In this comparison of Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture, we will see which touring bike has what to offer to its rider and which one comes out on top.
Touring bikes are great when it comes to riding comfort. They are also equipped with speed and deliver an excellent performance. These bikes essentially work like mini 2-wheel cars because they are equipped with various gadgets and electronic features to assist you in your ride.
These heavy two-wheelers are best for long road trips, and the two that we are going to talk about today are Honda Gold Wing (top speed 137 mph) and Yamaha Star Venture (top speed 101 mph). And in this comparison, we will see which one of them is the ultimate touring bike of 2021!
Industry History
Honda
Honda has been right on top of the game, especially in motorcycle manufacturing after a short while it came into being. It has been leading the market as the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world since 1959 and yet to be dethroned. Honda is well known for its reliable performance and durability, due to which it has amassed a cult following throughout the globe.
Yamaha
Yamaha, on the other hand, focuses more on speed and looks. And therefore, it has its group of fans who don’t go for any alternative options. The best part is that there are different finishes available in all various models of motorcycles by Yamaha. And due to this popularity, the brand has become one of the top motorcycle manufacturers globally.
Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture – An Overview
The Gold Wing 2021
The Gold Wing by Honda has recently got a new modernized look for the year 2021 model. It’s much more aerodynamic and a bit lighter as compared to its predecessor. It means you will get plenty of speed on throttle twist regardless of how much luggage you are carrying. There is plenty of storage room as well, and the seating is comfortable for longer rides.
The Star Venture 2021
The Star Venture by Yamaha focuses more on speed and agility than comfort. You are going to zip along the highways as if you are riding a roadster. The storage capacity is there and has a large fuel tank, but it also means your ride will be slightly difficult to maneuver, especially on the tight corners. However, there is much more to this bike than what meets the eye.
Comparison Chart
| Features | Honda Gold Wing 2021 | Yamaha Star Venture 2021 |
| Fuel and vehicle type | Petrol touring | Petrol touring |
| Fuel tank capacity | 5.6 gallons | 6.6 gallons |
| Displacement | 1833cc | 1854cc |
| Engine type | 6-cylinder liquid-cooled | V-twin OHV air-cooled |
| Final Drive | Shaft | Belt |
| Maximum power | 126 HP @ 5500 RPM | 90 HP @ 4500 RPM |
| Maximum torque | 170 Nm @ 4500 RPM | 174 Nm @ 2500 RPM |
| Seating capacity and type | 2, dual stepped | 2, dual stepped |
| Weight | 836 lbs | 963 lbs |
| Gear transmission | 6-speed manual and 7-speed automatic w/ slipper clutch | 6-speed wet clutch w/ multi-plate assist |
| Front and rear suspension | Double wishbone 4.3-inch travel and single swingarm with mono-shock 4.1-inch travel | Telescopic fork 5.1-inch travel and mono-shock with preload adjustment 4.3-inch travel |
| Front and rear brakes | Dual hydraulic disc and single hydraulic disc | Dual hydraulic disc and single hydraulic disc, both with ABS |
| Front and rear wheel size | 130/70-18 and 200/55-16 | 130/70R18 and 200/55R16 |
| Wheelbase | 66.7 inches | 67.3 inches |
Engine
Let’s talk about the engines in this comparison of Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture. The Honda Gold Wing 2021 features a 6-cylinder engine that is extremely powerful in producing high speed with just a little throttle twist.
With its 1833cc engine, this bike can produce 126 horsepower at 5500 RPM, which is an incredible speed. Honda has achieved a milestone here equipping this bike with such a powerful engine, and despite its weight, it can still zip along like nothing else.
On the other hand, the Yamaha Star Venture is even better in terms of speed, especially when it comes to short bursts. This bike features a 1854cc engine that can achieve 90 horsepower at 4500 RPM.
The torque speed is slightly better than Gold Wing here; it means the Star Venture is better when it comes to picking up speed instantly. But over the longer course, the Gold Wing is way better.
Honda has also equipped a liquid-cooled engine that is much better to perform in various conditions than Yamaha’s air-cooled engine. So, we will give this round to Honda Gold Wing for its much more reliable and consistent performance and overall better speed.
Weight
Next up is weight in this comparison of Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture. The Honda Gold Wing has a bit of an upper hand here as it is more than 100 pounds lighter than the Yamaha Star Venture.
The Gold Wing 2021 weighs around 836 lbs in all its trims and versions available. On the other hand, the Star Venture 2021 weighs over 960 lbs, so you will not get that much speed. This is despite the fact that Yamaha features a bigger displacement.
But the thing is that the Star Venture 2021 also features a fuel tank that can hold at least a gallon more fuel than the Gold Wing. The gold wing can hold 5.6 gallons of power, while the Star Venture can hold 6.6 gallons of fuel in it. It means you will have to go through lesser refills on your tour when you are on the Star Venture.
But with more weight on the bike, you will face a bit more trouble when it comes to handling and maneuverability. The Gold Wing is still quite a heavy bike, but it is comparatively better than the Star Venture because of its lightweight design.
But due to the overall weight numbers of both these bikes, you need to keep in mind they are not for skinny riders by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, we will give this round to Honda again because of its lighter weight and better handling on tight corners.
