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 2021 Newsletter
Going Over to the Darkside (with video) I have thought about doing a video on this topic for a while now. Darksiding is the practice of using a car tire on a motorcycle rather than a motorcycle-specific tire. I knew I would have to present it fairly, addressing both the pros and cons. I also knew that this topic is a divisive one, and generates arguments akin to the "oil wars" on forums. But...I had no idea. I created a video after doing a LOT of research, demonstrating the tires in use and to give as many facts as I possibly could. This video very quickly became the #1 most viewed YouTube video ever published by GoldwingDocs, and also generated more comments than any other video! If you're interested in what all the fuss is about, perhaps are wondering why people put car tires on their motorcycles, or what the benefits (and risks!) might be, you can see the video for yourself: Darksiding: Car Tires on your Motorcycle (VIDEO) One of the oldest (and most active) topics on the forum is actually also on this topic. Over a decade of posts with an incredible amount of information and direct experiences are contained inside this post in our Reference section: Darkside Tech: Car Tires on a Motorcycle Rim Lastly, we also have a companion topic in our Reference section to help you sort through the options: Darkside List: Which Tires Fit Which Model Goldwing? Never Say Die! Of course, then we have the story of member PedroTQ in Australia. He wanted to put a car tire on his GL1500, and the DOT rejected it, because the bead on the tire was not the same as the wheel. Most people would admit defeat at that point. But not PedroTQ! He got to work, cutting apart his GL1500's rear wheel, welding in support panels, and grafting an automotive rim onto his new Frankenwheel. Of course, it was now too wide, so the swingarm and shocks needed to be modified. But that meant no room for the saddlebag and compressor, so they had to move. That meant no room for the fuse box, so that had to move. And so on... He very graciously took pictures of the entire project and shared them with us. If you would like to have a look through PedroTQ's amazing transformative project, check out: Car Tire on a Car Wheel on a GL1500! Last-Minute Goldwing Gifts Last month we featured our annual 2021 Product Review Spectacular where we feature our list of motorcycle-related gifts for the holiday season. In previous years, we had just a list of products and a short write-up of each one - but this year, we included a video demonstrating each of them. Shortly after that went out, I realized that I had completely forgotten to add an item I had intended to include - seriously, this is probably the best motorcycle-related gift ever: Best Gift Idea Ever - that I forgot! I then had several people remind me of some items that I had talked about but did not include in this year's list. So...I created an addendum list which you can browse though. Have some ideas of great motorcycle gifts yourself? Add them to our list! Great Last-Minute Gift Ideas! Details on the 2022 Goldwing December normally means Honda uncorks the details on the changes for the upcoming model year Goldwings, and this year is no different. They have settled into a regular pattern, and this year is no different: a year where there are significant changes, followed by incremental changes and then...no changes except new paint colors becoming available. It would appear that Honda has addressed most of the concerns of early GL1800 owners, and the 2022 model Goldwing holds no real surprises: 2022 Goldwing Specifications Released Staying Warm with Heated Gear (with video) With the cold weather upon us (there's snow on the ground outside as I write this), many riders are venturing out into frigid temperatures and need to stay warm. That's where heated gear really excels: rather than bulky layers that need to be stripped off and put on with temperature changes, heated gear can keep you warm and comfortable down to freezing temperatures. In this video, we talk about the role and use of heated gear, then review a pair of inexpensive heated gloves from BORLENI: Stay Warm! Selecting and Using the Best Heated Gear - and BORLENI Heated Gloves Review FREE Heated Gloves! Yes, you read that right, you can get these heated gloves from BORLENI, the exact gloves reviewed in our YouTube video review, for free! How? By entering our monthly contest! It's absolutely free to enter, and every post you write in the forum gets you another free contest entry. PLEASE NOTE: The winner will receive THESE gloves that were featured in the review, which are size XL (however they do run small, so they are about a typical Large). If you do not wear this size glove, please don't enter this month's contest! You can check to see if this is the correct size for you by looking at the sizing chart on the vendor's Amazon page GL1500 LCD Upgrade When you look down at the LCD display on your GL1500, are you amazed at the 1980's-era technology you see, and how well it's held up to current standards? Of course not. So a Goldwing owner in France decided to do something about it. He designed and is now building replacement LCD panels for GL1500's. As you can see here, with an embedded GPS receiver and other sensors, this new plug-in display shows speed, temperature, humidity, direction, gear position, engine temperature, fuel level, volts, amps and much more! Approximately 50 units have been installed into various GL1500's, and GoldwingDocs member in2it has now installed one into his GL1500. Find out more information, check out the features and download the