In May, Honda announced that its Gold Wing motorcycles were getting Android Auto integration. That is now a reality as the technology joins Apple CarPlay on the motorcycle.
The Gold Wing is Honda’s flagship motorcycle. Its family consists of the Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour, which start at $23,800 and $27,500 respectively. The technology enhancement will include all current-model Gold Wing platform vehicles (2018 and newer).
With the addition, customers with Android 5.0 or later smartphones and the Android Auto app can use Android Auto to stream music, take and place calls, and message while using their motorcycle. These functionalities mirror those of Apple CarPlay and match up with how Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are traditionally used in passenger cars.
Last year, Honda issued an update to the motorcycles’ navigation system.Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc
Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a free addition to the Gold Wing family of motorcycles.
To get the technology in their motorcycle, owners of 2018-2020 motorcycles need to visit the Honda Powersports website. The free software update includes Android Auto capability as well as audio equalizer adjustments, ew navigation automatic volume adjustments, four-color map selection, ETA function, speed limit signs shown for the route, and the ability to display Chinese and Korean characters on music tiles and in a phone book.
To complete the update, owners will need a USB 2.0 or higher flash drive with at least 16 GB capacity, a computer with a high-speed Internet connection, and at least one hour of time. There are separate downloads for Mac and PC users.
Detailed instructions for completing the update have been provided by Honda on the website and appear straightforward. It’s important to note that this update rewrites your navigation and favorites location history. If you have a destination worth saving, you’ll want to have the information stored elsewhere ahead of starting the update.
