Touring Motorcycles
1981Honda GL 400 Wing
22 fields on record
Built around a 396cc liquid-cooled four-stroke V-twin making 40 hp and 32 Nm, the 1981 Honda GL 400 Wing is a Japanese touring bike. It weighs 200 kg dry and has a 5-speed gearbox and an 18-litre tank.
- Capacity
- 396.0 ccm
- Engine
- V-Twin, four-stroke
- Gearbox
- 5-speed
- Dry weight
- 200.0 kg
- Seat height
- Not on record
Know it? Add it → - Power
- 40.0 HP (29.8 kW) @ 9500 RPM
How it rides
Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested- Best for
- Touring motorcycle built for its class - distance comfort and touring.
- Built for
- A touring motorcycle from Honda, built around a 396cc engine - a real production model, but this profile is formula-generated from its class and spec sheet rather than individually reviewed.
- Not ideal for
- Not for aggressive off-road or track use.
Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.
Reliability & safety
Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaintsBike Reliability
How the score works →5
out of 100Poor
The Honda GL 400 Wing passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 61.2% of the time, 22.9 points below expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 5% of models.
Bikes first registered in 1981 have 48 tests, too few for their own score, so this covers every year.
61.2%Passed first time
18.2%Failed outright
20.7%Fixed during test
41,000Typical miles
121Tests
Pass rate by miles ridden
All years of this model.
Against its rivals · ranks 6 of 6
| # | Model (all years) | Score | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yamaha RS 200 | 61 Good | 303 |
| 2 | Honda CX 500 E | 31 Below average | 1,560 |
| 3 | Suzuki GN 400 L | 23 Below average | 516 |
| 4 | Suzuki GSX 250 | 22 Below average | 1,136 |
| 5 | Kawasaki Z 400 F | 15 Poor | 288 |
| 6 | Honda GL 400 Wing | 5 Poor | 121 |
Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.
From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.
Engine
- Capacity
- 396.0 ccm
- Power
- 40.0 HP (29.8 kW) @ 9500 RPM
- Torque
- 32.0 Nm (3.3 kgf-m) @ 7500 RPM
- Engine type
- V-Twin, four-stroke
- Power/weight ratio
- 0.2000 HP/kg (dry)
- Compression
- 10.0:1
- Cooling system
- Liquid
- Fuel system
- Carburettor
- Starting
- Electric
- Ignition
- Transistor
Transmission
- Gearbox
- 5-speed
- Transmission type
- Manual
- Final drive
- Shaft
Dimensions & weight
- Wheelbase
- 1455 mm
- Dry weight
- 200.0 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 18.00 litres
- Seat height
- Not on record - add it
Chassis & suspension
- Front suspension
- Telescopic forks
- Rear suspension
- Dual shocks
Brakes & wheels
- Front brakes
- Single 275mm disc 2 piston caliper
- Front brakes diameter
- 275 mm
- Rear brakes
- Drum
Specs last verified against published sources: .
Compiled from manufacturer documentation and user contributions, corrected on an ongoing basis. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What changed, year to year
Differences highlighted| Specification | 1980 | 1981 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 396 cc | 396 cc |
| Dry weight | 200 kg | 200 kg |
| Fuel capacity | 18 L | 18 L |
| Bike Reliability ⓘ | Too few tests | Too few tests |
Illustrative - generated automatically by diffing the year records already on file, not a manufacturer-published changelog.
Rider Reviews
Common questions
What is the engine size of the Honda GL 400 Wing?
The 1981 Honda GL 400 Wing has a Capacity of 396.0 ccm (24.17 cubic inches).
What engine power does the Honda GL 400 Wing have?
The 1981 Honda GL 400 Wing has a Power of 40.0 HP (29.8 kW) @ 9500 RPM.
How many gears does the Honda GL 400 Wing have?
The 1981 Honda GL 400 Wing has a Gearbox of 5-speed.
What is the torque of the Honda GL 400 Wing?
The 1981 Honda GL 400 Wing has a Torque of 32.0 Nm (3.3 kgf-m or 23.6 ft.lbs) @ 7500 RPM.
How much does the Honda GL 400 Wing weigh?
The 1981 Honda GL 400 Wing has a Dry weight of 200.0 kg (440.9 pounds).
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