Ways to improve the GL1000 Document?

[cfairweather]

Delete

[dontwantapickle]

electric fuel pumps and electronic ignitions make a lot of older motorcycles run better.

[Sidecar Bob]

1. Or change to a GL1100 starter motor that is short enough to come out.

2. I find this hard to believe because when you remove the clutch cover very little oil comes out.

3. When the starter clutch starts making noise it is usually because the springs have compressed and need to be replaced. I haven't had many of them apart but the ones I've seen were oily enough.

4. having removable sections on both sides shouldn't be necessary but someone who likes to do that sort of thing could change the frame so that the removable section is on the right.

8. I think you mean mechanical, not manual. I have left mine for a week at a time and, while it may take a second or 3 of cranking it isn't enough to worry about. If you are really concerned you might consider adding a snowmobile type primer bulb.

9. Many people have trouble putting much lighter bikes onto centre stands if they don't use the correct technique.
I can't speak with authority about the 1000 but I always found it harder to get my 1100 off the stand than onto it.
10. The original ignition system is connected directly to the switched power (black wire) that is only protected by the main fuse (this is the same for the 1000 with points and the 1100 with electronic ignition). It would probably be safe to connect an aftermarket system directly too but an inline fuse in the power wire works if you are concerned.

11. The wires will flex when the handlebars are turned but if they are routed correctly they shouldn't pull. If you were to route the wires from the switch assemblies to the headlight those wires wouldn't have to flex when you steer but the ones in the main harness would so you would only be moving the problem to a different location.

12. This is not dumb. It is useful to be able to crank the engine without powering the ignition system for some diagnostic testing and if you run out of fuel and have to use the fuel pump to fill the carbs the battery won't run down so fast.

13. They already have temperature gauges.

[Lucien Harpress]

Some good stuff here, and some good addendums. I don't have much to add, but from what I got:

11. That whole mess of wiring connections on the left front of the shelter should actually have a large rubber boot that goes over it. It pulls double duty of protecting the wires from the shelter side, and making it look much more attractive, while still being able to access those connects if need be.

12. exists as sort of a function of 8. Priming empty carb bowls by cranking the engine was basically expected of a normal startup procedure of a bike that had sat a while, so being able to do without the added battery load of running the ignition system was the solution. Your are right that an electric fuel pump eliminates this, and they are quite nice. But the kill switch shenaniganery is not a bug, it's a feature.

100% agree with 5 and 6, though.

[cfairweather]

As usual, Bob is full of encouragement. My list of things to improve were things that I identified with the GL1000 and I have a lot of experience with this bike. The list was intended to get people to think about things they would like to see changed and add to the list, not change my list. Obviously, everyone has there own ideas of what they think should be improved, and that is great, because the reader can decide for themselves if they would like to make that particular change or not. I notice you have nothing to add, but you do love to criticize.

[dontwantapickle]

It's a 48 year old motorcycle.
I guess I really don't mind the points, carburetors, etc. because that's how the bike was originally designed to work.

If I had one criticism of the Bike, I think that they should have designed in a oil dipstick.

In the half a century since the inception of the gl1000, improvements have of course been made to internal combustion engines.
Some of the latter technology EI, fuel injection, ect. can be fitted, and sure, why not. A tinkerer is going to tinker!

Is it absolutely necessary?

Kinda off topic But...
2 weeks ago I helped do some work on an old Ford maverick. We had to take the exhaust off to get the starter motor out.
Not that big of a deal.
How often does the starter motor need to come out anyways?

[Sidecar Bob]

As usual, Bob is full of encouragement. My list of things to improve were things that I identified with the GL1000 and I have a lot of experience with this bike. The list was intended to get people to think about things they would like to see changed and add to the list, not change my list. Obviously, everyone has there own ideas of what they think should be improved, and that is great, because the reader can decide for themselves if they would like to make that particular change or not. I notice you have nothing to add, but you do love to criticize.

I meant only to tell you that some of the things on your list either shouldn't be "fixed", aren't worth bothering with or there are already simple ways to deal with them. I thought that was adding something.