or next year. I wonder what the 2025 Goldwing will look like.
😂 I always joke about this when I ride. Backing up my 950lbs chieftain is biker leg day for me. When I get old enough I can’t do that anymore, I will get something with reverse. Nice to have for people who need it. Or just get your buddy to push the bike back for you!
the GW is a nice bike, great blend of sportbike like ergonomics and handling, and touring package.. the only gripe is the lack of real floor boards and foot real estate as it does not let you stretch out your legs in longer trips. you're always in an upright sport riding on pegs position.. seat is comfy for both driver and passenger and nice trunk space.. The side bags could be better designed with a top mount lid as opposed to having everything drop out when you open it sideways.. but manageable. hate the lack of touch screen.. navigating through buttons on the fly could be pain.. especially when you need to enter a quick destination on the go during a stop light.. like for gas stops or a restaurant suggestion. much easier if you can just tap search and go.. As an aging Harley touring rider, I honestly keep looking back at the Goldwing as a potential replacement but can't seem to take the plunge.. hopefully future models will address some of those limitations.
I would recommend looking at the Indian Pursuit as another touring option. Electronic suspension like the gold wing, touch screen, motorized windshield, better bag design and more trunk space. Might be what you’re looking for. I did a video on it here if you’re interested: th-cam.com/video/GonjM53qfAg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ZYExxclfpObbblmu
@@MOTOBLADE I am familiar with Indian.. I owned a Challenger Dark horse.. then moved onto my current ride, 2022 road glide ST. It's the DCT that I am more interested in .. not a similar bike to what I already have..
Thanks for noticing - I try! Gotta be safe out there! Just got back from 7200 mile journey around the country filming riding through national parks/sturgis rally. Gotta keep your head on a swivel (at all times but especially on the highway. People are crazy!). Thanks for watching :)
@@eseterixk987 happy to help! I just got back from riding around the country 7000+ miles filming national parks and narrating as I went along. That will be coming soon if you’re interested:)
@@MOTOBLADE Wow!! Thanks for replying so fast!! Yes I would love to watch that of course!! Please post it!! I'm subscribing to your channel as well. Thanks and best wishes !! :) Also maybe you can do a review of the BMW K1800 too which is similar to the Honda GoldWing.
@@eseterixk987 I have had several folks ask me to review the BMWs, I just don’t have a dealer near me. I will see what I can do though - people seem very interested in it. I try to post a new video every Sunday at noon est. so the videos from around the country should start coming out within a week (and sturgis videos). Long video of the whole trip is going to take a while 😁
no longer the 'ultimate'. At best it is penultimate one back from the Great Wall Motor Company's Souo S2000GL boxer 8. The king is dead long live the king. For myself, I'd much rather have a Souo over a wing anyday. At the moment I'm quite content to live in the lap of luxury onboard a 2012 K1600GT but there are those who need the extra luggage room. If you describe your bike by the cubic inch of the luggage compartment and not the engine block you might want to buy a honda civic and not the goldwing. Still, have a look and decide for yourself if you would rather upgrade to a boxer 8 over a 6... more is always better unless you are stuck in the V-twin cult in which case - I can't help you. th-cam.com/video/KSpMcSKN-7M/w-d-xo.html
@@stevetk8174 well, you may not have heard but Harley is made in India, China and Thailand. It was also once made in japan, brazil and italy. If you can find a motorcycle that is made in only one country I'd like to know which one it is and I'm sure you'll find that the only bikes that fit that criteria are made in China now. The rust belt of america is aptly named. The USA out sourced its parts (to save money) and now they have outsourced the entire bike with some final assembly at home to keep that 'made in the usa' sticker which seems to mean so much. The company store of yesteryear is global now. If they are making a better bike at the Great Wall Motor Company then why shouldn't I buy one? Benelli has its headquarters in Italy but production is in China. That's the world we live in - denial is a river in egypt.
Bought the 2024 two months ago. Most amazing ride/Bike I have ever been on. Sport bike on roids. The smoothest ride you can’t begin to imagine unless you ride it, no joke. It’s amazing. Nuff said.
It was so incredibly smooth! That dampener up front works overtime taking all the vibration out. Incredible machine! Congrats on the new ride man - have fun and ride safe!
I’ve had a number of gold wings throughout my life, but then I rode a BMW R 1250 RT, which is an absolutely amazing motorcycle. Love the Goldwing but prefer the RT.
I don't have much experience on or around BMW's but so many of you guys keep talking to me about them I think I'm going to have to try them out here pretty soon!
The lean angle I am sure is better than my 09 vstar 950. Hands down the worst thing about an otherwise great cruiser. I also have a full dress royal star v4 which can lean like an interceptor. But it just too too heavy and a real challenge at low speeds especially 2 up. Needs a tall owner.
I’ve always wanted to make the move up to a Gold Wing but as a 5’7”, 150 lb guy, I’ve always had this psychological barrier that it’s too big and heavy for me. Not sure if there are many people my size that can give their thoughts.
@@johnwicks4936 I’m 5’8” 155 if that helps 😁 my chieftain is almost 1000lbs without me on it. Only thing I wish it had was reverse like the gold wing because yeah, they’re heavy if you have to back up. So I try to never be in a situation where I have to do that. But as far as handling a heavy bike- it’s about skill and being steady and gentle with it. They handle well, and I’d dare say the gold wing is the best handling big bike at low speeds I’ve ever ridden. Best thing you can do is go take a test ride and get a leg over one. See for yourself how you like it!
The 6th gen GL is FAR from amazing considering the fuel pump recall, handlebars that come loose from the upper steering head and the transmission internal UBS bolt that falls out and destroys the transmission that can cause engine seizure resulting a crash due to rear wheel lock up! Buy a 5th gen GL!!
I mean, depending on how loose we define those, it kinda does! 😂 I’m waiting for the butt massaging seat like my Subaru has. Maybe then I will upgrade. I mean, I have standards 👀
@@bobsullivan5714 on the gravel/dirt area of road construction we went through in two separate areas, the gold wing handled beautifully. Was not a long test. Maybe 30 seconds of riding across those conditions? But it was perfectly stable for me.
They're great. Owned several. But is there any way....to get my feet down lower on the pegs? I'm 6.4"....and the seating position sucks stock. There were always aftermarket floorboards available that made them much more comfortable for tall riders. Any idea if they are available for these new "little' Goldwings? Thanks
@@rayjensen4480 I did a little digging. There’s not a plethora of parts for the new redesigned wings like there was for the 2010’s models. I looked around for a while and found these: amzn.to/4dY2UyQ I also saw an extension kit for the floorboards while I was on Amazon, and a few other retailers had them as well I believe, for repositioning the boards slightly. Definitely not as many options available but they are out there. Hopefully that’s a start to get you on the right track.
I like your review. I'm damn tempted to jump ship from my HD Ultra Limited! lol. Even with Harley's latest release, I think suspension & little things like heated grips/seat and adjustable windshields are still a few years behind what other touring models are offering. And let's not forget the Harley price tag! I'm not sold on the look of the Indians...lol.
