[GoFastMike]

Started my 79 GL1000 today for the first time since I bought it. Took a few minutes for the carb bowls to fill but it eventually fired up, kinda. I rebuilt the carbs and used the workshop manual settings for idle mixture but the synch is way out. So it started out pretty rough but got better as I fiddled with mixture and balance settings. Don't have a synch tool yet, it should be here in a week or so. Runs okay once it warmed up, so I'm lean at this point.

Rebuilt carbs, new fuel lines, new air, oil, fuel filters, new plugs, changed oil after it got up to temp. Added some seafoam to both fuel and oil. New battery. New headlight assembly although it didn't light, something amiss in the wiring or the bulb is dead. Removed the touring gear except for the crash bars; figure I'll leave those on until I've ridden it a few times since it's such a heavy beast. All the gauges work but the tach seems really sluggish. The PO wired in a thermostat bypass switch, one of about four cheesy toggles on the gauge cluster. Got the other three off but this one was stubborn. Good thing because it has to be thrown for the rad fan to come on. Will yank that soon.

Hate the seat, the bars, and the front fender. Have a superbike bend coming, still looking for a seat. Replaced the foot boards with stock pegs, still need to install stock gear shift arm. Brake caliper rebuild kits on their way and have new steel front brake lines to install. Right fork leaking pretty good, new seals on their way. Have what I believe are stock turn signals but they're still attached to fairing and trunk, will tackle that soon, the wiring is uh, not clean. In fact, there's several extra wires roughly patched in to the harness which will see the trash can soon as well.

Having a great time and anxious to go for that first ride. First pic is the day I bought it, second is how it stands today. Think I may paint it soon, it's kinda rough. At any rate... it's alive and breathing. One more vintage Wing on the road again soon.

 

[Burnerboy]

I've always wanted to do that RE-build an older bike myself.BUT never had yet............ enjoy!

Ronnie

 

[crownfire]

Looking great! Keep those progress pictures coming. Love to see a classic still on the road. That's also a project I hope to tackle one day......

 

[Barry Dupler]

Wish you luck.

 

[NREMTP]

That looks like great progress. Hopefully you will find all the parts and accessories that you want.

 

[RayJ]

It is great to get the first purr from the new kitten. Mine is a 75. About the same place as you but mine is running pretty good. Working on brakes and wheels and tires now. First real ride only a short time away. Stay on it. The second pic is way better for me.

 

[TmDILL]

Except for the Seat the bike looks stock. I had a 77 wing bought used and sold it with 97,000 miles on it. Sold it in 81 when the AF sent me to Germany. My longest trip on it was from San Antonio, Tx to Seattle, WA. But lots of riding in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Put a Vetter Fairing on it with Cycle Sound as part of it. I loved that bike.

 

[GoFastMike]

Made pretty good progress the last few weeks. Rebuilt the front brake master and calipers, steel lines, new pads. New super bike bar. Synched carbs. Shed a few more pounds. Gave the bodywork a quick sand, prime, color. Need to put some miles on it before valve adjust and new points and condensor. Running some seafoam in the oil and fuel so hate to drain fresh oil to do the valves. Need to do the fork seals soon. It also suffers the constant neutral light problem which I'll get to at some point. Figure I'll get to the rear brakes fairly soon. PO installed an override switch for the fan (red toggle near gauges), cutting out the thermo switch altogether. Not sure what's up with that but need to return to stock. Have a set of stock turn signals ready to go on but need to sort out some of the wiring since I yanked the fairing and trunk. Hunting for stock badges. Have hardware for shelter wires and pins. Figure I'll continue cleaning and painting but I really need to go for a ride. Waiting on mityvac to bleed front brakes so first ride next week.

Hate. The. Seat.

 

[Burnerboy]

WOW! Man, that's quite a difference since it was a stock machine.. SweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeT lQQk'in

Ronnie

 

[JK McDonald]

Hey Mike - You are making great progress in breathing life back into your GW. Getting her running is often the biggest step. From there on, the brakes, tires, paint, etc..... will gradually fall into place. Your 928 sure looks familiar. When we 1st bought ours I kept a post-it stuck to the dash reminding me to watch out for all the front spoiler parking lot eating curbs. This shot is of "Miss Purdy" during a recent road trip to Colorado.

Ride Safe - Michael

 

[superdave1120]

Nice looking bike. Keep us posted on the updates. Enjoy the ride.

 

[GoFastMike]

Hey thanks, JK. It's a meditative process for me. I focus on one or two things and achieve a bit of Zen while 'restoring' the part to what I imagine it looked like when it rolled off the showroom floor or how I think it should look based on 40 years of riding and looking at motorcycles. Having a ton of fun.

Always cool to run into another 928 fan. I've had several including an 84 S that I put half a million miles on... commuting from DC to Detroit every week for a few years. 550 miles door to door. The beast and I could do it in 7 hours flat. I've been wrenching on them for 20 years, the engineering in these cars is just amazing. Omitted this pic because I was afraid they would steal the focus. lolz White guy is an '80, first year of electronic FI, red guy is a '79, pure mechanical fuel injection. Both are a joy to drive. May the Bwaaaaa be with you...