By Steve Saunders
I have lost count of the number of times people have said to me; "You ride a Goldwing. I thought they stopped making them in the 1980's". Well folks, Honda are still making them in the 21st. Century and for anyone who thought otherwise, read my version of the history of the Honda Goldwing.
The Honda Goldwing first saw the light of day at the Cologne Motorcycle Show
in October 1974, as the flat-four
cylinder, 999cc GL1000 Gold Wing. While this first production version of the now famous Goldwing was
ultimately
deemed to be a
success (it was after all the birth of a legend), it's place in the world of motorcycling was not entirely cast in stone
at the beginning. Part of the reason for this was the fact that the GL1000
didn't really fit properly into any particular motorcycle class, even though it
was officially tagged as a tourer. Weighing in at 584lbs dry, it was far too
heavy to be called a sports bike and the upright sitting position
also helped to kill of any such sporting pretensions.
The rear coil spring
suspension wasn't up to the job of handling all the weight when the rider was
pushing it through heavy going, such as the winding country roads that all
bikers love (at least occasionally) to tackle. The total absence of touring kit fitted as standard
didn't help the official touring image either,
Honda didn't make their own saddlebags and trunk available
for the GL1000 until it's last year of production in 1979, in spite of promising
to do so in 1975. A Honda fairing was not even an
option until the GL1100 Interstate was released in 1980! Honda's
claim that the GL1000 was a tourer must have rang hollow in the ears of many
owners keen to have their machines kitted out for the job. It's almost like the
design team had a picture of what they wanted to make, but no clear idea of
where to fit it once it went into production. More than one GL1000
owner has told me that their early impressions from the press reports was that
Honda seemed to be more concerned with emphasising the outright straight-line
performance of the beast, and cementing it's role as a proper touring motorcycle
seemed to be of secondary importance at the time. One has to bear in mind that Honda (and
all the other major motorcycle manufacturers) were trying to develop many models
in the 1970's, this being the biggest boom time for motorcycles ever, period.
This was a time when everyone and his sons bought motorcycles and paying
attention to the needs of different types of riders (cruiser types, racers,
commuters, tourers etc.) must have been very difficult during those hectic days.
Nevertheless and in spite of all the confusion about the
Goldwings role in life, the GL1000 proved to be
a very reliable motorcycle, quite capable of going very long distances without
missing a beat and almost immediately the
aftermarket fairing & pannier suppliers started to cater for the requests of those who
wanted to use the GL1000 for more than just popping down to the shops or Sunday
morning posing at the local meet. This is
what finally gave the Goldwing it's place in the motorcycling world, it really became a
touring motorcycle because it's owners shaped it into one and Honda, always keen
to keep an ear to the ground, listened to what the customers wanted (just as
well too or they might have killed the Goldwing off before long, not least
because expected sales of the Goldwing in the first year of production were less
than 10% of what Honda had predicted) and started planning the next incarnation
of what has turned into a legend in the world of touring motorcycles.
In the meantime, 1976 saw the standard GL1000 unchanged, apart from a
badly needed grease nipple on the driveshaft. A
limited edition LTD model was rolled out alongside the
standard model and the LTD had some nice badges, pinstriping, a better
seat, flared mudguards, gold coloured wheels and spokes and some more nice but otherwise
unimportant cosmetics, all at a fairly hefty extra cost of course. The LTD version of the GL1000 was only available for that
one model year.
1977 saw the first tentative model changes based on customer feedback to
Honda (hands up all those who can remember filling out those early
questionnaires at rallies) and the Goldwing got higher handlebars with neoprene grips, dual contoured
saddle and chromed heat shields on the header pipes. Chromed
upper engine mounting brackets were a nice touch. More importantly, the steering
head bearings were now tapered rollers instead of quick-wear & seize ball
types. Front & rear engine and rocker covers were now thicker and this was
designed to reduce noise, but no-one really noticed. The fuel tank had an
internal coating applied to prevent rust.
