Today's the last day to get entered to win the Raspberry Buffet! Get yourself entered here (yes this is the right link, you get entered to win the bike and the house!): rafflecreator.com/pages/47938/win-$250000-dream-home
@@John_Ridley Cuz that's when the giveaway for the house ends, anyone who gets a ticket before the livestream today is entered to win this bike and the house.
Good grief, the carburetors probably need adjusting. The only proper comparison is to fully rebuild a gen3 goldwing then compared to the new ones. What you have is a worn-out bike
@@spitescorner dude are you kidding your evaluation of it's acceleration is not legit. Shade tree didn't do squat to the carbs and air filter probably hasn't been changed in years
I found the Goldwing to be a cumbersome, and unusual tank. 1st it’s heavy, 2nd the shape of the flat boxer engine forces your feet back behind the heads of the engine , making it seem very cramped for me. Just don’t like it.
They can’t say ANYTHING negative about these bikes PERIOD!!!!!!!! All of these “Technical specs” he’s speaking of, means NOTHING. There’s no cons on this bike.
OMG!!!!!!!OF COURSE, it’s still a magnificent machine IF IT STILL RUNS & DRIVES. Honda Goldwing goes on for well over 3-5 hundred thousand miles if properly maintained. I’ve got a 1985 Aspencade and, it starts, drives and handles like new. Absolutely NO Mechanical issues. There’s NO “cons” on this bike AT ALL. Even from the 1900’s to current.
I love your review of this old Goldwing Aspencade. I am the proud owner of a 1986 Goldwing Aspencade. I love my old bike, I keep it in top notch shape. The carburetors are not nearly as hard as you think to work on. I went through the carbs last spring, had no problems at all. Lots of stuff on RUclips to help you and I am not a mechanical although I am mechanic. The big thing with these old bikes with carbs when people put them away for winter. You must drain the carbs due to the gas now days. My Goldwing steering does not wobble. Love the look of these old bikes.
Spite, you complain it's not powerful enough, YET you haven't serviced ANYTHING on it. I'm willing to bet if you change the oil, plugs, and air filter alone you might find a few of the lost ponies you're looking for. And heaven forbid you TAKE OFF the carburetors and make sure all the needles, seats, and slides are doing their jobs right while all of them are synced you could find a few more extra missing ponies. An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.
Exactly, you cant compare a modern wing to a old one that is beat up... to when it was new or if you rebuilt this one to specs then compare.... Shadetree's junk yard special.... lol.
@@DJPTEXAS It's hilarious that ALL the items he has complaints for, are all old worn out items that he hasn't serviced. The front brake is a prime exanple. Take off the damn caliper, change the pads, make sure the pucks are working and FILL the damn master cylinder with NEW fluid. You don't get to cry about the PROBLEMS if you refuse to address them.
I love these old bike videos. Your content is always relatable and enjoyable. And as the father of two children adopted out of the foster system. And having worked in the justice system the past twenty years and knowing what statistics are for kids who age out of the system your support of Forgotten Angels is beyond admirable.
The old Goldwing four-cylinder interstates is all you need.. I have had a Yamaha venture royale, I never turned on the radio or the CB or the intercom for more than a couple minutes just to see what it was like. I did use the cruise control may be 5% of the time… I had that machine 16 troublefree years I then went to a BMW K 1200 LT. My first BMW ever after decades behind bars. The kindest thing I can say about that BMW is, I will never buy another one. I bought it with 9000 miles on it, let’s just say, I think it was rushed to market before it was perfected.. I saw that after the experience I had with ABS brakes, not working on gravel. I didn’t go down, but thank goodness there was a cyclone fence around a salvage yard at the bottom of that hill that I had no brakes on that BMW. I ran into a fence around the salvage yard to stock only breaking the front fender. that BMW had the AM/FM cd, six cd changer, intercom, I liked the heated seats and heated grips and a cruise. But I sold that BMW after that ABS scare. And I bought another venture. A royal star venture. I kept that for a few years, then I went to my very first Goldwing, a GL 1800, non-ABS. I learned my lesson about that gimmick… The BMW also had a Radio, intercom, CB, I only turned it on to make sure it works when I bought the bike used with 13 K miles on it.. I tried to fall in love with that Goldwing for two years. it was just boring, perfect, but boring.. So I went back to a Yamaha royal star venture.. that is my current big touring bike. I have quite a few videos right now on RUclips of my Venture and the maintenance chores , like pulling off the driveshaft and removing the swing arm to lube, the driveshaft, splines and lube, the swingarm bearings, and changing the oil in the shock, no real gimmicks added to the machine like Garmin,.. again, I do not turn on the radio or the CB or the intercom. I do use the cruise control sometimes. My Venture is an older model, non-ABS, but it has everything I need… I added an electric plug to plug in my electric vest and I added heated grips. I don’t need traction control, or stability control, or ABS brakes, I don’t need an intercom or a CB or the radio or CD changer that just jacks the price up and adds weight and complexity… that complexity, jacks, the price up Some of these companies come out with cures for problems that don’t exist. They are placebos for idiots. If you are not proficient at breaking, using the front brakes, you shouldn’t be on a motorcycle especially a heavy machine.. I have over 700,000 miles. Just on my street bikes behind bars so far. That’s not counting my dirt bikes, my trials, bikes, my road racing machines, which I spent eight years racing, that’s just street miles mostly commuting miles… i’m going to ride my royal star venture which is a 2008 with 34,000 miles on it so far right on through to the end. I don’t want a complex motorcycle I want something I can work on. I don’t want to marry the dealer at $125 an hour labor rate.. it’s possible to spend over $30,000 for a Goldwing now, and many gold wing unders that I know don’t like the new one, because they say they’ve made it smaller, less carrying capacity, and very complex.. I know many people that would buy one of the old VW bugs if they started making those old air cooled cars that made them famous. I actually had five of those bugs. I would buy one every winter to keep my 67 GTO convertible out of the snow and salt. I would sell the VW in the spring, and then I’d buy another one the following winter. I would buy one of those cars in a heartbeat if they made them again simple and cheap.. when I graduated high school a brand new VW bug was $1188 in the 70s.. why does everything have to be complex these days. if Honda brought back the 1981 GL 1000 interstate Goldwing, and they sold them for around $12,000, that would sell like hotcakes.. just the basics. fairing, bags and trunk, great seat, four-cylinder, center stand, no radio, no traction control, no ABS, no stability control, no, CB, no CD player, no intercom.. just a good solid, basic bike..
I have the exact same bike. The poor brake feel on the front is because of the linked brakes The rear pedal actuates the rear disk and one of the front disks. The front lever only actuates one disk.
Also, strip them down and they handle completely different. The Goldwing was originally designed to be a "sport bike" in the time. Honda realized that they were great touring bikes and thats how they came to be. The original M1 prototype was a flat 6 on a what became the GL1000 frame (if memory serves correctly). But it was meant to out perform the KZs and GSs of the time.
@@chrishart8548My 1989 HL1500 all the above mentioned things and electric reverse, built in air compressor, intercoms, CB radio, and am/fm cassette player.
