Thoughts on 2021 Honda Gold Wing

[Coyote Chris]

A riding buddy has a GW, and my other buddies and I are constantly waiting for him to get going as he fiddles with all the electronic doo-dads that beast has on board. Apple Car-Play? I wear ear plugs. I don't need ride modes... sport touring is the one I use. It sure is a beautiful bike though. Super powerful and smooth. I feel it is the antithesis of the NT, which has analog instruments (love em!), no ride modes, electronic distractions, a real sport touring bike meant to be ridden not just sat upon. I rode the NT from Missouri to Virginia when I bought it in St. Louis last July and I never felt uncomfortable on the stock seat even after 300 miles on a given day. But I took backroads all the way, not a single interstate. I'd have to say that if I were blasting across country on interstates, I'm sure I'd be more comfortable on a GW. Big, heavy, hunkered down, doing 80 as smooth as silk. But I don't like interstates...

I like steam gages too but they are going away....Interstates are not my favorite but sometimes you need to get from a to b quickly and the one from Spokane to Missoula is OK....Back roads are much better. Spokane/CDA has 50 miles of interstate that is harrowing. Very dangerous. The area is being allowed to grow like a weed with no thought to infrastructure...biggest housing market in the country. You have to have an app on your phone to see where the main accidents are. Agressive driving is on the increase. Just last week, a man and a woman got out of their cars to yell at one another and the man shot the woman dead....check this out

At least 80 freeway shootings reported since late April, CHP says

At least 80 incidents of cars being shot at on Southern California freeways have been reported since late April, with the majority of the incidents happening on the 91 Freeway.

abc7.com

 

[Coyote Chris]

I've had a Goldwing before, not the new one of course, and they are an impressive ride. The new ones really grab my attention, however after a test ride, could not picture myself being happy on it. I've done many long trips with the NT and am totally impressed with the comfort and abilities. Longest was a 25 day, 2 lane highways only ride that took us as far west as Utah and north as far as Montana, camping all the way, 6035 miles and as I neared the end of my ride, I wanted to turn around and start again. I was 62 when that took place. Anxious to go again. Absolutely no complaints and no urge to change. I just did 722 miles this past weekend, two up, and the NT was perfect !

The older one gets, the better the NT becomes. If there were no VFRs, I would still have my NT. The five national parks in Southern Utah are wonderful on a bike.

 

[Gabe]

For those that have owned or been on a Gold Wing, what or where does it take away from the experience of an NT? Another way, what is most enjoyable on the NT vs. a wing?

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've had a Goldwing before, not the new one of course, and they are an impressive ride. The new ones really grab my attention, however after a test ride, could not picture myself being happy on it. I've done many long trips with the NT and am totally impressed with the comfort and abilities. Longest was a 25 day, 2 lane highways only ride that took us as far west as Utah and north as far as Montana, camping all the way, 6035 miles and as I neared the end of my ride, I wanted to turn around and start again. I was 62 when that took place. Anxious to go again. Absolutely no complaints and no urge to change. I just did 722 miles this past weekend, two up, and the NT was perfect !

Duane, I think I recognize that spot. Unless I'm mistaken, you were just west of Dinosaur, CO, on US-40.

 

[Gabe]

I don't think the new ones do.

Sorta?

REVERSE: Gold Wing DCT models offer an exclusive low-speed reverse that uses engine power, while the Gold Wing Tour with manual transmission offers a unique electric reverse. Both systems make it easy to maneuver your bike out of a parking space, especially if you need to roll back up hill.

https://xtremehonda.com/Motorcycles-Honda-Gold-Wing-Tour-Automatic-DCT-2021-Brilliant-OH-f2949e1b-1696-4293-973a-aca9003b536e

That's interesting, I wonder why they opted for the integrated engine reverse with the DCT instead of electric reverse like the manual. Space perhaps?

 

[NewTo700V]

Sorry. I'm just going on what I read, a few years back, where the reverse was supposedly taken off - wasn't needed, a Honda spokesman said. The new model is so much lighter.

Perhaps they found out that aging riders liked it.

Where did you get this information? The 2021 Goldwing is still an 800lb bike. The touring trim is 850, and that's before luggage and a pillion. The 6 speed manual is still doing the reverse starter motor trick, the DCT is using the engine.

 

[Brillot2000]

I got my first Gold Wing when I was 18 years old. Then I had a total of 3 Gold Wings from 1993 to 2001. I had 2 GL1000s and a fully loaded 1982 GL1100A Aspencade, which was my favorite of the 3.

Back in 2015 I got to ride the Gold Wing DCT Prototype out at Honda’s proving grounds out in the Mojave desert. It was an interesting bike with its unique front suspension and steering arrangement. The bike rough and so was the DCT operation with harsh downshifting at times. Honda Engineers were onsite and I gave them a technical debriefing after my run. Being an engineer myself and a skilled rider helped me communicate to them in ways the other participants could not. We spent over 30 minutes during the post ride meeting with staff panel with engineers from Honda Japan. Just give up a baseline comparison, the average participant was about 10 minutes or less.

I’m sure that the 2021 is a much more refined version and the issues that I observed were worked out. The prototype also had the engine powered assist that they called it a “Crawl” feature that would maneuver the bike either forward or backwards in situations that was required.

The NT700V has met my every need so far and I do not plan on replacing it anytime moving forward. I honestly think design does require an update and engine size increase with a 6-speed transmission or possibly a DCT. I would like the improved version not to exceed 1,000 cc and 600 lbs. However, that’s a pipe dream.