Harley commands a premium price that isn’t always warranted. I do like their new road glide and the screen and the new Milwaukee 8 117 engine, but the gold wing offers a lot more “touring tech” if that’s what you’re looking for. Not sure how you like the looks of it but the Indian pursuit is another great option for good touring tech. Not quite to the refined level of the gold wing, but they have the electronic adjustable suspension, heated AND cooled seat, power windshield, etc. so it may be the closest competitor to the current ‘24 wing. I have a full detailed review of the pursuit on my channel as well if you’re interested, but I get it - looks play a role in what we like to ride too.
WOW that's insane! I thought it was pricey here in the U.S. but that's just incredible. Come buy one over here and have it shipped down to Brazil - you'd probably still come out ahead and save!
Group rides themselves are annoying! I don't mind if it's with a group of friends or people I know, but for these demo rides you never know who you're going to be stuck between, and you can't trust anybody. Harley and Indian were nice, they'd just hand you the keys and say "you know the route? Great! bring it back in 20 minutes and have fun!"
@@MOTOBLADE totally agree. If Honda wanted to give you a true taste of their bike, they'd let you ride the way YOU would want to ride if you spent $30k+ on the bike you're taking for a demo! Not everyone rides the same. You can't accomplish real test rides in a group setting.
@davecarsley8773 EXACTLY! The biggest issue I have ever had with Honda, and have heard from subscribers on this as well - a lot of dealerships will not allow you to take a bike for a test ride. If a dealership won’t do that, they don’t deserve your business, move along. If you’re about to drop $30-40k on a large touring bike that you’re supposedly going to keep for a long time, you absolutely must ride it first to see if you like it or not. Honda makes great stuff but if they would make some improvements in their PR department and how they handle these rides, I think they would get a lot more happy customers.
@gsbeak Indian and Harley just let you go ride (they had a route outlined for you but you could in theory go wherever you wanted). Honda had the group ride system. Kawasaki had a group ride system AND a breathalyzer test (that part is actually pretty smart on their end).
@@terrykelly8982 this is a Rally called Americade that happens in NY every spring. It’s not a big party type of rally like Sturgis or Daytona. It’s very reserved and organized and it’s all about RIDING. All the big manufacturers bring their trucks and it’s non stop demo rides for several days. Lots of vendors, nice restaurants, and they bring in entertainers like Alonzo Bodden to do shows (he’s cool because he will be hanging out in the demo area trying bikes all day too!). It’s a great even if you’re looking to compare motorcycles because you can hop off of one, walk 50 feet across the parking lot, and try another brand. Very convenient. They also run a tight ship on safety. All the proper riding gear is required, Kawasaki even required a breathalyzer test before EVERY ride. Very well organized, I highly recommend it if you’re looking to try or compare motorcycles before making a large investment in a bike.
Audio quality is good, not quite as loud or as good as an Indian with powerband audio, but better than the stock, non-upgraded Harley’s. Hopefully that comparison helps a bit. The crucial part here is the wind noise of the bike. The audio may not be as insanely loud as other models, but because the gold wing protects you so well from wind on the highway, the audio doesn’t have to compete against the wind noise. Once that windshield is up it goes quiet. No need to compensate with a massive stereo when you can just eliminate so much wind noise. Different way of coming at the situation.
YES! Use a headset and listen to crystal clear stereo via Car Play. It greatly helps when you are advancing in years as it protects your hearing! Good Rides
Many Thanks for the onboard Demo Ride Features , It's a beautiful ride . I've not been on a new G-Wing that you were riding , ( 7 Speed Auto Shift ) . I have an old 2003 ( Red ) and still has plenty of yrs to ride and enjoy. Love your Channel , And Keep on Riding and Let us all know about New Rides...
I’ve put 20,000 miles on a 21 Wing DCT Tour. Best touring bike I’ve ever spent time on. Ex Harley owner. Rider for the last 55 years. Pay attention youngsters- try new bikes. Don’t get stuck on a brand. I wish I hadn’t 😮
Thank you! I have a lot of videos coming from my recent 7200 mile ride around America going to national parks/sturgis - but there will still be test ride videos coming! At least 10 filmed, just in the editing queue.
Gold Wings are just awesome! Smooth, quiet, powerful, and practical. I bought a 2009 Honda Shadow Aero this past December as my first bike and started riding in February. I turned it into a mini tourer almost immediately with bags and a trunk. It has been a great little starter motorcycle! Sounds great (Cobra pipes), rides pretty well, and has been extremely reliable thus far. My folks and I made a trip out west (trailered the motorcycles) a couple weeks ago and we rode around Rushmore, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. It was a fantastic experience! It also showed me that I "need" a bigger bike haha. I think the Shadow is a great hot rod, but when riding for hours on end, I want to be lazy. The Gold Wing fits the bill. Now, off I go to make $36K haha. On a side note, how long have you been flying? In the video you mentioned you were a CFI. Piqued my curiosity as I am currently working on my Commercial Rating.
I did the same thing with my first bike- a Vulcan S. Turned it into a little mini touring bike. Then realized I needed an actual touring bike 😂 I have a lot of reviews of touring bikes on my channel from Indian and Harley for comparison as well. Personally I like Indian, but the Honda gold wing is just about as perfect as you can get in a touring bike. Been teaching for almost 4 years now. Was a shrink before 😂 needed a career change. I love teaching. Still get to work with people 1 on 1 and help them overcome challenges, but the office view is way better 😎
Handles great - we went through an area of construction with some gravel (I edited a lot out for time) and some areas with “road snakes”. Handled like it was on rails. Handling and suspension on a Gold Wing are second to none.
I didn’t take it on any dirt roads so I can’t comment. We did go over some loose gravel in a construction site and it handled absolutely fine but that was only for a short time.
You mean the cars or the bikes? For the bikes this was a group ride demo from Honda. There was a Honda road captain we were required to follow. Not a fan of group rides for demos but it Hondas policy, probably for their insurance.
I’m a 5’2 woman looking for an easy comfortable ride where the bike don’t swallow you up and very heavy I love the style and look of the Honda Gold Wing or did I mention I’m 68 what are your thoughts and please no smart ass remarks I’m serious thank you
I think it's one of the easiest handling bikes for its size on the market. It's still large and heavy, but it certainly doesn't FEEL like it. Handles well, with the wonderful bonus of the reverse switch. I'm not in my 30s yet, very fit, and backing up my almost 1,000 lbs Indian is not an easy task - so the reverse motor is definitely a plus in my book. Best advice I can ever give anyone is go test ride it for yourself, never buy a bike without doing that. If a dealership won't let you try one, take your business elsewhere, they aren't worth your time. You will usually know right away after riding one if it's the right fit for you. Just my 2 cents, hope that helps! Whatever you end up on, don't stop riding - stay young!
@@MOTOBLADEthank you for getting back to me where would I go in Kansas for a dealership I’m in Topeka, Kansas I would like to go try one out again thank you
@@donnastclair8870 I have no idea. I would start with a search for Honda powersports dealerships on Google maps. I don’t live anywhere near Kansas and wouldn’t know the first thing about how to guide you. I passed through there briefly on Route 66 recently for about an hour and that’s all I’ve seen in the southeast corner at Galena. And I like the chiefs 😂 Honda powersports website is a good start too, you can search for dealerships near you on there. I got the website for you here: powersports.honda.com/find-a-dealer
I heard some of the older DCTs weren’t as smooth in shifting as the newer years (2020 and later) Did you ever notice anything like that with yours, or did it seem great?
