Honda GL 1800 Goldwing (SC 68) 2012–2017: Specs & Facts

The Machine's Character

The SC 68 Gold Wing is built around one idea: six cylinders, laid flat, doing the heavy lifting so you don't have to. The 1832 cc liquid-cooled boxer makes 118 hp at 5,500 rpm and 125 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm. Those figures point to low-rev pull, not high revs. The engine sits in an aluminum twin-spar frame with a five-speed gearbox and shaft drive. Honda fits the touring kit as standard: luggage system, cruise control, heated grips, tire pressure monitoring, adjustable windscreen and center stand. ABS is on the options list. Everything else you need for a big trip is already there. Complete from the crate.

At 919 lb (417 kg) wet with a 66.5 in (1690 mm) wheelbase, this hardware is specified for distance and load. In this category that weight isn't a flaw: it's the price of a full fairing, integrated luggage and a six-cylinder engine. A 6.6 gal (25 L) tank and shaft drive point to long days without chain care, and the 29.1 in (740 mm) seat is low for a bike this size. The rear shock takes preload adjustment, which is what you reach for when a passenger and full bags come along. All of that points to the experienced two-up rider who measures trips in states, not hours. It's a continent bike.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	118 hp (87 kW) @ 5,500 rpm
Torque	125 lb-ft (170 Nm) @ 4,000 rpm
Displacement	1832 cc
Engine	Flat-six (boxer)Motorcycles With Boxer Engines →
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	5-speed
Final drive	ShaftMotorcycles With Shaft Drive →
Fork	Telescopic
Front brake	296 mm
Front tire	130/70-18
Rear tire	180/60-16
Wheelbase	66.5 in (1690 mm)
Seat height	29.1 in (740 mm)Motorcycles With a Seat Height Under 30 Inches →
Wet weight	919 lb (417 kg)Motorcycles Over 900 Pounds Wet →
Fuel capacity	6.6 gal (25 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension Standard
Cruise Control Motorcycles With Cruise Control → Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Motorcycles With Heated Grips → Standard
Adjustable Windscreen Standard
Luggage System Standard

Connectivity

Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) Standard

Safety

ABS Optional

Known issues

Secondary master cylinder brake drag recall

brakes rare Recall

The check valve in the secondary master cylinder can become blocked, causing rear brake drag that may lead to a crash or fire. Honda recalled 2012-2015 GL1800 models under NHTSA recall 15V-700 (15V700000) to replace the secondary master cylinder.
Takata airbag inflator recall (2012 models)

bodywork rare Recall

Certain 2012 GL1800 motorcycles equipped with the airbag option were recalled because the airbag inflator could rupture and cause injury. Honda replaced the airbag module free of charge (NHTSA recall 17V031000).

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Honda GL 1800 Goldwing pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

First-Class Ride Comfort

Effortless Mile Silence

Passenger Throne Quality

Smoothness Above All

Weatherproof Travel Bubble

Low-Speed Luxury Manageability

Long-Life Trust

Premium Ownership Confidence

This bike Class average

The shape of the Honda GL 1800 Goldwing — numbers and character vs. the average Tourer

Head-to-head: Honda GL 1800 Goldwing vs. its rivals

Power

118 hp This bike 160 hp BMW K 1600 GTL 66 hp Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK 120 hp Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer 122 hp Indian Challenger

Torque

125 lb-ft This bike 129 lb-ft BMW K 1600 GTL 102 lb-ft Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK 75 lb-ft Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer 128 lb-ft Indian Challenger

Displacement

1832 cc This bike 1649 cc BMW K 1600 GTL 1690 cc Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK 1043 cc Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer 1768 cc Indian Challenger

Wet weight

919 lb This bike 767 lb BMW K 1600 GTL 902 lb Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK 567 lb Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer 842 lb Indian Challenger

Seat height

29.1 in This bike 29.5 in BMW K 1600 GTL 30.7 in Harley-Davidson Touring Electra Glide Ultra Limited FLHTK 33.1 in Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer 26.5 in Indian Challenger

The Long-Haul Verdict

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the GL 1800 Goldwing is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

You're the best fit here. Luggage, cruise control, heated grips and a big flat-six built for low-rev pull: Going-to-the-Sun two-up with full bags is exactly the job this hardware was specified for.

Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road

Best cruiser for Sturgis?

A strong match for the long haul to Sturgis or Daytona, with luggage and weather protection to spare. Just know what it is: a six-cylinder luxury tourer, not a traditional cruiser.

Made for Florida State Road A1A · Black Hills · Main Street, Daytona Beach

Best motorcycle for Highway 1?

A reasonable fit if your 200–400 mi days put comfort ahead of pace. At 919 lb wet it's built for long scenic roads like the Blue Ridge, not for riders who want a light, sharp sport-tourer.

Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway