2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special vs 2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT - Spec Comparison
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2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special
The 2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special is a heavyweight touring cruiser designed for riders seeking classic styling with modern performance. Powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin engine producing 95 horsepower and 165.4 Nm of torque, it excels at long-distance highway cruising with comfortable ergonomics and extensive storage. This iconic model is renowned for its timeless design, dependable reliability, and commanding presence on the road.
2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT
The 2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT is a premium large-displacement touring motorcycle designed for riders seeking long-distance comfort and luxury. Powered by a 1833cc six-cylinder boxer engine with automatic DCT transmission, it delivers smooth, effortless highway cruising with advanced technology and exceptional build quality. Best known for its commanding presence, refined ride quality, and suitability for extended touring adventures, the Gold Wing appeals to experienced cruiser and touring enthusiasts worldwide.
2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special vs 2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT: the key differences
Both are touring bikes, so this is a like-for-like choice.
- The 2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT makes 30 hp more (95 vs 125 hp).
- The 2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special is 27 kg lighter (366 vs 393 kg).
- The 2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special has a 49 mm lower seat (696 vs 745 mm), which helps shorter riders.
2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special: A stripped-down bagger built for relaxed long-haul highway cruising and open-road touring with saddlebags, windshield and cruise control.
2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT: Built for effortless long-distance touring, blending a smooth six-cylinder boxer engine, shaft drive, and DCT automatic transmission for maximum comfort over big miles.
Verdict: Choose the 2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special if you want lighter weight and a lower seat. Choose the 2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT if you want more power. Check the full table below for every figure, and the size comparison for fit.
| Specification | 2026 Harley-Davidson Road King Special | 2026 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT |
|---|---|---|
| Other | ||
| Category | Touring | Touring |
| Color Options | Vivid Black, Whiskey Fire, Billiard Gray, | Light Silver Metallic |
| Fork tube size | 49 mm (1.9 inches) | - |
| Spark plugs | NGK CR9E, NGK CR9EIX | - |
| Brake fluid | DOT 4 | - |
| Tire pressure front | 36 PSI (2.5 Bar or 250 kPa) | - |
| Tire pressure rear | 41 PSI (2.8 Bar or 280 kPa) | - |
| Sprockets | 32/68 (front/rear) | - |
| Comments | - | Windscreen. Model id GL1800TD. Four ride modes: Tour, Sport, Rain, and Econ. |
| Fuel Tank Material | - | Plastic |
| Carrying capacity | - | Saddle bags, top bo |
| Engine | ||
| Capacity: | 1868.0 ccm (113.99 cubic inches) | 1833.0 ccm (111.86 cubic inches) |
| Engine Type | V-Twin, four-stroke | Boxer, four-stroke |
| Fuel Consumption | ✓5.50 litres/100 km (18.2 km/l or 42.77 mpg) | 5.60 litres/100 km (17.9 km/l or 42.00 mpg) |
| Bore x Stroke | 102.0 x 114.3 mm (4.0 x 4.5 inches) | 73.0 x 73.0 mm (2.9 x 2.9 inches) |
| Compression | 10.5:1 | 10.5:1 |
| Cooling System | Air | Liquid |
| Fuel System | Injection | Injection |
| Starting | Electric | Electric |
| Lubrication System | Dry sump | - |
| CO2 Emissions | - | 155 CO2 g/km |
| EPA Certificate No. | - | THNXC01.8CSA-019 |
| EPA Est. Fuel Consumption | - | 6.60 L/100km (35.6 US mpg) |
| EPA CO Emissions | - | 1.2 CO g/km |
| Ignition | - | Computer-controlled digital with three-dimensional mapping |
| Aspiration | - | Naturally aspirated |
| Valves Per Cylinder | - | 4 |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 95.0 HP (69.3 kW) @ 5020 RPM | ✓125.0 HP (93.0 kW) @ 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 165.4 Nm (16.9 kgf-m or 122.0 ft.lbs) @ 2750 RPM | ✓170.0 Nm (17.3 kgf-m or 125.4 ft.lbs) @ 4500 RPM |
| Power/Weight Ratio | 0.2706 HP/kg (dry) | 0.3181 HP/kg (wet) |
| Transmission | ||
| Gearbox | 6-speed | 7-speed |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Final Drive | Belt | Shaft |
| Clutch | Multi-plate with diaphragm spring in oil bath | Seven-speed automatic DCT, plus reverse and walking mode |
| Brakes & wheels | ||
| Front Brakes | Double disc. ABS. 4-piston | Double disc. Floating discs. CBS three-piston calipers |
| Rear Brakes | Single disc. ABS. 4-piston | Single disc. CBS three-piston calipers. |
| ABS | Yes | - |
| Front Tyre | 130/60B19 | 130/70-18 |
| Rear Tyre | 180/55B18 | 200/55-16 |
| Front Brakes Diameter | - | 320 mm (12.6 inches) |
| Rear Brakes Diameter | - | 316 mm (12.4 inches) |
| Dimensions & weight | ||
| Wheelbase | 1625 mm (64.0 inches) | 1695 mm (66.7 inches) |
| Overall Length | 2420 mm (95.3 inches) | - |
| Overall Width | 990 mm (39.0 inches) | - |
| Overall Height | 1150 mm (45.3 inches) | - |
| Seat Height | ✓696 mm (27.4 inches) | 745 mm (29.3 inches) |
| Dry weight | 351.1 kg (774.0 pounds) | - |
| Wet Weight | ✓366.0 kg (806.9 pounds) | 393.0 kg (866.4 pounds) |
| Fuel Capacity | ✓22.70 litres (6.00 US gallons) | 21.00 litres (5.55 US gallons) |
| Oil capacity | 4.90 litres (5.18 US quarts) | - |
| Chassis & suspension | ||
| Front Suspension | Telescopic fork, 49 mm dual bending valve | Double Wishbone Type; 4.3 inches travel |
| Rear Suspension | Twin shocks, premium low hand-adjustable | Pro Arm® single-side swingarm with Pro-Link® single shock; 4.1 inches travel |
| Rake (fork angle) | 26.0° | 30.5° |
| Trail | 175 mm (6.9 inches) | 109 mm (4.3 inches) |
| Ground Clearance | 124 mm (4.9 inches) | - |
"Best" (✓) reflects that single spec only, not overall suitability - a bike can win on paper and still be the wrong choice for you. Ties are all marked; specs with no clear better/worse direction (e.g. displacement, wheel size) are never marked, only tinted where bikes differ.
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About this comparison tool
This tool puts up to four motorcycles side by side across their full specification sheets, drawn from a database of 43,000+ models and 1.60M+ individual specifications. Wherever a spec has a clear "better" direction - more power, less weight - the strongest figure in that row is highlighted automatically.
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Specs are pulled from the same categories used throughout the site: engine and transmission (capacity, power, torque, gearbox), physical measures (weight, seat height, fuel and tank capacity), frame and dimensions, speed and acceleration, and brakes, suspension, frame and wheels (including tyres) - plus general information and maintenance data where it's on record for a bike.
How the highlighting works, and its limits
A highlighted cell means one bike has the clearly better raw number for that spec - more power, less weight, and so on. Fields where "better" genuinely depends on the rider - seat height above all - are deliberately never highlighted: a lower seat isn't automatically the right choice, it's a fit question only you can answer. Winning a row also isn't the same as winning the comparison - a bike can lead on paper in half the rows and still be the wrong bike for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare bikes from different categories, like a scooter against a superbike?
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What happens if a spec is missing for one of the bikes?
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Are older model years included?
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