The Honda Gold Wing is a popular series of large-displacement luxury touring bikes powered by a flat engine and a shaft-driven transmission.
It’s well known for its reliability and can clock up hundreds of thousands of miles without breaking too much of a sweat.
Still, every bike develops wear and tear eventually; here are some common problems with the Honda Gold Wing and some handy solutions.
Table of Contents
1. Honda Gold Wing Won’t Start
One of the most common problems with the Honda Gold Wing is that the motorcycle won’t start, usually due to a starter issue which is cheap and easy to fix. Other possible causes are dead batteries, expired spark plugs, or a faulty side stand switch.
Gold Wing’s Starter is Failing
The most common issue Gold Wing riders express online is that it won’t start which generally points to a problem with the starter.
Gold Winger’s vent about how the starter just spins when they press it without ever coming close to turning the engine over.
Some riders note that it only happens when attempting to start in the cold.
Others say that while the starter would initially crank the bike over after three or four button mashings, it gets worse down the road.
In some cases, it gets so bad that the Gold Wing fails to start at all.
To understand the cause of this common complaint, we first have to review how the Gold Wing’s starter works.
- While most modern car and truck starters use a spring to engage the flywheel and start the vehicle with gear, the Gold Wing starter uses a clutch mechanism.
- The inside of the clutch spins when the starter is activated.
- As the starter motor twists the inner part of the clutch mechanism, spring-powered arms extend from the clutch to activate a sleeve that integrates with the engine.
- So, as the rider pushes their G-Wing’s starter button, it initiates a spinning motion that extends the arms and cranks the sleeve with enough force to start the touring bike’s motor.
We call this starter style a one-way starter because once the spring-loaded arms activate the sleeve, the sleeve out spins them until they stop catching.
On a one-way starter, pushing the starter button has no effect once the engine is running, whereas on a car starter, which will try to crank on the flywheel that’s already spinning.
This prevents the Gold Wing’s engine from sustaining damage if the starter button is pressed by accident after the bike is already running.
Ok, so if the Gold WIng uses such a safe starter, why are these riders complaining about starting problems?
The common issue with the Gold Wing’s starter happens in the back of the motor, where there is limited oil coursing and airflow. Due to the lack of circulation, grime and debris collect where the spring-powered arms meet the sleeve.
If the grime clings to the spring arms, it will hinder their extension process, preventing them from engaging the sleeve to start the engine when the rider presses their starter switch.
Luckily, pressing the starter switch on the Gold Wing won’t damage your engine, thanks to the one-way design we covered earlier.
Still, as they accumulate more and more grime, thee arms are less and less effective at cranking the sleeve.
Eventually, if left unattended, they won’t be able to extend enough to start the engine.
How to Fix the Starter Problem on a Honda Gold Wing:
You can clean out the grime by loading your Gold Wing’s engine oil with some seafoam, a cleaning project designed to break up and dissipate engine grime and debris.
Applying Seafoam at the first sign of build-up allows you to attack the problem while the bike can still start.
- Be sure you are using Honda-recommended products and follow the directions carefully, as Seafoam alters the consistency of your oil.
- While running the Seafoam through the motor, you’ll want to be gentle on your Gold Wing’s throttle since the oil is thinner than usual.
- Still, light riding helps circulate the seafoam-laced oil through the engine to break up the grime. You’ll want to heat up the oil; riding is the easiest method.
- Once you break up all the starter-hindering grime, you’ll have to drain out your Gold Wing’s oil – be warned, you’ll see all that sludge coming out, and it’s likely more than you might think!
- Before refilling your G-Wing with fresh oil, you’ll want to swap your dirty oil filter for a clean one.
Note: You may have to flush your Gold Wing with Seafoam twice if the build-up is massive enough and you’ve never flushed it before. Once you get the starter unrestrained, we suggest performing a seafoam flush once a year to keep its spring arms free of grime.
If your starter is bound up enough not to start at all, we suggest taking your Gold Wing to a Honda moto-pro to explore some other options, as you’ll have to start the bike to flush the engine with oil and cleaner.
Dead or Expired Battery
While this is no fault of the bike’s design, we’ve read enough complaints from owners who couldn’t get their starters fixed only to find out the problem was the battery to warrant including this on the list.
