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I have now toured on both the Honda Goldwing and the BMW K1600GT and enjoyed both and have a few comparison notes.
You would already know they are both similar size large motorcycles and both are similar weight. At a standstill the BMW feels the heavier of the two. The Honda carries its fuel low under seat the BMW higher up with a traditional fuel tank. The BMW also feels the bigger of the two at standstill however I only rode the bagger version of the Honda.
Once moving the BMW feels the lighter of the two and turns in faster. The BMW has more cornering clearance and can be ridden in a more sporting way. The Honda still has quite reasonable clearance and handles very well within that clearance. Riding at my usual relaxed touring pace I never touched pegs down cornering on the Honda, but I did not try to ride it faster.
The BMW can be ridden much faster and in a real sports touring fashion especially in it’s dynamic mode which sets the suspension firm. However I must say the dynamic suspension setting was too hard for me to use for very long. But riding the twisty roads of Portugal I forgot I was on such a big bike which is an amazing achievement by BMW.
If riding tight corners with ease is important to you then the BMW might be the winner. However if that is the case perhaps the Sport Touring bike category might also be a better match than the luxury tourer category.
Ride quality on the Honda is a little plusher than the BMW. Even in tour mode the BMW front suspension does not ride over manhole covers or bumps as good as the unique front suspension of the Honda which delivers a magic carpet ride feel. And that is not wallowing or spongy on the Honda, but then the BMW is much more nimble and the Honda more slow to turn so depends what you are seeking.
Now lets talk 6 cylinder engines which is one of the main reasons to consider these bikes.
The BMW 1600cc inline 6 has 160hp which on paper seems like a win however the engine is not a stump puller at low rpm. The straight six needs to be in it’s mid range for you to feel it’s power and you can reach or exceed the speed limit just in first gear. So unless you leave the bike in lower gears which is hardly fitting the luxury tourer class you going to be riding around in rpms above where it makes most power – as happens with most modern high powered engines.
Still the inline six is a nice engine, not entirely vibration free until I got to it’s upper rpm range where it was remarkably smooth compared but this could be it was due to be serviced and needed a throttle body balance as my FJR1300 used to get a vibe when it needed a throttle body balance.
The Honda engine delivers almost it’s max power just off idle. Twist the throttle from walking pace and the engine thrusts you forward like an airliner starting its take off. You can access and enjoy that all the time at legal road speeds. For me that is a win to the Honda since I think it can be enjoyed more on highly policed Australian roads where I’d never be able to open up the BMW.
Both sound very good while riding with standard mufflers. Both these engines are a special event to ride.
Brakes are powerful on both bikes. The Honda required less pressure applied to the lever and felt almost like it had power assisted brakes which I liked a lot but that could just be down to new pads or something and honestly the BMW brakes were just as powerful and neither needed a lot of braking pressure applied to pull up quick.
Suspension on the BMW is dynamic and adjustment on the BMW can all be done electronically but nothing on the Honda (bagger version). That’s actually a huge win to the BMW as the Honda only offers that same plush ride all the time.
The aerodynamics of the BMW were not good for me. Unless the screen was fully upright where I am looking through it there was wind hitting my helmet and around back of my neck trying to get down my jacket. Similarly the lower fairing did not direct air around my legs well. Aftermarket screen might help but the design of the screen mechanism lifting at the rear seems limiting compared to screens that slide up.
The Honda bagger version I rode had the touring screen fitted. I would have preferred the regular shorter screen as the larger screen was too much couple of days in traffic. No problems with aerodynamics the touring screen in its lowered position worked well enough and the short screen raised would be about same position.
Luggage is central locking on both and I could fit my helmet in the BMW side cases but not in it’s top box. The Honda side cases are smaller and will not fit my helmet but they are integrated into the bike well. The Honda cases are one touch soft opening which is very nice.
My K1600GT had the older analogue dash not the LCD now fitted. I generally prefer analogue gauges and the Honda also has analogue. I found the BMW gauges much easier to read than the Hondas despite being smaller, the numbers on the Gold Wing instruments are not easy to read. I’ve ridden BMW’s with their colour LCD and it is fine but I actually found this older dash easier to see in strong sunlight.
I prefer the switchgear on the BMW to the Honda. Especially the cruise control switches which I disliked being on the right hand with the Honda.
The BMW branded navigation is a Garmin underneath and worked well with very bright screen that looked about 5″. The Honda comes with a larger screen but asks you pair a phone and use carplay for navigation in most markets (built in navigation in North America). You could add Carplay easy to the BMW but adding a Garmin to the Honda is very awkward due to that center console. (new model BMW has navigation via phone app in the 10″ screen)
If seeking maximum room for larger body shapes then a friend told me he tried both of these then went with a Harley tourer instead. But he is what I call “a big unit” and I don’t think too many other people would find these lacking in room.
