Harley-Davidson riders usually hog the headlines when stories are written about bikers who love their motorcycles. But there’s another group of motorcycle owners who are just as loyal as Harley riders.
They are, however, a bit more sedate.
They prefer a nearly vibration-free ride to the earthshaking rumble of a Harley.
They love their bikes’ myriad electronic gadgets and creature comforts.
They have no time or desire to wield wrenches to keep their bikes on the road.
And they’ll usually pass on the chrome and leather.
They are Honda Gold Wing riders, and if you ask them what they find so appealing about their bikes, you’ll likely hear the same three words-trust, reliability and smoothness-over and over.
Those three things have helped make the Gold Wing, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, one of the most popular and loved motorcycles ever.
Reliability is high on Cliff Hotchkiss’ list. The Orlando man has logged nearly 200,000 miles on his 1984 GL1200, and he says the bike is “bulletproof.”
“I’ve gone as far as Tulsa and Wisconsin. Everything is original,” said Hotchkiss, director for one of Central Florida’s three chapters of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association.
Hotchkiss is the kind of enthusiast that Honda hopes to attract with its three specially decorated 20th anniversary Gold Wing bikes, which range in price from $11,199 to $16,799.
The 1995 bikes, available at Honda motorcycle dealers, bear little resemblance to the original 1975 Gold Wing. That bike sported a 999-cc water-cooled, 4-cylinder engine and five-speed transmission, but none of the high-tech electronic gear found on today’s Gold Wings. In fact, the first Gold Wings looked like little more than just big motorcycles.
According to the book “Gold Wing: The First 20 Years” (Vreeke & Associates, $39.95), there wasn’t much demand for a long-distance touring bike in the late 1970s. Honda sold only 5,000 Gold Wings in 1975, its first year on the market.
Big bikes from companies such as Triumph, Kawasaki and Suzuki were geared more toward city driving and performance than for smooth and relaxed long-distance cruising.
When original Gold Wing owners found that their bikes were well-suited to long road trips, they began making seats more comfortable and suspension systems stiffer.
Meanwhile, Honda engineers were watching, listening and planning changes. The evolution of the Gold Wing, now in its fourth generation, still is being guided by riders, said Honda spokesman Jim Bates in California.
“We talk to owners all the time at rallies, club meetings and focus groups,” he said.
The Gold Wing’s looks, size, mechanical features, weight and price have changed dramatically since 1975. Over the years the engine’s displacement has been increased by 50 percent and two cylinders were added to the original four-cylinder power plant. The bike’s wheelbase has been stretched six inches, its weight has increased by more than 250 pounds as amenities were added, and the bike has become much more complex.
For instance, today’s models have electric reverse, air-powered rear suspension, built-in hot air vents, CB radios and more.
Despite the changes, the Gold Wing’s mission has remained the same, and its following has been growing steadily.
Since 1975, more than a quarter of a million Gold Wings have been sold all over the world. Honda won’t release sales figures for each year, but the company has averaged 10,000 sales annually. That’s astounding for one model, says Don Brown, a motorcycle industry analyst in Irvine, Calif.
The Gold Wing, built in the U.S. since May 1980, has a reputation for durability and reliability that few other motorcycles can match, local owners will tell you.
More than 197,000 miles have passed under the wheels of the 1984 Gold Wing that Hotchkiss bought in December 1983. All the bike has needed is routine maintenance, such as the changing of fluids and filters and the replacing of regular wear items such as brakes and tires and an oil seal or two. Hotchkiss said his bike never has needed a major repair.
“Mechanically, as long as you take care of them, they’ll run forever. People have ridden these things all over the place with no problems. If you are traveling, you don’t want to be bugged by breakdowns,” Hotchkiss said.
Ed Price, executive director of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association in Phoenix, said it is not unusual for riders to pile up hundreds of thousands of miles on their Gold Wings.
“They get used. Most people use them for long trips. They are popular for two-week vacations. The average Gold Wing rider runs between 9,000 and 15,000 miles per year,” Price said, adding that he has heard of people pushing 500,000 total miles on their bikes.