I rode my '84 Aspencade wing to a popular spot for bikers, my friend was on his '80 Wing. There were literally hundreds of bikes there of all different models, makes and years. Our two bikes turned more heads than any other bike there, we had people asking to take selfies with the bikes. Might not be as modern high-tech as what is available today, but there sure is something still legendary and highly appealing about these old Goldwings. EDIT: Regarding fuel consumption and capacity, it is a 20L tank, and I get 300Km on my '84 4 cyl 1200. Weird. On my Valkyrie, it has a 27L tank and get an easy 400 Km on a tank with a 6 cyl 1500. (feel free to do the conversion to miles and gallons). Not sure why, the Valk is almost 1000 pounds, and dynoed at 114HP, so I don't know what makes one more efficient than the other. For carburetor service, there is a fellow on the Valkyrie sites named David Wilder who is the guru of rebuilding carbs, you send off the carbs to David, and they come back better than new.
Great Video. I bought a 2023 Goldwing based on a video you made riding a 2022 GW with someone who shall not be named. It's incredible that a bike 3 plus decades old is still considered a good ride by today's standards.
I have an 84 1200 interstate. Just did a one wire alternator conversion removed the rear trunk with the back rest cut the windshield down and blacked out the shield. Totally different looking bike runs great looks great gets almost 200 miles on one tank.
This takes me waaaayyy back. My dad had two of these (first gen in white and second gen in brown) with full fairing, side cases and top case when I was a kid. He often took me for a ride. That's what hooked me on motorcycles.
To put the Goldwing's power into perspective, 94hp was more than a standard Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla had in 1987. Cars and motorcycles just had less power back then. Something I was surprised to learn a while back is that many baggers (including Harleys) have a larger lean angle than most cruisers.
I think the gl1000 4 cylinder was 80hp when it came out its surprisingly low for 1000cc 4 pot. Even a 800 twin has to be in a low state of tune to make as little as 80hp
@@chrishart8548I disagree. The 790 KTMs are the only 800cc twins that I can think of (and in Adventure R tune, only 83hp). From what I have seen, few 800cc twins make 80 hp. None of the cruisers do (Harley 883 under 50hp rwhp, Yamaha bolt 950 @ 51 rwhp). The Ducati Scrambler (803cc) makes under 70 rwhp. Even the more modern BMW F 800 GS makes less than 80 rwhp, but at least it was technically rated at 85 hp at the crank.
@J Fess f800gs makes 85hp ktm adventure 790 makes 94hp the 790 duke makes 105hp. The goldwing I'm talking about is still at the crank. I believe the f800gs is only 71hp at the wheel. But then the tiger is 76hp. Most bikes are a lot less at the wheel. As long as we're comparing them all at the wheel. Or all the crank. It's a bit like mixing dry weight and wet weight when making a comparison.
@@chrishart8548 Most engines lose 10-15% power at the rear wheel, so I quoted the crank hp for any engine anywhere close to 80hp. You noted three 800 twins that had over 80hp advertised, and two of them share an engine. Even the Ducati Scrambler only claims 73hp at the crank (and Speed Twin 900's, 64hp). I will even grant you that the new Suzuki 800de (776cc) will have an advertised 83hp. Nevertheless, the vast majority of 800 and even many up to 1200cc twins don't make 80hp. That is a far cry from "Even a 800 twin has to be in a low state of tune to make as little as 80hp".
i have an 85 aspencade... and surprisingly enough, EVERYTHING WORKS!! even the tape deck works well!!! to deal with the summer heat, i made myself a shorty windscreen and that helped a whole lot to stop me from boiling like an egg behind that fairing! it looks really cool too!!
Good video! The national speed limit back in 1987 was 65 MPH and I bet the Honda engineers optimized the design of the 1987 Goldwing to run 65 MPH all day long. Now we have speed limits of 85 MPH and thus the design of the New Goldwing.
Those carburetors at so accessible that you should look at removing the 4 V65 Magna carbs and you’d see hard! There’s no worries with those dual carbs on that Goldwing, they’ve got to be easy as anything to remove and carbs are easy to work on too. If you saved $1000 off the price bc the carbs are gummed up you will get a steal.
I have a 1986 Aspencade and love it! Getting ready to take a 1000 mile 4 day loop down into NC/TN. My local daily roads include Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, so it sees plenty of twisties.
I live in Front Royal and ride the from home to the Elkwallow store often. Pack of crackers and a bottle of water = a poor mans lunch. Then home again.
I just bought a 1982 gl1100 interstate, and am in the process of restoring it. When its done, it will be the equivalent of a new bike. Working on and reconditioning the various systems is a labor of love for me
Putting on a new set of Metzler Marathons changed my bike more than I could ever have imagined, way more! It was the difference of night & day, I have had my 1985 Limited for over 10 years and everything still works and that fuel injected engine runs perfectly every time!
Also own 85 limited. Previous owner installed Led headlights .resulted in battery and voltage overloads. Stranded, tow trucks. I'm paying for last owners so called improvements that fried the electrical system.
@@DaveDeline That's a BUMMER Dave! That's the "weak link" in the old bikes of that age, mine has never had one aftermarket screw drilled in it. Everything is OEM and I refuse to add any lights. Best of luck!
I run a 1991 Kawasaki XII Voyager. It generally gets mistaken for an old Gold-Wing, but it oozes character, and generally provokes much interest at bike meets...absolutely love it.
She is a raspberry buffet The kind you find and you want to restore Raspberry buffet And if it was warm, you'd be ridin' much more Raspberry buffet, I think I love her
i put 135,000 trouble free miles on a 1982 gold wing aspin cade. this bike in good condition will go all day in comfort with a good after market seat of course.
Spite, you should ride more old bikes, I ride a 1980 kz550 and love it. carbs are super simple and aren't at all intimidating once you figure out whats going on. Not at all bashing new bikes, but having and wrenching on an old, simple bike can really teach you a lot and make you feel more connected to the bike. I've personally found that even though my bike isn't as "good" or reliable as a new bike with a ton of tech, i've become confident enough and in tune enough with my bike that I can fix nearly anything on it myself. at the end of the day for me, motorcycling is about the connection between man and machine, and riding my old bike is a relationship and an adventure. Love your videos!
the way the linked brakes work, the front left rotor is the "front" brake and the front right rotor is the "rear" linked one. i have an 86, and my linked brakes were messed up, so stopping that before it was redone was SKETCHY. mine is a stripped down "naked wing" now, and it has been redone with both fronts as fronts, and the rear standalone.
It was fun to see this. I had a 1987 GL1200 Interstate as my first "real" bike and it was still going strong when I sold it 18 years later. I had the best riding experience of my life on that bike--a trip from Chicago to Yellowstone and Butte. Amazingly comfortable, great storage, smooth and quiet.
My PC 800 weighs shy of 600 and is 60hp. Yea not a torque monster it likes to rev. But I have never thought it was not enough for the highway in all situations.
I have a classic 1980 Kawasaki KZ1000 ST Shaft drive 1015 cc Mark II engine on her its the bike that lead up to the Concours/Voyagers the bike was optional with the Vetter Fairings ,Panniers and top Boxes for Kawasaki in the 70's and 80's era and love it as the bike that came from the Z1 era before the the Goldwing as it's top touring motorcycle of its hayday but my old KZ1000 ST Shaft is an awesome motorcycle coming from the CHIPs and Mad Max era of Raw Power Performance thanks to the Z1..
Wonderful video. Honda does something good, like no other bike company. They are bullet proof bikes. That's why I own the 6 gen one. I just ride and ride and never to the dealer....never. Not even for one tiny problem.
Great honest review. I love my 83 goldwing. Mines dead stock, always on the look out for standard parts, but very hard to find in Australia, and for larger items, like the paniers, postage from the states is the killer.
I just bought a '95 Electra Glide myself. Matter of fact, I'm fixin to get My rear out in the shop and get the carb on it so I can ride. I'm blown away at just how cheap You can score an old touring bike for today!