Smaller carburettors,
shorter valve timing and increased spark advance in 1978 gave the GL1000
increased roll-on performance in top gear, which translated into slightly less
top speed but more torque, which is what the long distance rider
needed. The fuel, coolant temperature and voltage gauges were fitted to a
pod and mounted on the tank, which made fitting a tank
bag rather difficult, but few really objected as they looked good. The awkward but functional kick starter was omitted this year (the broken ankle brigade may have sparked fears of
litigation) and the
troublesome wire wheels were replaced with five spoke Comstars, although they
didn't fare much better in terms of longevity. Gone was the worry about rusted
or loose spokes on wire wheels, now owners were fretting about cracked rims and
loose rivets on the Comstars. The stepped saddle was
introduced this year and has been a feature of all Goldwing models ever since. A fully chromed exhaust system
which didn't rust as fast as the earlier painted ones, rear
indicators moved from the frame to the rear mudguard and shocks with much
welcomed and long overdue two-stage
damping (in addition to longer forks & springs) completed the picture.
The beast still handled like a brick when pushed hard, in spite of the new FVQ
(often called fade very quickly) shocks and the better forks. The new exhaust made the
machine sound livelier and the smaller mufflers allowed easy access to the
clutch, which was just as well as this was a problem area on the GL1000 in those days.
1979 saw big discounting on GL1000's as the replacement
model was eagerly anticipated and the last remaining numbers of the original
(quite large numbers too and new GL1000's could still be sourced from storage
for several years after production ceased) could be had with
some minor changes in the shape of a then very cool looking CBX style tail light with two bulbs,
rectangular indicators and brake fluid reservoir and black brake and clutch levers instead of the previous unpainted alloy ones.
This last year for the GL1000 was an opportunity to lose some of the excess
weight and regain some of the performance the model had lost in previous years,
but alas a final opportunity to remedy some of the more persistent
GL1000 problem areas was lost and the cosmetics were the only areas attended to
at the end of the decade. Thus the Goldwing continued it's slide down the
credibility scale until the 1980 model year. Honda managed to keep the lid on
the replacement for the GL1000 until the last possible moment. To this day and to their credit, Honda are probably better at
keeping secrets than the CIA or the KGB etc. The GL1000 bowed out at the
end of it's production cycle a bit less powerful and
slightly heavier than the first models at 604lbs dry.
The GL1100 was announced for the 1980 model year and this time Honda got
it right. This was the first ever Japanese mass produced motorcycle to roll off the
production line fully kitted out as a proper touring motorcycle.
Full fairing, trunk and panniers on the Interstate model (the unfaired model was
called the GL1100 Standard), all at a time when injection moulding for
motorcycle plastics was in it's early days and to Honda's credit, the quality,
fit and finish of the stuff was first rate. The new frame was stiffened considerably
to cope with the extra poke and also the not inconsiderable extra weight of the Interstate. The bigger 1085cc
engine was still a flat-four, but gave more torque and also ran smoother and
less truculently than the previous model, due in no small part to the smaller carburettors
and electronic ignition. The suspension was air assisted and this greatly transformed
the handling and comfort of the beast and inspired much more confidence when the going got a
tad aggressive, in spite of the weight increase of the dressed models to 672lbs.
The forks could take between 14-21psi, the rear shocks 29-42psi. The Standard model weighed 18lbs less than the last GL1000's, which showed how
more modern production methods could be used to reduce weight by using more in
the way of plastics (mudguards, dummy tank etc). Motorcycle magazines immediately gave the new machine the thumbs-up and customers all over the world hassled their dealers for a machine that Honda
couldn't kick out of the factory quick enough to meet the demand. Even in the
USA, bikers who were used to the home grown tourer in the shape of the
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide were gobsmacked at the new standards of
reliability set by the Goldwing. The big Honda went and stopped very respectably
for such a beast, kept all of the engine oil actually inside the engine instead
of all over the ground and it's reliability meant that the Goldwing rider didn't have to fill the luggage space with repair tools every time the
machine was taken out. The GL1100 was the Goldwing that the the GL1000 should
have been, but the faithful had to wait since 1975 for the opportunity to get
their hands on this magnificent machine.