@@MOTOBLADE My '19 was smooth as silk, but I have not ridden a new one yet to compare. I did re-initialize the DCT (or whatever they called it) a few times a year - always after an oil and filters change, and then additionally. Easy to do and it definitely made a difference. Oh and the heat - I noticed the same with mine - seat and grips never seemed to get very warm - just OK. My HD grips are hot on only setting #2 out of 5...
@@MOTOBLADE The procedure is out there somewhere - involves a few button pushes in sequence while sitting on the bike upright so it can't move. It goes through its gyrations for a minute or so and when it's done, like a whole new shifting experience. Like I said, after oil and filters or any time shifting doesn't seem as smooth as it should. Doesn't hurt it at all to do it regularly.
Yes you can. I can’t play music through them in the video because TH-cam will pick it up for copyright, but they are plenty loud for the highway. What makes it great isn’t so much the speakers are loud, but the bike is QUIET - with that nice front fairing and windshield it cuts so much noise so you don’t have the wind noise and buffeting to contend with.
Last Fall I traded my 2010 for a 2023. While I enjoy the new engine, styling, and ride, there are significant differences. The 2010 was wider and thusly had better wind protection. Furthermore, the lower fairing protected the legs much better from the wind and it has a heat vent for your feet and legs when it is cold out, and yes it did work. The 2010 has pockets in the fairing, with one being locking, while the 2023 has no such feature. The 2010 has bigger saddle bags and I could carry more in it. Honda makes an issue about being able to get two helmets in the 2023 trunk. I was able to get two into the 2010 trunk. I'm still happy I got the 2023 but I miss features of the 2010. I just had to adapt.
I have not ridden a 2010 (20-teens models of any kind) gold wing. But I did notice just looking at them that the new ones are smaller and you can even see the fairing is not as large. Thank you for the comparison of the two. Very helpful for me and others!
@@garywaynestevens5754 that’s a terrible way for a dealership to run a business. NEVER buy a bike without doing a test ride on it first. If they don’t want to sell the bike, that’s their problem. Make a day trip to a dealer farther away that will let you do one. Heck, make a weekend out of it. But don’t give business to dealerships that act like that. That ain’t right.
@@thomascochrane4922 we will have to disagree on that. Indian has them. Harley has them. I love the one on my Indian Chieftain - when you’re moving it disables the ability to type in phone numbers/addresses. Has handlebar controls to manipulate screen like the gold wing. But when you come to a stop it re-enables the screen for typing and doing stuff which is very convenient. That’s the safety compromise I think works best. Disabled touch ability while moving, but there when you are stopped for convenience.
All new cell-phones are moving to usb-c (usb 3 and 4). usb-a will be phased out eventually, it's too slow and narrow. usb-c is the way of the future for speed in portable electronics for both data transfer and charging.
At least the Goldwing can push on when you want unlike a Harley. I have done ride outs where there have been Harleys and the ride is so slow. Going to tour Europe next year and will get a Goldwing to do that. Being more nimble will make cornering on the Alpine passes a lot easier.
I get your point, but that may be more due to the riders than the bike. My Harley is definitely not slow 😂 nor is my Indian. But the gold wing gl1800 engine with 7 gears can definitely get up there - especially in sport mode.
I owned a 2021. Great bike, but at 6'3 I could never get comfortable on it. Replaced seat, highway pegs, still no luck. After a few hours my hips would cramp from my legs being bent like that.
Im 6'-3" as well. Have ridden Harley's for 35 years. Have a Road glide cvo now and I'm very seriously considering one of these bikes, but the comfort on long rides concerns me. Did you try any of the back rest options or the highway pegs? I'm planning on renting one for a few days to get a feel
@@watty7877 I did not try a backrest or pegs. Renting one for a few days is the best thing you could possibly do! Try to put as many long hours and miles on it as you can. That should give you the answer that best fits your body and tolerance.
Another Indian representing 💪🏻 😂 I love my Chieftain, which I have basically turned into a road master at this point, minus the leg fairings. So comfortable
Not sure - hopefully someone else can chime in here. Getting well over 40 mpg. But I was only on it for this 40-ish minute ride so we never pushed them to any limits unfortunately. I get 240 miles to a tank on my Indian Chieftain. I have to assume the Gold Wing has got to get better mpg than I am.
Glad you like the Gold Wing, but it isn’t my favorite out of all the bikes in the world. I like Indians more. Just my personal preference but I like a big, loud, American cruiser with attitude.
@@MOTOBLADE completely understand where you’re coming from. My top priorities on a motorcycle are handling, acceleration, braking and comfort. that being said, I have a 2008 Goldwing and plan to buy a new one once I see the 2025/50 anniversary. I doubt they’ll change anything but maybe the price in a badge. I do like the blue color that came out in 2022. But the white is definitely my second favorite color. I’ve had a lot of loud bikes. Even a Valkrie with two brothers racing pipes on it. After riding quiet bike that’s what I prefer. But I’m an old man. I have heard that the new gold wings. The seat is lacking for long trips. I usually don’t ride more than 500 miles in a day so aftermarket seat may be an order. Thanks for the view. I think you did a great job.
Thank you! I will be interested to see what they do for the 50th anniversary wing as well. I’ve got a saddlemen on mine and a wild-ass seat cushion. I’m on day 3 of 18 right now in a 7000 mile road trip. Up to 1800 miles so far today. Good seat and cushion are worth it!
What do you guys think of the new 2024 Honda Gold Wing? Let me know your thoughts and opinions below 👇🏻
How can I demo a goldwing? Are there actual Honda events specifically for this? I'd probably have bought one long ago if I could get a demo, but Honda dealers don't let you ride them.
They are far and few between, but I did have a dealer near me allow me to take one on a 45 minutes demo ride - no group ride, on my own. It was awesome. There is also the Honda Demo truck(s) that go around the country and that’s how I did this ride. My guess is there is a demo truck schedule on the website that may be useful. I’ve always been of this opinion - if a dealership won’t let you test ride a bike, then they don’t want your business. Leave them and move on elsewhere until you find a dealership that will allow to try the vehicle you’re about to drop $30k on!
@@MOTOBLADE 👍
Owned and ridden Harleys since 2001. Have approximately 300K on a 2001 XLCH Sportster, 2006 RK Classic, 2009 Road King Classic, 2015 Ultra Limited. Nary a problem on any of them. Having my 74th birthday this year. Thought I was done riding…Then I had to watch this video…….. My wife is gonna kill me!
Haha! Glad I could help! Tell the wife I’m sorry 🤣
Nice!
😂
😅😅
Welp...you are old so she doing you a favor😘
This is my dream bike, has been since I was 20, i'm now 30. 5 more years, and I think i'll buy one brand new because I know i'll put 200k+ miles on it. Thanks for the video man, I love dreaming about owning it.
I know everyone has their reasons, but if you can, I'd say why not go for it now? I felt the same way when I was 20. Started riding when I was 22 - thankfully my wife supported this crazy idea and said "let's make some memories" at 23 - bought my dream bike (Indian Chieftain Dark Horse) and have been riding it ever since. Currently on a 7000 mile ride around the country to Sturgis and National Parks.
