What Makes This Honda The Best Touring Motorcycle For Relaxed Weekend Rides

Bikes are usually fast and in your face, but there are also the kind that are low and slow. Most bikes fall somewhere in between these two extremes, and touring motorcycles are usually a combination of the two. They have enough poke to blur the scenery if you want to, but can also cruise all day, letting you enjoy the wind in your face. But there is a bewildering amount of choice when it comes to touring motorcycles today.

There are adventure tourers, sport tourers, and crossovers that are somewhere between these two, and the traditional tourers that are based on cruisers, but with a fairing and luggage. Of these, the last type is probably the most qualified for relaxed rides, so we’ll limit our search to that genre of touring motorcycle. There are some very capable models from some very storied brands in this space, chief among which are Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle. However, we’re going to go against conventional wisdom this time and pick another model that we think is the best touring motorcycle for relaxed weekend rides.

The Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT Is The Best Touring Motorcycle For Relaxed Weekend Rides

Price: $29,700

Honda

The Gold Wing has been around for over half a century, and in that time, it has grown from strength to strength. It has always been a comfortable tourer, but with the last update, it changed significantly. There were changes to the engine as well as the chassis that made it easier to handle for the rider, and that in turn made it even more of a default choice if you wanted a laid-back tourer that would give you worry-free rides. And when it boils down to it, that’s the primary requirement of a relaxed weekend ride: a reliable motorcycle that gives you the peace of mind you need to truly relax.

We’ve picked the DCT in particular because even though it is a one-of-one gearbox, the only seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box in the world, Honda has been using this tech for well over a decade, and it is mature. Can you imagine anything more relaxing than a motorcycle that has endless shove on tap, a smooth flat six engine, a seamless-shifting automatic gearbox, and every single creature comfort known to mankind, including an airbag, packaged in one of the most reliable models ever?

Why We Picked The Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT

• Automatic gearbox lets you cruise without worry.
• Even has a reverse speed to let you walk it backward.
• Decent fuel efficiency and great feature set.
• Reliability among the best in the business.

125 Horses At Your Disposal

No Vibes Means Good Vibes

Honda

The Gold Wing Tour is powered by Honda’s biggest engine, a 1,833 cc six-cylinder engine. Honda has equipped it with a Unicam SOHC head that uses less space, meaning reduced width since it is a longitudinal engine with horizontally opposed pistons. This generation of Gold Wing has four valves per cylinder for the first time ever, and it can be had with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The gearbox output shaft rotates counter to the crank to cancel the typical side-to-side rocking motion that longitudinal engines get in motorcycles when the throttle is opened or closed.

Honda Gold Wing Tour Engine Specifications

The automatic gearbox is an intelligent one, and the shift points change depending on how hard the rider wants to ride. There are also buttons on the handlebar to shift gears manually. Honda has also thoughtfully added a ‘walk’ mode that lets the Gold Wing creep forward at walking speed, and a reverse gear that does the same but backward, to allow for easy parking lot maneuvers. The manual also has an electric motor for the reverse assist.

Being Honda’s flagship tourer, the Gold Wing Tour has all the tech you’d expect from a premium product. A by-wire throttle, ride modes, cruise control, traction control, and ABS with cornering functions are all present.

Honda Gold Wing Tour Chassis

One Of The Best For Relaxed Riding

Honda

The Gold Wing chassis is as unique as the engine. Here, Honda has taken a few lessons from BMW’s touring motorcycles. The front suspension is a double wishbone setup, which has allowed Honda to place the engine further forward and better the weight distribution and rider control. The rear setup is also quite BMW-esque, in that it is a single-sided swingarm that houses the driveshaft as well. Honda has retained a link-type Unit Pro-Link monoshock at the rear.

Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT Chassis Specs And Dimensions

The suspension is electronically adjustable for preload at the rear, and the damping adjusts itself automatically, with feedback from the various sensors. The Gold Wing has some of the largest brake calipers ever fitted to a motorcycle, with the fronts sporting a twin six-piston fixed caliper setup gripping 320 mm floating brake discs. A similarly sized caliper but of the floating kind (that’s just three pistons) is used for the rear brake, and a slightly smaller 316 mm disc. Sintered brake pads are used all around. Despite its equipment, it still weighs under 850 pounds with a full tank of fuel, which is commendable for its segment.

The six-axis IMU helps with various safety functions like the electronic damping, and the linked brakes with dual channel ABS proportion braking force as necessary to either wheel to minimize stopping distances.

No Dearth Of Features Whatsoever

You Name It, It’s Got It

Honda

The Gold Wing Tour’s features are led by the large 7-inch TFT color display. Unlike ordinary motorcycles, this isn’t the instrument cluster but the infotainment system. Honda has retained analog gauges around it for the regular riding information. It is equipped with both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The audio system adjusts its volume with speed. The grips and seat are heated as standard, and the passenger and rider can set different temperatures for the seat. The luggage is standard, and the trunk is large enough to hold two full-face helmets. It closes and opens electronically, and can be remotely locked. Keyless ignition is present on the Gold Wing as well. Despite the lighting being all-LED, Honda does not mention that the headlamps are cornering lamps, but the indicators are self-canceling.

Honda Gold Wing Tour Notable Features

• Seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox
• Horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine
• Optional motorcycle airbag
• Seven-inch TFT color display
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Audio system with automatic volume adjustment
• Heated seats with separate temperature controls
• Linked brakes with dual-channel ABS
• Keyless ignition
• Hill hold assist
• Reverse mode
• ‘Walk’ mode

It Won’t Be Wrong To Say The Honda Gold Wing Tour Is A Popular Choice

Not Too Many Relaxing Options

Harley-Davidson

The Gold Wing Tour is a great combination of reliability and the ability to waft from one place to another without fuss or vibration. This combination is difficult to find elsewhere. The nearest competitor at a similar price is the Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra, which makes a strong case for itself with the big V-twin character that it brings to the party.

Honda Gold Wing Tour vs. Rivals

If you truly want to go old-school, though, the Indian Roadmaster powered by the air-cooled Thunderstroke engine will be ideal. It has mountains of torque at really low revs. If you want to save some money, the BMW R 18 Transcontinental will also offer you similar torque but in a slightly heavier package powered by a boxer twin engine.