I never tried the stereos on either bike, I personally don’t understand blasting music on a bike – just get a headset for your helmet. Perhaps it is like having straight pipes on a Harley or riding around town standing up like I see people on ADV bikes now doing…
Looks are a personal thing. I like the Honda more than the GT but I like the Bagger version of the BMW very much. If looks are important then also in this luxury touring category is the Street Glide or Road Glide from Harley Davidson.
The Honda suffers from negative preconceptions which might be difficult for some people to deal with. Riders just hearing the name ‘Gold Wing’ are likely to think of the older huge bikes and have a negative opinion despite having never ridden the new one. The BMW escapes this as would any of the Harleys.
As far as being a ‘luxury tourer’ the Honda to me fits that role more very well. But the BMW is the more versatile tourer, the more engaging more sporting machine. The Gold Wing gets you to your destination in ultimate comfort. The Gold Wing is bespoke, everything on it is made just for the Gold Wing and it looks better finished to me than the BMW.
Here are a couple of onboard videos from the motorcycle journalist Schaaf channel to give an idea of engine sound and cornering limitations for those who wonder.
Really wish Schaff had put the bike into manual shifting and changed gears with the paddles on left bar. That is how I’d ride the Gold Wing on roads like above.
It’s hard for older people like me to see the numbers on the Honda but it’s much faster than I’d be riding so I think corner clearance is fine for 99% of Australian roads with just a handful of twisty roads here where the Gold Wing would not be as much fun as the K1600.
Next look at the BMW video from Schaff.
Much faster than I would be riding on public roads but shows how sporty the K1600 can be. Note Schaafs comments mid way in the video about aerodynamics and question about it being fit for purpose. The Gold Wing is the more luxury ride of the two which is the class of motorcycles these bikes are pitched in.
The BMW debuted in 2017 but has had an update since then while the Honda has not been updated since it’s release in 2018. They both retail in the mid $40K price range in Australia although like new barely ridden bikes can be found for $10K below that.
The BMW K1600GT was a model I had been considering but no longer. I think now the K1600B bagger model would be a better fit for me. The bagger is said to be tuned to deliver torque a little earlier in the rev range and the screen on the bagger by all accounts works much better with less turbulence around neck and helmet than the GT.
The lower seating on the K1600B might compromise leg comfort. There are highway running boards included. The mid mount footpegs on the Gold Wing were excellent and I’d say the most comfortable ride position I have ever experienced and I love it’s engine but end of the day I must have the more nimble steering that the BMW provides should I buy one of these bikes.
These bikes are by no means performance touring bikes any thoughts lot in the mirrorms mon which bike feels great on the windy roads and red line pull ? My gold wing sees a lot in the mirror…
They are classed as Luxury Tourers by the industry, which fits my leisurely tour pace. If I see a bike or even a car behind me I pull over and wave them by, lost interest in riding fast long ago.
That said the BMW can be ridden quite spiritedly when put into Dynamic mode which firms the suspension up and it has more ground clearance than the Honda. But if I wanted to ride that way I’d choose a Sport Tourer.
I’ve owned several big Honda’s but not a goldwing, but have ridden several BMW K1600. . i liked the sound and performance of it. I own a BMW GSA 1200
Hi Richard,
It is a special engine but on most roads I found it hard to enjoy the engine at road legal speeds.
Much of the time in the mountains or on the back roads I was doing no more than 80kph. Even in lower gears this had the engine always in lower rpms below it’s sweet spot. It’s not unsimilar to many bikes I have ridden. My FJR1300 claimed 146hp but I never ever got to feel any of that in Japan thanks to the gearing and speed limits. I was always in the 2000-3500 rpm just below where the engine started to make more power and torque.
I like the Gold Wing’s engine more because it had a lot of torque from 1000 rpm. All the time I’m riding it on the Blue Ridge Parkway between 60-80kph but it’s not laboring and felt nice at legal road speeds.
I am starting to wonder if the NT1100 might be a good bike for me given it’s engine is more tuned for torque at legal road speeds. The 2025 model is revised considerably.
Riding at those speeds,did you have time to “smell the roses”?? enjoy the scenery?
What speeds are you referring to Michael?
Are you confused those videos are me?
Please take a moment to read the post.
Sorry Warren,had to reread, safe riding
Hi Warren,I have a 2012 gtl at the moment and have done many rides Adelaide to Darwin my,my favourite ride
Just wondering my bmw has a bad vibration on my helmet above 100 km,have tried other screens and attachments to try to alleviate this problem.I am wondering if the gold wing has this same vibration on yr helmet as you have had the experience of riding this. I am thinking of changing my gtl to a gold wing hoping to get yr advice
Hi Reinhold,
I experienced turbulence on the K1600GT. Otherwise I liked the bike very much and was still considering the K1600B model as I thought the lower seat might reduce the turbulence – however I recently watched a video on YouTube with two British blokes riding the K1600B and the GL1800B in winter and their onboard GoPro cameras show them still getting a fair bit of wind blast on the K1600B and then when they swap bikes to ride the Gold Wing both comment how calm the ride is behind it’s screen. That was my experience on the Honda. Very calm air when riding the Gold Wing.
