Gold Wing History

In the beginning of 1970, "the Japanees power race" started. Honda had in 1969 presented the "father" for their "super machine", CB750. Tree years later, Kawasaki launched their 900 ccm, Z - 1 , and that became the leading bike. Comfort and good ridingqualities was a low priority issue at this time. All that matter, was a lot's of power and fast milages.

On IFMA in Koeln, spring 1974, Honda "broke the ice". They showed a motorcycle that nobody knew what to do with, or what purpose it had. This motorcycle was a liqued-cooled 4 cylinder boxer engine, with a vertical crankchaft. This was also the first japanes-motorcycle with propeller shaft, and the weight was as high as 295 kg (full tank). Just the engine weight 106 kg. Allthrough this, even the fuel-tank wasn't ment for gasoline. What all thought was a fuel-tank, had Honda filled up with electronic devices of different sorts. The fuel was stored under the sadle. Even Hondas own market-department, didn't know how to deal with this GL 1000 Gold Wing. Who would bye a motorcycle with 82 hp at 7 500 rp/min, and that weight 50-70 kg. more thanmost of the "havy" bikes already on the market. You coulden't even ride this, as a normal bike. When you laid the bike in curves, all the "iron" scratched the road surface.

1975, the first year of production, turned out to be discouraging affair. Honda never reached the budget, even with the fact that GL 1000 Gold Wing had excellent touring qualities. This was based on the fact that nobody drove touring-bikes. Especially not the americans. USA was the biggest motorcycle- contry in the world, so this was a natural and important market for Honda. In USA they was pleased with a combination of lots of power, fast milage and "easy riding".

This "strange" Honda started to change the americans riding habbits. At the end of -70, it suddenly became a fashion to use the motorcycle on longmilage-tours. And what motorcycle didn't fit these "american" needs better? The engine was built for long and pleasure driving.

What about Europe? In Europe, the habbits was totally different. Here they drove the bikes "at full speed" where this was allowed, and they drove the bike "at full speed" even where this wasn't allowed. The Europeans loved the free-speed roads in Germany. With these kind of habbits (needs), the GL 1000 Gold Wing, didn't meet their needs. The frame wasn't built for this type of driving, and the weight was, because of the boxer-engine and fuel-tank placement, very low. And this wasn't any advantage during highspeed-driving. The GL 1000 Gold Wing, was because of these facts, known for the highspeed-wobbling, especially when un-original wind shilds where mounted. GL 1000 was produced unchanged the first tree years. In 1978 the "treadspoke wheel" were replaced with Hondas ComStar wheel, that concist of five platespokes. This construction was suppose to combine the avantage of both of these wheels. The same year Honda changed the GL 1000's carburettors. They mounted smaller crburettors. This was done to give the engine a better torsionmoment driving in midlegears. Honda had also given up the thoughts of making the Gold Wing into a effect-monster. this did Honda later with their CBX. Earlier models had kick-start as reserve, but this was taken out from -78 models. 1979 was the last production year for GL 1000 Gold Wing. Sweden was one of the few contries where the Gold Wing found a market. The Gold Wing became a success from the start, and nearly 600 GL 1000 where registered here. Honda Gold Wing became a good alternative for BMW and GUZZI, that had lead the touring market upto 1975.

Typical defects. There wasen't many defects on GL 1000 Gold Wing, but some turned up. It wasn't unormal that the cylinder head gasket started leaking. If this is a reality, check closely that it's not coming white smoke out of the exhaustsystem, when you start the enging after a 15 minutes of rest. You should even check the colour of the engine-oil. If the oil is grey/white, this is a symptom for water in the oil. Do this carefully, because a "leaky" head gasket, can cause some expecive engin-damages. Behind the water-pump, in the driving direction, there is a small hole. When the cooling-liqued comes out of the hole, this normally refer to a damage bearing in the waterpump. It's not possible to bye only this bearing, but it's always an exeption. The same here. this bearing is a duble sealed ball bearing, that you can find in SKF's sortiment. The serial number for this ball-bearing are: 6000-2RS1. You can get short circuit in the right handlebars. This can cause damage to the ignition-system. The error is normally visually on the yellow conductors, that lies to the left of the handlbar-center. These cunductors can be burned. Check the generator. Check that, even if the lights are on, the generator charge 13.5 volt. If the generator is broken, you'll have to take out the enitire engine just to get access to it. And this is a expencive operation. Another problem, with all GL-models, are electrical problems. Essentially these problems are self inflected. Many "hobby" electricians mount all kind of electrical equipment, and the cunductors looks like a "spider's web". In general GL 1000 don't have any special defects, it all comes down to a maintains routines for each owner. Is the exhaust system rusted out? Is the brakes OK? Is the steering-bearings OK? Do the forks work prober? If you succeed in getting your hands on a GL 1000, be aware of the fact that this bike is 15-20 years old. It a big risk, in general, to bye a bike this old. Even if it's was a "good" motorcycle in the start. After all, it's 15 years since it was taken out of production. Of natural causes GL 1000, don't figure very often in the dealers list's. The dealers also say that the first GL 1000 Gold Wing, 1975 model, is impossible to find, and for those who have an "specimen", have a object for special interest collectors (with big wallet). The following GL 1000 Gold Wing's (1976-1979) models surface from time to time, and for byers, I can only say: Pay it, with directions from your heart

