Engine architecture
Flat-six throughout
Every Gold Wing since 1988 (GL1500) has been a flat-six. The current GL1800 has the same engine layout but a lighter, more modern unit. No other production motorcycle currently uses a flat-six — Honda owns this engine architecture in motorcycling.
Power gain
+24bhp
100bhp GL1500 → 124bhp GL1800 Tour DCT. 24% more power. Mostly from the larger displacement (1520 → 1833cc) and modern fuel injection.
Weight loss (2018 redesign)
−40kg
The 2018 redesigned GL1800 dropped about 40kg vs the previous generation. The change came from removing the steel ladder frame and replacing it with an aluminium twin-spar, a smaller fairing, and tighter packaging. Tour DCT model still 383kg wet — heavy by any measure, but agile by Gold Wing standards.
Real cost change
+£4k
GL1500 was £14,500 in 1996 (£29,000 today). GL1800 Tour DCT is £32,999 — about 14% more in real terms. Honda has held the Gold Wing flagship price near inflation for 30 years while adding huge amounts of tech, but the 2026 hike pushed it modestly above the long-run baseline.
Honda DCT
Game-changer for tourers
The 2018 Gold Wing introduced the Honda DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) — 7-speed automatic with no clutch lever. Many older Gold Wing buyers initially resisted it; many now will not go back. DCT is now standard on the Tour model; manual is available on the base.
Rider aids count
1 → 11
1996: reverse gear only. 2026: cornering ABS, traction control, ride modes, DCT, hill start, electronic suspension, electric windshield, Apple CarPlay, smartphone, cruise control, walking-speed reverse. Most tech-laden Honda ever.
Cheapest way in
£4k
A clean GL1500 from the late 90s. Flat-six smoothness, electric reverse, plush touring. The Honda Marysville Ohio plant built these from 1980-2010; American-built Hondas, increasingly collectible.
