Honda GL1800 Gold Wing DCT 2023 — Specifications

Who would have bet, twenty years ago, that the big Honda would one day trade its touring top-case for an unapologetic bagger silhouette? Yet that is the turn the GL 1800 Gold Wing has taken since its redesign, and the 2023 version finalizes this new identity. The bare Gold Wing name now designates the trunkless variant, with the flagship rear-trunk vessel becoming the Tour. For the first time, the rolling monument from Hamamatsu sees itself in a more flattering mirror, thanks to a new tire pressure monitoring system that discreetly appears in the display on the left side of the instrument cluster.

The mechanical heritage remains, and that's a good thing. The 1833 cc flat-six continues to deliver its muffled music, with 126 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 169.7 Nm of torque from 4500 rpm. Nothing revolutionary compared to the 160 horsepower of the BMW K 1600 GT inline-six, and this is clearly not the battleground Honda has chosen. The aim is silk rather than sprint, with smoothed injection at low revs, cylinder heads now using 4 valves per cylinder, and an engine block that has shed 6.2 kg while becoming a good three centimeters shorter. Top speed stays capped at 180 km/h, which is more than enough for the program.

On the scale, the verdict speaks for itself. 367 kg fully fueled, compared to the late F6B's 384. Twenty kilos saved, an entire cinder block removed from the load. The aluminum Diamond twin-spar frame has been redesigned, as has the swingarm, and most importantly the front end abandons the classic telescopic fork for an unusual quadrilateral with double longitudinal arms, a distant cousin of the Duolever that BMW borrowed from the brilliant Claude Fior. The result: sharper steering, better-filtered support through long curves, and that sense of guiding a ship rather than fighting with it. The 745 mm seat remains low, which helps get feet down at traffic lights despite the mass.

The seven-speed DCT gearbox fitted since 2020 hasn't changed but has been refined. Short gears at the bottom to erase jerks, tall gears at the top to calm the revs at cruising speed, and four riding modes (Tour, Sport, Econ, Rain) that simultaneously control engine response, suspension firmness, and even the clutch's character. The electric reverse gear, indispensable for getting out of a sloped parking spot, remains in the catalog. On board, the 7-inch TFT screen coexists with two analog dials for speed and rpm, a precious detail in a world that is swinging too quickly toward all-digital. Smart Key, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, full LED lighting, advanced cruise control, self-canceling turn signals—it's all there.

That leaves the wallet. At 28,549 euros, the bagger Gold Wing positions itself as an alternative to the German K 1600 B, which it now looks in the eye on the dynamic front without challenging it on power. The tank has lost four liters, dropping to 21, but the reduced fuel consumption offsets that. Luggage volume falls to 30 liters per case, compared to 51 on the old F6B. That's the price to pay for this new profile, less pachyderm-like, almost feline. The die-hard long-distance tourer will stick with the Tour. For the rider who wants a massive, comfortable GT that is technologically up to date and livelier than before, this stripped-down version hits the mark. A princess who has finally traded her crinoline for a better-cut dress.