Full Carbon Fibre GL1000 Goldwing
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- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Full Carbon Fibre GL1000 Goldwing
Hello all,
I have found this forum to be the most useful of all the old goldwing forums and so wanted to share my learning and modification experience. I will endevour to post references back to the relevant threads whenever I get to sections where I used forum info.
First of all its best to start with the motivation. I enjoy sports and muscle bikes but as I have got a little older I've found myself tending to rebuilding older bikes in an attempt to resurrect machinery that otherwise may have been no too far from the scrap heap or being stripped out for parts. This has the added advantage that often these bikes come at a fraction of the cost of newer models and when finished might be a little rarer than a more modern modified bike ( I won't get going on the disadvantages as they are more plentiful than the advantages). Unique engine configurations interest me and that is how the final choice came down to a beaten old ducati 600SS (which looked like it had been crashed a few times, driven off a cliff then set fire to) or a more loved old goldwing that was just a few decades shy of any proper maintenance. The GL won due to the distinct flat four engine note that reminded me of my first car an old 71 beetle. Despite the will to modify I am somewhat of a purist and would not be OK with chopping or changing too much a pristine example of an older or rare machine, hence the rectification of scrap mentality.
The will to cast all of the body and non load bearing parts out of carbon fibre comes as I am trying to make some decent, lightweight load bearing snow shoes for guests to use at my house in the mountains and so need more practice, making molds, working with raw High Density twill weave and setting in resin.
Finally, I am a car park mechanic. I have no vice, minimal tools, no machinery other than a dremel and have to make do in some cases if trying to keep costs down. In that respect I try and live like an original and true cafe racers builder. Making do with what I have and doing my best to shed weight and customise what I already have.
This build has already burst the budget a bit so I may be failing...........
ANyway, the starting point, a true outback bush bike, bought from the hills of Perth from a genuine friendly fellow. I bet it would have some stories to tell if it could talk.
I have found this forum to be the most useful of all the old goldwing forums and so wanted to share my learning and modification experience. I will endevour to post references back to the relevant threads whenever I get to sections where I used forum info.
First of all its best to start with the motivation. I enjoy sports and muscle bikes but as I have got a little older I've found myself tending to rebuilding older bikes in an attempt to resurrect machinery that otherwise may have been no too far from the scrap heap or being stripped out for parts. This has the added advantage that often these bikes come at a fraction of the cost of newer models and when finished might be a little rarer than a more modern modified bike ( I won't get going on the disadvantages as they are more plentiful than the advantages). Unique engine configurations interest me and that is how the final choice came down to a beaten old ducati 600SS (which looked like it had been crashed a few times, driven off a cliff then set fire to) or a more loved old goldwing that was just a few decades shy of any proper maintenance. The GL won due to the distinct flat four engine note that reminded me of my first car an old 71 beetle. Despite the will to modify I am somewhat of a purist and would not be OK with chopping or changing too much a pristine example of an older or rare machine, hence the rectification of scrap mentality.
The will to cast all of the body and non load bearing parts out of carbon fibre comes as I am trying to make some decent, lightweight load bearing snow shoes for guests to use at my house in the mountains and so need more practice, making molds, working with raw High Density twill weave and setting in resin.
Finally, I am a car park mechanic. I have no vice, minimal tools, no machinery other than a dremel and have to make do in some cases if trying to keep costs down. In that respect I try and live like an original and true cafe racers builder. Making do with what I have and doing my best to shed weight and customise what I already have.
This build has already burst the budget a bit so I may be failing...........
ANyway, the starting point, a true outback bush bike, bought from the hills of Perth from a genuine friendly fellow. I bet it would have some stories to tell if it could talk.
Last edited by Hoops on Mon Oct 06, 2014 3:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
First post in and loving the functionality of the forum already. Most other forums require such compressed images that links or URLs to photobucket or other sites much be used.
- wingless1
- Silver Member
- Posts: 520
- Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:40 am
- Location: grand falls, nb, canada
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
welcome to the forum, and nice beginning to the thread!
Looking forward to seeing what you make of the bike you bought-if it's the one in your avatar, it ought to be a great tale!
Looking forward to seeing what you make of the bike you bought-if it's the one in your avatar, it ought to be a great tale!
