What do you think???

[star4772]

Looking to buy this 1986 1200 SEI fuel injected Honda Goldwing, has some accessories beside what you see in the pictures. He said it is in like new condition. Looking at the pictures he had sent and the videos I think he is honest. He is asking $3500.00. 50k easy miles and nothing wrong with bike.

[Brake Pad]

I had the 84 Aspencade . 50K on it. check to the left of the mileage bar, make sure its not 150K. the gas gauge is by bars. Its fast, but not as fast as a 1st gen.

mine stopped at 237, 891.8 when I hit the deer

[Eck]

Copied from another site:...

 

 

Here are a few things to consider or look out for when buying a 1200.

 

I have listed the common areas worth checking out (based on years of feedback from other Goldwing owners) and will add to these as the need arises or more information comes in.

 

 

1. Exhausts usually rot around the area where the main silencer joins the narrow section under the panniers. The collector boxes rot under at the collar joints and the clamps usually fall apart when you try to undo the bolts. Honda OEM silencers are very expensive, but fortunately there are many good systems available at reasonable prices. Motad make a stainless system for around one-third the cost of the Honda unit.

2. Engines last for huge mileages, each reincarnation of the flat four cylinder lump has proved to be more reliable and smoother than the previous version, Honda no doubt are determined to improve the King of tourers as much as possible over the years. I know of one GL1200 that has covered over 250,000 (and many more with between 150-200,000) miles that have never needed a major overhaul during that time. A puff of grey smoke on start-up when cold usually indicates worn valve stem seals. If the smoke disappears after a few minutes then don't worry. This can happen even on low mileage engines and is more a case of age rather than mileage. The valve adjustment is hydraulic and needs no maintenance, but really high mileage units have been known to get a bit noisy and may require attention. The clunky gears are unfortunately quite normal. The pickup coils can fail and the symptoms are when the engine dies suddenly (usually when on the move) with no warning and even with the throttle open full. The coils require radiator & timing belt cover removal for access on the later models but the 1984 1200's have the coils located at the rear of the engine and the engine has to be removed for this. You can replace your alternator stator while you are at it! Starter motors can give trouble on all the four-cylinder Goldwings and what usually happens is that the starter operates fine when the engine is cold but when warm the starter turns slowly and the owner thinks his battery is going flat. What happens is that the bushes (usually the one in the starter end plate) that support the armature wear out and allow the armature coils (which expand slightly with the heat from the engine) to short off the motor housing. If you run a multi-meter from the housing to earth, sometimes you will find the housing is live! If you get the bushes sorted out sooner rather than later, you will save the expense of a new motor. The brushes mounting plate can come loose too because it is held in place with tabs and these can eventually develop play, which leads to a bad connection, overheating and sometimes the plate welds itself to the tabs! Twisting the tabs for a better connection will delay disaster in this area. None of the electrical specialists in Ireland that I know (and believe me I know plenty of them) can repair the armatures because of the way they are made.

3. Brakes are linked on this model and require a bit of work to keep them up to the job of stopping all that weight. Wings left lying up can suffer from seized calipers and will require stripping and cleaning to restore them to their previous efficiency.

4. Fork seals take a pounding from all the weight being thrown around and when replacing them, at least 20 weight fork oil is is preferred. The slider bushes are usually shot on more neglected machines when the oil has been allowed to turn to mush, so replace them too as the extra cost is quite small and may save you doing it all again.

5. Alternators are a common problem area on all of the early Wings, the GL1200 being the worst offender in this department. The connector block behind the left side cover in front of the battery suffers most because it collects all the muck from the road and needs to be cleaned and stuffed with dialectric grease regularly. The other connections involving the charging system that need checking include the connector just to the rear of the battery at the starter solenoid/main fuse connection and the one under the dummy tank to the left of the air filter which is the regulator/rectifier connector block. This one is the least likely to give trouble as it is protected from the elements, just as well too because the shelter assembly usually has to be removed for access to the connector block. The problems are compounded by owners who love to add lots of light bars and other power hungry accessories without bothering to check if they exceed the alternators capacity. The alternator itself can break down eventually on an old bike and requires engine removal to replace it. Honda never really got to grips with this problem (in spite of early recalls and uprating the alternators) and when replacing the alternator rotor, buy an aftermarket heavy duty item and dump the connector block and solder the wires together. When doing a quick check on an alternator, run a meter across the battery terminals with the engine running. Get someone to bring the revs up to about 2000 revs and if the reading is under 13 volts, prepare your self for a long weekend!

