Honda Gl1200 Aspencade
HONDA GL1200 ASPENCADE
CYCLE WORLD TEST:
The American Standard of motorcycles, or... A nice place to sit while the world glides by.
FORGET ABOUT GEOGRAPHY FOR A MINUTE, AND think about the Honda Gold Wing. Think of it as an American motorcycle.
Deep, down inside, that’s what the Gold Wing is. This is deeper than the engine and deeper than the parts in the engine. Inside all that, there was an idea. And that idea is American. That idea is still American, and that’s what has led to the GL 1200, the newest and best version of Honda’s venerable Gold Wing.
Before the first GL1000 was built nine years ago, Honda engineers talked to a lot of American riders. Those engineers rode other brands of motorcycles and went to touring rallies and developed an understanding of the American touring motorcyclist. Since that time, more Honda engineers and marketing people have talked to more riders and when those riders talk, Honda generally listens.
This latest Gold Wing uses an opposed Four engine not because the engineers in Japan want that. It retains this configuration because Gold Wing riders have come to like it. How those riders use the bike has shaped the design of the motorcycle in every way4.
Because this is an American motorcycle, it is built in America. And mostly it is sold in America. A full dress Gold Wing is no more common in Japan than a full dress Harley-Davidson.
A Gold Wing may still be a Gold Wing, but it is not unchanged. For 1984 Honda has created a motorcycle that looks like a Gold Wing, works like a Gold Wing, but uses almost no parts from any previous Gold Wing. It is bigger, with more power and more comfort. It has more room for people and their belongings. It requires less maintenance. In every objective and subjective analysis, it is a much improved motorcycle.
The engine still has single overhead cams driven by toothed belts. It is an opposed Four, liquid-cooled and the five-speed transmission is mounted below the engine, driven by a silent chain. Four CV carburetors mount atop the engine and the exhaust stems from the bottom of the engine. A large clutch and large alternator mount to the rear of the engine. All that remains unchanged.
Virtually everything in the GL1200 engine is new, but mostly dimensions are what have changed, not design. The pistons are half a millimeter larger in diameter for a 75.5mm bore and the stroke is 4.6mm longer, at 66mm. This makes for 1182cc of displacement, a sizeable 97cc increase. A displacement increase through stroking can be explained in several ways. Because the bore spacing is the same, it doesn’t require a lot of expensive new machining tools. The engine becomes a little wider on an opposed Four, which is not so good, but there are ways of compensating for that. What a longer stroke doesn’t provide is more room for larger valves, larger valves that allow more peak power.
That leads us to the kind of performance Honda wanted the new Gold Wing to provide. Gold Wing riders, Honda knows, don’t spend a lot of time at the dragstrip or the racetrack. Most of the time they are on the highway or even riding around town. Engine performance at less than peak revs and full throttle received more attention on the new GL.
The other design goal was reduced maintenance. This was never a shortcoming of the Gold Wing. With the occasional valve adjustment, oil change and new spark plugs a Gold Wing could be relied upon to provide somewhere around 100,000 miles of service. Now the valve adjust isn’t needed and the oil change doesn’t have to come often. Hydraulic valve lash adjusters in the cylinder heads push on eccentric rocker arms to maintain valve adjustment. This is a similar system to the Honda Shadow 750, but the details have been refined on the GL1200. Add in the 8000 mile oil change intervals, the maintenance free shaft drive, electronic ignition and no-adjustment-needed cam belts and there’s not a lot left. This is a kind of performance that Gold Wing riders appreciate.
Another one is smoothness. This has always been a GL strong point. The opposed Four has perfect primary and secondary balance. It doesn’t need rubber engine mounts or counterbalancer shafts. About the only vibration the previous GL had was a strange rattling during deceleration, and a little vibration during low speed acceleration. This was occasionally annoying, but not even noticed during those long hours on the highway. Well, Honda’s got a fix for that one, too. It turns out to have been the alternator drive. For 1984 there’s a larger-capacity 360 watt alternator, oil cooled for longevity and driven by a variable engagement sprung damper. The new damper mechanism drops the level of vibration to about half what it used to be. And the oil cooling makes sure the alternator output remains steady, even when the engine is hot.