1975 GL1000, '13 beta 300rr, '? ct110, '82 kz440ltd, '84 vf750f, cm185t
gone and missed: xs650, cb650sc, ts400, drz400s
gone and missed: xs650, cb650sc, ts400, drz400s
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
I should also say at this point that in my keen building vigor in the last few weeks I haven't taken many photos of the build so far, as I used NGW more and more I thought i'd write a build thread but now I have started I will endevour to take more images.
The ride home went ok, the most obvious problems were:
The starter motor button was gone and there was a screw soldered to a piece of wire that had to be poked into a hole to start the bike. This was fine when starting in a controlled place but when I stalled the bikes in a rain storm at some lights it was tricky to restart in a hurry.
The brakes whilst not exactly as tight as a modern bike were functioning but very poorly. It concerned me a little when the previous owner squirted WD-40 on the discs and pads to get the bike moving saying the brakes worked well but were a little ceased from the bike standing. I took it on the chin as something to fix after the ride home before any more riding was to be done and went very cautiously braking well in advance of any junctions or lights and getting the wife to follow me in the car to protect my behind from any fast approaching traffic.
There was an oil leak, sometimes a puddle after a few hours, sometimes only a drip after a few days, because the entire engine was caked in red dirt and oily red dirt it was near impossible to ascertain where it was coming from.
I ordered the following main parts upon riding home
Randakks carb overhaul kit- carbs were running fine but looked like the black death and always good to have a look in there as a precaution
Sabre cycles brake overhaul kit
Hel red steel braided brake lines kit front and back
Cam belts
Randakks spin on filter conversion kit
Sabre cycles water pump and front engine gasket set
Top of engine gasket set
In addition i ordered quite a few parts for the customisation from Dime city cycles and other sources including Tarozzi clip ons, Acewell digital speedo/ tacho, LED indicators tail light and headlight, Aluminium Foot pegs etc etc.
The ride home went ok, the most obvious problems were:
The starter motor button was gone and there was a screw soldered to a piece of wire that had to be poked into a hole to start the bike. This was fine when starting in a controlled place but when I stalled the bikes in a rain storm at some lights it was tricky to restart in a hurry.
The brakes whilst not exactly as tight as a modern bike were functioning but very poorly. It concerned me a little when the previous owner squirted WD-40 on the discs and pads to get the bike moving saying the brakes worked well but were a little ceased from the bike standing. I took it on the chin as something to fix after the ride home before any more riding was to be done and went very cautiously braking well in advance of any junctions or lights and getting the wife to follow me in the car to protect my behind from any fast approaching traffic.
There was an oil leak, sometimes a puddle after a few hours, sometimes only a drip after a few days, because the entire engine was caked in red dirt and oily red dirt it was near impossible to ascertain where it was coming from.
I ordered the following main parts upon riding home
Randakks carb overhaul kit- carbs were running fine but looked like the black death and always good to have a look in there as a precaution
Sabre cycles brake overhaul kit
Hel red steel braided brake lines kit front and back
Cam belts
Randakks spin on filter conversion kit
Sabre cycles water pump and front engine gasket set
Top of engine gasket set
In addition i ordered quite a few parts for the customisation from Dime city cycles and other sources including Tarozzi clip ons, Acewell digital speedo/ tacho, LED indicators tail light and headlight, Aluminium Foot pegs etc etc.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Thanks wingless, Its going OK. I'm keen to get riding it again and give back a little to the forum for all the intricate knowledge it has presented. I also have some parts that I will post from the old girl back into the community when the time comes.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Whilst I have the photos up on this page, I'm keen to know anymore about rickman and the polaris faring as fitted to my wing if anyone knows?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickman_Motorcycles
I have googled and read about rickman in the 70's but not sure if they were that global or just confined to the UK. Tourers were never that huge back there (relative to N. America) so I can only imagine that they made polaris farings for the N. American market mostly and mine found its way down to Aus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickman_Motorcycles
I have googled and read about rickman in the 70's but not sure if they were that global or just confined to the UK. Tourers were never that huge back there (relative to N. America) so I can only imagine that they made polaris farings for the N. American market mostly and mine found its way down to Aus.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Anyway, de-greaser was the call of the day to find that oil leak and after a few cans I started to get the cm (in places) thick layer of crud off the casing and see shiny aluminium beneath.
I was still unable to pinpoint the exact leak and the oil kept coming out to the point where i wondered how much oil could be in the thing.