@@TurboDog73TX i mean, you still pay a premium for HD over metric bikes. But theyre still very afforadable now. There are a ton of old gold wings for sale around me. Ive thought "someone could make a killing making replacement parts for these". All the tupperware on them that pops into place and eventually breaks would be a great investment for one of these companies that already makes ABS versions of old HD fiberglass stuff.
@@joekool4 And You nailed why I sought out an Old H-D versus an old 'Wing. I gave $2,000 for mine. It is UGLY which I'm most OK with, but also only has 27K original miles. Every old $2K ish Gold Wing or other metric oldie I find usually have 50,60 or even 80K miles. I have absolutely nothing against metric bikes, I've owned tons of them over my lifetime, but one huge thing H-D's have going for them is parts availability and reliability. Simple machines, that are simple and easy to maintain. And at least the Evo and Twin Cam bikes are quite long lived if You just do the maintenance. I've put 100K on one of mine, and have friends with 180K on theirs!
@@TurboDog73TX exactly. I gave 3500 for mine, but the previous owner had just put 2k in the stereo. Lol. Fell over in a trailer, smashed the tourpack and dented the front fender (other bikes also fell onto it). Got the broken tourpak, plus another good one. The after market is just filled with stuff. I can buy a brand new fender for it. Vtwin still makes pre 93 bags with the battery cut out. Etc. Ive had a bunch of metrics before.
I have a 1986 Black bird Interstate. It is a great machine and i have done everything but clutches. That coming soon. Everything was relatively easy to work on with some mechanical knowledge. I have never had a problem with power. The motor loves the 3 to 5500 rpm range. Kicks ass if you down shift to the proper gear. Carbs need to run frequently to keep them clean and clear of build up. the idle circuit was always prone to clogging. The air suspension needs to be checked every couple month's. Runs bet on 93 octane. Parts are becoming hard to find. Nice video
A very balanced review. I had a 1989 wing til the stator died. Sold it and bought a Suzuki Burgman 650. Yes technically a scooter but a large and very competent one with commodious underseat storage and good highway manners. I understand why Euros call them a mini Goldwing. Can’t really say that I liked one over the other. But one thing in common was their general reliability. To their credit Wings are still in production, kept up to date and still doing what they do best.
I bought an 86 with a busted stator. I replaced it and brought her back to life. Ebay, wingparts, and partzilla have been my go to for getting all the parts for rebuilding her.
I think they can be worth the effort if you have the facility and access to parts and the patience. I have the ability but no workshop, otherwise I might have. Replacing the stator is not a simple job.@@seran-nei227
Cool video, one good thing abt you reviewing a bike is that you are tall... while just a couple inches shorter than you, we have the same inseam, so we have similar fit issues. I left the mids on my lowrider st, and pur bars on it I can use for highway pegs, so I agree abt the mids, ... as long as you have a place to streach your legs out to. I find myself going back and forth to relieve pressure.
Don’t be afraid to rev it out almost like an in-line 4. Rode my dad’s ‘81 naked wing and it would keep up with a 2016 CVO HD up to about 100. Carb balance on them is critical. If it seems slow you’ve got a problem.
In 2009 I bought GL1200 Aspencade, year 1984, made in Japan (!). It was after terrible crash. Approximately year gone while I built it up in shape I wanted. And from that time it is my friend with I have got and I am getting so great adventures I could write a story book. That motorcycle will live forever!
So I have some info on the GL1200 brakes system. The system is setup to force riders to brake quickly using the front and rear brakes intentionally. At near 800 pounds a GL1200 is not a bike you want to accidentally panic lock the front wheel on as the bike carries A LOT of momentum. The rear brake pedal compresses the rear brake caliper but ALSO one of the front brake calipers. The front brake lever only runs the other front caliper on the second disk. This is why the front brake seems so weak for a dual disk front brake. Your front brake lever doesn't run both of those disk brakes, only one of them. Hope this helps!
I ride a 1987 interstate. Great bike but awfully hot in the summer. Planning on stripping off the fairing and putting a small windshield in its place. Did that on a 1100 and it made a huge improvement in handling. Check out Matt Spears. He is riding dirt 2-up on a GL1800. I have Progressive suspension on my 1200 and it is much better than the worn out air suspension. The front brake on the Wing only operates one disk. The rear brake operates the rear and the other front. Often called a dad's bike and I guess that's about right. I'm 74 years old. My bike has a tractor seat. Sheet metal without pad. I can ride all day. Needs highway pegs. My knees give out after 3 or 4 long days of riding. Carburetors aren't hard to remove and clean but it does take time. Gold Wing is the ultimate adventure bike.
Olde hardly means 'Useless,' and when it comes to maintenance (ie, COSTS of), I'll happily take older anything vs all these new, space-aged/high-tech NIGHTMARES for anyone that tries to do as much of their own work as possible. I had to retire my beloved '81 GL1100, due to all the maniacs on the road trying to kill me while operating it, but I sure's Hell miss those times! Nice video about a CLASSIC Steel Steed!
Great question, is 87' Goldwing still good bike? My 86' Yamaha Venture an 86' Goldwing were so very close in top of line tech. an still listed on my favorite bike list list!
94hp is MORE than sufficient. If you want something fast, there are other bikes that fit that need. Out of all the bikes I’ve owned over the years, one of my favorites was a VStar 1100. Made crap for power, but it was so comfortable and easy to ride.
Shadetree has had a few of these Goldwings, so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the one where he discovered that one of the carburetors had failed and he hadn't even noticed? And then, ya know... didn't fix it? Very few people complain about the Goldwing's power - I would bet that it's an issue with the bike bogging the power down rather than it simply not being as fast as it needs to be. I mean, seriously, 94 bhp is a lot for a motorcycle. My FLHR has the 96 TC with (approximately) 67 bhp, and it's perfectly capable of getting out of it's own way.
Yeh , i was gonna say the same thing ... My 86 Interstate blows by cars in 4th gear passing mode ... My friend has a gl1500 and we drag race often , he never wins , not sure why this guy spite is telling everybody its slow ... The rasberry running on three cylinders maybe ... something is wrong
It's not just age, that bike likely has significant wear and tear on it. I just found a really nice 1982 1100 GW standard, sub 600 lbs, and zero electronics.
The windshield and fairing is no joke on these bikes. My father had an 84 aspencade (I currently have it in the shop getting it back up and running) and I have seen him pull back with a cigarette in his mouth with at least 2 in of Ash hanging on the end of it. If you're not on the highway you don't get any air. But they do make little things that you can attach that redirect some are back towards you.
TO make the older Wings a fun ride and remove that disconnected feel, yank the air suspension off. Throw a decent suspension on it, even Progressive Suspension is an improvement. Replace the front springs as well. At this point she will flat out shock you and become a mild hooligan bike. With the right tools the carbs are easy to take care of as well. You don't like the fairings and such? Yank it all off, upgrade the suspension and be really shocked. I had an 1981 1100 I stripped down big time and she was fun as all heck. And I still did several 1100 mile rides on it.
