Fine-Tuned Gold Wing Celebrates 20th

FINE-TUNED GOLD WING CELEBRATES 20TH

NYBODY WHO THINKS OF

A Honda’s GL1500 Gold

Wing as a timeless, un-

changing two-wheeled magic carpet is in for a surprise.

For 1995, Honda revised and updated the motorcycle that helped shape the concept of luxury touring. But no drastic changes, thanks very much. Honda knows better than to fool with a proven formula.

For ’95 the Wing gets no more than slightly revised styling and completely recalibrated suspension settings.

Why change the Gold Wing? Two reasons: First, 1995 marks 20 years of Gold Wings. Second, according to Honda spokesmen, is a changing luxury touring market that calls for different

ride qualities than were needed when the GL1500 was introduced in 1988.

What customers wanted then, Honda spokesmen said, was a smooth, cloud-like ride akin to that of a full-sized American luxury car. What they want today, according to those same spokesmen, is a ride more like that delivered by a Lexus or a MercedesBenz. So this new Wing’s suspension is calibrated with shorter springs front and rear and less preload, a heavier rear spring, and with more compression and rebound damping. In addition to lending a much tauter ride, the changes also yield a slightly lower ride height, and therefore a reduction in seat height. Honda didn’t stop there, though. It altered and reshaped the bike’s seat so that total seat-height reduction is about an inch.

Changes to the bike’s styling are limited to reshaped side panels to accommodate the redesigned seat, addition of a chromed facia just above the bike’s headlamp, a slightly lower windscreen and anniversary plaques at several locations on the bike.

The Gold Wing again will be available in three levels of trim in 1995-Interstate, Aspencade and SE. Prices were unavailable at presstime. Jon F. Thompson