Holy heckin' smokes. I never thought I'd see this bike again. I'm the guy who owned it right before Robin did. I thought a couple of minor details looked familiar, and once I finished the video that confirmed it. So... yeah. If you were wondering about any of those oddball mods here and there, I guess I'm the guy to blame. But as stands right now, it looks absolutely fantastic.
Great Video !! I have had '79 and an "81 Goldwing... now looking for another at the young age of almost 73 years old. Thanks for reminding me how awesome the 1st editions are . Now to find a GL1000, unmolested or not too much. THANKS .. God Bless, Stay Safe.
I own a '77 as well and love it. It has a special place in my heart due to the circumstances in my life. I spent six months restoring mine and have ridden it all over the U.S. Yours looks really great. Thanks for sharing.
WOW !! Thanks for posting this. I bought one brand new just like yours and loved it. Brings back so many good times to see one again. I put 90k plus miles on it over 6 yrs before selling it due to a life changing event. I had the dealer mount a full Vetter fairing, crash guards to protect the engine, and a luggage rack. I later added lowers to the fairing, a custom seat, highway pegs, a backrest, combo CB/AM-FM radio and electronic ignition (got tired of adjusting the dual points at tune-up time). Best bike I ever owned and I it is the mark I use to measure all other bikes. I owned a 1999 BMW R100RT for about 10 yrs. and liked it a lot but, it just wasn't a "Wing" so,... I recently (about a year ago) acquired a 1993 Goldwing GL1500SE and it is a beast in comparison to anything I've owned before and I'm beginning to warm up to it now that I'm officially an "old man". Keep her rolling and keep the rubber side down.
Beautiful example of that bike. not too often that you see a bike of that year in that condition. Really stood on its own in the universal Japanese bike era where everybody was for the most part making the same bike.
I got out of the Army in 1975 and went to motorcycle mechanic school. Went to work in a Honda shop. As the low man in the shop, I did the pre-deli ery set ups and warranty work. I ended up working on most of the Goldwings the shop sold from 75 to 79. I was making $5 at the time and new Wings were $2,900, but I swore I was going to own one someday. Finally bought my 1977 in 1990 and paid $800 for it. I've had it for 27 years now and I plan to keep until I can no longer ride. You can't beat the 1st Gen Goldwings. Mine is 40 years old and can still run with any cruiser bike on the road
Thank you so much for all the information you laid out here. I am currently 2 days into a project 1976 GL1000 and I would be lost without this information. The GL1500 coil is brilliant information. No more ballast resistor! A million thank yous good sir.
50k miles is nothing for a Honda. I have a 93 ST1100 that I have put 212,000 miles on. I'm the only one who has ever worked on it. It still runs and rides like new. Even though I have other motorcycles it is still my main ride. I will be taking it on a 2 week trip out west next month. The challenge we face with older Hondas, as time goes on, is finding parts. I have a set of those Kuryakyn grips on my 08 VFR800. The look a bit weird on a sport bike, but they work.
I restored a 1983 GL1100 6 years ago. Have ridden nearly every day since with routine maintenance. Have also taken numerous road trips on it doing up to 600 miles in a day. I used to be into cruiser style bikes, but, after riding the vintage wing, I will never go back. Just yesterday I bought a 1978 GL1000 for another restoration project.
I found a 1977 GL1000 in the dark blue with 9000 miles! Stored in a shop, I just finished refurbishing it and am waiting on the weather up here in Oregon to ride it. Loved seeing your bike in such nice shape thanks for the video.
Heya Rob! Muncie Indiana here. I finally tracked down an early production run of the first year 1975 GL1000 with just 31,000 miles on the ticker. I plan on doing a full inspection, tune up which will include quite a bit through out this Winter. I'm also the proud owner of a 1973 Honda CB350 Four, 1975 CB125S, One year only 1974 CL200 and lastly a 1978 CM185T Twinstar. Love that you're keeping the old Japanese bikes preserved as I am. Cheers! Zip~
these old road warriors still look great..and yellow seems to be a rare color..? and does look just stunning to me...hope you still have yours..cheers...
just bought my first gl, 1,000,.its in need of some TLC, and a cdi unit to replace the points.i look forward to many long trips here in uk,and Europe.god bless you and keep you safe on your journey in this life
I'm about to pick one of these up after a 12 year hiatus from riding anything... cut my teeth on mid-'70s CB750s in the late '90s, went through 2 or 3 of them (and about 100,000 miles) until landing on a beemer K100 (my chain maintenance was terrible and shaft drive was a life saver) before I finally broke down and bought a car. This video made my day - can't wait to get back in the saddle of a classic Honda!! Your love for and knowledge of the bike is awesome. I will remember the coils!!
I was on a coast to coast motorcycle trip on year and met a group of guys that were on gl1000s and gl1100s all of them had over 300 thousand miles on them , and they were on a long haul too, the guys told me the worse thing is to let them sit so I could tell they ride
Great video!!! Very respectable condition for an old girl like this. I like the seat you have on this beauty. I'm looking at 2 Naked Wings now to buy 1 or both...a 1976 (Yellow) with only 2,500 miles on it in a collection of other bikes... beautiful all-stock except for some minor improvements...Corbin seat...electric fuel pump...and some different cables (has original seat & it's perfect). Also, 1977 (Blue) with 28,000 miles and the owner has 3 early models...selling this one. It has a custom seat that's slightly smaller than the stock seat (leaner looking on the bike) and the guy has gone through the bike (carbs cleaned & synchronized / new belt / all fluids done / heads off & cylinders/pistons checked/new matched set of tires and more that I don't remember)...bike looks to be in real nice condition.'76 is more of a collector's/investment type bike (big $$$s) and '77 would be a rider type and priced realistically (1/2 price of the '76). Would like to buy both...but my common sense tells me to just buy the '77 and ride it! Always liked the "75-'78/'79 naked Wings...never owned one...but in my 50+ years of riding/owning/collecting (at times)...have had over 50 bikes (mainly Big Bore Japanese). Your video has solidified my decision to "pull the trigger" on at least the '77!!! Thanks!
