Honda’s Bringing Back the Gold Wing for 2023

To no one’s surprise, American Honda confirmed earlier this week that its popular Gold Wing family will be returning in its entirety for 2023. It marks the first streetbike announcement Honda’s made in the US thus far regarding 2023 model year bikes (the CRF trailbike family was called out earlier this summer), so we’re certain it won’t be the last. Like last year, the Wing will be available in four trim levels for 2023, three of which feature Honda’s exclusive Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and just one available with a manual six-speed transmission.

Over the years, Honda’s legendary tourer has proven to be the bike of choice for riders who revel in cranking out the miles, and its highly regarded key ingredients—comfort, smoothness, technology, and nimble handling—return mechanically unchanged, as the Wing series received substantial comfort and ergonomic improvements in 2021. (In the UK, the 2023 Tour models received a TPMS update and all-new colors, but apparently those tweaks didn’t make it stateside.) In other words, the only thing new we’ll see this year are some price increases; even the color options aren’t too different. According to Honda, the 2023 Gold Wing line will be available at dealerships in November.

Related: 2022 Honda Gold Wing First Look

2023 Honda Gold Wing Automatic DCT: $25,600

The base model is back unchanged except for a price increase of $300 and a color swap. Otherwise the least-expensive Wing returns with all the foundational goodies we’ve come to relish in a touring bike, like a compact aluminum frame, throttle-by-wire, electric windscreen, Apple CarPlay and navigation, and a saddlebag-mounted USB charger, all shoved forward by that iconic, buttery-smooth 1,833cc six-cylinder engine. A seven-speed Automatic DCT transmission is in charge of swapping gears, and this year the Gold Wing DCT comes only in Matte Gray instead of the Nightshade Blue we saw for 2022.

2023 Gold Wing Tour: $28,600

Next in order of ascending price is the more fully featured Gold Wing Tour, which affixes a top trunk to the base model, but ditches the DCT. We don’t understand the choice of a six-speed manual transmission here, but as mentioned, the Tour model does add a 61-liter travel trunk, provides plusher passenger accommodations, and tacks on a taller touring shield along with standard fog lights. The Gold Wing Tour also switches up the color choices, giving you the option of black or red for 2023 (instead of the black or blue you had last year). The 2023 Gold Wing Tour is available in Black or Candy Ardent Red, and has a $100 price increase over last year.

2023 Gold Wing Tour DCT: $29,600

Instead of giving you the option to upgrade the Gold Wing Tour’s manual transmission to automatic, Honda instead decided to position it as an entirely separate trim. Behold the Gold Wing Tour DCT, the exact same bike as above, with the same beefy yet refined six-cylinder 1,833cc mill, 7-inch full-color TFT screen, four ride modes, heated seats, and a top trunk, but fitted with a DCT transmission (which boosts price $1,000 over the manual model). As on all the DCT models, the transmission comes with a Walking and a Reverse mode to soothe any potential parking panic moments. But you won’t even be able to tell the Tour and Tour DCT apart easily as the Tour DCT also comes in the same Black or Candy Ardent Red colorways for 2023. (Hint: Look for the DCT inscription.)

2023 Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT: $32,900

At the top of the touring food chain you have the Gold Wing Tour Airbag DCT, a bike that handily includes all of its top features in the name. That’s in addition to the standard features of the above models, highlighted by the kick-ass 1,833 mill, but it’s nice to know you get the extra level of rider safety with the included airbag system, and like all the Tour models, this one also gives you electronic preload suspension. The flagship Tour Airbag DCT is available only in Candy Ardent Red for 2023, and gets a price bump of just $100 over last year’s tag.