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All Bikes/Compare/Harley-davidson Road King vs Honda Gold Wing

Harley-davidson Road King vs Honda Gold Wing

Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers

Harley-davidson Road King vs Honda Gold Wing. Harley-davidson Road King: 93 hp @ 5,020 rpm (2023 Milwaukee-Eight 107; note: Harley typically rates torque over peak hp) hp, 363 kg (curb/wet weight, 2023 FLHR Road King) weight, top speed 175 km/h (estimated; governed/comfort-limited in practice), Motoryk rating 7.8/10. Honda Gold Wing: 126 hp @ 5,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800) hp, 383 kg (curb weight, 2018+ GL1800 with DCT and airbag; base manual approx. 365 kg) weight, top speed 180–200 km/h (electronically influenced; est. ~190 km/h for GL1800), Motoryk rating 8.5/10.

Performance at a Glance

Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value

Harley-davidson Road King Honda Gold Wing
Horsepower (hp)
93 hp
126 hp
Torque (Nm)
150 Nm
170 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
175 km/h
180 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
363 kg
383 kg
Type
Touring
Touring
Horsepower
93 hp @ 5,020 rpm (2023 Milwaukee-Eight 107; note: Harley typically rates torque over peak hp)
126 hp @ 5,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800)
Torque
150 Nm @ 3,250 rpm (2023 Milwaukee-Eight 107)
170 Nm @ 4,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800)
Top Speed
175 km/h (estimated; governed/comfort-limited in practice)
180–200 km/h (electronically influenced; est. ~190 km/h for GL1800)
Weight
363 kg (curb/wet weight, 2023 FLHR Road King)
383 kg (curb weight, 2018+ GL1800 with DCT and airbag; base manual approx. 365 kg)
Fuel
5.5–6.5 L/100km (approximately 15–18 km/L, real-world average for current Milwaukee-Eight models)
6.0–7.0 L/100km (approximately 14–17 km/L, based on 2018+ GL1800 real-world average)
Fairing
No
Yes

Individual Reviews

Harley-davidson Road King
Harley-davidson Road King
7.8/10

"Buy 2017 or newer and you'll rarely regret it."

Pros
+Milwaukee-Eight reliability is excellent
+Detachable fairing genuinely useful
+Strong resale value retention
Cons
Pre-2017 runs brutally hot
Compensator failures cost dearly
Sluggish at highway pace
Honda Gold Wing
Honda Gold Wing
8.5/10

"The gold standard in touring bikes, if you can handle the weight."

Pros
+Bulletproof Honda reliability record
+Unmatched long-haul comfort
+DCT transmission genuinely clever
Cons
Punishing weight in slow traffic
Expensive tire replacements
Common tip-over fairing damage

Top 10 Accessories

Picks that work on either bike.

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SW-Motech Engine Guard Crash Bar Harley Road King
SW-Motech · Crash Bar
SW-Motech Engine Guard Crash Bar Harley Road King
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Givi V58 Maxia 5 Monokey Top Case 58L
Givi · Top Box
Givi V58 Maxia 5 Monokey Top Case 58L
View on Amazon →
Vance & Hines Big Shots Staggered Exhaust Road King
Vance & Hines · Exhaust
Vance & Hines Big Shots Staggered Exhaust Road King
View on Amazon →
ApplianPar Front and Rear Brake Pads for Honda GL1800 Goldwing CBR1100XX ST1100 ST1300 VTX1800 VFR800 Interceptor Fury
Brake Pads
ApplianPar Front and Rear Brake Pads for Honda GL1800 Goldwing CBR1100XX ST1100 ST1300 VTX1800 VFR800 Interceptor Fury
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3 Sets Front Rear Brake Pads Sintered for Harley Davidson Road King Road Glide Street Glide Electra Glide 2008-2020 Ultra Limited 2014-2020 Street Rod Night Rod V-Rod Tri Glide
Brake Pads
3 Sets Front Rear Brake Pads Sintered for Harley Davidson Road King Road Glide Street Glide Electra Glide 2008-2020 Ultra Limited 2014-2020 Street Rod Night Rod V-Rod Tri Glide
View on Amazon →
Mighty Max Battery Y50-N18L-A3 Battery for Honda GL1500 Gold Wing 1500CC 1988-2000
Battery
Mighty Max Battery Y50-N18L-A3 Battery for Honda GL1500 Gold Wing 1500CC 1988-2000
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PowerStar Replaces AGM Battery 30L-BS Harley Davidson FLHR Road King Shrine 1997-2016 Motorcycles
Battery
PowerStar Replaces AGM Battery 30L-BS Harley Davidson FLHR Road King Shrine 1997-2016 Motorcycles
View on Amazon →
Pro Taper
Chain & Lube
Pro Taper
View on Amazon →
NICECNC Primary Chain Adjuster Kit Black Compatible with Harley Road King FLHR 1FBC 2017-2021, Ultra Limited FLHTK 1KEF 2019-2021, Replacement for 36500075, See Fitment
Chain & Lube
NICECNC Primary Chain Adjuster Kit Black Compatible with Harley Road King FLHR 1FBC 2017-2021, Ultra Limited FLHTK 1KEF 2019-2021, Replacement for 36500075, See Fitment
View on Amazon →
Dunlop D404 Front Motorcycle Tire 110/90-19 (62H) Black Wall - Fits: Honda Gold Wing/Interstate GL1100 1980-1981
Tires
Dunlop D404 Front Motorcycle Tire 110/90-19 (62H) Black Wall - Fits: Honda Gold Wing/Interstate GL1100 1980-1981
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