For some time
now, Honda had been producing accessories for their own motorcycles, under the
imaginatively thought out Hondaline brand name. For those who weren't satisfied
with the already comprehensive kit on the GL1100, Hondaline had such luxuries as
a full radio/cassette, CB radio and lots more bits at exorbitant prices that
didn't deter customers one bit. Honda knew that the typical Goldwing rider was
past the first flush of youth and probably had his mortgage (or most of it) paid
off and had cash to spare for the luxuries that a younger rider would rather
forego in order to feed his children, keep the wife content and maintain a roof
over their heads. The aftermarket
suppliers too were quick to adapt to the new challenge (no doubt they all knew
that the Goldwing was here for the long term) and before long one could buy
countless accessories for the Goldwing, from many suppliers eager to meet demand
and fill the large gaps that Honda had left for them. This pattern
has been repeated for every Goldwing model ever since and the GL1100 is the
machine that really saw the Goldwing accepted as the ultimate tourer, a title
that the Goldwing has held more or less unchallenged since then.
1981 saw some minor tweaks and improvements,
such as a reshaped saddle which was slightly lower than before. As on the 1980
model, the saddle could be adjusted
forward and back by about 40mm, but this time with a press of a lever instead of
the previous fiddling with Allen keys. The saddle on the Goldwing has probably
seen more changes than any other area of the machine over the years. Almost
yearly there are subtle changes to the shape and foam density and no matter how
much effort Honda put into this area, there are always plenty of people whose
rear-ends don't quite fit comfortably enough. The rear shocks could now take up to
57psi of air, this being the limit for the rest of the GL1100's production life.
Orange & Gold pinstriping this year, a scratch-resistant windshield and better
instrument shielding to stop unwanted reflections on the windshield all showed
Honda were keen to refine the beast. Saddlebag liners were available from this
year as well, at extra cost. May 1981 saw Goldwing production moved from Japan
to Ohio, USA. This has to have been a very clever and well thought out move by
Honda, creating jobs for Americans to produce their flagship motorcycle in the
USA would see the Goldwing (and by association other Honda products) more widely
accepted in the biggest consumer market in the world.
The 1982 GL1100 had some major improvements in the new Aspencade. This
machine had an electrically operated air pump for the suspension, accessed from
the top of the dummy tank, instead of the previous tyre valve setup (retained on
the Standard and Interstate) which
required the rider to either keep a manual pump handy or go to the local garage
to pump up the suspension. Two-tone paintwork was applied to the Aspencade and
all the GL1100's got smaller wheels (18" front, 16" rear) and twin pot brake calipers.
The wheel rims were now wider (2.5" front and 3"rear) to allow for wider tyres
on all models and self-cancelling indicators were fitted to all models from
1982.
All GL1100's from 1982 got neater crash bars
which replaced the previous shin bashers (although the new ones weren't perfect
either) and dual piston brake calipers all round. The Aspencade also got vented
stainless steel discs, two-tone seat and trunk pouches, the Clarion type 2 AM/FM stereo radio, digital dash,
CB radio (US machines) and a
clock. The stereo, CB radio and air pump are available as options on the
Interstate.
1983 was the final
year of production for the GL1100 and Honda didn't disappoint, even though the
model was being replaced the following year. All models got
flatter footpegs, the passenger ones being slightly adjustable. The
Aspencade now had eleven spoke aluminium wheels instead of the previous
troublesome Comstars (which were never really able to cope with all the weight),
had the suspension pump controls mounted on the handlebars just below the dash
and finally got linked brakes which were much welcomed by the Goldwing
community. The Aspencade now had an LCD dash with advanced (for the time)
features. The choke lever was now operated by thumb on the left handlebar.
