The Super Tourer That Changed Everything - The GL1000 Goldwing

In this Rare Motorcycles documentary, we go into the history of one of the most iconic Honda Motorcycles every made - the GL1000 Goldwing. This absolutely revolutionary touring motorcycle spawned an entire lineup of bikes that span decades of production.
This video aims to provide a short history of these unique and rare motorcycles so you can learn about them in a quick, easy to digest video.
*Note, we are not historians. If you see an error in our research then please mention it in the comments!
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[@TimmyTookaLook]

Couple of things, the Honda emblem "H" is cars the Honda motorcycles emblem is a wing, which the GoldWing is named after. The other is the front brakes are single piston each side and rear is twin pistons because its fixed. Bought my 1976 GL1000K1 in 1985 and still own it. Great video

[@stephenrodgers7485]

I had new (then) a 75 in candy blue/green. Great bike, perfect in many ways.

[@barrymoore7043]

OMG... I lost it when you said "hairbringer" when the word is "harbinger"... a harbinger is something that proceeds and/or foretells something. LMAO!!!

[@wechsler151]

He was referring to a hair replacement surgeon..

[@stevesomers7366]

I own a '77 GL1000 with Vetter fairing and Samsonite touring bags set. I still ride it all around the country. It's a beautiful machine!

[@markgreenley2464]

Great bike and great video, I live in the UK and had a GL1100 in 1980 until 1986. I would love a new 1800 now.

[@forcefed6444]

My dad passed away from ALS 18 months ago. He left me with his 76 gl1000. Its metallic red and has custom Marshall exhaust pipes, he bought it in England 2nd hand, it was only a year or two old when my dad scooped it up. Then brought it to Canada in 1980. I went everywhere with my dad on this bike when I was a kid. Absolutely loved it. Its in pieces atm. My dad was in the middle of restoring it and never got to finish. I'd do it myself but, I'd rather leave it to someone who knows what they're doing lol. One day......One day

[@danielweatherford3243]

My uncle had the dark green 1975 Gold Wing. After he he started taking me for rides I knew I’d be a 🏍️ rider. I’m 66 and a rider

[@JoJo-me8ih]

Naked gl 1200 👋

[@Pantechnicon]

I bought a 1978 GL1000 in 1990 which I still own to this day. I've ridden it coast-to-coast twice and still take it out to work and the pubs 2-3 times per week. Absolutely bulletproof engine and an utter joy on the highway.

[@markneblett2777]

Good visuals throughout. A couple points: As is documented elsewhere, Honda did *not* set out to make a tourer as you state. The GL1000 was designed from the very beginning to be a superbike that could challenge the Kawasaki Z900/Z1000 -- it was only after seeing how people in the U.S. market found it to be great for touring (and the press panned it as not a competitive superbike) that Honda started focusing on touring. The GL1000 also was not the first liquid cooled bike in the era, see e.g., the Suzuki GT750 (aka, the "water buffalo"). Please keep these vids coming! There were a couple other minor issues with what was presented, so just dig a little deeper before stating "facts" that undermine your credibility. Overall though, nice work.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Without question the Gold Wing was a performance motorcycle. But I truly feel that Honda wanted to use its motorcycle division to draw attention to their fledgling auto business. And at that they succeeded! Happy Gold Wing %50!!!

[@terryboehler5752]

I bought a GL1000 new in '76. Maroon/red. I thought it was a road racer and never imagined it as a luxury cruiser. I adjusted the valves every Saturday morning and then ran it up to 10500 regularly. It was quite marvelous and several of us just sat and stared at it regularly.

[@curtis1951]

Those are still great bikes even by today's standards. Way ahead of their time.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Follow the Leader He's On a Honda! This was Honda's ad campaign slogan in and around the time when the Gold Wing made its debut. And as the primer leader of the industry, Honda was poised to lead the industry to tap into the undeveloped cross-country luxo-touring market. The Gold Wing was conceived and developed to be the successor to the ubiquitous CB750 and related UJM models as well as showcase the reliability of Honda. And not just Honda motorcycles, but their up & coming burgeoning automobile business as well. Now, if a rider could ply the newly minted Interstates on a turn-key reliable Gold Wing motorcycle, then it stands to reason any driver could drive with confidence in a Honda Accord or Civic too! Outstanding video! This '98 Valkyrie owner/operator appreciated all the commentary & all the photos of the various Wings! Well Done!! Book 'Em Dano! Happy Gold Wing 50th Anniversary!

[@miruu28]

This is such a beautiful machine, I'm looking to buy this to compliment my smaller cb450.

