Description
Update 01/ 12/ 25 £400 spent on new tyres and battery.
A fantastic usable classic that you really can ride as a daily. If you're looking for an original bike with a patina appropriate for a 46 year old, which has been thoroughly and comprehensively sorted for regular use, come and have a look. My arthritic knees mean I need to get something a lot lighter.
This is the run-out model of the original GL1000 (which ran from '75 to '79) and had the extra instruments on the tank and the black paintwork with gold pinstriping. As such it looks gorgeous.
I bought the bike 18 months ago. It hadn't been used much over the preceding 5 years. It ran but clearly wasn't happy. After using it for a few months, it went in to a local motorcycle engineering wizard, where it stayed for 6 weeks of major surgery. The following work was carried out:
Strip, clean and rebuild carbs with new float valves and gaskets. Replace both cambelts. Replace all brake lines, fluid and pads. Replace valve cover gaskets. Check all calipers. Drain radiator, flush then new coolant. Fit discreet heated grips. Change fuel lines, air filter, oil filter, oil, sparkplugs and shaft drive oil. Replace starter motor brushes. Replace several bulbs and sort out some wiring bodges. Documentation to support all the work done. After this, the bike ran really well and never failed to put a smile on my face. Everyone admires it and wants to talk about it.
The original shocks had had it, so were swapped out for some new ones. I noticed some white smoke recently on a run, so as a precaution I had both heads taken off, the heads skimmed and refitted with new gaskets and sparkplugs. One of the gaskets had gone slightly, though not bad for 46 years.
Since getting the bike I have covered about 3, 000 miles and use it regularly, it would be a crime to leave in the garage all the time.
Very happy to sit at 75-80 on the motorway, and accelerates surprisingly well with loads of bottom-end grunt. It's not light, but the weight is low down - the fuel tank is under the seat - and with its flat four configuration it is surprisingly nimble for lane splitting once rolling. Everything works and it's a genuinely fun bike to ride.
Mileage is showing 33, 000 though some years ago it must have had a swap as it 'lost' 20, 000 miles, so overall mileage must be about 53, 000 miles.
Buying and fettling it has cost me more than 7K. It passed its MOT last week, though you don't have to MOT it. Road Tax is free too. Screen included for full asking price.
I guarantee you'll grin every time you take this out for a ride. I bought this because I remember seeing the original Goldwing in 1975 aged about 10 and promised myself I'd get one at some point. It's got character in bucketloads, it looks fantastic, it performs well, it is well sorted mechanically and is just begging to be ridden regularly. It'll put a smile on your face every time you ride it, and will attract bikers and non-bikers alike who want to take a photo or tell you their dad used to have one - it's a lovely thing to own it really is.
