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Motorcycle User Reviews - 2006 Honda Gold Wing

Well, now that I have a few miles on my 2006 GL1800, I feel like I can respond adequately .

The new GoldWing is quite an advance from my last Wing, which was a 1986 GL1200i. The engine is both larger and more advanced, having 6 cylinders and fuel injection compared to the 4 cylinder carburated powerplant in my old bike. Power delivery is very linear & almost seamless. If I make smooth shifts I can accelerate from a rest to triple digits with nary a pause. Of course, the shift lever is still a little clunky ( as Goldwings have always been, apparently ) so my shifts are rarely perfect. I blame this on the rider rather than the bike.

Speaking of triple digits... I have no idea how fast the Wing will go, and do not plan to find out. It gets to "extra-legal" speeds with alacrity, and I wish to keep my license intact so I have not tried to find the "top-end." Suffice it to say this bike can carry this 275lb rider at any speed limit in the USA with ease. I have no doubt that it could do the same riding two-up and pulling a trailer.

Handling is exceptional for such a large motorcycle. This Wing, unlike my old '86, handles curvy mountain roads with ease. It is also quite at home on the Interstate highways, cruising most comfortably ( for me, anyway ) at an indicated speed of 75mph. Although the Goldwing weighs in at more than 800lbs dry, it has never presented that feeling of ponderous, difficult-to-control heaviness that I have experienced on some touring bikes.

Fuel economy is very acceptable at between 38-42mpg under normal riding. If a lot of high-speed Interstate cruising is done, that average drops a bit. The worst I have seen was 33mpg... we won't discuss the speeds I was riding.

I have added very few accessories to my Wing. Driving lights (aka Foglights ), a set of highway pegs and a driver's backrest are all I have added so far... an MP3 player will be added soon. The bike is very comfortable for long trips with the stock saddle. I have spent several 8-12 hour days on the bike, and one extreme day of 16 hours. Although I was tired at the end of the day, my butt was never sore enough to impinge upon my riding. I doubt if I will buy an aftermarket seat for this bike, or make modifications... I have done so for every other bike I have owned for more than six months.

The MP3 player I mentioned will connect to the AUX input for the stereo very easily - the wiring to do so even came with the bike. It will require about 15 minutes to remove the left fairing pocket and drill a hole to feed the wire through... that's all. The quality of the radio reception and sound is excellent. Adding the MP3 player will allow me to carry my favorite tunes in addition to whatever radio stations are within range on my travels.

The suspension is adjustable, but I have not tried making any adjustments as I have not felt the need.

Having a reverse on this bike is a blessing! I don't have to worry about any problems backing uphill if I forget to park "nose-out" in a difficult spot. Simply push the engagement switch, then use the starter button to activate the reverse... it's been fun to watch the look on other people's faces when I use it to back out of a parking space.

My bike is the Standard Goldwing, with none of the accessory packages. Honda offers heated seat & grips, footwarmers, a Navigation System (GPS) and ABS Brakes if you buy the upgrades... even an airbag for those that desire one!

I have had only one short-lived problem with the bike in 6700 miles. I got caught in a heavy rain a few weeks ago, and the next day the "FI" light ( Fuel Injection) came on as I was riding home. It apparently was a minor short caused by excessive moisture. (I took a lot of spray, plus was partially submerged briefly in a humungous pothole.) I took the bike to the dealer today so it could get checked out, and was unable to get the light to come on... even after 220 miles of varied riding. It seems this has happened to others - the oxygen sensors don't like getting wet and cause the "FI" light to come on.

I have only one complaint with this motorcycle... not enough time to ride it! -- Scott Turner

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The 2006 Gold Wing rides and handles like a much smaller bike. Although its weight is most certainly an issue when parking the bike, the reverse gear is very helpful and, once moving, the bike is a dream to ride.

The Gold Wing is very smooth and very powerful. Its suspension is fully adjustable via a push of a button.

The controls are very well laid out and easy to learn. The sound system is superb and the navigation system is absolutely fabulous.

The bike is equally capable when riding with a full load or two-up and, in general, is outstanding.

I have ridden the BMW K1200LT and found it to be better at handling at high speeds and even smoother with better gas mileage. Its price is about 4K more then the Wing and service is harder to come by and pay for. The BMW does not have as much storage as the Gold Wing but it is really a fine bike too. The main advantage to the Wing is it has 1800cc and it is faster and more powerful and of course has many more dealers to help you when you have a problem.

I believe the Gold Wing is one of the best motorcycles ever conceived. -- Glenn

WOW! I can't say enough good things about my 2006 Honda Gold Wing.

It's black and I have the everything option except the air bag. We brought it home to York, PA in 2006. While I was riding it home on the turnpike, it was raining hard and I was nervous about how the bike would handle? The bike stayed straight and true. It never hydroplaned once! My forearms and boots got wet. Everything else on me was dry.

I get about 40 mpg.

While riding two-up, I can't tell that my wife is behind me. She tells me that she is very comfortable back there -- she's 5'10".

I have added some chrome goodies to the bike without any additional lights and the bike looks classy.

The bike is more advanced than any other bike out there including the BMW LT1200 and the Harley Ultra Classic.

I now have over 13K on the bike. My wife and I enjoy riding as much as we can.

There are three things Honda should upgrade: 1) adjustable windshield, 2) 6th gear and 3) bigger fuel tank.

Now for the bad news. On June 17, 2008 I was sitting still at a red light and, you guessed it, an eighteen-year-old girl rear-ended me! She told the police that she "didn't hit me that hard!" Crap, I'm on crutches, my foot is in a cast, and now I have weeks/months of PT. The worst part is I can't ride my Wing! The Wing suffered left side bag/light damage, belly pan, fall bars, highway bars, and a number of scrapes.

Always remember, Just Wing It. -- Rick

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