@@MOTOBLADE I have a wife, 2 kids, a house, and a business. I can be recklessly irresponsible and finance one, but I want a bit more money saved up for my business and emergencies, to buy my wife a nice car, and pay off more debt before I take the plunge.
I just bought a Roadstar 1700 with 16k miles on it. That will hold me until I can get everything together. Funny enough, I think I'll want an Indian Roadmaster after my Goldwing because I fell in love with the V twin engine and want another RELIABLE cruiser ( I will never buy a Harley).
@@jmh4ggg best of luck my friend! Lots of responsibilities. I can understand that. My Harley has been reliable (so far) but even so - it’s not the one I’ve ridden around the country twice. Indian and Honda are top quality in my book. Great machines. Can’t go wrong with either one.
Surely the Goldwing is in ANOTHER LEAGUE to any Harley, Indian, Triumph. It’s the Rolls Royce of bikes!
@@neilurquhart8622 I’d say the Indian pursuit rivals it. Even had the electronic adjusted suspension and a better seat than the gold wing (heated and cooled too). Just saying, it’s a competitor.
For a stock bike, Harley doesn’t have one to compare with. But the pursuit would.
Triumph is made in india china japan not uk anymore
"In a parking lot" or as you are riding, those controls you are wishing for are on the 'control pad' offered on the left handlebar or the center console when not moving! The control pad works at all speeds/modes. The system was designed to protect those of using limited abilities enabling disaster. The engineers protected us as best in class capability.
As in my flight instruction I counseled to not take a training problem and turn it in to an emergency!
Good Rides
The GoldWing came out in 1974, and has only got better, good review 👍
Thank you! Honda has an awesome legacy and they continue to make long lasting bikes. Saw some 70s original wings riding around at the rally. It was very cool.
Have never ridden one but one thing I know I absolutely must have on any bike is a nice sounding exhaust and this one lacks that for sure.
Different strokes for different folks and it may be my cup of tea one day but not at the moment (and I'm turning 60 soon).
Not where I’m at either. I like the Indians better, but as far as the exhaust goes there are aftermarket exhausts available that make it sound 100% better.
Only issue I have with this bike is that with my far-sighted vision now, there are simply too many "buttons" on both this bike and other makes of old man bikes. Notwithstanding all the cool features offered by mfr's these days, I don't ride a bike to carry all these cool features with me on the road. I'm more of a minimalist. While Bluetooth is great, about all I need is the basic instrumentation necessary to enjoy a great ride on the open road. I mean who, these days doesn't own a cell phone that has the ability to listen to your own music piped into your ears directly or thru the vehicle's speaker system. I ride to get away from day-to-day life; not to take day-to-day life with me, notwithstanding having safety features that I doubt this bike or any other, has should I have an accident. What features? Like automatically calling 911 should I get into an accident that tells the operator my bike went down and/or the bike shuts the engine down should my bike go down so that hopefully it won't explode should my bike go down while my body becomes pinned underneath. Imagine those two kind of features being offered? And also having the ability to turn those features off should the rider, for whatever reason, not want them active while riding. Just my thoughts. Currently just too many buttons for my taste.
You may enjoy my review of the new Indian Springfield then. Sounds exactly like what you're looking for. And for what it's worth, I have dropped my Indian twice on my recent 7200+ mile adventure around America. Both times the engine shut off immediately and the bike entered some sort of safe mode with an alert on the gauges up front. After picking the bike up and restarting, they went away and bike went back to normal operation. Most new iPhones and Samsungs have crash detection for accidents too so that could be helpful! I like that idea though of having it built into the bike, like Onstar, having it detect a bad crash and immediately give a gps position and call 911. You should pitch those ideas to Indian or Honda man - great ideas!
@@MOTOBLADE Good to know. I'll have to check that out next time I visit my local Indian dealership. TY.
As long as Honda sticks with this blackout themes on their bikes I won’t be buying a wing. This blackout fad has gone on too long. When I was growing up, you blacked out your wheels and parts when you couldn’t afford chrome and polished parts. It will always look cheap to me. I can’t drop the cash on a new wing and get something that doesn’t look good to me. I cannot emphasize this enough. I attend many car shows and have talked to many people about this blackout fad. I have many people that agree with me. All manufacturers have gone with this trend as it’s much cheaper to paint the part black than chrome or polish the parts. Until then I will continue to ride my Raider and Magna.
@@patriot1751 would be a good idea for Honda to make a chrome trim version as well. Harley and Indian make ‘normal’ (chromed) bikes in their lineup and then offer a blacked-out trim package for those who want it. Hondas styling dept is “you get what you get”. They could open up to a much larger market if they offered chrome, I agree. I personally like the blacked-out looks, but I ride an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse. Which, now that I thing about, actually has quite a bit of chrome 😂
Wish they made a trike, I'm 83 and 5'6" and just don't have the strength like years ago when I rode a 85 Gold Wing, I now riding a Harley Trike.
There are lots of Gold Wing trikes out there, but direct from Honda, no. They are 3rd party kits but a Honda dealer can do the conversion and get a quote for you on installed kit prices. I would LOVE to own a Gold Wing trike. About as comfy as you can get on the road!
The gold wing is perfection on two wheels, there is not another motorcycle manufacturer that makes a better bike than Honda, and the gold wing is their platform made to 100% perfection.
Honda knows their stuff! They’ve been making these DCT motorcycles for a while and have it all perfected.
I thought so too until I rode the BMW K1600GT and absolute beast! I use to have a Gold Wing and in my personal opinion sense I now own the BMW K1600GT, Honda doesn't even come close to the HP and Torque. As for comfort? Honda is a little better. But what I enjoy the most about the BMW is I can remove all the boxes which only takes 3 minutes, I now have a sport bike. The K bike has 165 HP and 173 POT! You just have to try one out for yourself to see what I am talking about. If I could afford both BMW and Goldwing, I would probably have both just because they are great bikes!
The Goldwing is the minivan of motorcycles. Practical, non-offensive, no one notices it, elicits no real feelings, bland. I’ll keep my Harley Ultra Limited.
That is one of the best critiques of the look I think I've heard. I love the bike mechanically, so when people ask me why I would still prefer my Indian - the Indian has more "soul" I guess. The gold wing is an amazing machine, but it just lacks an iconic look for me personally. I wouldn't hesitate to ride one around the country tomorrow, but I would prefer to ride something that makes a little more noise and turns a few more heads. Well said!
@@MOTOBLADE totally agree.
That’s my dream motorcycle amazingly beautiful, maybe in another life I would have the money to buy one 😅
I’m with ya! Gotta hit the lottery to afford all these awesome bikes 😁
As an owner of both 2022 and 2023 Goldwing DCT tours I don't think anything has changed since 2020 other than the color. Plus I also Own a 2023 Chieftain DH and the Goldwings seat is not comfortable, I wish I was wrong but 2 hours for most people where i can stay on my chieftain for 3 or more.
Which of the 2 (GW or Chieftain) is more maneuverable at low speeds (ie. Feels lighter)?
@@louv3080 I am surprised to say the Chieftain is more nimble. The chieftain is one of the best handling bikes I've ever ridden
@@louv3080 throwing my 2 cents in here as well, but I could flat-foot the chieftain. I couldn’t on the gold wing. I’m short so I know that’s a “me” problem 😂 but it makes it more comfortable walking around. However, one point in the goldwings favor is the reverse. That’s still a crazy thing for me. Not used to a bike with that.