My dad rocks a naked 1984 GL1000 - last year for them. He bought this bike as the second owner in the late 1980s, then sold it sometime after that, and found the exact same bike (checked VIN) about five years ago and brought it back home. :)
I bought a '77 Gold Wing, black - just like yours. Kept it about 15 years, but eventually the carbureators caused problems that I was unable to correct. Ended up selling it way too cheap. I've got a 2000 Valkyrie now but have fond memories of that old Gold Wing (when it and me was young).
Real nice video & great commentary & suggestions. JUST purchased an '81 Goldwing 1100. Not the same as yours, but I'm learning how great these bikes are... Loving mine so far. Excited about the upgrades you suggested.. Thanks for sharing. Hoping your trip to PA was a great success. Take care
Cool bike! My first bike was a brand new 1977 Honda XR75 ( at age 9) and rode the heck out it for years. I still have in my garage and it will fire up in two or three kicks. I got into street bikes finally two years ago, and now ride a 1995 Honda Shadow Ace 1100. Most of my vehicles are American, but there is something about Honda motorcycles. God be with you on your trip.
Hey Rob, first time watching your content. Considering buying a 77 Goldwing with a Vetter fairing. I really like what you have done with your bike. Love your explanation of the bike and your technical improvement suggestions. I believe the bike I am considering has most of those improvements you suggested. Never been crazy about the full dress wings but wow, the naked wing really is something! It is the original muscle bike that Honda had in mind. Just before they realized the CBX. I will let you know if I get it!
Very good advice, thanks. I have a 77 just like yours except in red with 26.7 K miles and Windjammer fairing. Wonderful machine, engine actually smoother than my GL1100.
Just been watching your video I am in Richmond Indiana I have a 1983 gold wing that I’m turning into a café racer. Thanks for the info it will help out.😎🇺🇸🛠
What a nice bike, it looks like it just came off the show room floor. The bike seems to get the same kind of care that you give your knives, Excellent!!!! Have a very safe trip to PA. and back. God Bless and the Lord's protection.
Thanks for the video mate - can tell you love your Wing! Good practical tips for modifying and looking after it. I have an Aspencade but would love a GL1000 as it's simpler and looks much better.
I have a 1995 gl1500 candy maroon It needs all vacuum lines and a carb rebuild Still I own goldwing with 64 thousand miles it's a Good bike nice ride hope your still riding it
i had a 76 and a 78. Great bikes. Both bikes would do what the speedometer said. frame, or chassis flex was an issue at times. it was rare, but a scary condition at high speed while navigating a curve.
Awesome walk through... I kept waiting for a short ride to see it on the road. Checking your other videos now... No Cigar. Maybe it is time to take us on the road with this classic?
Great Bike! I have the same make, model and year in candy apple red. I'll defenitely check out the ignition and carb mods. If you don't run premium gasoline, do! It also makes a noticeable difference in rpm smoothness. My taillight keeps burning a fuse (break light is working normal)because of some mods an earlier owner did to the electric system. 3 mechanics so far could not solve it yet. Other than that it's awesome!. Cheers BB
Honda made these bikes too good , I was going coast to coast one year and ran into 4 guys on these old gold wings and they all had over 300,000 miles , so when I got home I started to look for one and found a 1980 gl 1100 made it naked and love it , this old timer told me you need to ride this and enjoy it so I am
I have the same exact Wing. I'm doing a resurrection/restoration right now. 15k on the odometer. Right now I'm looking for a couple pieces to get it back to stock.
Most likely not the starter. I’ve been through this one. The starters commonly do sort of a soft seize when the bikes is hot, and unless you have an extremely fresh battery, this cull happen. So my suggestion is put in a new high quality battery every year or two... or just wait a few minutes when this happens. It’ll start.
Rob, Any updates to your trip? How did the bike do on the trip? My wife and I rode our 1986 Suzuki Cavalcade GV1400, 5000 miles over the span of 12 days back in 2015 without a problem.
@garrettmiklautz175 : True , my brother inlaw sold to me T250J & bought a 71 cb750 he said , it was fast & fault free & sold because of the miles he racked up & got series one Gold Wing 1000 , again loving the cruising in UK & Europe sold it & went back to cb750/4 & he hated it wanted his old 750 back because it was a much better bike . I want a GT750 bottle Love the 2 stroke smell it gets me high , lol 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😁😁
This was an invaluable video thx for making it! I just found out today that a lady I work with, her husband has a 77 Goldwing that has just say in their garage for the past 25 years! And she told me that she talked to her husband and they just want it gone so I’m getting it for free!! :)))) so gonna go check it out this week so this video will come in very handy!! 💯👍🏻🇨🇦
HI Rob after watching your video I pulled the trigger on an immaculate 76 ltd 1000 with 9000 miles...really love your set up and plan on using some of the same products that you used.I was going to restomod it, but after finding out they only made 2000 of them and I just couldn't molest that bike and ruin such a classic so I guess I will have to purchase another one. I spend time in northeast Indiana (Ft Wayne) maybe we will cross paths
Hey Rob thanks for your response...I am truly blessed to be able to become a keeper of a classic...could you please give me the model of the slipstream...I think I may have found the model but unsure...also when you moved the tail winkers did you have to make any additional holes in your bike
I had a 76 and it came with a fairing, the bike was bright yellow, I got the bike in 85 and wished I had put it in storage and taken it out now, in 2018 and started riding it again, I rode it when I got it five years then life happened and I had to garage it, I sure wish I had it now. I just bought a well used 2009 BMW 1200rt and I've got to learn to ride again but the bike seems to be idling to high, have to call Houston BMW for info on it, this bike is about the same weight as the Wing.