Anti-dive forks (TRAC) helped considerably to reduce wallowing. Changes to the gearing saw better
fuel economy, a shorter first gear made the machine faster off-the-line but top
gear acceleration was now a bit more sluggish. Changes to the forks helped prevent
bottoming-out and stronger springs in the rear shocks meant that the bike could
be ridden without any air in them, although this
wasn't always entirely wise, especially when travelling two-up. The self-cancelling indicators had some
improvements to make them more reliable and the seat was redesigned to give the
passenger more room. Locating the trunk both higher and further back gave even
more space for those passengers who were never completely happy no matter how
much Honda improved the Goldwing. The standard had been set for future Goldwings and
whether you loved them or not, everyone knew that the beast was going
to get bigger and more luxurious as time went on. The Aspencade now tipped the
scales at over 700lbs! Comfort and size were the criteria from
now on. When the replacement for the GL1100 was announced, this time there was
no major discounting of prices on the last of the outgoing model. Dealers had no
trouble shifting existing machines and there was no panic in trying to offload
them. A far cry to just four years back. Interestingly, this has been the case
with the arrival of new Goldwing models ever since and reinforces the belief
that the GL1100 was the machine that rubberstamped the Goldwings seal of
approval with long-distance riders all over the world.
There is no doubt in my mind that the GL1100 was the make or break Goldwing, a
repeat lukewarm reception by the buying public for this model (similar to that
experienced by the GL1000) would surely have seen any further development of the
Goldwing stopped at this point.
The GL1200 arrived for the 1984 model year and continued the trend set by
it's predecessor. Competition from Yamaha's Venture (which many motorcycle
magazines compared to the Goldwing) no doubt hastened the development of the
successor to the GL1100 and the GL1200 was Honda's answer. There was the unfaired Standard, the dressed Interstate and
the top of the range Aspencade, which had the Type 3 audio system. New, stiffer frame
with major improvements, bigger and more responsive 1182cc version
of the flat-four engine with bags more torque and hydraulic valve adjusters, better suspension and handling
were the main attractions on the new Goldwing. A hydraulic clutch was another
first for a Goldwing. Carried forward from the previous
Aspencade were the now even better air suspension controls and linked brakes, and the new
Aspencade had a more advanced audio system and upgraded LCD dash. The front wheel was
a rather unusually small (for such a large machine) 16" and this gave the steering a very light
and quick feel.
The styling of the plastics was more aggressive than the GL1100, the fairing,
trunk, panniers and lights all had a more squarish brute look which was evident
on many motorcycles and cars for a while in the eighties. The flowing lines of
the previous model were not quite as subtle on the GL1200, but the integration
of the luggage was much better now because there were less gaps and spaces
between the panels and much more efficient use was made of the available storage
space. Four 32mm CV carburettors managed to give better response with a light
feel, without the need for accelerator pumps. The GL1200 was the first Goldwing to
drift away from the common Honda "parts bin" approach and most of the parts
fitted to a GL1200 were unique to that machine and not fitted to any other Honda
motorcycle. Hondaline could
supply you with a CB radio and other fripperies considered essential by many
owners of the new machine. The aftermarket suppliers had a field day, small
cottage industries had sprung up everywhere to feed the habit and the vast range of
chrome goodies, backrests, lights etc. available for the Goldwing rivalled that
which could be had for Harley-Davidson owners.
1985 saw Honda drop the Standard unfaired Goldwing. Since the
introduction of the GL1100 Interstate, sales of the unfaired versions had
slumped dramatically and in spit of the objections of the aftermarket fairing
and luggage suppliers, this was the beginning of the era when Accountants really
did have a big say in marketing policy, so the Standard was unceremoniously put
down by Honda. Alongside the Interstate and
Aspencade, Honda brought in the GL1200LTD for this year only. The LTD had
computerised fuel injection, auto levelling rear suspension and a sophisticated
trip computer. The fuel injection, while not entirely without it's
faults in the real world, transformed the GL1200 into a real animal which made the carburettor
models seem sluggish in comparison. The LTD was only available in two-tone
gold/brown. From 1985, GL1200 alternator capacity was increased (though still not by
enough to cater for all the accessory lights that owners usually fitted) and the
ignition pick-up coils were mounted at the front of the engine instead of the
rear. An altered top gear made for smoother cruising in top and the fairing had
better ventilation.
