Honda GL 1800 GOLDWING Tour DCT/Airbag 2021 — Specifications

Who still buys a 390 kg motorcycle in 2021? Touring enthusiasts, couples who devour back roads by the thousands, riders who've understood that a journey isn't measured in lap times but in hours in the saddle without fatigue. The Honda GL 1800 Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag is made for them, and no one else. It's a niche, certainly. But Honda cultivates it with an obsessive attention to detail that commands respect. For this 2021 model year, no revolution. Rather a series of targeted adjustments focused on passenger comfort, with a backrest angled slightly further rearward, a top case enlarged by 11 liters, suede and synthetic leather upholstery, and upgraded speakers. The message is crystal clear: on this machine, you travel as a pair, and the passenger is not mere luggage.

Beneath the bodywork, the 1833 cc flat-six remains a marvel of smoothness. With 126 horsepower delivered at 5500 rpm and especially 170 Nm of torque available from 4500 rpm, this engine doesn't chase high revs. It pushes, it pulls, it rolls on effortlessly. Its square bore and stroke of 73 x 73 mm, 24 valves, and 10.5:1 compression ratio make it a paragon of silkiness. Against a BMW K 1600 GTL that's more powerful on paper or an Indian Roadmaster playing the massive V-twin card, the Goldwing responds with a culture of mechanical refinement. The flat-six has a sonic signature and a suppleness that its rivals simply cannot replicate.

The real star of this version is the DCT dual-clutch transmission and its 7 speeds. Honda has taken the concept very far. Three automatic modes—Tour, Sport, and Econ—plus a Rain mode for bad weather, each adapt throttle response, suspension firmness, brake distribution, and shift management. Sport mode even breaks down into three sub-levels of aggressiveness. You can take back control at any time via the left handlebar controls, then let the electronics resume command. The ISG system, which combines alternator and starter motor, enables an idle stop-start of disarming smoothness. At a red light, the engine shuts off after three seconds. A brush of the throttle grip and it restarts without the slightest jolt. On a machine designed for the long haul, this level of sophistication is a game-changer.

Weight remains the Achilles' heel. At 390 kg fully fueled, the Goldwing Tour DCT plays in the heavyweight class, alongside the Harley Road Glide and the BMW K 1600 crowd. Honda knows this and offers a "Walking" mode that moves the bike at 1.8 km/h forward or 1.2 km/h in reverse, without touching the transmission. Essential for parking maneuvers. The front end with its double-wishbone quadrilateral fork, a proprietary design, helps keep the steering precise despite the mass. The brakes, with two 320 mm front discs gripped by six-piston calipers and a 316 mm rear disc, prove up to the task. The low 745 mm seat height reassures at stops.

At €36,999, the price tag is steep. But the list of standard equipment partly justifies the cost: airbag (unique in the motorcycle market), 7-inch TFT display, Apple CarPlay, cruise control, traction control, electronically adjustable suspension, heated grips, electric windshield, keyless ignition, Bluetooth audio system, and GPS. High-mileage riders will note that the 21-liter tank and a top speed capped at 180 km/h betray a clear philosophy: you don't sprint, you cruise. Luggage capacity, reduced compared to the previous generation, may frustrate those setting off for a full month. But for the rest—those seeking the ultimate rolling living room—the Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag 2021 remains without any real equivalent. Honda has a machine here that no one copies, because no one knows how to do exactly the same thing.