 

[Bear]

I'm perfectly happy with my NT and have no plans on replacing it. I did change seats--have a Sargent Lo-Rider.

 

[Camelot]

I took an extended test ride on a new 2019 Tour when my vfr was in the shop. Great bike, a ton of features, great exhaust note, excellent ride quality but man that is a big bike. I was able to do some filtering on city streets and it did well on tight curvy roads but I simply don’t tour enough to justify such a magnificent beast.

 

[RedNigel]

in my opinion there are only a few things that would get the NT to near-perfect;
1: Obviously, the pannier latches go without saying
2: Factory cruise control would be amazing
3: Standard heated grips
4: Better seat

While the NT is neither fast nor quick...It is fast enough and quick enough

She can gobble up interstate in wholesale chunks at speeds well into the 80's without complaining
She can shred in the canyons and on the ridges
She can haul all your gear AND do all these fun things

 

[Sunny]

in my opinion there are only a few things that would get the NT to near-perfect;
1: Obviously, the pannier latches go without saying
2: Factory cruise control would be amazing
3: Standard heated grips
4: Better seat

While the NT is neither fast nor quick...It is fast enough and quick enough

She can gobble up interstate in wholesale chunks at speeds well into the 80's without complaining
She can shred in the canyons and on the ridges
She can haul all your gear AND do all these fun things

i would like 2 more gears:

1) forward 6th
2) reverse like the GW

 

[rc_heli_nut]

Sorta?

REVERSE: Gold Wing DCT models offer an exclusive low-speed reverse that uses engine power, while the Gold Wing Tour with manual transmission offers a unique electric reverse. Both systems make it easy to maneuver your bike out of a parking space, especially if you need to roll back up hill.

https://xtremehonda.com/Motorcycles-Honda-Gold-Wing-Tour-Automatic-DCT-2021-Brilliant-OH-f2949e1b-1696-4293-973a-aca9003b536e

That's interesting, I wonder why they opted for the integrated engine reverse with the DCT instead of electric reverse like the manual. Space perhaps?

Sorta?

REVERSE: Gold Wing DCT models offer an exclusive low-speed reverse that uses engine power, while the Gold Wing Tour with manual transmission offers a unique electric reverse. Both systems make it easy to maneuver your bike out of a parking space, especially if you need to roll back up hill.

https://xtremehonda.com/Motorcycles-Honda-Gold-Wing-Tour-Automatic-DCT-2021-Brilliant-OH-f2949e1b-1696-4293-973a-aca9003b536e

That's interesting, I wonder why they opted for the integrated engine reverse with the DCT instead of electric reverse like the manual. Space perhaps?

It's fairly easy to integrate a reverse gear into a transmission with an odd number of forward gears, in the case of the GW DCT being 7 speeds, moving one more shift fork to either engage a forward gear or reverse gear is pretty straightforward. To get a better sense of this, look at the shift pattern on a car with a 5-speed manual versus a 6-speed, the 6 usually requires an over and up or down shift lever movement whereas a 5 speed you usually move the shifter forward or back from 1st or 5th to catch reverse.

The motorcycle DCTs are essentially automated versions of a conventional motorcycle transmission, the main differences being an electric motor drives the shift drum instead of your foot, and the twin clutches replace the conventional single clutch you control with the lever.

 

[MaxPete]

It has a reverse gear

...and at nearly 900 lbs wet plus gear and rider(s) - it needs a reverse gear.

I ride with a bunch of guys and there are a couple of Harleys and at least one or two Gold Wings (including a 2021) in the group plus my 1983 BMW R100RS.

My old airhead bimmer weighs roughly 300-400 lbs less than any of these other bikes - but I do just fine. I'm sure they are a tad more comfortable - but I didn't pay more than $35K for my bike and the thing is about as complex as a garden tractor so I can fix it beside the road if anything does go wrong.

The thing that has always surprised me about huge bikes is why Harley has never developed a reverse gear for their big tourers. I am not short or small nor do I lack strength but my ST1300 was about as heavy a bike as I would ever want - without a reverse gear. Watching my pal on an H-D Road King trying back out of a parking spot was sort of funny - but a bit sad too. In the end, three of us had to pull him out.

 

[MaxPete]

I don't think the new ones do.

Actually, the new GLs do have reverse and it seems to work very smoothly.

 

[rc_heli_nut]

I'm creeping up on my 60s here, and the NT is probably my upper limit of what I care to back up myself. It wasn't so bad 10 years ago, now things are different. Backing it out of a level garage is not the issue, inclined diagonal parking spots are. I usually try to back into them when possible, planning my escape ahead of time.

I see a much smaller bike in my future, a 300 or something similar, at some point it's inevitable. It's probably something we'll all face.

 

[Camelot]

The reverse on the Wing was nice, the owner of the Honda dealer is maybe 5’7” and he just hopped on the Wing and backed it out of a very tight space. I believe he owns one and likely many more nice Honda’s, it was kinda funny watching him excitedly pulling the bike out and showing me the features. Great Honda Powersports dealer, the owner didn’t blink an eye about me taking the brand new wing out for a few hours.

 

[mikesim]

For this short legged olde farte, a reverse gear on the NT would come in handy from time to time.

Mike

 

[RedNigel]

i would like 2 more gears:

1) forward 6th
2) reverse like the GW

More Gears = more weight