My EDR is a 2002 vtx 1800c. Triple disc. It's neat and I love it. Scoots my fat ass down the road at 80+ all day long with plenty left to give. One oddity about it is the linked braking system. If you hit the front, it's just the front. But if you press the back, it hits both with a bias for the back to keep you upright. It's spoiled me to be honest. I don't usually touch my front brake unless I'm stopped on a hill. But that also worries me for when I get back on a "normal" bike. Like my reflexes will be buggered up and I'll end up sliding. My point is, (good) analog brakes that demand your focus and attention are a good tool to help train your reflexes the right way. For what that's worth. But don't listen to me, I only started riding at the start of 2022
99 Goldwing here, bigger, Heavier, and 100 break HP, can run with the young guns just fine. As for working on it? Do regular maintenance, you'll rarely have to work on it, and parts for it are still plentiful because so many still run today the After MArket for it is flush with parts.
I‘ve been in Sardinia several times and I never had one drop of rain there. I wish you better weather for the rest of your trip trough the paradise for motorbikers👍
I have a 95 voyager which stole most of the appearance of that bike and I ride it every day and love it. I am always looking to trade up but find myself comparing to the Voyager/ Goldwing copy and I’m just not sure paying a bunch of money to trade is worth it.
Mine is an 85 Special Edition! I can speed just as much as the next guy! My cassette player is loud enough to bother the people who make laws. I have a bike for twisty roads even though the Wing is not so bad. Another note is that you have to ride it, the computer doesn't help you at all!
Stuff like the speedo is probably a sensor in the transmission. The buttons might require an electronics expert to resolder connections on circuit boards. The answer is more of a maybe than a yes or no.
6:30 that model of gold wing has split braking, the front lever actuates one caliper, the other caliper is actuated by the rear master. Most of your braking is thru the rear brake.
I have 03' HD hundred anniv model an I ride my 88' Goldwing almost 100% of the time while working on HD. I can even play my old collect of cassette tapes, that's funny!
I have an '85 Honda Goldwing Interstate GL1200 (same color) and I love it. It needs some TLC. I'm hoping to use this winter to work on it and get it ready for the spring.
That’s why I got rid of my Harley it felt like doing half of a sit-up all the time even with a $400 saddlemen seat. I think the middleweight adv’s are the sweet spot for power to weight for me I got the new Honda Transalp and I really like it a lot but I’ve always wanted a big Goldwing 1800 or maybe a 1500 to ride my nieces on and grocery shopping 😂
You need to get on a 1500 Valkyrie. If you're interested, I have one and could come up with excuses to swing down at some point. Its literally the perfect bike.
The bike might have a leak or not running properly if your not getting much range. That bike should have a 5.8 gallon tank, my 1983 gl1100 has a 5.2 gallon tank and I get about 220 miles before switching to reserve.
Just thought I’d mention Simmons but you talked about the awesome seating position the police see on a Harley touring model has one of the nicest most comfortable sitting positions I’ve ever had
They are very sensitive to bad tires too. When I had the 1200 Interstate (which didn't have the air suspension), it rode dramatically better on better tires.
So far, I've been lucky to find really good tires on sale. Metzeler, Michelin, Pirelli. All of them were $100-$120 per tire which sure beats $200-$300 range.
Speaking about foot peg placement, the most important part of riding a horse is the correct stirrup adjustment. If you look at any western saddle, your feet are under your hips. When the horse is climbing, your feet go backwards to help support your weight. When the horse is going down a steep hill, your feet are forward helping support your weight. I agree with you. I never understood the reason for having your feet way forward and your hands reaching for the stars to grip the bars. I hated riding a chopper or a high bar cruiser. THEY ARE HORRIBLE FOR BODY POSITION.
A note on the brakes on these bikes when you pull the front brakes it only actuates the roght front caliper, when you use the rear brakes oit actuates the rear and the front left
Hey spike, sorry to ask what has probably been asked quite a lot, but how much do you weigh? Would be a great bit of context for your experience on any particular bike. Someone like yammy who's probably 180 soaking wet, is going to have a drastically different experience than someone like me who's a solid 265 after taking a 10 lb crap.
Get those Carbs. Synced and flushed and add some 2 Stroke oil to the Fuel ...the Slides in the Carbs get slow to react and enjoy some extra lube every few thousand miles. the Stock Power is plenty enough.
That thing has over 5gal tank capacity and should be getting about 38-40mpg highway so you ought to be able to get like 170-190 miles per tank depending on how you're riding it!
A few remarks... I ride a 33 year old ST1100. I'm an old geezer, ABS and traction control are in my right hand, always has been and always will be. I only ride older bikes, an absolut must are new tyres. Not just because of tread depth, the tyres on the old bike are usually hard. Clearly brakes also usually need an overhaul. And there is probably more maintenance that should be done. If you want to compare a classic with modern stuff (I belive pretty useless, but OK...) you really should bring the classic in top notch condition first...
Had another comment yes the transmission does clock is always done that when even when they were brand new okay the carburetors are okay to redo there's four of them you have to synchronize them and everything on the 12:00 but stripped down version is a call Standard will run 150 to 55 miles an hour all day long so think about that what are the two full dressers next below the interstate is the next one down the advocate as a full one but sometimes it didn't have all the CB and other stuff hooked on to him so you have to play with it yes you can run through Tail of the Dragon at 56 Mi an hour
Today's the last day to get entered to win the Raspberry Buffet! Get yourself entered here (yes this is the right link, you get entered to win the bike and the house!): rafflecreator.com/pages/47938/win-$250000-dream-home
Why does the raffle page say it's open until Dec 24?
@@John_Ridley Cuz that's when the giveaway for the house ends, anyone who gets a ticket before the livestream today is entered to win this bike and the house.
Someone buy this man some pants that fit....
Good grief, the carburetors probably need adjusting. The only proper comparison is to fully rebuild a gen3 goldwing then compared to the new ones. What you have is a worn-out bike
@@spitescorner dude are you kidding your evaluation of it's acceleration is not legit. Shade tree didn't do squat to the carbs and air filter probably hasn't been changed in years
Been riding my gl1100 interstate 1983 for 25 years. It doesn't keep up with modern bikes , they keep up with me. 265000 miles still runs strong.
I found the Goldwing to be a cumbersome, and unusual tank. 1st it’s heavy, 2nd the shape of the flat boxer engine forces your feet back behind the heads of the engine , making it seem very cramped for me. Just don’t like it.
I have a 41 year old GL1100 Interstate, and it keeps up with modern touring bikes just fine.
They can’t say ANYTHING negative about these bikes PERIOD!!!!!!!!
All of these “Technical specs” he’s speaking of, means NOTHING.
There’s no cons on this bike.
Heck yes it does, they were ahead of their time.
me too... i have an '83 gl1100. I love it
Yes sir!! 81 1100 here also easily keeps up👍
OMG!!!!!!!OF COURSE, it’s still a magnificent machine IF IT STILL RUNS & DRIVES.
Honda Goldwing goes on for well over 3-5 hundred thousand miles if properly maintained.
I’ve got a 1985 Aspencade and, it starts, drives and handles like new. Absolutely NO Mechanical issues.
There’s NO “cons” on this bike AT ALL. Even from the 1900’s to current.
I love your review of this old Goldwing Aspencade. I am the proud owner of a 1986 Goldwing Aspencade. I love my old bike, I keep it in top notch shape. The carburetors are not nearly as hard as you think to work on. I went through the carbs last spring, had no problems at all. Lots of stuff on RUclips to help you and I am not a mechanical although I am mechanic. The big thing with these old bikes with carbs when people put them away for winter. You must drain the carbs due to the gas now days. My Goldwing steering does not wobble. Love the look of these old bikes.
Also it doesn't hurt that the carbs are not really that hard to get at. The average sport bike is probably harder.
In my opinion, these are the pinnacle of styling for a Goldwing.
