[dsuhmibt18]

I am curently in the process of buying a 1983 honda goldwing GL1100, from a guy that loved it and is too old to fix it. I am purching it for $500.00 and the guy said he loved it and never had any problems untill he road it almost 9 years ago and heard a pop or boom sound. Than he parked it out side covered for most of the 9 years.so i guess what im asking is dose any one think that the motor is shot, or the timing went, or something? I am new to motorcycles and dont know much about them but it is a great looking bike and has low miles for its age(34,000) and i would like to restore it and get it road worthy so i can enjoy riding! If u need to know anything else let me know! Thanks for any help!

P.S. Could it possibly be something as symple as the carbs needing to be sync'd?

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Welcome from Seattle.

You are new to motorcycling. New to Goldwings. There is a slim chance to none that you will ever get this bike road worthy. It has been sitting for 9 years after a motor problem. Even if it ran well when parked it is going to cost over a $1000 in parts and labor to get it to run and be road safe. That is if nothing wrong on the inside of the motor.

A better bet would be to save some more money and buy one that runs....and that has had recent maintenance work done.

Good luck with your motorcycling adventures!

Larry

 

[L2R]

There are a lot more questions to be asked here.
Larry is right to ask about your history to get a glimpse of your abilities. If you plan to have the work done, it will cost way too much and the cost will go way beyond it's worth. Even parts cost will easily escalate to more than one you could just get on and ride.

Also, a pop sound isn't enough info. Was it an electrical pop or did grey smoke come out the pipes?

If you want to ride, follow Larry's advise. If you want a project, offer 300. It may well be worth 500 or more in parts but I would try for less.
Then, go find a good running, bad looking bike for $1000 where the owner kept up the mechanical parts of the bike. Then you have a good running, good looking bike knowing exactly what it needs.

It takes a lot less effort to transfer the cosmetics than it does to troubleshoot, locate and install all the parts you will need.

BTW, parts for these bikes are getting harder to find. good luck and keep us posted.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

a carb rebuild kit alone will set you back $200, brakes will have to be rebuilt. hoses and tires replaced. rodents have a way of finding their way into stored bikes and wire harnesses make handy tooth picks for sharpening their teeth. pass on this one another will be avalable soon

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I was not trying to discourage the ownership of a nice vintage bike. I have seen some very nice ones and at times very envious of those owners.

I was given a clean 78 a month ago. It ran but needed a battery, carbs rebuilt and new tires. I sold it for $200 and the guy who bought it needed a parts bike. It could have been a runner, but I knew what it was gonna cost to go that route and I just didn't want the cost. The bike is a beauty, but it was not going to be the daily driver it once was.

If you want to have a positive riding motorcycle experience then I would look to find a reasonably priced 1500 that is running and the owner is just getting too old or retired from riding. The 1500 was made for 13 years and there are parts available and just the sheer numbers of bikes out there.......used parts galore.

We see these used bikes on Craigslist and there are the guys who pop onto this forum saying "I just bought a 1500 for $2500 and it has 24,000 miles on it..... it rides great and it already has a cup holder on it."

My point is that you only need one motorcycle and there is a rotating smorgasbord of bikes available for your hard earned money. Buy wisely and you will be a very happy owner.

For example, I bought my 94 with 28,000 miles on it, the belts recently changed, a new upgraded alternator and overall well kept motorcycle for $3500, last September.

Here is a picture of my bike. New tires and an oil change and I now have 41,000 and counting on it....

 

[detdrbuzzard]

maybe his finances won't allow the purchase of a 1500 right now. but be it a 1000, 1100, or 1200 wing get the best bang for your buck

 

[budoka]

Have to agree with what's been posted thus far. Unless you have a good m/c wrench buddy that knows wings, I'd bail on this one. It may 'look' mint, but beauty is a fleeting and fickle entity.

 

[chevyboy6902]

OK here is my two cents. The bike would be a pass only due to the fact that i just bought an 83 myself. I paid $500 for it and had to spend $ 1000 to get it to run and i am still going. parts for an 83 are hard to find and if you need brake work good luck, brake parts are very very hard to find. Alot of parts you can only get used and sitting for nine years Hell No parts bike yes running again nope.. Pass on this one

 

[trike lady]

I'd say keep looking for a better one. You may be lucky and find a runner for a few $$$ more.

 

[billcarr_]

I agree with Larry. Ill add, if it don't run, don't buy it. I think you would spend 30% of your time wrenching and 70% chasing unavailable parts. The 1100 was made for 3 years only. I don't think there are counter parts anywhere. Unless you are just at a total loss where to park a bunch of money, I'd move on to something else.

 

[Nightwing]

Hey Larry in Seattle, is that a cooler on the back or something else? Almost looks like a
grill of some sort...
Just wondering...

 

[Bamaeagle]

Hey Larry in Seattle, is that a cooler on the back or something else? Almost looks like a
grill of some sort...
Just wondering...

Looks like one of those "old style" metal coke coolers. I have seen them on Ebay. I was at one time thinking of getting one for the front of my trailer that I pull with the wing. I have a place on the front for a cooler about that size. I use a plastic one from Wally world now.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

It is a small metal Coke cooler. At the time that picture was taken, it was sitting on my Markland step hitch.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Here is the cooler on the hitch.

I have had more people comment on this modification more than anything else I have ever done on any other motorcycle I have every had. Bar none. I have had Harley riders follow me off the highway to ask if they could look at how I did what I did. I was at the Oyster Run in Anacortes, WA with 25,000 bikers and I was 4 blocks away from my bike and I over heard a couple talking about the coke cooler on the back of that Goldwing.

The funny thing is, the cooler was bought at the Walmart online store for less than $75. I have spent more money on bungie cords than that!

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Now I use the hitch rack from Wingstuff:

http://wingstuff.com/pgroup_detail/20314_universal_mounting_trailer_hitch_rack/

I use the rack as it allows me to put a luggage bag on the bike as well as the cooler... and it does double as my cooler rack on my Tag Along Trailer. (I can't use the hitch rack and the trailer at the same time.) When I go camping solo, I use the hitch rack and load that way, when I go two up, I use the trailer.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I use this bag on the rack as well and it rides low enough that it does not block my license plate.

After stealing this thread, I will create a new thread and post this for others..... as this has been asked quite a bit. Sorry to those that feel offended that I stole this thread.