Suspension and brakes
We will talk about the suspension systems in this comparison of Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture. The Gold Wing features a front suspension of the double-wishbone that can comfortably manage travel of 4.3 inches. While on the rear end, it comes with a single swingarm monoshock that can manage travel of 4.1 inches.
It means your overall ride will be highly comfortable, and you won’t notice any bumps on the road, either at high or low speeds. Moreover, this bike also features dual hydraulic brakes on the front and a single hydraulic brake on the rear end, so your bike has plenty of stopping power too.
On the other hand, the Star Venture features a telescopic fork on the front end with 5.1-inch travel and a mono-shock with preload adjustment on the rear end to manage 4.3-inch travel. These numbers are slightly better than what Gold Wing has on it, so this point goes to the Yamaha Star Venture.
And when we talk about the brakes, the Gold Wing features a dual hydraulic disc brake on the front and a single hydraulic disc brake on the rear end. While the Star Venture has both these brakes in a similar configuration. It also has an integrated unified braking system with ABS.
If you press the front brake, your rear brake is pressed automatically for a much more holistic feel. Therefore, we will give this round to the Star Venture because both suspension systems and brakes are slightly superior to what the Gold Wing has.
Ergonomics
Now let’s discuss the ergonomics in this comparison of Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture. Both these bikes come with a pretty ergonomic design that is comfortable to ride on long tours.
The Gold Wing features a dual stepped seat, and similar is the case with the Star Venture. But you will notice the Gold Wing’s seat is more comfortable as it is heavily padded. The passenger seat on this thing is much roomier as well. The Star Venture’s passenger seat is slightly smaller.
The seat height of Gold Wing is slightly higher as well. It means that Gold Wing is better suited for taller riders. On the other hand, the Star Venture is much more suitable for shorter riders because it has a low seat height.
The distance between the seat and the handlebar is comfortable in both the bikes, and the bottom gets nicely fit into the seat. There is no tie between these bikes in this round as they are geared towards two different riders regarding physical theory attributes.
Looks and aesthetics
Choosing a winner or loser based on the looks and seat ethics is highly subjective. But we still think that the winner for us here is the Gold Wing because it has that roadster touch. On the other hand, the Star Ventures looks like a conventional touring bike.
Some of you might like a touch of a roadster bike in the Gold Wing tourer, but for others, it might be a turn-off. Some people prefer to go for a traditional look, and in that case, the Star Venture is a better option for you.
But both these bikes look pretty impressive, and they both come with few choices of colors as well. Which one looks better than the other; we are going to leave it for you to decide.
Electronics
Both these bikes are equipped with various features that will keep you well-entertained on your tour. Apart from that, different features will assist you in your ride as well.
For instance, the Gold Wing comes with Hill Start Assist to prevent any roll-back drama. It also features an electric windscreen that remembers the last setting.
HomeLink allows you to connect your bike with your home and open your garage door with this connection and do so much more. There is a tire pressure monitoring system on this bike as well.
On the other hand, the Star Venture comes with the Sure-Park feature to assist you in tricky parking situations. It also comes with an intelligent key system along with electrical luggage locks.
There is a huge accessory range available too. The is also features a vehicle control system, a communication suite, and a complete infotainment package.
Price
In terms of price Honda Gold Wing is higher than Yamaha Star Venture. And the primary reason behind it is that there are different trims available. The price of the base model is much lower than what the Star Venture has on it.
Therefore, Honda provides you with much more options in terms of price than Yamaha, which only has a single trim. So, in terms of price, you have more options with Honda, so this round goes to the Gold Wing.
Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture – The Similarities
Fuel and vehicle type
One of the most significant similarities between these bikes is that they both run on petrol and are touring bikes. It means both these bikes are for longer journeys on the highways.
It also means they will not be that great when it comes to maneuverability and handling on tight corners. But the Star Venture features a much bigger fuel tank than the Gold Wing, and it is much heavier.
Braking system
Both these bikes come with dual hydraulic disc braking systems on the front end and single hydraulic disc braking systems on the rear end. They both are pretty powerful, and even at high speed, they provide you with excellent stopping power.
Disc braking systems always perform well, but Yamaha is again slightly ahead of Honda because it comes with ABS and has a unified braking system. When you pull the front brake, the rear brake will be pressed automatically to make you stop instantly, no matter how fast you are going.
Gearing system
Both these bikes feature 6-speed gear transmission, and they both work smoothly. The only difference is that Honda features a final shaft drive while Yamaha features a final belt drive.
However, Honda is ahead here because it also offers 7-speed automatic transmission is one of its trims, and you won’t have to deal with the clutch in this case.
Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture – Pros & Cons
Honda Gold Wing 2021
Pros
- Extremely comfortable.
- Brisk speed.
- Plenty of entertainment.
Cons
- No ABS.
Yamaha Star Venture 2021
Pros
- Comes with ABS.
- Good pick-up speed.
- Large fuel tank.
Cons
- Pretty heavy.
Conclusion:
In this comparison of Honda Gold Wing vs. Yamaha Star Venture, the winner is the Honda Gold Wing. It is far superior in terms of comfort and maneuverability, and the best part is that there are different trims and color options available.
The Gold Wing is a versatile touring bike designed to entertain you on the road and carry as much luggage as you can on your trip. It can manage speed and offers tremendous road comfort and stability with its design. It’s a pretty powerful tourer that has its price advantage too.
Featured Image from Flickr © UWE9999 – The original image was not changed