Picked one of these up. Cheap. Better fairing, Hondaline racks/hard shell bags and all. Sweet deal. It came with an electronic ignition. Seems to run decent. Need to upgrade coils. And going to redo all brake lines with stainless. Other than that, I'm loving this bike after 4 years. Makes a good amount of power. 3rd gear is tall with lots of propulsion 😁
I owned a 1976 Limited addition Gold wing with the gold anodized wheels of witch only 2000 of them were produced! one of which is in the show room of Bob Lanphiers Honda shop in Tigard Oregon!! Rode that bike from Oregon clear back to Iowa and back, several times into Canada and back and several times to Reno and back, unfortunately it burnt to the ground in a garage fire 😩
Follow up from three years ago... Bike runs great. I put 10,000 miles on it my first summer and about 7000 miles the last two summers. I have the matching blue Windjammer which is fantastic for my GL riding, but I want to try some 3-inch bars and a Slip Stream so I can ride without the weight of that Windjammer. My primary drive chain makes a little noise, and there is no telling how many actual miles are on it. No smoke, no leaks. Beautiful machine. Did you ever change your front fork seals? I'm asking because when I ordered seals, I got two different sets from two different dealers, and neither of them knew which side of the seals went up/down in the tube :) - - I just saw that I have the last three comments on your video. One is 7 years old!! That was when I was in the sentimental stage, reminiscing about my first wing. Four years later, I bought my current one after I commented on the carb manual. I might pull my engine and see if I can rebuild it. Runs very good but that primary drive chain pokes me in my OCD gland.
The carb manual, how do you spell that URL? Randax? Randex? Can't find it and sure need it. I'm about to buy a 78 that has been parked for 25 years :)... oh, its in the description box. duh
It would have been nice to see you sitting on the bike. I'm about 5'9" tall with a 29" pants inseam measurement. I believe the stock seats on those old Goldwings were about 32" high. That means I can't put both feet flat on the ground. Did that aftermarket seat lower the height any? If you have shorter legs like me, what did you do to be able to hold the bike up at stop lights.
This is my worry, as I'm shorter than most at around 5'8" & 140lbs.. I know my grandfather has always been my size, and had a blue '75 GL like the one I just bought. I think the flat seat on these make them a bit easier to manage..
The seat is flat but, unfortunately, it is also WIDER than most motorcycle seats. So, the farther the seat forces your legs apart the less ability to drop your feet straight down to the ground. The wide seat takes away ANOTHER inch or two of being able to reach the ground with both legs at the same time. I'm afraid folks like us have to be one-legged Goldwing riders. We have to lean the bike in order to get one foot on the ground.
Hi, interesting you should comment on the coils. I owned a '75 Wing "pre-notloved" in the '80s. Sydney, Australia, whenever it rained, or sometimes whenever it looked like it was going to rain, it (the bike!) would miss & stumble. I was very young/broke then, and always thought it was ignition related. Now I know. As an aside, you have rekindled an interest I had forgotten I had !! And thank you for the tips/knowledge you have imparted. Now the other interesting thing will be to try and find one in tiny ol' New Zealand.
Went to Slipstreamer's website and they offer many solutions for the GL1000. Do you recall which one you purchased? I have a slick 75 GL1000 and want to finish it off with a windshield.
I use to own a 1977 Goldwing. If you get one that has been parked for a while and you can't get it into gear remember they have a wet clutch. Put it on the centre stand and get the back tire off the ground. With the bike running and the back tire off the ground slowly let the clutch out. You will see the tire start to move. Work the clutch in and out until the back tire moves at full speed. Most bike repair shops will bill you for a new clutch at big bucks$$$$.
I like your video. I've loved the 1000s since college days. You should go back and read all the old articles and ads though. The GL1000 was not Hondas answer to the FLH or any BMW. Its original purpose was performance. The '75 had bigger carbs and hotter cans and Mr. Honda's answer to the Kawasaki Z1. Americans immediately started bolting on fairings and saddlebags and sealed the fait of this would be performance bike. On another subject. I've had 2 Dyna S units fail. You just cant beat properly set and maintained points.
Progressive springs in the fork along with gold seal cartridge emulators Stainless brake lines Worked on them when they were new Built one that would pick the front wheel off the ground when you yanked the throttle open at 70mph. RJ
Beautiful indeed!! I'm considering 'one' ...i found 'locally' up here in Canada!! 1975.... wanted to ask ..what is the 'seat' on you GL1000?..doesn't look 'stock'.... Cheers!
@@TheApostleP WoW!! Beautiful Custom Seat! ..i like how it has the 'natural' back rest back there!!..Hopefully i can 'make a deal' with this ( my mistake )...a '76 'Naked' GL1000!!?? Cheers ...your Bike is AWESOME!! Love Your 'TIPS' too!!
Found one w/ 90,000 miles - looks to be unmolested but been in storage a few maybe 3yrs - Probably at least needs a tune up - It's 1977 model & looks nice supposedly well cared for - Wonder what a fair price would be? Seller asking around $3000.00
Thank you for an awesome video. I've looked for the outcome of your trip and haven't found any reports. How did it perform? I'm interested because I was lucky enough to find my own 1977 GL1000. It's not in nearly as good a shape as yours, but I love tinkering and plan to have it on the road come next summer.
Great bike and great tips. I've saved this video for when I get a GL1000. I've got my eye on a couple here in the UK. Love the saddle. Please tell me what make etc? Looks really comfortable
Regarding CC,,you could try a Go Cruise clamp,, it clamps to the throttle and the end rests on the brakes lever,,get from Ali ex,,they are so cheap ,,seems daft not to have one...
It was really good, as I remember. Mostly good weather, but I did catch a bit of rain. The old Wing did well until I was about an hour from home. Fouled a plug, which turned out to be caused by a loose valve adjuster… old bike stuff.
