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Honda Gold Wing Affected by the Takata Airbag Recalls

Honda Gold Wing riders might want to deactivate the airbag systems on their bikes after learning that Honda issued a voluntary recall for certain models.
2016 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing 1 photo
Photo: Honda
That's right, the Takatagate strikes again and this time, it affects Honda and its GL1800 Gold Wing flagship tourer. Thus, these bikes add to the massive number of recalled vehicles, only making things worse for Takata. Until now, an estimated 85 million defective airbag inflators in millions of cars were recalled, and things are about as serious as a heart attack.

So far 13 people died, and over 100 were injured by the malfunction of the airbag inflators in cars. Thankfully, the NHTSA papers referring to the Honda recall don't mention anything like that in the motorcycling world.

The Honda Gold Wing airbag inflators might have the same type of defect as the ones in cars. Namely, these inflators assembled as a part of the airbag modules, might be destroyed when the system is triggered. The cause was identified as "propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling."

When the airbag inflator is triggered, metal pieces could be propelled at high speed towards the rider, acting like shrapnel, potentially causing serious injuries or even death. Honda says that the customers of the affected bikes have been notified, with another letter being sent to them when the spare parts become available for replacement free of charge.

Until then, it looks like disabling the airbag system is the smartest thing to do, as well as contacting Honda to see if your bike is affected by the recall #KA8.

In the US, the affected motorcycles are:

- 2006-2010 Honda GL1800 (Gold Wing) motorcycles manufactured February 8, 2006, to May 14, 2009 originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

- 2006-2008 Honda GL 1800 (Gold Wing) motorcycles manufactured May 10, 2007, to May 14, 2009 originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."
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