@@MOTOBLADE 5'7" here so good to know. 👍
@@louv3080 same bro. Short kings 👑
If you haven't already, test ride the BMW K1600GT. Honda doesn't come close to the power and handabiltiy of the BMW K1600! Nothing against Honda for I love the Honda. Use to have one. But when I rode the K1600 it was a total game changer for me. And I might add, you can remove all boxes switch to dynamic and you know have a sport bike. So essentially you have 2 bikes in 1 with the BMW.
@@williambowen6471 thanks for the suggestion! I don’t have a bmw dealer near me but next year I will add it to the list of bike requests for the rallies and try to get on one! It definitely sounds cool - I have essentially zero experience with bmw other than 1 single test ride I did. So I will need to do some research and get ready to do a good review on one!
Oh god. Are you kidding me??? Sounds like you have a bad case of "sunk cost fallacy".
Liked the overview. Job well done 👍🏻
Thank you! 😁
Rode the 21 DCT at Americade and can’t get it out of my mind.
It’s amazing isn’t it? Such a great ride.
@@MOTOBLADE Yes it is. I’ve been riding 4 new Harley Ultras since 1990. 225K miles on them. My current is a 2012 FLHTK Stage II. I almost traded it for a 23 DCT but life got in the way. At 73 now, if I buy a wing, it may be my last. Btw, I had a 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale that was the best motorcycle I’ve ever owned or ridden, up until I rode the Wing.
Had lots of bikes over my 60 years of riding. First one was a Honda Scrambler, then a BMW K1200S, V-Rod, Yamaha 3banger, to name a few. I've always liked the GW but never have I test rode one. Where did you go on the test ride? Kinda looks like NH.
But the Gold WIng has been one that I have not owned. Maybe I should get one. BTW, the K1200S was the best bike I ever owned.
This was at a demo event that Honda brought a truck to. Unfortunately there are a LOT of Honda dealers that are not interested in selling bikes - they allow no test rides. If you find a dealer like that, they aren't worth your time. Move on. Best thing you can do is go test ride this machine. I would highly recommend trying one. They are incredible!
Well I ride a model 2020 sinds 5 weeks, and I drive already over 5000KM and heating grip at [3] it is hot, seat at 2 I start to toast so that looks model specific, navigation is an other point, I did not use it, it is bad :( but I have a aftermarket navigation and that works well), even apple CarPlay works great. an onther thing I will mention is driving in the rain, the dashboard is getting wett and harder to read, but I like the bike verry much :)
Glad you’re enjoying the new ride! Always great to hear reviews from owners!
I’m in my late 70s and only riding experience is from the 1970s when I owned a 200cc street bike for a short period. So, all this is over my head. That said I enjoyed riding with you and I found your review most enjoyable and informative.
Only comment is from my viewing angle the two black vertical support pieces on windshield cause a small viewing obstruction. I don’t know why Honda wouldn’t make them from something transparent although I suspect there is a reason why they’re like they are.
My son recently presented me with a small plastic Honda Gold Wing which sits on my desk and allows me to dream. 😊 Cheers!
@@Eric-kv1ip glad you enjoyed the video and the ride! For what it’s worth, the camera is mounted on the chin of my helmet, lower than my actual line of sight, so my eyes are set above those windshield supports. I never noticed them.
Greetings,
As always another brilliant detailed video production 🇺🇲🍾🎉🇺🇲 FYI
My 2021 Africa twin adventure sports ES has touch screen.
Keep producing more videos.
Thank you! And thanks for the info on the Africa Twin. I think having a touch screen makes it so much easier to navigate, at least for when you’re at a stop. Having to use the handlebar controls on the gold wing to make every little change feels a bit outdated.
13:00 in my opinion, they are doing very well with the new styling and finally catching up with features that have already been out. I feel if they really want to tap into the younger age market, they need to find a way to drop that $30k price tag by a lot cause at that point you can just buy a new car for $5k less
Exactly. My generation is not about to drop $30k on a bike (albeit a beautiful and well-equipped bike). Just not happening for the majority of the younger generation. It’s the same with Harley and Indian as well. Bike prices going higher and the smaller, more affordable bikes, are just not as interesting (always a few exceptions, obviously).
I currently have a few cruisers and sport tour bikes. I have a 2015 Honda Goldwing and just love the bike. I will probably upgrade end of the year or next year. I wonder what the 2025 Goldwing will look like.
believe the 2025 will be an anniversary edition year, so they might do something special!
@2:55 People who still can go the gym and can still do heavy leg days, are not riding goldwing.
😂 I always joke about this when I ride. Backing up my 950lbs chieftain is biker leg day for me. When I get old enough I can’t do that anymore, I will get something with reverse. Nice to have for people who need it. Or just get your buddy to push the bike back for you!
the GW is a nice bike, great blend of sportbike like ergonomics and handling, and touring package.. the only gripe is the lack of real floor boards and foot real estate as it does not let you stretch out your legs in longer trips. you're always in an upright sport riding on pegs position.. seat is comfy for both driver and passenger and nice trunk space.. The side bags could be better designed with a top mount lid as opposed to having everything drop out when you open it sideways.. but manageable. hate the lack of touch screen.. navigating through buttons on the fly could be pain.. especially when you need to enter a quick destination on the go during a stop light.. like for gas stops or a restaurant suggestion. much easier if you can just tap search and go.. As an aging Harley touring rider, I honestly keep looking back at the Goldwing as a potential replacement but can't seem to take the plunge.. hopefully future models will address some of those limitations.
I would recommend looking at the Indian Pursuit as another touring option. Electronic suspension like the gold wing, touch screen, motorized windshield, better bag design and more trunk space. Might be what you’re looking for. I did a video on it here if you’re interested: th-cam.com/video/GonjM53qfAg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ZYExxclfpObbblmu
@@MOTOBLADE I am familiar with Indian.. I owned a Challenger Dark horse.. then moved onto my current ride, 2022 road glide ST. It's the DCT that I am more interested in .. not a similar bike to what I already have..
Good examples of MILO: mirror, indicate, look, over as you change lanes.
Thanks for noticing - I try! Gotta be safe out there! Just got back from 7200 mile journey around the country filming riding through national parks/sturgis rally. Gotta keep your head on a swivel (at all times but especially on the highway. People are crazy!). Thanks for watching :)
Hey loved your video riding. You talking all along the ride explaining was like riding along. It was quite informative. A big thanks!! :D
@@eseterixk987 happy to help! I just got back from riding around the country 7000+ miles filming national parks and narrating as I went along. That will be coming soon if you’re interested:)
@@MOTOBLADE Wow!! Thanks for replying so fast!! Yes I would love to watch that of course!! Please post it!! I'm subscribing to your channel as well. Thanks and best wishes !! :)
Also maybe you can do a review of the BMW K1800 too which is similar to the Honda GoldWing.
