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IF YOU JUST CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT FORUM IT BELONGS IN
GRRRR....Want to Ride first week as a GW owner
GRRRR....Want to Ride first week as a GW owner
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GRRRR....Want to Ride first week as a GW owner
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Hello all,
So I figured I would start by telling a little bit of my story... I have only been riding for 1 year now and all of that has either been test rides or on my CBR250R...I finally after two thousand miles on that figured I would like to get a larger bike that I could tour on...So I looked at new bikes but from all my research I was a little scared to go this route because of not being sure if I could handle it or not and did not want to drop my new bike...I have always been a fan of Honda for its reliability and they just flat out run...So I decided before I bought a new bike I would get a good shape older bike and learn the ropes of riding with a passenger and a much larger bike....I found what I thought to be a very good looking 86 Interstate for $2000 with 58K on the clock all my research said that this was nothing to be worried about, and I checked out all the cosmetics, as well as the oil looked good there were no scratches and it was rode very little but seemed to start and run just fine...exchanged money and was so excited to be on my way home with my new ride!! Upon getting home I noticed that there was a lot of oil on the fork tube..and the front end seemed to dive a lot...great I figured just need to get the forks done..not a huge deal..but as I do not have any experience something I wasn't sure if I could tackle...I also noticed that the rear shocks felt very light as well...and didn't know at that point if there was something wrong or not with them. I proceeded to spend the next few hours cleaning and going through everything in finer detail and when I got done I thought that my list would consist of the following.... Forks and seals Tires Rear shocks and riding riding riding... Well over the next two days I started to do some research and found that these items were not very cheap...I was used to cheap with my little Honda...but oh well...I'm looking at having to do tires right away and I will have the seals done..and it would be a project that i could work at and fix some of this stuff while I was riding....I was in the garage and I wanted to hear the bike run as I was really excited to get her out and..click is all I heard ...and then a very slow turn over and then fired up... I figured a battery would solve this as I have dealt with this before so I bought a battery...then took that back...and got a more expensive battery...then took that back and exchanged it....on the 3rd I figured it could not be the battery and checked all the connections started taking things apart and making sure everything was working the way it should ( might I add at this point this forum and the people in the other forum are the only reason I still own a gold wing). At this point I was just itching to ride it so bad that when I got the bike to fire up I said I'm going to at least take it down the road...while doing so I found out that front brakes were not going to work there was definitely something wrong there and there was a wobble in the ride that didn't quite feel right...ugh...the list is getting longer....I figured that I would try and save some money and do the brakes my self...after ordering the pads at 75 dollars just for the front..and buying more tools to do the job I figure I'm in it for more than I would have cost to have someone else do it...but hey at least I'm learning right...their isn't a value on that and I'm learning the bike a little more....now back to the starting issue.... Using the help from the forums and the nice people here with experience I spent 4 hours narrowing it down to that starter...then spent another 3-4 hours trying to get this out...(I know my skill level is poor but I really want to try and learn). Gave up for the night and did some more research and asking on here. Last night I got the starter out and in doing so I'm worried I might have damaged the exhaust....I call around today and try and find someone who can do a rebuild on the starter for a decent price...$100 or less is what I got quoted if they could fix it...otherwise $210 for an aftermarket one for replacement. Great I took it in hoping that I get to hear that they can fix it when I get there they tell me that parts are starting to be discontinued and its going to be harder and harder to find replacement parts...they put it on the bench to test it and said everything seems to work..I tell them I have spent hours on this and at this point now that its out we might as well repair it and put in new brushes....they tell me its going to be at least a few days to figure something out and I tell them I need new gaskets for the exhaust...cha ching.....22 for new crush gaskets...18 for the header to muffler gasket..and 46 for the bracket to hold them together which cracked the moment I tried to start turning the rusty bolts...ugh...which brings me to this point. I have owned a GW for a week now and I have yet to really enjoy it and as it currently sits in pieces in my garage just waiting...I'm wondering if I made the right decision, and if it gets better from here.....my dollar for smile ratio seems to be getting very out of whack here...this is the list that I still have to complete that I know of.. Starter rebuilt- $100-(possible $210)- Still not sure if this is the issue Rear Shocks- $320 Tires- $350 installed Brakes- $75 (not including tools)- Done Battery- $138- done Oil Change& filter& coolant (all fluids- $150) New Gaskets and exhaust items- $86 Now my $2000 dollar experience bike is looking more like a $3400 dollar bike that I hopefully will be able to ride when this is all done!!!! I'm hoping that this is ok to put in this section but looking for advice... and some reassurance I guess at this point... Thanks for reading!! |
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#1
10-05-2013, 12:34 PM,
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I will not try to address all these issues, but I will speak of the ones I have dealt with.....