Lol 😂
@@bradforester3635 why lol? It still looks good after all these years. It holds up.
@@bobfromlogistics it is man i love the classic gadgets and style
This example could stand to have that flattering paint polished.
@@bobfromlogistics it's really freakin' clunky lookin'
Spite, you complain it's not powerful enough, YET you haven't serviced ANYTHING on it. I'm willing to bet if you change the oil, plugs, and air filter alone you might find a few of the lost ponies you're looking for. And heaven forbid you TAKE OFF the carburetors and make sure all the needles, seats, and slides are doing their jobs right while all of them are synced you could find a few more extra missing ponies. An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.
Exactly, you cant compare a modern wing to a old one that is beat up... to when it was new or if you rebuilt this one to specs then compare.... Shadetree's junk yard special.... lol.
@@DJPTEXAS It's hilarious that ALL the items he has complaints for, are all old worn out items that he hasn't serviced. The front brake is a prime exanple. Take off the damn caliper, change the pads, make sure the pucks are working and FILL the damn master cylinder with NEW fluid. You don't get to cry about the PROBLEMS if you refuse to address them.
@@JGreen-le8xx As a mechanic myself i thought the same thing...... some simple fixes.
@@DJPTEXAS same thing with him complaining of fuel mileage. Improper set up and carb tune=bad mileage
Agree with all above ⬆️
I love these old bike videos. Your content is always relatable and enjoyable. And as the father of two children adopted out of the foster system. And having worked in the justice system the past twenty years and knowing what statistics are for kids who age out of the system your support of Forgotten Angels is beyond admirable.
The old Goldwing four-cylinder interstates is all you need.. I have had a Yamaha venture royale, I never turned on the radio or the CB or the intercom for more than a couple minutes just to see what it was like. I did use the cruise control may be 5% of the time… I had that machine 16 troublefree years
I then went to a BMW K 1200 LT. My first BMW ever after decades behind bars. The kindest thing I can say about that BMW is, I will never buy another one. I bought it with 9000 miles on it, let’s just say, I think it was rushed to market before it was perfected.. I saw that after the experience I had with ABS brakes, not working on gravel. I didn’t go down, but thank goodness there was a cyclone fence around a salvage yard at the bottom of that hill that I had no brakes on that BMW. I ran into a fence around the salvage yard to stock only breaking the front fender. that BMW had the AM/FM cd, six cd changer, intercom, I liked the heated seats and heated grips and a cruise. But I sold that BMW after that ABS scare. And I bought another venture. A royal star venture. I kept that for a few years, then I went to my very first Goldwing, a GL 1800, non-ABS. I learned my lesson about that gimmick…
The BMW also had a Radio, intercom, CB, I only turned it on to make sure it works when I bought the bike used with 13 K miles on it.. I tried to fall in love with that Goldwing for two years. it was just boring, perfect, but boring..
So I went back to a Yamaha royal star venture.. that is my current big touring bike. I have quite a few videos right now on RUclips of my Venture and the maintenance chores , like pulling off the driveshaft and removing the swing arm to lube, the driveshaft, splines and lube, the swingarm bearings, and changing the oil in the shock, no real gimmicks added to the machine like Garmin,.. again, I do not turn on the radio or the CB or the intercom. I do use the cruise control sometimes. My Venture is an older model, non-ABS, but it has everything I need… I added an electric plug to plug in my electric vest and I added heated grips. I don’t need traction control, or stability control, or ABS brakes, I don’t need an intercom or a CB or the radio or CD changer that just jacks the price up and adds weight and complexity… that complexity, jacks, the price up
Some of these companies come out with cures for problems that don’t exist. They are placebos for idiots. If you are not proficient at breaking, using the front brakes, you shouldn’t be on a motorcycle especially a heavy machine..
I have over 700,000 miles. Just on my street bikes behind bars so far. That’s not counting my dirt bikes, my trials, bikes, my road racing machines, which I spent eight years racing, that’s just street miles mostly commuting miles…
i’m going to ride my royal star venture which is a 2008 with 34,000 miles on it so far right on through to the end. I don’t want a complex motorcycle I want something I can work on. I don’t want to marry the dealer at $125 an hour labor rate..
it’s possible to spend over $30,000 for a Goldwing now, and many gold wing unders that I know don’t like the new one, because they say they’ve made it smaller, less carrying capacity, and very complex..
I know many people that would buy one of the old VW bugs if they started making those old air cooled cars that made them famous. I actually had five of those bugs. I would buy one every winter to keep my 67 GTO convertible out of the snow and salt. I would sell the VW in the spring, and then I’d buy another one the following winter.
I would buy one of those cars in a heartbeat if they made them again simple and cheap.. when I graduated high school a brand new VW bug was $1188 in the 70s.. why does everything have to be complex these days.
if Honda brought back the 1981 GL 1000 interstate Goldwing, and they sold them for around $12,000, that would sell like hotcakes.. just the basics. fairing, bags and trunk, great seat, four-cylinder, center stand, no radio, no traction control, no ABS, no stability control, no, CB, no CD player, no intercom.. just a good solid, basic bike..
My friend has a Venture. It's a great machine.
I have the exact same bike. The poor brake feel on the front is because of the linked brakes The rear pedal actuates the rear disk and one of the front disks. The front lever only actuates one disk.
Also, strip them down and they handle completely different. The Goldwing was originally designed to be a "sport bike" in the time. Honda realized that they were great touring bikes and thats how they came to be. The original M1 prototype was a flat 6 on a what became the GL1000 frame (if memory serves correctly). But it was meant to out perform the KZs and GSs of the time.
Yes prototype was a six
Honda found it's way back to the original prototype with the Flat Six GL1500 and GL1800s.
Recently bought a 89 GL1500 with 40,000 miles what a great bike. Its amazing the features it had for a 34 year old bike.
What features does it have ?
@@chrishart8548 cruise control, self canceling turn signals, air ride suspension
@@chrishart8548My 1989 HL1500 all the above mentioned things and electric reverse, built in air compressor, intercoms, CB radio, and am/fm cassette player.
The 1500 are amazing bikes
I rode my '84 Aspencade wing to a popular spot for bikers, my friend was on his '80 Wing. There were literally hundreds of bikes there of all different models, makes and years. Our two bikes turned more heads than any other bike there, we had people asking to take selfies with the bikes. Might not be as modern high-tech as what is available today, but there sure is something still legendary and highly appealing about these old Goldwings. EDIT: Regarding fuel consumption and capacity, it is a 20L tank, and I get 300Km on my '84 4 cyl 1200. Weird. On my Valkyrie, it has a 27L tank and get an easy 400 Km on a tank with a 6 cyl 1500. (feel free to do the conversion to miles and gallons). Not sure why, the Valk is almost 1000 pounds, and dynoed at 114HP, so I don't know what makes one more efficient than the other. For carburetor service, there is a fellow on the Valkyrie sites named David Wilder who is the guru of rebuilding carbs, you send off the carbs to David, and they come back better than new.
Great Video. I bought a 2023 Goldwing based on a video you made riding a 2022 GW with someone who shall not be named. It's incredible that a bike 3 plus decades old is still considered a good ride by today's standards.
I have an 84 1200 interstate. Just did a one wire alternator conversion removed the rear trunk with the back rest cut the windshield down and blacked out the shield. Totally different looking bike runs great looks great gets almost 200 miles on one tank.
This takes me waaaayyy back. My dad had two of these (first gen in white and second gen in brown) with full fairing, side cases and top case when I was a kid. He often took me for a ride. That's what hooked me on motorcycles.
