The Honda Gold Wing looks set to benefit from a new version of its electric screen, operable via a button, that allows for angular adjustment, as well as height, as per patent filings.
The patent drawings have been published by Motorrad, which reports that the screen would be adjustable in terms of both height and angle.
Of course, the idea of the electric screen is to allow simple and low-effort adjustment of the screen while riding. Changing the height of the screen on the move can allow for the maintenance of optimised comfort; balancing wind protection against ventilation. Honda's latest innovation is adding angular adjustment to the vertical adjustment.
In this case, angling the screen further back, for example, can help to reduce the wind noise generated by the screen as it pushes through the air. Angling it further forwards will increase wind noise but also protection from the wind. In essence, adding the angular adjustment to the electric screen of the Gold Wing is the addition of a further axis along which the rider's (and passenger's) comfort can be optimised.
The original idea of electrifying the process of adjustment was and is of course about comfort and safety. It means that the rider can make their desired adjustments to the profile and height of the screen on the move but without suffering too much distraction from the critical action of riding. In this sense, an electrically adjustable screen has benefits in terms of comfort, safety, and enjoyment.
The question remains, though, when such a two-axis electric screen will be available on a bike you can buy from a dealer. Since the 2024 Honda Gold Wing has already been launched, the 2025 model year would be the earliest point. Additionally, it remains to be seen whether such a technology could be applied to other bikes, such as Honda’s more traditional tourer, the NT1100.
