2012 Honda Gold Wing Tour: Day 2

Yesterday we told you about a cool ride we’d be taking on the revised 2012 Honda Gold Wing.

Our journey began in Lorton, Virginia and included a long stretch of the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. For those who have never visited the BRP, you’re missing a truly fantastic road, rising and falling among gentle mountains packed with foliage.

Along the way, the new Gold Wing proved to be a cooperative and regal conveyance. Bending it into a turn takes little effort, but more importantly, the response at the handlebars is perfectly linear. Along these mostly gentle curves, the Wing requires only minimal effort to make quick and sure progress.

Those beautiful hillsides didn’t get so green without lots of rain, and we were treated to plenty of it. Thankfully, we were behind one of the most expansive windscreens and fairings in the business. However, for the torrent of rainfall we experienced, we needed a roof! But good rain gear kept us dry, and heated grips and seats kept us both warm. Antilock brakes kept us safe even when trailbraking into a wet corner.

At the moment, we’re ready to take off from Roanoke, VA, to head to Asheville, NC. Stay tuned to the next day’s report!

By Kevin Duke