I buy one to five Goldwing's a year and to summarize your info Scott - If the bike looks good than it's probably good. I look at mileage and if it's 100k or less I ignore the mileage. If you can see maintenance records that's OK but if the bike has lots of chrome and is clean it's probably been over maintained or very well maintained. I never ask for records as I know what to look for. You can never buy a bike with a bent frame that is Junk title and can not be retitled. Salvage is fine and this is where you get the best deals. You would not believe the minor damages that will tag a bike as salvage, normally a broken mirror is it ( $50 repair) Most damage is superficial, again if its even close to frame damage the insurance companies junk the title. I almost never test ride but do start the engine as all Goldwing sound the same. Forget the minor switches, wind screen and all the piddlie stuff as that is easy to fix and it gives you leverage. you are buying a bike that is USED so it's not going to be new. If there is damage know what parts will cost and here again leverage. If I followed all the things you mentioned on this video I would have never purchased the 100 or so bike I have purchased over the years. If you are so worried about scratches and dings - buy a new bike is my advice. Belly pans are a bad idea as this is a fire danger - I see many burnt GLs at the insurance junkyards. If the owner lets you test ride that's great but most won't
For sure, if you insist on everything being perfect, you will never buy a bike. I'm just giving an overview of specific things to look for, apart from kicking the tires and "yup, it runs." I don't mean that all of the things on my list must be fine - you can judge for yourself the condition, your own skill at repairing them, and how much that might affect your asking price. The aftermarket belly pans are almost a requirement for GL1800's, as so many of them have been disabled on the road thanks to Honda's inept decision to mount the plastic coolant reservoir on the bottom of the bike, right where the front wheel can throw debris up into it.
@@GoldwingDocs I will say when I am a seller if someone gets all nit picky I will normally not compromise on the selling price as i read this person as overly fussy and probably will be a royal pain in the butt going ahead. This is why it's good to pay attention to the details but ease back on the throttle when interrogating the seller. One really important fact is - there is never ever a warranty. Once you buy it's yours, if it blows up 10 seconds later it's still yours as there is no warranty on any used vehicle unless it's in WRITING. This is the "As is law". No court that I know of will side with the buyer on this one. That being said - I like your new channel 99% of the info is spot on and beneficial to all.
100% know the value of damaged parts. I learned the hard way that Yamaha's starter clutches on their V-Star 1100's are a weak point, and if you give it any throttle while trying to start it the kickback will shred that starter clutch. 700 dollars just for the part, DIY keeps it at that but taking it in runs even more on the cost. If looking at an 1100 Vstar, I like to ask the owner to start it, and if they use any throttle while startting its 700 off the price instantly
I got 2 Goldwings '83 and '82 for $300 (get these junks out of my yard deal) and after looking into it, the 2 were close in age so I took the 2 and made 1. All the good went into 1 and I've run that for the last 7 years. No plastics, nothing fancy but it's a good bike and I love Goldwings because of it. Also I know how it works so I can do all my own maintenance
Bought a Gl1100I 37,000 miles Changed fluids all of them. Tires, got on the road everything works. Hammers sweetly at 90 mph TRAC forks, air shocks front and back. Yes original. Ride on folks.
Never thought I would be even considering buying a Goldwing... but have lately been wanting to go farther away from home. Riding comfort and ability to carry camping gear, plus the ridiculous value you get with a used one of these has me very interested.
My last Goldwing is a 1985 ,GL1200. It cost me 1900. Had 19000 miles. Was in like new condition, but sat since 98. Fuel was bad and carbs were gum up. Work them and did the maintenance thing with it. Now I am ridding a museum bike and people always ask me about it. They are out there and just take time to find one.
I've been dailying a 1981 Suzuki Gs-650, but her CDI is going out and been looking at a goldwing for distance commuting. I absolutely know the "museum piece" feel lol
Most everything you talked about didn't apply to my first Wing. An '80 that sat outside behind a barn in upstate NY. Fairing fell of on the trailer on the way home. Took me a month to get it running (had never seen a gold Wing before) An $800 bike and I rode it for 12 years. Bought a 1200 a few years ago. Not running when bought. Dealer said fuel pump. It needed a fuel relay. Still riding this one. Maybe I'll buy a good one some time.
In a couple of days I'm picking up an '84 GL1200 basket case...but for $350. I am an old mechanic and love a challenge. I should be able to get it running for $150 in parts. I'm excited!!!
Another thing to watch out for, especially on the 1500, is the LCD screen. If it has a half moon shaped dark place on it, you will need a new LCD screen. This is a common problem on the 1500 and is usually caused by sitting out in the sun with the screen not protected.
I liked the 1500 Goldwing looks better than I liked the 1800 As for the sun ruining the LCD screen on your 1500. I had a similar thing happen that I would’ve never thought of. I started to sell a lot of the motorcycle stuff I have collected over 40 years on eBay. So I bought myself a digital camera. I set it on a tripod in my yard, and I started to collect things to take pictures of. I took the pictures, I started putting them away, it was dinner time,, I sat down after dinner and watched the news, ECT meanwhile, my digital camera was still sitting out in the sun. couple weeks later I started taking more photographs of more stuff to sell on eBay. only this time, every photograph had the center of the picture burned out like you were looking at a photograph of an eclipse. The camera lens focused the sunlight on the internals of the camera ruining it… So, that is something to think about if you ever set up a trail camera. I live surrounded by woods, and something had been raiding my garden.. I remembered what happened to my digital camera when I strapped my trail camera to a tree facing my garden next to the woods. I made sure that that camera aimed north and was in the shade also, I commuted for 24 years on a Honda Pacific Coast motorcycle. In my opinion, the most useful motorcycle in the history of the entire universe. I’ve got myself a half motorcycle cover made by Nelson rigg.. it fit that motorcycle perfectly, and it was silver, to reflect sunlight and UV light. As a result, none of my plastic was damaged by sunlight. It was a black motorcycle, and it still shines like it was only a year old. I actually put it on eBay when I retired, and it’s sold for more than I paid for it 24 years earlier..
Scott I do enjoy your videos, please do not take this as criticism! Too many "bike" owners do not understand OIL. On a Goldwing our oil performs three extremely vital functions; Lubricate the engines moving parts we all know, but Goldwings shifter and transmission are using the same fluid. Wear on "engine oil" in a Goldwing is three times faster then any other bike. My preference is Amzoil, mostly because all my bikes are high mileage and OLD. Suspension on any bike is critical to good handling! Forks holding air and fluid under pressure, checking for leaks and air bleeding off front and rear depending on the bike and year. Triple tree alignment! I triple stick every bike brought to me for inspection. Wheels and tires; air pressure and straightness of alignment are easy checks on used bikes with a straight edge or string. Wiring; pulling the seat and access panels to check for correct wiring gauge and routing. Any add ons are they wired freely to the battery or fuse bank? Do those extras work are they necessary for you? Another utuber Identified in a video one carb wasn't functioning??? And he continues to ride the bike and "brag" how durable his Honda is. This kind of damage to an engine is not repairable with simply fixing the fuel delivery system. Uneven engine wear and out of balance punishment on the crank shaft destroys a whole block if ridden hard or over a long period. Metal filings found in the engine oil should be tested for; size, possible source and importance. Buying any vehicle even with good maintenance records is a gamble. I only ride old bikes so these are the risks I have taken. I do not like owners to start and run bikes if they've been in storage a long time. Here's my horror story. I rode over to look at an 04 HD Road King. Stored for seven years I never started it but planned a thorough going over and fluid changes before starting. I planned and did pick it up the next day with a trailer. I cleaned the tank and change fuel filter and screen, changed all three oils and a lot of rubber pieces before my first ride three days later. The engine seized two miles from my shop. My first call was to the seller, I asked if they started and rode the bike one last time. It turns out he went for a "glory ride". Putting that old engine oil through the engine and that varnish through the fuel system, clogged and gummed my jets and floats in the carb while destroying my valve guides and seals throughout the engine. After a complete rebuild and getting a grand back from what I had paid, I'll never ride over to look at a bike unless I can get a friend to haul it home immediately. Gas turns to gummy varnish and rust forms inside of tanks within a year. Engine oil separates and isn't effective after sitting for certain lengths of time and all sediments are the first picked up in pumps! Transmissions have valve bodies with tight tolerances and require fluid pressure to aid shifting and running bikes. We must all remember motorcycles all operate under high RPMs! Every component requires lubrication. Good luck to all, you are in my prayers Hoka Hey
I bought my 2008 last year with several problems. Air filter clogged Front fork leaking Steering bearing shot Could only start in neutral High beam out Brake fluid reservoir looked like mud Plugs wore out Passenger Seat warmer doesn’t work It rattles over any rough surface I spent hours and hours detailing and repairing. Only issues I haven’t fixed yet are the seat warmer and the rattles. Drives me crazy but I finally got a wing and I finished 4 iron butts with it so far😁
@@brucejohnson8521 they all do with the kickstand is down. If you put it in gear and the kickstand is down it will kill the engine for safety reasons. My clutch switch was bad at the handlebars so it would only start in neutral. Now I can start it in any gear as long as the kickstand is up and the clutch is pulled in. I just got home from another thousand mile iron butt ride. Love that bike!
