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 July 2018 Newsletter
So Many New Friends In 1962, Honda launched a major US marketing campaign aimed at selling more Honda 50's. The slogan was "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" - the idea being that Honda owners came from every walk of life, unlike the "bad boy" motorcycle gang rider image that had propagated throughout the 1950's. It worked, and this marketing campaign was such a massive success that it is still studied today by marketing students worldwide. The thing is, it's still true today - you DO meet the nicest people on a Honda. The GoldwingDocs site is proof of this: unlike other forums where fighting and arguments reign supreme, our site is filled with friendly, helpful people, from all walks of life. It's the same when it comes to our Goldwing meet-ups like the GoldwingDocs Gathering happening this September: the people, from all walks of life, are universally friendly and just happy to be there, sharing their common interests. With that in mind, I noticed a small phenomenon recently on the site: a rising number of users who had been members for a long time - sometimes years - yet were posting their very first message on the forum, looking for help or advice. We have over 90,000(!) registered users on our site. If you've never said hello before, I would encourage you to take a minute or two and introduce yourself. Let us know who you are, what you do, what motorcycle you have. I promise, you'll find a welcoming, friendly group of people! Click right here: First Time Posters, Say Hello! 2018 GoldwingDocs Gathering And speaking of the GoldwingDocs Gathering, the second annual Gathering is drawing ever closer. This year's gathering is from September 13 to 16, in the southern Ohio/northern West Virginia area. Some of the best motorcycling roads in the world are in this area, and with any luck we will be blessed with fantastic weather like we were last year. The Hampton Inn in north Parkersburg is our central gathering spot, with free hot breakfast, a pool, close access to I-77 and many restaurants, and we should have a campground set up shortly for those who choose to camp. Hotel rooms at our special rate are going quickly, so I'd suggest booking soon. If you have questions, suggestions, or to read details on this year's Gathering, check out these message threads: Second Annual GoldwingDocs Gathering Details - Sep 13-16, 2018 Second Annual GoldwingDocs Gathering Hotel Information Everyone Hates Tires It's one of my least favorite things to do: replace tires. You spend a bunch of money, do a bunch of work, and the end result: Your bike (or car) works pretty much exactly as it did before. Tires are a wear item, and they need regular replacement, due to wear, or from age (5 years from manufacture is the normally accepted lifespan for a motorcycle tire). GoldwingDocs member Stew had a harrowing experience recently on his 2000 GL1500. Riding down the freeway at 60 mph, the back end of the bike suddenly became squirrely. He managed to get to the shoulder and come to a stop safely, and sure enough, his rear tire had gone flat. The GL1500 has a built in air compressor, which in theory could be used to air up a flat tire, but you first need to fix what is letting the air out. This could be a temporary roadside fix with something like a Dynaplug kit. But to air up that tire, you might be left stranded if all you have is your bike's compressor. Find out what happened to Stew after his freeway flat, and what you might want to start to do to prevent the same problems: Rear tire went flat at 60 mph Going to the Darkside Using a tire intended for automobiles on a motorcycle is known in colloquial terms as "going to the darkside." Proponents of the Darkside point to huge gains in mileage and traction, while opponents worry about compatibility with motorcycle rims. I knew that this year I was going to have to put a new set of tires on my GL1500. There has been so much talk about darksiding on the site for so long, that I felt I needed to give it a try, if for nothing else to be able to speak to the practice from direct personal experience. I purchased what is probably the most popular GL1500 "darksider" tire: the Austone Taxi Tire. Things went immediately downhill: I called up my friend, the one with the professional pneumatic tire changing machine he lets me use...only to find that he had just sold it! With no other options, I knew I was going to be mounting these tires manually myself. I had seen a new mounting procedure that made mounting tires on rims much easier, and decided to give it a try, and to document it for others. Did it work? You bet it did! You can check it out here: A new method of demounting and remounting tires on rims As for the tire itself? My initial experiences with it mirror what most others have discovered: the amount of traction is astounding, while the handling in corners is odd - not worse (in fact it seems to stick better in corners), but something you definitely have to get used to. However, getting 30,000 miles or more from a tire instead of 8,000 is definitely appealing - particularly considering how much I detest taking the back end of my bike completely apart in order to change the rear tire! You can read my experiences with it here: I'm feeling dark...new Austone Taxi Tire Other recent conversations on the same topic: Darkside, Rear Car Tire Mounting Question Best Darkside Tire Choice for GL1500C/Valkyrie Tire Balancing Beads Originally a bit of a novelty, tire balancing beads are now pretty much mainstream when it comes to motorcycles. They keep the tire in perfect balance throughout the life of