To put the Goldwing's power into perspective, 94hp was more than a standard Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla had in 1987. Cars and motorcycles just had less power back then. Something I was surprised to learn a while back is that many baggers (including Harleys) have a larger lean angle than most cruisers.
I think the gl1000 4 cylinder was 80hp when it came out its surprisingly low for 1000cc 4 pot. Even a 800 twin has to be in a low state of tune to make as little as 80hp
@@chrishart8548I disagree. The 790 KTMs are the only 800cc twins that I can think of (and in Adventure R tune, only 83hp). From what I have seen, few 800cc twins make 80 hp. None of the cruisers do (Harley 883 under 50hp rwhp, Yamaha bolt 950 @ 51 rwhp). The Ducati Scrambler (803cc) makes under 70 rwhp. Even the more modern BMW F 800 GS makes less than 80 rwhp, but at least it was technically rated at 85 hp at the crank.
@J Fess f800gs makes 85hp ktm adventure 790 makes 94hp the 790 duke makes 105hp. The goldwing I'm talking about is still at the crank. I believe the f800gs is only 71hp at the wheel. But then the tiger is 76hp. Most bikes are a lot less at the wheel. As long as we're comparing them all at the wheel. Or all the crank. It's a bit like mixing dry weight and wet weight when making a comparison.
@@chrishart8548 Most engines lose 10-15% power at the rear wheel, so I quoted the crank hp for any engine anywhere close to 80hp. You noted three 800 twins that had over 80hp advertised, and two of them share an engine. Even the Ducati Scrambler only claims 73hp at the crank (and Speed Twin 900's, 64hp). I will even grant you that the new Suzuki 800de (776cc) will have an advertised 83hp.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of 800 and even many up to 1200cc twins don't make 80hp. That is a far cry from "Even a 800 twin has to be in a low state of tune to make as little as 80hp".
My husband has a 1985 Goldwing Interstate that runs great!
i have an 85 aspencade... and surprisingly enough, EVERYTHING WORKS!! even the tape deck works well!!! to deal with the summer heat, i made myself a shorty windscreen and that helped a whole lot to stop me from boiling like an egg behind that fairing! it looks really cool too!!
Mine too is so much hotter than my Star Venture TC, it's a great cool weather bike.
Good video! The national speed limit back in 1987 was 65 MPH and I bet the Honda engineers optimized the design of the 1987 Goldwing to run 65 MPH all day long. Now we have speed limits of 85 MPH and thus the design of the New Goldwing.
I have an 86, can cruise all day at 90
Those carburetors at so accessible that you should look at removing the 4 V65 Magna carbs and you’d see hard! There’s no worries with those dual carbs on that Goldwing, they’ve got to be easy as anything to remove and carbs are easy to work on too. If you saved $1000 off the price bc the carbs are gummed up you will get a steal.
The 80s intro music really seals the deal.
I have a 1986 Aspencade and love it! Getting ready to take a 1000 mile 4 day loop down into NC/TN. My local daily roads include Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, so it sees plenty of twisties.
You must be near me... Campbell Co, on the Bedford side.
@@MostlyInteresting up the road a bit in Waynesboro.
I live in Front Royal and ride the from home to the Elkwallow store often. Pack of crackers and a bottle of water = a poor mans lunch. Then home again.
Make sure you hit the cherohala skyway, gorgeous overlooks on that route
@@lrb4 I’ve ridden the Cherahola a couple of times. It’s right up there with Skyline Drive in my book.
Always a good day when Spite rolls up on my feed.
I enjoy how folks fearing multi carb setups seems to keep the cost down on old bikes.
I just bought a 1982 gl1100 interstate, and am in the process of restoring it. When its done, it will be the equivalent of a new bike. Working on and reconditioning the various systems is a labor of love for me
Putting on a new set of Metzler Marathons changed my bike more than I could ever have imagined, way more! It was the difference of night & day, I have had my 1985 Limited for over 10 years and everything still works and that fuel injected engine runs perfectly every time!
Also own 85 limited. Previous owner installed Led headlights
.resulted in battery and voltage overloads. Stranded, tow trucks. I'm paying for last owners so called improvements that fried the electrical system.
@@DaveDeline That's a BUMMER Dave! That's the "weak link" in the old bikes of that age, mine has never had one aftermarket screw drilled in it. Everything is OEM and I refuse to add any lights. Best of luck!
I run a 1991 Kawasaki XII Voyager. It generally gets mistaken for an old Gold-Wing, but it oozes character, and generally provokes much interest at bike meets...absolutely love it.
She is a raspberry buffet
The kind you find and you want to restore
Raspberry buffet
And if it was warm, you'd be ridin' much more
Raspberry buffet, I think I love her
Is that the lyrics to the Prince song, Raspberry Beret!?
@@Wasatch_Sasquatch indeed. Every time he said raspberry buffet that song popped into my head so I had to share :)
i put 135,000 trouble free miles on a 1982 gold wing aspin cade. this bike in good condition will go all day in comfort with a good after market seat of course.
Spite, you should ride more old bikes, I ride a 1980 kz550 and love it. carbs are super simple and aren't at all intimidating once you figure out whats going on. Not at all bashing new bikes, but having and wrenching on an old, simple bike can really teach you a lot and make you feel more connected to the bike. I've personally found that even though my bike isn't as "good" or reliable as a new bike with a ton of tech, i've become confident enough and in tune enough with my bike that I can fix nearly anything on it myself. at the end of the day for me, motorcycling is about the connection between man and machine, and riding my old bike is a relationship and an adventure. Love your videos!
the way the linked brakes work, the front left rotor is the "front" brake and the front right rotor is the "rear" linked one. i have an 86, and my linked brakes were messed up, so stopping that before it was redone was SKETCHY. mine is a stripped down "naked wing" now, and it has been redone with both fronts as fronts, and the rear standalone.
It was fun to see this. I had a 1987 GL1200 Interstate as my first "real" bike and it was still going strong when I sold it 18 years later. I had the best riding experience of my life on that bike--a trip from Chicago to Yellowstone and Butte. Amazingly comfortable, great storage, smooth and quiet.
Love the first Generation Goldwing cafe builds
Friend has an 1100 bobber with straight pipes. A glorious noise!
My PC 800 weighs shy of 600 and is 60hp. Yea not a torque monster it likes to rev. But I have never thought it was not enough for the highway in all situations.
I have a 1991 Goldwing GL1500 SE Anniversary edition with 250,000km and still going strong.
I have a classic 1980 Kawasaki KZ1000 ST Shaft drive 1015 cc Mark II engine on her its the bike that lead up to the Concours/Voyagers the bike was optional with the Vetter Fairings ,Panniers and top Boxes for Kawasaki in the 70's and 80's era and love it as the bike that came from the Z1 era before the the Goldwing as it's top touring motorcycle of its hayday but my old KZ1000 ST Shaft is an awesome motorcycle coming from the CHIPs and Mad Max era of Raw Power Performance thanks to the Z1..
Wonderful video. Honda does something good, like no other bike company. They are bullet proof bikes. That's why I own the 6 gen one. I just ride and ride and never to the dealer....never. Not even for one tiny problem.
Great honest review. I love my 83 goldwing. Mines dead stock, always on the look out for standard parts, but very hard to find in Australia, and for larger items, like the paniers, postage from the states is the killer.
I have a 1987 Electra glide. 2 years older than me, lol. Rides great. So far as i can tell its all stock other than the wheels, radio and tourpack.