@@eseterixk987 I have had several folks ask me to review the BMWs, I just don’t have a dealer near me. I will see what I can do though - people seem very interested in it. I try to post a new video every Sunday at noon est. so the videos from around the country should start coming out within a week (and sturgis videos). Long video of the whole trip is going to take a while 😁
@@MOTOBLADE Ok. Maybe sometime you may find some dealer though. Thanks a lot! :)
@@eseterixk987 you’re welcome! Thanks for subscribing, and when I have the opportunity I will try to get on that bmw for you :)
no longer the 'ultimate'. At best it is penultimate one back from the Great Wall Motor Company's Souo S2000GL boxer 8. The king is dead long live the king. For myself, I'd much rather have a Souo over a wing anyday. At the moment I'm quite content to live in the lap of luxury onboard a 2012 K1600GT but there are those who need the extra luggage room. If you describe your bike by the cubic inch of the luggage compartment and not the engine block you might want to buy a honda civic and not the goldwing. Still, have a look and decide for yourself if you would rather upgrade to a boxer 8 over a 6... more is always better unless you are stuck in the V-twin cult in which case - I can't help you. th-cam.com/video/KSpMcSKN-7M/w-d-xo.html
Yeah right. Buy a Chinese motorcycle. Go ahead.
@@stevetk8174 well, you may not have heard but Harley is made in India, China and Thailand. It was also once made in japan, brazil and italy. If you can find a motorcycle that is made in only one country I'd like to know which one it is and I'm sure you'll find that the only bikes that fit that criteria are made in China now. The rust belt of america is aptly named. The USA out sourced its parts (to save money) and now they have outsourced the entire bike with some final assembly at home to keep that 'made in the usa' sticker which seems to mean so much. The company store of yesteryear is global now. If they are making a better bike at the Great Wall Motor Company then why shouldn't I buy one? Benelli has its headquarters in Italy but production is in China. That's the world we live in - denial is a river in egypt.
Bought the 2024 two months ago. Most amazing ride/Bike I have ever been on. Sport bike on roids. The smoothest ride you can’t begin to imagine unless you ride it, no joke. It’s amazing. Nuff said.
It was so incredibly smooth! That dampener up front works overtime taking all the vibration out. Incredible machine! Congrats on the new ride man - have fun and ride safe!
@@MOTOBLADE thank you, be well,
"Sport bike on Roids"???
Ummmm... No. How about "Best large touring bike in existence"? That fits a lot better.
I’ve had a number of gold wings throughout my life, but then I rode a BMW R 1250 RT, which is an absolutely amazing motorcycle. Love the Goldwing but prefer the RT.
I don't have much experience on or around BMW's but so many of you guys keep talking to me about them I think I'm going to have to try them out here pretty soon!
@@MOTOBLADE you won’t look back…lighter and Flickable👍
@@MWS1960 Nice!
Just gotta find a dealer that will let me ride them. No one around me out here in the woods.
The lean angle I am sure is better than my 09 vstar 950. Hands down the worst thing about an otherwise great cruiser.
I also have a full dress royal star v4 which can lean like an interceptor. But it just too too heavy and a real challenge at low speeds especially 2 up. Needs a tall owner.
I’ve always wanted to make the move up to a Gold Wing but as a 5’7”, 150 lb guy, I’ve always had this psychological barrier that it’s too big and heavy for me. Not sure if there are many people my size that can give their thoughts.
@@johnwicks4936 I’m 5’8” 155 if that helps 😁 my chieftain is almost 1000lbs without me on it. Only thing I wish it had was reverse like the gold wing because yeah, they’re heavy if you have to back up. So I try to never be in a situation where I have to do that. But as far as handling a heavy bike- it’s about skill and being steady and gentle with it. They handle well, and I’d dare say the gold wing is the best handling big bike at low speeds I’ve ever ridden.
Best thing you can do is go take a test ride and get a leg over one. See for yourself how you like it!
@@MOTOBLADE Thanks for the reply. Up here in Ontario we don’t seem to have very many demo rides anymore since the pandemic.
@@johnwicks4936 that’s close enough you should come down to Americade in NY next spring to try them!
The 6th gen GL is FAR from amazing considering the fuel pump recall, handlebars that come loose from the upper steering head and the transmission internal UBS bolt that falls out and destroys the transmission that can cause engine seizure resulting a crash due to rear wheel lock up! Buy a 5th gen GL!!
Does it come with a/c, power doors and windows as well?😂
I mean, depending on how loose we define those, it kinda does! 😂
I’m waiting for the butt massaging seat like my Subaru has. Maybe then I will upgrade. I mean, I have standards 👀
Does the GW like gravel? My BMW 1100 RT had the Tele-Lever front suspension. It was scary as hell on gravel....Impossible actually....
@@bobsullivan5714 on the gravel/dirt area of road construction we went through in two separate areas, the gold wing handled beautifully. Was not a long test. Maybe 30 seconds of riding across those conditions? But it was perfectly stable for me.
They're great. Owned several. But is there any way....to get my feet down lower on the pegs? I'm 6.4"....and the seating position sucks stock. There were always aftermarket floorboards available that made them much more comfortable for tall riders. Any idea if they are available for these new "little' Goldwings? Thanks
@@rayjensen4480 I did a little digging. There’s not a plethora of parts for the new redesigned wings like there was for the 2010’s models. I looked around for a while and found these: amzn.to/4dY2UyQ
I also saw an extension kit for the floorboards while I was on Amazon, and a few other retailers had them as well I believe, for repositioning the boards slightly.
Definitely not as many options available but they are out there. Hopefully that’s a start to get you on the right track.
I like your review. I'm damn tempted to jump ship from my HD Ultra Limited! lol. Even with Harley's latest release, I think suspension & little things like heated grips/seat and adjustable windshields are still a few years behind what other touring models are offering. And let's not forget the Harley price tag! I'm not sold on the look of the Indians...lol.
Harley commands a premium price that isn’t always warranted. I do like their new road glide and the screen and the new Milwaukee 8 117 engine, but the gold wing offers a lot more “touring tech” if that’s what you’re looking for.
Not sure how you like the looks of it but the Indian pursuit is another great option for good touring tech. Not quite to the refined level of the gold wing, but they have the electronic adjustable suspension, heated AND cooled seat, power windshield, etc. so it may be the closest competitor to the current ‘24 wing.
I have a full detailed review of the pursuit on my channel as well if you’re interested, but I get it - looks play a role in what we like to ride too.
Motorcycle off my dreams - only in dreams - In Brazil this beauty costs 55,373.00 dollars. Impossible to buy.
WOW that's insane! I thought it was pricey here in the U.S. but that's just incredible. Come buy one over here and have it shipped down to Brazil - you'd probably still come out ahead and save!
excellent bike, thanks for show
@@kirpidon glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
SOOOO annoying to be behind someone on a group ride who just won't keep up!!!
Group rides themselves are annoying! I don't mind if it's with a group of friends or people I know, but for these demo rides you never know who you're going to be stuck between, and you can't trust anybody. Harley and Indian were nice, they'd just hand you the keys and say "you know the route? Great! bring it back in 20 minutes and have fun!"
@@MOTOBLADE totally agree. If Honda wanted to give you a true taste of their bike, they'd let you ride the way YOU would want to ride if you spent $30k+ on the bike you're taking for a demo! Not everyone rides the same. You can't accomplish real test rides in a group setting.