the tire, eliminate shimmy, cut down on cupping, and provide a much smoother feeling ride than old lead stick-on weights. We first reviewed Dyna Beads back in 2010, when many people were somewhat skeptical that little ceramic beads rolling around inside your tire could do all of this. I've personally been using the beads since 2007. The last time I replaced my tires, I tried using Counteract balancing beads (a competitor to Dyna Beads), so that I could compare the performance of the two products. The main difference between the two products is that Dyna Beads are ceramic, while Counteract beads are made of hardened glass. Apart from that, you'd be hard pressed to tell the two apart. I assumed they would work pretty much the same. After now having worn out a set of tires with Counteract beads inside them, I can tell you that there are several important differences - one of which is the longevity of the tires! Yes, my tires actually lasted quite a bit longer with one of the two bead products inside them. There were pros and cons to each product, but in the end, there was a clear winner. For a full comparison review of the two products, check out: Dyna Beads vs Counteract Balancing Beads A couple more recent topics on beads: Can beads put a tire out of balance? More Reviews! We've got lots of new reviews on the site this month in addition to the bead comparison mentioned above. The product review section has become one of the most popular and most read sections on the site. We encourage all users to post reviews of motorcycle-related products that they have purchased! Some of the reviews that have appeared recently on the site: Dyna Beads vs Counteract Balancing Beads But Now...the Best Product Ever! But...there's a review that I just posted this month about a product that I am more excited about than any other motorcycle product I've purchased in a long time. Back in 2014, I discovered a cheap set of 100% UV blocking sunglasses that fit comfortably inside your helmet, were impact resistant, had excellent optical quality, and were not polarized (important for looking through a helmet faceshield). And when I say cheap, I mean REALLY cheap - like $2.49 cheap. You can read about those sunglasses here. But that's not what I'm excited about. This month I found a product that ELIMINATES the need to wear sunglasses on my motorcycle ever again, even on the brightest days. No more fumbling sunglasses on and off, no more fingerprints, no more scratches, all of that is gone. You can use it even if you already wear glasses. I can't tell you how thrilled I am with this new product. And it's relatively inexpensive! Read my full review here! Self-Levelling Projector Headlight Speaking of new and innovative products, here's one that is so new that it's still in the prototype stage. It is an aftermarket LED headlight bulb that fits in place of your old halogen bulb. But it has a couple of important differences. First off, it's a projector light, so instead of using your headlight's reflector to focus the light (which does not work correctly with non-halogen bulbs), it projects an exact pattern of light so as to light up the road without blinding oncoming drivers. But secondly, and most importantly, it is self-leveling. It moves. So when you lean over in a turn, instead of one side of your headlight illuminating the ditch and the other side blinding oncoming drivers, the inside of it swivels, so that it stays completely level, lighting up the road in front as if you were straight and level. It is in the late prototype stage, and is being funded through a Kickstarter campaign. There will be various types available - including types that fit directly into our Goldwings! Read more about this fascinating new product: H4 Self-Levelling Headlight projector beam bulbs How to Ruin your Radio Knobs When I got my GL1500, it had horrible chrome knobs on the radio that blinded me whenever the sun was shining. I ordered a replacement set of OEM knobs from Honda and tossed the chrome knobs in the garbage. So the knobs on my radio are much newer than the bike. I was doing some work on my bike a few weeks ago with a product that I have used for many years. This product doesn't affect ABS at all - and all the plastic on our bikes is made of ABS. Except for the radio knobs, as I have discovered. And whatever that plastic is that our radio knobs are made from, is instantly and irreversably stained when this product touches them. As a result...I now once again am sporting brand new radio knobs, to replace the horribly stained ones you see in the picture here. Find out what ths innocuous product is, and how you can prevent it from happening to your bike: Time for new radio knobs I Need More Lights! Member chads920 thinks he needs more lights up front on his Champion trike, to make him more visible on the road at night. He is thinking of a yellow LED type of fog light to help light the bike up. He asked for the opinions of our users, and boy did they have some! If there's something that Goldwing owners like to do, it's put more lights on our bikes. With the advent of inexpensive LED lights that draw little to no power, it makes it much easier to add custom lighting to our bikes without the power issues faced in years past. Our helpful members had quite a few ideas for him, things that have worked for them, things that didn't work - and more importantly, they were able to tell him what sort of lights had more effect in making the inattentive drivers of today notice them more readily. The typical driver is programmed to see two headlights and register "vehicle" in their brain. When they see only one, they typically don't think of it as a