Things have changed for 2013, though, with the CBR600RR receiving an upgraded ECU, relocated Ram-Air system, a new 41mm Big Piston Fork, and MotoGP-inspired bodywork.

In taking its premier super-tourer and stripping it down to the essentials, throwing in a darker spirit without losing any of its original prowess, Honda has re-molded the classic Gold Wing to produce a motorcycle that will appeal to the more aggressive rider – aggressive in style as well as in performance.

A look at the history of Honda is a look at the very evolution of motorcycle technology itself. Mr. Honda was an original thinker who studied the designs of the leading European manufacturers in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and then propelled the Honda Motor Company to dominance on the strength of his own innovative ideas.

Honda has done a bang up job with its F6B. It still exhibits some of the same characteristics as the Wing, from all-day comfort to its potent power delivery to its road-hugging chassis, but the riding experience is much more spirited thanks to the lower COG and sheddin’ of weight. It has enough power to launch you off the start line in a kinetic burst, it hugs the pavement when the road snakes up, and its brakes more than get the job done when it’s time to scrub off speed.

It’s impossible to come up with a definition for motorcycle touring. There is no one definition for touring on two wheels because there are so many different ways to satisfy motorcycle wanderlust.