Questions about used GWs

[mcgovern61]

The '79 is a fine bike. Hope you get it!

Still starts with year old gas is a good sign.

I agree with that! This was a good year for the 1000. I am assuming it is Vetter bags and faring? Good price?

 

[joedrum]

wow cervantes i didnt know you were looking at a 79 this is ,in my opinion the best 1000 model all around.....this is the same yr 1000 that i have.....mines been heavely modified .....but i will list what i think are the best things to do with the 79 .....

progressive springs for the front forks....78-79 have the best front forks on 1000s with its tapered bearing in the steering stem....

the rear shocks have two peice rear springs that can be modified to lowere it without buying new shocks....this is what i did frist to lower the rear end ....in my case i went to far on this and pretty mush ruin the shocks but they were shot to begin with....anyway i took the smaller of the two springs out ....this lowered the bike to much i like the way it handled but i was afaid that it was just to low and might get damage on the underneath side of th motor or somthing and was to easy to scrape on corners but it sure felt good in the saddle....12 inch after market shocks with the right hook ups are the way to go .....the shocks are 31 yrs old and proably not whorth messing with....

the 79-78 have primary chain tensioner on them earlyer yrs didnt i think 1100 havethem to but there chains are 30% wider and heavier and th tensioner get over welumed by the extra weigth....it seems to me that a good running and tune 79-78 1000 will purr like a kitten when just right where other yrs still seem to make noise....but a poor runing 78-79 will make chain noise ....mine did till i got everything just right.....and will still make noise when its realy cold out till it gets warm....flat four engines dont have counter weights on the crankshafts because they dont need them but when the rpm gets real low they kind of loose ther spinnig top effect from firing and compression effects between cylinders....78-79 seem to suffer the least from this and once the thottle is given the spinning top effect takes over and this is what makes goldwings the best and smoothest bikes out there and can go a million miles ....that might over stating but mines 31 yrs old and except for carbs and timing belts changes the motor has never been apart just like it was torque together in japan by honda.....

your assumsion of running a couple tanks of seafome though the bike toclean up carbs is good ideal but you need to take the seat and see what inside of the gas tank looks like from where the guage gose in theres a drain at the bottom of the tank on the right hand side if it needs to be flushed no it just needs to be flushed period and try to get everything as good as possible.as soon as you get it home and also put in a new fuel filter to then run the couple tanks of seafoam

then after that run atf mixed with your gas from then on ....

do yourself a favor and check out dans post on electric fuel shut off mod ....im going to do that to

need to see how clean the inside of the engine is the condition of the oil will speak a lot here

need to find out if the ignition is still points or if its been change to to electronics.....personaly i think the 1000 heads are the best and most flexable setup on the goldwings with there ignition simplicity built in them and the flexability of adjustment in timing and availibility of parts period but can be a jungle to wade though and grt right....

any way this enough for now good luck ......joedrum

 

[Cervantes]

:yahoo:

Well, I did it!!!! I bought the Goldwing! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am!
Thank you all so much for putting up with my questions and helping me to make a more well informed (and hopefully better) decision!

It is a 1979 with a Vetter (spelling) fairing and the side bags say Califorio??? or something like that. It is kindof a silvery-blue color. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

So now I need to make a list of the things I need to do before I take it on the road. I will look in the maintenance info on the forum and start gathering my thoughts. I really want to take it for a ride, but want to change oil, fuel, and timing belt first, so I don't end up with a mess!

I will keep you posted.

Many Thanks,
Cervantes

 

[BigAndrew]

:yahoo:

Well, I did it!!!! I bought the Goldwing! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am!
Thank you all so much for putting up with my questions and helping me to make a more well informed (and hopefully better) decision!

It is a 1979 with a Vetter (spelling) fairing and the side bags say Califorio??? or something like that. It is kindof a silvery-blue color. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow.

So now I need to make a list of the things I need to do before I take it on the road. I will look in the maintenance info on the forum and start gathering my thoughts. I really want to take it for a ride, but want to change oil, fuel, and timing belt first, so I don't end up with a mess!

I will keep you posted.

Many Thanks,
Cervantes

Congrats on your purchase :clapping: :clapping: :salute:

 

[Joep]

congrats.. and the bags maybe made or branded as Calafia... they made fairings after Vetter and Bates came out with theirs and did not last too long in fairings, but did produce luggage.. if records are non existant... think timing belts, oil change, fanswitch check, brakes, and rear drive lube.. for starters.. the belts here are the most critcal and some would say if you tear down to replace belts replace water pump since the are both front end

 

[AApple]

:clapping: :yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping:
Congrats!!! Welcome to the Wonderful World-o-Wings!!!
Gotta have pics!! :mrgreen:

 

[Cervantes]

Sure enough Joe... the side bags are Calafia. the right side bag needs a new lid. I guess I will have to start watching Ebay. Somebody told me that there is some kind of motorcycle wrecking yard in the Utah County Utah area. Does anyone here know the name? I make it down that way from time to time, so perhaps I can find something there and save on shipping.

I picked up oil and a new oil filter at the local NAPA. They wanted over $100 for a battery, and my wife had to make a trip into Walmart, so hopefully she will be bringing a battery home. I also ordered a timing belt while at NAPA, but that is getting shipped up from California, so it could be a few days.

I will do some research on the forum to see what is involved in the fan switch check and rear drive lube...

