Honda GL1800 Goldwing 2001-2009 Service Manual

Rider Magazine's 2009 road test sums up this generation: since the GL1800 arrived in 2001, features such as an airbag, navigation and satellite radio were added, but the bike has not been changed mechanically or structurally. The 2001 bike was a clean-sheet design. It replaced the GL1500 with a bigger engine, a new 31-element extruded aluminum frame and an anti-dive system linked to the brakes, all in a new look.

Power comes from a 1,832cc liquid-cooled opposed flat-six, SOHC with two valves per cylinder. It has a 74mm x 71mm bore and stroke and a 9.8:1 compression ratio, fed by PGM-FI with two 40mm throttle bodies and six Keihin injectors. Claimed output is about 117 hp at 5,500 rpm and 167 Nm (123 lb-ft) at 4,000 rpm, through a 5-speed gearbox plus reverse with shaft final drive. The six opposed cylinders give perfect primary and secondary balance, and rubber engine mounting damps out the rest.

The range changed in a few real ways. ABS arrived as an option in 2004, and power slipped from 119 to 116 bhp that year. In 2006 Honda fitted the world's first production motorcycle airbag, added a heated seat and grips, new cruise control and lower emissions. The 2006 update also brought larger radiators and cooling fans, redesigned dash and speaker pods, and a strengthened lower frame crossmember. That year came in four variations. 2009 brought a tire pressure monitoring system, and an Audio Comfort Navi XM version added satellite radio.

The chassis uses 45mm forks and a rear shock with a push-button two-stage preload adjuster. The wheels are an 18-inch cast front and a 16-inch cast rear, with 130/70-18 and 180/60-16 tires. Brakes are dual 296mm front discs and a 316mm rear disc, linked. Confirmed figures list a 29.1-inch (740mm) seat height, 29.1 degrees of rake with 4.3 inches of trail, a 6.6-gallon (25-litre) tank and a dry weight of about 800 lbs (363kg). Top speed is about 120 mph. Owners rate it 4.4 out of 5 for reliability. Honda replaced the model line with the redesigned SC68 generation in 2011.

This factory service manual covers the procedures, torque specs, and diagrams needed to keep a 2001-2009 GL1800 Gold Wing running the way it was built to.