Just bought a wing with a trailer.I rode it home six hours over the Rockies at night. I rode it up the street to check the brakes hooked the trailer and left. Beyond the list I look at the guys yard and garage.if it's tidy he probably kept the bike up too.
Bought my gl1500 from an old man with a motorhome and a well manicured lawn in a nice community in Florida. Bike was in the garage and I believed every word he said about maintenance lol
Nice video lots of good tips. I have owned many all Japanese brands 5 Harleys a Triumph. All bought second hand except MX bikes. I have my Eye on a GL 1800 come next season yes the best road sofa hands down. 😊
Just bought an 88 1500 with 30 thousand miles at an estate auction for 750 bucks! It will be this winter's project, as it has sat since 2016. I'm really pumped to get going on it!
I bought 88' Goldwing, with collector item plates, being first year with reverse gear, for $1800 with 90,000 miles. but even with high mileage motor will still complete the side standing quarter coin on running engine trick! I've rode almost 3000 non-issue miles now an love it. (Only issue has been me! Not remembering too put reverse gear lever make into riding position, depressing gear shift too first gear an not moving into first gear." Oh yeah, I have to put reverse lever down, stupid"! There was a issue with right side front plastic cover pin snapped off, pulling side cover out instead of back toward rear. Easy fix! Owners maintenance records were better than mine, that was a first. Accessories list was impressive too with rear progressive shocks, etc..
Hello Scott, pull the dip stick and look at the oil not just the level also the condition of the oil. Feel that the oil is smooth and not gritty. Lastly smell the oil, you may smell gas, coolant, or a burnt smell, or all of the above. Ask the owner what oil is in it. JASO motorcycle oil is best for the Goldwing. And Lastly when considering buying a motorcycle, go Goldwing or go home. Thanks for the video.
Most people selling will do a n oil change prior so it's really more important to just look at the general condition of the bike. If it's clean and full of chrome it's been maintained.
@@Ruleof2plus1 full of chrome???? That's a term I've never heard in a good way... Please explain??? As in chrome accents? Or is motorcycle oil a different color?
@@dfrmotorsports4591 Yes chrome plated oil, its the latest thing :) No what I meant was covered in chrome accessories. Anyone who adds and modifies will normally go the extra mile in maintenance. And really even poor maintenance on a gl1800 is not a show stopper as they are so resilient.
Number one cause of a stator failure on a 1200, and other Hondas, is the plug coming out of the stator with the three large yellow wires. It gets a slight bit of corrosion in it, gets hot, melts the plastic, terminals touch, and shorts it out. Make sure that plug is completely clean and coated with dielectric grease. At minimum, you should check and clean it yearly.
I recently bought a low millage 02 from a dealership. I got hosed on the deal, I was lucky they wanted to make it right. The salesman lied about the condition, I was refunded enough money to make the repairs. I then noticed it was white, they never made a white goldwing in 02. I made the dealer do a accident report. I was glad to see no insurance claims where made on the bike. So I guess the last owner either dropped it or wanted a color change. I typically don't buy from dealers becuase of multiple bad experiences. I drove three hours one way to get this bike and even after all the BS it was still a better then I could have gotten local. I paid 5000 and 100 in gas to get it. Now she is back in good shape and runs out smooth as silk
It would be interesting to have a look at the plastics on your bike - on the back side you'll see molded-in date stamps that show the month and year the piece was manufactured.
@@GoldwingDocs for some reason I never thought to look. The plastics even have pinstripping but I haven't looked into it enough to know if they came from the factory like that. I wish we where able to post pictures in our comments .
The tires. When I got my 94 1500 i almost 2 years ago, the guys says, the tires look like new and they did. Never giving it a thought about checking the date of manufacturer on each tire. Rear was 7 years old and the front was 10. They were both so hard and dry rotted that I had to use a hand grinder to cut them off. That was a few weeks later and found out about the dates. My windshield was all yellow and he tells me it will clean up and the rear brake did not work. $1000 and 2 months of working on it my own, I got it in top shape ever since. People will lie through their teeth about the slightest details and problems. As the old law enforcement saying goes, "trust no one, suspect everyone." I was just stupid and desperate for the cheapest goldwing on facebook yard sales in my area.
I may have topped you in the bad judgement department. Facebook "market place" had a GW 1200 limited edition so it's got fuel injection and a bell and whistle. And one more thing: A "DEATH WOBBLE" . AT 35 MPH I began to slow down and suddenly the handlebars turned into spaghetti. If I had been going ANY FASTER I would be in a hospital (or even worse) now. The previous owner??? He says (of course) it's never done that before... It's driver error... "
Great information! 👍 I'm in North Canton, OH, and I bought a '85 1200 Limited (fuel injected) in June of 2020, and the previous owner had NO mechanical skill to speak of, leaving maintenance to his brother. The rear brake was completely non-functional, the forks leaked oil onto the front brake pads...and the electric system was hacked - horribly - like the 30 amp fuse from the battery replaced with a beveled head machine screw and a thin nut, binding the eyelets of the leads and wrapped in electrical tape....and the previous owner claimed to have ridden the bike in this condition, saying it rode beautifully!!! 😳😨 I'm rebuilding the entire brake system, including changing the hoses with the braided stainless steel variety. I'll try one of those fork seal cleaning tools first before having to rebuild those...we'll see how that goes. The elecrical system, due to much hacking, will need a thorough going over in it's entirety - I cannot trust the motorcycle on a long trip if this is questionable. A poorboy conversion was done on it, but even that was seemingly poorly executed with too narrow a positive wire gauge and no fuse to be found!🤦♂️ I knew it would be a project bike, but not to this extent! I can do all work myself, but those in search of a rideable Goldwing MUST consider the integrity of the electrical system - you'll be left stranded on the side of a road, otherwise! BTW, my 1200L had also developed a problem with the start button, but I'm unsure on how to remove the switch cluster. Searched the GoldwingDocs forums, and was unable to find instruction on how to do that. The shop manual was also lacking on this procedure. I need to disassemble the start switch and clean/rehab it, or just replace it if that becomes fruitless. Thank you SO much for what you do, and 73! John - KE8JLV
When I got my 1500, after I found a couple nightmares like that (including wiring that was connected to NOTHING!) I decided to strip out ALL aftermarket modifications and start fresh. I needed my bike to be reliable! Your start button cluster should have screws on the bottom that allow you to separate the halves.
Thanks for the reply! Like you, I'm in the process of restoring the electrical system back to factory stock configuration, then building upon that position. I had removed the screws from the switch cluster, but the throttle cables seem to be integrated into part of the housing, preventing full removal. I suppose I then nees to figure out how to detach the throttle cables from the grip before proceeding. Any tips on how to do that? The ends are of course spring loaded and not readily sliding out of the grip's mounting slots.
Great vid. I am thinking of buying a previously owned Goldwing. I will make a note (on paper) of all of the things you have stated. Particularly if when I get there it is warm!! I will check everything that you have mentioned. Brilliant, thank you.
I like buying used cars and motorcycles in affluent suburban neighborhoods. Generally these vehicles will be garage kept, well-maintained with service records and often original owner. They're plenty of very good bikes at reasonable prices. There's no reason to buy one that's rough unless you're using it to cannibalize for parts.
yes and the guy is not broke and has the receipt when he bought it new. give him his price, he stored it for you. Recent work a plus , tidy garage no crap clutter ? give him his price, rather than haggle on price have him throw in his wife’s bicycle hanging there. He’s mad at her, she gives up the carbon GT
I just got a 89 gl1500. Everything works but needs alternator,waterpump,seat recovered. It was not loved but it fired right up. Only paid 1k for it and it only has 55k miles on it with new fairly new tires. Date code only 3 years old.