Many of the people who ride Gold Wings are older and have plenty of time to tour the backroads of the U.S. and Canada. Price said most Gold Wing buyers are in their 40s and 50s and own businesses or are semiretired. And about 90 percent are married and travel with their mates.
“We’ve got two classes of Gold Wing riders. Some have been around forever and have ridden everything from dirt bikes to old Indians (motorcycles) to Gold Wings. But for many, this is their first bike.”
Though other motorcycle manufacturers build touring bikes, no other touring bike has achieved the popularity of the Gold Wing.
Industry analyst Brown described the Gold Wing as “the quintessential touring bike. It was the first motorcycle of large capacity . . . to bring to the highway all of the accoutrements and refinements that one might expect of touring bikes.
“It carried the standards of touring bikes to new heights technologically. The Gold Wing really brought to the touring class motorcycle the standards by which all will have to be judged.”
Brown says that one reason the Gold Wing is the king of touring bikes is because Honda has been successful in attracting new people to motorcycling. He said Honda’s advertising, its reputation for quality and its habit of listening to what its customers want has helped make the Gold Wing and Honda’s other models successful.
Honda has been the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the U.S. since 1959, he said.
Gold Wing riders a get a lot of support from the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, an international organization that boasts a membership of more than 61,000-almost a quarter of all Gold Wings ever sold.
Joining the club, Price said, gives a rider 61,000 instant friends in the U.S. and Canada. The club publishes a monthly magazine and holds rallies and meetings.
Each new member receives a directory that lists Gold Wing clubs and the names of Gold Wing riders all over North America who can offer technical help for riders.
The Gold Wing Riders Association has 850 chapters in North America and holds a yearly convention called the Wing Ding that attracts thousands of Gold Wing riders. Many plan their vacations around the event. This year’s Wing Ding is scheduled for July 3 through 6 in Greenville, S.C.
Honda uses the Wing Ding to get riders’ ideas and opinions on the Gold Wing. Though Honda officials won’t talk about the future of the big bike, club members expect that the next model will be more versatile with more safety features.
“Our competitors would love to know when we’d update it. Our dealers will find out first,” said Honda spokesman Bates in California.
In any case, a change may be coming soon. The current Gold Wing is in its eighth year, much longer than any of the previous three generations.
If history repeats itself, Gold Wing owners will embrace any new model.
“Every time they come out with a new model, it’s the most popular one yet,” Price said.
Because the Gold Wing has had such a long run, there are plenty of inexpensive used bikes on the market that have been bought by younger riders.
It is expected that the next generation Gold Wing could be a series of bikes that meets the needs of younger riders who want a sportier touring bike as well as the wants of older riders used to the luxury features and high-tech gizmos on the current models.
Such things as removable luggage carriers and saddle bags would give the Gold Wing a sportier, more streamlined appearance while reducing its weight slightly.
The 1995 Gold Wing, which can weigh as much as 814 pounds fully loaded, is expected to be the heaviest the bike will get.
Motorcycle weight is important, not just because it affects the bike’s handling but also because the rider must be able to lift the bike in case it tips over.
In the time of the Gold Wing
According to “Gold Wing, The First 20 Years” (Vreeke & Associates, $39.95), here’s a look at 20 years of Honda Gold Wing motorcycles:
1975: The Gold Wing GL1000 debuts. It sports a 999-cc liquid-cooled, 4-cylinder engine and five-speed transmission, shaft drive, electric and kick starting and front and rear disc brakes. The fuel tank is under the seat just in front of the rear wheel. Weight: 584 pounds. Price: $2,899.
1976: GL1000 LTD model joins the lineup. It features a flared front fender, gold-stamped wheels, special radiator shroud, pinstripes and unique badges. Price: $3,295.
1977: The first of many customer-driven refinements begin to appear. All Gold Wings feature chrome heat shield on the exhaust pipes, higher, recontoured handlebars, better hand grips and a new seat. Weight: 595 pounds. Price: $2,938.
1978: A new instrument panel in the center of the faux fuel tank debuts along with better shocks, a new exhaust system, smaller carburetors and several styling changes. Weight: 601 pounds. Price: $3,198.
