[noodlestsc]

First of all Hi everyone, first time posting here and hopefully many more. I live in Long Island, NY. Been riding for a long time now.

Can anyone help me out with some common things to look out for with an '87 1200 interstate?

I've been researching hard and am going to look at one later today which appears from the pictures to be in great shape. It'll be my first 'wing.

I'm pretty knowledgeable about generally what to look for in an older bike (the bike I just sold and rode for 3 years was an '85 Honda Shadow 1100) but if there are any specifics it would be greatly appreciated.

One thing I have seen is to look out for the rectifier, if it hasn't been replaced at least do the wiring mod immediately (I know this all to well as the 85 Shadow also came oem with the undersized connector which I had to do the mod to)

Fork seals are probably another issue, but I've changed plenty of seals before so not a problem to me.

How hard is it to change the timing belt(s) on the '87? Does it require an engine pull? If this person doesn't have record of them being changed I'd probably just do it myself first as long as it doesn't require an engine pull.

Any common items I should look out for?

If all goes well I will new member to the world of Wings tonight.

Chris

 

[Ansimp]

Welcome Chris. You have hit on most of the important things as you have owned an older bike. Timing belts instead of timing chain and tensioner as you stated. You didn't mention if the bike is currently being used regularly so if not carbies, brakes and tank. Good Luck with your hunt.

 

[noodlestsc]

Thanks for the response, I don't think the bike has been sitting for any length of period but won't know that until I go look at it. The owner doesn't make note of it and says it runs great which sounds to me like it has been a recent runner.

Trying hard not to get too excited yet until I see her in person but I definitely can't wait to get on a Wing. More-so the fact that I can enjoy long trips with my other half. On the Shadow I used to have no issues going all day on the saddle, but it definitely wore on my girlfriend and it's time for something we can both enjoy cruising all day on.

 

[trashtruck]

greetings from upstate chris. timing belts do not require pulling the motor, but it is easier to remove the radiator just for the room. check the stator 3 wire connection near the battery. if its still there, remove it and hard wire them together. many happy miles and keep the rubber side down.

 

[wilmo]

I will add to change out the dogbone main fuse to the right of the battery. That is also combined with the starter solenoid. It's the 2 large red wires that you're concerned with. Same thing eventually happens there as what is with the stator wiring. Clear that up as well and the bike will be reliable. If you decide to change the belts, check the water pump as well while you're in there. If the splines move laterally, replace it. Belts are relatively easy, I did mine and I'm no mechanic. Definitely check the brake fluid, probably the most overlooked maintenance on the planet. The (right) front and rear brakes are linked with the foot pedal so bleed the front first.

 

[WingMan71]

Chris,

The most important thing is to CHECK TO SEE IF THE STATOR RECALL HAS BEEN DONE.

You called it the "rectifier", but that's not the problem part. It's the "stator" inside the alternator.

All you need is the VIN off of the bikes to check this. You can call Honda of America Customer Support here:

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 2200
Torrance, CA 90509-2200
Mail stop: 100-4C-7B
Telephone: (866) 784-1870

If you give them the VIN off of the bike, they will look it up and can tell you if the stator has been replaced under warranty.

Or, any authorized Honda dealer can do the stator recall check for you as well. Just give them the VIN and they should be able to look it up.

If the stator has been replaced you're good to go. Just make sure the the infamous "three yellow wires" at the connector located just to the left of the battery have been correctly fixed. That connector is undersized and overheats and eventually fries the wires which then eventually fry the stator. The fix is to remove that connector completely and hard solder those three yellow wires together. Most GL1200s still running these days have already had that done, but if not you need to do it or you'll be paying for another stator replacement, which requires engine removal.

I know many folks will say forget the stock alternator and stator and just install a "poor boy" external alternator. You can if you want, but once the original stator has been replaced and the three yellow wires fixed you won't have any more problems.

Good luck. You'll be happy with a GL1200. Great bikes. To me, one of the best looking Gold Wings ever built

 

[jon jay]

Welcome chris,I think you will find this site helpful,and if you buy the wing you will be pleased with the ride,there is no better bike on the road,my opinion of course.

