Thanks for the responses. Some good ideas there. I do need new glasses soon. Never thought of bringing my helmet with me. I like the idea of straight side bows for helmet use, but I am also spend time on boats... Afraid of them sliding off when looking over the side into the water. Present glasses h...

I'm no chemist either. But I was comfortable using fuel rated hose. I would avoid vacuum hose or water/drain/vent type hose.

I have a full face Bell helmet. And I wear glasses. It's a pain in the butt to pull the helmet on, and then fish the eyeglass bows in thru the front and find my ears. The snug fit of the padding prevents the bows from easily sliding in. There are gaps or seams in the padding, but they don't line up ...

I'm 78, been away from riding for a long time. But now I'm into my second season on a '80 Gl1100. I know what you're saying about a big bike. But I'm way more comfortable on it now. I no longer panic in traffic. Slow speed operation is the challenge, but confidence comes with practice. Go to an empt...

Basically the timing is non adjustable. What is your intentions? Are you just trying to get it to run correctly, or are you trying to get some performance gain by modifying it? The timing is set by having the belts correctly installed. And is slightly advanced by the advance mechanism, assuming that...

Use a sharpie pen and mark tdc on the crankshaft pulley so you can easily note position and movement while working on the belts. It's awkward to keep having to peek down the hole in the back to see the T1 mark..

Patience, my friend. Take a deep breath. It sounds like you have found, and followed, info here about the procedure. So it's just a little detail about proper execution. So how far does it shift when you release the clamps? If it is "off" by less than 1/2 tooth, it's OK. If you shifted it one tooth ...

Some general rules for metallic objects. Touch or hold continuously = less than 105 deg F. (but you might call it hot) Touch but you'll pull back within 5-10 secs = 130 deg. Touch and you'll flinch back almost immediately = 150 deg. Your coolant runs at 180 - 200, and parts of the engine are hotter ...

I assume the spring is off the idler pulley. Compare against the other side. The springs help keep some tension on the belt while installing it, and verifying timing. Once the belt is aligned and the idler bracket is tightened, the spring no longer does anything. Not likely it came off by itself unl...

The grooves have to be clean, and the seals well seated, but it sounds like you did that. It takes a bit of pressure, with fluid for lube. If you are just using hand pressure, you might need a bit of mechanical assistance, c-clamp, leverage. But don't overdo it. If it is really tight, something else...

I rebuilt my own stock carbs on a '80 GL1100 that had been stored about 15 yrs. No serious problems, and a huge success! It will take some time to be detailed oriented and patient as there are many, many very small orfices and passages. Get some chemicals, air compressor, and an assortment of fine w...

Did you bench synch the carbs before you reinstalled them. I'm referring to the carb-to-carb adjusting screws. One or more carbs may have their butterfly off the "closed" position, even while the main throttle control is off. You will have trouble doing a vacuum gauge synch with the idle at 3500 rpm.

I know this is an old thread, but it seems like the right place for my comments and questions. Got new Dunlop 404's, doing the labor myself. Used 2x4 levered under the trailer hitch on my SUV, along with various other wood blocks to break the beads. Plan to use CounterAct beads, and 90 deg metal val...

Welcome to the forum Airbak. I was reviewing this old thread to refresh my memory since I am replacing my tires on my '80 this weekend. Saw your post of last week. These DIY articles are very helpful, but they don't always get a quick reply. The spacer should come out without much force. Probably ol...

Expanding the questions. I've decided on the Dunlop D404's. Valve stems... I want 45 or 90 deg metal. Can't confirm hole size (want to get all parts before I tear it apart) Some sites show lot of models, but description does NOT specify diameter. Is my 1980 a 11mm, 11.3 mm, .453" (11.5mm) or what?? ...

Lots of posts about tires, most of them several years old. Some Mfr's no longer make the size for the rear. Size 110/90-19 (F), 130/90-17 (R). Dunlop D404 are available, reasonable pricing. What about Shinko 230, or Bridgestone? Want to avoid center groove treads due to poor tracking on bridges / gr...

+1 ^^^ Fouled plug. This is a very common problem on older 2-strokes, which were notorious for fouled plugs. Just lifting the plug cap and resting lightly on the plug would get us home with minimum inconvenience. Swap plugs. Even if it's new.

Glad you are making progress Kevin.
Remember you helped me out last year with a carb problem (shaft linkage). Happy to be of help in return.

A big spill is not normal. Oil can get sprayed internally into the area where the starter motor snout goes into the engine, so a few drops might be normal. Is the bike overfilled with oil ?? Is the bike level on its center stand ?? Does the bike lean left more than normal angle on its side stand ?? ...

Slow cranking is often from trouble in the power wiring / components like battery, starter motor and heavy cables & connections. But, turning the bars full left would not affect any of that. So, I'm guessing the slow cranking is due to loss of ignition. With no help whatsoever from the plugs, it cra...

Congratulations on the progress. There is a discharge valve of similar construction. Try to clean that on in place with solvent and air (not too much air.) You were able to heat the body to extract the intake valve, but locally heating the pot metal cast carb body with propane torch is a risky proce...

Did that all the time back in the day. It was faster, more convenient on the old kick-start bikes. But they were smaller than a Wing. We'd just take a couple strides along side the bike, hop on, pop the clutch and we'd be at 30 mph in an instant. But at my age, and the weight of the Wing... amen on ...

Should take only a few "squirts" to get accel pump gas into the #3 carb. A few more to fill the lengthy passages to the other carbs. Problem is probably clogged passages or valves. There are 2 check valves (inflow & outflow) in the #3 carb accel pump that easily clog on long dormant carbs. But there...

Finding a local contact to check it out is the best idea. I am in Minnesota, but 3-1/2 hrs away from Duluth... and it's still winter here. But winter is considered a "buyer's market" due to the weather. I looked a the ad... not much info, pictures aren't recent. I'd want a LOT more info re: history ...

We all hate the sight glass. Bike has to be on center stand (difficult for me), or propped upright. Have to get down low, often dirty, greasy, wet floor. Flashlight helps. Can't tell "low or empty" from "over full". On a fresh fill, I pour a little, then check, and repeat. I need to see the oil leve...