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Feb 20 Knoble Moto

Winter continues and we are tearing into the Honda Goldwing GL1000. It was parked because it started excessively consuming fuel for an unknown reason. Like all projects, initially it was only going to be parked for a short period of time, and it ended up sitting in storage at Skidmark Garage for a few years. This bike belongs to Brian who owns Skidmark Garage, and recently he tasked me with getting this bike back on the road. 

First, we used the bike as a subject for the December Motorcycle Maintenance 101 Class where we changed the oil, sparkplugs, and inspected the brakes. We did not find any metal shavings in the oil, so hopefully there was no major damage to the internal components. Two of the spark plugs looked good, but two were fairly carboned up, so that means those cylinders were probably running rich. 

After the class I pulled the carburetors off this bike, and I can testify that the Goldwing carb removal process is as difficult as legend has said. The trick seemed to be to remove the top of the front right carb to get it to clear the frame. Even then the process took a lot of wiggling and adjusting, but in the end, I got them out. Victory! I am pretty sure that I can improve the process of reassembly by splitting the intake manifold in half and reassembling the intake inside the bike with allen screws, instead of phillips head screws. Stay tuned. 

I systematically began dissembling the carbs and inspected each piece. I found some dirt had accumulated in the carb float bowls. This can cause a float to stick and pour excessive gas into the intake of the engine while it is running or parked. Also, the 40+ year old intake gaskets were not making a good seal. A pin hole here and there may not show up as an obvious red flag, but it can make the bike run lean, and do all kinds of crazy things the prevent a quality AF mix. When I split the carbs, I discovered that there was a small tube inside the passage for the accelerator pump, that normally restricts the flow to the carbs on one side. For some reason the end of the tube was melted and bent over. My best guess is that this was either some hillbilly tune, or someone had heated part of these carbs up to get a screw out. This blockage would not cause excessive fuel consumption, but it makes tuning these carbs a nightmare. 

Once I started the replacement part search, I discovered that these carbs are off an early 80’s GL1100, not the GL1000. I scanned the forums and asked on a few Facebook groups as to when one would do this, and I could not get a straight answer. Apparently, some feel it gives more low-end power, because the carbs have 1mm smaller bore, and some feel the carbs are easier to tune. Either way, it’s what we got, so it’s what we are putting back on. 

As of the publishing due date, I have not received the parts yet, so check back next month and see how the progress is going. Also, keep an eye on my social media posts for updates on this vintage ride. 

Next Motorcycle Maintenance 101 Class is March 5th, and we have a Customization Class Sponsored by Lowbrow Customs, on February 20th. At the customization class we will be installing some handlebars, grips and mirrors that Lowbrow donated to us for a sportster. Sign up on the website www.knoblemoto.com

Knoble Moto is a partner of Skidmark Garage. We teach classes for the DIY crowd, on all aspects of motorcycle repair. Entry level maintenance, valve adjustments, carburetor cleaning and tuning, drive line service, suspensions, and even engine work. Our class subjects are updated regularly, so check back often. If there is a subject you do not see covered, shoot me an email at knoblemoto@gmail.com Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/knoblemoto, Instagram Knoble_Moto and www.KnobleMoto.com

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