My private seller was more than happy to 2-up take me for a ride while haggling.. brought the final price down quite a bit when the fork seals started spewing oil 👍😎✊
I have had a BMW K 1200 LT, I will never buy another BMW after that disappointment, I’ve had three Yamaha ventures, I’m on my third one right now, but before my current Venture, I had a gl 1800 Goldwing.. I just had to try one. Very nice machine. I would say perfect. It did everything very well. I liked that it had reverse, so did my BMW. I liked that it had a center stand, I didn’t care about the sound system, I never listen to the The sound system on any of my motorcycles. I want to hear the engine. On my first venture I was actually able to use the key to remove the radio and replace that hole in the fairing with a cover, which I did for 16 years, that’s how long I owned that venture, 138,000 miles. Trouble free. I changed the air cleaner myself on the gold wing. I used to make my living as a motorcycle mechanic in four different shops when I was in my 20s. Changing the air filter on the Goldwing is approximately a $600 job at the dealership. I thought that was absurd, but after doing the job myself, I think that’s just about the right price. It’s not a difficult job, it’s just that it’s about 50 little jobs.. that air cleaner is really buried in there. When I got mine out finally, I found that a mouse had moved into the air cleaner housing. Which is not uncommon. I actually put a video on RUclips under my other screen name showing the mouse nest in my Goldwing airbox. The title of the video is, Goldwing made mouseproof… if you look at the video which is about a minute long you can see how deep into that bike that air cleaner is and how much of the motorcycle I had to remove to get to it. $600 to change the air cleaner at the dealer is not outrageous.. when I bought my Goldwing it was 16 years old but it only had 13,000 miles on it. I bought it from the original owner. It still had the original tires on it. They were as hard as plastic wheels on a kids hot wheels tricycle. The suspension on my Goldwing was shot I knew that when I bought it. Those springs holding up all that weight all those years, The springs were fatigued. Changing the front fork springs and seals and bushings was not real difficult, but changing the rear shock spring so that the spring rates matched front and rear, I’m guessing that job is around $800-$1000 at the dealer. You have to remove practically everything except for the engine and the wheels to get at one bolt, the top bolt on the shock absorber is completely covered by fuel tank. You have to remove the fuel tank which is behind the engine, in front of the rear wheel. You have to remove the cover that covers the engine that looks like the gas tank, you have to remove the seat, the battery, the voltage regulator later, the fuse box, fuel tank, it takes hours and hours. It’s not that difficult if you look at it like one little job at a time… There’s another factor about owning a gold wing, it’s the difficulty in doing basic maintenance on the engine, or even serious maintenance like maybe changing the clutch, or the slave cylinder, or the generator/alternator/or the water pump.. you can’t even see those things. You have to remove lots of plastic just to see the engine. Remember, labor at the dealership is $125 an hour. when I was done upgrading the suspension, and doing the basic maintenance of changing all the fluids and filters, I rode the bike for a year and a half. It was perfect, great ride, not as roomy as my Yamaha Venture’s or the BMW, but it had a great ride, the smoothest engine, I actually felt that the engine was way way overpowered. 124 hp, that power showed up in immediately. That is one thing about that bike that I thought was unnecessary. That power cost money. In the form of gasoline. 33 miles per gallon. That’s all I could get out of that machine. My BMW and my three ventures all delivered over 45 miles per gallon, and they never felt under powered.. so my Goldwing was done after doing upgrades to the suspension, doing all the maintenance, new tires, new brake pads, new air filter, I added heated grips, I put on a brand new Ginuwine Honda vented windshield. And I wrote it for a year and a half. To tell you the truth it was boring. It was the most boring motorcycle I ever owned, and I’ve owned dozens and dozens of motorcycles since 1968.. so I sold it, I got my money out of it with a slight profit which I was deserving of because of all the work that I did. And I bought myself another Yamaha royal star venture. I know them, you can get at the clutch, slave cylinder, water pump, alternator, just using the tool kit on the side of the road if necessary. You don’t have to remove any plastic. Gets 48 miles to the gallon, changing the air filters is not a five hour job, it’s a 20 minute job, I don’t even have to remove the fuel tank or a plastic panel to get to the air cleaners on my venture, there are two of them one on each side.. I know the gold wing is more refined than my venture. But the Goldwing was so boring. My Venture on the other hand looks and sounds like a motorcycle. It’s roomier, the bags are all bigger, it is simple. The only thing it doesn’t have is reverse, and a center stand. They will both go 300,000 miles with basic maintenance. The venture has factory floorboards. Goldwing two not and never did come with floorboards. You can buy aftermarket ones, but it says right in your owners manual of your Goldwing not to install aftermarket floorboards. Mine came with floorboards, and they were awkwardly in the way.. I removed them and sold them on eBay and installed the standard foot pegs which were very good, nice and wide and rubber topped. The design and width of the Goldwing six-cylinder engine, it does not leave a lot of room for your feet/legs to stretch out. On the other hand the venture motor is only about a foot wide. And you have a lots of stretch room.. The gold wing is a more refined perfect machine over the Venture I admit that. But I didn’t like it. It was as boring as my toaster, but at least I tried. If I hadn’t bought one and tried it, I would still be dreaming about a gold wing.. it’s February 20 22, and I can’t wait till the snow melts and I can start riding my new to me Yamaha Royal star venture that I bought used with only 30 K miles on it. I did some of the maintenance last fall, and I only got to ride out about 400 miles. But I already have my new tires, new brake pads, new fork oil, heated grips,, and I can’t wait to remove the rear shock and swingarm to do the bearings and the bushings lubrication, install the new tires, change the fork oil, I already did the carburetors and the valve adjustment, and none of the valves needed adjusted, they just needed checked. I’m also going to pull the driveshaft and lube the splines and check the U joint. i’ve already changed the clutch fluid and the brake fluids and the coolant and the oil and the final drive oil. I am excited for the riding season to get here. I was never like that with the gold wing. It might have been the color of the gold wing that turned me off. It was factory school bus yellow.. I guess someone not really being crazy about a Goldwing is understandable. I have never had a Harley, I cannot believe people buy those dinosaurs. But I’m sure all those Harley riders can’t believe that someone would buy a gold wing. Everyone has a right to their wrong opinion
All very valid points, and I agree with a lot of them. Getting to things on the Goldwing can be a royal pain (but not as much as a PC800 Pacific Coast, don't even get me started on that bike). That's why a lot of owners (including me) will wait until winter maintenance time to tear the bike apart and do all the work at once, so we don't have to keep removing and reinstalling body panels. The air cleaner on the GL1800 is the biggest engineering gaffe I've ever seen on a bike. What a ridiculous place to put a regular maintenance item.
Everything said about test riding is the same for buying a used car and I'm not buying anything with out test riding/ driving first. If I ask to test ride something and I'm told no, I immediately think something is wrong with the bike and the seller is trying to hide it.
I mean they may or May not be. But I’m With you. If they won’t let you ride it. Ask to start it and put it on the center stand and shift it through the gears Atleast. If it looks well Maintained. Then it probably has no issues
You have alot of great hints but you're buying it as is with no warranty since a majority of the time it's a private owner not a dealer. Whatever you buy you're going to fix or change it to your preference.
Hey Scott, Thanks for your channel and latest post. I’m an owner of a GL1500 also and my small storage compartments on left and right of seat are broke also. You mentioned having to fix your in the future. When you get time will you please explain what that involves in the repair. Thanks!
I had a 93 goldwing, it was up for sale for a year, sat outside a lot between the place that was selling it putting outside during the day in all kinds of weather. I paid 2k for it. It ran perfectly. I had to replace the controls on both handlebars, otherwise never had an issue. I just not purchased a 99 goldwing, it needs a new tire in the rear, guy said the rear brakes need to be bled.. So it might need new rear brakes. I don't think anything else is wrong with it. I'll know in a week and a half, it's currently busy season so it's going to take a bit to get to the bike.
Frame section where side stand is rusts badly 👀‼️ Timing belt changed ❓❓❓ And what This guy says‼️👍 Go 1100, 1200 and 1500’s can be bought for $1500 all day long!
One HUGE problem with 1500 Goldwings is transmission failures at fairly low mileage. This is especially true on bikes with a heal and toe shifter and /or a trailer hitch. I would avoid a bike with a trailer hitch at all costs. The problem with heel and toe shifters is that the rider tends to rest their foot on the shifter, putting constant pressure on the shift fork and drum. Eventually they will wear until the transmission starts jumping out of gear. Repairing it, IF you can even find somebody that knows how, will cost more than the bike is worth. The whole engine has to come apart. Honda did not design the Goldwing to be worked on. The bracket that the sidestand attaches to on the 1500 is prone to wearing down, and it is part of the frame. I agree about the test rides, but I would not buy a bike that I didn't test ride, at least in a parking lot. I would be willing to let the seller hold the money while riding I was test riding it. Nobody is likely to have full coverage insurance on a 1500. You would just be throwing your money away.
