The Mule has been traded!

[LAB3]

Saw an ad with a guy wanting to trade his road worthy 83 Naked Goldwing for a smaller bike. After a bit of horse tradin' we struck up a deal and I just rode it 60 miles back home. I'm stoked, a new project and with a little time and effort, it'll be in top shape before too long. Scary tire date codes!

'

 

[BigD_83]

I thought it might be a hockey thread, but "The Mule" retired awhile ago...


Are those straight-up Dunlop Elite Tires? yowsers!


Looks like a decent ride. I'm a fan of naked 'wings.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

What in dog's name is stuck on the front disc?

 

[Cipher]

What in dog's name is stuck on the front disc?

bling
stained bling

 

[Grimly]

He even threw in a frying pan and an old tractor pipe. Sweet deal :victorious:

Just poking fun - the early Goldie is one I really fancy having.

 

[dorkburger]

Cool. Don't go leavin' us though.

 

[allojohn]

Gawd, ....frying pan.... LOL! Good Luck Larry.

 

[Steve]

The GL1100 had several subtle changes for each of the four years it was produced. Your '83 was the last of the bunch and therefore the best of the 1100s.

You will have to take some time to get used to the "unified" braking system. :-k
Honda had been hearing that American riders were prone to only using the rear brake, so the foot pedal is actually connected to the rear caliper AND the left-front caliper. The hand lever only controls the right-front caliper. If you are used to using both brakes all the time, it won't be much of an adjustment, but I know many who mainly use the front brake, and the "unified" system only activates one of them.

Scary date codes, indeed. If you don't mind dropping some money into better tires, you can stick with the Dunlops and get the Elite 3, if they are still available or the Elite 4 that replaced them. GREAT tires for handling AND long life. You will easily get 20,000 miles out of them.

Don't forget to update your signature, your 450 is no longer your "current bike".

Also just noticed your location. Apparently you are on the move again.

.

 

[Rob S.]

Then Came Branson

Then Came Branson

Congratulations! A bit more passing power, eh? Not to mention load capacity.

Left the "Country Music Capital"?

 

[Rob S.]

It's so rare to see a Goldwing without a fairing or windshield. Trunk or saddlebags. Passenger arm rests. Highway bars, crash bars. Sound system or intercom. Internet or GPS. I approve.

Now get busy with your camera, please!

 

[Steve]

It's so rare to see a Goldwing without a fairing or windshield. Trunk or saddlebags. Passenger arm rests. Highway bars, crash bars. Sound system or intercom. Internet or GPS.

A little time, a little money, that can be fixed. :-\\\

.

 

[alke46]

It's so rare to see a Goldwing without a fairing or windshield. Trunk or saddlebags. Passenger arm rests. Highway bars, crash bars. Sound system or intercom. Internet or GPS. I approve.

Now get busy with your camera, please!

You left out the big screen TV.

 

[Rob S.]

Trailer hitch. Reverse gear.

 

[LAB3]

I'm planning to put the rear bags back on sans rear crash bars and my plexifairing is already on it. Thats as far as I care to dress it back up. The PO has the racks and will be dropping them off later today.

Steve, as to the unified brakes, I'm familiar with that set up from my Venture. Pretty sure it's got Dot5 brake fluid in it now, they feel mushy but work well enough. Either way, a new set of stainless lines will be one of my first projects after the tires.

As to that caliper cover, it reflects like a mirror it's so shiny, you're seeing the gravel in that shot.

Not sure those handlebars are stock, either way I'm not a fan of the handle position.

Needs mufflers! Sounds like a mean a$$ cruiser but too loud for my tastes. A set of HD take offs should take care of that in short order.

As to moving, I ended up with a sweet spot to settle down here just outside of Athens, OH with a retired philosophy professor. She just bought a house last September and has a TON of yard work to do. Even have a shop of my very own to work out of! She planned to travel some this summer and still might, her cats need a sitter and the house is at the end of a dirt road, she doesn't want to leave it unattended.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

I'm planning to put the rear bags back on sans rear crash bars and my plexifairing is already on it. Thats as far as I care to dress it back up. The PO has the racks and will be dropping them off later today.