When I got my bike in the late 80s the old owner had modified the exhaust and when riding on some roads the exhaust would rub on the road making the bike uncontrollable. It isn't fun having a big heavy bike uncontrollable in a turn at high speeds so keep the pipes stock.
BTW I gave the bike to a friend and he now rides it with a Collector Licence Plate on it. Also the old owner died in a bad mining accident and his wife couldn't ride his bike again so it sat parked for over 10 years.
Hello, beautiful bike and great tech tips. Would like your advice on lowering the bars. I have a 76 and have removed everything except for the twist grip. Do I have to loosen the cables at the carbs to slide the twist grip off? Any advice or links to 'how to' will be much appreciated.
CHIEFTATELLI If you don’t want to mess with taking the cables ends out of the throttle control, take the bars out of the clamps first, then you’ll be able to move them around as needed to create the slack you’ll need to slide off the throttle tube/control assembly. You might have to take the top of the control assembly completely off, however, as the unit might be pinned to the bar by a small locator. No big deal though.
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quick. I have the bars out of the clamps and the electric control assembly unfastened from the bar but the twist grip will not slide off. Do you think maybe the twist grip was glued to the bar? In any case is it time to get a chunk of wood and a hammer and tap the twist grip off?
CHIEFTATELLI the throttle tube will come off WITH the control assembly. But as I said, the control assembly is probably pinned to the bar for location. Split the top and bottom so you can pull it away from the bar slightly to get the locating pins out of their holes, and then slide off the whole mess.
Ok, so if the pin is on the control assembly and I get it out of the hole on the bar I should be good to go. I still think I will need to tap off the throttle twist grip as it shows no movement with hand pressure. The grips were glued onto the throttle and bar on the left side so I'm thinking they used glue on the throttle also. In any case you have been a huge help and tomorrow I will feel confident to go ahead. I'm getting horizontal for the night, and good night to you too. You have shown to be a real brother in Christ and may He continue to bless you and your family. Mark
CHIEFTATELLI The throttle tube is captive in the control assembly. There is nothing else holding the tube. The whole mess comes off together. Now, if you have inside the bar wires, you have a whole other set of problems. If you do, you might want to let an experienced tech do this job. This requires disconnecting each wire at the other end, and fishing them all out of the old bars, then back into the new ones (if desired), and reconnecting all of them. Not fun.
On your advice I bought coils off a 93 Gl1500. I see in the video you advise to bypass the ballast resistors? Dumb question.How do you bypass the ballast resistors?
Darrell Betts The 1500 could have an internal resistor. If you leave the stand alone stock resistor in the circuit, the ignition is too low voltage, especially at idle, resulting in horrible low rpm driveability. The bypass is just done by running a jumper wire between the two wires that connect to the resistor. It's located right behind the steering tube. Just drop the left side of the shelter, and you'll see it. It's about a 2-3" long hunk of ceramic.
Michael Hollier I believe you can, and the year doesn’t really matter. I believe all 1500’s used an internal resistance coil, which works well with the Dyna ignition and no ballast.
It's inside the very front of the shelter, right behind the steering tube of the frame. I just checked out that site and put in something close to my aftermarket bars and got a forward lean of 5 degrees. I'd say it's pretty close to accurate.
Holy heckin' smokes. I never thought I'd see this bike again.
I'm the guy who owned it right before Robin did. I thought a couple of minor details looked familiar, and once I finished the video that confirmed it.
So... yeah. If you were wondering about any of those oddball mods here and there, I guess I'm the guy to blame. But as stands right now, it looks absolutely fantastic.
Where did you get the wind shield
@@richardbloom7716 10:50 guess you didn't watch
She's a beauty.... 😍
Great Video !! I have had '79 and an "81 Goldwing... now looking for another at the young age of almost 73 years old. Thanks for reminding me how awesome the 1st editions are . Now to find a GL1000, unmolested or not too much. THANKS .. God Bless, Stay Safe.
I own a '77 as well and love it. It has a special place in my heart due to the circumstances in my life. I spent six months restoring mine and have ridden it all over the U.S. Yours looks really great. Thanks for sharing.
just got a gl1100 for $25. went through the carbs twice, did a neon coil, rebuilt starter and now I have a great little bike. Im super excited.
evoL nivleK Little Bike? LOL.
WOW !! Thanks for posting this. I bought one brand new just like yours and loved it. Brings back so many good times to see one again. I put 90k plus miles on it over 6 yrs before selling it due to a life changing event. I had the dealer mount a full Vetter fairing, crash guards to protect the engine, and a luggage rack. I later added lowers to the fairing, a custom seat, highway pegs, a backrest, combo CB/AM-FM radio and electronic ignition (got tired of adjusting the dual points at tune-up time). Best bike I ever owned and I it is the mark I use to measure all other bikes. I owned a 1999 BMW R100RT for about 10 yrs. and liked it a lot but, it just wasn't a "Wing" so,... I recently (about a year ago) acquired a 1993 Goldwing GL1500SE and it is a beast in comparison to anything I've owned before and I'm beginning to warm up to it now that I'm officially an "old man". Keep her rolling and keep the rubber side down.
Beautiful example of that bike. not too often that you see a bike of that year in that condition. Really stood on its own in the universal Japanese bike era where everybody was for the most part making the same bike.
I got out of the Army in 1975 and went to motorcycle mechanic school. Went to work in a Honda shop. As the low man in the shop, I did the pre-deli ery set ups and warranty work. I ended up working on most of the Goldwings the shop sold from 75 to 79. I was making $5 at the time and new Wings were $2,900, but I swore I was going to own one someday. Finally bought my 1977 in 1990 and paid $800 for it. I've had it for 27 years now and I plan to keep until I can no longer ride. You can't beat the 1st Gen Goldwings. Mine is 40 years old and can still run with any cruiser bike on the road
Man, I was born in 1975😄
Thank you so much for all the information you laid out here. I am currently 2 days into a project 1976 GL1000 and I would be lost without this information. The GL1500 coil is brilliant information. No more ballast resistor! A million thank yous good sir.
