In October 1975 Honda introduced for sale in Britain the Goldwing GL1000K1 (999cc) for £1695. The inaugural meeting of the GWOCGB took place on the 17th May 1980 at the Tower House Hotel, Reading when 37 Wing riders met. This was the result of a small article in a weekly motorcycling newspaper in March 1980 when British Goldwing riders saw the mention of an international Goldwing Treffen at Aalter in Belgium. Twenty four riders participated in the four day meeting. Harry Ward was so taken with what he saw that he came home and founded GWOCGB with the help of Rudi Geryl, former secretary of the Goldwing Motor Club in Belgium, and a keen band of Wingers. We now have 30 regions covering all parts of the British Isles, with meetings on a monthly basis to discuss club matters and participate in club runs.

Most regions hold a weekend event to which they invite all Goldwing Club members. The Goldwing season lasts from Easter to the end of September and the events take many forms from camping to hotel weekends. The area hosting the event will plan runs to places of interest and trophies are awarded for various achievements such as the furthest traveled, biggest regional turnout etc.

GWEF has been in existence for a few years and is used as a vehicle to promote understanding between member clubs, members and the general public. It also brings Goldwingers together in friendship. An international Help Directory is published each year by GWEF for the benefit of members traveling abroad who might be in need of assistance. The Directory is free to members through the National Clubs affiliation to GWEF.

International rallies for Goldwingers are organised by members of the Goldwing European Federation to which they invite all European clubs. The events are also open to non-club members with the one stipulation that they ride on a Goldwing to attend. Trophies are again awarded and tours throughout the area can be arranged. Bikes are also put on display and members of the public are allowed in.

In 1984 the British Club decided to help a charity and chose the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. We set a target of £1000 for the twelve months and inn fact raised £2000 by the time the British Treffen was held in August in Malvern. Another £1000 was raised by the end of the year. We have continued with our fund raising efforts, including giving support in 1986 to one of our own members who needed a special wheelchair and trailer to help her become more mobile both at home and at Wing Dings. The electric powered wheelchair cost about £4000 and we were also able to provide the specially adapted trailer as well as electrical equipment and modifications to her home. A conservative estimate for money raised for the nominated national charity and work efforts would probably exceed £10,000 per annum.

Trailers were banned in 1936 due to impending war and no-one thought to repeal the act which caused them to be banned. Chris Shoesmith of GWOCGB and Dave Bromhall of the MZ Owners worked with the Department of Transport and were successful, in April 1984 in having the act repealed. Towing trailers on a solo motorcycle became legal from the 19th April 1984 thanks to their hard work. The speed limit is 60mph as it is for other trailers and caravans.

The club is open to anyone who owns and rides any of the Goldwing models. What began as a club of 37 members has grown to a club of over 1850 machines and 2500 members from the UK and further afield - Norway, South Africa and Australia to name but a few. A statistic from Peter Rae’s book states that the average age of Wingers is 40.8 which gives the club a vast range of experience and expertise. The club exists to promote goodwill and friendship between motorcyclists and the general non-motorcycling public and to help those less fortunate than ourselves through charity work. The fact that the Goldwing is in essence a touring motorcycle brings together people with similar interests in riding, touring and talking motorcycles.