Eventually, after some forum research and a look through the haynes manual I found this useful thread not on this forum but hopefully its ok to ref?
http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7005
I then realised I was in for the engine cover job for sure and not just as a precaution so off I went for prepping for that. Using Randakks guide
http://www.randakksblog.com/water-pump- ... #more-1093
Whilst waiting for parts to arrived I got going with the brakes. It was a straightforward removal of mater cylinder front and back and callipers then spliting of the callipers to remove the slave cylinders (wish I had taken some photos).
I had expected the ceasing brakes to be due to crystallised fluid in the system (front was binding, rear was barely working) but after removing the lines, reservoirs and the front junction box with the switch housing I found nothing but fluid. This was why i decided to split the calipers and see what was going on. I found a very light and slight layer of oxidation on the bearing surface of the slaves in one of the front calipers and the rear caliper that was causing the fronts to not retract when the brake lever was released and the rear to not push out when the brake pedal was pushed. I cleaned with chemical cleaner and then lightly polished the oxidation out with 2000 emery paper.
I the replace the internal seals, flushed all of the ducts using air from my bike pump and reassembled after painting in a fetching red color.
After reassembling the lines, connecting the switches and refilling with fluid i finally had a freewheeling old rustbucket with positive brakes.
It was at this point the body disassembley began
HOLD-Insert photo of all removed parts
I am up in the pilbarra desert at work at the moment but will update some images when I get home.
I was still unable to pinpoint the exact leak and the oil kept coming out to the point where i wondered how much oil could be in the thing.
Eventually, after some forum research and a look through the haynes manual I found this useful thread not on this forum but hopefully its ok to ref?
http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7005
I then realised I was in for the engine cover job for sure and not just as a precaution so off I went for prepping for that. Using Randakks guide
http://www.randakksblog.com/water-pump- ... #more-1093
Whilst waiting for parts to arrived I got going with the brakes. It was a straightforward removal of mater cylinder front and back and callipers then spliting of the callipers to remove the slave cylinders (wish I had taken some photos).
I had expected the ceasing brakes to be due to crystallised fluid in the system (front was binding, rear was barely working) but after removing the lines, reservoirs and the front junction box with the switch housing I found nothing but fluid. This was why i decided to split the calipers and see what was going on. I found a very light and slight layer of oxidation on the bearing surface of the slaves in one of the front calipers and the rear caliper that was causing the fronts to not retract when the brake lever was released and the rear to not push out when the brake pedal was pushed. I cleaned with chemical cleaner and then lightly polished the oxidation out with 2000 emery paper.
I the replace the internal seals, flushed all of the ducts using air from my bike pump and reassembled after painting in a fetching red color.
After reassembling the lines, connecting the switches and refilling with fluid i finally had a freewheeling old rustbucket with positive brakes.
It was at this point the body disassembley began
HOLD-Insert photo of all removed parts
I am up in the pilbarra desert at work at the moment but will update some images when I get home.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
After removing all of the fenders, and body panels i started stripping the paint and getting ready to respray them, but noticed that the gel coat on the fibreglass panels had degraded and/ or was porous. Rather than re set resin onto fibreglass it was at this stage i decided to fabricate new parts from carbon fibre to get some practice for other future CF builds of snowshoes and other items.
I purchased resin, glassfibre matting, prepreg fibreglass mix and lots of latex gloves. All of my CF i buy from these fellows http://carbonmods.co.uk/ who are a long way away but provide good info, how to videos and quality CF products. I was referred to them by the national composite research center in the UK which if interested you may read about here. http://nccuk.com/ They get into some revolutionary and groundbreaking stuff being as involved as they are with AIrbus, BAE systems, Cobham and the likes.
Obviously, what I am doing is chippy back yard stuff by comparision. I have no Autoclave or even a vaccuum pump so will most certainly have air pocket defects in my fabrications. Hence the reason why I am not building anything load bearing and use un-neccessarily thick multiple layers to acheive a sturdy feel.
Even so, the finished products are a fair bit lighter than the tin work and also than the fibreglass taken off the bike.
To neaten the appearance of the bike as it sat in the car park and create a smooth surface for taking negative fibreglass molds i prepped and painted in a high build epoxy primer all of the bodywork panels.
HOLD- INsert image of molds and old panels.
I purchased resin, glassfibre matting, prepreg fibreglass mix and lots of latex gloves. All of my CF i buy from these fellows http://carbonmods.co.uk/ who are a long way away but provide good info, how to videos and quality CF products. I was referred to them by the national composite research center in the UK which if interested you may read about here. http://nccuk.com/ They get into some revolutionary and groundbreaking stuff being as involved as they are with AIrbus, BAE systems, Cobham and the likes.