I'm looking at picking up a 77, needs just about everything shy of a frame, any advice?
1976 model gl 1000 hala sendemi onu kullanıyormusun.Sadece merak ettim.
My dad one of these when i was a kid. still remember going out on it. wish we still had it. great video brings back some great memory's.
50k miles is nothing for a Honda. I have a 93 ST1100 that I have put 212,000 miles on. I'm the only one who has ever worked on it. It still runs and rides like new. Even though I have other motorcycles it is still my main ride. I will be taking it on a 2 week trip out west next month. The challenge we face with older Hondas, as time goes on, is finding parts. I have a set of those Kuryakyn grips on my 08 VFR800. The look a bit weird on a sport bike, but they work.
I restored a 1983 GL1100 6 years ago. Have ridden nearly every day since with routine maintenance. Have also taken numerous road trips on it doing up to 600 miles in a day. I used to be into cruiser style bikes, but, after riding the vintage wing, I will never go back. Just yesterday I bought a 1978 GL1000 for another restoration project.
I found a 1977 GL1000 in the dark blue with 9000 miles! Stored in a shop, I just finished refurbishing it and am waiting on the weather up here in Oregon to ride it. Loved seeing your bike in such nice shape thanks for the video.
Heya Rob! Muncie Indiana here. I finally tracked down an early production run of the first year 1975 GL1000 with just 31,000 miles on the ticker. I plan on doing a full inspection, tune up which will include quite a bit through out this Winter. I'm also the proud owner of a 1973 Honda CB350 Four, 1975 CB125S, One year only 1974 CL200 and lastly a 1978 CM185T Twinstar. Love that you're keeping the old Japanese bikes preserved as I am. Cheers! Zip~
I bought one used in El Paso, TX in 1978. It was sulfur yellow and an absolute dream. You have a stunning Gold Wing. Congratulations.
these old road warriors still look great..and yellow seems to be a rare color..? and does look just stunning to me...hope you still have yours..cheers...
Terrific tribute to the Goldwing. I have recently purchased a 1982 GL 1100 for a very reasonable price and could not be happier!
Would love to see photos of your GL1100 Claude!
Simply beautiful. Pity I cannot get one here in Spain for daily use. Very difficult to find or too expensive. Congrats for so sweet job.
just bought my first gl, 1,000,.its in need of some TLC, and a cdi unit to replace the points.i look forward to many long trips here in uk,and Europe.god bless you and keep you safe on your journey in this life
I'm about to pick one of these up after a 12 year hiatus from riding anything... cut my teeth on mid-'70s CB750s in the late '90s, went through 2 or 3 of them (and about 100,000 miles) until landing on a beemer K100 (my chain maintenance was terrible and shaft drive was a life saver) before I finally broke down and bought a car. This video made my day - can't wait to get back in the saddle of a classic Honda!! Your love for and knowledge of the bike is awesome. I will remember the coils!!
14:35 I'm not the only one, apparently, that get a little verklempt over rusty mirror nuts! Great build and info!
nice bike. one of the best bikes Honda ever made .have a safe trip and enjoy the ride..
I was on a coast to coast motorcycle trip on year and met a group of guys that were on gl1000s and gl1100s all of them had over 300 thousand miles on them , and they were on a long haul too, the guys told me the worse thing is to let them sit so I could tell they ride
Great video!!! Very respectable condition for an old girl like this. I like the seat you have on this beauty. I'm looking at 2 Naked Wings now to buy 1 or both...a 1976 (Yellow) with only 2,500 miles on it in a collection of other bikes... beautiful all-stock except for some minor improvements...Corbin seat...electric fuel pump...and some different cables (has original seat & it's perfect). Also, 1977 (Blue) with 28,000 miles and the owner has 3 early models...selling this one. It has a custom seat that's slightly smaller than the stock seat (leaner looking on the bike) and the guy has gone through the bike (carbs cleaned & synchronized / new belt / all fluids done / heads off & cylinders/pistons checked/new matched set of tires and more that I don't remember)...bike looks to be in real nice condition.'76 is more of a collector's/investment type bike (big $$$s) and '77 would be a rider type and priced realistically (1/2 price of the '76). Would like to buy both...but my common sense tells me to just buy the '77 and ride it! Always liked the "75-'78/'79 naked Wings...never owned one...but in my 50+ years of riding/owning/collecting (at times)...have had over 50 bikes (mainly Big Bore Japanese). Your video has solidified my decision to "pull the trigger" on at least the '77!!! Thanks!
Gorgeous machine. I like new goldwings but this is just beautiful, what a soul.
My dad rocks a naked 1984 GL1000 - last year for them. He bought this bike as the second owner in the late 1980s, then sold it sometime after that, and found the exact same bike (checked VIN) about five years ago and brought it back home. :)
1984 1200 not 1000. 1975 - 1979 are the GL 1000
I bought a '77 Gold Wing, black - just like yours. Kept it about 15 years, but eventually the carbureators caused problems that I was unable to correct. Ended up selling it way too cheap. I've got a 2000 Valkyrie now but have fond memories of that old Gold Wing (when it and me was young).
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Real nice video & great commentary & suggestions. JUST purchased an '81 Goldwing 1100. Not the same as yours, but I'm learning how great these bikes are... Loving mine so far. Excited about the upgrades you suggested.. Thanks for sharing. Hoping your trip to PA was a great success. Take care
Cool bike! My first bike was a brand new 1977 Honda XR75 ( at age 9) and rode the heck out it for years. I still have in my garage and it will fire up in two or three kicks. I got into street bikes finally two years ago, and now ride a 1995 Honda Shadow Ace 1100. Most of my vehicles are American, but there is something about Honda motorcycles. God be with you on your trip.
