17,430 Miles
The 1979 Honda Goldwing GL1000 is a legendary motorcycle that helped redefine long-distance touring—and one amazing thing about it is that it was the world’s first mass-produced motorcycle with a flat-four engine and shaft drive.
 
Here’s why that’s incredible:
 
Flat-Four Engine (999cc): Inspired by automotive engineering, the GL1000’s horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine was ultra-smooth, balanced, and quiet—something almost unheard of in motorcycles at the time. It gave riders a unique “flying carpet” feel, especially at cruising speeds.
 
Liquid Cooling: At a time when most bikes were still air-cooled, Honda added liquid cooling to ensure reliable temperature control and longer engine life—again, very car-like for the time.
 
Shaft Drive: Instead of a chain, it used a shaft drive system for smooth, low-maintenance power delivery—ideal for touring riders who didn’t want to lube chains every few hundred miles.
 
Performance and Smoothness: It could do 0–60 mph in about 5 seconds—faster than many sports cars of the era—while still being ultra-smooth and comfortable for cross-country travel.
 
Bonus Fact: While the 1979 model was the last of the GL1000 series before the GL1100 took over in 1980, it was praised for its refined design and was often customized with fairings and luggage for serious touring. It was basically the prototype for the modern luxury touring motorcycle.
 
This bike helped birth the touring motorcycle culture that we still see today. Not bad for a 1970s machine!
 
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