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1977 Goldwing 1000

2K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  Whiskerfish 
#1 ·
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Hi all. I'm knew to this forum and haven't been riding a bike for many years. I started looking off and on for an older bike, one that might not be to expensive, yet run and just need some periodic tinkering. I found a '77 Goldwing that the guy wants under $500. He says he bought it to ride but it needed a few things done to it and he has lost enthusiasm to do anything to it. Plus he says he is disabled and he might not be able tohandle it very well. He said it was running ok and a frienddid a little work on it. Hestarted it up one day and it began leaking oil from it sounds like the front of the driveshaft area, engine oil he thought. He shut it down at that point. He says it will need mufflers,because they are rusted up, possibly rusted out. What should I look for in a bike like this if I can'tstart it? He is supposed to be the second or third owner, and the bike has 20,000 miles on it. He also said there is something wrong with a fan, possibly for the radiator, not sure? He said he has jumped the fan and it works but he figures a module of some kind may be burnt out. He has never had it on the road either. I'm fairly mechanically inclined but don't want to have to put lots of hours or hundreds or thousands of dollars into this. It will probably need a battery as well. Is there a way to check the history of a bike like CarFax is for used cars? Thanks in advance for any and all opinions.
 
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#2 ·
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Welcome to the forum, OldRider2!

A good place to start would be here

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/used1000.htm

and here

http://www.randakks.com/TechTips.htm#63

If the bike is complete, and the engine turns over freely (by hand), you wouldn't be throwing your money away at that price. You will however want to invest in new timing belts, as well as changing all fluids before firing the bike up. I currently own 2, and was pretty clueless when I got the 1st one...

There are plenty of knowledgeable people here on this sight that will be able to help you if you have questions. So dive in and enjoy!
 
#3 ·
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A lot of older bikes sometimes have the speedo replaced and the new one doesn't indicate their true mileage. Take the vin number to the nearest dmv office and have them run it for a couple of bucks to see how many owners it had and what each registered it's mileage as at the time they transfered the title into their name.

That's how I found out my bike had over 67,000 miles on it instead of the 23,000 indicated on the speedo.

Since you mention it needs a new exhaust system then don't be surprised if you put another 1000 in it getting it back on the road and safe to ride.

There's a real good site you should check out on how to revive an older Goldwing.

http://www.randakks.com/
 
#4 ·
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Welcome OR2,
You have discovered a forum full of knowledgeable, friendly and helpful people. Many will be of help to you. I will be first to offer an opinion.
I have not heard of any Carfax type of source for bike history. You stated your quest is to find a ride and not invest too much time or money. "Not gonna happen" lol..
Seriously, 20K millage is not bad at all, however oil leak could be seal. Count on a few things like carb rebuild, new belts, maybe new tires?? and possibly a couple other things that will add up to several hundred dollars and or a couple dozen hours of work. (including gazing time) To sum up: You could buy a $2000 bike and most likely still have some work to do, however, the OIL leak worries me. Good luck and welcome.. Oh yea, once you ride again, the GW is the most comfortable ride and very perky..
"The Ride, 1000 or 2 bucks, the feeling of freedom when riding, priceless"
 
#5 ·
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Welcome to the site. All kinds of good help here, lots of knowledge. Morriscatt is right you are gonna put some money in her, but it can be done a little at a time if money is tight (like most of us here). Just do most of it yourself if you can and you can save alot of money. It will be worth the effort when she's done.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
#6 ·
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OR2,
Ditto what RM said about a little at a time. My dad quit riding last year and gave me his. I was hoping it was in great condition, however discovered his Alzheimer's kept him from remembering it's real condition. I have put 4K miles on her(including the ride home from western Kansas to Oklahoma City, just under 400 miles) even though I probably should not have yet. I am doing a little at a time and having a great time doing so. I have discovered the GW to be an engineering marvel.
If you put your city and state on your profile, you could be lucky enough to meet someone from the forum living near you who may lend a hand. (it happened to me)!
Special thanks one more time to Dingdong.
 
