Honda’s 50th Anniversary Gold Wing Just Addressed My Biggest Issue with Modern Motorcycles

The iconic touring bike has consistently evolved with the times. One tweak to this new commemorative edition proves that’s still the case.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published February 10, 2025

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Updated February 10, 2025

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Introduced in 1975, the Honda Gold Wing quickly established itself as a powerful, reliable and good-looking motorcycle.

Within a few years, as more and more owners outfitted the bike with aftermarket luggage and front fairings, Honda responded by introducing more touring-friendly editions with larger engines, increased fuel capacity, added space for the rider and passenger and more.

honda gold wing tour 50th anniversary side view — Recalling the Woodie Wagon of yesteryear, the Eternal Gold edition is nonetheless a very modern motorcycle.

A pattern was thus established, for a bike that retains its best qualities while consistently progressing with the times.

What really jumps out is the following: “Given the widespread adoption of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Gold Wing’s native navigation system has been eliminated for 2025. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can now be used wirelessly on all Gold Wing versions.”
Halle-freaking-lujah!

That willingness to evolve is what keeps a nameplate on the road for five decades, and as Honda honors the milestone with the new Gold Wing Tour 50th Anniversary, I am glad to see that philosophy is still alive and well, specifically with the navigation system.

A candid admission

The press release promoting this news was one of the longest I have ever read. However, what stands out about this new edition can be summarized pretty quickly.

First off, there are a number of new Gold Wing (bagger version with no top case) and Gold Wing Tour bikes, including three trim levels of the 50th Anniversary Gold Wing Tour: the base model, the DCT model (essentially an automatic) and the Airbag DCT model.

The base and DCT 50th Anniversary Tour bikes are available with two eye-popping paint schemes, Bourdeaux Red Metallic and Eternal Gold.

honda gold wing tour 50th anniversary motion — The Bordeaux Red Metallic colorway is nearly as striking as its Eternal Gold brother.

The bikes feature a 50th Anniversary badge in front of the seat and on the Smart Key, complemented by “Since 1975) added to the Gold Wing logo that appears at the meter’s “opening ceremonies” when the bike is turned on.

The bikes also come with two commemorative gifts: a coffee-table book and a tabletop 3D 1:12 scale model featuring a 1975 Gold Wing on one side and the quite different-looking 2025 Gold Wing on the other.

All that said, what really jumps out to me in the press release is the following: “Given the widespread adoption of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Gold Wing’s native navigation system has been eliminated for 2025. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can now be used wirelessly on all Gold Wing versions.”

honda gold wing tour 50th anniversary dash car play — Ahhh, right there on that big colorful display, CarPlay in all its user-friendly glory. Nice 45-watt speakers, too.

Halle-freaking-lullah! This is a reality I have been begging other motorcycle brands to embrace.

Because while I appreciate all the effort that has been put into systems such as Indian Ride Command and the Royal Enfield Tripper Navigation System, the cold hard truth is that they just don’t match up to the smartphone nav tech we all already use.

I know this first-hand, having experienced immense frustration using various proprietary programs while test-riding various bikes over the past several years.

honda gold wing tour 50th anniversary rear — The 61-liter trunk and 30-liter saddlebags provide plenty of gear and apparel storage for extended touring.

To be fair, they have gotten better. However, when you have to type in a well-known nearby business to get home, because the system can’t find your address, you know it’s still … missing … the … cutoff man.

I don’t drive cars and trucks too often, but I feel like most auto brands came to this conclusion years ago: the best display option is to just mirror my phone’s most relevant apps (notably navigation, music and communication) and be done with it, already.

In other words, with one simple tweak, one of the oldest continuously produced motorcycles has proven it’s built for the long haul into the future.

Powering into the future

As I said, the new Gold Wings retain all the great features of recent previous editions. While I won’t get into all of them here, I would be remiss not to mention that the power train is a beast.

The 1833cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder four-stroke engine has been nonetheless optimized for sporty handling and surprising fuel efficiency, supported by a 5.5-gallon fuel tank, relatively small for a bike with a curb weight of 845 pounds.

honda gold wing tour 50th anniversary engine — No matter how much time goes by, a robust engine and shiny chrome pipes never get old.

Operated via six-speed manual transmission (excluding the DCT version, of course), this power train maxes out at 126 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 17.3 kgf.m at 4,500 rpm of torque.

That makes for plenty of zip out of a traffic light or hauling on the highway, no matter which direction Apple CarPlay or Android Auto tells you to go.