The rest of the engine changes come in two varieties. First, there are changes to improve low and mid-range power. These include smaller combustion chambers for more turbulence, smaller intake valves for higher port velocities, new cams with
higher lift and slightly advanced timing and an ignition tl r varies advance with both engine speed and intake vacuum, iF electronically. The engine speed advance varies the timing frc m 10° to 32° before top dead center, and the vacuum advai ;e adds up to another 13° advance only in fourth and fifth gears. This makes for a more responsive engine, and for better economy on the highway. Carburetors are a new-style inclined semi* downdraft with lighter diaphragms and bodies. They are mort responsive, so they don't need accelerator pumps, and the' mount closer to the cylinder heads so there’s room for a lar e plenum chamber. From that chamber are tubes that route f air to the exhaust for emissions control. An electric fuel pm now used to supply the carbs. By eliminating the mechar fuel pump, there is more room for the rider’s foot. /
Next come the changes to handle the increased power forged crankshaft has larger 52mm main journals. The multiplate wet clutch has an additional plate for more surface area, and it now is pushed together by a diaphragm spring because that type of spring has an over-center effect. It takes less effort to hold the clutch in once past the engagement point. And the clutch is now disengaged by a hydraulic system to eliminate another adjustment. Transmission ratios are unchanged, but overall gearing is raised by a higher final drive ratio, 2.83:1 replacing the 3.1:1 ratio. This takes advantage of the greater oower and torque. There is still a pronounced gear whine somehere in the Gold Wing, though.
Honda is proud of these numbers. Engine torque is 75.2 lb.-ft.
5000 rpm and it’s 65.3 lb.-ft. at 2500 rpm. Though peak irque is up 1 8 percent, the torque at 55 mph in top gear is up 30 'reent. Horsepower is now 86 bhp at 7000 rpm. Normally torque and power could be expected to increase the same amount as displacement, when engine size is changed. But the type of changes made by Honda have done more than that. They have boosted power where it is most useful. This is good work. According to the performance numbers, the new Gold Wing is dramatically quicker than the previous Gold Wing. This power also does good things for the ease of riding. Because the engine is quick and responsive, it makes the bike feel more responsive. Gas mileage was 41 mpg on the Cycle World test, 45 mpg during most highway use and up to 49 mpg when cruising at the speed limit.
The same kind of careful refinement and adaptation has been done with the frame and suspension. The GLs have always had the gas tank under the seat where the weight is low and fits well. Because Honda wanted a larger (5.8 gallon) tank, there was no> room for a single shock rear suspension without lengthening the wheelbase beyond reasonable limits. So the Gold Wing still has dual air-assisted springs and shocks. They fit on the bike, work well and are easily adjustable. Given the choice of adapting the fad suspension or making the best motorcycle, Honda skipped the fad.
One place where current design trends could help the Wing is wheel size. The front tire is now a big 1 30/90-16 and the rear is a giant 150/90-15. The smaller diameter helps keep the bike low and the load capacity is about all a person could ask for. Working with the 16 inch front tire, Honda made the frame with less steering rake and less trail for less steering effort.
Handling, like acceleration, does not get talked about a lot when discussing touring bikes. Some touring riders even think of any kind of performance as a Bad Thing. So Honda was careful in reworking the Gold Wing. The bike should still be stable and capable of carrying loads, but there was room for handling improvement, too. By tilting the engine up 3° in the frame, cornering clearance could be improved. And by moving the engine 2.5 inches forward in the frame, there was not onl> more room for the rider’s feet, but load capacity was improved Normally it's the rear end of a touring bike that gets overloaded, so shuffling weight forward means more weight can be carried by the rear wheel, weight the rider can stuff in the giant saddlebags.
The result of all the changes is a big, heavy motorcycle that steers easily, has better cornering ability than you might guess, but doesn’t sacrifice a thing for this additional performance. It is not a performance bike, but it offers performance comparable to the best touring bikes.
In fact, by moving around parts that scrape in hard cornering, more suspension travel could be added for a more comfortable ride. Now the rear wheel has 4.1 inches of travel, up an inch. This makes for a significantly better ride.