6. Swing arm bearings tend to be neglected by the time a Goldwing is on it's third or tenth owner and this can lead to some interesting and heartstopping moments when travelling at speed or on the twisties. Get this sorted asap, unless you are a lover of tight chests and pains in your left arm! Grabbing the rear wheel and pulling sideways and back and forth is not so easy with the weight of the differential, swingarm, wheel etc. in spite of what all the manuals say. Riding the bike is the real test (make sure the rear tyre has lots of meat left).

7. Steering head bearings are under a lot of stress with all the weight pushing against them and they are easily checked by slamming on the anchors at low speed. Worn bearings will make the front end clunk. Owners who neglect this area must love the hairy moments that such folly induces. Cheap to fix, so do it now and buy the chrome bits later on.

8. Rear drive can be a bit whiny on the 1200. Some earlier ones emitted a clicking sound from the rear of the bike and Honda did a recall. Some may have slipped through the net and it is worth listening out. The differential bearings can sound rough and Honda used to recommend that the diff was not serviceable and to buy a new unit. I checked the price of a new unit some years ago and almost collapsed with fright, so I stripped the diff and replaced the worn bearings (a fairly easy job) and it worked fine, not to mention saving a lot of dough. 1987 1200's were a lot quieter than previous versions. Some wheels have been known to strip the drive splines, all for the want of a little grease.

9. Plastics are generally quite robust. The trunk lid usually cracks at the corners and around the hinge mount. Plastic welding works for a while, the heavy lid usually puts paid to the weld after a few months. The panels are quite expensive and so are the stripe kits, so a cosmetically good and well looked after Goldwing with a high mileage can often work out a better buy than a low mileage one with tatty panels. It's worth noting that the "Plain Jane" unfaired GL1200 standard model (discontinued after 1985) went and stopped a lot better than it's overweight big brother.

10. Frames suffer on the GL1200 as well as the 1100, in certain areas. The side stand mounting point usually rusts away quietly from the road salt and the weight of the Wing means the beast eventually ends up on the engine guards. The main stand mounts also corrode on the GL1200 (more so than on the GL1100) and if the rear wheel is touching the ground with the bike on the main stand you are looking at problems. The swingarm housing can rot from the inside out and if it's allowed to rot away without being attended to you can probably expect some interesting effects on the bikes handling.

Electrics are something to be wary of on the LTD (1985) and Sei (1986) models. The added complications of computer controlled fuel injection can be a worry on a bike this old and electronic parts for these machines don't come cheap. This is a case where the condition of the bike is really important

[cowpuc]

I restored one a few years ago and from that experience I can tell you,,,, RUN,,,, dont just walk away fromit!!

that bike was hondas first shot at efi, was a one year model and are an abosoute nightmare to find parts for. After spending hours dealing wiring issues on the one I did I nick nanamed it THE SPACE SHUTTLE cause of the amount of wiring there was in the bikes harness..

and the sametoken though,,,, if its a sentemental thing than yea,, not a bad deal as honda actually made the non efi model during 86 too, if memory serves me right, and the efi model was a very limited production bike.. might be hard findi g another clean one....

[star4772]

Copied from another site:...

 

 

Here are a few things to consider or look out for when buying a 1200.

 

I have listed the common areas worth checking out (based on years of feedback from other Goldwing owners) and will add to these as the need arises or more information comes in.

 

 

1. Exhausts usually rot around the area where the main silencer joins the narrow section under the panniers. The collector boxes rot under at the collar joints and the clamps usually fall apart when you try to undo the bolts. Honda OEM silencers are very expensive, but fortunately there are many good systems available at reasonable prices. Motad make a stainless system for around one-third the cost of the Honda unit.

