Honda reveals new F6C

Way back in 2007 Honda showed the EVO6 Concept and it looked amazing; six years later the Honda F6C is the production version of that bike and was unveiled today (Wednesday) at the Tokyo show in Japan.

The Honda Goldwing F6C is another clever bit of work by Honda by taking an existing engine and chassis and making a new bike that keeps all of the most expensive elements untouched. The F6C joins the fully-dressed Goldwing and the F6B (for Bagger) which was launched a year ago; all sharing the same 1832cc GL1800 six-cylinder motor. 

Honda claims the F6C ‘injects a jolt of adrenaline into the power cruiser arena’ and the styling of the bike in this stripped-back way certainly backs up the hyperbole. The firm says the new F6C will provide ‘a bridge between the new Honda CTX1300 (launched two weeks ago) and the Gold Wing F6B and the GL1800’. However, with a 341kg kerbweight,  the 113bhp and 123ftlbs of torque are not going to translate into Ducati Diavel or Yamaha VMax-worrying performance, although it will make for a torquey ride.

Changes over the standard Goldwing include the new styling, stripped back bodywork, a new aluminium subframe, reshaped seat, modified steering geometry (raked out) for stability, and adjusted front/rear weight bias to achieve an almost equal loading (50.1 front, 49.1 rear). The F6C has a new 19-inch front wheel, fitted with Dunlop Sportmax 130/60 R19 front tyre combined with a 17-inch rear wheel and 180/55 R17 tyre. The bike also now sports side-mounted radiators, hidden within the side cowling instead of front-mounted as on the GL1800.

Honda says more than 10 exhaust systems were made during the development of the bike as the firm wanted to find the right balance of noise and performance to suit the more aggressive nature of the bike.