I’ve coveted the sixth generation Goldwing since it was released in 2018. In fact, I was torn between the BMW K1600 Grand America and the Honda Goldwing during my hunt for a new bike in 2020. The BMW Grand America ended up being my choice simply due to cost and availability due to the Covid pandemic. I don’t regret choosing the Grand America, it was a great bike! But the Goldwing has always been a dream bike for me. As a technician who has serviced and worked on many of these “wings” over the past few years, I have gained even more respect and appreciation for the bike. So in the spring of 2026, I pulled the trigger on a leftover 2025 model and I’m glad I did! I have put about 1,000 miles on her and here is my review so far.
Comfort
The Goldwing has been labeled the “king of comfort” for decades, and the 2025 is no different. Much like the BMW Grand America, the word “smooth” pretty much sums up the ride. Riding the wing is like riding on a cloud, she just floats along. The cockpit of the wing is laid out well and the bike feels spacious. All of the controls are neatly placed where you don’t have to hunt for them. As far as seat height, I can easily flat foot the wing (I’m 6ft tall), and throwing a leg over her is effortless. While sitting on the wing, I am placed in a neutral riding position. Most of my weight is on my butt, and almost no weight is resting on the handlebars. The foot pegs are where you would expect them to be, and are not too high or too low. I added a set of aftermarket highway pegs, which definitely helps with comfort on long rides. The wind protection on the wing is amazing! The adjustable windscreen is a nice touch, and so far it has provided the best protection against rain compared to my other bikes. My only complaint after 1000 miles is the seat comfort. While the stock seat isn’t terrible, it’s definitely not up to par for a premium class touring bike. Instead of spending a ton of money on a new seat, I simply use an airhawk seat pad and it takes the seat from “meh” to “okay.” Eventually I may have to upgrade the seat. That said, my wife finds the stock seat of the Goldwing the most comfortable of all the bikes I have owned…so it’s a win!
Engine
The 1833cc “boxer-6” engine found in the Goldwing is sublime. It’s not the most powerful, nor is it the highest revving. But boy is that engine a gem! It performs much like a diesel truck with a ton of low end grunt and never gives any type of indication that it needs more power. The power on the wing is linear, a contrast from its competitor from BMW (K1600 Grand America), which revs to the moon and pulls hard and fast once you twist the throttle. Instead, the Goldwing pulls like a freight train from the get-go and I never feel the need to rev her out. To be clear, the BMW K1600 will beat the Goldwing in a high speed run every day of the week. But the buttery smooth torque delivery of the wing makes it almost feel like an electric vehicle. It’s almost as smooth and quiet as an electric motor as well. But the star of the show here is the 7-speed DCT transmission. Yeah…I know….there’s no way a hard core biker can accept anything but a manual transmission. Even a quick shifter is pushing it for the purist. But do yourself a favor and take a DCT Goldwing for a spin before opting for the manual transmission. For me, the DCT is a game changer. I love the fact that I can keep my feet propped up on the highway pegs in heavy traffic without having to worry about adjusting my feet to make sure I’m in the right gear. The Wing is always in the right gear and the DCT is surprisingly quiet and smooth. Honda absolutely nailed it and it just works perfectly with the engine.
Handling
For most folks, the first things that come to mind when it comes to a Goldwing is a fuddy-duddy old man riding a big boat of a bike. Perhaps that’s true to some extent, but this latest generation of the Goldwing will surprise you in how it handles. Actually, I was impressed how well the previous Goldwing version (2002 – 2017) handled. The latest generation Goldwing that was released in 2018 is even better in the handling and performance department. It’s a massive bike and it’s heavy. But it’s stout and if you man handle it you will easily keep up and even surpass bikes that are designed for more sporty riding. It’s extremely stable at 80+ mph and the long wheel base makes it feel planted at all times. It handles surprisingly well in the twisties. In fact, I would put my 2025 Goldwing on par with my Honda ST1300 on twisty roads. Slow speed maneuvering is effortless as well. The throttle can be a bit jerky at low speeds, but a steady hand and trail braking makes slow speed maneuvers a breeze on the wing. I can whip a u-turn without thinking twice. This bike does things that will make you questions everything you know about physics. Kudos to Honda!!
Lights
The Goldwing has fantastic lights. It doesn’t have adaptive headlights like the BMW, but the stock LED lights throw out some serious illumination. Add the OEM fog lights that come standard with the 2025 Goldwing and you have some serious light power. The turn signals and brake lights are nicely integrated in the fairing and are easy to see. Admittedly, I added some Pathfinder and Goldstrike lights to my Goldwing just for fun. I’ll say this, I definitely notice that the Goldwing has a big presence and I feel seen while I’m riding. I think a lot of this is due to the lights.
The aftermarket running lights are much brighter than I expected and iluminate the road immedietely in front of the bike while riding in the dark.
The running lights act as turn signals and turn orange in sync with the blinkers. A nice touch!
The stock tail and brake lights are plenty bright and noticeable. I added the center strip which flashes during braking (shown in picture).
Brakes
The brakes on the Goldwing are perfectly adequate. I don’t think they are quite as good as the brakes on the BMW K1600 Grand America but the double wishbone front end makes the Goldwing feel poised and controlled under harsh braking. This is a marked improvement from the previous version of the Goldwing where heavy braking seemed to upset the chassis with a lot of front end dive which made emergency stopping a little unnerving. The new Goldwing stops impressively quick for a bike weighing around 900lbs.
Tech
The Goldwing is a premium touring motorcycle with all of the comforts a rider could want. It has heated seats, grips, electric adjustable windshield, cruise control, electronic suspension, reverse, crawl mode, hill assist start, multiple ride modes, ABS, traction control, etc etc. All of the features work as they should and making adjustments is easy and intuitive. It doesn’t have a fancy TFT or touch screen screen like the BMW, Harley Davidson, and Indian touring bikes. Instead, it has analog gauges and a screen (non-touch) that is easy to navigate via a control-pad or a joy-stick. The screen accommodates Apple Car Play and Android Auto which is awesome! I wish more bikes would offer Apple Car Play and Android Auto…(hint hint BMW). What I’m most impressed with is just how easy everything is to use. Once you initially pair your phone and headset with the bike you’re all set. When I start the Goldwing my phone and headset automatically connects…easy peasy. I can make phone calls and talk-to-text while riding with just a push of a button, and I never have to take my eyes off the road. The other nice thing about the Goldwing is that all of the buttons are backlit. What a difference it makes to be able to see which buttons you’re pressing while riding in the dark! The Goldwing also has a stereo and speakers but I can’t really comment on them since I never used it…I always stream my audio through my helmet speakers.
Summary
I absolutely love my Goldwing! I am so fortunate to be able to own one of these fine machines and I’m looking forward to putting a lot of miles on her. The BMW K1600 is just as comfortable, has more power, and will outrun the Goldwing everyday of the week. The Harley and Indian touring bikes are also extremely comfortable, and have a ton of character to boot. But Honda has been improving and refining the Goldwing since 1975, and I believe it is the best touring motorcycles ever made. It’s easy, it’s reliable, it works as it should, it will surprise you when you’re least expecting it, and most importantly, it’s an absolute pleasure to ride! I’ll end it here by pointing out that I have never met someone who hated their Goldwing…that’s gotta mean something!
Sport Touring Cycle Adventures 