The Honda Gold Wing was a series of touring machines manufactured by Honda, powered by a flat engine, delivering the power to the rear wheel through a final shaft drive. The motorcycles were assembled in Marysville, Ohio, from 1980 to 2010, and from 2011, the production was moved to the Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan. Honda registered more than 640,000 units sold primarily in the United States market.
A Honda Gold Wing GL1000 manufactured in 1974 was one of Honda's 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology, included in the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan. Until 2012, several Honda GL machines appeared in the Cycle World list of Ten Best Bikes worldwide.
Over its production time, the Honda Goldwing received many modifications, such as the 1975 model with a 999cc flat-four engine that evolved into a 1,832cc flat-six power plant by 2001. In 2012, the Gold Wing received ABS, cruise control, reverse gear, an optional airbag, a fairing with heating, an adjustable windscreen, panniers, a trunk, a passenger backrest, and a six-speaker audio system.
In 2013, the Japanese maker introduced a new version of the traditional Gold Wing available in two models, the F6B and F6B Deluxe. The F6B machine was a stripped-down version of the standard model, with most chromed elements replaced by a black finish, giving the bike an appealing look.
Some changes to the F6B included the removal of the rear trunk, a smaller windshield, and redesigning of both passenger and rider seats without an oversized backrest. In contrast, the Deluxe version packed a small passenger backrest, heated grips, a self-canceling turn signal switch, and a center stand.
In the power department, the 2014 Honda F6B boasted 118 hp at 5,500 rpm and 167 Nm (121 lb-ft) torque from a flat six-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled engine. The bike was fitted with a five-speed manual transmission and a final shaft drive to deliver the power to the rear wheel.