[MaineRider]

Hi All,

My name is David, and I go by "MaineRider". I live in central Maine, near Belfast. I'm 45, and I've dreamed of owning a Goldwing since I was a young boy, and a friend of the family gave me a ride on his early 1980's Honda Goldwing Interstate.

I learned how to ride a motorcycle myself in 2001, and I've been riding a 1995 Shadow for a year or two, and then in 2002, I bought a brand-new 2002 Honda Shadow ACE 750.

I still dreamed of owning a Goldwing, and Friday, that dream came true when I was able to purchase a new-to-me 1986 Goldwing Interstate (burgandy red) 1200.

I purchased it used from the original 1986 buyer, who has put 58,481 miles on it. It's practically in cherry condition.

A couple very minor things. The windshield is a little to tall for me...I'd like to to be about 4" shorter than the stock OEM shield on it. I've looked around, and Memphis Shades seems to make replacements, but none of them say how tall they are.

The other thing is the radio. The radio is a Jensen, with a cassette deck. I can't tell if it's original to the bike or not, does anyone know? It doesn't work very well, but it might be the radio, or it might be the antenna? The housings for the two speakers in the front also look in rough shape. So, I think that replacing/shortening the front windshield and replacing the stereo and front speakers are the two things I'd like to do...does anyone have any suggestions on what to do, and how to do it?

Like I said, I've dreamed of owning a Goldwing for 30 years...and now I do...I'm so glad to be part of the club!

Thanks for reading my first post!!!

-MaineRider

2002 Honda Shadow ACE 750 (66,688 all-mine-miles)
1986 Honda Goldwing Interstate (58,520 miles (39 mine, still gotta register it!)

 

[EFINREF]

Nice first post....Welcome to the GWOF

 

[MaineRider]

Thank-you, EFINREF!!!

I am also going by "MaineRider" on the HondaShadow.net forum, where I've been active for many years. In fact, I chose the handle MaineRider because I knew even then, I wouldn't always ride only ONE model bike, and so I wanted something that I could use regardless of what I rode. Knowing I love Maine, and love riding in Maine, that I'd be happy to hang on to MaineRider forever.

If anyone has any suggestions on what I can do to either shorten or replace my stock OEM windshield (I need it to be about 4-5" lower), and to replace the stereo and maybe the speakers/antenna, please let me know...

Thank-you All!

-MaineRider

 

[detdrbuzzard]

hello mainerider, welcome to GWOF. you could probally find someone in your area that can cut your windshield down. the jensen radio was added by the po, panasonic supplyed the radios for early wings

 

[Scooter1]

Welcome Mainerider. Several Mainers in my family too as you hail from a very nice state. The OEM windshield is easy to cut down yourself. Tape the windshield in the area you're going to cut and cover with blue masking tape. Overtape the area and cover more than where you'll draw your line. That's because you'll cut with a jig saw and the shoe or base of the saw can scratch the windshield when running across the plastic. Use a tape measure and work off the apron as your reference point to keep both sides even. Draw line with magic marker on tape. Use a jig saw with fine tooth saw and cut line. Support windshield while cutting with one hand to avoid breaking near the end of the cut. Take a mill file and file the sharp edges and or finish edge with sandpaper. The plastic is very durable and will not fracture as you cut it. It was easier to do than I thought.

 

[MaineRider]

Hi Guy,

Thanks very much for this...

Where do I look for a "replacement" radio? Do I have to buy a specific "motorcycle" radio? I'm assuming there are some exposure-to-the-element issues which mean you need to buy a radio specific for a motorcycle...so...where do I look for something like that?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

-MaineRider

hello mainerider, welcome to GWOF. you could probally find someone in your area that can cut your windshield down. the jensen radio was added by the po, panasonic supplyed the radios for early wings

 

[MaineRider]

Oh my! *gasp* If I do this, I better get it right, huh?

Should I remove the windshield? If so, how do I do that? It's not like my Shadow, where you loosen a few bolts and it comes off, since it seems to be down inside the fairing...