The most obvious symptom of a bad battery on a Gold Wing is the bike’s failure to turn over when you try to start it.
Other symptoms include dim or failing lights.
Batteries have a shelf life and will eventually need to be replaced.
If the battery is just dead, you might just need to hook it up to a charger – take it to an Autozone to get tested before assuming it’s bad and not just empty.
Failing Side Stand Switch
Modern motos like the Gold Wing use a sensor that prevents the engine from starting if the bike’s side stand is extended to prevent potential accidents caused by riding your Gold Wing with its side strand extended.
IN some cases, road debris jams the sensor-activation switch so that it reads like the side stand is down even if it’s up. If this is your culprit, your bike won’t even try to start, despite the fact that it clearly has power, lights, and gauge displays intact.
Sometimes cleaning the side stand sensor switch off is all you need to do to get the bike to fire up. In other cases, the switch or sensor might be corroded and need to be replaced, though this is less common on Gold WIngs than on other models.
2. Honda Gold Wing Not Charging
Honda Gold Wings may develop issues with its charging system components that prevent the battery from charging, although this is less common on newer models. The main two culprits for charging system problems on a Gold Wing are faulty stators and regulator/rectifiers.
Failing Stator
The stator makes up part of the system responsible for converting the physical force of your engine power into an AC current.
This converted energy is the electrical current that makes its way through the Regulator/Rectifier, which converts it to DC or Direct Current required to replenish your Gold Wing’s battery while you ride.
A failing Stator won’t covert the engine force into electrical current, wasting all the engine power it should be using to recharge the bike’s battery.
A failing stator isn’t something that you should waste your time repairing; it’s a cheap and easy replacement for any decent mechanic who knows their way around a bike.
Faulty Regulator/Rectifier
As I mentioned above, the Regulator/Rectifier takes the AC charge your stator pulled from the engine power and converts it to the DC power your Gold Wing’s battery needs to recharge – this is the rectification process.
The R/R’s other function is regulation, keeping the energy transferred to the battery below the required level to prevent the battery from overcharging and blowing up.
If your R/R is faulty, your battery and stator are at risk.
The sealed motors on the older Gold Wings had a tendency to overheat, which could fry both of the main charging components mentioned in this section.
Like the stator, fixing a busted R/R is hardly economical – a Honda-familiar technician should replace a faulty Regulator/Regulator.
Related: How Long Do Honda Gold Wings Last?
3. Honda Gold Wing Won’t Idle
A rough idle on a modern Gold Wing can likely be attributed to a clogged or damaged air cleaner. The Gold Wing regulates its idle with an Electronic Computer Unit based on readings from a network of electronic sensors – failing sensors can also cause rough idling.
The first thing to inspect on a Gold Wing with trouble idling is its air intake.
Whether the combustion chamber is getting too much air or not enough, the ratio of air to fuel affects your idling and overall engine performance.
If the air intake is fresh and clean, your Gold Wing’s ECU might be getting bad readings from a sensor.
These readings prompt the ECU to adjust the ratio; bad data results in unnecessary adjustments that interfere with the Gold Wings idle.
Here are some of the sensors that can cause idling problems on a Honda Gold Wing:
- Intake Air Temp (IAT Sensor)
- Coolant Temp (ECT Sensor)
- Baro Sensor
- Oxygen (O2 Sensor)
- Manifold Air Pressure (MAP Sensor)
If your air intake passes your initial inspection, you’ll have to scan your Gold Wing’s ECU to get the diagnostic codes needed to pinpoint which sensor is reading bad information.
If you’re experiencing rough or failing idling on an older, carburated model, you’ll likely have to adjust the idle screw or clean your carb.
4. Honda Gold Wing Reverse Not Working
There are two primary causes of reverse failure on a Honda Gold Wing. If your Reverse light is illuminated, but your bike makes a grinding sound while reversing, your actuator cables could be the culprit. If your reverse light and reverse function both work intermittently, the Reverse Regulator might be bad.
Actuator Cables Need Maintenance
If this is the problem, your reverse light will illuminate but reversing is difficult – to the point of hearing and feeling a ratchet-like resistance.