 

[glhonda]

Chris,

The most important thing is to CHECK TO SEE IF THE STATOR RECALL HAS BEEN DONE.

No such animal as a stator recall.
If the stator was replaced with a genuine honda part, the warranty period was extended. Lifetime I believe. The only recall I'm aware of, was the '84 ignition switch. Every other fix has been a technical bulletin, and not subject to warranty.

 

[4evermetric]

Chris,

The most important thing is to CHECK TO SEE IF THE STATOR RECALL HAS BEEN DONE.

Help me out here. Apparently there was an official recall? If so, is there an expiration date on the recall? And if not, is it a free replacement?

 

[Ken Bergen]

Help me out here. Apparently there was an official recall? If so, is there an expiration date on the recall? And if not, is it a free replacement?

As glhonda said there was no recall.

The warranty on the stator was extended to four years instead of the normal two years for the original owner.

A stator replaced under warranty was warrantied for life but again only to the original owner.

 

[noodlestsc]

Update time: First, I did mean the stator when I said in my first post that I knew to look out for the rectifier (my brain was fried yesterday)

Second...I pulled the trigger and bought the bike! I am now a new owner of an '87 Interstate!

The bike is in great mechanical shape (as confirmed by the short 15 mile ride home last night), but at 26 years old she does show some cosmetic wear and tear (not an issue for me). 70k on the odometer, updated stereo, mechanical (friction) cruise control, but not too many other ad-ons.

The coloring is a little funky, but it's actually growing on me and I may just keep it like this (you'll see from the pictures)...The owner before the guy I bought it from painted it flat black and added green accents to it (with a few Monster drink logos). Weird but I'm sort of digging it.

Stator was replaced, but I'm not sure about the connector. I am going to look at it and if the connector was not bypassed that will be my first order of business (along with cleaning her up and riding)

Here are the pictures (my '85 Shadow that I just sold is in the background of one of them) http://s8.photobucket.com/user/noodlestsc/library/1987%20Goldwing%20Interstate

Driveability wise I LOVE it! I actually never rode a wing before so I was naturally a little worried by all the reports you hear about the weight and size. Maybe because I'm 6'1" but I had no issues handling this bike at all, to the point where I said to myself that the weight actually felt similar to my Shadow. I guess really they are not that far off weight wise.

 

[trashtruck]

you will probably notice the weight difference when you go to the store and start throwing it around the parking lot.

 

[WingMan71]

I am now a new owner of an '87 Interstate!

Based solely on the pictures that might not be a 1987 Gold Wing. You need to check your VIN to determine what year it actually is.

The 87s had a few specific features that the 84 to 86 models did not.

The most noticeable is a one-year-only seat that was way better than the 84 to 86 seats which all had a crown in the middle. The 87 seat was redesigned with a flatter seating area and triple density foam.

The 1984 Gold Wing had completely different mirrors, so yours is probably not a 1984, unless those were changed as well.

All the above said, you could still actually have a 1987 model that previous owners have put back together using various 1984 to 1986 parts.

None the less, GL1200s are great bikes. You'll enjoy yours! Congratulations again!

 

[WingMan71]

Mine WAS recalled...

Ken, GLHonda, and others,

Even though it was in 1984 I still remember this like it was yesterday.

I bought a 1984 Interstate new in 1984. I bought it fairly early in the model year. Some months after I bought it, the dealer I bought if from contacted me and had me bring my bike in to have the stator replaced under warranty.

It hadn't failed or given me any trouble to date before they called. That certainly seemed like a "recall" to me. If it wasn't, I doubt the dealer would have covered the cost and not charged me for it.

Only thing I can think of is that there actually were a certain number of early 1984 models that were identified by their VIN as containing suspect defective alternator stators.

One of the reasons I remember this so well, is that the dealer gave me a nice "free" oil leak as part of the stator replacement. Bike had to go back in his shop two days later to fix the oil leak!

So, at least some of these were actually recalled.

 

[SETHAN12]

Welcome:waving:noodlestsc
​

 

[noodlestsc]

Based solely on the pictures that might not be a 1987 Gold Wing. You need to check your VIN to determine what year it actually is.

Definitely an 87. See attached photo of VIN plate