[deathtrap]

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I'm just about ready to dump this thing at the local salvage yard, and see if they can set me up with something newer.

Let me start by going through all I've done with this thing. I had massive issues with getting the waterpump replaced, which included drilling out all of the original phillips head screws and replacing the transfer cover,drilling out one of the long waterpump cover screws because that broke, replacing the waterpump cover because the threads stripped out, replacing the starter relay because that went out after everything else was dealt with.....

I finally thought everything was done, and decided to take the bike for a nice long test ride to class and back. I turn onto the street that my school is on, and as soon as I finish the turn, I have no throttle at all. I sit around for half an hour while someone with tools comes along, thinking that if I can get into the switch, maybe I can fix it. They show up, I go to take the switch apart, and the phillips head screws holding it together shred. I popped off the throttle cable closest to me, and the cable pulls right out of the sleeve. That's right, the cable rusted through on me. Now as you can see looking at the history, everytime I think I've got it, something else happens that makes me want to take a car crusher to this thing. How hard is it to replace the throttle cable, should I replace both since one already rusted through, will it be worth the 80 bucks in cables plus however much it will cost for the switch assembly, or should I just give up now and see how much steele's would be willing to give me, and see what they may be able to set me up with that's newer?

Sorry for the wall of text, but I'm kind of at a loss at this point, and can't decide if when I go get the trailer to pick it up should I even bother bringing it home or not.

 

[Silicon Sam]

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Where are you buying such expensive cables? Motion Pro cables are like $12-$15 each. Used ones will not be much cheaper..

Sounds like the bike spent a lot of time uncovered outdoors.

 

[deathtrap]

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That was straight Honda cables, and because of what I've already seen, used is right out.

 

[AZgl1800]

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I would stick with your bike.

After all, there can only be so many things go wrong, and you seemed to have covered them all.

Definitely buy both cables. I've not run into so many screws and bolts being bad on a single piece of machinery as you have, that is a bit unique.

 

[brianinmaine]

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Wow, I thought I was the guy who always broke stuff! (I got pretty big mitts, makes it hard to hold tiny stuff)

Anyway, I would keep it. You definitely learn A LOT working on this stuff, and it gives great joy to keep it running. "A 30 year old bike with HOW many miles?!" is the question often asked, to which I can reply happily "Only the first 110,000 miles, I know people with LOTS more!"

 

[plainmech]

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wow your getting it in spades, but i would press on buy the cables and pretty soon you'll be on the right side of it. good luck:action::waving:

 

[Treetrans]

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Deathtrap !!I now have a mint condition 78 GL1000 and am having my share of misfortune also. It was pulled out of the storage semi after a 8 year sit just two months ago. The reason the guy sold it to me was he starting it in his driveway 8 years ago and the throttle cable broke. He pushed it into the trailer and left it until he sold it to me for 200.00. I bought the cables used of Eb-- 10.00 and many other parts and now the bike is beautiful. Still working the bugs out . fuel pump went tach cable broke coil wiring pinched on frame took 4 days to find the short. And now one coil may be bad.Brakes were locked up all things that sitting will cause. If you haven't done the most important thing yet park the bike an do it, is the timing belts look up the napa #s on the forum and don't go any further . the engine will be junk if those belts brake. I would also pull the clutch cable and tach, speedo cable and soak them in oil or plan a problem. Point is a little extra time and patience you will have a great bike their don't give up its all small stuff if it already runs..

 

[redbaron]

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I too had read one thread too many about throttle cables breaking and leaving people stranded, riding home with one cable etc...So I decided to just go on and order new cables for mine...I looked at Honda prices, then some of the parts houses prices, I finally got all my cables from JCWhitney, they are motion pro cables and while I was buying I also bought the clutch cable, tach cable, speedo cable. All this was way cheaper than Honda and I really don't trust used cables......The only way I would even think of buying a used cable, would be if I were too far away from home and had no other choice......So if I can't pull the cable out and look at it, I ain't buying it, like I said unless it's an emergency..........

I am not going into all the pookie I have run into on mine....That is almost over now and if yours is rideable, has good brakes, and doesn't need more than just a few cables, I would stick with it.....You might want to go ahead and change the other cables as some one mentioned sounds like your Wing sat out side a lot....