1986 saw mainly cosmetic changes to the Interstate and Aspencade,
the LTD was replaced by the SE-i, which came in Pearl White only and had little
over the LTD except for Dolby noise reduction on the Panasonic Type 3
audio system (the Aspencade got the same audio treatment), an uprated 500 watt
alternator and a slightly better
seat which was also fitted to the Interstate and Aspencade. The SE-i had
ballooned out to over 770lbs. Many people who had bought the supposedly unique
LTD the year before felt cheated by what looked like another LTD in the shape of
the SE-i in a different colour, the general feeling being that Honda were just
cashing in again this year. An Aspencade badge on the saddlebags of the SE-i
didn't go down too well with buyers who wanted their own unique Goldwing. The carburettor models were back to 30mm CV's with
accelerator pumps, although it made little noticeable difference to the riding
experience.
The final year of production for the GL1200 was
1987 and there was little change. No doubt Honda were saving the major
surprise for the following year, although the Goldwing faithful had been
expecting the rumoured super Goldwing for the current model year. The SE-i was gone and the Interstate and
Aspencade got a much plusher saddle, the best on any Goldwing to date. The final
drive and differential had been made much smoother and quieter
and this meant less chucking and jumping at trundling speeds. All of these
improvements meant that the 1987 models were the best sorted GL1200's to date.
After a false start the previous year, the long awaited GL1500 finally hit the buying
public for the 1988 model year. This of course was a major new model and
totally redesigned from the ground up. The GL1500 now had a silky smooth flat
six cylinder engine of 1520cc and a reverse gear, real news for touring motorcycles in
those days. This was the first mass produced six-cylinder
motorcycle and was more in line with the intentions of Honda's 1470cc six
-cylinder prototype M1 of 1972. The M1 had been an engineering exercise
to see what could be achieved with the available technology of the day and it is
possible that the GL1500 engine designers drew some inspiration from the earlier
work. All new bodywork on the GL1500 almost enclosed the whole machine and the single
key operation of the trunk and panniers, as well as the bodywork design on which
not a single screw or bolt could be seen, showed that the Honda designers had
spent a lot of time on this bike. They had in fact started work on this machine
the same year that the GL1200 was launched! The GL1500 was the quietest Goldwing
yet, from the engine to the exhaust note. The traditionalists complained that it
looked, sounded and rode too much like a two-wheeled car and indeed riding it
gave one a feeling of being insulated from the road. Of course, anyone who
traded up to a GL1500 from an older model Goldwing soon adapted to the new
machine and I doubt if many GL1500 owners were inclined to offload the new machine for a previous
model after riding the six cylinder monster. Monster it was too, in weight as
well as size and the first year GL1500 was a colossal 793lbs, although riding
the thing was so easy that it felt lighter than the GL1200. The saddle was the
most sumptuous yet and was quite capable of carrying the most ample of rear ends
for long distances in comfort. Air assisted rear suspension was fitted to the
new machine. All of the switchgear, lights, indicators etc. had been designed
specifically for the GL1500 and there was none of the all too common "parts bin"
approach that was evident on other Honda offerings of the day.
1989 saw the ever popular Wineberry (not identical to earlier
versions) colour return. The nice 1500/6 badge on the rear of the right
saddlebag was lost forever, otherwise nothing major to report.
1990 saw some decent revisions, when the GL1500SE was placed alongside the GL1500. The SE had
two-tone paint, trunk spoiler/light, windscreen vent, lighted handlebar
switches, adjustable passenger footboards and foot warmer vents that looked
better than they worked. All this extra kit on the SE could be yours for about
15% extra cash over the cost of the stock GL1500. Camshaft and carburettor
modifications that year helped to eliminate chucking at trundling speed and the
trunk and pannier lids were made to fit better in order to keep water out.
1991 saw the arrival of the Interstate, which was now the basic model. The Interstate
was 40lbs lighter, due to the lack of reverse gear (no, you couldn't fit one
later on folks), cruise control and on-board air suspension compressor,
more basic sound system and passenger footpegs instead of boards. Interestingly,
Honda lowered the seat height of the Interstate by almost an inch by skimming
some of the foam, but didn't do
so with the other models. Speaking of other models, the previous GL1500 was now
the Aspencade. There was also an Anniversary
model (for the 10th anniversary of Goldwing production in the USA), which
was available in two-tone gold/brown.
In 1992, the Interstate got a slightly better specified audio system but
no other real news to report then. This and the following couple of years were
not exactly a time of inspiration for the Goldwing, although there was some
refinement of the model. Perhaps the GL1500 design team can be forgiven for
using up all their imagination on the initial model, leaving little in reserve
for future improvement.