Front wheel travel stays the same, but the stanchion tubes are larger 41mm parts for greater strength. A juggling of suspension rates has been performed to match changes of weight and geometry. Initial spring rates are higher, compression damping is reduced and the result is more suspension compliance with superior load carrying and stability.
On the Aspencade model, there’s an onboard air compressor linked to the suspension, with easy-to-use push buttons raising or lowering suspension rates. The standard GL and the lessfancy Interstate dresser just make do with air fittings for adjustment, but have no compressor. This air compressor comes with auxilliary fittings on the righthand side of the new fairing and an extension hose in the tool kit. With this, the air compressor can be used to inflate the tires, or anything else the rider wants. Brakes are triple disc. The right side front disc is operated by the brake pedal, along with the rear brake. A combination of smaller wheels and revised hydraulic ratios makes the front brake more effective. Like most unified brake systems, this one works best with practice. It may not be as good as an entirely separate system for the best riders, but it is certainly an improvement for the rider who is happiest using just the foot brake. Honda’s excellent anti-dive is used on both fork legs. On the Aspencade the front brake discs are ventilated.
This brings us to the different models of GL1200. The standard model, no fairing or saddlebags, is still available, and Honda has a full range of accessories for it. Beyond that comes the Interstate, which has the fairing, saddlebags and top box you see here, but doesn't have the digital instruments, fancy radio or air compressor. It’s the basic dresser. Then comes the Aspencade, with all of the usual dresser options, plus things like the passenger floorboards, the lightbar on the top box, a special tool kit, passenger storage pouches with armrests, and ventilated front disc brakes. Options include the CB radio, extra chrome trim and the digital voltmeter.
All the parts that make a Gold Wing an Aspencade are worth more than a little attention. No longer are these hang-on pieces. The fairing now fits together tightly with the non-gas tank. The saddlebags blend in with the rear fender. The instruments and radio and air compressor all fit in the fairing and look integrated. The whole package is now a unit, not an assembly.
Look at the parts separately and they are just as nice. The fairing has an adjustable height windshield. On the sides of the windshield are wind-wings added to improve protection for the passenger. There is still some storage in the fairing, even with all the accessories added. The vents and adjustable headlight and good protection are obvious, but the excellent fit and finish aren’t obvious because there is no flaw in any of it.
The saddlebags and top box are an excellent example of the work that has gone into the Gold Wing. More storage room has been added to the bags this year, yet they fit into the bike just as smoothly as any saddlebags could. The lids lift off easily, with latches that can be locked or not. And the seal between the lids and the bags is a multi-layer rubber piece that’s the most waterproof junction of any saddlebag ever made. The top box is also larger, just as easily opened and closed. It has a mirror inside the top and an additional storage area in the top part that forms the passenger backrest. All these storage bins have removable liners that are beautifully made and easy to open, close and carry. Nothing rattles, wobbles, bobs or bounces.
Then there are the details. Helmet locks are mounted on the rear rack, under the top box. It’s easy to reach the locks and the box covers the helmets so helmets don’t get soaked when it rains. The bucket-shaped seat can be easily adjusted fore and aft through an inch of travel. It’s a comfortable seat, but a little restrictive for some riders. Our seat always slid back and forth, even when the adjusting bolts were tightened, but it’s a good idea. A leather pouch holds the tool kit. In the kit are the usual tools, plus a socket set, adjustable end wrench and hex wrenches to use with the ratchet. A special compartment is included in the right saddlebag to hold the tools.
When it comes to electronic hardware, the hardest part is not getting carried away in the design. That was a challenge on the previous Gold Wing, and Honda has done a much better job this time around. The digital instruments are kept in a mediumsized pod right in front of the rider. A push of a button selects whether the speedometer and odometer read in miles or kilometers. The display is large and legible. A band under the digital tachometer glows when the 7500 rpm redline is reached and blinks as engine speed reaches 6500 rpm. Another button can eliminate the tachometer display, but the redline still functions. Bar displays indicate temperature and fuel supply, as well as voltage, when another button is pushed. The digital tachometer can be more than reset. Various buttons can add or subtract miles, tens of miles or hundreds of miles. A conventional set of dials would probably be easier to use and read, and fortunately the Honda Interstate offers the simpler setup. But for the person who wants digital readouts, the Honda instruments are well done. In addition to all this, there’s a million mile odometer, so Gold Wing riders know how many hundreds of thousands of miles they have piled up.