Steve, as to the unified brakes, I'm familiar with that set up from my Venture. Pretty sure it's got Dot5 brake fluid in it now, they feel mushy but work well enough. Either way, a new set of stainless lines will be one of my first projects after the tires.

As to that caliper cover, it reflects like a mirror it's so shiny, you're seeing the gravel in that shot.

Not sure those handlebars are stock, either way I'm not a fan of the handle position.

Needs mufflers! Sounds like a mean a$$ cruiser but too loud for my tastes. A set of HD take offs should take care of that in short order.

As to moving, I ended up with a sweet spot to settle down here just outside of Athens, OH with a retired philosophy professor. She just bought a house last September and has a TON of yard work to do. Even have a shop of my very own to work out of! She planned to travel some this summer and still might, her cats need a sitter and the house is at the end of a dirt road, she doesn't want to leave it unattended.

Living off a rich woman? Oh you scandalous man.

 

[LAB3]

Living off a rich woman? Oh you scandalous man.

Not at all! This is a matter of convenience for both of us and I love resurrecting an overgrown yard as much as wrenching on bikes. She's less than five years older than my parents if that's what you where wondering...

 

[Steve]

You left out the big screen TV.

Trailer hitch. Reverse gear.

Reverse did not happen until the 6-cylinder models in 1988.
Later models also had the capuccino machines. :encouragement:

Steve, as to the unified brakes, I'm familiar with that set up from my Venture. Pretty sure it's got Dot5 brake fluid in it now, they feel mushy but work well enough.

You had better hope it does NOT have DOT5 in it now. That system is not compatible with DOT5. If it does have DOT 5 in it now, you will have to basically replace or rebuild every component that has any rubber, including master cylinders, hoses and calipers.

Not sure if the original system was spec'ed for DOT3 or DOT4. Those are compatible, DOT4 just has a higher boiling point. DOT5.1 is also compatible, but DOT5 is not.

.

 

[LAB3]

Reverse did not happen until the 6-cylinder models in 1988.
Later models also had the capuccino machines. :encouragement:




You had better hope it does NOT have DOT5 in it now. That system is not compatible with DOT5. If it does have DOT 5 in it now, you will have to basically replace or rebuild every component that has any rubber, including master cylinders, hoses and calipers.

Not sure if the original system was spec'ed for DOT3 or DOT4. Those are compatible, DOT4 just has a higher boiling point. DOT5.1 is also compatible, but DOT5 is not.

.

That was the plan, in the mean time I'll at least flush it. There's a pickup and travel van here I can use and the hardware store is literally within easy walking distance. If I an get it in the same state as the Mule was (needing NOTHING) for $750 I'll be in the ballpark of what it's worth to me.

 

[Redman]

/////////////quote
1983 Naked Aspencade GL1100
////////////EndQuote

Ah, so it was a dresser.

A friend of mine had an 1100 Aspencade. Suspension adjust compressor and all.
I helped him take off the wheels (to take in for new tires) and wheel bearings fell out, and he learnt about that problem with that vintage of the comstar wheels. But I see you dont have those.

Now you get to deal with water cooling, and that big rubber timing belt.

I dont recall what year it was that the goldwings became Interstates with the full faring and luggage.

 

[LAB3]

/////////////quote
1983 Naked Aspencade GL1100
////////////EndQuote

Ah, so it was a dresser.

A friend of mine had an 1100 Aspencade. Suspension adjust compressor and all.
I helped him take off the wheels (to take in for new tires) and wheel bearings fell out, and he learnt about that problem with that vintage of the comstar wheels. But I see you dont have those.

Now you get to deal with water cooling, and that big rubber timing belt.

I dont recall what year it was that the goldwings became Interstates with the full faring and luggage.

Haven't run the numbers yet to see if it's an Aspencade or Interstate. It's been repainted so that's not telling me much, that metal side cover is the key I'm guessing without running numbers.