I started poking around in NGWClub because my son and I started looking for a winter project bike and kept running across 1100s and 1200s as candidates. (GL1000s are just too rich for our blood - at least here in Maine.) The goal has been some naked, light custom GW.
About two months ago, we scooped up an '83 Interstate GL1100 with about 50k. The bike wasn't running, but it was clear the seller had put a good bit into it. As he said, "It ran when I got it three years ago." He had done the fork seals, put brand new tires (Michelin Commander II on the rear) on, and was pretty deep into a not-very-good rattle can respray when he decided he was done with it. We saw the effort and energy and figured he couldn't be full of...
$200 and we loaded it on a trailer and headed home with high hopes.
Following Randakk's recommendations on starting after a long lay up, we had the bike started within a week of occasional work. She was rough at first, major exhaust leaks, and coughing/sputtering/smoking, especially on startup and when coming off the revs. We stripped the fairing, bags. You know. (I imagine putting the side bags back on; my son, not so much.) We have yet to put it under load, as all three calipers need a rebuild and the rear master has a leak that we have yet to dig into. In the coolant flush work, we find a wobbly water pump impeller, so that's now on the to-do list. On the center stand, we have run it through a couple gears - gently.
Given the goal of a Naked Wing, we got on the hunt for the Standard front light/signals. Lo and behold, CL coughs up an '83 Standard ad by a guy parting out a bike: "call for parts needs." I call, ask about the headlight, ears, signals, and he asks me how he's supposed to get them off. I tell him, he reports that it's a lot of work to take those off. For $200, I can have the whole bike.
I'm there with a trailer in 48 hours. Now we have a donor bike that is becoming more valuable every time we discover something else our build needs. (I briefly dreamed we'd put that donor on the road in a year or so, but then I discovered that the crankcase took a hit at some point and has a nasty gash. Oil in, oil out.) The exhaust looks promising, but we'll need to get it off and give it a good look before we know what's up there.
NGWClub has been super, super helpful over the last 6 weeks or so. Thanks a ton!
My son is a high school senior. Working on the flat 4 reminds me of my own high school days, when I drove a '65 Beetle. (I commented to him that his work adjusting the GoldWing valves sitting on a stool in the shed was so much simpler than my work laying on my back on cold pavement under the rear fender of my VW.
That's our introduction! Once we get photo privileges, we'll post some pics. It isn't the prettiest, but it's getting better every week.
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for Dad/