Hey Rob, first time watching your content. Considering buying a 77 Goldwing with a Vetter fairing. I really like what you have done with your bike. Love your explanation of the bike and your technical improvement suggestions. I believe the bike I am considering has most of those improvements you suggested. Never been crazy about the full dress wings but wow, the naked wing really is something! It is the original muscle bike that Honda had in mind. Just before they realized the CBX. I will let you know if I get it!
Very good advice, thanks. I have a 77 just like yours except in red with 26.7 K miles and Windjammer fairing. Wonderful machine, engine actually smoother than my GL1100.
Just been watching your video I am in Richmond Indiana I have a 1983 gold wing that I’m turning into a café racer. Thanks for the info it will help out.😎🇺🇸🛠
Do you still have this bike? I’m thinking of getting a 1979 GL1000.
Great video! I’ve got new ignition on the way for my 78’ as soon as the video was over!
What a nice bike, it looks like it just came off the show room floor. The bike seems to get the same kind of care that you give your knives, Excellent!!!! Have a very safe trip to PA. and back. God Bless and the Lord's protection.
I'm pretty confident that everything will be fine. Have fun!
Great video! Just sold my Sportster last weekend.
Looking for a new bike. So many great bikes out there.
Taking 'Notes'!! Excellent 'Real Practical' Upgrades!!!!...i have a 'Stock' '76 GL1000...
Love the bike. Seems to be the best for my buck, performance,style and adventure! This looks perfect
Thank you! I'm about to buy a 77 and I learned a couple things here.
great review...my favorite bike was my 1977 flh...i like the old goldwings, they look like a motorcycle...
Thanks for the video mate - can tell you love your Wing! Good practical tips for modifying and looking after it. I have an Aspencade but would love a GL1000 as it's simpler and looks much better.
Great 'suggested' Mechanical. & .'Cosmetic' upgrades! ..will Utilize most of your suggestions on my '76 GL1000. Thanks!
I have a 1995 gl1500 candy maroon
It needs all vacuum lines and a carb rebuild
Still I own goldwing with 64 thousand miles it's a
Good bike nice ride hope your still riding it
i had a 76 and a 78. Great bikes. Both bikes would do what the speedometer said. frame, or chassis flex was an issue at times. it was rare, but a scary condition at high speed while navigating a curve.
Awesome walk through... I kept waiting for a short ride to see it on the road. Checking your other videos now...
No Cigar. Maybe it is time to take us on the road with this classic?
Great Bike!
I have the same make, model and year in candy apple red.
I'll defenitely check out the ignition and carb mods.
If you don't run premium gasoline, do!
It also makes a noticeable difference in rpm smoothness.
My taillight keeps burning a fuse (break light is working normal)because of some mods an earlier owner did to the electric system.
3 mechanics so far could not solve it yet.
Other than that it's awesome!.
Cheers
BB
You bet... Nothing but 93 octane baby!
Honda made these bikes too good , I was going coast to coast one year and ran into 4 guys on these old gold wings and they all had over 300,000 miles , so when I got home I started to look for one and found a 1980 gl 1100 made it naked and love it , this old timer told me you need to ride this and enjoy it so I am
I have the same exact Wing. I'm doing a resurrection/restoration right now. 15k on the odometer. Right now I'm looking for a couple pieces to get it back to stock.
Got a 76 Ltd in Mica, when it's hot it won't start, nerds a starter rebuild, hope to get it sorted in the next year or so
Most likely not the starter. I’ve been through this one. The starters commonly do sort of a soft seize when the bikes is hot, and unless you have an extremely fresh battery, this cull happen. So my suggestion is put in a new high quality battery every year or two... or just wait a few minutes when this happens. It’ll start.
The Rolls-Royce of motorcycles.
Love the older bikes. Keep the rubber side down and have a safe trip.
Rob, Any updates to your trip? How did the bike do on the trip? My wife and I rode our 1986 Suzuki Cavalcade GV1400, 5000 miles over the span of 12 days back in 2015 without a problem.
Great looking bike Rob! I've got a 77' cb750 myself.. They don't make em like they used to.
@garrettmiklautz175 :
True , my brother inlaw sold to me T250J &
bought a 71 cb750 he
said , it was fast & fault
free & sold because of the miles he racked up
& got series one Gold
Wing 1000 , again loving
the cruising in UK &
Europe sold it & went
back to cb750/4 & he
hated it wanted his old
750 back because it was a much better bike .
I want a GT750 bottle
Love the 2 stroke smell
it gets me high , lol 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😁😁
What a beautiful machine.
This was an invaluable video thx for making it! I just found out today that a lady I work with, her husband has a 77 Goldwing that has just say in their garage for the past 25 years! And she told me that she talked to her husband and they just want it gone so I’m getting it for free!! :)))) so gonna go check it out this week so this video will come in very handy!! 💯👍🏻🇨🇦
smalltownmoto 1 👍👍👍😎😎😎
Did you get it running??
HI Rob after watching your video I pulled the trigger on an immaculate 76 ltd 1000 with 9000 miles...really love your set up and plan on using some of the same products that you used.I was going to restomod it, but after finding out they only made 2000 of them and I just couldn't molest that bike and ruin such a classic so I guess I will have to purchase another one. I spend time in northeast Indiana (Ft Wayne) maybe we will cross paths
Frederick Lovell Great score, Fred!!! What a fine motorcycle. Those Ltd's are pretty special.
Hey Rob thanks for your response...I am truly blessed to be able to become a keeper of a classic...could you please give me the model of the slipstream...I think I may have found the model but unsure...also when you moved the tail winkers did you have to make any additional holes in your bike
I had a 76 and it came with a fairing, the bike was bright yellow, I got the bike in 85 and wished I had put it in storage and taken it out now, in 2018 and started riding it again, I rode it when I got it five years then life happened and I had to garage it, I sure wish I had it now. I just bought a well used 2009 BMW 1200rt and I've got to learn to ride again but the bike seems to be idling to high, have to call Houston BMW for info on it, this bike is about the same weight as the Wing.