Thoughts?

-MaineRider

Welcome Mainerider. Several Mainers in my family too as you hail from a very nice state. The OEM windshield is easy to cut down yourself. Tape the windshield in the area you're going to cut and cover with blue masking tape. Overtape the area and cover more than where you'll draw your line. That's because you'll cut with a jig saw and the shoe or base of the saw can scratch the windshield when running across the plastic. Use a tape measure and work off the apron as your reference point to keep both sides even. Draw line with magic marker on tape. Use a jig saw with fine tooth saw and cut line. Support windshield while cutting with one hand to avoid breaking near the end of the cut. Take a mill file and file the sharp edges and or finish edge with sandpaper. The plastic is very durable and will not fracture as you cut it. It was easier to do than I thought.

 

[5260]

For the radio, I'd go to a boat dealership and see what they have. After all, they're made for wet weather,

I am in Ohio now (August 19th) and I'm headed to Maine on my tour. I'll be up there in a few days. If you'd like to get together for a ride or a pizza or ??? let me know. You can follow my progress on my website.

JOEJINKY.COM

After Maine, I'm headed to Key West before returning to Kentucky.

Send me an E-mail or use the tracking page to send me a text message.


Congrats on the "New To You" Gold Wing!

Joe

 

[MaineRider]

Sounds like you are headed on the Four Corners Tour, and probably hitting Madawaska, Maine, right? If you are, please, I beg of you, make the 10-mile trip further up Route 1 from Madawaska to Fort Kent...because you're only TEN miles from Fort Kent, and the very top of Route 1. If you're going to Key West, then you might as well ride every single mile of Route 1, and go from Fort Kent to Key West!!! My wife's family is from Fort Kent, which is where the border crossing to Canada is...you'll ride right by her sister's house.

Hey, I'd love to...email me at: [email protected]

I live and work in central Maine...I live near Belfast, and work in Rockport/Rockland/Camden area. This coming weekend, I'm likely heading for NH, so, depending on timing, we might be able to ride together for awhile!

I hope to hear from you!

-MaineRider
[email protected]

For the radio, I'd go to a boat dealership and see what they have. After all, they're made for wet weather,

I am in Ohio now (August 19th) and I'm headed to Maine on my tour. I'll be up there in a few days. If you'd like to get together for a ride or a pizza or ??? let me know. You can follow my progress on my website.

JOEJINKY.COM

After Maine, I'm headed to Key West before returning to Kentucky.

Send me an E-mail or use the tracking page to send me a text message.


Congrats on the "New To You" Gold Wing!

Joe

 

[Scooter1]

Leave windshield on bike as it provides a stable base when cutting. Use painters plastic and cover bike to minimize clean-up. I was nervous when cutting mine but it was easier than I thought. I cut too much off mine which was ok as I ordered a new windshield anyway and only needed a temporary fix. Measure twice, cut once.

 

[Ron Robertson]

Welcome to the GWOF

 

[Tatanka]

Welcome to the GWOF, MaineRider! Another Classic Wing owner! (We don't refer to them as old, just Classic or Vintage!)

+1 to what DanB describes. If the windshield is in good condition, no need to buy a new one, just cut it down to where you want it.

On the radio, plenty of good options around that will work for you. I was looking to upgrade mine from cassette (what the hell is that?) to CD, since I have a few. But, I guess where we're all heading is an IPhone/Droid driven sound system, so I'm going to jump there instead.

 

[W1ngin1t]

Hey David &

from VA.



Mark

 

[knelson1969]

Welcome, great news that you finally have that long awaited Wing.

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

Welcome to the forum from the Keystone state. Ride safe and enjoy...

 

[budoka]

Welcome Mainerider. There's lots of marine grade radio units out there to choose from, and most have aux input jacks and/or cable for mp3 and i-pod type devices too. I'd ditch the stock speakers too. The Interstates never had the radios, so that would be an owner installed inut like detdr said. Does it have the dash mount sytem (Cycle Sound used to make them)? If so it should accept just about any radio head you choose.