1980: Two new Gold Wings, the GL1100 and the GL1100 Interstate, replace the original GL1000. Air suspension, bigger tires and an adjustable seat are added. The wheelbase is stretched to 63.2 from 60.2 inches. The Interstate model features full faring, saddlebags and trunk and an optional stereo. Weight range: 586 to 672 pounds. Prices: GL1100, $3,798; Interstate, $4,898.
1982: Honda adds the luxurious GL1100 Aspencade model to the lineup. It is outfitted with a powerful AM/FM stereo, 40-channel CB radio and an on-board air compressor for the suspension system. Weight: 595 to 702 pounds. Prices: GL1100, $4,248, GL1100 Interstate; $5,448; Aspencade, $5,698.
1983: The GL1100 rolls into its last year with better wheels, an anti-dive fork and improved brakes. The Aspencade gets an LCD instrument panel. Weight range: 599 to 707 pounds. Prices: GL1100, $4,298; GL1100 Interstate, $5,548; Aspencade $6,998.
1984: Honda introduces the GL1200. It has an 1182-cc, 4-cylinder engine that features hydraulic (maintenance-free) valves and a new, stronger chassis. Weight range: 599 to 723 pounds. Prices: GL1200, $4,795; GL1200 Interstate, $6,195; GL1200 Aspencade, $7,895.
1985: Honda drops the entry-model Gold Wing and offers the Interstate Aspencade and the fully loaded LTD. The GL1200 Limited Edition is outfitted with computerized fuel injection, cruise control, automatic leveling rear suspension and a travel computer. Prices: GL1200 Interstate, $6,198; GL1200 Aspencade, $7,898; GL1200 Limited Edition, $10,000.
1987: Honda trims the Gold Wing lineup to two by dropping the Aspencade SE-i. The GL1200 Interstate and the GL1200 Aspencade get new seats. A better audio system, passenger floorboards and armrests become standard on the Aspencade. Weight range: 699 to 743 pounds. Prices: GL1200 Interstate, $6,698; GL1200 Aspencade, $8,498.
1988: Honda rolls out the fourth-generation Gold Wing, the GL1500. Sporting a 1520-cc, 6-cylinder engine and five-speed transmission and riding on a new chassis, it offers a smoother ride than the older models. The Gold Wing’s wheelbase is again stretched, this time to 66.9 from 63.4 inches. The GL1500 also features a first for any motorcycle: a reverse gear. Weight: 793 pounds. Price: $9,998.
1990: Honda adds a GL1500 SE model to the lineup. The SE features windscreen vents, a spoiler on the trunk with a built-in brake light, adjustable foot pegs and a full logic sound system. Weight range: 798 to 804 pounds. Prices: GL1500, $11,498; GL1500 SE, $13,498.
1991: Another new model, the GL1500 Interstate, expands the Gold Wing lineup to three. The Aspencade returns as the standard model. The GL1500 Interstate, the first Gold Wing in three years that sells for less than $10,000, weighs 40 pounds less than the others, giving the bike a sportier feel. Weight range: 760 to 809 pounds. Prices: GL1500 Interstate, $8,998; GL1500 Aspencade: $11,998; GL1500 SE, $13,998.
1992: The GL1500 Interstate gets the most powerful sound system Honda has installed on a motorcycle. It’s a 25-watt-per-channel unit with a CB radio and a jack for a portable CD or cassette player. Prices: GL1500 Interstate, $9,199; GL1500 Aspencade, $12,039; GL1500 SE, $14,199.
1993: The GL1500 SE gets as standard rear-mounted speakers and a 40-channel CB radio. All three Gold Wings are given valvetrain improvements and an upgraded cruise control. Prices, GL1500 Interstate, $9,599; GL1500 Aspencade, $12,399; GL1500 SE, $14,699.
1994: No major changes. Prices: GL1500 Interstate, $9,999; GL1500 Aspencade, $12,999; GL1500 SE, $15,299.
1995: All three models get special 20th anniversary badges, lower seats and new suspension systems. Prices: GL1500 Interstate, $11,199; GL1500 Aspencade, $13,999; GL1500 SE, $16,299.
