Cowl/Fairing question.

[10drum]

This GL1200 (attached photo) project is, I guess an interstate? It does not have luggage. Somewhat minimal when compared to most GL1200 Goldwings.

My question is; Is there a GL1200 without the cowl. Just a headlight only like the early Goldwings? Something that is not so massive?

I have a clymers shop manual and it only addresses the completely closed in aspencade type cowl. I couldn't find options in parts phish for a cowl/fairing in the honda parts listings.

 

[D-50Dave]

Others would know better than I, but I believe that at leat the '84s came "Standard"; no front cowl. Your bike looks like someone stripped the luggage from it. I think Interstates had analog gauges and Aspencades had digital. Good luck, Dave

 

[julimike54]

The VIN tag would indicate what model it was built as, ie Interstate and Aspencade would be there, other 'Standard' won't.

 

[10drum]

Thanks for the replies.

I have searched for a vin decoder on the web and this forum and haven't found a reliable site.

I'm not sure but I really think it is a standard that came with the cowl. I tried a couple of vin decode sites, some were restricted the other didn't work.

Anyway, If Dave is correct, then I would think there may be a headlite/turn signal only setup up to make this a naked bike. IDK? No doubt I'd have to find a salvage unit???

 

[claydbal]

1984 was last year of naked goldwing. that fairing is more rounded and mirrors mount different than goldwing 1200s i have seen, mine included. yes, interstates had analog gauges, as well as the naked.

 

[10drum]

Thanks for the reply, I'll search for a photo of a naked 1984 goldwing.

 

[85goldwing]

In 1984 they made a standard gold wing which had no faring whatsoever just an instrument cluster with a headlight. Yours looks like a interstate model with the rear bags missing.

 

[dan filipi]

I believe that is a GL1100 fairing without the lowers installed.

 

[OldWing SEI]

This GL1200 (attached photo) project is, I guess an interstate? It does not have luggage. Somewhat minimal when compared to most GL1200 Goldwings.

My question is; Is there a GL1200 without the cowl. Just a headlight only like the early Goldwings? Something that is not so massive?

I have a clymers shop manual and it only addresses the completely closed in aspencade type cowl. I couldn't find options in parts phish for a cowl/fairing in the honda parts listings.

That bike on the photo is a GL 1200 STD ‚84. The cowl is from a GL 1100. Compare the chrome covers of the carburettor and the endtips of the exhaust pipes.

 

[10drum]

Interesting that some say it is a GL 1100 fairing, because the vin ends in 000136, which I think would make it the 35th GL1200 made.

I've not had any luck finding an online Vin decoder that works

This isn't my bike, it's a friend's bike. He is the 2nd owner. The first owner was his cousin, and he claims it never had bags.

We are wondering if we found the parts for a standard GL1200 if there would be a plug that would allow us to just switch it over, or would we have to remove the plug???

We could easily make it a naked GL, like this photo from an old listing. It is the only photo I could find of what appears to be a stock naked bike???

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Denver]

Looks like that makes it one of the first 1,000 84's.
The plate tells you the year built, both of mine read 1983
Would also GUESS it was originaly a standard
#136 makes it older than either of mine.
Appears standards have an EA just before the numbers.
The 87 interstate has HA before them.
Hope this helps out

 

[10drum]

The plate has 6/83. So no doubt it was an early one.
This does have the EA before the numbers. So it appears it is a standard (naked?).
The fairing has a multi wire receptacle that plugs into the harness.
Looking at the wiring diagrams in the Clymer manual does not show the plug on the standard, but on the interstate diagram, the fairing wiring is separate.
Makes me wonder if this fairing was a dealer installed add on???
As fate would have it, I think I may have answered my question with all of your help.

To make this a standard (naked?) bike, we will need to remove the plug from the harness, and wire direct to the head light and turn signals. Was sort of hoping we could use the plug to be able to switch back and forth between fairing and naked. Oh well.

