GL 1200 DX Gold Wing

1986 Honda GL 1200 DX Gold Wing Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

Positioned in Honda's sport touring motorcycle lineup, the 1986 Honda GL 1200 DX Gold Wing relies on a 1181 cc (72.1 cu in) liquid-cooled four cylinder boxer, four-stroke powerplant. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 94 HP (68.6 kW) at 7,000 rpm while maximum torque reaches 62 Nm (45.7 lb-ft) at 7,250 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 5-speed gearbox and shaft drive (cardan) final drive. With a specific output of 79.6 HP per liter, the engine character is indicating a tractable, stress-free state of tune focused on everyday usability and broad torque delivery.

On the scales, the GL 1200 DX Gold Wing measures 333 kg (734 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.28 HP/kg (3.54 kg per horsepower). Rider ergonomics and chassis geometry center around a 780 mm (30.7 in) seat height — offering a neutral standover height that accommodates most average-inseam riders without sacrificing cornering clearance, combined with a 1,610 mm (63.4 in) wheelbase engineered for planted straight-line stability. The 22-liter (5.8 US gal) fuel tank paired with a rated consumption of 5.7 L/100 km provides an estimated theoretical range of roughly 386 km (240 miles) between fill-ups, while factory top speed is listed at 240 km/h (149 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's Honda archive, this model family spans 4 indexed model years from 1984 to 1987, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.