The Gold Wing grows! It's considerable easier to find addvertices for the GL 1000 bigger brother (or -sister ?). From 1980 Honda launched the GL 1100 Gold Wing. It's easier to get your hands on this models, because it's a newer model and considerable more GL 1100 were sold. Only in Sweden, 950 GL 1100 was registered. GL1100 came in two versions. One "naked" and the Interstate version. The Interstate version had wind-shield, trunk bags and a big top-trunk. This was the beginning of what we today know as "the biggest on two wheels". The engines on GL 1100 Gold Wing had been increased to 1085 cm3. It had electrical ignition, the carburettors was decreased to 30 mm, it had accelerationpumps and the fuel consumption was radical lower than it was on the GL 1000. The frame problem, with high speed driving, resulted in changes in construction of the frame. Air-forks, wheelcenter increased from 1540 mm to 1605 mm. This resulted in better high-speed driving, far from good, but anyway an improvment. The Germans was still complaining that the free- way roads was to small for the Gold Wing. The Gold Wing factory moves.... Until 1981 Gold Wing was built in Japan, but in may 1981 Honda moved the factory to Ohio, USA. Honda had still both models, the "naked" GL 1100 and the Interstate model, in their production. In 1982 the Gold Wing family increased. The GL 1100 Aspencade surfaced. This was a luxury version of Interstate. Aspencade had stereo and had two coloured painting. The breake-system was changed for all versions. Both wheels (front and rear) got breaking-disk's. The last production-year for GL 1100 Gold Wing was in 1983. Honda continued the whole year with all tree models.

Typical defects on the GL 1100, was defects encountered on GL 1000. With exeption of the left hadlebar defect. There was also problems with the breaking-system on 1981, or newer models. The breaking blocks didn't "float" as free as they were suppose to do. For possible GL 1100 byers be aware of this problem. Check that both wheels spins undistractivly.

The third generation... In 1984 the "third generation" Gold Wing came. this was the GL 1200 Gold Wing. This was a four cylinder, with 1182 cm3, and had 94 hp w/7000 rpm. The "big" thing with this model, was the hydraulic valve lifters, that made each service much cheaper. You didn't have to adjust the valves on each service anymore. Honda have kept this hydraulic valve lifters for all their later Gold Wing models produced. The frame recived some major changes. The front-fork was made thicker, it was now 41 mm. The wheel dimentions was changed. The front wheel was changed from 18" to 16", and the rear wheel from 16" to 15". The engine was moved ahead over 6 cm. This put more weight on the front wheel, and this improved the driving charateristics. In fact did the GL 1200 feel lighter than the other models, even though it was heavier then ever. The Aspencade weight 360 kg with full tank.

Limited Edition In 1985 Honda produced the GL 1200 Gold Wing in tree models. Interstate, Aspencade and the jubilee edition, Limited Edition (LTD). The GL 1200 LTD was stuffed with all kinds off equipment. I had electronic injection, stereo/intercom with 4 speakers, cruise control and automatic level control for the air pressure in the rear forks. Honda made few changes this year. In 1986 GL 1200 Limited Edition changed name to GL 1200 SE-i, and it had new painting. Pearl white. 1987 was the last production year for GL 1200, and Honda produced only two versions, Interstate and Aspencade.

Typical defects.. Normally defects is corrected for longtime-produced series, but it wasn't so for the GL 1200. The GL 1200 had almost all the defects the models before have had. Refer to issues expained above. Be sure to check all "home made" electrical equipments cloesly.  

GL 1500/6 In 1988 Honda made the ultimate motorcycle. GL 1500/6, this was a liqued cooled boxer-engine, with 6 cylinders, and it was 1520 cm3. Honda called it "The Ultimate Touring bike", and it's hard to say anythingelse. The effect was 100 hp with 5200 rpm. It have 5 gears (1-4 + OverDrive), and as this wasn't enough Honda put in a reverse. This wasn't a dum thing to do, when you think on the 400 kg the GL 1500 weight. The engine is "a miracle", and it's only 64 mm longer than the four-cylinder engine on the GL 1200. It has two carburettors and the engine lies 40 mm further in front. This is done so it woun't inflect the drivers sitting-position. The wheel-center distance is nearly 1 700 mm. Also the frame is an interesting subject. The engine is no longer a mainstay object in the frame. This has produced a solid and stabil frame. This technology is based from the technoloy of racingbikes. Honda claimes that the frame is 1.5 times more stabil now, than before. These issues have resulted in a bike that is easy to drive, think on those 400 kg. No other Gold Wing have been so stabil and precise as the GL 1500. What each thinks about the GL 1500 don't matter, all should have tried it once. You don't have to like it, but no one can deny that they are impressed by driving skills this bike can offer the driver. There is also those who claim that this is the best conveyance used to job or small shopping errands.

Typical defects This motorcycle is "debugged". There isn't any typical defects encountered for this model. Some have reported that the fuel-pump has "crached", and have had to be replaced. But this isn't the biggest operation. It's also good to know that the fuel-pump for the car Honda Accord 1.8, have the same fuel-pump, for a much lower price. Even on GL 1500 some like to "overload" the electrical system. Check this cloesly before shopping. This information is collected from different sources, and it is translated to Englich by me (John K Klippen). I don't take any responsibility for the translation, misunderstood information etc. collected from this text. If any wiches to use some or the whole text, be free to do so, but I will appreciate a note that says where the information is collected. I would also appreciate a link to "The GoldWing corner".