[@rondyechannel1399]

My naked blue 1977 Gl is waiting for a ride 9700 miles., like new. My roommate owned a Honda dealership in the 70's.I bought a 76 SS 750, he rode the GL. Absolutely no comparison and that is why I own this bike today.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Valkyrie rider here! Naked or dressed it's still a genuine Gold Wing! Long may you & your Gold Wing run!

[@delvinal5583]

Great vid, but. I wanted to get to hear it run! Flat out through the gears maybe. then the thing just cruising by. In 1976 had the honor of a friend letting me ride a 1975 for a couple of days. I used it like it was a 250 and revved the hell out of it. It fell in love with me and still loves me. I see it every so often to clean its points and time it. Sweet thing it is.

[@billtaggart1267]

I have a 1975 GL1000, and also a 2018 Gold Wing DCT. First gen and sixth gen - bookends!

[@chriscline2652]

Good Video.

[@PaulStClair-or3gj]

I had one of the First GL 1000's in RSA. A car on two wheels. It could gobble up miles so easily. My best time Jhbg./Cape Town was 10.5 hrs. An awesome machine.

[@richardlewin3611]

Mines not reliable. Mines an absolute bastard.

[@WowItzAkina]

If you’re not convinced that this bike was ground breaking Randakk used one of Magnachargers superchargers, and on a pretty conservative tune, they made a 0 - 60 of 2.6 seconds, which goes toe to toe with a Suzuki Hayabusa.

[@simonmears1726]

Icon bike they kept getting bigger and better 😮

[@GOLDDYNACO]

How about a naked, new and simplified GL 1800 in the same design as this beautiful old GL 1000?

[@nelsonphilip4520]

As an owner of a '98 Valkyrie I couldn't agree more! Unfortunately, however, Honda muffed up with the 2014 Valkyrie! Although in many ways superior to my OG Valk, it's hard to get past that anti-theft styling!! IMHO the 21st century successor to the "naked" GL & the 1st gen Valkyrie is actually a BMW! The BMW R-18.

[@JanKowalski-hk5cg]

That couch must be so comfortable

[@jingleflagtv8599]

Let's go make a gl1100

[@peterbreuer3832]

What a beauty? 👍👍👍

[@hortenseplaceg9740]

Im selling my 78 Goldwing for $1,000 now and guess what, nobody wants it!!!! The bike looks very nice and shiny on the scale 7 out of 10 but has carburetors issues I put an ads in CL and Offer up for the past months and now only one guy came to see and pass on it!! This shows only people who are INTO your passion would appreciate what’s your passion are but for others? No! They has their own passions and your passion is not a facts for them. As with everything in the world, be it religions, materials, beliefs…. Etc, it’s only hold truth for you and others who share that belief/ passion , so. Cheers 😀

[@stevejones1318]

Have you sold it?

[@cerealtiller]

Har-binger not Hairbringer. Good Video.

[@dell5338]

The king of kings

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Soichiro Honda labeled this motorcycle as the "King of Kings"!

[@billtaggart1267]

At the time, they called the CB750 the King of Motorcycles. So when they came out with the GL1000, they called it the King of Kings.

[@johnbellamy6449]

here in the u k . had a new g l 1000 in 1975 . rode it solo and then had a Watsonian sports sidecar fitted to it . we had a son by then . towed a camping trailer with the outfit also . plenty of power for the job . eventually part exchanged it for a m g b gt sports car . bad move .

[@markteague8889]

8:30. It's pronounced "haar'bin'jer," not "hair'binger." Also, it's pronounced "neesh" and not "neech."

[@wechsler151]

Thank you Professor Teague- Pronounced "TEEG"

[@afinacionymovimiento]

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I have a 75 (in the process of restoring it) but I’m pretty sure it’s a 4 speed not a 5 speed transmission.

[@cerealtiller]

5 Speed.

[@billtaggart1267]

Nope, it's 5 speed. I have a '75 and rode it just yesterday.

[@tedecker3792]

You could have at least used the logo for Honda motorcycles instead of the automotive division logo.

[@krabkrabkrab]

did he really say "hair bringer" instead of "harbinger"? lol

[@billtaggart1267]

A "hair bringer"?? Mayhap the word you were searching for was harbinger?

[@mcornielle]

drop a like for the second video, i need it

[@vtcmotors]

OK

[@PeterJUren]

The title is "A Great Motorcycle Ruined By Bureaucracy - The Triumph Trident T150", but the video is about the Honda GL1000 Goldwing. What gives?

[@alanhynd7886]

Looks like the last video (T150 trident) was copy/pasted and used as the basis of this one.

[@raremotorcycles]

Whoops - yeah I copy and paste the prior video details to keep the description structure and tags and modify accordingly but I clearly made a mistake here. Thanks for catching it!