The noise you’re hearing is the reverse gears skipping teeth, which causes heavy wear and tear if left unresolved.
- Star by applying Honda-recommended lubrication on the cables, along with the pulley and motion plate towards the right rear of the bike’s motor.
- Once the lube is applied, the Gold Wing in reverse spreads the lube across the machinery.
- If the resistance continues after reversing a few times to distribute the lubrication, you or a trusted Honda tech should try loosening the upper reverse actuator cable and tightening the lower cable to create a gap that won’t cause the two cables to work against one another during operation.
Faulty Reverse Regulator
If your Gold Wing’s reverse light and function are turning on and off intermittently, accompanied by some cringe-inspiring sounds, a faulty Reverse Regulator might be the culprit.
The Reverse Regulator is an electrical component located behind the Gold Wing’s left saddle bag.
It sometimes incurs corrosion due to road debris and street sludge.
If the corrosion is severe enough, you may have to replace the unit.
That said, in many cases, you can clean the Reverse Regulator’s connector pins until they’re free of grime and corrosion and be back to reversing as good as new.
5. Honda Gold Wing Headlight Not Working
If both the low beams and high beams on your Honda Gold Wing fail to illuminate, yet your fog, turn signal, and brake lights all function like normal, the likely culprit is a stuck or dirty starter switch. If the high beams work but not the lows, you might have a blown headlight diode.
Stuck Starter Switch
The Honda Gold Wing’s headlights are engineered to shut off during the start-up process, redirecting all battery power to the starter.
When you press your starter button, it signals the lights to shut off until the button is released.
Once you’re no longer pressing on the starter switch, the lights should flick back on.
One of the most common issues owners vent about in the forums is the switch’s tendency to get stuck due to the intrusion of dirt, grime, and moisture.
If the switch gets stuck, the headlights won’t come back on, despite the fact that the bike is already running.
The solution is as simple as cleaning out the starter switch, so it releases along with your finger, allowing your G-Wing’s headlights to resume their illumination.
Blown Headlight Diode
If your headlight’s high beams come on, but your lows don’t work, try putting your Gold Wing in reverse.
If the low beams work in reverse but not in your standard riding modes, the culprit may be a blown headlight diode.
Your Gold Wing’s headlight diode is the small black box under your seat, hooked up to the wire harness via a black rubber boot.
If your diode is burned out, you or a Honda-pro will have to replace it with a brand new one of the same type.
Related: Where are Honda Gold Wings Made?
6. Honda Gold Wing Battery Not Charging
Besides a battery that’s dead or depleted, the most common reasons why a Gold Wing Battery won’t hold a charge are a faulty Stator or Regulator/Rectifier, blown fuses, shorts in the electrical harness, or frayed or damaged wires.
Blown Fuse
Your Gold Wing’s fuses are installed to protect the circuitry of your motorcycle by ‘blowing’ in the event of excess current.
This creates a break in the electrical circuit and stops more current from flowing.
Once blown, the fuse needs to be replaced, or it can hinder your bike’s electrical functions, including but not limited to charging its battery.
Damaged or Shorts in Wiring
Frayed or damaged wires in your charging system not only prevent your battery from charging but can also cause severe damage to your Gold Wing’s complex electrical system.
Inspecting your wires for wear and replacing them as needed is part of routine bike ownership.
7. Honda Gold Wing heated Grips Not Working
If your Gold Wing’s heated grips fail, it’s likely due to a faulty electrical connection in the bike’s integrated comfort system or due to a problem within the grip itself. First, inspect the wiring under the seat for loose connections. Next, test the continuity of each grip using a multimeter.
8. Honda Gold Wing No Spark
If your Honda Gold Wing isn’t getting the spark required for healthy performance and ignition, it’s likely due to failing spark plugs. A problem with the ignition system, air to fuel ratio, or your ECU’s programming are also possible culprits.
Failing Spark Plugs
If your spark plugs fail to spark, your Gold Wing’s ignition is hindered, and your engine might not get the power it needs to run.
In addition to starting and ignition problems, bad spark plugs will cause misfiring and dips in fuel and engine performance.
Spark plug inspection and replacement are part of routine maintenance on your Gold Wing and on all other motorcycles.