It's true that there are transmission "failures" in GL1500's, but not from load - i.e. trailers. The GL1500 transmission itself is overbuilt and pretty bulletproof, and when operated properly, will last for hundreds of thousands of miles. The problem is people who "power shift" or shift poorly (rounding off shift dogs, causing them to pop out of gear) or more commonly, rest their foot on the shifter, causing worn gear forks, which in turn causes incomplete gear engagement, again rounding off shift dogs and causing them to pop out of gear. Both issues are mitigated by proper shifting technique. That said, you are correct - the cost of rebuilding a transmission far exceeds the price of a replacement engine, so when a transmission goes, the engine is basically scrap.
There is some other things that I would check. Since a goldwing is a shaft drive there should be a way to check the level of oil in the rear end. I probably will check with a dealer or a mechanic what the level should be. If I am right there should be a place to check break fluids too. Check the level and color.
You can check the level (and color) of the brake and clutch fluid by looking at the reservoir windows on the handlebars. The final drive level can only be checked by removing the fill port, and not a lot of sellers are going to want you doing that. The level of the final drive gear oil should never go down - if it does, it means it is leaking, and you will know because it will be slung all over the rear wheel.
My other comment is that when I try to find a video on how to change the starter it was very hard to find one for my 2004 Goldwing aspencade and no videos showing me how to get starter up at that time I had no idea that I had to take all the seats off take all the radio controls off and pull the whole tank up and out and the starters underneath I was unprepared for that
For real bro you could run a successful goldwing shop I think if the was a shop that did nothing but goldwings that was managed buy you the goldwing king that be the shop I would trust with my bike evbdy n thr dog knows yr the man when comes goldwings you hold with goldwings bro you ride goldwings you done everything that is serviceable on goldwings n I bet you did repairs that they say can't be done bro come on we're only here for short time bro I'm 52 I'm sick workn for evbdy else I'm. Badass hand bro I'd work my ass off to be partner in real business ! Real talk bro !
Or ANY gear, not just fourth, and not just on GL1500's. Some riders think it's perfectly fine to shift without using the clutch. This rounds off the dogs on the gears, and can cause them to jump out of gear under load.
Great video as always. We are looking for a new goldwing where is the best dealer for best deals and biggest selection available. We live in Florida and Michigan.
Thank you thank you thank you! I’m interested in my first Gold Wing. I’m investigating a Gen 4 (2000) that looks so similar to yours. It has 25000 miles and the owner is the original owner. I’m concerned about the bike being 22 years old and being carbureted, but I’m researching. If you have the chance to reply and give any gen 4 specific advice, that would be awesome. If not, I understand as well.
I'm interested in finding out where I can get a set front fork covers such as the ones you have on yours. I've a 1999 gl1500 see. Can you help me out, thanks in advance.
I'm in the market for a used GW meaning I don't own one yet. Apparently I can't join Goldwing Docs unless I'm already an owner. Is this correct? I really need someone to do a test drive for me near Manteca, CA. I'm in Oklahoma.
I have an 1800 cc's I bought it used for $4,000 but unfortunately I had to stepson hold got jealous of me and he went a little nutty and did things to my bike he's better now but I know I have to live with the damage of the motorcycle he had taken all my LED lights pulled some wires I had originally a bad starter I tried fixing it myself I had no idea that I had to pull the gas tank out and was sitting underneath so I tried doing it myself and I kind of botched it up and stopped that I was doing then he did some more damage to my bike couple of compartments are broken trunk lid is broke block broken into and I'm going to see if a mechanic can do the starter and reassemble whatever lights were taken out and brake lights and stuff like that my thing is now since it's been sitting so long what fluid should I look into to change since it's been sitting for almost 2 years
I went yesterday and looked at my first Goldwing, while sitting in neutral with it running, the cruise light never went off when switching cruise off and on. Is that normal? Thanks in advance
Does the engine knock. blue smoke out the tail pipe? Wheel bearings? Steering shaft bearings, forks leaking? Sorry, but you missed most of the important things and talked about dash lights and vents.
You're missing out on a lot of good bikes if a little smoke scares you.. Every gl1500 I've ever owned will puff a little when you 1st crank after being on side stand for any amount of time! Lol
I'll be lookimg at a 1999 GL1500 SE for $5200 at 35k miles. Im thinking that's high? It's been garage kept and the service records are supposedly waiting and ready for me. KBB has it at $2450 Edit: Thank you
Scott, any idea why a 2006 with GPS’s screen would go blank. It doesn’t seem to be the screen itself as I was able to change that part. (not easy) When you turn it on it gets bright for a second and then goes solid blue. The worst part is that’s how you read the mileage so getting it inspected is a problem. It only has about 7000 miles on it 😟
@@tnasburypl , Yes, it just didn’t work one day. So I went online and found an exact match. I had to tear down the front of the bike and take apart the instrument panel. I would never do it again because it was so difficult. But I got it done. The problem is that it did exactly what the old screen did. It looks like it’s going to cost me $2200 to get a new board. So I figured $180 was worth the try. I’m wondering whether the mileage is still stored somewhere and will come up on the new unit. Anyway…🥺
They were made (at one time) by Add-On Accessories, but discontinued many years ago. Cyclemax commissioned a special run of them just for them to sell, but I don't believe they still have any left to sell.
Are the speedometers a known issue on gl1100's? Because mines getting ready to be on it's 3rd. I'm not sure what the issue was on the original but on my current one the needle was very erratic & eventually snapped off the center.
I've had that on a couple 1100s and usually I take the speedometer off and put a little Lube in the back and that seems to resolve it I also Lube the spottedometer cable.
@@thomassireno4351 going this method basically makes it so nobody wants to. As far as insurance, for yours make sure first it is "any driver" if you want to.let someone. If it's "named driver only" just tell them insurance won't allow it unless their own insurance will.cover for the situation. Former licensed agent/adjuster.
I buy one to five Goldwing's a year and to summarize your info Scott - If the bike looks good than it's probably good. I look at mileage and if it's 100k or less I ignore the mileage. If you can see maintenance records that's OK but if the bike has lots of chrome and is clean it's probably been over maintained or very well maintained. I never ask for records as I know what to look for. You can never buy a bike with a bent frame that is Junk title and can not be retitled. Salvage is fine and this is where you get the best deals. You would not believe the minor damages that will tag a bike as salvage, normally a broken mirror is it ( $50 repair) Most damage is superficial, again if its even close to frame damage the insurance companies junk the title. I almost never test ride but do start the engine as all Goldwing sound the same. Forget the minor switches, wind screen and all the piddlie stuff as that is easy to fix and it gives you leverage. you are buying a bike that is USED so it's not going to be new. If there is damage know what parts will cost and here again leverage. If I followed all the things you mentioned on this video I would have never purchased the 100 or so bike I have purchased over the years. If you are so worried about scratches and dings - buy a new bike is my advice. Belly pans are a bad idea as this is a fire danger - I see many burnt GLs at the insurance junkyards.
If the owner lets you test ride that's great but most won't
For sure, if you insist on everything being perfect, you will never buy a bike. I'm just giving an overview of specific things to look for, apart from kicking the tires and "yup, it runs." I don't mean that all of the things on my list must be fine - you can judge for yourself the condition, your own skill at repairing them, and how much that might affect your asking price.
The aftermarket belly pans are almost a requirement for GL1800's, as so many of them have been disabled on the road thanks to Honda's inept decision to mount the plastic coolant reservoir on the bottom of the bike, right where the front wheel can throw debris up into it.
@@GoldwingDocs I will say when I am a seller if someone gets all nit picky I will normally not compromise on the selling price as i read this person as overly fussy and probably will be a royal pain in the butt going ahead. This is why it's good to pay attention to the details but ease back on the throttle when interrogating the seller. One really important fact is - there is never ever a warranty. Once you buy it's yours, if it blows up 10 seconds later it's still yours as there is no warranty on any used vehicle unless it's in WRITING. This is the "As is law". No court that I know of will side with the buyer on this one.
That being said - I like your new channel 99% of the info is spot on and beneficial to all.
