Monthly Newsletter
GoldwingDocs sends out a newsletter on the first day of each month to all of our members via email. This newsletter contains the announcement of the previous months' contest winner as well as details on the current month's contest. In addition, it includes news, reviews, information about new additions to the site, and other relevant information.
GoldwingDocs.com December 2013 Newsletter
Has GWRRA Lost Its Way? It's not the first time this topic has been mentioned, but probably the first time it's been mentioned so outright. Some people love GWRRA, some people don't care, but it seems like there's more and more people who have been long-time members, and are not too thrilled with the direction they are going. Shake-ups in management, drastic Wing World editorial changes, the death of the online forum, and a vast increase in ad content in Wing World are just a few of the complaints. A few people have mentioned their thoughts, but I thought a public, anonymous poll might be a better way to judge the public sentiment towards the association created for Gold Wing motorcycle owners. You'll need to make sure you're logged in to select your poll options. Also please take the time to add your comments if you see fit. In any case, take a few minutes to answer our poll: Has GWRRA Lost Its Way? Finally - a New Server! I would like to apologize to everyone who has been inconvenienced over the past few months with a site that has not been quite as snappy and responsive as it should have been. I completed a project that was six weeks in the planning and execution on the weekend of November 23rd: moving the site to brand new server hardware. The old server running the site was over five years old, and was severely undersized and underpowered for what this site has become. The new server is many times faster, with many times more memory and disk space, and barring more sudden unexpected growth, should be able to serve our needs for years to come. Thanks to everyone who has seen small issues here and there and reported them. I think the vast majority of snags have been dealt with and things should be clear sailing from here on in. Heated Grips or Heated Gloves? It's certainly the right time of year for this discussion! User liquineer is looking at options for keeping his fingers from freezing, and wants to know your experiences with heated grips vs heated gloves. If you have either (or both) and would like to help him decide what would be the best option for him, have a look at the topic and offer your thoughts: Heated Grips or Heated Gloves? GL1500 Shift Shaft Stabilizer Pivot Back in April, user peppilepew mentioned that he was working on developing an aftermarket modification to fix the poorly-designed shifter on the GL1500: GL1500 shift shaft stabilizer mod. He's put a ton of work into developing this product, and he's now got it on the market. Read on below as we cover it in the product review section and How To section. I haven't seen a single product generate so much excitement amongst the members in a long time! If you have a GL1500, you probably have the problem that this product fixes without even knowing it! I'd recommend you check out the details later on in this message.
As we enter the holiday season, I want to once again mention my appreciation and thanks for all the people who make this site what it is. Without you, this site is really just a bunch of information posted - the people and personalities are really what makes it tick. Thank you! Until next month, stay safe and keep the shiny side up! |
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Looking to buy a new (to you) bike, or parts and accessories? We've optimized our Classified Ads page to streamline its operation, and ensure the results are fast and accurate. There are thousands of Goldwing and Goldwing-related ads, from all over the world. If you're looking for a new bike, or maybe parts for your old bike, check us out first! |
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Featured This Month on GoldwingDocs.com: | ||
The Mystery of Electricity Part 2 Last month I wrote a primer about electricity for people who who view electronics and electrical systems as a giant mystery, a vast unknown spiderweb of wires that they are afraid to even touch, let alone contemplate fixing. And with the comparitively large, complex electrical systems on our bikes, that's a large system that they have no knowledge of whatsoever. So I wrote an article for those people who would like to get their hands wet. You can read it here: Electricity 101 This article was received incredibly well, I couldn't believe the number of positive comments I got from people who really appreciated what I wrote. I had a number of requests for more articles in this series, and I am only happy enough to comply. So this month I present Part 2: Using Multimeters I was somewhat taken aback at this - using electrical multimeters seems second nature to me, yet a lot of people apparently have no clue how to use them properly. So I have written a small piece on how they are used, and then gave some examples of utilizing them for basic troubleshooting in our motorcycles. |
GL1500 Shifter Brace I mentioned earlier in the newsletter about peppilepew's GL1500 shifter brace. I normally wouldn't get all that excited about a brace that just helps hold your shifter steady, until I got to hold the very first production unit in my hands. This fine part, CNC machined from a solid aluminum billet, is of extremely high quality, and excellent design. I thought I would try it out on my bike to see how it fit. Little did I know that my GL1500 was in extreme need of this item, and installing the brace solidified my shifter, making it absolutely perfect with zero free play of any kind. I couldn't recommend it more, whether your GL1500 already has a shifter issue, or if it hasn't developed one yet. Have a read through the review I wrote on it: GL1500 Shifter Brace as well as the How-To instructions I wrote on installing it: How to install the GL1500 Shifter Brace Once you've decided you need one, and I'm sure you will, you'll be glad to know that the proceeds from the sale of this item are going towards putting peppilepew's daughter through school. |