Obviously, what I am doing is chippy back yard stuff by comparision. I have no Autoclave or even a vaccuum pump so will most certainly have air pocket defects in my fabrications. Hence the reason why I am not building anything load bearing and use un-neccessarily thick multiple layers to acheive a sturdy feel.
Even so, the finished products are a fair bit lighter than the tin work and also than the fibreglass taken off the bike.
To neaten the appearance of the bike as it sat in the car park and create a smooth surface for taking negative fibreglass molds i prepped and painted in a high build epoxy primer all of the bodywork panels.
HOLD- INsert image of molds and old panels.
- Old Fogey
- Honored Life Member
- Posts: 7704
- Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:31 pm
- Location: Glasgow, Scotland
- Contact:
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Sounding like a good project and you have certainly got stuck in there!
Hate to put a slight dampener on things, but none of us on here would use anything from Sabre Cycle that was critical; like belts, water pump, gaskets. Far too many reported problems with their stuff and their customer relations dept has to be experienced (I'm talking from experience!). Just try Googling them.
Hate to put a slight dampener on things, but none of us on here would use anything from Sabre Cycle that was critical; like belts, water pump, gaskets. Far too many reported problems with their stuff and their customer relations dept has to be experienced (I'm talking from experience!). Just try Googling them.
"Impossible Is Just a Level of Difficulty!..."
If I'd wanted you to understand, I would have explained it better! (Johann Cruyff)
I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
If I'd wanted you to understand, I would have explained it better! (Johann Cruyff)
I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Other neatening up events included sanding and spraying the chassis as parts were removed, polishing any aluminium, this was done with graded emery sandings followed by a buff with a jossco polishing kit fitted to a bosch drill.
http://www.josco.com.au/newsite/jia/pro ... ing_pk.htm
it took a fair bit of time to remove the decades of neglect
Got going with the seat hump in the meantime, stuck together sheets of polystyrene then sanded with 180 until I got the shape i wanted. Then covered with masking tape and waxed until ready for taking a fibreglass negative.
http://www.josco.com.au/newsite/jia/pro ... ing_pk.htm
it took a fair bit of time to remove the decades of neglect
Got going with the seat hump in the meantime, stuck together sheets of polystyrene then sanded with 180 until I got the shape i wanted. Then covered with masking tape and waxed until ready for taking a fibreglass negative.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Thanks for the tip Old Fogey.
I did read some less than favourable remarks but thought i'd give them a go and i received parts from them quicker than from anywhere else. I've defiantly been hedging my parts cache and as I have to replace the tensions anyway the cam belts will only be in there for a few warm up km's. Incidentally, the ones taken out looked completely fine under closer inspection also.
The problem is with the internet that only people that have a bad experience tend to go out and talk about it on feedback links and the like. 95% of the people that have a good experience probaly don t bother talking about it, looking or mentioning it and so its only the die hard keen fans who had an amazing experience that are left to counter the negativity from all the people who had a bad experience.
Hopefully my parts from sabre don't turn into a bad experience but remain a positive one.
I ordered a new starter switch and installed from Honda. It was expensive but worth it for the new feel and the fact i don't have to use a screw and a soldered bit of wire to hotwire the bike each time i want to start it.
On the down side, it no longer feels like i am stealing the bike each time i start it which feels a bit less exciting.....
I did read some less than favourable remarks but thought i'd give them a go and i received parts from them quicker than from anywhere else. I've defiantly been hedging my parts cache and as I have to replace the tensions anyway the cam belts will only be in there for a few warm up km's. Incidentally, the ones taken out looked completely fine under closer inspection also.
The problem is with the internet that only people that have a bad experience tend to go out and talk about it on feedback links and the like. 95% of the people that have a good experience probaly don t bother talking about it, looking or mentioning it and so its only the die hard keen fans who had an amazing experience that are left to counter the negativity from all the people who had a bad experience.
Hopefully my parts from sabre don't turn into a bad experience but remain a positive one.
I ordered a new starter switch and installed from Honda. It was expensive but worth it for the new feel and the fact i don't have to use a screw and a soldered bit of wire to hotwire the bike each time i want to start it.
On the down side, it no longer feels like i am stealing the bike each time i start it which feels a bit less exciting.....