2. Engines last for huge mileages, each reincarnation of the flat four cylinder lump has proved to be more reliable and smoother than the previous version, Honda no doubt are determined to improve the King of tourers as much as possible over the years. I know of one GL1200 that has covered over 250,000 (and many more with between 150-200,000) miles that have never needed a major overhaul during that time. A puff of grey smoke on start-up when cold usually indicates worn valve stem seals. If the smoke disappears after a few minutes then don't worry. This can happen even on low mileage engines and is more a case of age rather than mileage. The valve adjustment is hydraulic and needs no maintenance, but really high mileage units have been known to get a bit noisy and may require attention. The clunky gears are unfortunately quite normal. The pickup coils can fail and the symptoms are when the engine dies suddenly (usually when on the move) with no warning and even with the throttle open full. The coils require radiator & timing belt cover removal for access on the later models but the 1984 1200's have the coils located at the rear of the engine and the engine has to be removed for this. You can replace your alternator stator while you are at it! Starter motors can give trouble on all the four-cylinder Goldwings and what usually happens is that the starter operates fine when the engine is cold but when warm the starter turns slowly and the owner thinks his battery is going flat. What happens is that the bushes (usually the one in the starter end plate) that support the armature wear out and allow the armature coils (which expand slightly with the heat from the engine) to short off the motor housing. If you run a multi-meter from the housing to earth, sometimes you will find the housing is live! If you get the bushes sorted out sooner rather than later, you will save the expense of a new motor. The brushes mounting plate can come loose too because it is held in place with tabs and these can eventually develop play, which leads to a bad connection, overheating and sometimes the plate welds itself to the tabs! Twisting the tabs for a better connection will delay disaster in this area. None of the electrical specialists in Ireland that I know (and believe me I know plenty of them) can repair the armatures because of the way they are made.

3. Brakes are linked on this model and require a bit of work to keep them up to the job of stopping all that weight. Wings left lying up can suffer from seized calipers and will require stripping and cleaning to restore them to their previous efficiency.

4. Fork seals take a pounding from all the weight being thrown around and when replacing them, at least 20 weight fork oil is is preferred. The slider bushes are usually shot on more neglected machines when the oil has been allowed to turn to mush, so replace them too as the extra cost is quite small and may save you doing it all again.

5. Alternators are a common problem area on all of the early Wings, the GL1200 being the worst offender in this department. The connector block behind the left side cover in front of the battery suffers most because it collects all the muck from the road and needs to be cleaned and stuffed with dialectric grease regularly. The other connections involving the charging system that need checking include the connector just to the rear of the battery at the starter solenoid/main fuse connection and the one under the dummy tank to the left of the air filter which is the regulator/rectifier connector block. This one is the least likely to give trouble as it is protected from the elements, just as well too because the shelter assembly usually has to be removed for access to the connector block. The problems are compounded by owners who love to add lots of light bars and other power hungry accessories without bothering to check if they exceed the alternators capacity. The alternator itself can break down eventually on an old bike and requires engine removal to replace it. Honda never really got to grips with this problem (in spite of early recalls and uprating the alternators) and when replacing the alternator rotor, buy an aftermarket heavy duty item and dump the connector block and solder the wires together. When doing a quick check on an alternator, run a meter across the battery terminals with the engine running. Get someone to bring the revs up to about 2000 revs and if the reading is under 13 volts, prepare your self for a long weekend!

6. Swing arm bearings tend to be neglected by the time a Goldwing is on it's third or tenth owner and this can lead to some interesting and heartstopping moments when travelling at speed or on the twisties. Get this sorted asap, unless you are a lover of tight chests and pains in your left arm! Grabbing the rear wheel and pulling sideways and back and forth is not so easy with the weight of the differential, swingarm, wheel etc. in spite of what all the manuals say. Riding the bike is the real test (make sure the rear tyre has lots of meat left).

7. Steering head bearings are under a lot of stress with all the weight pushing against them and they are easily checked by slamming on the anchors at low speed. Worn bearings will make the front end clunk. Owners who neglect this area must love the hairy moments that such folly induces. Cheap to fix, so do it now and buy the chrome bits later on.

8. Rear drive can be a bit whiny on the 1200. Some earlier ones emitted a clicking sound from the rear of the bike and Honda did a recall. Some may have slipped through the net and it is worth listening out. The differential bearings can sound rough and Honda used to recommend that the diff was not serviceable and to buy a new unit. I checked the price of a new unit some years ago and almost collapsed with fright, so I stripped the diff and replaced the worn bearings (a fairly easy job) and it worked fine, not to mention saving a lot of dough. 1987 1200's were a lot quieter than previous versions. Some wheels have been known to strip the drive splines, all for the want of a little grease.

9. Plastics are generally quite robust. The trunk lid usually cracks at the corners and around the hinge mount. Plastic welding works for a while, the heavy lid usually puts paid to the weld after a few months. The panels are quite expensive and so are the stripe kits, so a cosmetically good and well looked after Goldwing with a high mileage can often work out a better buy than a low mileage one with tatty panels. It's worth noting that the "Plain Jane" unfaired GL1200 standard model (discontinued after 1985) went and stopped a lot better than it's overweight big brother.