vehicle. We need something to jog their brains and realize that yes, we are there and they need to think about what they are doing. Read what our members had to say, as well as find out the one lighting device that everyone reports works better than anything else at being noticed in traffic: Additional Lights - Need to be Seen Lifting your Trike for Maintenance and Inspection Trikes are big. They are heavy. And they can be awkward to lift. Granted, you don't have to worry about a thousand pound trike tipping over and falling on you while you work on it. But typical motorcycle lifts have a problem lifting trikes: they aren't big enough, and most of them don't have sufficient lifting capacity to lift the trike. So what do you do when you need to lift your trike to work on it? Not all of us have a fabulous recessed HandyLift in their garage floor, like GoldwingDocs member dadztoy has as shown here! Member chads920 has a Champion trike, and he's been considering actually digging a service pit in his garage that he can ride his trike overtop of, so that he can work on it from underneath. He posted a question asking how other trike owners lift their bikes up so that they can inspect and work on them. The ingenuity of our users continues to amaze me. Member terryt in the UK aswered, showing how he built his own hydraulic lift that can lift his trike two feet in the air, yet the trike parks over top of it when not in use. If you have a trike and are facing this same problem, or perhaps are interested with some of the ideas others have come up with, check out this topic: What do you use to lift your trike for service and inspection? What to Look For in a GL1000? GoldwingDocs member DWade1990 is looking at his second Goldwing. He bought and restored a 1983 GL1100 a year and a half ago, but is looking at purchasing a 1976 GL1000 with similar plans in mind. The problem is, there are lots of guides of "what to look for and look out for" when it comes to the newer Wings. Not so much when it comes to the GL1000's. Some of it is going to depend on what you're looking for. If you are looking to restore the bike to show perfection with matching numbers and original everything, then your requirements are going to be considerably different than if you simply want a fun, reliable bike to ride. Another problem with GL1000's is that they have been around for quite a long time - and that means a long time for previous owners to have done dastardly and inexplicable things to them. So what sorts of failures and problems do GL1000 owners see today? What advice would you give DWade1990? Or perhaps you're thinking of buying a GL1000 yourself, and have similar questions? Check out the topic: GL1000: What to look for when buying Look Over your Windshield or Through? New GoldwingDocs member Ken Scourse is new to touring bikes, and has been told that you shouldn't look through the windshield, but instead over it. There are opinions and reasons why you might go with either choice. Looking through the windshield helps shield you from bugs and road debris, and it's definitely a help in colder weather. Looking over the windshield allows you to see better when it rains or fogs over, and helps keep you cool in the summer. It's interesting how many of our members are also on the fence on this topic. Are there safety issues? Or is that an overblown risk? Welcome Ken to the GoldwingDocs forum, and have a read through what our members had to say about windshields: Do you look through? New HTTPS on the Site Some sharp-eyed users might have noticed thie shift this past week of the site from http to https. What used to be http://goldwingdocs.com is now https://goldwingdocs.com. This means that all of the information between our server and your web browser is now fully encrypted, including passwords, postings and personal information. You don't need to make any changes, everything updates automatically. This was actually quite a large undertaking, as there were a LOT of places throughout the site that linked to the old http version. There may still be the odd bug here and there - if you do see something that looks like it isn't quite working right, please let us know: HTTPS Enabled on site Hundreds of Goldwing Parts for Sale The huge number of used (mostly GL1500 and GL1800) parts that I bought a couple of years ago continue to be added to the site for sale. I split my time between photographing and adding new products, and filling the orders that people place. There are still literally hundreds (probably thousands - I haven't even opened all of the boxes yet) more parts that have yet to be added to the site, and I'm working my way through them as I can. So if you are looking for some parts for your Goldwing, check back regularly to see what's been added. You can see the store here: GoldwingDocs New and Used Goldwing Parts Replacement G8MS-H30 Relays for GL1500's Goldwings, particularly GL1500's and GL1800's, are filled to the brim with relays. These electromagnetically-actuated switches are used to switch all kinds of circuits, from headlights to radios to even the starter. However, they are a mechanical device, and after some time they will fail. If one of the many relays in your GL1500 has failed, or if you'd like to have a few on hand to carry around just in case one does (to avoid being stranded!) - and you'd like to take advantage of our quantity purchase, now is the time to buy them for less than half the retail price you'll pay from Honda. Check out our GL1500 relay store page: G8MS-H30 Relays Of course, we still have our other products as well: GL1000/GL1100/GL1200 7 volt regulators, and our ever-popular GL1500/GL1800 GPS Input Devices.
