This nameplate first appeared on Honda’s U.S.-built large cruiser for the 1997 model year, based on the Gold Wing platform but stripped into a far more muscular American-style custom motorcycle. The original run established the machine as a distinctive six-cylinder flagship in Honda’s cruiser lineup, with factory variants expanding the concept into touring-oriented versions during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The model was phased out after the 2003 model year, ending the first production period.
Honda later revived the name in a second, separate production period for the 2014 and 2015 model years. That return shifted the formula toward a modern “muscle cruiser” interpretation, again drawing on Gold Wing mechanical roots but with a much more minimal, performance-focused presentation. In Honda’s history, the revival is especially notable because it brought back one of the company’s most recognizable six-cylinder custom motorcycles after more than a decade away from showrooms.
Because the nameplate was discontinued and later returned, its history should be treated as two distinct eras rather than one continuous production run. It has long been remembered as one of Honda’s most characterful heavyweight cruisers, combining the smoothness and engineering identity of the Gold Wing family with a bolder custom-bike image.