I am dieing to take her out on the road, but I am guessing that the oil and gasoline are several years old, and the timing belt, well heck - for all I know it could be original! :shock: I may end up changing the oil, taking her for a short-ish ride, and then changing the timing belt when the part arrives.

I will keep ya-all posted and will post pictures as soon as I can get the camera out there. The guy who sold it had a picture with the ad, but it was gone by the time I got the bike home 3 hours later!

Later,
Cervantes

 

[mcgovern61]

Patience is a virtue and it will pay off on those old bikes! Don't rush anything to get a ride in, be sure everything you can do to make sure it is clean from the gas tank to the carbs and properly lubed up right now. Pull junk into the carbs and it will not be a fun time! Also, I noticed that you are posting the "timing belt". I am assuming that you know that there are two belts? Wouldn't want you to open up the front end and be surprised. :swoon:

Here is a good tutorial on new to you wings:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=259

If you need help with the belt replacement, do not be afarid to ask. If it is done wrong, you will bend your valves.

 

[Cervantes]

Patience is a virtue and it will pay off on those old bikes! Don't rush anything to get a ride in, be sure everything you can do to make sure it is clean from the gas tank to the carbs and properly lubed up right now. Pull junk into the carbs and it will not be a fun time! Also, I noticed that you are posting the "timing belt". I am assuming that you know that there are two belts? Wouldn't want you to open up the front end and be surprised. :swoon:

Here is a good tutorial on new to you wings:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=259

If you need help with the belt replacement, do not be afarid to ask. If it is done wrong, you will bend your valves.

Yeah, I did order two belts. That would be a surprise.

I got the oil and filter changed, old fuel out, new fuel filter, got the acid into the new battery and it is charging. I am going to look at the Timing Belts Replacement Tutorial several times before I start that one. I am a bit nervous about it! I am sure I will have questions for ya-all along the way.

I got some pictures of the new bike today... but I can't find the cord I need to get the pictures onto my computer!

Ciao,
Cervantes

 

[Joep]

okay pay attention to the tutorial on the belts..... PRINT IT OUT... the pictures will not steer you wrong.. the problem side is the ( as you are looking from the front) LEFT pulley ( it is the right when sitting on the bike) ... it wants to back off and mess with your head!!! remember to note that the TIMING MARKS ARE ON THE BOTTOM of the tooth when it is lined up correctly... IF IT IS AT THE TOP of the TOOTH ... move pass one tooth towards the top of the motor and you will find another mark.. it will be at the bottom of the tooth.. this is the timing mark.. if you use the wrong mark the motor will bind when you turn it over BY HAND ONLY!! you will need to loosen the valves to rotate it back to T! and TOP DEAD CENTER!! (You were going to adjust and set the valves anyway ...RIGHT!!??).. from BTDT recently!!

 

[Cervantes]

I posted three pictures of my new bike in the Gallery area. Later I will figure out how to make one of them show us as my picture (avatar?).

In the meantime, I will try adding it this way.

Cervantes

 

[dan filipi]

Good looking bike.
PM me if you need help getting your avatar sized and uploaded.

My 2 cents worth on the belt replacement, if you want to be extra cautious to not bump a valve then loosen up all the valve adjusters as loose as they'll go. This will just about close every valve no matter what the crank/cam position.
Once the belts are set and you've rotated the engine a couple times to double check, then adjust the valves.

 

[BigAndrew]

Lookin good Cervantes :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

[Joep]

Nice looking ride there.. and the paint job ain't half bad either.. not my cup of tea.. but still pleasing to the eye!!

 

[joedrum]

you did good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!the 79 is just a fine example of the 1000 series and yours is better than most!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mcgovern61]

You did great!! :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

Nice looking ride! :music:

 

[joedrum]

when you do the belts take the spark pluls out so that when you are turning it over by hand that you will have ultimate feel for interference this is not something thats going to give you a second chance!!!!!!if you have any concerns at all just post ....dont make any mistakes go slow ......

 

[AApple]

:clapping: :good: :clapping:
Nice ride!!!

 

[Cervantes]

Well, I got my avatar setup.

I am still waiting on the timing belts from the local NAPA. They had to order them from California.

When they arrive I will be sure to print out the instructions, review all of the message here about the subject and give her a try! For a first timer, should I plan on a full day for belts and timing?

Oh, and I heard back from the guy with the Calafia lids. Turns out the guy sold out of the wider bags a few weeks ago, but hadn't updated the info on his ebay site... So back to the drawing board on that one.

I am debating riding the GW down to the DMV (about 10 miles) to get licensed and all that... but i am a bit hesitant to do it since I have NO idea how old that timing belt is.

So the adventure begins!
Ciao,
Jeffery (Cervantes)

 

[Joep]

well a whole is a lot of time to do it.. and if you need to mark down were every bolt goes.. yeah... no it is a perfect amount of time to set aside so you don't feel rushed.. also you will need to get some silicate free antifreeze to replace after you drain the radiator.. ( really needs to come off if you want to work free of obsticles...) pay attention to the right side ((left as you look at it from the front)) gear.. and make sure you mark the timeing mark that is at the bottom of the gears NOT the ones on TOP... and the write that roadie posted was spot on.. even the pictures.. print is out with pictures so you can have it handy to refer back to... that is how I discovered my timing was on the wrong mark.. by, looking back at the pictures of the gears