Please talk sense into me, thinking about a Honda GL1000 project

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Mar 30, 2020
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Location
Houston, Texas
I've built a couple of projects such as a worn out 1985 Yamaha FJ1100 into a 1300cc beast and owned several vintage SOHC and DOHC CB750s. It has been years since my last bike and I stumbled across a partially disassembled 1975 GL1000 for $500.

Should I go for it? Will the power be enough or should I skip it? Weisco doesn't sell oversized pistons.

Pic: What I aim to build, probably in red.

Dual-Weber.jpg
 
The first year Goldwing! Before Honda loaded them down with fairings, bags, trunks, fenders that covered the wheels, etc. I would love to have an early standard Goldwing! Having said that, I owned a 1978 GL1000 GW with all the after market Vetter offerings. It might be a challenge as far as finding aftermarket big bore kits etc for a 45 year old GW.
Keep us posted on what you decide to do.
 
It will be a labor of love. New parts are hard to impossible to find at this point in time, buy you can find other bikes like what your thinking of getting for around the same price. I had a brand new '76 many moons ago. It ran really good and was no slouch for 1,000 cc's at the time. What you'll probably need to address is the carb's, timing belts, water pump, they were notorious for fuel pump leaks, the gas tank on mine had rust issues and sprung a pin hole leak when it was over 25 years old. Which requires taking half the bike apart, due to it being under the seat. Any used one's you may find will probably be rusted and possibly leak. The stock exhaust mufflers will probably be rusted away, but some people use Harley Sportster mufflers to replace them. They're cheap and plentiful. I swapped out the dual point setup for an electronic ignition, easy to do and less to worry about. It ran on regular any octane it wasn't picky. And the owners manual say ant automotive grade oil that has a api approval, @ 8,000 OCI's again their not picky. I ran 15/40 in summer. 2 sites that have alot of info and you might be able to score parts from is, Saunder's Goldwing site, and a guy named Randakk site, who does performance builds with older wings. He has some interesting stuff. You might get some idea's and replacement parts. Good luck.,,
 
They are very cool looking bikes when customized well.

However, they are really lackluster performers in just about all ways. The chassis dynamics are not great, the brakes are weak with poor feel and cornering is at best, wonky. The engine is really pleasant, and makes acceptable power in the mid RPM range.

It will take cubic dollars and a good bit of DIY customization to make a good performer out of an old GL1000.

Although if this is the kind of custom you want, nothing else will do!
 
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Originally Posted by IMSA_Racing_Fan
... partially disassembled 1975 GL1000 for $500...



This is the only part that concerns me. I would have to see how "partially disassembled" it was.
 
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Probably it would be cheaper to buy a new bike . But then you would miss the project and self hate from wasting the $$$$$.
 
Originally Posted by Cujet
They are very cool looking bikes when customized well.

However, they are really lackluster performers in just about all ways. The chassis dynamics are not great, the brakes are weak with poor feel and cornering is at best, wonky. The engine is really pleasant, and makes acceptable power in the mid RPM range.

Mostly true, but in 1975 it was the second quickest bike in acceleration, behind the Kawasaki Z1.
 
Think I'm going to pass. I could bring it back to life but after watching videos of other examples the engine character is just not "me". Revs too slow. Will keep my eyes open for a CB760/900F, KZ, etc. I love the air cooled inline 4
 
The H 4 engine is more than enough, and much lighter than the H6. What always hurts on these old projects is getting rubber and electrical parts, things like cables, hoses, seals etc. I would just pass and get a modern bike.

Rod
 
Originally Posted by JohnG
Sorry, that was the wrong model. I had to go to 1976 M/Y.

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda/motorcycle/1976/gl1000-a-gold-wing

Looking at that sites parts listing, most are unavailable like I said earlier. You'd have to hopefully recondition what you have. Not that many were actually made in those years ,so by this point in time parts are getting scarce. OP said he's gonna look for something else anyway.,,,
 
Anybody in the Houston area interested in a 1991 Jaguar XJ6 project? The engine ran superbly, trans is good, fuel tank is missing (lost in a move). Have new rotors, pads and struts. Got a 2012 Cadillac CTS now.
 
Originally Posted by IMSA_Racing_Fan
Think I'm going to pass. I could bring it back to life but after watching videos of other examples the engine character is just not "me". Revs too slow. Will keep my eyes open for a CB760/900F, KZ, etc. I love the air cooled inline 4


First street bike I had was a CB750F. It was a few years old hand-me-down from an uncle. Great bike for a kid raised on dirtbikes. Bikes have come a LONG ways since then.

If you like that style and air cooling, I'd suggest a recent model (2017 ideally) CB1100.
 
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