It is not your father’s Gold Wing. Conservative Honda gets a little bit crazy with the Gold Wing F6B. According to Honda, “The blacked-out styling treatment with long and low lines gives the Gold Wing F6B an aggressive look, while large capacity saddlebags, a comfortable gunfighter-style seat, premium audio system and more means there’s no need to rough it on the road.” Both standard and deluxe models will be available (see details below). Honda will also have plenty of accessories to personalize the F6B.
Powering this beast, of course, is the tried-and-true, and powerful 1832cc 6-cylinder Gold Wing engine. Take a look at Honda’s web site for additional details. Here is the full press release from Honda:
Whether you have an hour, a weekend or a week to leave it all behind, here’s a new bold and blacked-out-styled machine to satisfy that urge to get away from it all—the brand-new Gold Wing® F6B. This machine is loaded with all the good looks and key features you want, and it’s all set for short hops or weekend trips. It starts with a powerful fuel-injected 1832cc six-cylinder engine that provides an unrivaled level of performance in the class. Honda’s unique, horizontally opposed six-cylinder layout also contributes to an exceptionally low center of gravity. That design, along with a large and stout twin-spar aluminum frame plus a sophisticated suspension system, gives the Gold Wing F6B remarkable nimbleness and maneuverability for superior handling. The blacked-out styling treatment with long and low lines gives the Gold Wing F6B an aggressive look, while large-capacity saddlebags, a comfortable gunfighter-style seat, premium audio system and more means there’s no need to rough it on the road. Available in standard or deluxe trim and offering a wide assortment of Honda Genuine Accessories and Honda Signature Accessories, the 2013 Gold Wing F6B leaves plenty of room to add your own personal touch.
Features and benefits
- Innovative appearance with blacked-out styling, plus incredible performance put the Gold Wing F6B in a class of one.
- Blacked-out treatment applied to wheels, engine and frame.
- Shorty windscreen and gunfighter-style seat add to a unique persona.
- Powerful, fuel-injected 1832cc engine features a parallel two-valve cylinder head with direct shim-under-bucket valve actuation for strong and smooth power production plus rugged dependability.
- Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) incorporates two 40mm throttle bodies and six high-pressure programmed fuel injectors.
- Premium audio system features direct MP3/i-Pod connectivity.
- Multi-information screen features odometer/A&B tripmeters, clock, air temperature, saddlebag open indicator, audio controls and music information.
- Sleek lower cowl adds to the aggressive look.
- Stylish tail section incorporates passenger grabrails.
- Lockable, waterproof saddlebags offer large storage capacity.
- Convenient glovebox.
- Deluxe model includes passenger backrest, centerstand, self-canceling turn signals and heated grips.
- Available in Black or Red on both standard and deluxe models.
Additional Features
- Transferable three-year limited warranty; extended coverage available with a Honda Protection Plan.
Honda Genuine Accessories†
– Heated Grips††, Centerstand††, Color-Matched Passenger Backrest with Pad††, Rear Carrier, Backrest/ Rear Carrier Mounting Brackets††, Passenger Headset Junction, Accessory Socket, Tall Windscreen, LED Foglight Kit, Deluxe Helmet Headset (Full and Open), Saddlebag Cooler, Chrome Front Fender Rail, Chrome Front Fender Extension, Chrome Sidestand, Chrome Front Disc Cover, Chrome Bar Ends
Honda Signature Accessories†
- Saddlebag Liners, Saddlebag Lid Organizer, License Plate Frame, Saddlebag Mat Set
† WARRANTY: Because we’re so confident in the quality of each of our Honda Genuine Accessories and Honda Signature Accessories, we’re pleased to offer one of the best warranties in the industry. Three-year warranty begins on the day accessories are purchased by the customer, excluding audio accessories which are covered by a limited one-year warranty.
†† Standard on deluxe model.
Final accessory list TBD and subject to change without notice.
