Half a century after the original GL1000 revolutionized long-distance motorcycling, Honda has unveiled the 2025 Gold Wing, a masterful blend of heritage and high technology.
Celebrating 50 years as the undisputed king of touring bikes, the new model refines its legendary formula of silky-smooth power, unparalleled comfort, and cutting-edge features, solidifying its place at the pinnacle of two-wheeled travel. While not a ground-up redesign, the 2025 iteration introduces key tech upgrades and exclusive anniversary styling that honors its storied past while firmly looking to the future.
The Honda Gold Wing 2025 arrives with its celebrated 1,833cc horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine and a suite of sophisticated electronics, now enhanced with wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. This highly anticipated update streamlines the infotainment experience, moving away from the previous native navigation system to embrace the more versatile and user-friendly mapping apps on riders’ smartphones. Available in dealerships since March 2025, the anniversary models are distinguished by special badging and exclusive colorways, including a striking Bordeaux Red Metallic and a heritage-inspired Eternal Gold, paying homage to five decades of touring excellence.
50 Years of the Open Road
When the Honda GL1000 debuted in 1975, it wasn’t just a new motorcycle; it was the birth of a new category. With its liquid-cooled flat-four engine, shaft drive, and exceptional smoothness, it offered a level of performance and reliability previously unseen, catalyzing the growth of motorcycle touring in North America and beyond.
Through the decades, the Gold Wing has consistently set the benchmark. The introduction of the fully-faired Interstate in 1980, the move to a larger 1,520cc flat-six in 1988, and the revolutionary aluminum-framed, fuel-injected GL1800 in 2001 each marked a seismic shift in the industry. The 2018 redesign brought a leaner, more athletic machine with a sophisticated double-wishbone front suspension and the option of a 7-speed DCT. The 2025 model builds on this formidable platform, celebrating a half-century of innovation that has seen competitors like the Kawasaki Voyager and Suzuki Cavalcade come and go.
What’s New for 2025? A Focus on Refinement
While the core mechanicals are carried over from the highly successful previous iteration, Honda has focused on targeted technological and aesthetic enhancements for the 2025 model year.
Technology: Seamless Connectivity
The most significant functional update is the integration of wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. This addresses a key desire of modern riders who prefer the real-time traffic, familiarity, and vast app ecosystem of Google Maps, Waze, and other smartphone-based navigation tools. A large, 7-inch full-color TFT display remains the central hub for infotainment, vehicle settings, and ride mode management.
Commemorative Styling
To mark the golden anniversary, the Gold Wing Tour models are available in special two-tone paint schemes. The Bordeaux Red Metallic is accented with dark graphite, while the Eternal Gold option recalls classic liveries of the past. These models are adorned with a subtle “50th Anniversary” badge above the fuel tank lid and on the smart key. The standard “bagger” style Gold Wing receives a sleek Matte Black Metallic finish with anniversary logos on the saddlebags.
Latest Data & Statistics
- Engine Output: The 1,833cc SOHC flat-six engine produces a peak of 124.7 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 125.3 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM, providing effortless low-end grunt for highway cruising.
- Curb Weight: The 2025 Gold Wing’s weight ranges from 802 pounds (364 kg) for the manual base model to 856 pounds (388 kg) for the Tour Airbag DCT model. The low center of gravity from the flat-six engine helps mask this weight at low speeds.
- DCT Popularity: Honda representatives have noted that a large majority of Gold Wing buyers now opt for the 7-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT), highlighting a market shift towards automatic technology in the luxury touring segment
Official Responses & Expert Analysis
Honda has positioned the 2025 model as a tribute to the Gold Wing’s legacy. Bill Savino, Senior Manager of Customer Engagement at American Honda, stated in a press release, “For half a century, the Gold Wing has set the standard for the touring category… We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with the 2025 model year, and we’re confident that customers will appreciate the new 50th-anniversary versions.”
Expert reviewers praise the bike for its continued excellence but note the minimal mechanical changes. “The Gold Wing’s motor, chassis, suspension, handling and comfort are just too good to beat for two-wheel touring,” says a review from Cycle News. However, the same review notes the absence of features like adaptive cruise control, a technology now appearing on its primary competitor, the BMW K 1600 GTL.
When compared to the BMW K 1600, the Gold Wing is often lauded for its plusher, “magic carpet” ride quality, courtesy of its unique double-wishbone front end, and the sublime smoothness of its flat-six engine. The BMW, with its inline-six engine, offers a sportier, more frenetic character and is generally considered more nimble in aggressive cornering. The choice between them often comes down to a preference for ultimate luxury and comfort (Gold Wing) versus a more sport-oriented touring experience (BMW).
Impact on Riders: A Veteran’s View
The Gold Wing has cultivated one of the most loyal followings in motorcycling. Joe Siegel, a multi-Gold Wing owner, commented on a Motorcycle.com review of the new model:
“Have owned a 1983 1100, 1995 1500, 1998 Valkyrie, 2003 1800, 2018 1800, and now a 2025 1800. Have ridden other touring and sport touring bikes and nothing compares to the Wing… Wireless Apple Car Play now works perfectly, as opposed to the wired APC pre 2025 which didn’t. Other than that, the best touring bike ever made.”
Siegel also echoed expert sentiment, adding his desire for “blind spot monitoring and maybe adaptive cruise control.” This feedback from a veteran owner encapsulates the 2025 model’s position: a near-perfect machine with a few opportunities for future technological integration.
What to Watch Next
The motorcycle industry is at a technological crossroads. While the 2025 Gold Wing refines its current platform, the competition is heating up. The lack of radar-assisted features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot detection, available on competitors from BMW, Ducati, and KTM, is a notable omission. The next major evolution of the Gold Wing will almost certainly need to incorporate these features to maintain its flagship status. Furthermore, as the industry explores electrification, the question of what a future electric or hybrid Gold Wing could look like remains a tantalizing prospect.
The Honda Gold Wing 2025 is a fitting tribute to a 50-year dynasty. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it polishes its golden rims to a brilliant shine. The core experience—the impossibly smooth engine, the supremely comfortable ergonomics, and the surprisingly capable handling—remains the best in the business. The addition of wireless smartphone integration is a necessary and welcome modernization. For the legion of dedicated Gold Wing riders and those seeking the zenith of two-wheeled luxury, the 2025 model is a compelling affirmation that after five decades, the king of the road still reigns supreme.