Good Luck....

Claude....

 

[chris in va]

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Hey, no worries if you just want to pass it to someone else. Just because it's a Goldwing doesn't mean it can't be near the end of it's useful life. Don't go stressing out and think you have to get it fixed. I see people buy junk bikes all the time thinking they can revive them, only to spend many times over what the bike is actually worth and go broke only to have an old bike that runs.

 

[jwhitmore44]

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I know the feeling, I picked up a 76 BMW a few years ago and started riding again. It was fun tinkering and the bike worked well the first season. The winter of the first year I decided to start fixing some of the oil leak issues replacing seals and so on. Then you get to the point were every time you ride it it takes a day or two to fix it. Before long you seem to be wrenching more than riding. This wasn't what I had in mind as this was my only street legal bike.

The trany finally got to the point were it dumped all of its oil into the drive shaft. I had a mechanic tear the trany down and give me a quote for fixing it. The cost of the tranny fix was close to what I paid for the bike. I decided not to fix the trany and was about ready to part it out.

In the mean time I bought an 84 Aspencade. The Aspy so far hasn't given me any troubles. Just do maintenance and ride. It may be a few years newer but it has a little more miles on it than the beemer. This was more what i was looking for. I don't mind working on my bikes, but I would like to ride more than work on them.

At any rate, I still have the beemer. I found a good tranny on ebay for a decent price and got the bike running again. It is back to being a reliable bike, but I have become a bit disenchanted with it. If I would have bought it to do a complete restore it would have been another story. At any rate, I think the beemer is going up for sale. I'm glad I got it running again as it was really too good of bike to part out. But it's time for it to go to someone else to enjoy for awhile.

 

[OnaWingAndaPrayer]

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I am not sure how close Boulder and Aurora are but heres a sale where you might find a boatload of spares. Read this thread link .....

Boulder Bike Works Salvage "Going out of Business" - For Sale/Wanted Forum - Steve Saunders Goldwing Forums - Steve Saunders ...

 

[deathtrap]

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Thanks for all the encouragement everyone, I think I will hang onto it for now, and see what I can do with it.

 

[Bschofield]

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i just wanted to comment. I don't have the same year as yours, but when i got my bike it was a wreck...literally. i have put well over 150 hours into rebuilding.. and for me, as this is my first goldwing, it was probably 100 too many, but i now know my bike inside and out, I know every inch. and the paint looks like hell, but i am proud to ride it. and if there is a strange noise, or vibration, i know it instantly. so now, it would take a big prybar to separate me from my bike.
Barry

 

[rb7632]

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I would never try to convince you to buy used over new. You can't realy go wrong with new cables. But if you would consider it, I have a set of cables from an 1100. I am pretty sure they will fit the 100 also but please check with the dealer first to be sure.

I have cleaned tested and lubed these cables and hey slide just as slick and can be. I bought them because I thought my cables were bad as the idle did not come down when I let off the gas properly. It turned out to be ab carb problem solved by synching the carbs. I now no longer need these as the original cables are working just fine.

They are listed on eBay right now item #150363253211 right now at $9.99 plus shipping for both.

Whatever you do, do what makes you comfortable with your bike. These older girls take a little extra TLC but pay big dividends when you are done.

Ride Safe :waving:

 

[Motosickle]

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jwhitmore44 wrote:

I know the feeling, I picked up a 76 BMW a few years ago and started riding again. It was fun tinkering and the bike worked well the first season. The winter of the first year I decided to start fixing some of the oil leak issues replacing seals and so on. Then you get to the point were every time you ride it it takes a day or two to fix it. Before long you seem to be wrenching more than riding. This wasn't what I had in mind as this was my only street legal bike.

The trany finally got to the point were it dumped all of its oil into the drive shaft. I had a mechanic tear the trany down and give me a quote for fixing it. The cost of the tranny fix was close to what I paid for the bike. I decided not to fix the trany and was about ready to part it out.

