Goldwing F6B – a niche within a niche?

THE term “stripped out” isn't one that you'd imagine sitting happily with the conventional idea of a Honda Goldwing, but that's exactly how the firm refers to its new Goldwing F6B.

Aimed at the US market, and unlikely to be sold in the UK, the F6B is designed to fit into a growing market for baggers – bikes based on all-out tourers, but with their screens cut down and no top-boxes, just leaving the panniers. So that's what Honda has done to the Goldwing. To be fair, the side panels are also slightly different to the stock 'Wing versions, and there's less standard kit – riders will have to pay extra to get heated grips, for instance, or a centre stand.

In total, 28kg of kit has been stripped from the bike, leaving the F6B at a merely elephantine 385kg.