@davecarsley8773 EXACTLY! The biggest issue I have ever had with Honda, and have heard from subscribers on this as well - a lot of dealerships will not allow you to take a bike for a test ride. If a dealership won’t do that, they don’t deserve your business, move along. If you’re about to drop $30-40k on a large touring bike that you’re supposedly going to keep for a long time, you absolutely must ride it first to see if you like it or not. Honda makes great stuff but if they would make some improvements in their PR department and how they handle these rides, I think they would get a lot more happy customers.
Nice video but such boring flat straight roads for a motorbike test...
@gsbeak Indian and Harley just let you go ride (they had a route outlined for you but you could in theory go wherever you wanted). Honda had the group ride system. Kawasaki had a group ride system AND a breathalyzer test (that part is actually pretty smart on their end).
Where was this event held?
@@terrykelly8982 this is a Rally called Americade that happens in NY every spring. It’s not a big party type of rally like Sturgis or Daytona. It’s very reserved and organized and it’s all about RIDING. All the big manufacturers bring their trucks and it’s non stop demo rides for several days. Lots of vendors, nice restaurants, and they bring in entertainers like Alonzo Bodden to do shows (he’s cool because he will be hanging out in the demo area trying bikes all day too!). It’s a great even if you’re looking to compare motorcycles because you can hop off of one, walk 50 feet across the parking lot, and try another brand. Very convenient.
They also run a tight ship on safety. All the proper riding gear is required, Kawasaki even required a breathalyzer test before EVERY ride. Very well organized, I highly recommend it if you’re looking to try or compare motorcycles before making a large investment in a bike.
Is this bike automatic?
@@nmknmk8936 it is automatic. You can also shift electronically if you want to shift sooner by pressing a button. Honda also makes a manual version.
Thanks for the review! Well done!
You’re welcome! Thank you for watching 😀
What is the audio like?...Can you hear the radio on highway speeds?..
Audio quality is good, not quite as loud or as good as an Indian with powerband audio, but better than the stock, non-upgraded Harley’s. Hopefully that comparison helps a bit. The crucial part here is the wind noise of the bike. The audio may not be as insanely loud as other models, but because the gold wing protects you so well from wind on the highway, the audio doesn’t have to compete against the wind noise. Once that windshield is up it goes quiet. No need to compensate with a massive stereo when you can just eliminate so much wind noise. Different way of coming at the situation.
YES! Use a headset and listen to crystal clear stereo via Car Play. It greatly helps when you are advancing in years as it protects your hearing! Good Rides
Many Thanks for the onboard Demo Ride Features , It's a beautiful ride . I've not been on a new G-Wing that you were riding , ( 7 Speed Auto Shift ) . I have an old 2003 ( Red ) and still has plenty of yrs to ride and enjoy. Love your Channel , And Keep on Riding and Let us all know about New Rides...
I’ve put 20,000 miles on a 21 Wing DCT Tour. Best touring bike I’ve ever spent time on. Ex Harley owner. Rider for the last 55 years. Pay attention youngsters- try new bikes. Don’t get stuck on a brand. I wish I hadn’t 😮
Thank you! I have a lot of videos coming from my recent 7200 mile ride around America going to national parks/sturgis - but there will still be test ride videos coming! At least 10 filmed, just in the editing queue.
Gold Wings are just awesome! Smooth, quiet, powerful, and practical. I bought a 2009 Honda Shadow Aero this past December as my first bike and started riding in February. I turned it into a mini tourer almost immediately with bags and a trunk. It has been a great little starter motorcycle! Sounds great (Cobra pipes), rides pretty well, and has been extremely reliable thus far. My folks and I made a trip out west (trailered the motorcycles) a couple weeks ago and we rode around Rushmore, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. It was a fantastic experience! It also showed me that I "need" a bigger bike haha. I think the Shadow is a great hot rod, but when riding for hours on end, I want to be lazy. The Gold Wing fits the bill. Now, off I go to make $36K haha.
On a side note, how long have you been flying? In the video you mentioned you were a CFI. Piqued my curiosity as I am currently working on my Commercial Rating.
I did the same thing with my first bike- a Vulcan S. Turned it into a little mini touring bike. Then realized I needed an actual touring bike 😂 I have a lot of reviews of touring bikes on my channel from Indian and Harley for comparison as well. Personally I like Indian, but the Honda gold wing is just about as perfect as you can get in a touring bike.
Been teaching for almost 4 years now. Was a shrink before 😂 needed a career change. I love teaching. Still get to work with people 1 on 1 and help them overcome challenges, but the office view is way better 😎
@@MOTOBLADE Indians are definitely cool looking motorcycles! Ride and fly safe man! Thanks for the reply
@@Xaunoki thanks man! You be safe as well, good luck with your commercial license 🫡🛩️
How does it handle on rough roads pot holes , lines in rds etc
Handles great - we went through an area of construction with some gravel (I edited a lot out for time) and some areas with “road snakes”. Handled like it was on rails. Handling and suspension on a Gold Wing are second to none.
what about on dirt roads?
I didn’t take it on any dirt roads so I can’t comment. We did go over some loose gravel in a construction site and it handled absolutely fine but that was only for a short time.
Why is everyone camping out in the hammer lane?
You mean the cars or the bikes? For the bikes this was a group ride demo from Honda. There was a Honda road captain we were required to follow. Not a fan of group rides for demos but it Hondas policy, probably for their insurance.
I’m a 5’2 woman looking for an easy comfortable ride where the bike don’t swallow you up and very heavy I love the style and look of the Honda Gold Wing or did I mention I’m 68 what are your thoughts and please no smart ass remarks I’m serious thank you
I think it's one of the easiest handling bikes for its size on the market. It's still large and heavy, but it certainly doesn't FEEL like it. Handles well, with the wonderful bonus of the reverse switch. I'm not in my 30s yet, very fit, and backing up my almost 1,000 lbs Indian is not an easy task - so the reverse motor is definitely a plus in my book. Best advice I can ever give anyone is go test ride it for yourself, never buy a bike without doing that. If a dealership won't let you try one, take your business elsewhere, they aren't worth your time. You will usually know right away after riding one if it's the right fit for you. Just my 2 cents, hope that helps! Whatever you end up on, don't stop riding - stay young!
@@MOTOBLADEthank you for getting back to me where would I go in Kansas for a dealership I’m in Topeka, Kansas I would like to go try one out again thank you
@@donnastclair8870 I have no idea. I would start with a search for Honda powersports dealerships on Google maps. I don’t live anywhere near Kansas and wouldn’t know the first thing about how to guide you. I passed through there briefly on Route 66 recently for about an hour and that’s all I’ve seen in the southeast corner at Galena. And I like the chiefs 😂
Honda powersports website is a good start too, you can search for dealerships near you on there. I got the website for you here: powersports.honda.com/find-a-dealer
@@MOTOBLADE thank you for all your help God Bless
Nice review. I had a 2019 Tour DCT, thinking about a new ‘24 again. It was a great bike.
I heard some of the older DCTs weren’t as smooth in shifting as the newer years (2020 and later) Did you ever notice anything like that with yours, or did it seem great?
@@MOTOBLADE My '19 was smooth as silk, but I have not ridden a new one yet to compare. I did re-initialize the DCT (or whatever they called it) a few times a year - always after an oil and filters change, and then additionally. Easy to do and it definitely made a difference. Oh and the heat - I noticed the same with mine - seat and grips never seemed to get very warm - just OK. My HD grips are hot on only setting #2 out of 5...
