can gl1000 cams and dyna ignition be installed into a gl1200 engine?

[m37bill]

what would be the hard part of putting 76 cams into a 84 gl1200 engine?
do the pistons need to be machined? this would not be possible for me.
if it is just swapping parts, i could do that.

 

[ekvh]

You have to swap heads and cams. They bolt right up, but you do have to "machine" the piston tops. I did it using double-faced tape and sandpaper on the valve face. Joedrum did it by hand and eyeball with a grinder. Superskypilot at Saunders did it with a cutter brazed to the valve. All three run well and have a few thousand miles on them. The 1000's are known to be anemic on the bottom end, but pretty spunky above 5500. The stock 1200 had good bottom end torque but a little lower top end. With the 1000 heads on the 1200, the torque is still there, but they pull hard to 9000. This could also be because all three of us put them into 1000 frames and rear ends which were geared lower. I know Joe will be along with his thoughts. He may have done it to a 1200 in a 1200 frame. I know he has a few, but can't remember if he has gotten around to it yet. If you have the heads, the most expensive part is the head gaskets. We did it with 75-77 cams. 78-79 cams were a little milder, but they just might be nice on the 1200.

 

[joedrum]

the piston do have to be worked on but this is not a un doable ...read the building of hooch thread ... I did it with hand tools

 

[C5Performance]

I like the thought of swapping the "best of each year" to create a better bike.
Listen to Joe, including the part where he will tell you NOT to use a Dyna ignition

GL1200 low end power, GL1000 top end power, toss on a real ignition and you better have your Velcro riding pants on.

 

[m37bill]

i really have enjoyed the advice i have been given here.
when i'm done putting the 87 engine into the 84
i will have alot of leftovers.
i'm looking forward to trying a gl1000 upper end
onto a 1200 engine. i'm shocked to learn a 1200 engine might fit
into a 1976 frame.
i know the belts are different, so i'll have to find out
which to use.
i have machinist friends to help me modify the pistons in place.
but i'm retired on a fixed income so a 550 dollar
optical ignition will have to be left to the more
wealthy riders.
most of my life i rode bmw airheads.
so when i got into the gl1000's i learned they also
suffer from the use of ign points. i have now
installed dyna jgns on 3 machines i have restored.
they have worked worked flawlessly. i buy them from
ATV gallaxy for 125 dollars with free freight.
some feel the first edition gl was the ultimate
machine. all improvements after 1977 were
unneeded and unwanted. i've taken my 1200
aspencade on many cross country trips.
my personal opinion they were not spoiled
untill the 6 cylinder. just too much for me. i see everybody
posting pictures here but when i try to upload pictures
it says permission denied. maybe because i'm new here.
thanks for the advice.you guys are great.

 

[ekvh]

The moderators can help with pics, because we love pics. I must confess I never rode a stock 1200, but from most people's perspective who have put 75-77 heads on, they scream. Would like to see a set out on a 1200 bike and swingarm for comparison. The gains felt may be due to the lower gearing of the 1000. I haven't read of anyone doing this. There's a build called the Raptor at NGW where he stuffed a full 1200 cams, carbs, ignition into a 1000. He likes it too.

 

[brianinpa]

m37bill » Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:46 pm[/url]":1mtajo2k]
what would be the hard part of putting 76 cams into a 84 gl1200 engine?
do the pistons need to be machined? this would not be possible for me.
if it is just swapping parts, i could do that.

Why a Dyna???

 

[joedrum]

:wave: