2018–2026 · Tourer · A variant of the GL 1800 Goldwing Tour
Differences between the standard GL 1800 Goldwing Tour and the DCT
Seven Gears of Flat-Six Calm
Honda's Gold Wing Tour is built around a liquid-cooled 1833 cc flat-six, and that engine sets the tone for the whole bike. It makes 126 hp at 5,500 rpm, but the figure you actually feel is 125 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm, sent through a 7-speed DCT and shaft drive. This DCT trim adds the automatic gearbox to everything the standard Tour already carries: trunk and side cases, navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, cruise control, TPMS, keyless start, plus ABS, traction control and ride modes. The Honda Double-Wishbone Front Suspension up front and adjustable suspension at both ends complete the package. In the touring class, this is the comfort benchmark.
Out on the road it does what a tourer should, only more completely. Touring comfort, reliability, luggage room and high-speed stability are its strongest suits, and it's easier to live with day to day than 833 lb (378 kg) on the scale suggests. It's built for riders who cover serious distance, often two-up, and want to climb off after a long day still feeling fresh. The honest caveat is the electrics. Heavy rain and dirt can upset the switchgear, the windshield mechanism and the side fairing pocket actuator, and any 2018 to 2024 bike needs its fuel pump recall completed.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 126 hp (93 kW) @ 5,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 125 lb-ft (170 Nm) @ 4,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 1833 cc |
| Engine | Flat-six (boxer) |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 7-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Duolever |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 130/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 200/55-16 |
| Wheelbase | 66.7 in (1695 mm) |
| Seat height | 29.3 in (744 mm) |
| Wet weight | 833 lb (378 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.6 gal (21.1 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Protection
Suspension
Swing a leg over and the first thing you notice is how low you sit. At 29.3 in (744 mm), the seat lets most riders plant their boots with confidence, which counts for a lot on a bike this size. Press the keyless start and the flat-six settles into a smooth, low hum, with very little coming back through the bars or pegs. On this DCT trim there's no clutch lever to work in traffic. You roll the throttle and go. At a steady highway pace the engine drops into the background, a press of a button raises the electric screen into the wind, and the heated grips take the bite out of a cold mountain morning. The only rough edge shows up at walking pace, when the DCT can feel a little abrupt as you come to a full stop. A light touch of throttle smooths it out.
The GL 1800 Goldwing Tour DCT (GL1800 Gen6 DCT) builds on the standard GL 1800 Goldwing Tour: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
Equipment the DCT adds vs the standard GL 1800 Goldwing Tour
Over the years I've listened to a lot of Gold Wing owners: in the paddock, on club nights, over coffee at fuel stops, and in the emails and messages riders send me after a season in the saddle. For this generation the pattern is remarkably consistent. The engine, the handling and the brakes earn praise again and again. The complaints are fewer and more scattered, and they mostly land on the seat, the navigation and how easily the finish picks up marks.
Most of these conversations start with the engine. Owners describe effortless thrust that pulls strongly from anywhere in the rev range, with the silky refinement they expect from the name. They say it stays free enough of vibration that long days leave them without fatigue. The handling comes up just as often, and it tends to catch people off guard. Riders consistently say this full-dress tourer steers with a lightness they never expected from something so heavy. They point to the double-wishbone front end and the low center of gravity, and they talk about a bike that feels far lighter than it is, holds its line with composure and lets them corner with confidence on twisty roads. The seven-speed DCT gets steady credit for shifting unobtrusively, and owners single out its creep function for making parking-lot maneuvers much easier.
Braking is the next thing owners bring up. They describe the linked setup, with six-piston calipers up front and ABS, as powerful and full of feel, hauling the bike down quickly and stably despite its weight. Riders say it gives them real confidence. The equipment gets talked about the way people talk about a luxury car. Owners mention the premium audio, phone mirroring on the 7-inch TFT and reverse gear as the things that keep them connected and entertained over a long trip. Heated grips, roomy seating and a quiet, adjustable windscreen come up again and again when riders describe it as first-class accommodation for two.
The most frequent gripe is the seat. Some riders find the stock saddle gets uncomfortable after an hour or two. Passengers on 2018 to 2020 bikes had it worse, because a more upright backrest could tire the lower back on long rides. Honda reclined it to 23 degrees for 2021, and owners say pillion comfort improved significantly. The built-in navigation is criticized as clunky and slow, with poor route calculation and outdated maps, although some note that CarPlay takes away much of the frustration. Owners also mention thin paint that swirls easily and dashboard plastics that scratch even from careful cleaning, which takes the shine off an otherwise premium feel. A few points come up less often: side cases and trunk that some find small for two-up packing, tip-over protection that does little to save the bodywork, and a price at the very top of Honda's range.
Side fairing pocket actuator failure
The electrical mechanism that opens the side fairing pocket can fail, especially after riding in heavy rain. Honda revised the part number for 2021 models.
Switchgear and windshield mechanism weather sensitivity
Water and dirt ingress can cause malfunctioning of handlebar switches (e.g., start/stop) and erratic windshield movement. Cleaning and drying usually resolves the issue.
DCT low-speed clunkiness
Some riders experience abrupt or clunky deceleration when coming to a complete stop with the DCT, requiring a gentle throttle touch to smooth out.
Clutch switch failure causing HSA light and ABS drag (manual models)
On 6-speed manual models, a faulty clutch lever switch can trigger a flashing Hill Start Assist (HSA) warning light and, in some cases, cause the ABS system to inadvertently drag the rear brake. The issue is typically resolved by replacing the clutch switch.
Where this Honda GL 1800 Goldwing Tour pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the GL 1800 Goldwing Tour is actually built for.
This is your bike. It carries two people and a week of gear in real comfort and stays calm on the long interstate days between Beartooth and Going-to-the-Sun.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
It handles a Blue Ridge or Highway 1 day in serious comfort, but at 833 lb it's a full tourer, not a light sport-tourer. Ride one before you decide that trade suits you.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If the ride to Sturgis or Daytona matters as much as getting there, it's superb. Just know the flat-six trades loud sound and swagger for smoothness.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
