1976 GL1000 - goldwing - good bike?

[psycoreefer]

I've got a chance to pick up a non-running GL1000. its naked. Any thoughts on how it compares to an xs? Good bike?

[olebiker]

I had a 78. It worked ok they are pretty hard to kill. They sure don't handle like an XS. In fact they handle like crap. But they make cheap reliable transportation.

[Jerry]

On a bike this old everything depends on how it was treated and the maintenance history. Generally they were a good bike.

[Ken Talbot]

Re: 1976 GL1000 - goldwing - good bike?

Originally posted by psycoreefer
I've got a chance to pick up a non-running GL1000. its naked. Any thoughts on how it compares to an xs? Good bike?

A few years back I picked up an '81 Goldwing Standard It was a sweet bike, even if it did not have the flat-out performance of the XS11.

I rode it for a while, and it was okay, but I could not bring myself to hang onto it. For me, this would have meant having to learn the ins and out of a water cooled motor, having to pick up a bike for spare parts, etc, etc. As pretty as this bike was, I just never got really attached to it.

I ended up swapping it for a much worse condition 'H that SWMBO adopted as hers, and which we customized fairly heavily into her ride .

[Roy Bean]

In a word NO. Those early Goldwings can be a pain.
You are in real trouble if the stator goes bad.
The float needles in after market carb kits are too sloppy and they are generally a pain to tune.
Just my oppinion.
I turned one down for a hundred bucks. Roy

[psycoreefer]

Thanks for the input guys, I went to look at it and offered 150. They were asking 600. It would have probably been a money pit, no front brakes on the bike, seat was hacked, rear fender was hacked, no signal lights, no visible wires for signal lights. Non-running. The guy turned down my offer but I left my phone number. I think they look cool but I'm not going to spend a lot on something that needs that much work.

[kf4anm]

When introduced in 1975 the gl100 was truely meant to be a lean mean street machine. The 75 and 76 version is the hottest of the 1000. it was detuned slightly in 78-79 then transitioned to the 1100 in 1980. Like anything else if properly maintained its a beast. I own a 78 naked and a 83 1100 dressed. It just so worked out that once people started dressing it that the goldwing emerged as the most successful touring bike ever produced. They stopped offering the standard version in 1984. I

[wa407mpp]

One of the old repair manuals had a chapter on adapting them for a side car, I always thought that if I went with a hack, that would be the way. It's funny how old becomes new again, I've been seeing a lot more sidecars lately. There's a guy around here, with a flatbed hack on his adventure bike, that he uses to haul his kayak, We're a bit different here in Port Townsend.

[gearhead76]

If your looking at an old goldwing go to this site http://www.randakks.com/ He's an expert on the old goldwings, plus he sells great parts and reasonable prices. The only place to get good carbs sets.
I had 2 77 goldwings. and they were a blast. they handle great with that low center of gravity. and they were a sporty bike the power band is up at 6 grand.
The carbs are a pain but if you go to randakks site there's all kinds of tips and tricks he has for you to do and they work great.

[JACKHAMMER01]

The Gold Wings will never be able to compete with the XS/XJ's as far as power goes, because the GL is a different beast. It's like comparing apples to oranges, both are fruit, just different.

I currently own 2 XS1100's, a 1979F-Custom and a 1980 Special that my wife rides on a daily basis. Love them both, even if the 80 is still completely stock! (My wife refuses to let me modify it!)

I also own 4 GoldWings: 1975 GL1000 Standard, 1976 GL1000 Standard, 1986 GL1200 Interstate, and a 1983 GL1100 Aspencade, which is the one I ride daily.

Here is a great site for GoldWing history and info and tips, etc:

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/index.html

Randakks site is also excellant, especially for the GL100.

[wa407mpp]

The original Goldwings were meant to be Honda's next step up the muscle bike ladder, until someone decided they were better as touring bikes, probably Kreg Vetter, Kind of like Buicks they made some hot cars, but people only remember grampa's Roadmaster.

[Bob Falter]

Ask Brent. Brent are you out there? Someone need your help.

Bob

[Brent]

Whining

Originally posted by Bob Falter
Ask Brent. Brent are you out there? Someone need your help.

Bob

OK. Bob I know you have heard this and more, but I will repeat for some others. I own a beautiful 83 Black GL1100 interstate. Matching side car on it was put on XS1100 for a while.

My GL1100 motor is bad - valve broke off. hole in top of piston cracked cylinder wall. Parts are HIGH (and this coming from a Harley rider/owner) Side car miles do put about twice the wear on a bike, but this is the second motor that has gone bad for me on this bike in about 5000 miles of use. I replaced first bad motor myself in about 3 weeks from a 83 aspencade parts bike I bought.

Hard to work on. 5 hours shop time to pull the motor. 5 hours to put it back.
if the starter goes bad
if starter clutch,pins, springs or rollers goes bad
if the Stator goes bad
if the vacume advance unit goes bad
Pull the motor out for any of the above.

Removing gas tank requires dissambly of the back half of the bike.
Getting to the radiator cap is a 12 bolt job on my goldwing.

Another frequent problem causing the stator to go bad is the plug with 3 yellow wires located directly under the battery vent tube. Any battery acid or fumes from a cracked vent tube causes this connection to corrode, Anywhere else would be a better place to design the location of this connection.

"Adjustable windshield" is tricky too. If you loosen screws to move it, nuts fall off lost down inside fairing

If you stuff left saddle bag, it buldges pressing on brake calliper wearing brake and rotor. Try to find a used rear rotor. used from junk yard they were much higher than brand new HD rotors and very few left.

And 398 lb load carrying capacity for a dressed touring bike? compare to XS 11 special at about 500

Some of their design engineering does not impress me.

I just do not like it anymore, yet I see many still on the road. I am happy for the other owners, but I do not know how they do it.

On the gold wing lists low torque of earlier models is mentioned. The 1500 may be the best of the series.

I believe that your work and $ would be better spent on an XS, but if you like the oldwings...Make me an offer and bring big trailer.

[psycoreefer]

thanks for that insight. I'm glad I let it go. Just today I saw the same bike back on craigslist by a different guy for 350. He says he got it to "restore" and doesn't think he will have the time and money now. I'm betting it has some major issues and he wants to dump it. He lists some parts it will need to be "streetable" and totaling up the e-bay cost of those alone is about 1000, plus time and whatever he's not telling. 1300+ for a rough looking 76, no thanks!

I was looking for another 11 for SWMBO but she says she'd rather have a shadow, but bigger then the one she has now. Don't ask me why cuz I don't know, I mean they are solid bikes but I'd much rather ride my 11 then her shadow any day, does everything better except look pretty sitting at the lights. And well I can fix that with some time.

[kf4anm]

if you want to unload that handicapped 83 let me know. I have an 83 interstate myself. I've rode the piss out of it and it still keeps trucking. Indy to fla and back 3 times loaded to the gills. Me and the hef togehter are 500 easy and it doesn't sweat it with a full luggage load.

cheers