1993 didn't see much change either, the SE getting the CB radio
(previously an expensive Hondaline accessory) as standard. The cruise control
now took it's reading directly from the camshaft, which made it more responsive and from now on
the 1520cc engines all had needle roller bearings in the rocker arm pivots.
Small improvements like this went a long way and tied up the loose ends.
The
following year, 1994 was no different, apart from the usual new colour
options and it is testament to the design of the GL1500 that Honda could get
away with no major modifications for so long. The GL1500 was so far ahead of the
competition in design and specification that it was still selling like hot
cakes. Nevertheless, the Goldwing community was becoming impatient for change
and the presence of Honda folks at major US rallies this last year handing out
questionnaires was an indication that something new was at least being thought
about.
Finally, the 1995 model year saw some real change. On the surface, new
20th. Anniversary badges, a new chrome screen garnish, slimmer side panels to
make it easier for the short legged to get their feet down and some other
styling refinements looked like not a lot had changed. But under the surface
Honda had managed to make the suspension both lower and stiffer and this
improved the handling no end. Also, with some foam shaved from the saddle, the SE and
Aspencade were now 40mm lower than before, which finally made them the same height as
the Interstate. These changes gave the Goldwing a new
lease of life, although there were many who had expected major changes, like
better brakes or fuel injection.
The next two years saw no more real changes apart from the
Interstate being discontinued in 1996
(not too many folks mourned it's passing either), but by now we were in the early
age of the Internet and with many Goldwing web sites and homepages springing up
all over the world there was a huge following eagerly seeking out information on
a possible replacement for the now rather middle-aged GL1500. A recall to have
the bank angle sensor replaced was announced this year and applied to all GL1500
models back to 1988.
1997
saw the SE's lower underbelly panels colour matched to the main panel colour,
helping to make the Goldwing look more streamlined. Symbols instead of
text on the handlebar switchgear made it easier to read them no matter where you came
from. Some important but invisible changes inside the engine were carried out
too. The clutch was stronger and some of the components from the Valkyrie engine
(main bearings, piston & ring sets, valve springs, con-rod bolts) were now
shared with the Goldwing. The Valkyrie final drive was fitted to the Goldwing as
well, as was much of the gearbox which gave marginally cleaner and smoother shifting.
Not many folks noticed the difference, myself included and I happily rode my new
'97 SE for three years oblivious to the differences until I started doing a bit
of research on the different model changes.
1998 saw
quite a few cosmetic differences, nine in fact. The Aspencade and SE got a new clear plastic
headlamp and clear indicators (these
were only on the American market models though, Europeans were fobbed off
with the old lights and indicators), white faced
instruments, new fishtail type exhaust tips that altered the exhaust sound,
two-tone saddle with better back support for the pillion passenger, new rocker
covers with "1500"
gouged into them instead of the previous classy logo strip (which had previously been
gold plated on the SE's), a skimpier engine guard (the older one would have
hidden the ugly new rocker cover if it had still fitted) and
badges that looked more aggressive than before. These cosmetic changes gave the
ageing GL1500 a much sleeker look, although such things as the rear lighting
setup and flat looking rear-end were beginning to look a bit fussy in the new age of
curves and flowing lines.
These changes were carried through to
1999 but by now everyone was awaiting the much anticipated new Goldwing,
which had been rumoured for the last three years. Nevertheless, the recent
cosmetic changes to the Goldwing were sufficient to keep sales up (no doubt
aided this last couple of years by a buoyant world economy), in spite of such
mouth-watering hallucinations of a possible 2000cc eight cylinder Goldwing with
auto-transmission, or try the one about a V6 2.5 litre replacement with six
speed transmission (I know a few rumour-mongers who had red faces a couple of
years later). The power of the rumours was very strong and there was always
someone who knew someone that had a relative who drank beer with a buddy
employed in the Goldwing plant who put the headlamp bulbs in the GL1500 and this
guy was sworn to secrecy but... Thus the fever spread and those of use who lived
through the time saw it all, the fake photographs doctored so easily by
Photoshop gurus and posted
on the Internet by members
of a now very computer-literate public, the fake
postings on web sites and in magazines etc. It was all good fun though and kept
us all guessing for a long time. Surely the new model would arrive for the dawn
of the new Century?
