Few motorcycles have achieved the legendary status of the Honda Gold Wing. It’s taken the heavyweight tourer five decades to become this good; long after first hitting the scene way back in 1975. Honda even goes as far as saying that it invented the entire touring category with the Gold Wing.
And to celebrate 50 years of the Gold Wing, Honda is giving this touring icon a fitting birthday present: a special edition model with some fancy styling and a few choice upgrades.
But before we dive into the 50th Anniversary edition of the Gold Wing, let’s first take a look at where this touring machine came from. Back when it arrived in the mid-’70s, it was a machine that proved motorcycles could literally go the distance. Over the years, it set the bar for the touring category, ushering in features like a shaft-drive system, a flat-six engine, built-in luggage, and even airbags that deployed in the event of a crash.
Its performance gradually increased, too. From the original 999cc four-banger to the ultra-smooth 1,833cc flat-six engine of today, few bikes offer the same level of comfort and refinement as the Honda Gold Wing.
And so, to celebrate the model’s half-century milestone, Honda is rolling out special anniversary editions of both the standard Gold Wing and the fully decked-out Gold Wing Tour. And while previous updates to the tourer delivered more tech, performance, and gadgets, the 50th Anniversary Editions keep the updates minimal and instead focus on stylish touches to mark the occasion.
For starters, there are new color options.
The standard Gold Wing comes in a sleek Matte Black Metallic, while the Gold Wing Tour gets Bordeaux Red Metallic and Eternal Gold for its 50th Anniversary versions. Each special edition proudly sports Gold Wing logos across the saddlebags and side fairings, as well as a commemorative 50th Anniversary badge in front of the seat. The dashboard even has a new startup screen that reads "Since 1975"—a little nod to the bike’s legacy.
Meanwhile, over on the tech side, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can now be accessed wirelessly, which means you’ll never even have to whip your phone out of your pocket. But other than the infotainment update, Honda has essentially left the Gold Wing unchanged—because let’s be real, how much more could you really improve a bike already this refined?
Gallery: 2025 Honda Gold Wing 50th Anniversary
Nevertheless, to make the 50th Anniversary feel even more special, Honda is also throwing in some commemorative merch with most versions of the 2025 model. The first one is a coffee-table book highlighting the bike’s history. The second one is a 1:12 scale model kit featuring both the 1975 and 2025 Gold Wings—pretty cool, especially if you’re an avid scale model collector like myself.
So there you have it. Even after 50 years, the Gold Wing remains at the top of the touring segment. What’s interesting to see moving forward will be how Honda will drive the Gold Wing even further into the future. Will there eventually be an all-electric Gold Wing? Or perhaps one powered by a hybrid powertrain. With all the goings on in the industry, the sky’s pretty much the limit. But one thing’s for sure, and it’s that the Gold Wing name isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Source: Honda
