Potential owner of '83 GL1100

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bronzestarvue

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
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Location
CA & VA
I'm thinking of buying an '83 GL1100, and found this site on Bing. I bought an '84 Ascot VT500 about two months ago with 22K miles, and have been tinkering around with it. I bled the front brake, replaced the 'plugs, changed the oil, oil filter, air filter, and rear drive fluid. Coolant looked fine so I left that alone. Had fairly new Pirelli Sport Demon tires (100/90-18 front, 120/90-18 rear), so I've been scrubbing those in.

This is when I first got it:
DSCN0946s.jpg


Fork gaiters, new handlebars, new mirrors, modified stock muffler:
Muffler1h.jpg


Cleaned up the muffler mod with a Pro Circuit tapered stainless end cap:
Endcap1a.jpg


Sound clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXrSPJRoQHY

These original unfaired Goldwings have always appealed to me, and I think the GL engine is one of the best looking motors out there. If all goes as planned, I just might have this '83 GL1100 the week after Labor Day. I'm hoping it will be more comfortable than my Ascot, have more power, and better brakes. The Ascot is an absolute hoot to ride fast in the twisties where I live in So Cal, but this GL1100 should make for a more comfortable cruiser in VA, which is where I'll be working. I don't plan on doing a lot of things to this GL1100, except for maybe changing the bars/grips, rear shocks, adding s/s brake lines, and maybe one of those WoLo Bad Boy horns. I have an innate need to tinker with things, but will probably try to restrain myself on this Goldwing!

I've been back in So Cal since the middle of Jun, and it hasn't rained one day, which is more than I can say for the riding weather in the Hampton Roads area of VA, not to mention there aren't any twisties around there either! This pic pretty much sums up what a typical riding day is for me back in So Cal:

DSCN0991s.jpg


Anyway, I hope this GL1100 falls into my lap, and I can have years of trouble-free comfortable riding, weather-permitting. The Ascot is in its element on roads like in the above picture, but I can only go about 85 miles before I have to switch to reserve. I'm expecting that the GL1100 will have a MUCH better range, and have more than enough power to cruise on the freeways, and pass traffic every now and then.
 
slabghost":3pt6ol4h said:
Welcome aboard. The 83 1100 is a totally different kind of ride.
Click to expand...

Cool, that's what I'm expecting. The Ascot really isn't a good freeway commuting bike, even though I get 50+mpg consistently, all while running it between 6000-8000 rpms in the twisties. I'm expecting the GW to be a good freeway bike, comfortable, good range on a tank of gas, adequate acceleration and passing power, good for a passenger, etc. If I get this bike, I don't think I'll be disappointed, as long as it doesn't nickel and dime me to death.
 
Depends on how many bad previous owners it's had and how long maintenance was put off . How much nickel and diming it will take. Once everything maintenance wise is done (caught up) these are dependable low maintenance bikes.
 
I know that shot overlooking Malibu, camera doesn't do it justice.

You will like the 1100 over the 500 for sure, 2 completely different rides.
The dressed 1100's do ok in the twisties but are made more for cruising because they're a heavy bike, Standards (undressed) are a different beast all together.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you ride it.

These bikes can scoot so getting out of the way is not a problem.

Are you buying this bike in Va and riding out here?


Welcome to the forums btw.
Look me up sometime, we'll go for a ride.
 
Welcome to the forum. I can also add, that if you get a full dresser, its like riding a couch down the interstate. They are a great ride. They also have a tighter turning circle then most other bikes that size and class. If you want you can also make a "naked" out of a dresser. Just get the maintenance up to snuff, and you won't be disappointed. She will give you lots of smiles per mile.
 
dan filipi":2gpzdhx3 said:
I know that shot overlooking Malibu, camera doesn't do it justice.

You will like the 1100 over the 500 for sure, 2 completely different rides.
The dressed 1100's do ok in the twisties but are made more for cruising because they're a heavy bike, Standards (undressed) are a different beast all together.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you ride it.

