Few motorcycles have achieved the legendary status of the Honda Gold Wing. It’s taken the heavyweight tourer five decades to become this good; long after first hitting the scene way back in 1975. Honda even goes as far as saying that it invented the entire touring category with the Gold Wing.
And to celebrate 50 years of the Gold Wing, Honda is giving this touring icon a fitting birthday present: a special edition model with some fancy styling and a few choice upgrades.
But before we dive into the 50th Anniversary edition of the Gold Wing, let’s first take a look at where this touring machine came from. Back when it arrived in the mid-’70s, it was a machine that proved motorcycles could literally go the distance. Over the years, it set the bar for the touring category, ushering in features like a shaft-drive system, a flat-six engine, built-in luggage, and even airbags that deployed in the event of a crash.
