86 Goldwing -- Looking for Advise

[GoldwingPastor]

I have an 86 Goldwing that has been sitting for a number of years, due to personal reasons. I live in SW FL. It seems to me these bikes are hard to work on, or they are hard to find someone willing to work on one.

With it sitting so long, where should I start in my search to find a mechanic? Or should I just sell it outright to someone who loves these older bikes?

The bike is beautiful and worthy of the TLC. I gave up riding a number of years ago because my children knew of two people who died in motorcycle crashes in a week. But since they are out of the house, I need to ride it or let it go to a new home.

I'd take any advice: Where to get it fixed in SW FL? Where to sell it? Etc...

Thanks!

Marty

 

[julimike54]

Welcome to The Forum and enjoy!

When I was looking for a mechanic I started at the dealer and followed the suggestions and local bike forums till I found one.

Best of luck....

PS:
A little google search found a couple things

https://www.gl1800riders.com/threads/mechanic-needed-in-s-w-florida-for-gl1800.454313/
Home - JustWings
They don't work on the '86 but I would contact them and ask if they may know someone.

These are just examples of how I'd start

 

[pidjones]

Welcome. Afraid I will give my own opinion bluntly on this. If you don't have the talent, tools, and time to do it yourself you wll never get back what you pay for having someone else work on it. I would suggest to sell it if you don't feel good working on it yourself.

 

[claydbal]

ditto pidjones. the cost of the bike, plus tires and a battery is greater than the value.
* there is always that hobby thing. take it all apart, and make it your hobby. put it back together one part at a time, sourcing used parts while referencing the HONDA service manuals, and other info gleaned from internet forums. its cheaper than hotrods, guns, drugs, women.......

 

[Rednaxs60]

Agree with pidjones and claydbal. Old inexpensive motorcycles are not inexpensive to get back on the road. Has to be a project, retirement or otherwise. The other option if you want a road worthy GW, sell what you have and buy one that is ready for the road. The caveat is that even if you get one that appears to be roadworthy, everything supposedly done, there is no guarantee that everything is top notch. You can get newer model motorcycles for the same cost of an older vintage GW that are not arguably better, but you can find mechanics/shops to work on it.

Good Luck

 

[mark quade]

If you are retired, have some mechanical aptitude (being born and raised on a farm might help), have some decent tools and enjoy fixing stuff, keep it, get a honda GL 1200 service manual to get a feel for what its about. After skimming the manual you will know more about what your getting into or not. Also any good hrnersl motorcycle mechanic should be able to take the service manual and solve problems you may not be capable of. Ifeally you want a mechanic who is maybe 60 yrs old, who used to work on 80's wings at a Honda dealership when he was young and still rides a similiarcyears one. Some Honds dealerships or their mechanics, may know of such people you could talk to to help your decision making. Sometimes checking services on craigslist for cycle mechanic is useful.

 

[made2care]

15 years ago I was bored during the winter months and started tinkering. Fast forward to the present and I have redesigned some wings and kept some stock. 15 bikes later I’m still building these things and enjoy every minute of it.
Your call , I’m wrenching more than I ride and that might change the closer I get to retirement.
Good luck
Here’s a wing I totally redesigned and it sold in 30 min after listing it.
And then there’s a huge 86 gl1200 with some crazy lighting that I cleaned up and kept all original

 

[wally]

Nice job. I love a new twist on old things. Naked Goldwings are it for me. I just repainted and fixed this ‘78. Sync the carbs later this week and away I go. Always a work in progress.

 

[wally]

My 1978 GL1000 w GL1100 carbs.