2013 SPECIFICATIONS
Model: GL1800B / GL1800BD
Engine Type: 1832cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder
Bore and Stroke: 74.0mm x 71.0mm
Compression ratio: 9.8:1
Valve Train: SOHC; two valves per cylinder
Induction: PGM-FI
Ignition: Computer-controlled digital with 3-D mapping
Transmission: Five-speed including Overdrive
Final Drive: Shaft
Suspension
Front: 45mm cartridge fork with anti-dive system; 4.8 inches travel
Rear: Pro Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link single shock with remote-controlled spring preload adjustment; 4.1 inches travel
Brakes
Front: Dual full-floating 296mm discs with CBS three-piston calipers
Rear: Single ventilated 316mm disc with CBS three-piston caliper
Tires
Front: 130/70R-18
Rear: 180/60R-16
Wheelbase: 66.5 inches
Rake (Caster angle): 29.15°
Trail: 109mm (4.3 inches)
Seat Height: 29.1 inches
Fuel Capacity: 6.7 gallons
Estimated Fuel Economy**: TBD
Colors: Black, Red
Curb Weight*: 842 pounds
**Miles per gallon values are calculated estimates of fuel consumed during laboratory exhaust emissions tests specified by the EPA, not during on-road riding. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you ride and maintain your vehicle, weather, road conditions, tire pressure, cargo and accessories, rider and passenger weight, and other factors.
*Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel—ready to ride.
Meets current CARB and EPA standards.
Specifications subject to change.
©2012 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. • All Rights Reserved
Is it true No Cruise Control?
I think many here are missing the message.
This machine is for those who want to travel in 2 wheel business class, probably solo and with cabin baggage only. I believe it will sell well.The model and design is now well proven, eliminating any doubts for new buyers. It provides an up to date look for those concerned with their ego’s and has the Honda reliability matched by none.
I think its a smart move by Honda by providing another Wing option, with minimal design changes and costs by tweaking a very successful existing model.
Good move Honda i love it, nothing will ever match your quality, reliability and value for money.Put me on the list for one.
I love it, look at all the Street Glides and Road Glides with cut down windscreens! All it needs is a supercharger and away we go!
If I rode long distances I would strongly consider a F6B
Personally, I like it. Reminds me a bit of my old Valkyrie, but with a more modern twist. I would really like to see Honda open up that 1800cc engine to see what kind of HP it could generate. Ride safe. my two-wheeled brethren..
+1
What about a 6th gear? WTF a touring bike?
I like this bike. Looks like a HD Street Glide bagger. That must be HD’s best seller based on my observations at Daytona this year. With that smooth flat 6 motor it must be nice on any road. My buddy has a Goldwing and it is so nice on long trips. Not so much around town. Guess this would be the deal. I bet this will be a decent selling bike. Seems no Jap company can break into the cruiser market.
Kawasaki seems to try the hardest. Honda is a dud, Suzuki gave up, Yamaha does have some models.
You’ve got Yamaha and Kawasaki reversed in your above comment. The Japanese manufacturers are starting to figure out you can’t engineer an image and there for can’t compete with HD since that’s all they sell. Personally I wish all of the Big Four companies would get out of the low and slow business and put the dollars into bikes their customers actually want.
Styling-wise, it works very well. Looks awesome, in fact. But to my way of thinking any bike that weighs over 800 lbs just isn’t practical.
On a note of moderate sarcasm, it has no aspiration of any off-road capability, and there has protected itself from criticism of not being a true off-road bike. Thus, there is less grounds for criticism here than there is with the likes of, say, the Triumph Tiger Explorer, which more obviously is deserving of criticism for lack of off-road capability. I warned you that this would be moderate sarcasm.
brilliant styling exercise albeit the alpha-numeric designation is dumb. overshot the runway with the cut down screen. could’ve been twice the height and still kept all the style. but of course, then there’d be no driver for the making and selling of accessories…? like i said… brilliant…!!! 🙂
I wished for this back when I had a then-current GL 1200 Interstate… I always wanted the naked GL 1200, but they were few and far between then. But give me the standard, full-size bags, lose the steamer trunk hanging off the stern, and I’ve got all the motor, hopefully 75 or so lbs lost high and aft, and better aero. A great solo tourer… I like it!
Just wish Honda would simply update the GL 1200 flat-four platform and give us a true mid-size tourer. I think there is room for it as the Nimitz-class grows “luxurious” and fat.
I agree that it would be nice if Honda were to pursue a touring bike smaller in weight and size, using a horizontally-opposed flat four. Honda has a horrible habit of abandoning technology that they developed, for no apparent reason, just to pursue something else, for no obvious reason. I like this bike, but it still weighs over 800 lbs. They could have done something similar with the smaller flat-four, and it would have worked just as well from the styling standpoint, and it would have been a much more practical bike as far as I am concerned.
