It's a machine that changed the world of motorcycling
forever, a bike that we've all come to know. But at its introduction
at the 1974 Cologne Show, it was absolutely revolutionary,
a radical example of what we know today as "thinking outside
of the box." That bike? The original Honda GL™1000 Gold Wing.®
The
GL's original 999cc horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine
featured liquid cooling, a first for a mass-produced motorcycle
at a time when only exotic racing machines were liquid-cooled.
The Gold Wing also featured a false fuel tank that contained
electrical components and storage space, hiding its real tank
under the seat, which lowered the bike's center of mass and
contributed to its remarkably agile handling. Spoked aluminum
rims were standard. Note the black exhaust system with chrome
heat shields and tailpipes.
With
high performance that rivaled anything on the market, and
unparalleled long-distance ability, the Gold Wing revolutionized
motorcycle design and almost single-handedly created the modern
age of motorcycle touring.