The old Gold Wing is 30 years in 2005. To celebrate Honda made a 30th Anniversary model. It is not too different from last years model, but has got special 30th Anniversary plaques on the dashboard and on the trunk. The '05 Wing features motor-assisted preload adjustment, push-button electric reverse, cruise control and an RDS radio entertainment system. Our Wing has got a CD shifter (room for 6 CD's), extra speakers by the pillion seat, carpets in all panniers with special 30th anniversary emblem, brake disc covers in chrome, rear spoiler and special stylish exhaust ends. These are extra's and there is almost no limit to how much you can "factory customize" the Gold Wing. The CD shifter and the rear spoiler are "musts" for any Gold Wing fan and the accessories we would have opted for ourselves. The ride is as smooth and luxurious as you would expect from the £16.999 machine. The flat 1.832cc six-cylinder engine used to be the biggest of them all before Triumph Rocket III and Kawasaki VN2000 came and spoilt the fun. The bike is still the biggest physically and Gold Wing is an imposing sight out on the motorway. Helped by the Land Rover sized double head lights cars move away as soon as we show up in their rear view mirrors as they should. After all, this is the "king of the road" to use a cliché. The lights are very good and better than many cars. They can easily be adjusted as well if the panniers are heavy loaded. The rider seat is king size and the pillion seat queen size deluxe. On the two longer journeys we have made, 2 x 200 miles and 2 x 240 miles, we could have just kept going and going. We were not tired at all. This is due to all the luxuries such as the comfortable seats, super smooth engine and suspension, cruise control (not so good for British motorways), decent fuel range, good wind protection and radio/CD. We could easily manage more than 200 miles before the fuel light came on riding alone with empty panniers, but on fast motorways with pillion and luggage the fuel light kept showing up after around 160 miles. We were not out on any fuel preservation mission, but still a bit thirsty for our taste. We did use the new ratchet windscre en at its highest setting on the windy English motorways which would have contributed to higher fuel consumption too. The brakes are Honda's excellent dual-linked ABS which is just perfect on this bike. Even with more than half a metric tonne to stop they felt very powerful with good initial bite for such a motorcycle. This is a very important factor along with the good handling that actually makes the biggest bike in the world so manageable that you forget about the size. Honda has had 30 years refining it and it certainly is a good package for touring fans. Click on title for video of the Wing. TS 
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