@@GoldwingDocs I'm going to look at a Goldwing in West Michigan do you know of anyone that can look at it? Thanks.
100% know the value of damaged parts.
I learned the hard way that Yamaha's starter clutches on their V-Star 1100's are a weak point, and if you give it any throttle while trying to start it the kickback will shred that starter clutch. 700 dollars just for the part, DIY keeps it at that but taking it in runs even more on the cost. If looking at an 1100 Vstar, I like to ask the owner to start it, and if they use any throttle while startting its 700 off the price instantly
@@Ruleof2plus1Who says the frame damage is reported? Maybe 20% of the time and that’s being generous. Insurance companies would never know the better.
I got 2 Goldwings '83 and '82 for $300 (get these junks out of my yard deal) and after looking into it, the 2 were close in age so I took the 2 and made 1. All the good went into 1 and I've run that for the last 7 years. No plastics, nothing fancy but it's a good bike and I love Goldwings because of it. Also I know how it works so I can do all my own maintenance
Bought a Gl1100I
37,000 miles
Changed fluids all of them.
Tires, got on the road everything works.
Hammers sweetly at 90 mph
TRAC forks, air shocks front and back.
Yes original.
Ride on folks.
Never thought I would be even considering buying a Goldwing... but have lately been wanting to go farther away from home. Riding comfort and ability to carry camping gear, plus the ridiculous value you get with a used one of these has me very interested.
My last Goldwing is a 1985 ,GL1200. It cost me 1900. Had 19000 miles. Was in like new condition, but sat since 98. Fuel was bad and carbs were gum up. Work them and did the maintenance thing with it. Now I am ridding a museum bike and people always ask me about it. They are out there and just take time to find one.
I've been dailying a 1981 Suzuki Gs-650, but her CDI is going out and been looking at a goldwing for distance commuting. I absolutely know the "museum piece" feel lol
I was just gifted an 86 aspencade gonna put a new battery in and suck the old gas outa the tank in the coming weeks
Most everything you talked about didn't apply to my first Wing. An '80 that sat outside behind a barn in upstate NY. Fairing fell of on the trailer on the way home. Took me a month to get it running (had never seen a gold Wing before) An $800 bike and I rode it for 12 years. Bought a 1200 a few years ago. Not running when bought. Dealer said fuel pump. It needed a fuel relay. Still riding this one. Maybe I'll buy a good one some time.
In a couple of days I'm picking up an '84 GL1200 basket case...but for $350. I am an old mechanic and love a challenge. I should be able to get it running for $150 in parts. I'm excited!!!
Another thing to watch out for, especially on the 1500, is the LCD screen. If it has a half moon shaped dark place on it, you will need a new LCD screen. This is a common problem on the 1500 and is usually caused by sitting out in the sun with the screen not protected.
I liked the 1500 Goldwing looks better than I liked the 1800
As for the sun ruining the LCD screen on your 1500. I had a similar thing happen that I would’ve never thought of.
I started to sell a lot of the motorcycle stuff I have collected over 40 years on eBay. So I bought myself a digital camera. I set it on a tripod in my yard, and I started to collect things to take pictures of. I took the pictures, I started putting them away, it was dinner time,, I sat down after dinner and watched the news, ECT
meanwhile, my digital camera was still sitting out in the sun.
couple weeks later I started taking more photographs of more stuff to sell on eBay. only this time, every photograph had the center of the picture burned out like you were looking at a photograph of an eclipse. The camera lens focused the sunlight on the internals of the camera ruining it…
So, that is something to think about if you ever set up a trail camera. I live surrounded by woods, and something had been raiding my garden.. I remembered what happened to my digital camera when I strapped my trail camera to a tree facing my garden next to the woods. I made sure that that camera aimed north and was in the shade
also, I commuted for 24 years on a Honda Pacific Coast motorcycle. In my opinion, the most useful motorcycle in the history of the entire universe. I’ve got myself a half motorcycle cover made by Nelson rigg.. it fit that motorcycle perfectly, and it was silver, to reflect sunlight and UV light. As a result, none of my plastic was damaged by sunlight. It was a black motorcycle, and it still shines like it was only a year old. I actually put it on eBay when I retired, and it’s sold for more than I paid for it 24 years earlier..
Scott I do enjoy your videos, please do not take this as criticism! Too many "bike" owners do not understand OIL. On a Goldwing our oil performs three extremely vital functions; Lubricate the engines moving parts we all know, but Goldwings shifter and transmission are using the same fluid. Wear on "engine oil" in a Goldwing is three times faster then any other bike. My preference is Amzoil, mostly because all my bikes are high mileage and OLD.
Suspension on any bike is critical to good handling! Forks holding air and fluid under pressure, checking for leaks and air bleeding off front and rear depending on the bike and year. Triple tree alignment! I triple stick every bike brought to me for inspection. Wheels and tires; air pressure and straightness of alignment are easy checks on used bikes with a straight edge or string.
Wiring; pulling the seat and access panels to check for correct wiring gauge and routing. Any add ons are they wired freely to the battery or fuse bank? Do those extras work are they necessary for you?
Another utuber Identified in a video one carb wasn't functioning??? And he continues to ride the bike and "brag" how durable his Honda is. This kind of damage to an engine is not repairable with simply fixing the fuel delivery system. Uneven engine wear and out of balance punishment on the crank shaft destroys a whole block if ridden hard or over a long period. Metal filings found in the engine oil should be tested for; size, possible source and importance.
Buying any vehicle even with good maintenance records is a gamble. I only ride old bikes so these are the risks I have taken.
I do not like owners to start and run bikes if they've been in storage a long time. Here's my horror story.
I rode over to look at an 04 HD Road King. Stored for seven years I never started it but planned a thorough going over and fluid changes before starting. I planned and did pick it up the next day with a trailer. I cleaned the tank and change fuel filter and screen, changed all three oils and a lot of rubber pieces before my first ride three days later. The engine seized two miles from my shop.
My first call was to the seller, I asked if they started and rode the bike one last time. It turns out he went for a "glory ride". Putting that old engine oil through the engine and that varnish through the fuel system, clogged and gummed my jets and floats in the carb while destroying my valve guides and seals throughout the engine.
After a complete rebuild and getting a grand back from what I had paid, I'll never ride over to look at a bike unless I can get a friend to haul it home immediately. Gas turns to gummy varnish and rust forms inside of tanks within a year. Engine oil separates and isn't effective after sitting for certain lengths of time and all sediments are the first picked up in pumps! Transmissions have valve bodies with tight tolerances and require fluid pressure to aid shifting and running bikes. We must all remember motorcycles all operate under high RPMs! Every component requires lubrication.
Good luck to all, you are in my prayers
Hoka Hey
I bought my 2008 last year with several problems.
Air filter clogged
Front fork leaking
Steering bearing shot
Could only start in neutral
High beam out
Brake fluid reservoir looked like mud
Plugs wore out
Passenger Seat warmer doesn’t work
It rattles over any rough surface
I spent hours and hours detailing and repairing. Only issues I haven’t fixed yet are the seat warmer and the rattles. Drives me crazy but I finally got a wing and I finished 4 iron butts with it so far😁
I thought they only started in "neutral" by design?
@@brucejohnson8521 they all do with the kickstand is down. If you put it in gear and the kickstand is down it will kill the engine for safety reasons. My clutch switch was bad at the handlebars so it would only start in neutral. Now I can start it in any gear as long as the kickstand is up and the clutch is pulled in. I just got home from another thousand mile iron butt ride. Love that bike!
Just bought a wing with a trailer.I rode it home six hours over the Rockies at night. I rode it up the street to check the brakes hooked the trailer and left. Beyond the list I look at the guys yard and garage.if it's tidy he probably kept the bike up too.
I do the same thing to size up a seller. It is home and garage are unkempt it's a good bet that oil in the Goldwing is ancient.
Bought my gl1500 from an old man with a motorhome and a well manicured lawn in a nice community in Florida. Bike was in the garage and I believed every word he said about maintenance lol
Nice video lots of good tips. I have owned many all Japanese brands 5 Harleys a Triumph. All bought second hand except MX bikes.
I have my Eye on a GL 1800 come next season yes the best road sofa hands down. 😊
Just bought an 88 1500 with 30 thousand miles at an estate auction for 750 bucks! It will be this winter's project, as it has sat since 2016. I'm really pumped to get going on it!
I would never buy a bike without a test drive..But i se your point.