I just bought a '95 Electra Glide myself. Matter of fact, I'm fixin to get My rear out in the shop and get the carb on it so I can ride.
I'm blown away at just how cheap You can score an old touring bike for today!
@@TurboDog73TX i mean, you still pay a premium for HD over metric bikes. But theyre still very afforadable now. There are a ton of old gold wings for sale around me. Ive thought "someone could make a killing making replacement parts for these". All the tupperware on them that pops into place and eventually breaks would be a great investment for one of these companies that already makes ABS versions of old HD fiberglass stuff.
@@joekool4 And You nailed why I sought out an Old H-D versus an old 'Wing. I gave $2,000 for mine. It is UGLY which I'm most OK with, but also only has 27K original miles. Every old $2K ish Gold Wing or other metric oldie I find usually have 50,60 or even 80K miles.
I have absolutely nothing against metric bikes, I've owned tons of them over my lifetime, but one huge thing H-D's have going for them is parts availability and reliability. Simple machines, that are simple and easy to maintain.
And at least the Evo and Twin Cam bikes are quite long lived if You just do the maintenance. I've put 100K on one of mine, and have friends with 180K on theirs!
@@TurboDog73TX exactly. I gave 3500 for mine, but the previous owner had just put 2k in the stereo. Lol. Fell over in a trailer, smashed the tourpack and dented the front fender (other bikes also fell onto it). Got the broken tourpak, plus another good one. The after market is just filled with stuff. I can buy a brand new fender for it. Vtwin still makes pre 93 bags with the battery cut out. Etc. Ive had a bunch of metrics before.
I have a 1986 Black bird Interstate. It is a great machine and i have done everything but clutches. That coming soon. Everything was relatively easy to work on with some mechanical knowledge. I have never had a problem with power. The motor loves the 3 to 5500 rpm range. Kicks ass if you down shift to the proper gear. Carbs need to run frequently to keep them clean and clear of build up. the idle circuit was always prone to clogging. The air suspension needs to be checked every couple month's. Runs bet on 93 octane. Parts are becoming hard to find. Nice video
A very balanced review. I had a 1989 wing til the stator died. Sold it and bought a Suzuki Burgman 650. Yes technically a scooter but a large and very competent one with commodious underseat storage and good highway manners. I understand why Euros call them a mini Goldwing. Can’t really say that I liked one over the other. But one thing in common was their general reliability. To their credit Wings are still in production, kept up to date and still doing what they do best.
I bought an 86 with a busted stator. I replaced it and brought her back to life. Ebay, wingparts, and partzilla have been my go to for getting all the parts for rebuilding her.
I think they can be worth the effort if you have the facility and access to parts and the patience. I have the ability but no workshop, otherwise I might have. Replacing the stator is not a simple job.@@seran-nei227
Cool video, one good thing abt you reviewing a bike is that you are tall... while just a couple inches shorter than you, we have the same inseam, so we have similar fit issues. I left the mids on my lowrider st, and pur bars on it I can use for highway pegs, so I agree abt the mids, ... as long as you have a place to streach your legs out to. I find myself going back and forth to relieve pressure.
Don’t be afraid to rev it out almost like an in-line 4. Rode my dad’s ‘81 naked wing and it would keep up with a 2016 CVO HD up to about 100. Carb balance on them is critical. If it seems slow you’ve got a problem.
@3:35 "Damning with fine praise." Sometimes we hear things wrong, e.g., song lyrics. The coined phrase is "damning with faint praise."
In 2009 I bought GL1200 Aspencade, year 1984, made in Japan (!). It was after terrible crash. Approximately year gone while I built it up in shape I wanted. And from that time it is my friend with I have got and I am getting so great adventures I could write a story book. That motorcycle will live forever!
these bikes come from a time when things were built to last a lifetime!
So I have some info on the GL1200 brakes system. The system is setup to force riders to brake quickly using the front and rear brakes intentionally. At near 800 pounds a GL1200 is not a bike you want to accidentally panic lock the front wheel on as the bike carries A LOT of momentum. The rear brake pedal compresses the rear brake caliper but ALSO one of the front brake calipers. The front brake lever only runs the other front caliper on the second disk. This is why the front brake seems so weak for a dual disk front brake. Your front brake lever doesn't run both of those disk brakes, only one of them. Hope this helps!
I ride a 1987 interstate. Great bike but awfully hot in the summer. Planning on stripping off the fairing and putting a small windshield in its place. Did that on a 1100 and it made a huge improvement in handling. Check out Matt Spears. He is riding dirt 2-up on a GL1800. I have Progressive suspension on my 1200 and it is much better than the worn out air suspension. The front brake on the Wing only operates one disk. The rear brake operates the rear and the other front. Often called a dad's bike and I guess that's about right. I'm 74 years old. My bike has a tractor seat. Sheet metal without pad. I can ride all day. Needs highway pegs. My knees give out after 3 or 4 long days of riding. Carburetors aren't hard to remove and clean but it does take time. Gold Wing is the ultimate adventure bike.
My bike is near 1000lbs with me on it and it loves the corners 😅
Olde hardly means 'Useless,' and when it comes to maintenance (ie, COSTS of), I'll happily take older anything vs all these new, space-aged/high-tech NIGHTMARES for anyone that tries to do as much of their own work as possible.
I had to retire my beloved '81 GL1100, due to all the maniacs on the road trying to kill me while operating it, but I sure's Hell miss those times!
Nice video about a CLASSIC Steel Steed!
Great question, is 87' Goldwing still good bike? My 86' Yamaha Venture an 86' Goldwing were so very close in top of line tech. an still listed on my favorite bike list list!
94hp is MORE than sufficient. If you want something fast, there are other bikes that fit that need. Out of all the bikes I’ve owned over the years, one of my favorites was a VStar 1100. Made crap for power, but it was so comfortable and easy to ride.
Shadetree has had a few of these Goldwings, so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the one where he discovered that one of the carburetors had failed and he hadn't even noticed? And then, ya know... didn't fix it?
Very few people complain about the Goldwing's power - I would bet that it's an issue with the bike bogging the power down rather than it simply not being as fast as it needs to be. I mean, seriously, 94 bhp is a lot for a motorcycle. My FLHR has the 96 TC with (approximately) 67 bhp, and it's perfectly capable of getting out of it's own way.
Yeah, I had a '08 RK that ripped around quite nicely for such a portly girl.
Yeh , i was gonna say the same thing ... My 86 Interstate blows by cars in 4th gear passing mode ... My friend has a gl1500 and we drag race often , he never wins , not sure why this guy spite is telling everybody its slow ... The rasberry running on three cylinders maybe ... something is wrong
I have a raspberry 86 Interstate. Runs and rides pretty good honestly.
Me too!
I have a 1985 GL1200, and have worked through all of the quirks you mention. And then it becomes exciting. Love my Wing.
It's not just age, that bike likely has significant wear and tear on it. I just found a really nice 1982 1100 GW standard, sub 600 lbs, and zero electronics.
Same here just got mine took the aftermarket fairing off n put a cb 750 headlight on exact fit
The windshield and fairing is no joke on these bikes. My father had an 84 aspencade (I currently have it in the shop getting it back up and running) and I have seen him pull back with a cigarette in his mouth with at least 2 in of Ash hanging on the end of it. If you're not on the highway you don't get any air. But they do make little things that you can attach that redirect some are back towards you.
