Any reason to upgrade from an 1100 to a 1200?

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Classic Goldwings

Help Support Classic Goldwings:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
O

oldmopars

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 9, 2013
Messages
127
Reaction score
0
Location
Graham Wa
I have a nice 1200 that I really like, but I am not real happy with the RPM it turns on the hiway. Does the 1200 have better hiway gears in it? Is there any other advantage to go to the 1200 over the 1100? I have looked at the 1500 and they are real nice and I know would be better on the hiway, but I don't want to give up the gas mileage. Everything I read tells me I will drop from the 1100 to the 1500.
Just pondering some options. I ride my bike 100 a day 5 days a week, but I avoid the Interstate because of the gearing, funny cause my 1100 is an Interstate.
Any insights for those who own or have owned both?
 
You just have to get over the fact that they run higher rpm. I think they are fairly close, the 1100 vs the 1200. The 1200 got a significant gearing drop in the rear end, 2.833 from the 1100's 3.09. But they also went to a 15" rim rather than a 16" on 82-83 and a 17" on 80-81. The 1200 got more of an overdrive fifth gear as well, 0.800 vs 8.29 if memory is right. The 84 1200 was pretty close to the same gearing as the 83, I think. There's a spreadsheet of the differences in the Gallery Tech References.
 
I have the 80-81 both seem rather busy at highway speed but not really "pushed". Still plenty in reserve. My 84 1200 standard runs smoother I think with lower rpm at highway speed. I think Dan has the best of both worlds with a 1200 in the 83 bike. 1200 have rear wheel bearing issue up until 87 I read. Seems the 1500 has a transmission growl built in. An 83 1100 or 84 1200 motor will give you about the highest speed at the lowest rpm. So are there reasons? Yes. Is there any real problem with the 82 gearing at highway speeds. I'd say no.
 
+1 on both replies above.

My 84 1200 in the 83 frame with 16" rear wheel and 83 final drive hums along at 70.
I have no tach hooked up so I don't know actual rpms but it feels very close to the 83 engine.
82 gearing is almost identical if not the same.
I'd have to verify that.
 
If you want to drop highway rpms 3-400 you could install a 17" rear wheel and tire though this will throw off your lower gearing some making takeoff a bit more laboring on the engine and clutch.
If I was commuting that many miles a day, it's what I'd do.
 
I didn't like the extremely high revs on the freeway with my 1100. I hear a 1200 does much better. I know you're not considering a 1500, but I'd rather be on the freeway than anywhere else.
 
there about a 300rpm drop from 83 1100 to 1200 gearing form final driv difference and tire deal ....there is about a 800 drop from 82 set up....at hiway speeds .. this is just close and not perfect ...80-81 really get up there in rpm .....

an 82 is really not that bad ... i would just live with it ...but like you i like the lower rpm ... if your bike runs well it will not do better mpg at lower rpm ... take from the guy that did lower the rpm on his 79 1000 with 1100 final that made it as tall or slightly taller than a 83 1100 ... witch is very close to 1200 5th gear rpm 200 to 300 more ...48.6 mpg on interstate running ... i did like it though ... but it was no trailer pulling rig with its taller lower gears ... theres no doubt that 1200 motors and 83 1100 have the best gear spreads of the oldwing 4s
 
I guess it is something I will have to consider. I have looked at other bikes, the 1500 is nice, but the gas mileage is a major draw back for me. I love my classic 1100, but high revs and old age are making me a little worried. I would love to get a BMW K1200LT, but I can not afford one right now, $5K-$10K is out of my budget at the moment, same for any newer Goldwings.
I just put new tires on front and rear, new front wheel bearings, I have new brakes on the way, I rebuilt the top end of the engine with all new seals and gaskets along with redoing the valves. I re-sealed the forks and put on new timing belts. All of this in the last year. So, my bike is in good shape now.
I still have a problem with a knock/rattle at above 3500 rpm but with all the reading I have done I am not as worried about that as I was. When I had the heads off I saw the insides of the cylinders and the bore still had nice clean even cross hatch. So, I am hoping the noise is just piston slap or wrist pins, it is louder as it gets warmer.
So, maybe I will just keep running it and keep my eyes open in the future for a 1200 that is in need of a new home.
 
I have an '82 with an '83 engine in it and I think it is the best of both worlds! RPM dropped in 5th from the '81 engine I had in there from 5000 RPM at 70 MPH to 4200 RPM at 70 MPH. Just another idea to through out there!
 
