Christmas in September!!!

[Buffalowing]

Hi!

My name is also Gilbert. I've been lurking here for a long while, deciding, between 1000, 1100 or 1200, although the 1200 I saw on Craigs list were way out of my budget. I currently ride a Honda rebel (tiny) to and from work, every day, take it to the lake, etc.
This Labor day weekend my Girl friend and I where going to make a road trip leaving on Friday to Atlanta, GA area ; returning to the Memphis, TN on Sunday night. I saw an ad on CG south of Atlanta, on a 1984 GL1200 Aspen, for 900 bucks, emailed them asking a bunch of questions, including what would be their best deal, knowing the ad has been there for about a month. They told me cash in hand 600 bucks, title, key, bill of sale bike, and all the dust and dirt it has collected over time. So instaed of taking one of the compact cages, I hitched the trailer to the Jeep and of we went on our road trip. I thought to myself, if I don't like it and don't buy it, that's fine, we still get to have fun this weekend.

When I saw it, it was rough, dirty, non running, stator not charging, 102K miles, etc.
I saw POTENTIAL, my GF discretely asked you are planing to pay 600 "grand" for a non running bike? I told her that if the motor spins freely I had a very good shot at fixing it, and if I couldn't, just by getting it "naked", seling the fairing, bags and trunk I could easily get my money back, not counting the countless parts, plus a rolling frame with title, so with the help of two guys (the sellers) we rolled her/him (haven't determined that yet) We got to Memphis past midnight Sunday night, trip was a blast, we went to different places in the Atlanta area. My GF went to work on Monday, yes her schedule really sucks. So I slept in 'till about 9:30 am, invited a couple of firneds for brunch/bribe so they could help me roll him/her down the trailer and up a lawn to the back yard. DANG! this thing is heavier than a hernia! specially compared to the humble 300 pounds Rebel.

One key, the original key with the eagle logo and the cylinder code, it works on EVERYTHING!, the CB, the radio, the ignition of course, saddlebags, etc.!!!I tinker with it from noon around 7:00 pm while the battery (looks new) was on a 2 amp charger, able to turn and fire up the Beast around that time, I INMEDIATELY called my GF, put the phone close to the exhaust and asked her: How do you like my piece of junk now? she laughed, and complained that I spend more time with my toys than her -you know- but she was also glad, perhaps not as excited as I was, just like a 6 year old kid on Christmas day!. When I first saw her in Georgia, it was tilted on the kickstand, so when I fired it up, it smoked big time, leaks, stator is blown, I wouldn't rev it above 3000 rpm, 'cuz don't know the condition on the timming belts, I fired it up last night, it runs on the hot side, but doesn't overheat. I'm looking at belts, poor boy + alternator, oil change, gaskets, and a few other things before I can take it for a real spin, but I'm in love already, I just hope i can get used to the weight and balance of the 1200, even jockeying it, is a challenge.

I'll post the progress of the bike under the proper forums.

Thank you all I've been reading for a while and really apreciate all of your knowledge.

Gil.

 

[joedrum]

either way ...poorboy or sator its a pretty big job on that ......unless you want to light it up like a cristmas tree id go for the sator ...there are some voltage regulator mods that can be done to make the sator dam near bullet proof....

you do things like me i can tell ....just went for it .....looks like you came out on top to .....

there are a lot of things you can do to this now .....but we can talk about that later ...... :headscratch: :yahoo: k: :good: :yahoo: :clapping: :mrgreen:

 

[thewhiterhino]

Welcome to the forum Buffalowing from Colorful Colorado....
You're beginning a fun journey, you will have a blast..

 

[dan filipi]

Welcome to the world of Gold Wings Gil!
It's addicting ya know!

Any way we can assist you in getting her/him whipped into shape just give us a shout.

:salute:

 

[Winger 82]

:cool!: welcome from N.Western, Pa.
:hi:

 

[lew1701]

Way to go man...nice buy. Welcome to CGW's.

 

[Omega Man]

Welcome Gil. For starters, she's a "she," unless she was manufactured in California then she could be a he, a she, or even a he/she. :smilie_happy: As for being able to handle her you'll do fine, My 1100 moves like a 700lb wet blanket under my power, on her own is something altogether different.

I love the posts made by new wingers like Gilbert, one can almost taste their enthusiasm.

~O~

 

[AApple]

Welcome to the CGW Forums, Gil!! :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

[mcgovern61]

Welcome from New Jersey! :clapping:

That was a good deal! TLC and some maintenance and you'll be on the road in no time!

 

[Buffalowing]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

 

[Buffalowing]

As for being able to handle her you'll do fine, My 1100 moves like a 700lb wet blanket under my power, on her own is something altogether different.

I love the posts made by new wingers like Gilbert, one can almost taste their enthusiasm.

