For a few years, and for reasons I don’t understand, I have fancied an original GL1000 Gold Wing. One has come up for sale near me, looks nice in the photos and the guy is asking sensible money. It’s an itch I’m going to need to need to scratch at some point. I’d only ride it a few times a year I expect, but I wonder what they’re like on the road. Obviously it’s no sports-bike, but does it handle like a cross channel ferry? Any tips on what they’re like to own / work on?
Anyone owned/ridden a GL1000?
- Thread starter Squonk
- Start date
I had a brief ride on one a long time ago, but I still remember it. Really smooth and quiet but getting it around a small roundabout needed real physical effort. Compared to today’s ’Wing it’s quite a stripped back minimal machine, and probably a lot lighter.
That's weird. I've always fancied one too but never found one original enough
Got to have original exhaust & spoked wheels with valanced rims for me
Got to have original exhaust & spoked wheels with valanced rims for me
This one is for sale on Facebook at the moment...
Is that a mk2 version?
Must be something about them cos they’re on my radar too. Again only for odd rides/cruises. Saw one on the Wing stand at the NEC years ago. Genuine one owner where it scared the hell out of him so he just buried at at the back of his garage after just a few rides. New owner bought it with something like 500miles on it 35 years later. He did have to refurb the chromework as that had suffered years in a damp garage. Paintwork wasn’t too bad though. Great history/story.
Would need to be pretty original for me too.
Would need to be pretty original for me too.
IIRC Honda punted them as a sports/tourer back in the day 
I too strangely hanker after one of those.
Not the one in the pic but the original GL1000. In that turquoise colour, please. I think they're real classics.
Not the one in the pic but the original GL1000. In that turquoise colour, please. I think they're real classics.
Gotta be RED……..
I came close to buying one a couple of years ago but when I went to view it it wouldn’t run! From what I recall about the research I did at the time, the carbs can be a PITA. I seem to recall them being the fastest bike when they first came out, but may be wrong.
I bought a mk2 reg 78 in 1980 and rode it until 84 when I bought the new 1200. In between the 1100 had been launched in both naked and fully loaded so I fitted the Veta fairing and some pannier and top box (in white) and had the colour match. In its time it was a sports bike when big and muscular counted. So GL1000 then Kawasaki 1300 and Honda CBX 6. Brilliant bike but heavy and took a bit of getting round the corners. Uk models didn’t have the clock pinnacle on the tank and not as high bars. I had the blue but came in red and black and a couple of other colours as sales waned when the early superbikes arrived.
Sent from my backyard
Sent from my backyard
I’d like one too. JJH
I had a brief love affair with a Candy Apple Green (Turquoise) 1975 GL1000 K0 on my return to motorcycling after the kids/mortgage balance subsided Circa 1998. Originally sold as the 'sports' version it was easy to ride and surprisingly nimble on the road. The kick start remained unused in my tenure but getting it running correctly on four linked carbs was challenging. Whilst considering a single carb conversion a friend made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and I subsequently bought an R1100GS.
Crantock Bay campsite 1983. Right guys quiz time. Was it a Rickman or Polaris or Veta fairing. I found it abandoned in a garden in original white with green mould attached. Also who made the bog standard boxes and top boxes found in every motorbike shop of the time. It came in white mainly but maybe I've seen black and light blue. In the days of generic bike shops.
Cortina not mine or the big tent with it lol.
The one for sale doesn't have spoked wheels so I think must be an American import and therefore will also have a plastic tank top cover with a big eagle / wing thing emblazoned on it leading up to the import model clock pinnacle.
Sent from my backyard
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Had a couple of GL1000’s back in the day, incredibly smooth engines, very heavy, lovely big clocks, ( I do like the old Honda analog clocks) interesting fold down dummy tank panels, I think they had a kickstart lever tucked away in them. Handled reasonably well if not pushed to hard, I’m sure Honda labelled them as a sports bike when they were introduced in around 1975. (Or was it a sports tourer?)
As stated above they carbs were fiddly to set up correctly, and if I remember they had a cam belt for each side.
IMHO the original undressed model was the best looker of the lot. Still an impressive sight when you see one in the flesh. Sensible money too. You could buy three for the price of a CBX! you’d need a damn big garage though.
As stated above they carbs were fiddly to set up correctly, and if I remember they had a cam belt for each side.
IMHO the original undressed model was the best looker of the lot. Still an impressive sight when you see one in the flesh. Sensible money too. You could buy three for the price of a CBX! you’d need a damn big garage though.
Can't identify the fairing, but I'll take a punt at Craven panniers. I've still got a pair loitering under a bench in the garage.
Had one exactly like this one back in the day.
Absolutely loved it, super smooth, the wife was constantly nodding off on the back and ultra reliable and just looked stunning. I foolishly sold it to buy a fitted kitchen for our first house after we got married.
Agreed, can't place the fairing but I'd say either Craven or more likely Rickman for the panniers.Can't identify the fairing, but I'll take a punt at Craven panniers. I've still got a pair loitering under a bench in the garage.
I think you mean Vetter. I don't recall there ever being a Veta [sic] fairing. That one looks like a Rickman to me.
Ohh and the car's not a Cortina. It's a Hillman Avenger.
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