Honda does have a long in the tooth 700+ lb V4 mid-size tourer.
Sort of a neat approach. It may attract the 50 – 60 year old crowd and steal sales from Victory and the Heritage style H-D bikes? Personally I liked the first generation Valkyrie (circa 1997-2003) as a light touring version of the Goldwing. I also like the older (circa 1980) GL1000 Goldwing when they are naked. And with a curb weight just under 850 lbs, this new Goldwing outweighs the original Goldwing and original Valkyrie by a lot.
Not for me, but to each their own. Honda blew it on the designation though. Your friends ask about your new bike which is not in view and you tell them proudly, ” I just bought a F6B! “. Not exactly the same cache as saying Road King or Street Glide, which aren’t for me but at least have cool names.
Honda, apparently, needs to be careful with names in America?
I once asked a Honda rep. why they didn’t call the big CBRs (900 / 1000) “Fireblades” — like they do everywhere else?
He said that their legal staff wouldn’t allow it — for the U.S. market…?
(too “risky” / incendiary..? — for U.S. riders?)
I don’t think the Harley designators sound any better How about “I just bought a FXSTBI”? Or maybe “I just bought a FXDSX”? Then there’s “I just bought a FLHRCI”? Yup, Harley got that one right: “FLHRCI” just rolls so smoothly off the tongue… it’s right up there with FXRDG, FXRS-CON, and FXRS-SP. (I’d like to buy a vowel.) “Street Glide” sounds more like a country line-dance than a motorcycle.
Just an FYI: The F6C is the designation used on the European Valkyrie: “Valkyrie F6C” as opposed to “Valkyrie GL1500C”, the North American designation for the same bike. F6B doesn’t seem like much of a stretch.
Nice try at covering for Honda marketing, but no dice. I’ve been in sales a long time, long enough to know a large part of material ownership is bragging rights. Harley owners don’t refer to their bikes by model numbers, but by names . For example, FLHRCI is a Road King Classic, I believe, which is how a Harley owner would refer to it among friends. A potential buyer of this may not wish to state it’s just a Gold Wing, because, well, it may have a certain stodgy connotation. Something like Gold Wing “Nightshade” ( oooh, it implies death, how badass! ) would have been infinitely better than “F6B” in my opinion. The rest of the world doesn’t say CBR1000rr, they say “Fireblade”, ( oooh, it implies death, how badass! ) I don’t think the average F6B buyer will drop 28 large and want to stay mum. You might be suprised at the small psychological things that affect sales. Edward Bernays knew.
What a load of nothing about nothing. You need to get out more. What do you sell ? Fridges or Washing Machines?
I actually like it, but getting a face-full of wind buffeting from that cut-down windshield will get awfully old after and hour or so. It does look cool, though.
By the way, if you don’t recognize the market, this motorcycle is designed to bleed off the enormous popularity of the Harley Davidson Street Glide and Road Glide.
It is an interesting alternative, and I kind of like the look. But like I say, I’ll stick with Harley.
I currently ride a 2011 Victory Vision 8 ball and my only complaint, it’s a dog. I was thinking f going to a wing, but it has no style to it. Now the f6b is released and I love it. Looks like I will be trading my Vic in for this bad boy.
Good decision. Dump the Vic, you’ll love the power and smoothness of the HONDA.
I don’t think you’ll be alone. I don’t ride a Vision, but I do own a Vic. This new ‘Wing looks damn good and that venerable powerplant will leave alot of people wanting.
You have to buy the Deluxe version to get self cancelling turn signals. I can’t get over that. The black out without the passenger backrest is a little cool looking, but if you want SCTSs, you have to get the passenger backrest, and spoil that look. How much is it? About $25K?
I’m still getting a Road King.
Not $25K – it’s $19,995 – and still a smoother, stronger bike than the Road King. Take one for a test drive but only if you’re in a position to buy because you won’t get back on the Road King.
Way to go Honda! I currently have an ’06 Wing and love it! I’ve had every sport bike through the years with my last one being the FJR. The Goldwing is very sporty..unless you have had the chance to put some miles on one, you wouldn’t think so just by its looks. This new model is just what Honda needs!
Why, Honda?