@Hogdriver88 good information for new prospective owners to know about reinitializing the DCT. Did not know that, thank you!
@@MOTOBLADE The procedure is out there somewhere - involves a few button pushes in sequence while sitting on the bike upright so it can't move. It goes through its gyrations for a minute or so and when it's done, like a whole new shifting experience. Like I said, after oil and filters or any time shifting doesn't seem as smooth as it should. Doesn't hurt it at all to do it regularly.
@@Hogdriver88 that’s actually super cool. Fantastic information to have, thanks again man!
very good ❤
@@flowerdanny thank you!
how loud are the speakers? can you hear them pretty well through a full face going 80mph down the highway?
Yes you can. I can’t play music through them in the video because TH-cam will pick it up for copyright, but they are plenty loud for the highway. What makes it great isn’t so much the speakers are loud, but the bike is QUIET - with that nice front fairing and windshield it cuts so much noise so you don’t have the wind noise and buffeting to contend with.
@@MOTOBLADE okay thank you for your quick reply! I really like the new goldwing.
As do I! When I hit the lottery one day I’m going to need a bigger garage 😂
I have the exact same one I love it
Nice! I always love hearing from owners that they like their bikes. This Gold Wing is awesome!
I bought the manual...just traded it for the DCT. I'll pick her up Tuesday...just looks too nice not to have.
Looks like Honda found some "Cheap Ugly Green Paint". It looks good in White and Black but the Green one is just terrible.
The white and black version is definitely my favorite for this year.
Last Fall I traded my 2010 for a 2023. While I enjoy the new engine, styling, and ride, there are significant differences. The 2010 was wider and thusly had better wind protection. Furthermore, the lower fairing protected the legs much better from the wind and it has a heat vent for your feet and legs when it is cold out, and yes it did work. The 2010 has pockets in the fairing, with one being locking, while the 2023 has no such feature. The 2010 has bigger saddle bags and I could carry more in it. Honda makes an issue about being able to get two helmets in the 2023 trunk. I was able to get two into the 2010 trunk. I'm still happy I got the 2023 but I miss features of the 2010. I just had to adapt.
I have not ridden a 2010 (20-teens models of any kind) gold wing. But I did notice just looking at them that the new ones are smaller and you can even see the fairing is not as large. Thank you for the comparison of the two. Very helpful for me and others!
I have been dieing to test ride a GW but no one near me in North Carolina offers demo rides.
@@garywaynestevens5754 that’s a terrible way for a dealership to run a business. NEVER buy a bike without doing a test ride on it first. If they don’t want to sell the bike, that’s their problem. Make a day trip to a dealer farther away that will let you do one. Heck, make a weekend out of it. But don’t give business to dealerships that act like that. That ain’t right.
Where are you Gary? I'm in Mebane about 20 miles west of Durham
@@ggusta1 western NC.
No to touchscreens on motorcycles. Ever.
@@thomascochrane4922 we will have to disagree on that. Indian has them. Harley has them. I love the one on my Indian Chieftain - when you’re moving it disables the ability to type in phone numbers/addresses. Has handlebar controls to manipulate screen like the gold wing. But when you come to a stop it re-enables the screen for typing and doing stuff which is very convenient. That’s the safety compromise I think works best. Disabled touch ability while moving, but there when you are stopped for convenience.
someday in the future
I may end up on one eventually too.
type c is a must ? why ?
All new cell-phones are moving to usb-c (usb 3 and 4). usb-a will be phased out eventually, it's too slow and narrow. usb-c is the way of the future for speed in portable electronics for both data transfer and charging.
Nice video keep up the good work
Thank you!
At least the Goldwing can push on when you want unlike a Harley. I have done ride outs where there have been Harleys and the ride is so slow. Going to tour Europe next year and will get a Goldwing to do that. Being more nimble will make cornering on the Alpine passes a lot easier.
I get your point, but that may be more due to the riders than the bike. My Harley is definitely not slow 😂 nor is my Indian. But the gold wing gl1800 engine with 7 gears can definitely get up there - especially in sport mode.
I owned a 2021. Great bike, but at 6'3 I could never get comfortable on it. Replaced seat, highway pegs, still no luck. After a few hours my hips would cramp from my legs being bent like that.
Sorry to hear that. I felt very comfortable on this gold wing and didn’t feel cramped at all, but I’m a bit shorter than you too.
Im 6'-3" as well. Have ridden Harley's for 35 years. Have a Road glide cvo now and I'm very seriously considering one of these bikes, but the comfort on long rides concerns me. Did you try any of the back rest options or the highway pegs? I'm planning on renting one for a few days to get a feel
@@watty7877 I had pegs and a corbin seat with backrest. Still no good. Bought an indian roadmaster. Best tall guy bike I've ever had. Tons of room.
@@watty7877 I did not try a backrest or pegs. Renting one for a few days is the best thing you could possibly do! Try to put as many long hours and miles on it as you can. That should give you the answer that best fits your body and tolerance.
Another Indian representing 💪🏻 😂 I love my Chieftain, which I have basically turned into a road master at this point, minus the leg fairings. So comfortable
My dream bike
@@paduancitystanley1825 it’s definitely in my top 3! There’s too many bikes I want 😂
@@MOTOBLADE 😊 what are the other 2?
An Indian Pursuit and a Harley Fat Bob. Maybe a Pan America too. If I win the Lottery I’m just going to empty out the dealerships 😂
How many miles to a tank full?
Not sure - hopefully someone else can chime in here. Getting well over 40 mpg. But I was only on it for this 40-ish minute ride so we never pushed them to any limits unfortunately.
I get 240 miles to a tank on my Indian Chieftain. I have to assume the Gold Wing has got to get better mpg than I am.
the seat is to hard..
@@billycookson8804 I liked it for the test ride, but I always put an aftermarket seat on my bikes. Makes a big difference.
You are riding the best bike money can buy on planet earth and you saying not your “speed”? “Type”? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 and then you say on my “Indian”? 🤦🤦🤦
Glad you like the Gold Wing, but it isn’t my favorite out of all the bikes in the world. I like Indians more. Just my personal preference but I like a big, loud, American cruiser with attitude.
@@MOTOBLADE completely understand where you’re coming from. My top priorities on a motorcycle are handling, acceleration, braking and comfort. that being said, I have a 2008 Goldwing and plan to buy a new one once I see the 2025/50 anniversary. I doubt they’ll change anything but maybe the price in a badge. I do like the blue color that came out in 2022. But the white is definitely my second favorite color. I’ve had a lot of loud bikes. Even a Valkrie with two brothers racing pipes on it. After riding quiet bike that’s what I prefer. But I’m an old man. I have heard that the new gold wings. The seat is lacking for long trips. I usually don’t ride more than 500 miles in a day so aftermarket seat may be an order. Thanks for the view. I think you did a great job.
Thank you! I will be interested to see what they do for the 50th anniversary wing as well.
I’ve got a saddlemen on mine and a wild-ass seat cushion. I’m on day 3 of 18 right now in a 7000 mile road trip. Up to 1800 miles so far today. Good seat and cushion are worth it!
Option here , option there ? If you pay that much for it , they better get it ALL included in there , overpriced crap . 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