The one thing that really stands out, however, is the engine. Of course, there are other production motorcycles with unusual engines that don’t power many models in their range. But there are no motorcycles with an engine that powers only one model. Case in context is a flat six that has powered the Gold Wing since 1987.
What was the Gold Wing launched with?
All grand tourers – American tourers to be precise – in the 1970s were powered by large-displacement V-twin engines. Honda pioneered the use of the transverse inline-four engine in the CB750 with great success, but the requirements for a touring motorcycle were slightly different. A wide torque curve was more important, and the BMW of that time had shaft drive, which promised no maintenance while driving. At the time, Honda’s dominant motorcycles all used chains, but try adjusting and lubricating a drive chain if you don’t have quick-release hard saddlebags and you’ll realize it can quickly become frustrating.
A new layout was chosen, a longitudinal one, and a flat four configuration was chosen because a flat six would make the Gold Wing too long. The shaft drive was implemented and the Gold Wing was born. A refined, powerful cruiser with Honda’s legendary reliability. In the mid-’80s, four cylinders weren’t enough, so Honda revisited the flat-six idea.
Bring back six-y
The Gold Wing’s first flat six was an interesting choice. Honda switched to just two carbs for six cylinders, while the flat four had one carb for each cylinder. This was also the first Gold Wing to feature the now ubiquitous ‘reverse gear’. It was just an innovative use of the starter motor to help this heavy touring car upright. This engine formed the core of this model for fourteen years. Major changes were then implemented again.
The renewed six-cylinder mill brought a new generation of power
Around the turn of the millennium, Honda had to rework the six-cylinder, adding PGM-FI fuel injection and adding a lot more power via increased displacement. This had now increased to over 1.8 liters and 117 hp. This was the beginning of the Gold Wing power station as we know it today. This was also the last generation of Gold Wing produced in America. An interesting Gold Wing fact is that there are no 2011 models in existence, as that was the year the tool was shipped from Ohio to Japan.
This engine revved back and continued the legacy of smoothness and amazing torque, but it also had a torque spread that many cars would envy. This translates into a serene experience, because you don’t have to slip much when accelerating from rest and you don’t have to shift gears often as you have a lot of torque available throughout the speed range. A side effect of low power is an unloaded, reliable engine. Honda has always had a reputation for building bulletproof motorcycles, but this is one of the best.
Sixth generation, six cylinders
The sixth generation Gold Wing underwent a huge number of changes. Among the biggest changes are a double wishbone front suspension on the chassis side and a redesigned engine. That redesign is comprehensive, but the basis of the engine remains. The big changes are the fact that it now has four valves per cylinder, which allows it to breathe better. That in turn means more power, torque and efficiency.
A four-valve layout usually also means a DOHC setup. That makes the head bigger, and since this is a flat engine, that means it should be wider. But Honda has used its Unicam SOHC technology, which keeps the head compact and in this case keeps the engine narrower. Remember the problem the first six-cylinder Gold Wing had? The combined engine and gearbox were too long, which in turn forced the four-cylinder layout.
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A unique transmission turns off the power
Another problem that Honda has solved is the side-to-side rocking normally encountered on a motorcycle with a longitudinal engine. The gearbox shaft rotates in the opposite direction to the engine output shaft, eliminating the rocking motion. This bike has a by-wire throttle, riding modes and all the electronic support you would expect from a modern, premium motorcycle. It even has an automatic gearbox. No, it’s not the Africa Twin’s six-speed gearbox. It is unique, the only seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in the world. This is so clever that it changes the shift points depending on how fast you drive. You can also operate the gears manually via paddle shifters.
Fortunately, reverse gear is retained on both the manual and automatic options – it’s a discrete reverse gear on the automatic, and the integrated starter generator is used for the manual. There is also a ‘walk’ mode on the automatic, which helps when moving around the garage or in a parking lot.
Reliability has been impeccable over the decades
This technology may not sound like a very fancy technology compared to some of the other features of modern engines, but it’s worth noting that this engine meets all emissions requirements worldwide, and that’s not easy to do when you have so many cylinders, so much displacement, and so much weight to lug around.
It becomes doubly surprising when you realize that you can trace this engine back 25 years to the turn of the millennium – and that it shows no signs of being phased out anytime soon. Although the next generation of Honda touring motorcycles seems to be just around the corner, with its forced induction. Whatever Honda has in store for us, the Gold Wing’s engine will remain one of the greats in history, especially when it comes to reliability. That’s why it’s still in production after decades.
Sources: Honda Powersports, Honda Global
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