- Old Fogey
- Honored Life Member
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- Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:31 pm
- Location: Glasgow, Scotland
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Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Well, I wasn't buying from them. They contacted me, as a dealer, for crankshaft bearings. The vitriolic replies and accusations of selling non-oem parts when I told them I didn't have what they were looking for absolutely beggars belief!
I could post the conversation, but I'm not going down that route. Suffice to say that, if they were the last place on earth that had a part I needed, I would go without it (it would be pattern Chinese anyway).
I could post the conversation, but I'm not going down that route. Suffice to say that, if they were the last place on earth that had a part I needed, I would go without it (it would be pattern Chinese anyway).
"Impossible Is Just a Level of Difficulty!..."
If I'd wanted you to understand, I would have explained it better! (Johann Cruyff)
I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
If I'd wanted you to understand, I would have explained it better! (Johann Cruyff)
I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Just realised, I had a load of parts via you at Wingovations from Randakks. Many thanks. Quality gear and nearly all fitted. The superbrace looks ace and ties the front forks together well, very sturdy. I'm certain i will be in touch for more parts shortly.
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Anyway, other neatening tasks that spring to mind included removing stripping, prepping, priming and gloss coating the head covers and wire wheels. I did this after doing the cam cover polish as i suddenly remembered that whilst i love shiny aluminium and chrome things, keeping the oxidation of them requires more care and attention than perhaps i can afford in the future.
All engine mounts and the removable chassis bar were stripped and repainted in gloss red (black carbon and red theme on the bike in general.
The carbs were removed and looked as dirty as below. I used my haynes manual for the removal guide and as i had the radiator and cam covers off anyway it was only the tin cowl air deflector and two engine mounts that needed removing before I could get them out: I then used a combination of degreaser baths, blown air and detergent to clean the carbs. I just did this in a methodical labelling and part piling manner to replace all of the components that came in the kit from Wingovations. I was quite happy with how it all went but haven't fired it up yet so will see how well i put it all back together. As mentioned before it was running ok before i started this work so should be no different now really. Amazingly there was some clear mastic and an evian bottle cap on one of the tops of the carbs to make the vaccuum seal required. Needless to say this was replaced.
Jets all lined up with relevant seals A cleaned and uncleaned vaccuum chamber
All engine mounts and the removable chassis bar were stripped and repainted in gloss red (black carbon and red theme on the bike in general.
The carbs were removed and looked as dirty as below. I used my haynes manual for the removal guide and as i had the radiator and cam covers off anyway it was only the tin cowl air deflector and two engine mounts that needed removing before I could get them out: I then used a combination of degreaser baths, blown air and detergent to clean the carbs. I just did this in a methodical labelling and part piling manner to replace all of the components that came in the kit from Wingovations. I was quite happy with how it all went but haven't fired it up yet so will see how well i put it all back together. As mentioned before it was running ok before i started this work so should be no different now really. Amazingly there was some clear mastic and an evian bottle cap on one of the tops of the carbs to make the vaccuum seal required. Needless to say this was replaced.
Jets all lined up with relevant seals A cleaned and uncleaned vaccuum chamber
- Hoops
- Cast Iron Member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:15 pm
- Location: Perth, Western Australia
Re: Full Carbon 75 GL1000
Meanwhile I had made and fettled the negative fibreglass casts taken of the panels for the side pods to a level i was happy with and been setting my first carbon fibre panels.
I also set to work on setting the seat hump, radiator tin panels and the air ducting behind the radiator all in carbon fibre.
The plan to then take a cast of the twin seat in CF and trim it down to a point where i was happy with the lines before setting the seat hump onto it. This way i get to keep the pillion seat for rare occasions and install the solo seat with hump for most of my everyday riding using the same original mounts.
I like the broad rear shoulders of the GL1000 where the shocks meet the chassis so am going for a slightly raised tail to expose as much of them as possible.
here is a shot of the rear hump in place with one of the unfinished side pods after they were removed from their molds.
I also set to work on setting the seat hump, radiator tin panels and the air ducting behind the radiator all in carbon fibre.
The plan to then take a cast of the twin seat in CF and trim it down to a point where i was happy with the lines before setting the seat hump onto it. This way i get to keep the pillion seat for rare occasions and install the solo seat with hump for most of my everyday riding using the same original mounts.
I like the broad rear shoulders of the GL1000 where the shocks meet the chassis so am going for a slightly raised tail to expose as much of them as possible.
here is a shot of the rear hump in place with one of the unfinished side pods after they were removed from their molds.
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