#7 ·
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Some of the weak areas:



1. Rear shocks. If they are stock you can assume they need to be replaced. $100 to $200 for the pair.



2. Stock mufflers will definitely be rusted out. Apparently there are some Harley type that will fit. Do a search on this forum.



3. Stock ignition---points, coils, etc are cheap and reliable.



4. Timing belt--change it regardless.



5. Front fork seals are prone to leak



6. Rear drive splines are prone to wear if the rear hub has not been maintained and lubricated.



7. Gas tanks will rust on the inside if stored for a long time.



8. Check carefully for rust on the frame below the engine and around the centre stand pivot.



The good news is that there are no computers on this bike and everything is easy to fix.
 
#8 ·
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Wow! Thanks for the input, much more positive than I expected. I figured the replies would be much more negativeabout the expense and value of the bike. It is hard to read someone over the phone whether they don't know anything about the item, (bike in this case), or theyknow what the bike has for problemsand they arejust being vague to un-load it. I called the guy back yesterday and asked if he had any pictures because I thought that might help a little. I’ll have to drive about 4 hours roundtrip to look at this and I don’t want to waste my time or gas. I just went through the process of replacing my daughters Corolla that was totaled by a drunk. I spent more hours, gas, etc. looking for a reliable replacement. It is amazing what people call ‘very good condition’, ‘extra clean’, etc. and when you look your first reaction is to do a 180 and head home! Thanks for the tips. I’ll see if I can get the Vin from the guy, I don’t know if the State of Maine will run a Vin for a private citizen. The quick things to look for from Gofastandfalldown make sense. What about a bike that has been wrecked, and the frame might be bent or repaired? I’m assuming I might see obvious signs like welds or flaking paint on bent metal etc.
 
#10 ·
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Your bike sounds typical of the GL1000s that have spent many of the last 20 yrs sitting idly in a garage.



First, the oil leakage is possibly from the overflow tube which dumps near the driveshaft. It might be due to overfilling of the crankcase due to gas leaking past the piston. This points back at the need for a carb rebuild which is VERY common in these bikes if it has not been done.



The fan problem is likely the switch behind the radiator - these go south frequently as well. It normally fails closed (fan on all the time) but if it has failed open then it definitely needs replacing. You may not overheat in the winter in Maine, but summertime will be here again soon and you can ruin these engines quickly if overheated.



So, based on what you have already stated, here are some quickie estimates:

- carb repair $150 parts, $400 labor

- rad fan switch $75(oem) $50 labor

- oil change $50?



if you really want to fix the bike up and it has no maint records, you will consider this part of the requirement to make it roadworthy:

- timing belts $20 $100labor

- tires $300 installed

- battery $100 (go gel/AGM)

- coolant change $50

- brakesflushed $50 brakes cleaned/rebuilt/flushed $200



I could go on but you get the idea - to make it run costs X but to make it roadworthy and safe costs 3X-5X. These are fantastic bikes that are well worth restoring, but it takes $$$, TLC and attention to make it a reliable and safe ride like it was back in '77
 
#11 ·
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Well I bought the 1000………….much to my wife’s dismay. You’re gonna’ what?:? I figure it is a challenge to see if I can get it running, or…………….sell it for parts or something else. It is kind of ruff, but all the major pieces are there. It appears neglect played a major role. I haven’t got done assessing everything yet but I’ll do that soon. At first glance, no mufflers, needs a rear tire, front forks are leaking/seeping near the top of them; foul smelling gas/turpentine coming from the gas tank, needs a seat replacement, and the front wheel appeared to be dragging. It really rolls hard and a lot heavier bike than I thought. It was almost impossible to get up on the center stand. More to follow later but I am going to do some picking up in my basement first to give me more room and then attack it! It may not be a complete basket case but I think it is close. I like Honda equipment so we’ll see what I can do. The guy didn’t have a key to the gas tank area so he bent the cover all up trying to get the lock out. Not a real competent mechanic.:X BTW how many different colors were there in 1977 on these? This is a well worn black one that almost looks like a repaint, not sure.
 