At least the Rune was cool. People who want to spend $20 plus grand on a cruiser are going to buy a Harley. People who want a wing will buy a wing. This will not be a big seller.
What about people who want to spend $20 plus grand on a cruiser with the smoothness, power, comfort and reliability of a Wing?
i have wanted a wing but disliked the sedan chair and tall windscreen. i still cant believe they actually granted my wish,i hadnt saved any $. now i have a shadow for sale!
What, no reverse? Yikes!
My first reaction: The Victory Cross Country has taken big bite out of the Gold Wing market share and this is an effort to get some of it back.
I sold my 07 wing for a Victory CCT and this would not bring me back to Honda. Although the Vic is a little weak compared to the Honda, in comfort the Vic wins with its 18 inch floor boards and narrow engine design which gives you many foot positions. I tried to put highway pegs on the wing but I felt like a woman at a gynecologist exam. I would rather they have made the trunk on the wing removable like on the CCT which takes about 5 minutes to remove. I would have preferred if they did a major update on the ST1300.
Tail dragging cool! I put 100 grand on a 18Wing, my riding buddy and I mentioned this many times whilst hoisting cool ones. Mr. Honda was listening—-SWEET!
The first thing any respectable Goldwing rider will do with this bike is add a bigger windshield and a big’ole top bag so his passenger can lean back comfortably. That’ll fix it so you can ride it long distance.
Not for me but glad to see Honda finally peeking outside the box.
I hope it has a bit more ground clearance than the wing.
I really like this bike. I wish they had a taller passenger back rest available, and that they retained the electric reverse. IMO – The Honda’s 6 cylinder motor eclipses all of the V-Twin baggers. They all vibrate and shake, and this motor is as smooth as silk, super quiet, and very strong. From what I have read, only the Diavel and the V-Max can compare in the motor department – and they are completely different kind of beasts.
So, I will go check out this new Honda F6B (was there an “A”?), and have to choose between it and a conventional ‘Wing. While I am at the dealership, I will be looking hard at the CRF250L, and the new CB500’s, the NC700X, and the CB1100. Way to go, Honda! It’s about time! I may have to buy more than one at a time. Time to turn my 3 current rides over!
I’m just guessing, but I’d say you have never ridder an FJR, ST13 (or just about any BMW) if you think this is a “better bike” than those. It is still an 850 pound convertible missing two wheels. I’m still amazed that people consider these huge things motorcycles at all. Looks like Honda has its sights set on Harley, not a real sport tourer.
… its obvious you have never piloted an 1800 Goldwing.
Absolutely ridiculous.
One word… hideous!
I’ve seen something similar a few years ago…..
[url]http://www.cobrausa.com/images/cms/1/51/l_d4eca43ae197b8db06cb2c94aac5d332.jpg[/url]
Doh! wrong code format. Oh well, copy, paste, view.
I like it, I’ll be looking to buy a long range bagger next summer and this will definitely make the short list.
I will look forward to seeing Batman on the blacked out model. Other wise, this model sould kick the HD Roadglide there and back.
These don’t do a thing for me, but I’m sure others will go nuts over these chopped off Goldwings. Kawasaki done the same thing with their Vaquero 1700 (Chopped Voyager) which was basically competing with the Harley Road King. Now Honda in an attempt to catch up to Kawasaki who is imitating Harley has come out with these blacked out things.
The F6B may be blacked out like a lot of HD’s but that’s where the similarity ends. The Goldwing’s drive train is light years ahead of anything HD has even started to dream about. Take one for a ride… it will make a believer out of you.
way cool, better bike than fjr13, st13, any other bagger
Too many baggers out there now. Baggers are relaxed, have v-twins and forward mounted floorboards. It will sell about as well as the Valkyrie.
Back in the day, when Honda killed the Valkyrie in favor of the Rune, I had a Honda salesman tell me that the he and the others in attendance at the dealers’ meeting were pretty p.o.’ed about it. He told me that while Valks didn’t sell in huge numbers, he had no problems moving the units he stocked each year, and that Valk owners made up a large percentage of his parts and accessory sales.
The Valkyrie’s sales numbers weren’t too bad – it sold well enough for Honda to keep it in production for seven years (97-03).
Not for me, but I would think Honda would sell a boatload of these to baggier riders that actually want to ride to Daytona or Sturgis.