Stay cool in this brutal heat! See you next month... |
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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. Also check out our New and Used Goldwing Parts Store! If you're looking for a new bike, or Julybe parts for your old bike, check us out first! |
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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 (including F6B) 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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Replacement Goldwing GL1500 G8MS-H30 Relay The Goldwing GL1500 G8MS-H30 Relay is a relay used for quite a few different functions in the GL1500. The GL1500 is filled with relays - there is a box full of them, next to the fuse box! These relays are mechanical devices, and have a limited life. When they do fail, critical systems can be affected, leaving you stranded! It's always a good idea to carry one or two spare relays with you. We have these high-quality relays in stock, at less than half the price that you can buy the equivalent OEM relay from Honda! |
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Brand New 7 Volt Regulator for Four Cylinder Wings 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 thkat 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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Newest Product Reviews Which wins out? Dyna Beads vs Counteract Balancing Beads Goodbye sunglasses! Pinlock Sun-Reactive Sunshield Perfect to carry with you: Wingstuff Half Cover Keep those drinks cold: Mini-Fridge A great tiny little backpack: Nelson-Rigg Backpack The new Goldwing: 2018 GL1800 Ride Report A fantastic history book: "Gold Wing - The first 20 years" book Honda should have thought of that! Goldwing Trunk Dividers Shine that bike: Top Coat F11 A new, strong lift: Big Blue Motorcycle Lift Mind-bending: The Windbender Windshield A clear view in tight spaces: Apeman Endoscopic Camera Loosen seized or damaged screws: Vessel JIS Impact Screwdriver Prevent and retrieve lost fasteners: Magnetic Finger Glove A cheap tool for your swingarm maintenance: FR-6 Swingarm Tool |
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 11,900 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. - A new method of demounting and remounting tires on rims - Welding Plastic for ABS Repairs - Converting GL1200 cornering lights to high-output LED for only $22 - How to convert GL1500 side marker lights to LED strips - How to Remove the GL1800 (2001-2017) fairing - Installing a New Starter on a 1975 GL1000 - Beating the 80 MPH Limit of the GL1500's Cruise Control - Changing the Cruise Control Set Points On 1988 to 1992 GL1500 - Home-made Pulley for GL1200 external Alternator - 1985 GL1200 Regulator/Rectifier Testing - GL1500 Radio cover Latch replacement/Repair - GL1500 In-Dash Voltmeter ver 2.0 - Installing an Electric Fuel Pump on a GL1000 - 1983 GL1100 Motor Removal - Video - 1985 GL1200 LTD PB Sensor Replacement - GL1200 Aftermarket Voltmeter Install - 1985 LTD Fuel Pump Replacement - How to strip and rebuild your air compressor - Homemade iPhone controlled garage door opener - J&M Elite 787 Headset Review - and Installation How To - How to replace your GL1500 Battery - How to rebuild your GL1500 front fork anti-dive unit - How to make your own fork cap spring removal tool - How to make your own steering yoke bottom bearing pulling tool 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! And don't forget to check the GoldwingDocs New and Used Goldwing Parts Store, where you will find hundreds of parts and accessories for your bike! GoldwingDocs Message Forum If you haven't visited our Goldwing Message Forum lately, you owe it to yourself to check it out. With hundreds of thousands of messages posted by tens of 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 11,900 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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