Moto Guzzi California Touring vs Honda Gold Wing
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Moto Guzzi California Touring vs Honda Gold Wing. Moto Guzzi California Touring: 96 hp @ 6,500 rpm hp, 318 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 190 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.5/10. 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
Moto Guzzi California Touring
Honda Gold Wing
Horsepower (hp)
96 hp
126 hp
Torque (Nm)
120 Nm
170 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
190 km/h
180 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
318 kg
383 kg
Type
Touring
Touring
Horsepower
96 hp @ 6,500 rpm
126 hp @ 5,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800)
Torque
120 Nm @ 2,750 rpm
170 Nm @ 4,500 rpm (2018+ GL1800)
Top Speed
190 km/h
180–200 km/h (electronically influenced; est. ~190 km/h for GL1800)
Weight
318 kg (wet/curb weight)
383 kg (curb weight, 2018+ GL1800 with DCT and airbag; base manual approx. 365 kg)
Fuel
6.5 L/100km (approx. 15.4 km/L) — estimated real-world average for 1400cc variant
6.0–7.0 L/100km (approximately 14–17 km/L, based on 2018+ GL1800 real-world average)
Fairing
Yes
Yes
Individual Reviews
Moto Guzzi California Touring
7.5/10
"Soul-rich tourer for riders who value character over convenience."
Pros
+Unmatched character and soul
+Excellent long-distance comfort
+Shaft drive, no chain faff
Cons
−Italian electrics cause headaches
−Needs Guzzi-specialist servicing
−Cold-start fueling can stumble
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.