rear shocks - there are lots of guys on here that have a lot of experience, they will help you. It does not have to cost $320. tires - check the Shinko tourmasters - this is a very inexpensive imported tire that a lot of guys are running and they really like 'em - my rear is shot and that is what is going on my bike brakes - I have been buying the ebay pads, just make sure they are not the hardened ones that are made for racing, they will eat your rotors. I am sure you can buy 3 sets for less than $75. All 3 sets of pads are the same. battery - I am running a Deka AGM battery, it works great for about $75. Many guys like the Odyssey battery, top of the line for about what you quoted. Oil - speaks for itself. There is a spin on adapter that allows you to use conventional spin on filters. Don't ask what oil, causes an argument every time!! :-) Coolant - there are many fine coolants out there, make sure you get silicate free. I am running Honda coolant that I bought at a Honda auto dealer, about $17 bucks a gallon. Quality stuff, and it is the same stuff they sell for twice the price at the Honda bike shop in quarts. You have the fever, remember this is an old motorcycle, but if you address these items one at a time (don't get overwhelmed) this bike should give you many hours of hassle free riding. IT IS WORTH THE EFFORT. There are many guys on the road riding new bikes with $400 to $500 monthly payments. Fix that old girl up and ride the heck out of it!
A rainy day off beats a sunny day at work any time..................
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#2
10-05-2013, 05:11 PM,
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(10-05-2013, 05:11 PM)85GL1200I Wrote: I will not try to address all these issues, but I will speak of the ones I have dealt with..... Thank you for the info and the reassurance that I did not make a good purchase...the monthly payment was exactly what i was trying to avoid and still enjoy this new sport I have picked up! I'm hoping to get my better half involved so that we don't have to spend quite some much time apart while I'm riding..lol! I'm thinking that I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount of things that still need to be done and reading on issues others have been having as well...I'm going to stick it out though cause at the end of the day I really do like the look of the bike and the little time I did have on it I have enjoyed the ride!! I am going to try and find some more info on how to fix up the shocks without the major investment at least for now. Thanks!! |
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#3
10-05-2013, 05:23 PM,
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Fork seals: sometimes (key word here) dirt will get between the seal (the one under the dust cover) and the fork tube allowing oil to get by.
There is a tool out there which is very, very thin and slips between the seal and the fork tube, and as you move the tool around the fork tube you slowly pull it away from the fork seal. In this manner you are effectively removing those small particles of dirt and allowing the seal to seal! I used a scrape piece of Mylar the company I work for uses and the forks have been dry for months – I can’t find the actual miles, but this may work for you too. Tires: Shinko Tour Masters; I am getting 14K out of the front and 13K out of the rear tire commuting solo. If you can't/don't want to install them yourself, ask for an installation price if the wheels were off the bike. Rear shocks: there is a replaceable seal in these shocks (p/n 91257-MG9-671 oil seal, Item 24 in REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS) and instructions on-line how to replace it. There are even instructions on how to make a tool to allow a complete tear down and refurbish of the shocks. Napa sells shock boots (SA 1997 – black) which will fit as well Starter: it may not need new brushes, just a good cleaning and re-greasing. Again, this forum offers upgrades for better grounding. Warning: 84 starters will not fit 85-87 so IF you go Ebay to get a replacement, make sure it is NOT for an '84 and be leery of sellers who state the starter will fit 1984-1987. New gaskets and exhaust items: crush gaskets are available through Napa (60567) or Oreilly ( EG24633 – future Marwil/ROL #: G633) As was mentioned, don’t get overwhelmed! One issue at a time and soon, the issues will all be gone. Do your homework (reading on this forum) and do this work once (doing it yourself) at a pace comfortable for you and your wallet. Yes, you may miss one riding season, but better to miss one than be stranded somewhere because you didn’t take the time. My bike sat unused for two years. It took two years of spare time and boat loads of reading, but my bike has taken me 40K (s)miles! Work on your bike. Learn of your bike. Get others involved if they have an interest. You have many friends here who will not let you fail. -Ride On
enjoying the view from the saddle....... due mainly to the people and information found within this site
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#4
10-07-2013, 02:37 PM,
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(10-05-2013, 12:34 PM)cwalters2002 Wrote: Hello all, You can do almost all routine maintenance with common tools, except for rear shock rebuild. "Oil Change& filter& coolant (all fluids- $150)" Could you see his gun?!! WIX Oil Filter #24940 @ OReillys, NAPA Gold 4940 @ NAPA, Fram CH6009 @ Walmart, $7 Gallon of Oil, I use Rotella T 15W40, under $15 @ Walmart. Gallon of Silicate free Antifreeze, under $20 most places. I replaced the front & rear tires with Michelin Commander IIs, about $250 plus shipping from Bike Bandit. I took the wheels off and had a tire shop change the tires - $25. Rebuilt rear shocks with parts from Western Honda, little ove $100, with homemade shock compressor. When rear tire was off, lubed rear splines, u-joint with Moly 60. Small tube is about $12, lasts forever. (Wear rubber gloves or have stained hands for a week). Changed final drive oil, less than one quart. This site is an absolute gold mine of useful GL1200 information and how-to articles.I purchased my 85 Interstate 2 years ago and thanks to the members, am about to roll over 100K miles (99523). PurpleGL1200 |
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#5
10-08-2013, 06:50 AM,
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Once again, this bike is well worth the effort - have fun working on it and you will be riding sooner than later!
btw cwalters2002, where are you located?
