Touring bikes: the Goldwing saga

Prior to the seventies there were no sport bikes, dirt bikes, or touring bikes. If you wanted a fast bike, an off road bike, or a long distance touring bike, you would modify any number of "standard" style bike that were available at the time. During the seventies aftermarket companies such as Vetter, began offering accessories such as saddle bags and windshields that could transform your basic CB750 into a road trip machine. The popularity of these accessories prompted Honda to develop their own factory tourer, the quintessential road warrior, the Gold Wing. But before the Gold Wing took flight there were a number of other machines that were favorites for long haul riders.

In 1976 the Gold Wing revolutionized touring just like the CB750 revolutionized street bikes seven years earlier. Originally Honda built the Gold Wing as a performance bike. The Gold Wing featured a water-cooled flat six when, very few motorcycles were water-cooled. While the Gold Wing didn't take off as a performance bike it became a hit with the long distance traveler set.

1976 Gold Wing GL1000














The second generation saw the addition of a integrated fairing and bags, creating the look that lives on to the Gold Wing of today.

1981 Honda Gold Wing GL1100













1985 Honda Gold Wing GL1200













By the third generation Honda's competitors had caught on and had introduced touring bikes of their own. In 1983 Kawasaki introduced the Voyager. The first generation Voyager was based on Kawasaki's KZ1300 straight six street bike. Kawasaki's had more success with the second generation the Voyager XII (12) because it was lighter and more maneuverable. The same year the Voyager arrived Yamaha introduced the Venture. A couple years later Yamaha would use the Venture's V4 engine in their VMax sport cruiser. Suzuki was the last to the party with the Cavalcade. Like the Yamaha, Suzuki used their V4 cruiser engine in the Cavelcade. This motorcycle was the most powerful of the four, but it was also the heaviest, and eventually it was the most short lived.

1983-88 Kawasaki Voyager 1300
1989-03 Kawasaki Voyager 1200






1983-93 Yamaha Venture 1400







1985-89 Suzuki Cavalcade 1400








The competition never could match the popularity of the Gold Wing. Over the years they each dropped out of the segment. The only real competition the Gold Wing faced were Harley Electra Glides and BMW LT's, but both of these bike were different enough to cater to a different type of rider. With the market nearly to itself the Gold Wing grew to be one of Honda's best selling and most profitable models.

1991 Honda Gold Wing GL1500













2006 Honda Gold Wing GL1800