~O~

I'm used to the little Rebel that has a 26" seat height uncompressed, with my 170-180 pounds is goes down to 24" I can always lay my feet FLAT on the road, which gives me a lot of confident, specially when comming to a full unexpected stop (while in a traffic jam or something) I have a 28-29" inseam so it is probably going to get time to get use to the height.

Has anyone tried lowering the seat by taking out some pading, or adjusting it back, or lowering the suspension. I tinkered with the "adjustable suspension" feature and it seems like it works, but I don't know if it'll hold air for how long, if I realease all the air, will that "lower" the bike a tad? or will it just make it run bada bottoming out on every other bump?

Thanks!

 

[Buffalowing]

Welcome Gilbert from Ontario Canada
most of us start with a basket case bike and make a sows ear in to a silk purse that is what we love the best Honda is still kicking their own buts for building such good bikes that they sold in north America have lasted over 34 years and still ticking. With a little patient’s and a whole lot of TLC we bring them back to life. Enjoy your new ride. And don’t be afraid to ask questions we all try to help each other. Chasrogers

I'm use to bringing stuff back to life, my first bike at 12 was an OLD lambretta 150 cc 2 stroke, that my father gave me, in hundres of pieces in boxes and cans, plus the frame and wheels, since it was well used it was very easy to put it together, since the parts have friction marks that tell you where they fit. I gues I was way ahead of my time (like some honda products) I haven't seen a lot of kids put together a transmission, shaft and tires.

My last bike -before the GL- and I still use it every day, is a 1986 Honda Rebel, I also got it in pieces, non running, and I am ashamed to say that I pay more for It than the GL, 900 us bucks, also, like the lambretta got it running in no time. Those little twin engines will run forever as long as there is oil in the engine, gas in the tank, and TLC from the rider, so wrenching on the 1200 is something I look forward to every evening I do a little something to it.

 

[Buffalowing]

either way ...poorboy or sator its a pretty big job on that ......unless you want to light it up like a cristmas tree id go for the sator ...there are some voltage regulator mods that can be done to make the sator dam near bullet proof....

you do things like me i can tell ....just went for it .....looks like you came out on top to .....

there are a lot of things you can do to this now .....but we can talk about that later ...... :headscratch: :yahoo: k: :good: :yahoo: :clapping: :mrgreen:

I thought "poor boy" route wasn't so involved, probably the hardest part would be aligning the pulleys by adding or taking out washers, but I really don't know, this would be my first "Poor boy" job. I checked with Momma Honda Stator plus RR = 650 bucks plus tax; after market Stator plus RR= 258 bucks plus tax. Emailed Poor Boy he is currently asking 230 and the alternator is 60 bucks at advance autoparts. Since I have to replace those timming belts anyway (that momma Honda wants 100 bucks a piece for), and of course while I'm down there I'll inspect the water pump and polish my belt covers, I thought it would be savy go the Poor Boy route; but agoing this is only my assumption. Perhaps someone who has done it can tell me how involved this is.

I'm planning on going with leds and HID kit (like I did on the Rebel) which would ease up the load, but on the other hand I would like an extra pair of speakers on the truck for my backrest -I mean girlfriend- to listen to her music while we ride, heated grips (like the Rebel) and is there enough amps left, coffee maker, toaster and of couse the saddlebag mounted washer and dryer set (for those long touring trips) jajaja

I already order a few items like thermostat at 40 bucks (stiff, but I don't want to be cheap on something that regulates the tempreature of the engine, I know there are equivalents that will fit for a lot less money and they might even open at the exact same tempreature, but perhaps the opening, therefore the flow might me smaller/restricted. Got to flush the whole thing while working on it anyways and it could be one of the reasons it's running hot, and it will give me peace of mind, 'cuz perhaps the previous owner installed an automotive equivalence, that I want to stay away from. Also ordered the O ring for 2.50 (wish everything was priced like this)

Also ordered a couple of valve cover gaskets, at 18 bucks a piece, since the left one is leaking (picture left toe) and since I don't like leaving lose ends, I'll just go ahead and do the right one too, since they are both probably over a quarter of a centry old (like the rest of the bike)

If the temperature doesn't stay constantly down Momma Honda is selling the water pump assembly for 180 bucks plus 5 bucks woth of o-rings (two different ones) I might go for it. But right now it's flush and thermostat, while crossing my fingers, most of the time the simplest solution is the correct one.

I'll probably order the belts from NAPA unless someone can recomend me where to find the Gates whick I've heard are good.

Apologize for making my posts so long,I'm just so hiped about my new bike!!!

 

[dan filipi]

$100 each for the belts from Honda? That's nuts!
Check out partsnmore, $28 each https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index.ph ... ory=engine
I believe the Gates number equivalent is 250070. Verify that though. Good auto parts stores will even list it for the 1200.

I agree about the aftermarket thermostat. I know for a fact the opening is smaller. You made a good choice going with an original.

 

[toytender01]

:hi: Way ro go... welcome :clapping: :clapping: I had a longer post but the system ate it and i am not going to fight the system...Bob