A rainy day off beats a sunny day at work any time..................
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#6
10-08-2013, 10:09 AM,
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Thank you all once again for the info....I have been putting parts together this week and have pretty much half the bike disassembled....little frightening though cause I'm not positive that I can get it all a back together properly...Lol. But I figured I have to give it a shot and I found that working on the old gw is actually something I look forward to all day at work....so gonna just take my time and submit to the fact that this may turn into a winter project but I can get her ready for the spring!!
I'm located in Wisconsin rapids...are you from my neck of the woods? Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 |
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#7
10-08-2013, 07:15 PM,
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No, western Pa. - wish I was closer. I was curious if you were in the south someplace where you could ride when it is done. It may be a winter project, but think what a grand spring it will be!! And you never know, summer may just hang on for a while, I rode Xmas eve one year!
A rainy day off beats a sunny day at work any time..................
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#8
10-09-2013, 10:37 AM,
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Spring is the time for new life!
... and you will be able to roll the GW out into the sunlight like a rebirthing....... NOTE: 'extra parts' is never a good sign. LOL
enjoying the view from the saddle....... due mainly to the people and information found within this site
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#9
10-09-2013, 01:25 PM,
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I'm hoping right now that its done by spring..lol!! I'm kinda in a state of panic right now as I think I might have taken on more than I can handle. I have all of the furniture removed....starter is being rebuilt..rear tire and all the racks removed, and old rear shocks are removed and cleaned up parts from the final drive, and drained fluid tonight. However looking at everything there are so many parts and I'm not quite sure I can get the bike back together...lol! I got the new tires and 416 shocks today..still waiting on the starter to come back and I still have to remove the front tire so that I can get the tires changed and start putting everything back together again. Just want to make sure I'm doing everything right putting it all back together so that all of this hard work hasn't been for nothing!!!
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#10
10-09-2013, 06:03 PM,
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You bagged and tagged all fasteners.
I like to thread nuts and washers back onto studs, bolts back from where they came from, or use cardboard boxes to hold bolts in the proper orientaion. It takes some thought, but don't get over whelmed. If you can, take pictures of the bike in its present condition, parts and all, but not if it will confuse you as to 'what goes where'. There are diagrams and exploded views on-line at these OEM parts houses which can help identify what goes where if the Murphey's decide to pay you a visit and rearrange your parts. Don't lose any sleep over this. You will be riding soon. -R O
enjoying the view from the saddle....... due mainly to the people and information found within this site
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#11
10-10-2013, 07:54 AM,
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When I pulled my rear wheel for the first time, I had trouble remembering where that little axle spacer went. I was confused for a while, then I found the Honda parts fische on my local dealers website and realized that they have blown up diagrams for every piece of that bike. I think you could almost build a 1200 out of a box with those pix.
A rainy day off beats a sunny day at work any time..................
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#12
10-10-2013, 10:32 AM,
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Well I have been working pretty much non stop after work each night and I still have a few things to do but mainly just fluids at this point so I'm hoping that goes smoothly. Below is the list that i have completed...
New Front and Rear tires New front brakes- (Back looked almost new) New starter- Shop said they couldn't rebuild mine. New grease in the rear spline New final drive fluid Still have left to do... Oil Change Coolant Flush New brake fluid and clutch fluid New air filter New Radiator cap New thermostat Timing belts New radiator hoses I have purchased all the items to complete the list above just had to get the starter back in and get the bike running so that the fluids could be flushed properly. One thing did stick out tonight after I got it all back together. The brake pedal will light up the lights on the back but the front brake will not. Is this a fuse or did I miss/mess something up? Thanks again for everyones reassuring words it does make a world of difference doing the work myself I feel like I have bonded with the bike more than I ever could have thought!!! 
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#13
10-15-2013, 06:03 PM,
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(10-15-2013, 06:03 PM)cwalters2002 Wrote: Well I have been working pretty much non stop after work each night and I still have a few things to do but mainly just fluids at this point so I'm hoping that goes smoothly. Below is the list that i have completed... Check your front brake switch (located on the handlebars next to the front master cylinder.) I had to replace it on my 85 Interstate. |
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#14
10-15-2013, 06:52 PM,
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(10-15-2013, 06:52 PM)PurpleGL1200 Wrote:(10-15-2013, 06:03 PM)cwalters2002 Wrote: Well I have been working pretty much non stop after work each night and I still have a few things to do but mainly just fluids at this point so I'm hoping that goes smoothly. Below is the list that i have completed... Thanks!! I checked that this morning and moved the wires around a little and it started working so I might have to do some further research!! Can anyone think of something that i'm missing for my project "getting Gemma roadworthy"? |
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#15
10-16-2013, 06:17 AM,
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