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After the sporting touring discussions, and talk of new honda's figured I ask if anyone has any knowledge of older circa 86 gold wings
ThiS past summer I was in Maine for a funeral (wife's grandmother, she was 97 and had a good run) and I stayed at my MiL's
My MiL's ex left his 86 gold wing behind.. hasn't run in 2 years (had a heart attack). He (ex stepfather in law) used it to commute about 10 miles to work daily for years, and maintained it (oil changes, carb cleaned yearly, but didn't really maintain the body work, but it's all there). It sits outside in the summer but during the nasty winters it's stored in a heated shed.. its complete, a little sun faded, and has a bit of a patina, with maybe 40k miles.. It was offered to me a good price then, now before the Maine winter comes, i could pick it up for a few hundred.
My townhouse garage is near capacity with the cb11, hd dyna, ktm 620adv. I've never ridden one, let alone worked on one.. I'm quasi tempted, I'd probably pull the trigger if I didn't have to go to maine with my trailer (it's 8ish hours one way) and clean my garage. I just don't know anything about em, and with the family stuff going on I don't have that much time to spend looking into it. So since everyone here has a variety of stuff, figured I'd ask if folks thought it was work the risk.
Thoughts?
Thx in advance
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Which model is it? Interstate, Aspencade? I dont think in 86 they made a naked wing. Would be a 1200 cc. I think the 1200s had weak alternators but other than that I think they were solid runners and the top touring bikes in their day.
I think Razor recently restored an early wing, but the big difference between early and late wings were the factory accessories
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(09-19-2017, 12:54 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Which model is it? Interstate, Aspencade? I dont think in 86 they made a naked wing. Would be a 1200 cc. I think the 1200s had weak alternators but other than that I think they were solid runners and the top touring bikes in their day.
I think Razor recently restored an early wing, but the big difference between early and late wings were the factory accessories
It's not a standard one. It's faired with all the luggage and whatknot. I have no idea how to tell a interstate from an aspencade.. I don't think its the top model, so whatever the lesser fully faired one, that's it. There aren't any additional badges on it.
Genius of a ex stepfather locked the spare keys and paperwork in the bike and lots the key. It wouldn't be hard to get to but didn't wanted to be too tempted,now... Well... It's sitting under a tarp in her backyard.. It's gone nowhere..
It's a 1200.. It it were a naked one, I would've found away to bring it home... I always liked those.. This isn't that one...
I thought about getting to see about makig it a naked one, but what little I read on the interwebz says the tank is under the seat, and to remove the fairing, I'd be looking at a hard to find wiring harness to run a standard headlight and t/s..
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If memory serves me the top of the line Aspencade had 2 tone paint and the Interstate had solid color paint. My brother bought an 84 or 85 as a left over new for like $4500. He loved that bike, rode it all over the US and Canada.
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It's those first '75 GL1000's with the spokes that float my boat.
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Though it'd cost you more in gas to get it and return than to purchase its' probably one of those deals that you'll regret more for not doing than doing.
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I bought an silver and gray Aspencade Goldwing the first year that model was released in 1982. I was the President of a 150 member motorcycle touring club at the time.
Penny and I went all over the place on it: Sudbury in Northern Ontario, Lake of the Ozarks west of St. Louis, Laconia New Hampshire. She refers to it as the Cadillac of Motorcycles. Sold it in 1989 when I stopped motorcycling and became involved in beer league baseball and hockey.
The most comfortable and maintenance free motorcycle I have ever owned. Loved the shaft drive, the air adjustable suspension, the low center of gravity of the flat four motor and fuel tank under the seat. It is not unusual to hear of people putting 100,000 miles on their Goldwings.
With small racks on top the trunk and saddle bags, we could fill a motel room with the gear we could carry.
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They weigh 900 pounds and if it isn't running you'll get a hernia pushing it. No fun to work on, and mechanics hate them.
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I think this is one of those situations where it is better to buy a running clean example than to try to bring back one that has set for 2 years and has unknown issues.
Just simply because of the shear amount of parts on the bike and difficulty in labor.
If it were a simple to work on machine? Go for it. But for me anyway- I wouldn't drive 16 hours round trip for it even if it were free.
If you do get it- good luck and post up the progress. Will be fun to watch it all unfold.
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If it sat for a couple of years; you're looking at cleaning and maybe sealing the fuel tank, along with cleaning/rebuilding the carburetors. May want to inspect the fuel pump also.
They are very good bikes and will serve you well.
Here's a link to the various models.
https://www.motorera.com/honda/#y1200
Good luck!
