General questions about '84 GL

[Offcenter]

A friend has been looking at an 84 that is for sale.
Just a few questions to help him out if you don't mind.
The bike has no fairing or saddlebags.
Q: Was the 84 available like that, or did someone
strip it of the plastic?

The bike is reads 32,000 miles and is in EXCELLENT
condition appearance wise, so clean you could eat off
of it. It even has the original muffler in great shape.
Q: Is there anything in particular that he should check
or look out for on an 84? Known problems or quirks?

Thanks guys, appreciate the help.

 

[slabghost]

I have an 84 just like that with a lot more miles. It was the last year for the "standard" option AKA nekkid. Other than the standard electrical gremlins and the rear wheel bearing "boss" being a bit weak. The section housing the bearing seems to stretch. With such low miles I doubt there's any play yet.

 

[82a]

good to know that critical if they require service ignition parts,

require major work just to access cos they are at a royal pia location at the back of the engine,

a 1 year only deal for the 1200s

 

[brianinpa]

I have one also that I bought back in October, and I just finished dealing with the electrical gremlin: I had to change the stator to fix it which required removing the engine. I do most of my own work, so not much of an expense in maintenance cost, and the knowledge base on these things is enormous! Being a naked bike is a lot different from any of the other GW's. Look out for bugs because there is no windscreen there to protect you and with all the weight of a fairing, bags, and trunk missing - you would be surprised how quick a GW really accelerates.

 

[Offcenter]

What are the "standard electrical gemlins"?
And can someone expand on what 82a said above?
I don't quite understand what he's saying.
What, exactly, was a 1 year deal on that bike, other
than being nekkid?

Thanks guys.

 

[slabghost]

1200 stators were not the best. 82a is referring to the ignition being in the same place as the 1100's at the rear of the motor under the fuel tank. Standard electrical gremlins are loose, corroded, dirty wiring connections common on all the older bikes. Switch contacts also dry and corrode. When stuff starts working erratic or just quits that's what to look at first.

 

[Joep]

The " 1 year option" talked about is the igniters are in the rear of the motor on the 84... in 85 they moved then to the front by the cam gears....

 

[brianinpa]

when I was considering buying my 84 standard, I knew there was a stator problem I had to deal with. It really isn't that much though to drop a motor from these things. SlabGhost mentioned to me that I should not let a simple stator problem chase me away from the deal I was working on... I'm glad I listened to him.

The rareity of the 84 standard makes the "gremlins" and problems worth it in the end... but that is just my opinion.

 

[dan filipi]

brianinpa » Sat Dec 28, 2013 11:27 am[/url]":1rfsu9d5]
when I was considering buying my 84 standard, I knew there was a stator problem I had to deal with. It really isn't that much though to drop a motor from these things. SlabGhost mentioned to me that I should not let a simple stator problem chase me away from the deal I was working on... I'm glad I listened to him.

The rareity of the 84 standard makes the "gremlins" and problems worth it in the end... but that is just my opinion.

Agreed!

 

[joedrum]

yes brian and slab got some rare bikes ...brian had stator problems and slabs had wreck problem seems both gambles work out well ...

 

[Offcenter]

Thanks Guys! Really appreciate the input!
Now it's up to my buddy to decide.

 

[82a]

stator or carb issues are the bikes to grab, with either of those known issues, the bikes often go dirt cheap

getting either of those fixed back to original and paying someone could easily end up a 1k note apiece

there are however other cheap fixes options

 

[Offcenter]

Thanks, but the one my buddy is looking at literally looks like brand new,
with low miles to boot! After looking the entire bike over very carefully, the
only thing I could find wrong was a cracked lens on the headlight.
They are asking $2900 for it.

 

[slabghost]

I advise your friend to dicker as best he can on the price but it does sound like a very nice find. I sure wish mine looked like new but I'm very happy to have it.

 

[brianinpa]

Offcenter » Sat Dec 28, 2013 11:02 pm[/url]":30tf5lct]
Thanks, but the one my buddy is looking at literally looks like brand new,
with low miles to boot! After looking the entire bike over very carefully, the
only thing I could find wrong was a cracked lens on the headlight.
They are asking $2900 for it.

I paid $2600 for mine with a bad stator, but the PO had also just done a lot of work to it also. The guy I bought it from sold another 1200 Standard that had 45K on the dial for around $3500 but it had a few extra's on it. Is it a local bike to your area?

 

[Offcenter]

Yup, only 15 minutes from me.

 

[sparrowhawkdesign]

My 84 Standard was the best sidecar bike I've had. Built it low and wide with a ten gal. aux. tank mounted outboard behind the sidecar wheel and a narrow Spirit Eagle body. Put a set of Unit links on the front and car tire on the rear. Purpose built to get even with the crazies running the Ortega Hwy in Southern California. They'd come by you on all sides going into a tight corner. It really pissed them off when they straightened out and checked their rear view with a big grin on their face that quickly changed when they found me running up their tail end.
:hihihi:
Sold it to a friend that still rides it.

 

[82a]

84 is also a 1 year only tallest geared 1200 so prob gets the best mileage too

 

[sparrowhawkdesign]

Never paid much attention to the mileage. Distance between fills is all I worry about and with the extra ten gallons I had on that rig it was never an issue. :roll: