Since I'm onto the 1500 into a 1200 rear end swap, have more info. I also have a later model 1500 rear rim, the one that needs a 5 pin driven flange, new rear brake rotor. The 1200 rear brake caliper will work, have a rear brake rotor. Need the FD, brake caliper mount, axle, 5 pin driven flange, and axle spacers. Going to actively search for these items. Thought of doing this a while back, but the rear wheel has been working well. The threads I have read are very informative in that one fellow mentioned that if not keeping the bike, stay with the 1200 setup, keeping the bike so going to do the mod. Will be looking at tire size in that I don't really want to raise the rear of the bike an additional inch. Lots of information if you go look, but have some more information to share.
Over on the Steve Saunders forum found this good thread and post. Thread:
https://www.goldwingfacts.com/threads/m ... st-1703504
Post:
The adapter you have has 6 pins, all 1200 wheels have 6 pins as do the 88-89 GL1500s (1990 and up have 5 pins) so you can use any other 1200 final drive spline adapter or a same piece from a 88-89 GL1500 if you know of one that's triked.
You can in fact, use any year 1500 final drive, but you need a 6 pin final drive adapter to keep a 1200 rear wheel. You only have to drill out the 4 mount holes in the swing arm when using the 1500 final drive in place of the 1200 final drive, drill to 7/16" diameter. If you use a 1500 final drive, it does use a 1/4" longer axle and while not absolutely needed, that extra 1/4" sticking past the big nut is nice to see.
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You can also use the whole 1500 rear end set up, with better wheel bearing support and double row inner drive side bearing and get a larger, more powerful rear brake, but you would need the 1500 final drive, wheel, adapters, spacers, brake caliper mount, axle, etc.
Still use 1200 drive shaft.
Now you might also be able to use a C/T (the taxi tire?) on this rim if it will also fit under the fender, I know it is no wider!
1500 rears are some easier to find as more were converted to trikes. I'll paint my wheels spokes black.
To install the 1500 final / wheel with bigger double row bearing / and larger brake rotor.
Drill out the four drive shaft tube to differential bolt holes to 7/16".
You must machine or grind the 1500 caliper mount on the side nearest swing arm and away from wheel:
Use the 1200 axle and the single spacer from the 1500 on left side.
Route the brake hose to the outside of the left shock.
The left lower shock/caliper mount bolt will also need to be ground down 1/4" shorter to clear the rotor.
Using 1500 final / wheel / brake is reputed to center the wheel better in the swing arm than the stock 1200 which has a slight offset.
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To install just the 1500 final drive ....
The 1200 flange will fit the 1500 drive if you want to install your 1200 wheel on a 1500 drive, but then you keep the 1200 smaller rear brake disc and mount and two spacers on left side, etc. To do this, you just need to drill out the 4 holes in the swing arm.
The 1500 rear wheel has a double race main weight carrying bearing in a more solid mounting than the single row one in the 1200 wheel that tends to wobble out the weakly reinforced mounting ring in the 1200 wheel (It's not the 1200 bearing that spins .... rather it's the pounding of the heavy bike and the fact that the rear drive side bearing is carrying most of the weight on this one bearing nearest the center of the wheel that pounds out the weakly re-enforced aluminum area where the bearing mounts in the wheel).
The 1500 rear wheel arrangement comes with a larger diameter rear brake rotor which greatly increases rear braking, even though pad and caliper is the same as effective leverage and swept area is increased.
The 1500 differential uses slightly larger bolts to attach to the swing-arm, hence drilling the 4 holes.
You will need to use the 1500 brake caliper mounting bracket due to the larger rotor on the 1500 wheel. The calipers are identical on both the 1200 and the 1500, but the 1500 mounting bracket will need to be ground down to fit into the 1200 swing arm.
Info on tire size:
Using the 150/90-15 as a comparison, the stock GL1500 size ends up being just a hair under 1/2" taller. Not a big difference. Now with the 150/80-16, that ends up being .18" smaller than the 150/90-15. Then using the GL1500 rim, if you are so inclined to to go to the "darkside" and use a 175/60R16, that would be just over an inch shorter than the 150/90-15 and would be a great choice for those that are inseam challenged.
