[zimco]

Being only 5' 2" tall I have a need to lower the GL1000 so my feet will touch the ground.

I have been riding since 1963 but have never had a Goldwing because of the height problem.

My plan is to enter the progress of the build day by day as I get it done.

The bike I am using is one of seven I have purchased over the summer.

I first have stripped most of the seven which helped to gain knowledge of the Goldwing construction.

The bike I am lowering is a 1975 which was near a fire and is in bad need of a complete clean-up.

I have added the photos so far to my "zimco" photo gallery, I guess I can only put 1 here per post

This is the frame cutaway on the right side.

 

[zimco]

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I notched the frame at the bottom in order to push the new tubing inside and have more area to weld the two lower pieces together.

After sitting and looking at it for a while I decided how I was going to go about changing the rear.

I bent new bars for the right side and made two 2" X 5" plates to bolt to where the old shocks used to be.

After numerous fittings I finally tack welded the right rear together.

After everything is tacked I will remove the engine and strip the frame bare, then weld and plate up the areas that I can't get to now.

I might add that the old gas tank will not be used, a tank will be added top side and the electrics that were under the top covers will go down to the lower area.

Photo is of the lower frame notched out to slide the new frame into the tubing

 

[zimco]

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I also must state here that I am not a welder, some of the welds may appear to be bubblegum, Once I get the whole project tacked and stripped I will go back and grind, & plate the bad welds.

I do much better when I can get at the welding on a flat level surface and not laying on the ground.

You may also notice as I go on I tend to overkill the project, I have never had anything I have welded come apart after I am finished with it.

This is the right rear tacked together, with a gusset I was fitting. The top bar is welded on both sides the bottom is only welded on the top.

 

[zimco]

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One nice thing about a Goldwing is that with it being drive shaft driven, the shocks and frame around the rear can be removed and the rear wheel will still be straight with the frame.

This is the reason I also left the engine in the frame, it helps to keep everything in alignment.

The rear differential will still be able to be removed after the changes, actually I believe (hope) some things will be easier to get at.

I have now removed the left side of the rear frame.

 

[zimco]

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I mentioned the good thing about the Goldwing being drive shaft driven, I forgot the bad, because one side has the drive shaft and one just has the shock, the sides are different. This means the two sides will not look exactly alike when bending the frame tubing.

Oh well you can only see one side at a time anyway.

In the last photo you will see because of the bolt that mounts the caliper I had to change the plate that bolts where the shock usually goes to a little different angle.

When I finish putting the gussets in I will try to make them look as similar as I can.

I forgot to add before that I notched out the top bars to make them fit the frame as close as possible.

The angle of the tubing is the same on both sides it is just the mounts at the shock bolts that are a little different.

 

[blackknytecnc]

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From what I see in the pics, those welds ain't bad by any stretch. You wanna see "bubble gum", you should see my first welding attempt with a harbor freight 90 amp mig, it was horrible. Mind you, I've gotten a lot better over the last 8 years. Looks good so far, keep it up.

 

[Anim8or Earl]

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zimco wrote:

I have added the photos so far to my "zimco" photo gallery, I guess I can only put 1 here per post.

You can add as many as you like to each post by clicking the "G" button in the editor and browsing to your gallery pictures.

 

[Anim8or Earl]

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And keep us updated please zimco, this will be an interesting thread to follow.

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

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Interesting, ...but: what about the fuel tank?

Nice work on what you've done.

Why not just lower it with these? :

 

[zimco]

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Fuel tank will be mounted in the usual top motorcycle style.

I will rewire and move basic electrics to other locations.

Standard lowering doesn't do it, at 5' 2" my feet would still not touch, even at this rate I may not get down to flat footed.

All I have is time and besides this type of thing is fun for me, and it keeps me out of trouble. My wife is also retired!

 

[AZgl1800]

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zimco,

I added 5 stars to your thread, and I moved it to the top of the forum so it won't disappear while you are doing your modifications.

Great job on what you are doing, keep us up to date. :waving:

 

[CBX n GL man]

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Zimco, looks like your idea and welding job is off to a good start. Later.

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

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Zimco, a rigid ride with a sprung seat maybe?... I've seen it on another forum, but first time seeing it here. Again, nice job.

 

[zimco]

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I took Saturday off, 25th anniversary party for a good friend.

I started Sunday by turning the clocks back.

I mean that in more ways than one.

After a days thought I felt I was not happy with the way the frame looked or the design of it.

I spent most of Sunday in a chair drinking coffee and staring at the frame.

I felt that I could get a better look at it if I removed the motor.

Once I had the motor out I could see the lines of the frame and I didn't like what I saw.

I then decided to remove most all of my work, and start new.

At that point I left the right bottom tube in but just before quitting for the day (8:00pm) I did finally remove the right bottom tube also.

So I am back to square one again, Momma said there would be days like this.

 

[blackknytecnc]

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Momma said there would be days like this.

Been their done that. But hey, you learned something valuable, you learned at least one way NOT to do it.

 

[zimco]

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I learn something new every day.

Today I start again, Knowing the rear frame rail on a GL1000 bends out at a greater angle than the one on the left.

"measure twice, cut & weld once"

 

[SportsterMark]

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I'm a bit taller at 6'3", but I like a low bike anyway. The GL1000 I am riding right now has shorter shocks on it, but they are in sad shape. I think they came off of something like a CB450, shorter but not as sturdy. The rear fender sits just above the tire with my weight (275 lbs.) on the bike, with just enough give room to feel like a rigid when I hit a solid bump. I have spent the last month looking at this bike to figure out how to move the foot controls so that my knees aren't scrunched up while riding, and it seems that I'll have to move them to forward and above the cylinder heads, describing a line above the timing belts. The biggest pain looks to be changing the shift linkage to work in that location.
I am enjoying reading your efforts, it is giving me a few ideas. Thanks!

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

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zimco wrote:

I spent most of Sunday in a chair drinking coffee and staring at the frame.

I do a lot of that myself.

 

[zimco]

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Spent most of Monday thinking again.

I think this time I am going a different route.

By attaching the main tube to the rear frame in a straight line using a reinforced cross brace then run two supports one from the top and one from the bottom.

I went to the basement and turned 2 rectangle solid pieces down on the lathe, so they fit inside of the tubing.

[align=left] [/align][align=left] The solid rectangle will have two pieces of flat stock to form the shock mount.
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[align=left]Top View
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[align=left]Inner left side
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By doing it this way I hope to get both sides to look similar and give the rear more support.

I will also have a better way to support the seat and rear fender.


[/align]

 

[zimco]

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No work on Tuesday, I needed a mental & physical health day off.

I plan on going out to the garage shortly and get going again.

I am going to cut, drill, & tap the two flat pieces for the right shock mount.

Then hopefully weld both sides up and maybe get to the tubing again.