#12 ·
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Congrats OldRider2,
To make it a little easier when putting on center stand, start with rear tire on a piece of wood or 2, the higher you can get the rear tire, the easier to put on stand.
You may temporarily loosen those brakes with some brake cleaner spray.
Enjoy the Trip,
 
#13 ·
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Well, congratulations on buying that elephant to eat!! hope the first few bites do not sour your palate... when done it is quite the satifying meal :p



from your descriptions, here is a plan of attack;

- pull carbs, take off float bowls...if no broken parts, start plan for rebuild whether that means parts or send off

- while waiting on parts, remove calipers, gently pump out pistons and carefully clean out the "cup"... replace seal and test with wetted piston...it should move in and out with little effort once caliper is clean and smooth...then re-install and bleed

- check electronics - make sure start button causes some noises (careful with cranking) and other functions seem functional... begin repair/replace as needed

- get new rubber...replace those old hardened tires unless date code verifies they are less than 5-6 yrs old

- get it running and stopping then go for a ride or two. decide it is the coolest think since ice cream, then go home for more cosmetics/mufflers/fork seals. If not happy, sell by early summer for what you have in it



obviously the change oil/check coolant/get a battery are part of this but I am just laying out the big plan



OH...and getting it up on the sidestand is a bear... practice and free moving wheels makes it much easier (and take it out of gear)



we are here when the work gets most frustrating... lean on us

TS99
 
#14 ·
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And of OR2, you will read all necessary documentation available via the fine folks here. Something I learned too late, was to be careful not to bend carb floats when removing. As you will read, they need to be perfectly level. Also reroute throttle cables around frame for easier carb removal later. (you'll see) Hope this helps.
 
#15 ·
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10-4, morriscatt on using some brake cleaner to loosen up the brakes. That is one of my first priorities so I can move the thing around easier. It was sitting in a garage at probably 30 degrees temperature and then was in my trailer for 3 hours so I wasn't sure if part of it was because of being real cold or what. I also wasn't sure if I had it in gear or not. Very, very stiff. We had to shovel snow out of the way and drag it/push it up the ramp into my trailer. I'm getting to old, to fat, and to gray for this!
 
#16 ·
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OldRider2 wrote:
10-4, morriscatt on using some brake cleaner to loosen up the brakes. That is one of my first priorities so I can move the thing around easier. It was sitting in a garage at probably 30 degrees temperature and then was in my trailer for 3 hours so I wasn't sure if part of it was because of being real cold or what. I also wasn't sure if I had it in gear or not. Very, very stiff. We had to shovel snow out of the way and drag it/push it up the ramp into my trailer. I'm getting to old, to fat, and to gray for this!
Oh, I forgot to mention, once you start riding her, the more you ride, the lighter she feels!
A engine stand would be nice at this point, or a motorcycle jack. I have read on here that one is available from Harbor freight.
She will drag her rear wheel/tire if in gear. She does weigh about 800 lbs., so be careful with yourself. A friend took an old bike completely apart to frame, had the frame powder coated, then painted all other parts with can auto paint...... she is beautiful. Even if you paint the frame yourself, she will look great.
 
#17 ·
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For temporary relief on the dragging brakes you can give each caliper a couple of good whacks with a rubber mallet or a chunk of wood to loosen the pucks. Do not use a regular hammer as the housings will break easily. Note that this will probably need done each time after a brake is applied until you get them cleaned out.
 
#18 ·
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I wanted to pick up a Service Manual for the 1000 and I see there are ones by Clymer, Haynes, and the original Honda Manuals. The Clymer and Haynes are the most common, is one better than the other for these bikes. Thanks.
 
#19 ·
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I'll take a Haynes manual over a Clymers. Clymer seems like they rush the process and get information wrong sometimes when compiling a book for print. Of course the best is always the factory manuals.
 
#20 ·
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Just a word of warning, if you attack the carbs yourself. Read and heed Randakk's info on carb repair. Pay close attention to the part about removing float pin. Use smallest hammer available. A large hammer WILL break the stanchion that holds the pin. Been there, done that. Remember, almost any part can be found on E-bay.
 
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