2017 Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000: Honda GL1800 Goldwing

Name: 2017 Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000: Honda GL1800 Goldwing
Brand: Honda

It's been racking up the miles since 1975, and the current 'Wing still does it oh-so-well…

For many, Honda's Goldwing is the undisputed king of the open road – a two-wheeled luxury liner whose combination of comfort, performance and payload simply can't be beaten. First introduced in GL1000 form in 1975, it's steadily grown in engine capacity and features ever since, with the current breed's 1832cc flat-six-cylinder engine coming online in 2001.

It's had a couple of mild updates in the years since, but the current model is set to move aside for the next generation in February 2018, and so for our test bike this review is something of a swansong – rest assured we'll be putting the newie through its paces as soon as it's available.

Luxury liner
Our two-year-old test bike came to us with 40th anniversary badging, stunning two-tone paint and various blacked-out components, but remaining examples of the 2017 model are only available in Glint Wave Blue Metallic.

I've spent many thousands of miles on the GL1800 and the GL1500 before it, and settling back into the plush, broad and well-padded seat was like slipping back into my favourite ugg boots. It's a behemoth of a bike – we're talking over half a tonne with rider/pillion and luggage – and on two wheels that deserves respect.

The 740mm seat height is fairly low but because of the seat's width and shape it splays your legs wide, making it more of a reach to the deck than you may think. Needless to say, the Goldwing really is the preserve of experienced riders only.

Fortunately the bike has a reasonably low centre of gravity and there's a reverse gear to aid parking; just stick the 'box in neutral, press the reverse button and then thumb the starter to crank the bike backwards using the starter motor.

Push my buttons
The rows upon rows of pushbuttons are akin to that of an aircraft's cockpit, and it takes some time to get your head around the various features. It's a dated set-up that has moved on in recent years with multifunction controllers and more intuitive menu systems.

There's factory sat-nav but, annoyingly, the only way you can access it is if you remember to enter the sat-nav system while at a standstill. I get it, but I also hate being lectured on safety by a computer… And it's a pretty slow, old and sparsely detailed map that's displayed on the tiny colour screen. Again, we look forward to a far better system on the new model.

Luggage capacity is excellent. Both panniers and the topbox swallow a heap of gear and these days the CD stacker of older iterations (formerly in one of the panniers) is replaced by a lead with 3.5mm jack for your iPhone or MP3 player. Today that only highlights another shortfall – there's no Bluetooth connectivity, unlike with the Harley and Indian.

The four-speaker stereo system pumps out quality sound, but for open-road touring owners will make use of the pre-wired comms system – at 110km/h or more there's too much distortion courtesy of wind noise to really enjoy the tunes (ditto the Harley and Indian). It's set up for a CB radio too, should you want to go down that route.

But with the new 'Wing around the corner all this tech stuff is neither here nor there – in any case, the new model promises a raft of upgrades to put it back at the cutting edge…

On the road
Once ensconced behind the expansive screen – manually adjusted, as opposed to electric for the Indian or fixed for the Harley – you can settle into the superb seat, which offers excellent lumbar support. I thought it was the pick of the bunch, although Editor Fattore and Middo leaned more towards the Harley's impressive perch. There's multi-stage seat heating with independent controls for both rider and pillion, and multi-stage heated handlebar grips for the rider.

Now forget all that crap you might have heard about 'Wings along the lines of, 'You may as well have a car instead', because the Goldwing's performance and handling will blow you away.

Yes, when it runs out of ground clearance that's it – she ain't gonna corner any tighter – and so it deserves respect when getting enthusiastic with the throttle. But the ground clearance it does have is actually pretty decent, and the chassis and suspension combo allow all this weight to be pushed along with total precision, while delivering a magic carpet ride that duly dispenses with any bumps or potholes.

The combined brakes are well up to the task and backed by ABS, although there's no traction control to speak of. Still on the tech side, the headlight beam can be adjusted electronically, as can the suspension's preload, although there's no damping adjustment.

But that engine is a pearler; so smooth, so refined. Combined with the shaft final drive and a light, progressive clutch, it feels like there's a direct line from your brain to the back wheel.

In a series of roll-on tests (conducted at a later date under controlled conditions, of course!), the 'Wing trounced both the Harley and the Indian for sheer acceleration – having four extra cylinders and the highest engine capacity of the lot can't hurt!

Loping along in fifth gear and 100km/h the big mill is barely ticking over at a lazy 2500rpm, but open the taps and it instantly responds, pushing man and machine towards the horizon with scenery-blurring pace.

Fuel economy? Over the course of this run the 'Wing recorded an average of 5.97L/100km, which delivers a safe range of nearly 400 kilometres from the 25-litre tank – a figure befitting the bike's general comfort.

Summing up
Even with the new Goldwing just around the corner, the existing model can still hold its head high. It performs, it handles, it's about as comfortable as an armchair and it simply oozes opulence.

Its successor promises to put technology and features back on point for the venerable Goldwing but, even at the end of its life, this iteration is still a superb mile-eater.

2017 Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000: Honda GL1800 Goldwing

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