1988 Honda GL1500 Gold Wing Restoration

Years of sport bikes, sport-touring bikes, a dual-purpose bike and now a touring bike. When I first started riding back in 1985 on a brand new Suzuki GS550E, I would have NEVER imagined myself owning a full touring rig. And actually looking forward to working on it and riding it! But here I am.

For the past three seasons, I have been a sidecar rider. It was a way to do something else in motorcycling as not everyone even thinks about a sidecar rig. After putting one on my Yamaha FZ-1, I sold that bike to get a proper machine to handle a rig. That would be my mothers dusty 1983 Honda CB1000C. This ended up being a great rig for sidecar operation but it was also a lot of work. A 200 mile day on that machine had my arms dragging on the ground from hustling that thing around all day. We wanted to ride two-up, and I wanted a radio. We need a touring bike!


My 1983 Honda CB1000C with California Companion sidecar.

I settled on a Honda GL1500 since I couldn't really afford a new GL1800 and I would have access to many years worth of used 1500's to choose from. What I found is that the GL1500 holds it value very well. Even machines with over 100K miles would still fetch over $6000.00. Since I had no intention to spend that much, I had thought it was all over until I remembered that one of my Michelin customers had a dusty 1500 tucked away in the back of his shop. I called him up to see if it was still there and it was. A visit out to see it and we struck a deal. It was all there, everything worked, but it was weathered. The odometer showed 38,586 miles and it was a one owner machine. However, this owner was a meathead. The bike spent its last two years in his hands parked outside. In New England weather. It's a credit to a fine Honda design that it still works as well as it does.

EVERYTHING works. Radio, cruise control, lights, compressor, reverse, everything. We shake hands and a few weeks later, I hand him $4500.00 in cash and he hands me the keys. He walks me through how everything works and I hit the road. After 110 miles, I'm in my driveway. Tired but smiling!


It's home! Now its time to really see what I bought!

The next morning, I drag it out in the rain for these photo's. The paint is OK, but shows weathering in a few spots. The dash is faded, the speaker grills rusty. The speakers and radio work fine and sound very good. The rims need to be pulled off - they'll be getting new Michelin's anyway - and cleaned with a brush. They are very pitted. I'm missing a right side passenger compartment cover, but that's really it. Everything is here. The brakes work well, the bike handles fine, it tracks straight on the highway and doesn't wobble, bobble, or weave. The motor is very smooth and revs cleanly. The transmission shifts nicely and all the gears work fine. Reverse works, too. What it really needs is a BATH! The bike will be disassembled, cleaned lubricated, with new fluids, filters, pads, battery the rule for this project. Time for some TLC.

I'm still up in the air with Yosemite Sam as a mud flap. You do have to love the classics, but I really don't know if it fits here. Maybe! One thing that will be done to this bike is the de-chroming process. The previous owner installed all sorts of bars and stick-on chrome junk that just looks horrible and is falling off or rusting. This promises to be a job of compromise since he drilled holes to mount this stuff, too.



Here's some more detailed shots. It needs some elbow grease, but underneath is a very good motorcycle.

I need to get an Owners Manual and a Service Manual. The bike also did not come with a took kit so I need to know what special tools this machine needs that may be in that kit. I am blessed in that I picked a bike with HUGE aftermarket support so finding most of the stuff I need does not mean paying OEM prices for it. The windshield needs to be replaced, the chrome piece above the headlight is weathered and faded and the other chrome bits he added that must be replaced since he drilled I can still get. The Dunlop Elite 2's on it now are OK, but will be replaced with Michelin Pilot GT's. All fluids will be replaced with Motorex. The battery is the wrong one, and will be replaced with the correct one.

Check back often. The fun is just beginning!

If you have any questions or comments, please mail Dave.