Changing up my GL1000

[GrumpyGrizzly]

I've got an old GL1000 that I'd love to make into a bobber. One major question is: In my shop I have a donor wing and it's got a VERY rare 1 piece tank. In fact this is the only one I've ever laid eyes on. Well, I want to put that tank on my GL1000. Both are already black with gold striping.

Has anyone ever done this to a wing? It's not a 3 piece tank like all the other old GoldWings I've seen.

I'd love to make my GL1000 exactly like this. The solo seat is awesome, looks like 4 into 2 pipes, wide black handlebars..

Anyway, that's my dream Goldwing bobber as some people call them.

Any help or ideas is awesome.

 

[pidjones]

That is a GL1200, not a GL1000. Lots of people have built GLs into "cafe" style like this (I think "bobber" has a spring-mounted seat). GL1000s, 1100s, 1200s have all been done in this style. The seat may be custom-made. The "tank" (actually the shelter) may come like that for the 1984 GL1200 "standard" neked GoldWings.

 

[GrumpyGrizzly]

Well, it might be a GL1100 or a GL1200 but, I KNOW the fake tank is all one piece and not the more popular 3 piece fake tanks they made.

The main question I have is if anyone has taken one of the 1 piece tanks and put it on a GL that 's set up for a 3 piece tank? I mean to take the 3 piece tank off and put the one piece in it's place.

As for whether that's a Bobber or a cafe model, I'd still say it's a bobber having the wide handlebars like it does. Cafe styling has much narrower handle bars so the rider can tuck down and get less wind resistance.

 

[julimike54]

Someone here did a one piece tank, don't remember the user name (haven't seen them posting in a while either).

 

[GrumpyGrizzly]

Well, it's still rainy season here in the Pacific North Wet but, I'm thinkin I need to get my Goldwings back on the road. Prolly end up selling my Aspencade in order to have some walkin' round money and pay to get done what I can't do myself.

There's a few hard core goldwing riders up here. I had an ad on Craigslist where I was looking for someone to work on my 1000. 4 guys showed up on wings (one even had the Randakk manifold and carburetor.. Definitely a dream but, also a possibility.. )

I kinda lost hope with those guys when from 20 feet away, they said "Needs a coil pack." and pretty much turned around and left.

Heck, I've got a donor Wing that's probably got the coil pack I can use if that is even the problem. That one came with a set of carbs wrapped in plastic wrap which pretty much tells me those have been gone through and cleaned up by someone that knows what they're doing. I have my Aspencade worked on and that's exactly what they did as well.

 

[Old Fogey]

"That one came with a set of carbs wrapped in plastic wrap which pretty much tells me those have been gone through and cleaned up by someone that knows what they're doing."

That's some pretty broad assumptions I feel, just because they are plastic wrapped. They migt have been cleaned, they might have been gone through and whoever did them might have known what they were doing. But I certainly would not bank on the last one if you don't know who.
The 1200s have a kind of one piece tank, in as much as the two sides are attached, but the top is open with covers. The 84 Standard is the only one with a stand-alone 'tank' like that, the others are all integrated into the fairing.
If yours is a complete tank, either someone has modified the original or possibly substituted something else. Harley tanks have been used.

 

[GrumpyGrizzly]

I've attached pictures of the one piece tank as well as my 1000 Goldmine.

As for the carbs being wrapped in plastic wraps, I had a set of carbs on my appendage cleaned and the shop did the same thing to keep anything from getting in there.

I've got a 1500 and it's a great ride but, I want to get my old 1000 back out on the road and make it what some people consider a Bobber..

My old Aspen are was my first wing and, one can never have just one Goldwing.
I've been pondering selling my old Aspencade as well as a 68 and 69 Trail 90s that I picked up quite a few years back. Then again, Momma will probably want to keep them if we ever hit the road in our RV..

 

[Old Fogey]

The tank is off an 84 Standard

 

[pidjones]

As in this parts diagram: Honda Motorcycle 1984 OEM Parts Diagram for Shelter | Partzilla.com

 

[GrumpyGrizzly]

Well, I reckon it can't hurt to give it a shot. The one piece tank is off my "donor" bike. I figured with 3 Goldwings already in my corral, it wouldn't hurt to have a donor..

 

[William Corbin]

I've got an old GL1000 that I'd love to make into a bobber. One major question is: In my shop I have a donor wing and it's got a VERY rare 1 piece tank. In fact this is the only one I've ever laid eyes on. Well, I want to put that tank on my GL1000. Both are already black with gold striping.

Has anyone ever done this to a wing? It's not a 3 piece tank like all the other old GoldWings I've seen.

I'd love to make my GL1000 exactly like this. The solo seat is awesome, looks like 4 into 2 pipes, wide black handlebars..

Anyway, that's my dream Goldwing bobber as some people call them.

Any help or ideas is awesome.

GrumpyGrizzly,
I also found a side fuel tank for my GL1000. My 2 (1.1 gallon) fuel tanks mount in place of the side cover similar to yours, so I have the OEM under seat 5 gallon tank as well as 2.2 more gallons to extend my ride. My tanks required extra fuel lines that attach to the main line. I hope to get my bike on the road this summer with cafe mods I've made to my GL and am looking forward to running the Colorado Rockies without filling up 1/2 through my trip. I would like to see additional photos of your bike, esp. close views of your side tank. Here's a photo of a saddle tank that's on my GL. Yours is definitely a GL1200.

 

[joedrum]

Wow that's neat

 

[Denver]

Very nice, something else i've not seen before.

 

[thungerford5]

I've got an old GL1000 that I'd love to make into a bobber. One major question is: In my shop I have a donor wing and it's got a VERY rare 1 piece tank. In fact this is the only one I've ever laid eyes on. Well, I want to put that tank on my GL1000. Both are already black with gold striping.

Has anyone ever done this to a wing? It's not a 3 piece tank like all the other old GoldWings I've seen.

I'd love to make my GL1000 exactly like this. The solo seat is awesome, looks like 4 into 2 pipes, wide black handlebars..

Anyway, that's my dream Goldwing bobber as some people call them.

Any help or ideas is awesome.

Any idea what the tire sizes are on this bike? This is exactly the look that I'd like to give to my '79 restoration project.

 

[pidjones]

Looks like a GL1100 with GL1000 valve covers.

 

[William Corbin]

Any idea what the tire sizes are on this bike? This is exactly the look that I'd like to give to my '79 restoration project.

These are the original tire sizes for the 1st gen 1975-1979 Goldwing (GL1000) per the factory manual, Dennis Kirk, and Steve Saunders' websites:
Front: 3.50 x 19 (OEM)...matches to: 100/90 x 19
Rear: 4.50 x 17 (OEM)...matches to: 130/90 x 17

 

[Chillybilly13]

Any idea what the tire sizes are on this bike? This is exactly the look that I'd like to give to my '79 restoration project.

These tires are stock sizes. However, for my other bike, I found an 18" Honda 10 spoke front cast aluminum wheel from a 1983 GL1100 and a rare, new 18" 7 spoke rear cast aluminum wheel. so I'm sure I'll have to get used to changes in my bike's handling, especially since I also rebuilt 89mm GL1100 forks with progressive springs as well as Gold Valves to greatly improve the bike's handling.