installation/owners manual from our site for more information: Upgrading my GL1500 LCD Fixing a Torn Seat Member zeoran has a problem in that his OEM seat has torn apart right at the seam, as shown here in the picture. Most seat tears can be patched, either with leather or vinyl patch kits, and in the case of vinyl seats, sometimes the repairs can be almost invisible. But when the tear involves the seam as this one does, where the structural integrity of the seat cover itself is compromised along the stitching that is intended to hold it together, is there any way to repair it? What are the options? Our members had lots of suggestions for zeoran, some inexpensive, some not so inexpensive. Do you have a tear in your seat, and are wondering about your options? Check out: Torn Seat Repair I Dropped My Engine! Here's a problem you don't hear about all that often: Member joecoolsuncle was working on his GL1200's engine. The engine was removed from the bike and supported by a motorcycle jack, when it toppled over and fell onto the concrete floor! It landed on one of the timing belt sprockets and then tipped over and fell onto the ground. Now as a result, it appears there is some runout on that sprocket, and he is rightfully worried about the health of his engine and timing belts as a result. Find out what our members had to say, and what he did to get his bike up and running again: I Dropped My Engine on the Ground! Improve Rear Visibility with Lights Member zzotto21 experienced something that happens far too often these days: An inattentive driver almost rear-ended him while he was sitting at the lights. This is the main reason I normally stop at stoplights with my bike pointed towards an escape route, bike in gear and clutch pulled in, then watch my mirrors! He is hoping for a suggestion for some kind of blinking of flashing lights for his bike that will help increase rearward visibility. Every bit helps! Our members had several suggestions for him. If you're thinking of doing the same thing for your bike, check out: Improve Rear Visibility with Lights Fixing Windshield Scratches in Sun Member skeldog has a problem in that his windshield has so many tiny scratches in it that it is almost opaque when riding into the sun. He came to GoldwingDocs looking for ideas as to how to polish them out and make his windshield clear again. Our members came up with some products and techniques to help make sure your windshield stays swirl free: Fixing Swirled Windshields This is far from the first time this topic has come up - similar threads have cropped up in the past, such as Polishing My Windshield, Lightly Scratched Windshield and How to Polish My Windshield Have a read through our topics for ideas on keeping your windshield in top shape! Toothpicks Fix Engine Surging? Member zzotto21 has a problem with his 1994 GL1500: the engine repeatedly surged when he was sitting at idle. In his words, he "sounded like he was one of those Harley guys, repeatedly revving the throttle at stoplights." He had heard that you could "fix" this problem with toothpicks, so he tried the fix - and believe it or not, it actually worked! However...as our experts quickly pointed out, this "fix" was actually just a bandaid, covering up the actual cause of the problem that will in fact eventually return. Check out the "fix" and the actual cause behind the surging: Surging Carbs - Fixed With Toothpicks? Brakes Won't Bleed GoldwingDocs kotkinjs1 is "at his wit's end" with attempting to bleed the brakes on his motorcycle. After rebuilding the master cylinder and rear caliper, he bleeds the brakes using his Mityvac, and everything looks like it is working like it should. However as soon as he tries to pump up the brakes with the rear pedal, the bleed nipple cap blows off and brake fluid squirts out. He knows he must be doing something wrong - but can't figure out what it is, or how to fix it. This is an interesting problem that we will start to see more and more often on older bikes. Find out the cause, and how to fix it: First time bleeding brakes - at wit's end Rebuilding GL1000 Carbs Member micalocus541wo was recently given a 1979 GL1000, but the carbs need a bit of attention. He decided to pull them off and rebuild them. The problem is, every time he orders a carb rebuild kit, the needles that come with the kit are a different size! Or so he thinks... He's wondering if he's ordering the wrong thing, or if there is some way of making the mis-sized parts fit? Our experts quickly sort him out and get him on his way with his carb rebuild project. Are you thinking about rebuilding your carbs? Check out the problems he encountered and what our members suggested: Rebuilding GL1000 Carbs Getting to the GL1800 Battery Sometimes things that should be quite easy to do seem a lot more difficult...until you know the secret. Member novatz was having difficulty getting to the battery in his GL1800, and had started disasssembling things to get to it - the passenger footrest, the seat and more - yet the access panel was still not coming off. He posted on GoldwingDocs looking for help, and of course that's what he got. Our resident GL1800 experts explained exactly what needed to be done in order to get the battery access panel off, and what's more, what NOT to do! If you haven't had the battery/fuse panel off before on your GL1800, in the dark at the side of the road is not the first time to try. Check out: Can't Get to GL1800 Battery 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 product as well: GL1000/GL1100/GL1200 7 volt regulators. We are now sold out of our discontinued GPS Inputs, however there are a few still available from other vendors.
