are decided by the Honda people in the country in question.
They make decisions based on price/content that they believe will sell. For example, the Canadian bikes get the ABS if it's available, haven't seen any exceptions. I do question their sanity when it comes to dropping cruise control and reverse on the early F6Bs.
Just to prove they are insane I have read that there will be no DCT Gold Wings for 2018 in Canada, you have to get the full Tour model to get that.
Or buy a used one from the USA.
2014 Red F6B with ABS
Baker: Hand Wings, BikeMP3: rack, Cardo Packtalk Bold Cyclepump: air compressor, Garmin Zumo 396
Honda: battery maintainer, center stand, passenger backrest, shop manual (2012-16), tall screen
MEC: first aid kit Nelson Rigg: Route 1 Traveler Tour Trunk Bag
Rivco: Honda Adjustable Highway Mounts, Flatfoot pegs
Uclear: HBC200 intercom system (spares)
ZUMOLOCK to lock on Zumo 396
......................................................................
So I guess this is what a meeting in the Honda USA boardroom sounds like:
[Suit 1]: "Hmmm. I think we should remove a tried and true feature that has been on Goldwings for years, is already engineered into the bike's design (therefore it makes virtually no difference to the price), and exists in the bike that would be a primary competitor and is already available in the market (BMW K-series) on a similarly priced vehicle."
[Suit 2]: "You mean like when we took off features that we've had for YEARS like Cruise Control, Navigation, ABS, and reverse to excessively differentiate from the full wing, even though the main competition at the time, the Harley Street Glide, had them all, except reverse, for a similar MSRP?"
[Suit 1]: "Yes."
[Suit 2]: "And you think we should do it again with a no-cost feature that we've had for years... for no sensible reason at all?"
[Suit 1]: "Yes."
[Suit 2]: "You sir.... are a GENIUS!!!"
[Suit 1]: "Not at all! I just keep my finger on the pulse of what our customers REALLY want. I even decided to pioneer a brand new feature... an add-on trunk that takes four hours to put on!"
[Suit 2]: "Amazing!!! No wonder you're the VP!!!"
The "it" isn't the individual items on a feature list. It's the practice of needlessly removing something(s) that can be found on a competing product at the same price point.
It was Nav, cruise, ABS, etc.. against the Street Glide. It's reverse against the K1600B.
Different items. Same Honda practice.
"Go sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up"
Not sure what you aren't following...
I've seen the K1600B review vids, and I went to a dealer last weekend to see the bike for myself. Reverse Assist is the same electric reverse that Goldwings have. Yes it isn't "standard"... but it IS an option... just as cruise, nav, abs, etc should have been on our model of F6B IF Honda wasn't going to just include them... since all of this tech was already indigenous to the platform. Honda USA makes decisions to remove these things with NO option for them to be added as OEM options... even if we are willing to pay for them.
Reverse was left off from the USA version of the Goldwing 1800B, which is the new version of the F6B without the DCT. It is not available to USA buyers who want the 6-speed manual, non-tour version as standard or as an OEM option. It's native to the flat-six platform, been in Honda's bikes for years, is on the six-speed manual Goldwing Tour and the Goldwing 1800B models in other territories, and as you stated is available as an option on the K1600B... which the BMW dealer told me is getting a trunk accessory. I guess I'm just not a fan of needless take-aways.... especially if you won't even make them available as options.
I don't work for Honda, but do you really think that leaving that option in would have adversely affected the price?? I'm almost surprised that they didn't decide to remove the functionality from the DCT version of the 1800B as well.,,, just because it differentiates the models.
JMHO. Still love riding my F6B though.
Lol, that's a funny response, Willtill. I like it.
If it's true that other countries get standard features that U.S. versions don't (I'm not disputing it, I've just never looked into it), then could it be because the majority of Goldwing sales are in the U.S. and therefore Honda doesn't have to include as much bang for the buck to secure sales here? Maybe they need more bells and whistles to attract sales in smaller markets?
Jason