These bikes can scoot so getting out of the way is not a problem.

Are you buying this bike in Va and riding out here?

Welcome to the forums btw.
Look me up sometime, we'll go for a ride.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I took that pic on Decker Canyon Road, as it drops down to Pacific Coast Highway, between Malibu to the south and Leo Carillo beach to the north. I'm hoping to get in touch with the GW seller in a few days, just to break the ice, then actually get eyes on the bike by Saturday. If all goes well, I might become a CGW owner very soon. The bike will stay in VA for now, since that's where I'll be working. I have the Ascot here in So Cal, with a friend who's going to babysit it while I'm away. He's going to add a s/s line and Battery Tender hookup, then check some things like valve adjustments, carb synch, etc., since I have the factory service manual.

I think the "standard" GW will be a fun bike to ride, and I won't miss the Ascot that much, since there really aren't any twisty roads close to Hampton Roads. So like the old-school rap group 3rd Bass says, I'll become a "product of the environment", and ride the GW out in VA, and keep the Ascot for when I visit So Cal!
 
Welcome from Arkansas. I know you will enjoy the 83 wing, I have 3 now. I too started this round off with 500's, A gl then added cx. First time I got on an 1100 I was sold as was wife.
 
Well, I pulled the trigger and bought me a 1983 Goldwing standard. The guy I bought it from pretty much restored it, from rebuilding the calipers, fuel tap, carbs, etc., to cleaning up and polishing things like the carbs, intake runners, valve covers, timing cover, beadblasting the engine and rear drive, repainting it, etc.

Here are some "before" pics:

Wing_1a.jpg

Wing_1c.jpg

Wing_1b.jpg


And the "after" pics:

Wing_3b.jpg

Wing_3a.jpg

Wing_3c.jpg

Wing_3d.jpg


Now if it would only stop freaking raining here, I could go pick it up and put some miles on it...
 
Finally picked up the bike today, and spent about an hour driving it back home. Very nice ride, very happy with it. It started right up without any choke at all, blew a little smoke out of the left muffler until it got warmed up, which I'm assuming is from any residual oil from the bike leaning on the sidestand (I've heard the original BMW K75's had the same problem). The suspension is a little rough, so I'll check the psi in the front forks, and soften up the rear spring settings one or two clicks (it's maxed out). The cable clutch takes a good squeeze on the lever, and the front brake lever will make emergency stops exciting, so I'll have to train myself to use the foot brake more than the hand brake. I'm thinking of getting a set of s/s lines, so that should help the brakes a little bit.

I'm not real pleased with the position of the footpegs though. Seems that instead of being flat-footed on the pegs, like on my Honda Sabre or Ascot, my feet are bent slightly, reminds me of when I rode one of those BMW R-police bikes. With my toes being at a downward angle, and the shifter peg being straight, my left foot was having a difficult time finding the peg and shifting. So when I got home, I loosened the shifter peg and angled it down just a tad, instead of being at 3 o'clock, it's now maybe at 4 o'clock. I took it for a short test ride, and the first left turn I came to I dragged the outside of my shoe when I went to shift, lol! But it's all good, it's more comfortable for me in the new position, and I'll just adjust to shifting either before or after the turn, not during!

I'm in the middle of moving, so my cleaning stuff (Mother's aluminum polish, disposable gloves, 0000 steel wool, etc) is packed away. But I should be done by this weekend, and it's supposed to rain on Sunday, so I'll give the bike a good once over, and polish up all those nice shiny aluminum parts. It's a really cool bike, rides very nice, has adequate acceleration, and is very comfortable. I LOVE looking at that engine, and the guy I bought it from did a great job with restoring it. The new full-face flat black Bilt helmet I got for $50 (on sale for half price at the local Cycle Gear store) worked great too, so my GW experience so far is right as rain, lol!
 

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