Stay warm, see you out there! Don't forget to check out the GoldwingDocs YouTube Channel! 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 Decemberbe parts for your old bike, check us out first! |
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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 Stay Warm: BORLENI Heated Gloves What gear are you in? GFYSHIP Gear Indicator for GL1800 Keep Thieves at Bay: MoniMoto 7 Alarm/GPS Tracker A boost on the road: Portable Rechargeable Air Compressor Be Prepared with a MyMedic First Aid Kit A super wide-angle review mirror! The Handy Motorcycle Lift Table SAM 1200 works great! Fabulous Resolution: The new Innovv K2 Dual Camera System Review Hook up your trailer: Trailer Wiring Harness and Adapter Start it up: Hulkman Alpha A85S Jump Starter Unboxing and In-Depth Review (VIDEO) Back it up: Reverse Lights for your Wing Shine on: Cerakote and Vapor Blasting Replacement fuel hose: 5mm Cloth Braided Fuel Hose Strap your cargo - a video review of Rokstraps Stay visible: a review of the Feniex T3 Flasher A video on: Rivco Air Horns Shine on: The Last Coat Ceramic Coating Tool Porn: Knipex Adjustable Wrench Our very own GoldwingDocs 7-Volt Regulator gets a review! Tie down your bike with Canyon Dancer Handlebar Cup Tiedowns |
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. - How to renew the vacuum lines on the auto cruise valve to the accumulator - How to Remove, Rebuild and Reinstall your Clutch Slave Cylinder (VIDEO) - How to make your gloves work with touchscreens (VIDEO) - How to Quickly Clear Clogged Carburetor Jet Nozzles - How to mount a GPS RAM mount to your GL1500 - Installing GL1500 Braided Front Brake Lines - How to Add LEDs to a GL1800 Radio and Handlegrips - How to Add LEDs to a GL1800 Navigation Panel - GL1500 Rear Brake Master Cylinder Out in 30 Minutes, Easy - How to Open a GL1500 Trunk with a Jammed Latch - GL1200 MPH to KM/H Quick Fix - How To Install an Electric Solenoid Fuel Shutoff Valve - How To Install a Fused Power Distribution Block - How to Fasten Cargo to your Bike (with VIDEO) - GL1000 Custom 3D Printed Cockpit - Torque Wrenches: How to use them, when, and why! (with VIDEO) - How to remove the GL1500 lenses from light housing - How to Restore old hard rubber parts - Cleaning up GL1500 Turn Switches - How to Make Your Own GL1500 Digital Gear Indicator - Adding Aftermarket CB Radio to GL1200 - How to Replace GL1500 Relays (with VIDEO) - How to Solve your Intermittent Engine Not Starting - How to fix broken plastic bodywork (with VIDEO) - Installing 4 Inch Replacement Front Speakers in GL1500 - How to replace discontinued GL1000 Carb Intake Boots with GL1500 parts 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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