I bought 88' Goldwing, with collector item plates, being first year with reverse gear, for $1800 with 90,000 miles. but even with high mileage motor will still complete the side standing quarter coin on running engine trick! I've rode almost 3000 non-issue miles now an love it. (Only issue has been me! Not remembering too put reverse gear lever make into riding position, depressing gear shift too first gear an not moving into first gear." Oh yeah, I have to put reverse lever down, stupid"! There was a issue with right side front plastic cover pin snapped off, pulling side cover out instead of back toward rear. Easy fix! Owners maintenance records were better than mine, that was a first. Accessories list was impressive too with rear progressive shocks, etc..
Hello Scott, pull the dip stick and look at the oil not just the level also the condition of the oil. Feel that the oil is smooth and not gritty. Lastly smell the oil, you may smell gas, coolant, or a burnt smell, or all of the above. Ask the owner what oil is in it. JASO motorcycle oil is best for the Goldwing. And Lastly when considering buying a motorcycle, go Goldwing or go home. Thanks for the video.
100% - definitely smell and feel the oil on the dipstick!
Most people selling will do a n oil change prior so it's really more important to just look at the general condition of the bike. If it's clean and full of chrome it's been maintained.
@@Ruleof2plus1 full of chrome???? That's a term I've never heard in a good way... Please explain??? As in chrome accents? Or is motorcycle oil a different color?
@@dfrmotorsports4591 Yes chrome plated oil, its the latest thing :) No what I meant was covered in chrome accessories. Anyone who adds and modifies will normally go the extra mile in maintenance. And really even poor maintenance on a gl1800 is not a show stopper as they are so resilient.
@@Ruleof2plus1 now a day you never know haha
Great job on the video and the what to look fors. Thank you
If the Goldwing is a 1200 check the stator! I found out the hard way, 3 stators later i put a car alternator on it
That happens because of too many lights and accessories. Sometimes it is just a given to put on a pooboy alternator. Beats tearing out the engine.
Number one cause of a stator failure on a 1200, and other Hondas, is the plug coming out of the stator with the three large yellow wires. It gets a slight bit of corrosion in it, gets hot, melts the plastic, terminals touch, and shorts it out. Make sure that plug is completely clean and coated with dielectric grease. At minimum, you should check and clean it yearly.
Is the camshaft already tapped to accommodate the drive pulley bolt? Or am I incorrect where drive pulley is mounted to?
I recently bought a low millage 02 from a dealership. I got hosed on the deal, I was lucky they wanted to make it right. The salesman lied about the condition, I was refunded enough money to make the repairs. I then noticed it was white, they never made a white goldwing in 02. I made the dealer do a accident report. I was glad to see no insurance claims where made on the bike. So I guess the last owner either dropped it or wanted a color change. I typically don't buy from dealers becuase of multiple bad experiences. I drove three hours one way to get this bike and even after all the BS it was still a better then I could have gotten local. I paid 5000 and 100 in gas to get it. Now she is back in good shape and runs out smooth as silk
It would be interesting to have a look at the plastics on your bike - on the back side you'll see molded-in date stamps that show the month and year the piece was manufactured.
@@GoldwingDocs for some reason I never thought to look. The plastics even have pinstripping but I haven't looked into it enough to know if they came from the factory like that. I wish we where able to post pictures in our comments .
The tires. When I got my 94 1500 i almost 2 years ago, the guys says, the tires look like new and they did. Never giving it a thought about checking the date of manufacturer on each tire. Rear was 7 years old and the front was 10. They were both so hard and dry rotted that I had to use a hand grinder to cut them off. That was a few weeks later and found out about the dates. My windshield was all yellow and he tells me it will clean up and the rear brake did not work. $1000 and 2 months of working on it my own, I got it in top shape ever since. People will lie through their teeth about the slightest details and problems. As the old law enforcement saying goes, "trust no one, suspect everyone." I was just stupid and desperate for the cheapest goldwing on facebook yard sales in my area.
I may have topped you in the bad judgement department.
Facebook "market place" had a GW 1200 limited edition so it's got fuel injection and a bell and whistle. And one more thing: A "DEATH WOBBLE" .
AT 35 MPH I began to slow down and suddenly the handlebars turned into spaghetti. If I had been going ANY FASTER I would be in a hospital (or even worse) now.
The previous owner???
He says (of course) it's never done that before... It's driver error... "
Very informative for any prospective bike buyer.Excellent and fluent presentation
Great information! 👍
I'm in North Canton, OH, and I bought a '85 1200 Limited (fuel injected) in June of 2020, and the previous owner had NO mechanical skill to speak of, leaving maintenance to his brother. The rear brake was completely non-functional, the forks leaked oil onto the front brake pads...and the electric system was hacked - horribly - like the 30 amp fuse from the battery replaced with a beveled head machine screw and a thin nut, binding the eyelets of the leads and wrapped in electrical tape....and the previous owner claimed to have ridden the bike in this condition, saying it rode beautifully!!! 😳😨
I'm rebuilding the entire brake system, including changing the hoses with the braided stainless steel variety. I'll try one of those fork seal cleaning tools first before having to rebuild those...we'll see how that goes.
The elecrical system, due to much hacking, will need a thorough going over in it's entirety - I cannot trust the motorcycle on a long trip if this is questionable. A poorboy conversion was done on it, but even that was seemingly poorly executed with too narrow a positive wire gauge and no fuse to be found!🤦♂️
I knew it would be a project bike, but not to this extent! I can do all work myself, but those in search of a rideable Goldwing MUST consider the integrity of the electrical system - you'll be left stranded on the side of a road, otherwise!
BTW, my 1200L had also developed a problem with the start button, but I'm unsure on how to remove the switch cluster. Searched the GoldwingDocs forums, and was unable to find instruction on how to do that. The shop manual was also lacking on this procedure. I need to disassemble the start switch and clean/rehab it, or just replace it if that becomes fruitless.
Thank you SO much for what you do, and 73!
John - KE8JLV
When I got my 1500, after I found a couple nightmares like that (including wiring that was connected to NOTHING!) I decided to strip out ALL aftermarket modifications and start fresh. I needed my bike to be reliable!
Your start button cluster should have screws on the bottom that allow you to separate the halves.
Thanks for the reply! Like you, I'm in the process of restoring the electrical system back to factory stock configuration, then building upon that position. I had removed the screws from the switch cluster, but the throttle cables seem to be integrated into part of the housing, preventing full removal. I suppose I then nees to figure out how to detach the throttle cables from the grip before proceeding. Any tips on how to do that? The ends are of course spring loaded and not readily sliding out of the grip's mounting slots.
Great vid. I am thinking of buying a previously owned Goldwing. I will make a note (on paper) of all of the things you have stated. Particularly if when I get there it is warm!! I will check everything that you have mentioned. Brilliant, thank you.
my first gen parts are here for Christmas
I like buying used cars and motorcycles in affluent suburban neighborhoods. Generally these vehicles will be garage kept, well-maintained with service records and often original owner. They're plenty of very good bikes at reasonable prices. There's no reason to buy one that's rough unless you're using it to cannibalize for parts.
yes and the guy is not broke and has the receipt when he bought it new. give him his price, he stored it for you. Recent work a plus , tidy garage no crap clutter ? give him his price, rather than haggle on price have him throw in his wife’s bicycle hanging there. He’s mad at her, she gives up the carbon GT
Check the dot date on the tires. I bought a goldwing with a 13 year old front tire and a 16 year old rear tire
100%, I definitely should have mentioned this about the tires.
@@GoldwingDocs Mine was 9 hours before this one and you missed it.
@@GoldwingDocs and that's what happens when you are doing the check list on the couch. Just get too comfortable LOL
Great Vid thank you.
I have the seller ride the bike and listen to hear him sift and brake . I know it's the same as riding myself but it has worked so far.
I just got a 89 gl1500. Everything works but needs alternator,waterpump,seat recovered. It was not loved but it fired right up. Only paid 1k for it and it only has 55k miles on it with new fairly new tires. Date code only 3 years old.
My private seller was more than happy to 2-up take me for a ride while haggling.. brought the final price down quite a bit when the fork seals started spewing oil 👍😎✊
Good check list, but didnt you forget about the kitchen sink and the loo?
I have had a BMW K 1200 LT, I will never buy another BMW after that disappointment, I’ve had three Yamaha ventures, I’m on my third one right now, but before my current Venture, I had a gl 1800 Goldwing..
