The name Goldwing...

Has anyone heard of how the name came to be? I am familiar with the design of the first, and the original "muscle bike" intentions.
Goldwing and Silverwing are still used today, and I've often wondered how the name (and logo) might have been chosen.

i think honda thought they were building the best motorcycle ever ... and they were were not far off .. goldwing kind of feels that way when said

Well I have read 'GL' means Grand Luxe


From Dictionary.com
Luxe:
Noun
luxury; elegance; sumptuousness: accommodations providing luxe at low rates. Compare deluxe.

adjective
luxurious; deluxe: luxe accommodations.

according to the book " Goldwing " the first 20 years Honda wanted to build something grand and luxe

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126495#p126495:21st1fr8 said:

detdrbuzzard » Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:53 pm[/url]":21st1fr8]
according to the book " Goldwing " the first 20 years Honda wanted to build something grand and luxe

Click to expand...

What does Luxe mean in Japanese? Or was the Wing designed with American highways in mind?

According to Honda's own website:

In 1972....
A design team is established, led by Soichiro Irimajiri, who headed up design of the five- and six-cylinder road racing engines of the 1960s. The team develops the M1, a top-secret prototype designed to explore the outer limits of the Grand Touring concept. The super-fast M1 features a liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with shaft drive--features that surface in the Gold Wing line in years to come.

No mention of the intended global market, or how the bike ended up being trimmed to a 999cc (probably a good thing). Kawasaki Voyager 1300's were a beast to drive and work on. We never did sell many of them because most of our customers thought they were far too heavy. Sure the 6 cylinder pulled like a freight train but that was all it did well.

[dan filipi said:

":q2sy46zp]
Well I have read 'GL' means Grand Luxe

Click to expand...

Just remember, while all Goldwings are GL's, not all GL's are goldwings. I know, not a US bike, but this forum does not stop at the borders.

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126506#p126506:3awqbtgd said:

roncar » Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:56 pm[/url]":3awqbtgd]

[dan filipi said:

":3awqbtgd]
Well I have read 'GL' means Grand Luxe

Click to expand...

Just remember, while all Goldwings are GL's, not all GL's are goldwings. I know, not a US bike, but this forum does not stop at the borders.

Click to expand...

I never knew that one existed.

Wait wut!?! "GoldWing" I thought it was "GodWing," it clearly states in the Bible and I quote "Then on the eighth day God created the GL1000." Right?

~O~

Is that GL100 the real thing or a Facebook spoof? I've been around a long time and never heard of it.

I thought the "GL" stood for Girls Love 'em!

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126529#p126529:1xujuy8s said:

C5Performance » Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:33 pm[/url]":1xujuy8s]
Is that GL100 the real thing or a Facebook spoof? I've been around a long time and never heard of it.

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I missed this part of Ron's post: "I know, not a US bike..."

Looks like a bike for the forgein markets. There was even a GL125.

https://planetmotobike.blogspot.com/2013/03/honda-gl-series.html

Translated it is:

"Honda GL, is one of Honda's legendary motorcycle products ever victorious at the beginning of its emergence in 1979. Emerging continuing triumph of the Honda GL Honda CB's brother attended a few years earlier. Honda GL comes with 2 different engine capacities, namely the 100 cc and 125 cc.

Honda GL famous engine stubborn and rarely troubled. Until now, Honda GL 100 and GL 125 is still outstanding, despite being rarely seen in big cities.

After the triumph of the Honda GL for several years, in 1996 closed with a final product of Honda GL 100 K.

Replaced in 1985 with the appearance of his brother and the Honda GL 125 Honda GL Max Pro with a larger engine capacity 145 cc, followed by GL Pro Neo Tech is known for its great ability with 160 cc engine. After that period ends GL was replaced with Mega Pro, which is seen from the appearance of the machine is still included generation GL series, followed by the presence of Tiger known as the GL 200.

In 2011 hadirlah latest Honda products with new technology, namely the New Mega Pro 150, perhaps this is where the history of the GL series ends. New Mega Pro have a different engine technology with Mega Pro earlier."

Okay so we now know about more GL or is it geewhizz models? Still the question remains. Who chose the name goldwing and why? Was he so fond of his redwing boots he had them gold plated thus giving him the idea? Inquiring minds want to know.

Naah. If HD statnds for Hundred Dollars, then GL stands for Got Loot! (at least for the 1800's and all the damn crap that you can put on them) :smilie_happy:

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126521#p126521:24lr1470 said:

Omega Man » Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:29 pm[/url]":24lr1470]
Wait wut!?! "GoldWing" I thought it was "GodWing," it clearly states in the Bible and I quote "Then on the eighth day God created the GL1000." Right?

~O~

Click to expand...

im with you randy

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126529#p126529:3ki5tbo3 said:

C5Performance » Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:33 am[/url]":3ki5tbo3]
Is that GL100 the real thing or a Facebook spoof? I've been around a long time and never heard of it.

Click to expand...

From what I can tell, it's real. But closer to home here is a GL650 Silverwing (which I briefly owned.)


So far as the name Gold Wing, I can't fine anything definitive on it's origin. So I make up my own. :hihihi:

The wing logo on Honda bikes goes back to the very early Honda years.

https://www.onlytrial.com/1/the_honda_lo ... 20282.html

The Honda History of the wings began with Mr Soichiro Honda. First image of the Honda logo appeared in 1947, when Mr Soichiro was inspired by the goddess Nike that appears on the Greeks mythology. Nike or his origin "nenikhkamen" was the word used on the first Marathons in Athenes, Greece, to denominate the Victory.

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Mr Honda had a long history of being involved in racing and in most competitions the winner (best) gets the GOLD cup, GOLD medal, etc.

So in my mind Gold Wing = best Honda.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it! :hihihi:

yep i thought that too that why i said honda thought they were building the best motorcycle ever ... and came very close ... now i think classic has build several that actually are the best motorcycle built ... the blend of the honda effort and the out of the box mix from classics and the superb c5 ignition has really made best there is bikes ......i know mine is just the best bike i have ever been around and the collective knowledge of this forum raises the bar of the oldwing to moderin day eaquals and better

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126497#p126497:3a056two said:

C5Performance » Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:11 pm[/url]":3a056two]
According to Honda's own website:

In 1972....
A design team is established, led by Soichiro Irimajiri, who headed up design of the five- and six-cylinder road racing engines of the 1960s. The team develops the M1, a top-secret prototype designed to explore the outer limits of the Grand Touring concept. The super-fast M1 features a liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with shaft drive--features that surface in the Gold Wing line in years to come.

No mention of the intended global market, or how the bike ended up being trimmed to a 999cc (probably a good thing). Kawasaki Voyager 1300's were a beast to drive and work on. We never did sell many of them because most of our customers thought they were far too heavy. Sure the 6 cylinder pulled like a freight train but that was all it did well.

Click to expand...

that's because the m1 was never intended to be a Goldwing just an to see what they could do in engineering the m1. I think the the early wings were to be grand touring bikes as well but those darn americans started putting vetter ( and other ) packages on them which changed the direction the wing was heading. grand luxe = grand luxjurious

Wow! GL100!
Didn't know there was such a thing.
Must be for southeast Asian market?
Definitely not in Japan.

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=126521#p126521:232qxdad said:

Omega Man » Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:29 pm[/url]":232qxdad]
Wait wut!?! "GoldWing" I thought it was "GodWing," it clearly states in the Bible and I quote "Then on the eighth day God created the GL1000." Right?

~O~

Click to expand...

Your right Randy! I teach the Bible and that is found in 2 Fleshalonians! (That is the first book past 1 Hesitations) :smilie_happy: