How does the BMW K1600 Grand America compare to the Honda GLH1800 Goldwing?

Motorcycle touring is big business. Only a handful of manufacturers offer a grand tour option for those seeking the open road in luxury. BMW and Honda offer Halo luxury touring options, but what separates these two grand tourers?

Lawrence Minnie

28 Mar 2025 · 16:49Buying a Bike

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Grand Tourer Showdown

The terms luxury and motorcycling don't often cross paths, but at a very specific crossroads, you will find a particular group of riders who want to tackle the open road on long journeys but want to do it in total comfort and luxury. For this group of riders there are only a handful of manufacturers that offer a bike fit this purpose.

Taking a quick gander at the bike brands on sale in SA, Grand Touerers are few and far between, and if we take the Harley Davidson name out of the fracas, there are only two real choices here. BMW offers a range of grand tourers in the form of the K1600 GT, GTL and Grand America, as well as the R18 Transcontinental, and Honda Offers the legendary Goldwing. Here, we pit the Grand America against the Goldwing to see what the real differences are and which one is the better option for your next cross-country tour.

BMW R18 Transcontinental (2022) Review

Specifications

	BMW K1600 Grand America	Honda GLH1800 Goldwing
Engine	1649cc, Oil/water-cooled, six-cylinder, four-stroke, in-line engine with four valves per cylinder	1833cc, Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 24-valve SOHC flat-6
Transmission	6-speed, helical drive gearbox, shaft final drive	7-speed forward and reverse DCT, shaft final drive
Power figures	118kW / 180Nm	93kW / 170Nm
Top speed	162km/h	230km/h
Frame Construction	Bridge-type frame, cast aluminium, load-bearing engine	Aluminium die-cast, twin-tube
Suspension Front	BMW Motorrad Duolever; central spring strut, 115mm travel	Electrically controlled Showa Double Wishbone
Suspension Rear	Cast aluminium single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever; central spring strut, 125mm travel	Showa ProLink electric preload by ride mode
Brakes Front	Dual disc brake, diameter 320 mm, 4-piston fixed calipers	320mm x 4.5mm dual hydraulic disc with 6-piston calliper, floating rotors and sintered metal pads
Brakes Rear	Single disc brake, diameter 320 mm, double-piston calliper	316mm x 11mm ventilated disc with 3-piston calliper and sintered metal pads
Tyres	120/70 ZR 17 (F) 190/55 ZR 17 (R) Cast aluminium wheels	130/70R 18 (F) 200/55R 16 (R) Cast aluminium mag wheels
Quickshifter	Yes	DCT Auto
Fuel Tank	26.5l	21.1l
Fuel Consumption	5.9 L/100km	5.5 L/100km
Weight	367kg	367kg
Seat Height	750mm	745mm
Tech	BMW Motorrad Integral ABS Pro (part-integral, slant-layer-optimized)	Electronically-controlled combined ABS system
Features	10.25-Inch Colour-TFT display with connectivity and integrated map-navigation (by BMW Motorrad Connected App) Audio system 2.0 with e.g. DAB+, SAT-radio and sound profiles Charging storage for mobile phones (USB-C) Fully LED headlight with light icon and adaptive cornering light Dynamic traction control (DTC) 3 riding modes Rain, Road and Dynamic Engine brake control (MSR) Dynamic ESA (electronic suspension adjustment with automatic load leveling) Hill start control (HSC Pro) Tyre pressure control (RDC) Reversing assistance Heating grips and seat heating Side cases Top case incl. USB-A and additional speaker Floorboards Windscreen high	7-inch TFT display for riding, navigation, and audio information. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless compatibility. Dual LED fog lights for enhanced visibility. Full LED lighting, LED fog lights, and auto-cancelling indicators. Speakers and audio system for clear, high-quality sound. Four riding modes available, Tour, Sport, Econ and Rain Honda Selectable Torque Control Cruise control HillStart Assist Airbag Reverse gear Seat and handlebar grip heating 66l of luggage space in panniers and top box Forward footrests Smartphone charging Electrically adjustable wind protection screen
Price	from R 477 600 (base model, no options)	from R 575 599
Warranty	2 Years	2 Years

Verdict

Taking the spec sheets at value it would seem that the K1600 falls short in engine size and speed and comes in cheaper than the Honda. However this is only if you take the base model into consideration. If you decide to option out your K1600, you can quickly match the Goldwing. Both bikes have equally long laundry lists of tech and features, but the K1600 pips the Goldwing with a greater infotainment offering. If we were in a position to acquire one of these astounding machines, we would be inclined to take the Goldwing, not only due to the decades-long heritage of the name and the outstanding reliability of Honda, but you just can't beat the flat six smoothness!

Written by Lawrence Minnie

Lawrence has been involved with motorsports for almost 30 years. Whether it's two wheels or four, if it has an engine, he will try to race it. This love of motor vehicles has led him to ride, drive, film, photograph, and write about his passion. Freelance for a while but now a permanent fixture on the AutoTrader team for over 7 years, Lawrence contributes written, photographic, and video content for AutoTrader and AutoTrader Bikes.Read more