Just below the instruments are the radio and tape player, all standard on the Aspencade, with all the usual push buttons for station selection and moving the tape around. There’s also an additional control that can be used with the tape player. Ambience, Honda calls it. It’s an electronic shuffle of some sound waves that makes the sound much better when the bike is being ridden.
The same key that operates ignition, saddlebags, top box and fairing pocket can also remove the radio from the fairing. A panel is included to fill the hole.
Behind the giant fairing is a cavernous pocket of mostly still, dry and warm air. On a cold day it’s wonderful. On a hot day, you’ll wish for an air conditioner. Ducting hot air away from the rider is one of the next frontiers for touring bike designers.
All the accouterments may not be the essence of a motorcycle, but on the Gold Wing, and other motorcycles of this type, they can be important. The mechanical aspects of the GL1200 are so good they are not noticed. The engine starts, runs and performs as well as anything else out there. It’s a little coldblooded, and there’s still that characteristic Gold Wing rumble on deceleration, but mostly it is smooth, quiet and trouble free. The handling is capable. Once a rider decides he doesn’t want the highest performance motorcycle he can find, and buys a Gold Wing, there isn’t a lot to disappoint him. The Yamaha Venture may be just a tad more sporting, but we’re dealing with heavyweights here. Neither one has any fancy footwork.
All this comes together on the open road. Straight-line stability of the new GL1200 is better than any previous Gold Wing. And when the road starts to wiggle, the Honda just follows it with little effort and much composure. Unlike the previous GL, the new model will go around corners at a reasonably fast pace without any scraping or wallowing. Comfort is also much improved. The seat manages to provide support without binding the rider in too restricted a position. The footpegs are forward enough for comfort, and the engine case guards are an alternate foot rest. The throttle return spring is pleasantly light, and the hand grips are plenty long for any size hands. This is one motorcycle that’s quiet enough for the rider to listen to the radio even without headphones in a helmet. There is virtually no wind noise with most helmets and the radio is loud enough to overcome the engine noise. Sound quality is good and the reception is exceptional. You notice little things just sitting on a bike for hours. On the Wing, you notice that the speedometer is wildly optimistic, especially at high speeds. You notice detonation whenever the throttle is whacked open at low speeds, even with premium gas. And other people notice the Gold Wing, particularly at night when the light bar and reflectors create a distinctive visual signature.
Touring bikes have gotten more sophisticted all of a sudden. And there is stiff competition. Kawasaki has the giant Voyager, a 900-plus pound feature-laden motorcycle that may have more things to play with than any of the other dressers. It’s also a little too big for many riders. Suzuki has the GS1100GK, a simpler, leaner machine with very useful accessories. It has spritely performance, but is not as comfortable as some of the other machines, with more vibration. Then comes the Yamaha Venture. It is fabulously comfortable, while still being fun to ride. It’s a marvelous machine, and in many ways the new Gold Wing is a similar motorcycle, with excellent comfort and improved performance.
Where the Gold Wing shines is in utility. By Honda’s figuring, there is 4.9 cubic feet of luggage capacity. Normal measurements aren’t perfect, because these are not absolutely boxlike, but the top box is about 25 inches wide, 14 inches long and 11 inches high. Saddlebags are about 21 inches long, 13 inches high and 7 inches wide. Two full-face helmets easily fit in the top box. The saddlebags are squarish enough to carry probably twice as much as the more shapely saddlebags of a Venture. This is important on a touring bike. So is the two year, unlimited mileage warranty. And Honda has created a special club with services for Gold Wing owners, called Wing Elite. Whether the Honda or the Yamaha is the better touring bike, that’s impossible to say. They have noticeable differences and they are both enjoyable to ride.
Some things are easy to appreciate. The additional performance, comfort and maintenance-free designs are obviously great leaps forward. It’s just as nice that Honda hasn’t forsaken tradition. The Gold Wing is still a Gold Wing. All those people who bought GL 1000s and GL1100s because the opposed Four engine was the right idea can now go out and buy a noticeably better motorcycle, still assured that their basic choice was right.
The Gold Wing still works.
$7898