TO make the older Wings a fun ride and remove that disconnected feel, yank the air suspension off. Throw a decent suspension on it, even Progressive Suspension is an improvement. Replace the front springs as well. At this point she will flat out shock you and become a mild hooligan bike.
With the right tools the carbs are easy to take care of as well.
You don't like the fairings and such? Yank it all off, upgrade the suspension and be really shocked. I had an 1981 1100 I stripped down big time and she was fun as all heck. And I still did several 1100 mile rides on it.
Got 2,only thing wrong with them is finding electrical parts,(gear indicator switch,pulse generators)
Clear view addressed this with a couple versions of vented wind shields.
My EDR is a 2002 vtx 1800c. Triple disc. It's neat and I love it. Scoots my fat ass down the road at 80+ all day long with plenty left to give.
One oddity about it is the linked braking system. If you hit the front, it's just the front. But if you press the back, it hits both with a bias for the back to keep you upright.
It's spoiled me to be honest. I don't usually touch my front brake unless I'm stopped on a hill.
But that also worries me for when I get back on a "normal" bike. Like my reflexes will be buggered up and I'll end up sliding.
My point is, (good) analog brakes that demand your focus and attention are a good tool to help train your reflexes the right way.
For what that's worth. But don't listen to me, I only started riding at the start of 2022
I've been on two since 1984. Using linked brakes would definitely throw me off at first.
GW used prices just went up by a lot 🤣
99 Goldwing here, bigger, Heavier, and 100 break HP, can run with the young guns just fine.
As for working on it? Do regular maintenance, you'll rarely have to work on it, and parts for it are still plentiful because so many still run today the After MArket for it is flush with parts.
I‘ve been in Sardinia several times and I never had one drop of rain there. I wish you better weather for the rest of your trip trough the paradise for motorbikers👍
I have a 95 voyager which stole most of the appearance of that bike and I ride it every day and love it. I am always looking to trade up but find myself comparing to the Voyager/ Goldwing copy and I’m just not sure paying a bunch of money to trade is worth it.
Mine is an 85 Special Edition! I can speed just as much as the next guy! My cassette player is loud enough to bother the people who make laws. I have a bike for twisty roads even though the Wing is not so bad. Another note is that you have to ride it, the computer doesn't help you at all!
My '83 Goldwing will still keep up. I love my bike. Also, glad to see you teaming up with Shadetree and Forgotten Angels.
I’m really liking this fun. Can all the buttons and farkles be made to work again and where can I find a ZZ Top Fandango cassette tape for the deck?
Awesome cassette man. I have it
Stuff like the speedo is probably a sensor in the transmission. The buttons might require an electronics expert to resolder connections on circuit boards. The answer is more of a maybe than a yes or no.
Love that old GoldWing!
6:30 that model of gold wing has split braking, the front lever actuates one caliper, the other caliper is actuated by the rear master. Most of your braking is thru the rear brake.
I would guess yes ... the golding are amazing bikes
I have 03' HD hundred anniv model an I ride my 88' Goldwing almost 100% of the time while working on HD. I can even play my old collect of cassette tapes, that's funny!
When is the Silverwing coming back?!
Front-end wobble is a signature issue only if the front tire isn't operating at factory recommended air pressure.
I have an '85 Honda Goldwing Interstate GL1200 (same color) and I love it. It needs some TLC. I'm hoping to use this winter to work on it and get it ready for the spring.
I have an even older helix and she's wonderful.
I had one and loved it. Wish I would have kept it now that gas is $5.00!
(I had an '84 Interstate which has less gadgets and no air suspension, and I loved it. Bought it used in the late '90s for $8k IIRC.)
That’s why I got rid of my Harley it felt like doing half of a sit-up all the time even with a $400 saddlemen seat. I think the middleweight adv’s are the sweet spot for power to weight for me I got the new Honda Transalp and I really like it a lot but I’ve always wanted a big Goldwing 1800 or maybe a 1500 to ride my nieces on and grocery shopping 😂
Scenic drive, one of my favorite spots
You need to get on a 1500 Valkyrie. If you're interested, I have one and could come up with excuses to swing down at some point.
Its literally the perfect bike.
I have a ‘97 Valk with 105k miles. Still runs good.
The bike might have a leak or not running properly if your not getting much range. That bike should have a 5.8 gallon tank, my 1983 gl1100 has a 5.2 gallon tank and I get about 220 miles before switching to reserve.
I got 87 interstate runs smooth as glass. I prefer the interstates over the aspencades. Take the top box off and it's a completely different bike.
Just thought I’d mention Simmons but you talked about the awesome seating position the police see on a Harley touring model has one of the nicest most comfortable sitting positions I’ve ever had
They are very sensitive to bad tires too. When I had the 1200 Interstate (which didn't have the air suspension), it rode dramatically better on better tires.
So far, I've been lucky to find really good tires on sale. Metzeler, Michelin, Pirelli. All of them were $100-$120 per tire which sure beats $200-$300 range.
Speaking about foot peg placement, the most important part of riding a horse is the correct stirrup adjustment. If you look at any western saddle, your feet are under your hips. When the horse is climbing, your feet go backwards to help support your weight. When the horse is going down a steep hill, your feet are forward helping support your weight. I agree with you. I never understood the reason for having your feet way forward and your hands reaching for the stars to grip the bars. I hated riding a chopper or a high bar cruiser. THEY ARE HORRIBLE FOR BODY POSITION.
something i miss going from a vstrom to a road king is the mid controls.
Goldwings are built to last. They are dependable and reliable at best.
Considering the fact that you can get these for dirt cheap, I'd say it's an interesting choice for a project bike/trike.
A note on the brakes on these bikes when you pull the front brakes it only actuates the roght front caliper, when you use the rear brakes oit actuates the rear and the front left
no doubt, find a old wing in excellent condition is as good and good looking as any $35,000 modern bike.
This channel> Yammie
Hey spike, sorry to ask what has probably been asked quite a lot, but how much do you weigh? Would be a great bit of context for your experience on any particular bike.
Someone like yammy who's probably 180 soaking wet, is going to have a drastically different experience than someone like me who's a solid 265 after taking a 10 lb crap.
Get those Carbs. Synced and flushed and add some 2 Stroke oil to the Fuel ...the Slides in the Carbs get slow to react and enjoy some extra lube every few thousand miles.
the Stock Power is plenty enough.
That thing has over 5gal tank capacity and should be getting about 38-40mpg highway so you ought to be able to get like 170-190 miles per tank depending on how you're riding it!
I’m going to get one of these for my first big bike, definitely one from the 80’s
A few remarks... I ride a 33 year old ST1100. I'm an old geezer, ABS and traction control are in my right hand, always has been and always will be. I only ride older bikes, an absolut must are new tyres. Not just because of tread depth, the tyres on the old bike are usually hard. Clearly brakes also usually need an overhaul. And there is probably more maintenance that should be done. If you want to compare a classic with modern stuff (I belive pretty useless, but OK...) you really should bring the classic in top notch condition first...
Love seeing the wing going off road lol
Had another comment yes the transmission does clock is always done that when even when they were brand new okay the carburetors are okay to redo there's four of them you have to synchronize them and everything on the 12:00 but stripped down version is a call Standard will run 150 to 55 miles an hour all day long so think about that what are the two full dressers next below the interstate is the next one down the advocate as a full one but sometimes it didn't have all the CB and other stuff hooked on to him so you have to play with it yes you can run through Tail of the Dragon at 56 Mi an hour
That extra zip tie tail on Garfield that has never been cut off would send my ocd into overdrive.