This is a fun project bike.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Two85s]

The other option would be to "ask nicely" for someone to send you a plug from their stash
'

 

[10drum]

Ah come on now, Goldwing guys don't rat hole old parts, like us British bIke guys do,,,do they?

Anyway, I've done some research, and this bike was built as a standard.

I think we have a quest now to locate the front headlight, turn signals, and associated mounting equipment to make this bike a "standard" GL1200. I have found some ears on ebay.

I'm guessing the wires terminate in the headlight bucket. This bike has a junction box that is mounted to where I think the headlight ears mount??

This should be fun.

Thanks again for the replies.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

It's the Goldwing Standard with Dealer or Owner-Added Hondaline Fairing from '83 back, minus the lowers, as Dan suggests. My guess is dealer-installed so as they would have likely had the fairing and mounting kit ready for all the 83 Standard GL1100s from the previous year. Same goes for the luggage rack and slider-backrest. They were Hondaline accessories as early as 1981. I have the same on my 1981 GL1100, but with fairing lowers and 3 detachable bags. All were added to mine at the dealership on his original bike-purchase invoice which I still have. I think my original owner got mine after all the Interstates were sold out, so he had the dealer add everything available, including Clarion Radio package with clock & radio readout on the center cluster just above the headlight adjuster knob in the fairing, and the left-grip mounted mute/search controls. The detachable bags have a separate Honda baggage key that only has teeth on one edge, and impossible to find spares, lol!

Yours looks nicely done, and has some 2 1/2" partial lowers on the fairing, though I don't recognize them from any Hondas, maybe custom done.

 

[OldWing SEI]

Both parts seems to belong to a GL 500/650 Silverwing

 

[10drum]

I believe this is a dealer installed fairing. If that is the case, there's probably been many head light and turn signal take offs that's been trashed or stuck in some back corner or a box somewhere.

Our friend said, I got this Honda in my garage that hasn't been ridden in awhile, is it worth anything? We said probably not, but let's see if it will run. New battery and fresh fuel, and it ran, but not good, so we built the carbs and fixed the brakes, now we're waiting on warm weather.

We don't know what we're gonna do with it? It's kind grown on me. I think she would look good if we stripped her naked, (but don't they all?)

Just need the parts that were taken off now.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

I believe this is a dealer installed fairing. If that is the case, there's probably been many head light and turn signal take offs that's been trashed or stuck in some back corner or a box somewhere.

Our friend said, I got this Honda in my garage that hasn't been ridden in awhile, is it worth anything? We said probably not, but let's see if it will run. New battery and fresh fuel, and it ran, but not good, so we built the carbs and fixed the brakes, now we're waiting on warm weather.

We don't know what we're gonna do with it? It's kind grown on me. I think she would look good if we stripped her naked, (but don't they all?)

Just need the parts that were taken off now.

You will really appreciate the Honda fairing as it is, so maybe ride it for a season with the fairing. I don't know what the inside of yours has, but the storage in the fairing alone is very handy and on the highway, the windbreak more than makes up for any weight. It looks beautiful like it is! The dealer usually keeps and sells what came off when they do add the fairing, so the stuff is likely long gone. Cobbling it back together naked usually creates a lot of electrical, and other problems.

 

[kerryb]

I agree with GTC, ride it in cooler weather (or rain!) Before you remove the fairing, they are worth having sometimes. Other notes: the rear turn signals on yours are correct for a naked wing. The rear fender on a std is also a little shorter ( my 83 was) the wires for a fairing plug into the regular harness, so adding a quick-change plug is just a time & effort requirement. If you need a fairing subharness it is plug and play, and if you still need one in april I should be able to help. Standards didn't come with the extra 3lb weight bolted to the forks behind the headlight. Factory faired models have the counterweight to improve handling, and a caution sticker that it is needed. My 83 std with a vetter fairing had no counterweight and performed just fine.
The easy way to deal with fairing installation/removal, is a small block and tackle strapped to the fairing to hold it while you work on it. Also allows an extra inch or two to get the harness plug installed or removed.