Picked one of these up. Cheap. Better fairing, Hondaline racks/hard shell bags and all. Sweet deal. It came with an electronic ignition. Seems to run decent. Need to upgrade coils. And going to redo all brake lines with stainless. Other than that, I'm loving this bike after 4 years. Makes a good amount of power. 3rd gear is tall with lots of propulsion 😁
Great bike. I’ve got the same one in blue. Thx for sharing your tips. And thx for including a few words from the scriptures.
I owned a 1976 Limited addition Gold wing with the gold anodized wheels of witch only 2000 of them were produced! one of which is in the show room of Bob Lanphiers Honda shop in Tigard Oregon!! Rode that bike from Oregon clear back to Iowa and back, several times into Canada and back and several times to Reno and back, unfortunately it burnt to the ground in a garage fire 😩
Where did you get the wind shield
Follow up from three years ago... Bike runs great. I put 10,000 miles on it my first summer and about 7000 miles the last two summers. I have the matching blue Windjammer which is fantastic for my GL riding, but I want to try some 3-inch bars and a Slip Stream so I can ride without the weight of that Windjammer. My primary drive chain makes a little noise, and there is no telling how many actual miles are on it. No smoke, no leaks. Beautiful machine. Did you ever change your front fork seals? I'm asking because when I ordered seals, I got two different sets from two different dealers, and neither of them knew which side of the seals went up/down in the tube :) - - I just saw that I have the last three comments on your video. One is 7 years old!! That was when I was in the sentimental stage, reminiscing about my first wing. Four years later, I bought my current one after I commented on the carb manual. I might pull my engine and see if I can rebuild it. Runs very good but that primary drive chain pokes me in my OCD gland.
hello i have a 78 gl1000 and am outfitting it just like your bike could you tell me what model windshield that is on your bike i love that
Thanks for sharing your GL1000 wisdom.
beautiful bike, own a mint standard 1100, we have to keep these older standard wings going
hello, where can you buy such side and seat bags and do they fit the older type of seat? Best wishes
Loooooooooooove those Cicadas’s sound!!!!!❤❤❤
The carb manual, how do you spell that URL? Randax? Randex? Can't find it and sure need it. I'm about to buy a 78 that has been parked for 25 years :)... oh, its in the description box. duh
How much is it?
That’s the exact one I had with Vetter fairing and saddle trunks.
It would have been nice to see you sitting on the bike. I'm about 5'9" tall with a 29" pants inseam measurement. I believe the stock seats on those old Goldwings were about 32" high. That means I can't put both feet flat on the ground. Did that aftermarket seat lower the height any? If you have shorter legs like me, what did you do to be able to hold the bike up at stop lights.
This is my worry, as I'm shorter than most at around 5'8" & 140lbs..
I know my grandfather has always been my size, and had a blue '75 GL like the one I just bought.
I think the flat seat on these make them a bit easier to manage..
The seat is flat but, unfortunately, it is also WIDER than most motorcycle seats. So, the farther the seat forces your legs apart the less ability to drop your feet straight down to the ground. The wide seat takes away ANOTHER inch or two of being able to reach the ground with both legs at the same time. I'm afraid folks like us have to be one-legged Goldwing riders. We have to lean the bike in order to get one foot on the ground.
Dude 😮 what is that load back ground noise during the entire video?
Hi, interesting you should comment on the coils. I owned a '75 Wing "pre-notloved" in the '80s. Sydney, Australia, whenever it rained, or sometimes whenever it looked like it was going to rain, it (the bike!) would miss & stumble. I was very young/broke then, and always thought it was ignition related. Now I know.
As an aside, you have rekindled an interest I had forgotten I had !! And thank you for the tips/knowledge you have imparted. Now the other interesting thing will be to try and find one in tiny ol' New Zealand.
nice liking bike, is parts hard to get for the bike now. I had few bikes when I was younger. Looking to buy bike that's easy to ride long distance.
If you still have this bike, I hope you kept all the stock parts.
Went to Slipstreamer's website and they offer many solutions for the GL1000. Do you recall which one you purchased? I have a slick 75 GL1000 and want to finish it off with a windshield.
I use to own a 1977 Goldwing. If you get one that has been parked for a while and you can't get it into gear remember they have a wet clutch. Put it on the centre stand and get the back tire off the ground. With the bike running and the back tire off the ground slowly let the clutch out. You will see the tire start to move. Work the clutch in and out until the back tire moves at full speed. Most bike repair shops will bill you for a new clutch at big bucks$$$$.
I like your video. I've loved the 1000s since college days. You should go back and read all the old articles and ads though. The GL1000 was not Hondas answer to the FLH or any BMW. Its original purpose was performance. The '75 had bigger carbs and hotter cans and Mr. Honda's answer to the Kawasaki Z1. Americans immediately started bolting on fairings and saddlebags and sealed the fait of this would be performance bike.
On another subject. I've had 2 Dyna S units fail. You just cant beat properly set and maintained points.
Progressive springs in the fork along with gold seal cartridge emulators
Stainless brake lines
Worked on them when they were new
Built one that would pick the front wheel off the ground when you yanked the throttle open at 70mph.
RJ
uh huh
That's a well tuned engine! Were drilled discs standard in 1977?
Beautiful indeed!! I'm considering 'one' ...i found 'locally' up here in Canada!! 1975.... wanted to ask ..what is the 'seat' on you GL1000?..doesn't look 'stock'.... Cheers!
gungfuriceboy That seat is a one off custom by the wife of a local GL rebuilder/restorer. She did a great job on this one.
