Proud Pictures-My "New" (87) Venture, and Addiction

[jonsmyth]

Hello All,

1st, thanks to those who have helped in my search and evaluation posts. I promised some pix of the "New" bike, sop here they are. It is a 1987 model, 89K miles, ridden but apparently not abused. I looked at several low miles bikes but they had been sitting too long with issues.

This bike feels like a well worn glove. It starts easy, runs great. I do have a warped rear brake disk which makes the brake pulse.

The plastics are cracked, but I got this bike so cheap- $2200- that I felt I could live with some cosmetic issues. The original tape player works, and I have been listening to Who's "Quadrophenia" for days now. The radio works, but the digital window is not illuminated. The bike came with a bag that has the headset com units, but I have not tried it. The CLASS semms to work, but the toggle between front and rear is slow and a little flaky. Pressure seems to hold when it finally sets.

 

The trunks are clean with no cracks.

Wow, this engine / tranny chips. You'd think they would have called it the "Freebird" or something. I'm glad I didn't buy the Gold Wing- Those big heads sticking out really warmed up my boots and got in my way of shifting/ braking. This Yammer is much better!

There is some surface rust on screw heads, etc., but it comes off with my thumbnail. Can anyone tell me a good polish? Also, in the one picture is the handlebar. The finish is bad. Time to get out the grinder? Steel wool and clear epoxy? Suggestions on technique?

Hey- what is that hole for in the left console for?

The CB does not work, so I bet the com unit doesn't either. Oh well.

I need a good "sticky" new front tire. I don't care if it costs more, I want to corner this hog.

Gas mileage seems real bad- 30 mpg. i didn't buy it for economy, but will I have to go real slow and shift at 2k rpm to get the 45 mpg that others claim?

So many questions. I'll try to find answers within, but some things on my searches are coming up blank.

[mini-muffin]

ya got a nice looking blonde there. Hope you have many happy and safe miles with her. Oh and as for your addiction it's only just begun. Plus we can help out real easily with spending money on her.

 

Margaret

[Pegasus1300]

Com unit and CB are seperate entities so one will not necessarily effect the other. I am going by memory here but I think the com unit has seperate volume that is around another volume unit.It's been awhile since I used mine so will have to check.The whole in the left console is for the rider headset cable to pass thru.This should be coming up from the amplifier underneath.

Tires: Avons seem to work great on the 1st gen I ran nothing else for 20 years and could corner to the pegs.

Gas mileage:30 is very low tho I never did get better the 40 under normal type driving.Run some Sea Foam thru the gas tank or some Berryman's.I like it better and it is cheaper.You may want to do several tanks.Remove the carb tops and take out the diaphragms and hold them to the light and see if you have pin holes in them.There are directions in the tech pages for this.

 

Plastic cracks:This is ABS plastic so go to the hardware store and get some ABS glue and put it on the backside of the cracks.If you can, find some scape ABS plastic and glue it on the backside as a re enforcement.If you can find someone who does it and want to spend the money go to a body shop that does plastic welding and have them welded.

 

Class units:they all suffer from old/cold soldering joins.look with a magnifying glass and see the cracks then touch them with a pencil type soldering iron.

 

My 87 is also a Goldie and I love it.It is my 3rd 1st gen.I have over 250k on various 1st gens and the only thing that makes them vulnerable is the age of the plastic.The rest of the bike is still up with modern bikes for sale today for thousands more.Enjoy

[LilBeaver]

Lookin' Good!

 

 

Keep 'er shiny side up!

[Snaggletooth]

You want a sticky tire? Go Avon Venom X! Had mine for 2 seasons now and going strong. Great rain tire and holds well on all roads. Quiet to!

 

What is it with the blondes around here lately?

[Wizard765]

The blonde looks good. The hole in the left console in some cases has the drivers headset wire coming up through it with a rubber grommet filling in the rest of the hole. Some of us including me have installed a cigaret lighter type power outlet in that hole because it is a perfect fit. I got mine from a marine outlet and it is water tight as well as resistant to rust. You are gonna love this bike.

 

Wayne

[84xj1100]

Put the steel wool away.........DO NOT USE steel wool.....according to a fellow rider and paint expert the worst possible thing you can use to clean up aluminim is steel wool. She tells me that small pieces of the steel wool embed themselves into aluminum and start to rust. There are cleaners out there that will dissolve the coating on the bars but I just go with good old fashion sandpaper for metal starting with a course grit and moving up to say 2000 grit.

 

As far as a polish the best I've used is called autosol. A very similar product is produced by mothers. If you are really ambitious you could remove the bars and use buffing wheels and various grits of paste.

 

Plse don't use the steel wool.......

[Venturous Randy]

This also works on your engine cases and front forks.

Get some paint remover and spread it on the clear coat. After it breaks it down, rinse it off. This way you still have the same finish that was originally clear coated and it should not need sanding. If you are going to sand on it, do not use any course sandpaper. 400 to 600 grit should be plenty rough enough to start with.

I have an electric motor with a buffing wheel on it that I use a polishing compound on a stick. It will take off the clear coat without sanding.

Once you have it polished, what I use is an aluminum polish in a can ocassionally and it keeps it shiney. Some people will use clear coat again, but I never have. I polished my handle bar arms and they look like chrome, much shiner than new. A few seconds with a soft cloth and aluminum polish and they look great.

Randy

[84xj1100]

Randya,

 

You're so right.........I suppose I should have been far more specific . When you use 2000 grit sandpaper, 400 - 600 grit seems course to me (if you know what I mean). Yes, paste on a buffing wheel is also what I was trying to say .

 

I'm with ya on leavin the clear coat off though:banana:.....I've never put it back on.

[Pegasus1300]

If you need to remove whats left of finish there are strippers that will do a great job and not add to the work you have to do to refinish the bars.Go to Lowes or Home Depot and they will help you find the least caustic remover.I have done this many times on the fork legs as I love them to be as shiny as possible.The aluminum is very good quality and shines up well. Look in the tool section and and you will find everything you need to shine it up.You will need 3 wheels and 3 pastes. A cutting paste, a polishing paste and a finishing paste. Do not mix them on buffing wheels.Drill mounted wheels work just fine and are pretty cheap.Have fun and good luck.