It is interesting to read you have tried other screens and attachments already without luck. That has me wondering if the K1600B with it’s lower seat can ever be what I want. I don’t like having to look through a screen, I want to still be looking over the screen but be in calm air. My Yamaha FJR1300 provided that and the Gold Wing provided that. I am waiting to see if BMW change their windscreen design on the new BMW R1300RT soon to be released. I rode the older RT but it’s windscreen design is similar to the K1600GT.
Do you have an opportunity to try a different model helmet? Long time ago I had a KBC helmet that would vibrate as wind increased. My Nolan helmet is very stable and never vibrated on the K1600GT, I just copped more wind buffering than a tourer should have.
Another thought is bar risers that move the bars back towards you thus altering the position your helmet is to the air flow? You probably have test all these things already, I’m just thinking out loud.
Well good luck with your choice, the Gold Wing is superb but slightly less sporty in the twisties which is a thing I wonder about but I live so far away from those sort of roads and I ride very modest pace these days.
I will do a couple tours in Australia and overseas next six months on rental bikes and try decide what I might buy next or if I just keep renting.
I had the opportunity to test ride the Gold Wing (DCT Version) here in Canada and I liked it a lot. The engine is great and got great power. And the newer design is also pretty clean. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on both!
I like the 2025 bagger version in matt black. Could be my next bike.
Hi All.
I have the 22 plate K1600gtle but have never ridden the goldwing. I don’t get the turbulence on my head but I have changed the screen to a taller one with the mid to section scooped which seems to push the air around me more.
I have also had to but a new taller seat at £500 which made me wince a bit but has improved the ride and stops my left hip going into spasm after a short ride ( by that I mean 100 miles or so)
My Wife is 6ft and I am 5,11 so neither of us is short. I have made pillion “planks” as I call them for my Wife as she prefers the security of a bigger plate under her feet.
All in all I can’t fault the bike, but I have had to change quite a bit to get it to what I want as a long distance tourer.
No doubt I would need to alter a goldwing slightly, but I wonder if it would be any where near as extensive as the GT or as costly?
We traveled over Europe last year 2k miles over 2 weeks so it was a real test for the GT and to be honest the bike was faultless, however you have to make sure the weight distribution is spot on or it will pull to one side at very low speeds, which is not great when you have to stop for tolls every few miles.
That said the ride was comfortable even after six hours in the saddle in 30 degree celsius heat. Rain protection was very good except the water off the front wheel going into my boots, the rain was torrential though and the boots summer boots.
All in all I like the K1600, but it will be good to get a true perspective from both angles and I may be very shocked at the outcome.
I am going to try the goldwing soon so will update the post once I have given it a test.
I am hoping to test ride a goldwing soon so I will update my post after that.
Sorry it’s a bit one sided but hope it helped someone as its a lot of money to pay out and lose should you make the wrong decision with which bike to get.
Hi All.
I have the 22 plate K1600gtle but have never ridden the goldwing. I don’t get the turbulence on my head but I have changed the screen to a taller one with the mid to section scooped which seems to push the air around me more.
I have also had to but a new taller seat at £500 which made me wince a bit but has improved the ride and stops my left hip going into spasm after a short ride ( by that I mean 100 miles or so)
My Wife is 6ft and I am 5,11 so neither of us is short. I have made pillion “planks” as I call them for my Wife as she prefers the security of a bigger plate under her feet.
All in all I can’t fault the bike, but I have had to change quite a bit to get it to what I want as a long distance tourer.
No doubt I would need to alter a goldwing slightly, but I wonder if it would be any where near as extensive as the GT or as costly?
We traveled over Europe last year 2k miles over 2 weeks so it was a real test for the GT and to be honest the bike was faultless, however you have to make sure the weight distribution is spot on or it will pull to one side at very low speeds, which is not great when you have to stop for tolls every few miles.
That said the ride was comfortable even after six hours in the saddle in 30 degree celsius heat. Rain protection was very good except the water off the front wheel going into my boots, the rain was torrential though and the boots summer boots.
All in all I like the K1600, but it will be good to get a true perspective from both angles and I may be very shocked at the outcome.
I am going to try the goldwing soon so will update the post once I have given it a test.
Sorry it’s a bit one sided but hope it helped someone as its a lot of money to pay out and lose should you make the wrong decision with which bike to get.
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your feedback,
Good to know the air can be pushed around the rider more, that really was my main issue when on tour.
I think the K1600GT is the better bike for Europe, I was delighted how well it handled tight mountain passes.
The Gold Wing also does a good job of cornering but it is not as nimble and suits more flowing roads or a slower cruise style of riding – not that there is anything wrong with that.
On my tour in Portugal the K1600GT worked very well on all the twisty roads, I really forgot I was on such a big bike most of the time.
I do prefer the Gold Wing engine by a large margin – it is something very special but overall I prefer the BMW.
I’m currently considering a 22 K1600GT however given I live 3 days travel away from good riding roads I may just keep renting.