Holy long exhaust pipes Batman!
They looked strange at first, but I have to admit I'm liking them now.
Nice ride once you get everything sorted out. Those carbs can be a major dollar to fix. I flipped an 1100 that had the single carb/manifold conversion and it was a nice upgrade.
Supposedly, the single carb/manifold conversion takes a hit to performance somewhere in the powerband, depending how it is tuned. I'm tearing apart the carbs now, and just degumming them. I have a suspicion that these have been rebuilt about three years ago. Hoping to hear this thing run soon.
But the gum - OMG, the gum. I've never seen carbs this bad. All from dried gas in the bowl. Everything else is fine, but where gas sat in the bowl and could dry out over time, it did. My technique is to soak for awhile in mineral oil, take the jets out, take a very fine wire (one strand from some electrical wires I have), attempt to poke a hole through the gum so the solvent can access it, then throw the jet in some brake cleaner for a few hours. I'm not trying to clean the jets with the wire - just poke through the gum a bit so the solvent can work.
The standards had a large weight behind the headlight and mounted on the forks. It was there to compensate for the lack of weight of the fairings found on the Interstates and Aspencades. It is something I would have in place if I was running it as a standard.
I don't see one on this bike, but I didn't look too closely yet. Trying to get this in running condition first, before I tackle the cosmetic things. I'll probably run it faired for a few months. Rocking that classic Vetter Windjammer. I thought the weight was on the Interstates/Aspencades to balance out the OEM fairing - not on the standards. But I may have been breathing in more than a healthy share of solvent fumes lately.
Nice big chair! Most have been fun to push it home....
In retrospect, while I thought to air up the tires, I should of thrown some air into the rear suspension.
I had to take frequent breaks pushing it home. Push half a block, then stop and gaze at the continuing incline ahead that you have forgotten about. Repeat a half dozen times.
I put about 100,000 miles on an '81 Necked Wing - don't recall any "large weight behind the headlight".
The rear shocks are an easy rebuild, but I could never get them to take as much oil as "the book" said.
As for the carbs, you need to get the Randaak information, he's a god among Wing guys - visit
https://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=ac1eb4106ff8c5fabfd8a7e60fbd8d94 for lots of help.
The rear tire will be a real beast - my advice, just pay The Man to do it for you.
Replace the timing belt and water pump immediately.
One of the reasons why I looked at this is that I read the rear shocks are rebuildable, and the kits looked reasonable enough. Wish this had the '83 shocks though - those are specced to work with 0 psi. The '82s are not.
Timing belt is supposedly replaced. I found the owner-before-previous-owner's information in the paperwork and I think I'll call and confirm. Don't know about the water pump - no coolant leaks that I saw, but it doesn't run.
I haven't even checked the handy owner's manual to see how to remove the rear tire. Not even anywhere near tire replacement yet. I'll probably do it myself because I want to check the wheel bearings as well. And I'm a masochist.