I just had to try one. Very nice machine. I would say perfect. It did everything very well. I liked that it had reverse, so did my BMW. I liked that it had a center stand, I didn’t care about the sound system, I never listen to the The sound system on any of my motorcycles. I want to hear the engine. On my first venture I was actually able to use the key to remove the radio and replace that hole in the fairing with a cover, which I did for 16 years, that’s how long I owned that venture, 138,000 miles. Trouble free.
I changed the air cleaner myself on the gold wing. I used to make my living as a motorcycle mechanic in four different shops when I was in my 20s. Changing the air filter on the Goldwing is approximately a $600 job at the dealership. I thought that was absurd, but after doing the job myself, I think that’s just about the right price. It’s not a difficult job, it’s just that it’s about 50 little jobs.. that air cleaner is really buried in there. When I got mine out finally, I found that a mouse had moved into the air cleaner housing. Which is not uncommon. I actually put a video on RUclips under my other screen name showing the mouse nest in my Goldwing airbox. The title of the video is, Goldwing made mouseproof… if you look at the video which is about a minute long you can see how deep into that bike that air cleaner is and how much of the motorcycle I had to remove to get to it. $600 to change the air cleaner at the dealer is not outrageous..
when I bought my Goldwing it was 16 years old but it only had 13,000 miles on it. I bought it from the original owner. It still had the original tires on it. They were as hard as plastic wheels on a kids hot wheels tricycle. The suspension on my Goldwing was shot I knew that when I bought it. Those springs holding up all that weight all those years, The springs were fatigued. Changing the front fork springs and seals and bushings was not real difficult, but changing the rear shock spring so that the spring rates matched front and rear, I’m guessing that job is around $800-$1000 at the dealer. You have to remove practically everything except for the engine and the wheels to get at one bolt, the top bolt on the shock absorber is completely covered by fuel tank. You have to remove the fuel tank which is behind the engine, in front of the rear wheel. You have to remove the cover that covers the engine that looks like the gas tank, you have to remove the seat, the battery, the voltage regulator later, the fuse box, fuel tank, it takes hours and hours. It’s not that difficult if you look at it like one little job at a time…
There’s another factor about owning a gold wing, it’s the difficulty in doing basic maintenance on the engine, or even serious maintenance like maybe changing the clutch, or the slave cylinder, or the generator/alternator/or the water pump.. you can’t even see those things. You have to remove lots of plastic just to see the engine. Remember, labor at the dealership is $125 an hour.
when I was done upgrading the suspension, and doing the basic maintenance of changing all the fluids and filters, I rode the bike for a year and a half. It was perfect, great ride, not as roomy as my Yamaha Venture’s or the BMW, but it had a great ride, the smoothest engine, I actually felt that the engine was way way overpowered. 124 hp, that power showed up in immediately. That is one thing about that bike that I thought was unnecessary. That power cost money. In the form of gasoline. 33 miles per gallon. That’s all I could get out of that machine. My BMW and my three ventures all delivered over 45 miles per gallon, and they never felt under powered..
so my Goldwing was done after doing upgrades to the suspension, doing all the maintenance, new tires, new brake pads, new air filter, I added heated grips, I put on a brand new Ginuwine Honda vented windshield. And I wrote it for a year and a half. To tell you the truth it was boring. It was the most boring motorcycle I ever owned, and I’ve owned dozens and dozens of motorcycles since 1968.. so I sold it, I got my money out of it with a slight profit which I was deserving of because of all the work that I did. And I bought myself another Yamaha royal star venture. I know them, you can get at the clutch, slave cylinder, water pump, alternator, just using the tool kit on the side of the road if necessary. You don’t have to remove any plastic. Gets 48 miles to the gallon, changing the air filters is not a five hour job, it’s a 20 minute job, I don’t even have to remove the fuel tank or a plastic panel to get to the air cleaners on my venture, there are two of them one on each side.. I know the gold wing is more refined than my venture. But the Goldwing was so boring. My Venture on the other hand looks and sounds like a motorcycle. It’s roomier, the bags are all bigger, it is simple. The only thing it doesn’t have is reverse, and a center stand. They will both go 300,000 miles with basic maintenance. The venture has factory floorboards. Goldwing two not and never did come with floorboards. You can buy aftermarket ones, but it says right in your owners manual of your Goldwing not to install aftermarket floorboards. Mine came with floorboards, and they were awkwardly in the way.. I removed them and sold them on eBay and installed the standard foot pegs which were very good, nice and wide and rubber topped.
The design and width of the Goldwing six-cylinder engine, it does not leave a lot of room for your feet/legs to stretch out. On the other hand the venture motor is only about a foot wide. And you have a lots of stretch room..
The gold wing is a more refined perfect machine over the Venture I admit that. But I didn’t like it. It was as boring as my toaster, but at least I tried. If I hadn’t bought one and tried it, I would still be dreaming about a gold wing.. it’s February 20 22, and I can’t wait till the snow melts and I can start riding my new to me Yamaha Royal star venture that I bought used with only 30 K miles on it. I did some of the maintenance last fall, and I only got to ride out about 400 miles. But I already have my new tires, new brake pads, new fork oil, heated grips,, and I can’t wait to remove the rear shock and swingarm to do the bearings and the bushings lubrication, install the new tires, change the fork oil, I already did the carburetors and the valve adjustment, and none of the valves needed adjusted, they just needed checked. I’m also going to pull the driveshaft and lube the splines and check the U joint. i’ve already changed the clutch fluid and the brake fluids and the coolant and the oil and the final drive oil. I am excited for the riding season to get here. I was never like that with the gold wing. It might have been the color of the gold wing that turned me off. It was factory school bus yellow..
I guess someone not really being crazy about a Goldwing is understandable. I have never had a Harley, I cannot believe people buy those dinosaurs. But I’m sure all those Harley riders can’t believe that someone would buy a gold wing.
Everyone has a right to their wrong opinion
All very valid points, and I agree with a lot of them. Getting to things on the Goldwing can be a royal pain (but not as much as a PC800 Pacific Coast, don't even get me started on that bike). That's why a lot of owners (including me) will wait until winter maintenance time to tear the bike apart and do all the work at once, so we don't have to keep removing and reinstalling body panels.
The air cleaner on the GL1800 is the biggest engineering gaffe I've ever seen on a bike. What a ridiculous place to put a regular maintenance item.
Everything said about test riding is the same for buying a used car and I'm not buying anything with out test riding/ driving first. If I ask to test ride something and I'm told no, I immediately think something is wrong with the bike and the seller is trying to hide it.
I mean they may or
May not be. But I’m
With you. If they won’t let you ride it. Ask to start it and put it on the center stand and shift it through the gears Atleast. If it looks well
Maintained. Then it probably has no issues
You have alot of great hints but you're buying it as is with no warranty since a majority of the time it's a private owner not a dealer. Whatever you buy you're going to fix or change it to your preference.
Yeah if I can't ride it no sale. Riding it on the way home is not the time to discover non working brakes or bad wheel bearings.
Q 15:10 oĺ?1@@kokobeatz7222
Hey Scott, Thanks for your channel and latest post. I’m an owner of a GL1500 also and my small storage compartments on left and right of seat are broke also. You mentioned having to fix your in the future. When you get time will you please explain what that involves in the repair. Thanks!
I'll definitely capture the repair and show how it's done.
@@GoldwingDocs 1 of mine to is broke. Need to know how to fix it. Thanks. 😀
I had a 93 goldwing, it was up for sale for a year, sat outside a lot between the place that was selling it putting outside during the day in all kinds of weather. I paid 2k for it. It ran perfectly. I had to replace the controls on both handlebars, otherwise never had an issue. I just not purchased a 99 goldwing, it needs a new tire in the rear, guy said the rear brakes need to be bled.. So it might need new rear brakes. I don't think anything else is wrong with it. I'll know in a week and a half, it's currently busy season so it's going to take a bit to get to the bike.
Frame section where side stand is rusts badly 👀‼️
Timing belt changed ❓❓❓
And what This guy says‼️👍
Go 1100, 1200 and 1500’s can be bought for $1500 all day long!
Wings can go forever. Mine is a 1980..55k. Runs like a top.
One HUGE problem with 1500 Goldwings is transmission failures at fairly low mileage. This is especially true on bikes with a heal and toe shifter and /or a trailer hitch. I would avoid a bike with a trailer hitch at all costs. The problem with heel and toe shifters is that the rider tends to rest their foot on the shifter, putting constant pressure on the shift fork and drum. Eventually they will wear until the transmission starts jumping out of gear. Repairing it, IF you can even find somebody that knows how, will cost more than the bike is worth. The whole engine has to come apart. Honda did not design the Goldwing to be worked on. The bracket that the sidestand attaches to on the 1500 is prone to wearing down, and it is part of the frame. I agree about the test rides, but I would not buy a bike that I didn't test ride, at least in a parking lot. I would be willing to let the seller hold the money while riding I was test riding it. Nobody is likely to have full coverage insurance on a 1500. You would just be throwing your money away.