10. Frames suffer on the GL1200 as well as the 1100, in certain areas. The side stand mounting point usually rusts away quietly from the road salt and the weight of the Wing means the beast eventually ends up on the engine guards. The main stand mounts also corrode on the GL1200 (more so than on the GL1100) and if the rear wheel is touching the ground with the bike on the main stand you are looking at problems. The swingarm housing can rot from the inside out and if it's allowed to rot away without being attended to you can probably expect some interesting effects on the bikes handling.

Electrics are something to be wary of on the LTD (1985) and Sei (1986) models. The added complications of computer controlled fuel injection can be a worry on a bike this old and electronic parts for these machines don't come cheap. This is a case where the condition of the bike is really important

 

Thanks good info will be seeing it on Monday and will look over real good, I also have a line on a 2000 Kaw voyager 52,000 miles in like new condition. New tires just installed last week plus brake pads frt and rear, clutch and brake fluids flushed and replaced. This one is $4500

See pictures looks great also.

[Eck]

I have a line on a 2000 Kaw voyager 52,000 miles in like new condition. New tires just installed last week plus brake pads frt and rear, clutch and brake fluids flushed and replaced.

 

 

Known problems with 2000 Kaw Voyager:

"Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in 1999 and 2000 model Ninja ZX-7R, Concours, and Voyager XII motorcycles. On eligible units, the back torque limiter in the clutch may malfunction and allow the clutch to slip, or not re-engage after a shift. This sudden non-engagement of the clutch might cause the rider to lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in an accident and personal injury."

This notice was probably delivered to all owners for the years and models mentioned above, but anyone purchasing a used cycle should check to verify that this safety defect was corrected. Owners previously unaware of the defect should contact the nearest Kawasaki dealer for further details.

 

 

front end to shake rattle & roll

voyagers are known for this problem, especially at slow turning speeds. The forks will flex causing a wobble. The things to check are:

1. Steering Head bearing is loose?

2. 7-10 lbs air in front shocks?

3. 25 lbs air in rear shocks?

4. Tire air pressure. If you run metzler 880's 42 front 45 rear.

 

The most logical fault is the steering head bearing make sure front is off ground whenn you are checking for looseness. You can tighten the nut by using a dull chisel and hammer, but only tighten 1/4 turn at a time. A little goes a long way.

 

 

Other Faults:

50K - clutch springs wore out, friction disks were still within spec, but slipping on up-shifts, replaced disks and heavier springs.

30K fork seals leaking (nicks and dings on front of fork tubes - use fork tube protection).

15K, 35K, 54K steering stem bearings loose not replaced, just tightened.

 

 

 

General Comments:

Fourth touring bike owned, most fun, least "surprises" - unexpected breakdowns. Went from 3-5k/year (6 months/year) to 10K/year, 11 months of riding (when no-snow in NY).

Strong bulletproof engine, lots of power for a tourer loaded down with kitchen sinks: radio, cassette, CB, bags and trunk, and "barn door" windscreen.

Handling is old style, high COG, but does well with a stiff frame.

 

 

 

It has been reported that several have had problems with the Voyager XII water temperature gauge reading either low or not at all. It has been traced to an inadequate ground. The fix for this involves checking the grounding for this gauge. You can make a small ground wire to run from a thermostat housing (which contains the temperature sender) bolt up to a 6mm bolt in the frame just behind the steering head, or another good grounding point.

 

broken speaker mounts

 

 

Problem: The battery seems to discharge over about a 2 to 3 week period just sitting in the garage until it won't start the motorcycle. "It seemed OK when I first parked it, but a few weeks later, it wouldn't turn the bike over".

Solution: On the Voyagers, there is a constant drain on the battery even when sitting idle, this is because the memory in the radio, clock, and if so equipped, the CB take a little electric to maintain their settings. Even if your battery is fully charged when you park your bike for a extended idle time without riding much, the battery can easily become discharged enough to not start your machine in a couple or so weeks. This is normal. This constant discharge and then charging when you do ride your bike can cause sulfation of the battery plates, and eventually or prematurely your battery will die. To best combat this sulfation of the battery plates and keep your machine ready to ride, you should invest in a "smart" battery charger. The two most well known brands are the Battery Tender and the Battery Minder, although there are other brands manufactured. You can simply hook up the usually provided ring terminal battery cables to your bikes battery, and when you park your bike for any amount of time, just plug it in to the battery charger. You can leave the charger connected indefinitely until you are ready to ride again, then just disconnect the polarized connector, and you'll have a fully charged battery ready to go. The charger goes to maintenance or standby mode until the battery needs a charge to keep in top condition. This reduces drastically the sulfation problem, and you always have a fully charged battery ready to ride.

