Honda’s 25YM GL1800 Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour models are here - celebrate half a century of touring in style!

Celebrate Half a Century of Touring with the 25YM GL1800 Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour

The legendary Gold Wing is back for 2025, celebrating its 50th anniversary with style, innovation, and luxury. Since its debut in 1975, this iconic touring motorcycle has set the benchmark for two-wheeled travel, and the 25YM Gold Wing models continue to lead the way.

Unique 50th Anniversary Features

To mark half a century of exceptional touring, the 25YM Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour models come with exclusive features that pay homage to their incredible legacy.

The 50th Anniversary edition boasts:

Special Colourways: Evoking the classic Gold Wing spirit, the Eternal Gold and Mahogany Brown Metallic finish takes inspiration from the 1988 GL1500, while the Bordeaux Red Metallic exudes sophistication with black and gold accents. The GL1800 Gold Wing also debuts a stunning Mat Ballistic Black paint scheme, complete with subtle 50th Anniversary badging.

Commemorative Badging: The centre console and Smart Key feature the 50th Anniversary emblem, blending the strength of a lion with the majesty of an eagle—a nod to the model’s enduring legacy.

Limited-Edition Collectible: The first 1,833 models sold in Europe include an exclusive half-and-half scale replica. This premium collectible showcases the evolution of the Gold Wing, with the original and current designs presented side by side.

Gold Wing Timeline

1972: The beginning

A new design team was assembled under Soichiro Irimajiri, who headed up the design of Honda’s five-cylinder and six-cylinder road racing engines in the 1960s. Their brief is to explore the outer limits of the Grand Touring concept. How refined and luxurious can a motorcycle be when it is designed from the outset as a machine for covering big distances? The team creates the top-secret M1 prototype. Powered by a liquid-cooled, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with shaft final drive – features that will subsequently find their way onto the production Gold Wing as it evolves – the M1 blends superb performance with unrivalled refinement.

1975: GL1000 Gold Wing

The first production Gold Wing is a revolution, opening up new possibilities for long-distance motorcycle travel. With world-class power from its unique 999cm3 liquid-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, the GL1000 Gold Wing combines peerless cross-country speed with a level of refinement never before experienced on two wheels. Gold Wing customers redefine touring, riding further and faster than had been possible before, confident in a machine that from the very beginning enjoyed a legendary reputation for complete reliability. In 1976 Honda celebrates the Gold Wing’s success with the stunning Gold Wing Limited Edition model, and in 1979 the first Honda of America manufacturing plant opens, reflecting the fact that 80 percent of Gold Wing production is being exported to the United States.

1980: GL1100 Gold Wing & GL1100 Gold Wing Interstate

Where the GL1000 defied categorisation with its blend of superbike power and touring comfort, the GL1100 – released after five years of intensive consumer-led development – firmly establishes the Gold Wing as a Grand Tourer par excellence. The larger 1085cm3 engine is developed for torque rather than power, while a longer wheelbase offers increased stability and more room for the rider and passenger. The air-assisted suspension sets new standards for motorcycle ride quality. At the same time the GL1100 Interstate introduces the idea of turn-key touring, with its factory-fitted fairing, panniers and top box.

1982: GL1100 Gold Wing Aspencade

The most luxurious Gold Wing to date offers an unparalleled range of standard features, from LCD instrumentation and a CB radio to an onboard air compressor.

1985: GL1200 Limited Edition

The Gold Wing’s market position is underlined by the discontinuation of the standard, unfaired GL1200 and the introduction of the GL1200 Limited Edition, complete with computerised fuel injection, a four-speaker sound system, cruise control, auto-levelling rear suspension, a travel computer and metallic gold paint.

1988: GL1500 Gold Wing

The brief is exacting in the extreme: the new Gold Wing has to be quieter, smoother, faster, more comfortable and even better in the corners. The GL1500 development team evaluates 15 different machines in 60 prototype stages. The result is a six-cylinder luxury tourer so accomplished that it establishes a benchmark that goes on to dominate motorcycling for more than a decade.

2001: GL1800 Gold Wing

A full eight years in development, the GL1800 model takes the Gold Wing to previously unimaginable heights. Steered by Masanori Aoki, whose CV includes the CBR250RR, the CBR400RR and the much-lauded CBR600F3, the Gold Wing becomes a dynamic sensation. In Aoki-san’s words: "My job is to add more fun factor, to build a Gold Wing with the kind of acceleration and handling people normally associate with sporting machines." Alternative engines are tested but ultimately rejected and in 2001 the GL1800 is launched. The bike’s horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine is mounted in a box-section aluminium frame for superb road holding, handling and stability. In the course of the bike’s development no less than 20 technological innovations are patented.

2006: Industry-first airbag

The 2006 model introduced initially in the USA featured the world’s first airbag on a production motorcycle, as well as revised taillights and instrument panel.

2011: New styling

The Gold Wing receives a new look under the styling concept of “majestic aggression”. The vitality and excitement of the bike’s handling and performance are reflected in looks that are at once elegant, imposing and dynamic. Luggage capacity is increased to 150 litres and a new six-speaker audio system offers multiple connectivity options.

2013: Gold Wing F6B

The custom-styled Valkyrie (1996-2003) and unique, limited edition Rune (2003) - both sold in the USA - had used the Gold Wing engine. In 2013, the Gold Wing family gains a true second member with the stripped-out, long and low Gold Wing F6B: a unique custom-touring motorcycle with Bagger styling, big on excitement and flair.

2014: Gold Wing F6C

A third machine takes the Gold Wing name. Low, mean and muscular, the Gold Wing F6C injected a jolt of adrenaline into the power cruiser arena.

2018: GL1800 Gold Wing

Brand new from the wheels-up, the 2018YM Gold Wing featured an all-new engine and frame, designed in unison to optimise packaging and maximise rider enjoyment.

Depending on the variant, up to 48kg was saved compared to the previous generation. An all-new link fork front suspension arrangement allowed the engine to be moved further forward and provide high-quality suspension control and front-end stability. The redesigned flat six-cylinder engine was optimised for size, but still delivered an avalanche of torque and power, and featured throttle by wire control, transferred to the road by a new six-speed manual, or seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). New features like the Smart Key system, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity brought even more convenience

Experience the Gold Wing Difference

The Gold Wing isn’t just a motorcycle - it’s a statement. Whether you’re embarking on a cross-country adventure or seeking the pinnacle of two-wheeled luxury, the 2025 models deliver unmatched performance and sophistication.

Why not experience the 25YM Gold Wing for yourself? Contact us at Damerells today to arrange a test ride and feel the difference. We’re also here to help with flexible financing options to make owning your dream motorcycle easier than ever.

With the 50th Anniversary Gold Wing, you’re not just buying a motorcycle - you’re becoming part of a legacy that spans generations. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of motorcycling history.