Disappointment
for the new Millennium though as the 2000 model year saw the GL1500 enter the
21st Century alive and well. The only differences were that Honda had dropped the
unpopular white faced
instruments and the SE got chromed rocker covers. The long awaited
new Goldwing was announced in April of that year and the GL1500 finally stepped
down after an almost unheard of thirteen year reign at the very top and an increase in weight to almost 820lbs.
Most of the other pretenders to the throne didn't fare so well, the Yamaha
Venture and Suzuki's Cavalcade had both competed against the GL1200 but the
GL1500 had killed them off in short order. The only real threat to the Goldwing
in recent times had been the BMW K1200LT, but Honda were about to answer this
and set the standard once again with the GL1500's successor.
The GL1800 was finally announced for the 2001 model year. The official
unveiling had been done the previous August and in an age where people could
hide small cameras the size of a button on their person, it's a miracle how
Honda managed to keep pictures of the new Goldwing a secret for so long. Honda should really be put in charge of national security in
Japan! They
managed to keep a lid on things right up to the last minute.
Honda had managed once again to completely redesign the Goldwing from the
ground up. Everyone and his dog knew that Honda couldn't simply continue to make their
flagship tourer heavier as the engine size got bigger. Over the previous
thirteen years, most magazine test riders agreed that the GL1500 had been
pushing the limits of what they called the "performance envelope" and common
sense suggested to Goldwing riders that if the next Goldwing couldn't at the
very least maintain the weight of the GL1500, then the end of the line had
already been reached. With this in mind, Honda built an all new aluminium frame
which comprised only 31 parts, compared to the previous models 130
and the new frame weighed 25lbs less than before. The new
frame was much stiffer than before (a 77%
increase in torsional rigidity and 119%
increase in lateral rigidity) and combined with an engine both bigger at
1832cc's (118 bhp and 125
lb./ft. of torque) and 4lbs lighter than before, this meant that the GL1800 weighed 40lbs
less than the GL1500. The frame was produced by Kaiser
Aluminum and was designed in conjunction with Honda of America Mfg.
in a project that started in 1998. The frame was produced in Kaiser's
extrusion plant in London, Ontario and from 2000 they started
supplying the extruded sections of the GL1800 frames to the Honda plant in Marysville, Ohio.
Honda technicians weld the sections together manually.
In April 2002, Kaiser won the Transportation
Category award of the 2002 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition,
for their efforts on the GL1800 frame project.
Anyway, back to the main subject before I go off track too
much. The whole look of the Goldwing had now changed from big comfy tourer to a more sporty long distance machine designed to appeal to the younger
rider as well as existing Goldwing owners. Big news also was the inclusion of
fuel injection and the option of ABS brakes, long overdue on the six cylinder
monster. Slightly slimmer bodywork dragged the design into the new Millennium,
yet Honda had managed to make the seat much bigger and this
time there was enough pillion
space to swallow the rear ends of even those requiring XXXXL
pants. The seat height and diameter of the wheels remained the same as
before, but the tyres were wider and for only the second time on a Goldwing they were not
supplied by Dunlop, but Bridgestone. Honda's efforts resulted in a machine that
went and stopped far better than most people had dared to hope and riding it
gave the impression that it was far lighter than the GL1500, rather than a mere
40lbs. Magazine test riders all over the world heaped praise on the new Goldwing
and it was no longer a machine for Goldwing bashers to ridicule. The general
consensus was that the GL1800 was much more practical than before and was a
motorcycle that many riders would use every day, rather than saving for use only at
weekends. Available colours for 2001 were Illusion Red,
Black, Pearl Hot Rod Yellow and Pearl Apollo Blue.