[calperin]

On another words, since everybody is telling in different way:

 

DON'T INSIST ANY MORE...

 

Go Back to the VENTURE...

[Barrycuda]

I have a line on a 2000 Kaw voyager 52,000 miles in like new condition. New tires just installed last week plus brake pads frt and rear, clutch and brake fluids flushed and replaced.

 

 

Known problems with 2000 Kaw Voyager:

"Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in 1999 and 2000 model Ninja ZX-7R, Concours, and Voyager XII motorcycles. On eligible units, the back torque limiter in the clutch may malfunction and allow the clutch to slip, or not re-engage after a shift. This sudden non-engagement of the clutch might cause the rider to lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in an accident and personal injury."

This notice was probably delivered to all owners for the years and models mentioned above, but anyone purchasing a used cycle should check to verify that this safety defect was corrected. Owners previously unaware of the defect should contact the nearest Kawasaki dealer for further details.

 

 

front end to shake rattle & roll

voyagers are known for this problem, especially at slow turning speeds. The forks will flex causing a wobble. The things to check are:

1. Steering Head bearing is loose?

2. 7-10 lbs air in front shocks?

3. 25 lbs air in rear shocks?

4. Tire air pressure. If you run metzler 880's 42 front 45 rear.

 

The most logical fault is the steering head bearing make sure front is off ground whenn you are checking for looseness. You can tighten the nut by using a dull chisel and hammer, but only tighten 1/4 turn at a time. A little goes a long way.

 

 

Other Faults:

50K - clutch springs wore out, friction disks were still within spec, but slipping on up-shifts, replaced disks and heavier springs.

30K fork seals leaking (nicks and dings on front of fork tubes - use fork tube protection).

15K, 35K, 54K steering stem bearings loose not replaced, just tightened.

 

 

 

General Comments:

Fourth touring bike owned, most fun, least "surprises" - unexpected breakdowns. Went from 3-5k/year (6 months/year) to 10K/year, 11 months of riding (when no-snow in NY).

Strong bulletproof engine, lots of power for a tourer loaded down with kitchen sinks: radio, cassette, CB, bags and trunk, and "barn door" windscreen.

Handling is old style, high COG, but does well with a stiff frame.

 

 

 

It has been reported that several have had problems with the Voyager XII water temperature gauge reading either low or not at all. It has been traced to an inadequate ground. The fix for this involves checking the grounding for this gauge. You can make a small ground wire to run from a thermostat housing (which contains the temperature sender) bolt up to a 6mm bolt in the frame just behind the steering head, or another good grounding point.

 

broken speaker mounts

 

 

Problem: The battery seems to discharge over about a 2 to 3 week period just sitting in the garage until it won't start the motorcycle. "It seemed OK when I first parked it, but a few weeks later, it wouldn't turn the bike over".

Solution: On the Voyagers, there is a constant drain on the battery even when sitting idle, this is because the memory in the radio, clock, and if so equipped, the CB take a little electric to maintain their settings. Even if your battery is fully charged when you park your bike for a extended idle time without riding much, the battery can easily become discharged enough to not start your machine in a couple or so weeks. This is normal. This constant discharge and then charging when you do ride your bike can cause sulfation of the battery plates, and eventually or prematurely your battery will die. To best combat this sulfation of the battery plates and keep your machine ready to ride, you should invest in a "smart" battery charger. The two most well known brands are the Battery Tender and the Battery Minder, although there are other brands manufactured. You can simply hook up the usually provided ring terminal battery cables to your bikes battery, and when you park your bike for any amount of time, just plug it in to the battery charger. You can leave the charger connected indefinitely until you are ready to ride again, then just disconnect the polarized connector, and you'll have a fully charged battery ready to go. The charger goes to maintenance or standby mode until the battery needs a charge to keep in top condition. This reduces drastically the sulfation problem, and you always have a fully charged battery ready to ride.

 

 

Jeepers creepers Eck, that's a mouthful and a half. Have any in depth severe tips tricks and pearls of Wisdom regarding my 2008 GW ABS ?? I love to hear it...

PS: excellent post BTW