Honda Gold Wing Tour Airbag Automatic DCT 2021 — Specifications

Imagine a machine that defies time, a roadship whose evolution seems guided by a single obsession: absolute comfort. The 2021 Honda Gold Wing Tour with its airbag and automatic DCT gearbox is not simply a motorcycle; it is a manifesto. At nearly €40,000, it is aimed at the globetrotter for whom distance is merely an abstraction, at the one who considers travel as a permanent state rather than a destination.

The first observation is this imposing mass of 390 kg all fueled up. A figure that makes you tremble, but which Honda has cleverly countered. Mechanical reverse gear is there, but they have added a "Pedestrian" function on the DCT. A simple press of a button allows you to maneuver this giant at 1.8 km/h forward or 1.2 km/h in reverse, without even engaging a gear. It is a feat that radically changes the perception of this weight. Compared to a BMW K 1600 GTL or the Harley-Davidson mastodons, the Gold Wing plays here in a league where technology supplants muscle.

The heart of this evolution lies in this third generation of DCT gearbox. A double clutch, seven gears, and an integration so fluid that it seems to suck the very concept of mechanical friction. The D, S and MT modes offer a palette of behaviors. Tour mode is perfect directional stability for the highway, while Sport stiffens the suspension and excites the transmission. Econ mode is a parenthesis of sobriety, and Rain is an all-risk insurance. The ISG system, which merges starter and alternator, offers restarts after shutdown so silent and velvety that they are almost disconcerting. Honda sought to imitate a flying carpet, and they are very close to achieving it.

Let's talk about the engine, this flat-six of 1833 cm3. 126 horsepower at 5500 rpm are not figures that scream, but it is the 170 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm that dictates the law. It propels this limousine with supple authority, a mechanical melody that is the very identity of the Gold Wing. The twin-spar frame and the double-triangle front suspension give it stability that seems anchored to the asphalt. The brakes, with their six-piston radial calipers at the front, have the power necessary to master this kinetic energy, but their modulation is always calibrated for comfort.

The passenger is here a king. The inclined backrest, the larger grab handles, the suede-covered saddle, and even the improved speakers, all conspire to his well-being. The 11 additional liters in the top case are a detail, but they speak of this philosophy of travel where every knick-knack finds its place. The electric windscreen, the sound system, the GPS, the cruise control, the heated grips and the 7-inch TFT screen with Apple CarPlay weave a technological cocoon. The airbag, still exclusive to Honda on a motorcycle, is that ultimate touch of safety that completes the picture.

So, is it the ultimate motorcycle? For asphalted grand touring, probably. It has sacrificed some of the old's imperial protection and a few liters of luggage capacity (now 121 liters), a guarantee of its refocusing towards a more agile dynamics. But these concessions are minimal compared to the whole. It now has only one enemy: a destination too attractive that could stop its crew. Because this Gold Wing, in its Tour DCT version, has only one true aspiration: to ride, indifferent to the kilometers, transforming each road into a mobile lounge where comfort is a religion and technology, its clergy.