The Honda Motorcycle Engine So Reliable It’s Still In Production After Decades
Few motorcycles earn the kind of loyalty the Gold Wing commands. In a world where manufacturers chase the next big thing, Honda has spent decades quietly perfecting one machine — and the result is a touring motorcycle that still sets the benchmark. Its engine alone is a feat of engineering stubbornness in the best possible sense: a flat-six that has been spinning away at the heart of the Gold Wing since 1987, outlasting trends, rivals, and entire motorcycle categories. The bike around it has grown in size, sophistication, and stature, delivering wind protection, a potent powerplant, and creature comforts that would make a five-star hotel suite envious.
What truly sets it apart, though, is that engine. Sure, other production motorcycles run uncommon configurations that power only a handful of models. But there is not a single other motorcycle on the planet with an engine that powers just one model. That flat-six is unique to the Gold Wing — and it has been for nearly four decades.
What Originally Powered The Gold Wing
All the big tourers — American tourers specifically — were powered by large-displacement V-twin engines in the 1970s. Honda had pioneered the transverse inline-four with the CB750 to great success, but the demands of a touring motorcycle were different. A broad torque curve mattered more than outright peak power, and BMW’s bikes of the era used shaft drive — promising zero maintenance on long journeys. Honda’s dominant motorcycles all relied on chains at the time, and trying to adjust and lubricate a drive chain when you don’t have quick-release hard saddlebags is a frustrating exercise in roadside patience.
A longitudinal layout was chosen, and a flat-four configuration was settled on because a flat-six would have made the Gold Wing too long. Shaft drive was implemented, and the Gold Wing was born: a refined, torquey tourer backed by Honda’s legendary reliability. By the mid-1980s, four cylinders were no longer enough, and Honda returned to the idea of the flat-six.
Bringing Six-y Back
The Gold Wing’s first flat-six was an interesting engineering choice. Honda switched to just two carburetors for six cylinders, whereas the flat-four had run a carb per cylinder. This was also the first Gold Wing to feature the now-iconic reverse gear — an ingenious repurposing of the starter motor to help maneuver this heavy tourer backward. That engine remained at the heart of the model for 14 years before major changes were introduced once again.
The Updated Six-Cylinder Mill Brought A New Generation Of Power
The turn of the millennium saw Honda rework the six-cylinder significantly, adding PGM-FI fuel injection and extracting considerably more power through increased displacement — now over 1.8 liters and 117 horsepower. This marked the beginning of the Gold Wing powerplant as we know it today. It was also the last generation of Gold Wing to be produced in the United States. A notable piece of Gold Wing trivia: no 2011 model year exists, because that was when the tooling was transported from Ohio to Japan.
Circling back, this engine carried forward the legacy of smoothness and strong torque, but it also delivered a torque spread that many cars would envy. That translates to a serene riding experience — you rarely need to slip the clutch from a standstill, and with so much torque available across the rev range, gear changes become almost optional. A byproduct of modest peak output is an unstressed, long-lived engine. Honda has always had a reputation for building bulletproof powerplants, and this ranks among the finest examples.
Sixth Generation, Six Cylinders
The sixth-generation Gold Wing arrived with a sweeping list of changes. Among the most significant at the chassis level is a double-wishbone front suspension, paired with a comprehensively redesigned engine. The fundamental architecture carries over, but the big news is four valves per cylinder — allowing the engine to breathe more freely and, in turn, produce more power, torque, and efficiency.
A four-valve layout typically demands a DOHC setup, which enlarges the cylinder head. On a flat engine, that means added width — and width was precisely the problem that forced the original Gold Wing into a four-cylinder layout in the first place. Honda’s solution is its Unicam SOHC technology, which keeps the head compact and the overall engine narrower, neatly sidestepping the packaging issue that plagued the first flat-six.
A Unique Transmission Puts The Power Down
Honda also engineered away the side-to-side rocking motion that typically plagues motorcycles with longitudinal engines. The gearbox shaft counterrotates relative to the engine’s output shaft, canceling out that unwanted movement. The engine also features ride-by-wire throttle, selectable ride modes, and the full suite of electronic aids you’d expect from a flagship motorcycle. It even offers an automatic gearbox — and not the six-speed unit borrowed from the Africa Twin. This is a unique, world-first seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that adjusts its shift points based on how aggressively you’re riding. Manual control is available via handlebar-mounted paddles whenever you want it.
Reassuringly, the reverse gear is retained on both transmission options. On the automatic, it’s a dedicated reverse gear; on the manual, the integrated starter generator handles the duty. The automatic also gains a “walk” mode, which makes maneuvering the bike in a garage or parking lot considerably less of a workout.
Reliability Has Been Impeccable Over The Decades
This technology might not sound flashy compared to some of the headline-grabbing features found on modern performance engines, but it’s worth appreciating what Honda has achieved: this engine meets emissions requirements in markets around the world — no small feat given the number of cylinders, the displacement involved, and the substantial weight it has to motivate. What makes it doubly impressive is that its lineage traces back to the start of the millennium, yet it shows no signs of being phased out anytime soon.
Honda Gold Wing Is More Than Just Its Reliable Engine, Though
While the bulletproof flat-six is the focus here, the Honda Gold Wing is genuinely greater than the sum of its parts. Pricing varies by trim and model year, but the range spans from the standard trunkless model up to the fully equipped Gold Wing Tour — and either way, you get essentially everything you could ask for from a touring motorcycle. The Gold Wing delivers couch-like comfort for both rider and passenger, and on the Tour model the trunk doubles as a backrest for the pillion, a thoughtful touch on long hauls.
Meanwhile, the bike is packed with technology and convenience features: an electric windscreen, a substantial fairing to deflect wind and weather, heated grips and seats, an infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a full audio system. All of it is wrapped in a clean, modern design and built around an agile frame that Honda says delivers surprisingly sporty, active handling despite the motorcycle’s considerable mass.
The next generation of the Honda Gold Wing appears to be on the horizon. Given current emissions regulations and evolving market trends, the next iteration will most likely build on the current model’s comfort credentials while potentially introducing a forced-induction engine. Whatever Honda has in store, the current-generation Gold Wing’s engine will remain one of the greats — particularly when it comes to reliability. That, ultimately, is why it is still in production after all these decades.
Sources: Honda Powersports, Honda Global
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