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Goldwing GPS Input Device The Goldwing GPS Audio Input Device continues to be far and away the most popular product we have ever offered, and the tons of positive feedback we continue to receive really makes us happy that we're making something that people really like - and use. What is the GPS Audio Input Device? It's an American-made plug-and-play device that lets you hear the audio output of your GPS, cell phone or radar detector over your GL1500 or GL1800 intercom - so that you can hear the spoken instructions from your GPS or cell phone in your headset. It's a simple plug-and-play device that can be installed in minutes, and does not permanently modify any bike wiring. It's been receiving rave reviews - check it out today! Do you already have one of our GPS Input Devices? We've had quite a few people who want to buy a GPS with audio output that they know will work with the GPS Input Device. Take a couple minutes to help out your fellow Goldwingers by posting your GPS make and model on this forum thread. GPS manufacturers don't commonly specify audio output jacks as features, so it can be hard to decide which model of GPS to buy, unless you know beforehand what you're looking for. |
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7 Volt Regulator If you have a GL1000, GL1100 or GL1200 Standard Goldwing with mechanical (not electronic LCD) temperature and fuel gauges, you've had this problem. Or...you will. It's only a matter of time. You'll start noticing that your temperature and fuel gauges are reading off the scale - the temperature is in the red, and the fuel shows full. The only thing is, the bike isn't overheating, and you know you've only got a quarter tank left. Or...even worse: your bike is operating normally, and suddenly your temperature and fuel gauges just turn off, and look like the picture to the right. How much fuel have you got left? You'll have to guess! What's causing it? A faulty, worn-out 7 volt voltage regulator. Behind the fuel and temperature gauges is a special voltage regulator that turns your motorcycle's normal 12 volts into the 7 volts on which these two gauges run. When it starts to fail, it typically starts doing so intermittently. Left in a failed state, it can cause damage - allowing a full 12 volts into your temperature and fuel gauges, destroying the delicate coils inside! That gets expensive, requiring the replacement of the entire center gauge cluster! What's the solution? For almost five years, we've been manufacturing a modern, solid-state 7 volt regulator to fix this problem once and for all. Hundreds and hundreds of Goldwing owners all over the world now have operating fuel and temperature gauges thanks to our 7 volt regulator. If you've got this problem - or you know someone who does - check out our 7 Volt Regulator and get it fixed! |
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Product Reviews A review of the GL1500 Shifter Brace - an excellent high quality aftermarket device that fixes the sloppy shifter problem inherent in all GL1500's. Definitely recommended! A great testimonial in favor of EdSets motorcycle headsets - as well as their customer service. It's nice to know a manufacturer stands behind their product this way. What would you do if your trailer had a flat tire? We review the Springfield Marine Trailer Jack - a simple, light way to lift your trailer in order to change a flat. For those who like a bit of color on their ride, we review the SuperbrightLEDs.com Motorcycle Engine Lighting Strip Kit - not just for engines! New, powerful, high-quality inexpensive auxiliary driving lights get the thumbs-up in this review: SuperbrightLEDs.com Driving Lights |
Pictures? We Love Pictures! Do you have pictures of your bike you want to share? Of course you do! And we want to see them! We have one of the largest collection of Goldwing-themed images on the Internet, with over 7,100 images, and it grows every day. Visit the Member Picture Gallery, view some of the great pictures, and add yours to the collection! The newest pictures uploaded each day are compiled into a single page, and if you like, you can have these pictures sent to your inbox waiting to greet you every morning. Check it out: Image Update Email |
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Regular GoldwingDocs.com Features: | ||
How To Articles Want to do some of your own maintenance but scared to take your bike apart? You're going to like this: We have tons of world-reknowned How-To Articles articles - the largest collection of Goldwing How-To Articles on the Internet! Even if you think you might not be capable of working on your bike yourself, our illustrated, step-by-step instructions make it easy - even for the beginner. Check them out today! We've added lots of new ones, and more are being added all the time. - How to install the GL1500 Shifter Brace - How to replace your GL1500 shifter oil seal - Poorboy alternator conversion on GL1200 - Improving spark plug performance - How to replace your dash lights with LEDs - How to rebuild your front forks - How to prevent cross-threading fasteners GoldwingDocs Classifieds Looking for a deal on a Goldwing, parts or accessories? Have you checked out our Goldwing Classifieds section? We have literally thousands of Goldwings and Goldwing-related accessories listed, primarily by private sellers from around the world, updated twice a day. If you're looking for a new-to-you bike, or something to add to your existing Goldwing, you should check us out first! GoldwingDocs Message Forum If you haven't visited our Goldwing Message Forum lately, you owe it to yourself to check it out. With tens of thousands of messages posted by thousands of helpful and friendly people, you can just about guarantee that you will find the information you're looking for, or find an interesting topic to chat about. Stop by and just say hello, we'd love to hear from you! GoldwingDocs Vendor Database The GoldwingDocs Vendor Database is a great place to search for sellers of Goldwings, parts and accessories. Not only do we have a huge, user-maintained database of vendors, but each of those vendors is rated in several categories, with written reviews from other Goldwing owners. Both traditional bricks-and-mortar vendors and Internet vendors are represented. If you want to check up on the reputation of an online vendor, or simply look for a Goldwing-friendly shop nearby, the GoldwingDocs Vendor Database has got what you need! GoldwingDocs Member Pictures The GoldwingDocs Member Picture Area has over 7,100 pictures, all uploaded by GoldwingDocs members. There's nothing that Goldwing owners love more than to show off their bikes - so take a few minutes and upload a few pictures of your pride and joy, to share with the world! You can search through all of the existing pictures, or just browse to your heart's content! |
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