In the mean time I bought an 84 Aspencade. The Aspy so far hasn't given me any troubles. Just do maintenance and ride. It may be a few years newer but it has a little more miles on it than the beemer. This was more what i was looking for. I don't mind working on my bikes, but I would like to ride more than work on them.

At any rate, I still have the beemer. I found a good tranny on ebay for a decent price and got the bike running again. It is back to being a reliable bike, but I have become a bit disenchanted with it. If I would have bought it to do a complete restore it would have been another story. At any rate, I think the beemer is going up for sale. I'm glad I got it running again as it was really too good of bike to part out. But it's time for it to go to someone else to enjoy for awhile.

still have the R90 ??

 

[deradler1]

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As the former owner of an almost 30 year old GL1100, the first thing I learned is to be patient and make sure you have covered all the bases before you hop on and ride away.

 

[Broke Winger]

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Bschofield wrote:

i just wanted to comment. I don't have the same year as yours, but when i got my bike it was a wreck...literally. i have put well over 150 hours into rebuilding.. and for me, as this is my first goldwing, it was probably 100 too many, but i now know my bike inside and out, I know every inch. and the paint looks like hell, but i am proud to ride it.  and if there is a strange noise, or vibration, i know it instantly. so now, it would take a big prybar to separate me from my bike.
Barry

Yeah that sounds like me...but I have more like a thousand hours in mine. I've had it torn all the way down to the frame three times. I've replaced almost everything including the motor. There have been times I've pulled my hair out, times I've threatened to dump it in Lake Michigan. But...I'll probably never let go of it.

1980 GL1100 Standard, + scads of parts and labor = 1980/81 GL1100 Interstate.

Hell I even have parts off a '77 on it.

Keep at it...soon enough you'll replaced/fixed enough stuff to have a reliable bike that you'll be able to put another 100k miles on with routine maintenance.

 

[joedrum]

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Keep at it these things are small in the big picture iknow that water pump must have realy been a battle. if your motor runs good has good compression they can run a long time. there is a learning curve here. make sure you use thr rite silicate free anti freeze and flush the system make sure the termastat and fan switches are working or get rid of them and put a manual switch on fan and be your own thermastat. the radiator cools the oil to. you will probably have carb issues start off by adding gas treatment to clean while you ride,seafoam, atf,2cycle oil,stabil or other type gas treatment and ride. these bikes like to be rode alot. id say your petty tough the cable thing just hit you while you were trying to recuperate best of luck joedrum

 

[Steve-n-TN]

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I can't agree more about the new vs. used cables. When I was working on getting my bike in a reliable riding condition, I replaced all the cables, clutch cable, throttle cables, choke cable along with new speedo and tach cable. I got allof them brand new for about $70. Great insurance if you ask me. Watch Eb... for a good used right side control. I bought one to have as a spare for switches and who knows what else for $9.00.



Good luck,



Steve

 

[jwhitmore44]

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Motosickle wrote:

jwhitmore44 wrote:

I know the feeling, I picked up a 76 BMW a few years ago and started riding again. It was fun tinkering and the bike worked well the first season. The winter of the first year I decided to start fixing some of the oil leak issues replacing seals and so on. Then you get to the point were every time you ride it it takes a day or two to fix it. Before long you seem to be wrenching more than riding. This wasn't what I had in mind as this was my only street legal bike.

The trany finally got to the point were it dumped all of its oil into the drive shaft. I had a mechanic tear the trany down and give me a quote for fixing it. The cost of the tranny fix was close to what I paid for the bike. I decided not to fix the trany and was about ready to part it out.

In the mean time I bought an 84 Aspencade. The Aspy so far hasn't given me any troubles. Just do maintenance and ride. It may be a few years newer but it has a little more miles on it than the beemer. This was more what i was looking for. I don't mind working on my bikes, but I would like to ride more than work on them.

At any rate, I still have the beemer. I found a good tranny on ebay for a decent price and got the bike running again. It is back to being a reliable bike, but I have become a bit disenchanted with it. If I would have bought it to do a complete restore it would have been another story. At any rate, I think the beemer is going up for sale. I'm glad I got it running again as it was really too good of bike to part out. But it's time for it to go to someone else to enjoy for awhile.

still have the R90 ??

Yea I do, sent you a PM.