Gold Wing at 50: Honda’s tourer still sets the standard

Honda’s Gold Wing hits the half-century mark with two 25YM GL1800 models for the Middle East and North Africa. Al-Futtaim is marking the anniversary with fresh colours, special emblems and useful tech upgrades.

Wireless phone mirroring and improved audio bring the infotainment up to date, while Euro 5 compliance keeps the big tourer road-ready for years. If you ride long distances and care about comfort, this is the benchmark. And yes, you can book a test ride in the UAE now.

What’s new for 2025 (25YM)

Honda gives both GL1800 models a tidy refresh focused on design, connectivity and emissions. It’s not a ground-up change. It’s the right tweaks in the right places.

• Anniversary treatments on Tour model
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Upgraded speakers for clearer sound at speed
• Euro 5 compliance across Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour

The headline features are simple to understand and easy to live with. Phone mirroring goes wireless, so fewer cables to faff with when you kit up. Audio hardware is revised for better clarity on the move. Under the skin, an O2 sensor and ECU retune deliver Euro 5 compliance without changing the character riders expect.

50th Anniversary design and badging

The 50-year nod lands where owners will see it every day: paint, graphics and the key you pick up before every ride.

• Gold Wing Tour 50th features Eternal Gold and Mahogany Brown Metallic, inspired by the 1988 GL1500
• Alternatively, a Bordeaux Red Metallic finish with black-and-gold graphics
• Unique 50th emblems on the centre console and Smart Key
• Special start-up animation on the digital dash
• GL1800 Gold Wing gets a Mat Ballistic Black 50th Anniversary edition with large, softened logos on the panniers

Honda leans into its own history without going retro for the sake of it. The Eternal Gold and Mahogany Brown Metallic pairing will hit home for long-time owners who remember the GL1500.

The Bordeaux Red option keeps things sharper. The two-tone chrome emblem mixes an eagle’s wings with a lion’s head, plus “since 1975” detailing, and the dash animation adds a small, daily reminder that you’re riding something with heritage.

Connectivity and audio

Infotainment on big tourers matters. Honda keeps the interface familiar while removing cable clutter and improving sound quality.

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Revised speaker hardware for richer, clearer audio across speeds
• Rider and pillion connectivity improvements

The move to wireless phone mirroring is overdue across bikes, but it’s here and it works the way you expect: maps, music and calls through the bike without plugging in. Better speakers help at motorway speeds, where low-volume muddiness used to be a gripe on many tourers. If you care about phone-friendly tech generally, it mirrors what we’re seeing across new cars too, where wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now baseline.

Engine and emissions

The GL1800 identity stays intact: smooth, long-legged and built to cover ground. The updates are about compliance, not rewriting the script.

• Euro 5 compliance for both models
• Achieved via the addition of an O2 sensor and ECU updates
• No change to the Gold Wing’s touring brief

Euro 5 status protects future ownership and simplifies cross-border touring. Honda did it with small hardware and software changes, not a full engine redesign. That means you keep the feel and response riders know, with cleaner running and improved efficiency on paper. Good for the environment, good for your range, and one less regulation to worry about.

Availability in the UAE and wider MENA

Al-Futtaim is bringing both 50th Anniversary models to the region with orders and test rides open.

• GL1800 Gold Wing Tour 50th Anniversary DCT and airbag in two colours
• GL1800 Gold Wing 50th in Mat Ballistic Black
• Order and test ride now in the UAE
• Pricing and detailed local specs to follow from the distributor

Regional interest in two-wheel touring has grown, helped by better roads and more rider communities. Even broader market data points to rising attention on bikes in the Gulf, with performance brands reporting gains for their motorcycle arms. For context, see recent shifts in motorcycle interest across the region. If you’re planning long rides, consider a compact action cam too; something like the Insta360 GO Ultra is tiny and built for on-helmet use.

A quick look back: 50 years of Gold Wing

The Gold Wing didn’t start as a sofa on wheels. It became one by listening to riders and layering in comfort the smart way.

• 1975: GL1000 sets the long-distance template
• 1980s: GL1100 and GL1200 add suspension and touring gear
• 1988: GL1500 becomes the comfort benchmark
• 2001: GL1800 introduces the six-cylinder and aluminium frame
• 2006: World’s first production motorcycle airbag on a bike
• 2018: Full redesign with new engine, frame, suspension and DCT, plus Apple CarPlay and Smart Key

That path explains why the 2025 updates lean into refinement. The Gold Wing already solved the big problems: stability, wind management and comfort. The 50th celebrates that arc and keeps the package current.

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