Honda Gl500 Silverwing vs Honda Gold Wing
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Honda Gl500 Silverwing vs Honda Gold Wing. Honda Gl500 Silverwing: 50 hp @ 9,500 rpm hp, 254 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 175 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.0/10. 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
Honda Gl500 Silverwing
Honda Gold Wing
Horsepower (hp)
50 hp
126 hp
Torque (Nm)
41 Nm
170 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
175 km/h
180 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
254 kg
383 kg
Type
Touring
Touring
Horsepower
50 hp @ 9,500 rpm
126 hp @ 5,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800)
Torque
41 Nm @ 8,000 rpm
170 Nm @ 4,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800)
Top Speed
175 km/h
180–200 km/h (electronically influenced; est. ~190 km/h for GL1800)
Weight
254 kg (wet/curb weight)
383 kg (curb weight, 2018+ GL1800 with DCT and airbag; base manual approx. 365 kg)
Fuel
4.5 L/100km (approximately 22 km/L typical real-world average)
6.0–7.0 L/100km (approximately 14–17 km/L, based on 2018+ GL1800 real-world average)
Fairing
Yes
Yes
Individual Reviews
Honda Gl500 Silverwing
7.0/10
"A rewarding vintage tourer for patient, mechanically-sympathetic riders only."
Pros
+Shaft drive, zero chain hassle
+Smooth 80-degree V-twin character
+Surprisingly capable two-up touring
Cons
−Parts availability increasingly scarce
−Carbs always need rebuilding
−Underpowered for modern highways
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.