@@TheApostleP WoW!! Beautiful Custom Seat! ..i like how it has the 'natural' back rest back there!!..Hopefully i can 'make a deal' with this ( my mistake )...a '76 'Naked' GL1000!!?? Cheers ...your Bike is AWESOME!! Love Your 'TIPS' too!!
Found one for 300 bucks, needs just about everything but a frame, any advice?
Found one w/ 90,000 miles - looks to be unmolested but been in storage a few maybe 3yrs - Probably at least needs a tune up - It's 1977 model & looks nice supposedly well cared for - Wonder what a fair price would be? Seller asking around $3000.00
Thank you for an awesome video. I've looked for the outcome of your trip and haven't found any reports. How did it perform? I'm interested because I was lucky enough to find my own 1977 GL1000. It's not in nearly as good a shape as yours, but I love tinkering and plan to have it on the road come next summer.
I just got one for 125 I need help fixing it
Great bike and great tips. I've saved this video for when I get a GL1000. I've got my eye on a couple here in the UK. Love the saddle. Please tell me what make etc? Looks really comfortable
It’s a custom made by the mechanic’s wife.
@@TheApostleP OMG! I like to see the rest of the saddle if possible? And how do I get one?!!
How can I get my 79 Goldwing to start I put a new battery on my bike and it won't start up
Regarding CC,,you could try a Go Cruise clamp,, it clamps to the throttle and the end rests on the brakes lever,,get from Ali ex,,they are so cheap ,,seems daft not to have one...
I liked it man I'm with yeah should be routine a trip like the one to PA , I have a 79' it's blue
How was the 600 mile trip on the 1977 Goldwing?
It was really good, as I remember. Mostly good weather, but I did catch a bit of rain. The old Wing did well until I was about an hour from home. Fouled a plug, which turned out to be caused by a loose valve adjuster… old bike stuff.
Votre moto est juste MAGNIFIQUE!
I'm looking at buying one, how's the parts availability on them these days?
When I got my bike in the late 80s the old owner had modified the exhaust and when riding on some roads the exhaust would rub on the road making the bike uncontrollable. It isn't fun having a big heavy bike uncontrollable in a turn at high speeds so keep the pipes stock.
BTW I gave the bike to a friend and he now rides it with a Collector Licence Plate on it. Also the old owner died in a bad mining accident and his wife couldn't ride his bike again so it sat parked for over 10 years.
Slylark GS with a 455...perfect description.
I finally bought a 1977 Honda goldwing gl1000 for a really great deal
Hello, beautiful bike and great tech tips. Would like your advice on lowering the bars. I have a 76 and have removed everything except for the twist grip. Do I have to loosen the cables at the carbs to slide the twist grip off? Any advice or links to 'how to' will be much appreciated.
CHIEFTATELLI If you don’t want to mess with taking the cables ends out of the throttle control, take the bars out of the clamps first, then you’ll be able to move them around as needed to create the slack you’ll need to slide off the throttle tube/control assembly. You might have to take the top of the control assembly completely off, however, as the unit might be pinned to the bar by a small locator. No big deal though.
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quick. I have the bars out of the clamps and the electric control assembly unfastened from the bar but the twist grip will not slide off. Do you think maybe the twist grip was glued to the bar? In any case is it time to get a chunk of wood and a hammer and tap the twist grip off?
CHIEFTATELLI the throttle tube will come off WITH the control assembly. But as I said, the control assembly is probably pinned to the bar for location. Split the top and bottom so you can pull it away from the bar slightly to get the locating pins out of their holes, and then slide off the whole mess.
Ok, so if the pin is on the control assembly and I get it out of the hole on the bar I should be good to go. I still think I will need to tap off the throttle twist grip as it shows no movement with hand pressure.
The grips were glued onto the throttle and bar on the left side so I'm thinking they used glue on the throttle also.
In any case you have been a huge help and tomorrow I will feel confident to go ahead.
I'm getting horizontal for the night, and good night to you too. You have shown to be a real brother in Christ and may He continue to bless you and your family.
Mark
CHIEFTATELLI The throttle tube is captive in the control assembly. There is nothing else holding the tube. The whole mess comes off together. Now, if you have inside the bar wires, you have a whole other set of problems. If you do, you might want to let an experienced tech do this job. This requires disconnecting each wire at the other end, and fishing them all out of the old bars, then back into the new ones (if desired), and reconnecting all of them. Not fun.
On your advice I bought coils off a 93 Gl1500. I see in the video you advise to bypass the ballast resistors? Dumb question.How do you bypass the ballast resistors?
Darrell Betts The 1500 could have an internal resistor. If you leave the stand alone stock resistor in the circuit, the ignition is too low voltage, especially at idle, resulting in horrible low rpm driveability. The bypass is just done by running a jumper wire between the two wires that connect to the resistor. It's located right behind the steering tube. Just drop the left side of the shelter, and you'll see it. It's about a 2-3" long hunk of ceramic.
What was the name of the shop you had your seat done at?
Do you still have this bike? Interested in selling it?
My 82 gl1100 has the old coils can I replace them with the (what year) 1500 coils? & by pass my ballast resistors? Thanks mike from the west coast
Michael Hollier I believe you can, and the year doesn’t really matter. I believe all 1500’s used an internal resistance coil, which works well with the Dyna ignition and no ballast.
Thank you for responding so fast. I will do that on mine as I want all my project bikes to be reliable on long rides. Hava great day.
Michael Hollier I
Where are the ballast resistors located?
What is your upper-body lean angle? cycle-ergo.com shows 0 degrees, but it isn't always accurate.
It's inside the very front of the shelter, right behind the steering tube of the frame. I just checked out that site and put in something close to my aftermarket bars and got a forward lean of 5 degrees. I'd say it's pretty close to accurate.
+TheApostleP How tall are you? I'm looking for something that would fit me better than your typical UJM. I'm 6' 1".