It's true that there are transmission "failures" in GL1500's, but not from load - i.e. trailers. The GL1500 transmission itself is overbuilt and pretty bulletproof, and when operated properly, will last for hundreds of thousands of miles. The problem is people who "power shift" or shift poorly (rounding off shift dogs, causing them to pop out of gear) or more commonly, rest their foot on the shifter, causing worn gear forks, which in turn causes incomplete gear engagement, again rounding off shift dogs and causing them to pop out of gear.
Both issues are mitigated by proper shifting technique. That said, you are correct - the cost of rebuilding a transmission far exceeds the price of a replacement engine, so when a transmission goes, the engine is basically scrap.
There is some other things that I would check. Since a goldwing is a shaft drive there should be a way to check the level of oil in the rear end. I probably will check with a dealer or a mechanic what the level should be. If I am right there should be a place to check break fluids too. Check the level and color.
You can check the level (and color) of the brake and clutch fluid by looking at the reservoir windows on the handlebars. The final drive level can only be checked by removing the fill port, and not a lot of sellers are going to want you doing that. The level of the final drive gear oil should never go down - if it does, it means it is leaking, and you will know because it will be slung all over the rear wheel.
My other comment is that when I try to find a video on how to change the starter it was very hard to find one for my 2004 Goldwing aspencade and no videos showing me how to get starter up at that time I had no idea that I had to take all the seats off take all the radio controls off and pull the whole tank up and out and the starters underneath I was unprepared for that
Where can you buy white plastic body panels for right side 1990 Goldwing. Right side panel just under seat. Looking to buy motor that needs one.
For real bro you could run a successful goldwing shop I think if the was a shop that did nothing but goldwings that was managed buy you the goldwing king that be the shop I would trust with my bike evbdy n thr dog knows yr the man when comes goldwings you hold with goldwings bro you ride goldwings you done everything that is serviceable on goldwings n I bet you did repairs that they say can't be done bro come on we're only here for short time bro I'm 52 I'm sick workn for evbdy else I'm. Badass hand bro I'd work my ass off to be partner in real business ! Real talk bro !
Hi Scott, can you provide the link for where you found your kickstand pad, I cannot seem to find any that specified for the GL1500?
It came from Cyclemax, they had them made specially just for them - I don't know if they still have them or not, you'd have to give them a call.
@@GoldwingDocs I didn’t see any on the site when checked last night but will give Gary a call today though 👍.
On a 1500 - does the 4th gear pop out when you accelerate? Then dont buy it...
Or ANY gear, not just fourth, and not just on GL1500's. Some riders think it's perfectly fine to shift without using the clutch. This rounds off the dogs on the gears, and can cause them to jump out of gear under load.
Great video as always. We are looking for a new goldwing where is the best dealer for best deals and biggest selection available. We live in Florida and Michigan.
Thank you thank you thank you! I’m interested in my first Gold Wing. I’m investigating a Gen 4 (2000) that looks so similar to yours. It has 25000 miles and the owner is the original owner. I’m concerned about the bike being 22 years old and being carbureted, but I’m researching. If you have the chance to reply and give any gen 4 specific advice, that would be awesome. If not, I understand as well.
Just curious, what year model is the bike you use in these videos? I’m a first time GW purchaser and I figure if it’s good enough for you,..
It is a 2000 GL1500 SE.
No test ride? No sale.
I'm interested in finding out where I can get a set front fork covers such as the ones you have on yours.
I've a 1999 gl1500 see.
Can you help me out, thanks in advance.
I'm in the market for a used GW meaning I don't own one yet. Apparently I can't join Goldwing Docs unless I'm already an owner. Is this correct? I really need someone to do a test drive for me near Manteca, CA. I'm in Oklahoma.
Anyone is welcome to join GoldwingDocs, whether or not you own a Goldwing!
@@GoldwingDocs I'll try again. Thank you!
Fantastic, I'm on the site and registered. Where may I post a request for another user to do a test drive on my behalf?
I have an 1800 cc's I bought it used for $4,000 but unfortunately I had to stepson hold got jealous of me and he went a little nutty and did things to my bike he's better now but I know I have to live with the damage of the motorcycle he had taken all my LED lights pulled some wires I had originally a bad starter I tried fixing it myself I had no idea that I had to pull the gas tank out and was sitting underneath so I tried doing it myself and I kind of botched it up and stopped that I was doing then he did some more damage to my bike couple of compartments are broken trunk lid is broke block broken into and I'm going to see if a mechanic can do the starter and reassemble whatever lights were taken out and brake lights and stuff like that my thing is now since it's been sitting so long what fluid should I look into to change since it's been sitting for almost 2 years
I went yesterday and looked at my first Goldwing, while sitting in neutral with it running, the cruise light never went off when switching cruise off and on. Is that normal? Thanks in advance
Thank you
Thank you for sharing
Does the engine knock. blue smoke out the tail pipe? Wheel bearings? Steering shaft bearings, forks leaking?
Sorry, but you missed most of the important things and talked about dash lights and vents.
You're missing out on a lot of good bikes if a little smoke scares you.. Every gl1500 I've ever owned will puff a little when you 1st crank after being on side stand for any amount of time! Lol
I suppose a knock in the engine is great too
i'll keep an eye out
Tldr. Check everything.
Nice
Ok these points should usually checked on every bike to buy, but where are the special bullets for a goldwing ?
Where can I find the hand grips you have on your bike
The exact grips aren't still made, but this is the version they make now: amzn.to/3fqXlQP
I'll be lookimg at a 1999 GL1500 SE for $5200 at 35k miles. Im thinking that's high? It's been garage kept and the service records are supposedly waiting and ready for me. KBB has it at $2450
Edit: Thank you
Scott, any idea why a 2006 with GPS’s screen would go blank. It doesn’t seem to be the screen itself as I was able to change that part. (not easy) When you turn it on it gets bright for a second and then goes solid blue. The worst part is that’s how you read the mileage so getting it inspected is a problem. It only has about 7000 miles on it 😟
Why did you change the screen? For the same problem?
@@tnasburypl , Yes, it just didn’t work one day. So I went online and found an exact match. I had to tear down the front of the bike and take apart the instrument panel. I would never do it again because it was so difficult. But I got it done. The problem is that it did exactly what the old screen did. It looks like it’s going to cost me $2200 to get a new board. So I figured $180 was worth the try.
I’m wondering whether the mileage is still stored somewhere and will come up on the new unit. Anyway…🥺
It does sound like the board, but you might want to consider a salvage item for a couple hundred dollars rather than $2200 for a new one.
Good video.
I will not buy a bike if I can't test ride it.
The sidestand Extension shown in 07:06 - where do you get them?
I have looked for it, but can only find it to the GL1800.
They were made (at one time) by Add-On Accessories, but discontinued many years ago. Cyclemax commissioned a special run of them just for them to sell, but I don't believe they still have any left to sell.
Have the seller take You for a ride 😮
12:45. What if they sell you a bike that has bent shift forks or a steering head bearing issue.
Are the speedometers a known issue on gl1100's? Because mines getting ready to be on it's 3rd. I'm not sure what the issue was on the original but on my current one the needle was very erratic & eventually snapped off the center.
I've had that on a couple 1100s and usually I take the speedometer off and put a little Lube in the back and that seems to resolve it I also Lube the spottedometer cable.
Seriously.. come on most of this you look for in any bike
I going to buy a Goldwing for my first real bike Iam 270lb at 6feet 3in tall muscles build do you all think Iam bitting more then I can chew
Not at all, it will definitely be perfect for you.
Now... can you do another video on your beautiful hair?!
Test ride only cash in hand for full price and a signed test ride contract. you crash it, you bought it.
It really is the only way to allow a test ride. If it’s dropped you can lose everything. 👍
As I mentioned in the video, there are other (legal, liability) considerations to be had - over and above the value of the bike.
@@thomassireno4351 going this method basically makes it so nobody wants to.
As far as insurance, for yours make sure first it is "any driver" if you want to.let someone. If it's "named driver only" just tell them insurance won't allow it unless their own insurance will.cover for the situation. Former licensed agent/adjuster.
Thank you