The Hondaline department, now very slick and efficient, were not
caught napping this time. The marketing of accessories was helped by wide use of
the Internet, as well as brochures and magazine adverts. There was a staggering
51 items available from Hondaline for the GL1800, far surpassing any effort made
for previous Goldwings and they were available right from the
time the GL1800 hit the dealers showrooms. Indeed, it was now possible for a
Goldwing to become a bottomless pit for those who had the cash to spend on
Hondaline accessories and the aftermarket suppliers had to take a deep breath and
look very hard to find spots to fill this time and over the coming months there
was a drip feed of items made available, rather than the usual flood.
2002 saw no major changes. The GL1800 was too new to do more than
tweak here and there. Three new colours were introduced (Pearl Sunburst Orange,
Stream Silver and Illusion Blue-also known as Pearl Chromium Purple) alongside Black, Illusion Red and Pearl
Hot Rod Yellow
with Pearl Blue being dropped after only one year. The Goldwing was still
available with or without ABS brakes. The full Hondaline range of accessories
was still available and the aftermarket to their credit had managed to add many
more bits and pieces to their product ranges. The high price of the Hondaline
stuff no doubt gave lots of scope for the competition. A
recall during the previous year saw the pulse rotor being replaced on many
models and the kill switch on lots of models had to be fixed too, so Honda seem
to be on top of things. Anyone who didn't like the GL1800 could still buy
GL1500's new (year 2000 models) from many dealers, there were lots of them still
in crates. They were now selling at up to 10% more than when they were still in
production and of course this is because the GL1800 was much more expensive to
buy.
2003 arrived
and the GL1800 continued to be improved on. No major model or
name changes, the ever popular Candy Red (different shade to the GL1500, the new
colour also called Durango Red) made a welcome return this year.
Stream Silver, Black, Pearl Hot Rod Yellow and Illusion Blue were retained.
Another orange colour was introduced, this time a darker Jupiter Orange. The early CD player problems appear to have been
fixed and the Bridgestone tyres that cupped and wore out at worryingly low
mileages have been replaced by Dunlops. The overheating issue
that affected some GL1800's was now being attended to with the US Service Bulletin 13.
Announced in September, a US recall for certain VIN numbers to inspect and
repair/strengthen the lowest crossmember of the frame was of more significance
for some owners. A European recall for this problem in early October indicated
that the problem was more widespread than it seemed earlier in the year. Only
one GL1800 was affected by the frame recall in Ireland. Some
bike magazines reckon that this makes the GL1800 the most recalled motorcycle
that Honda have produced to date! For some reason, the windshield now has
two sliding bolts instead of four. The rumour mill had started to grind
into action again, with reports of a possible Aspencade and SE addition in a
year or two. A huge range of aftermarket accessories was by
now available for the GL1800, alas at the expense of the GL1500 and older
models. Every year sees available accessories for older Goldwings sink without a
trace. It's always about money folks, and it seems the minute a particular model
becomes a bit old, nowadays the accessory manufacturers ruthlessly cull the
available goodies. Only three years after the demise of the GL1500, almost 50%
of the accessories for this machine had disappeared from the big name
catalogues (I notice this because I collect the catalogues), even though there
are more 1500's on the planet than any other Goldwing. By summer of 2003, the
last of the 2000 model year GL1500's seem to have been sold and searching the
dealers for one out of the crate is now a waste of effort.
2004 is
here and we get the '04 models that were available to U.S. dealers from July
28th 2003. The rest of the world has to wait for the start of each year to get
that years models, but the Americans get to sample them months before the rest
of us. The fact that Goldwings are all made in the USA accounts for this.
No major changes this year either. Lighted handlebar (long overdue) and radio
switches and a vent in the windshield are about as exciting as it gets. The rear
brake calliper gets a heat shield between it and the exhaust muffler. New
colours in the shape of Flare Red (which gets a different pattern on
the saddle material and different badges), Kelly Magenta, Pearl Challenger Brown and Titanium. The Magenta
was cancelled almost immediately after dealers got the 04's so there should only
be a few hundred available (collectable perhaps in the future) and White has been added to the
line-up instead. Candy Red
and Black are retained for this year. Rumours of a slightly redesigned lower
fairing (for the 2005 model year) to accommodate new radiator fans or modified
cooling system have been
doing the rounds on the Internet forums for some time now.
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