I don't know where my rpm is at like Dan but with my 1980 set up it was scaring the crap out of me on the interstate hwy!! and i ride a round trip of 180 miles a day,4 day's a week. my 80 motor sounded like yours and i could not take it anymore,i just knew that soon my feet would be covered with oil and hoping i could keep the bike upright.. then i got a 83 engine less acc. like carbs etc(that i would throw away anyway) put it in by bikr with the tall 1980 rear wheel and drive unit and could not be more happy!! The exact same mpg(38avg)as my old motor and now isn't screaming at all at 70mph and is still ok at 90 mph. From the sound i am guessing 3600/3700rpm@70mph.
 
Keep it below redline and you will be fine. Try riding a sport bike for a while. The wing RPMs are sedate by comparison.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=116880#p116880:3cqxd0gw said:
Andyb » Sun May 04, 2014 8:16 pm[/url]":3cqxd0gw]
Keep it below redline and you will be fine. Try riding a sport bike for a while. The wing RPMs are sedate by comparison.
Click to expand...
Maybe that's why the 80 & 81 didn't bother me. I was used to redlining my KZ 750 inline four.
 
a 1200 wing should turn about 2900 rpm@60mph. a 1200 has larger bags and trunk if more room is needed but of I had an 1100 wing i'm not sure I would upgrade to a 1200. I've got more saddle time on a 1100 wing now and I don't find the difference in power and room to be that much difference between the two bikes to move up to a 1200 from an 1100. even though the 1200 has more grunt. both are rev happy engines
 
I moved up to a 12 from an 11, and my wife is more comfortable on the 12 less vibration.. seat feels better for her.. little more ergonomics for me.. plus the radio, intercom, and cb work... revs are smoother on the 12 but all this is jmho and seat ofc the pants journalism.. I have gone on longer trips on the 11 and pulling trailer.. so either is a good ride for me..
 
I have a full dressed 82 Aspencade, every single Markland and Peterson light you can attach to a Goldwing, all sorts of extras that made it stand out, but the 1100 engine seems to be in a sad and sorry condition, preliminary diagnosis is a bad head gasket and possibly a bent crank, it barely runs.
But I picked up an unfinished naked 84 GL1200 project, it has a low miles running 1200 engine complete. just a frame, front and rear suspension, no tank or plastics, no wiring harness, paid $50 for whole bike with a title.
Looks like I may put the GL12 engine in the 82 GL1100, the GL1100 fuel pump cover is gold plated as other parts, I think the 1100 cam will interchange so I can use the mechanical fuel pump?

Or just go electric? I have all the clutch hydraulic lines from the 84, put them on the 82 and go hydraulic clutch as well?
I believe the ignition hooks up with no problems?

And that you use the output shaft off the 1100, but keep the 1100 rear end for the best gear combination?
Bike has a tow hitch and will have a custom trailer, bike may not actually be ridden that much, the goal is to build a custom show bike for advertising purposes, but it would be nice if it actually rode down the street. I want to basically remain pure but with subtle modern touches, retro yet modern at the same time. Like every single Peterson light will be converted to LED, not just an LED bulb but PCB flat panels or double rows of 5050 SMD. I have one year to make this a show bike, right now I am scoping all the possibilities, gold plating vs copper plating, vs black chrome. I have the equipment to copper plate forever as I have several hundred pounds of pure copper hoarded away plus the electrical equipment to plate with.
 
bolt patterm on head is totally different ... though the cams will switch nothing that bolt to 1100 head will bolt to 1200 head ... if you want to keep motor intact and not go into it electric fuel pump is the way to go ... then all you have to do is hook up 1100 rear ignition to 1200 by replacing 1200 one and go .... if your wanting to hide the fact of it having 1200 motor in it ...then you have to go to 1100 heads and new gaskets and piston cut out releaf for valve clearence on intake valves... and tach and mechanical fuel pump can be used ... those are pretty much the paths you have open to you
 
Thanks, still considering whether to keep bike as an1100 or transfer all body and gear to the 84 1200, yes I expect some side panels may not match up, but its going to be a custom build, I can make fiberglass or carbon fiber panels. So many choices, I have two bad 1100 engines in bikes and two running 1200 engines but they are an 84 and an 85, so motors are different, and the 85 is actually slated for a different project, I like the better tire sizes the 84 offers, its a bare frame bike nearly ready to be blasted and powdercoated. Better brakes, forks, wheels (no comstars) the 1200 engine with a better trans gear ratio. Seems like its better to dump the 1100 frame and just adapt the 84 1200. Purity is not relevant on this build, its probably going to get fully digital gauges, of which I have a full set of round ones left over from another project, or i may integrate something fully modern like a digital dash with animated analog gauges.
 

Latest posts

Top