Where to start 85 GL1200

[8bitopa]

Hey ya'll. Just picked up an 85 1200 with CFI. Never had a goldwing or any bike with this much going on. Always been a v-twin guy, with a recent royal enfield parallel twin added to the garage.

Bike runs. I've ridden it about 70 miles since Sunday when I picked it up. I want to start looking a things I really should do to it, but not sure where to start on this beast.

Known issues I really want to correct ASAP: speedometer and coolant temp gauge. The dash works in these spots. Tach works fine, fuel gauge works fine. Dash lights seem to all be ok.

All of the chrome has at least some corrosion on it. I'm not too worried about that right this second. No rust on the frame that I've seen. She throws a little smoke off the left side at first startup from cold. It goes away relatively quickly but I know that isn't the healthiest.

If you had to list some absolute musts to look at or do right away, what would they be on this bike? I don't know true mileage since the speedo and odo aren't working right now.

Cheers!

oh, I found a parts list on this forum that was created in 2011. Is there an updated one? Lots of the links go to unavailable parts.

[Rambozo]

First thing is timing belts!
The smoke is normal if left on the side stand. Not a big deal.

[8bitopa]

Timing belts it is then! I got a couple comments on a YouTube video about timing belts so I’m assuming it’s pretty serious. Guess with 2, having 1 go out could be catastrophic.

Thanks for the clarification on the smoke. I almost wondered if it was alright since gravity.

[Andy Cote]

Welcome to the forum. Where are you from? We like pictures.

Purchase a Service Manual. Hardcopy, digital or both. Honda preferred but Clymer if that's all you find. If it's fuel injected, there is a supplement that you need as well. Also read everything on the How-To articles and Manuals tabs above.

https://www.helminc.com/helm/product2.a ... itemtype=N

https://www.helminc.com/helm/product2.a ... itemtype=N

Yes, timing belts. Change coolant while you're there. Of course oil and filter, hydraulic brake fluid and clutch fluid. Air filter. Tires and potentially other rubber parts.

Regarding your speedometer, this bike has a digital dash display, Aspencade? If not an Aspencade I would check the speedometer cable first. If Aspencade, there is a way to check output from the electric speedometer drive at the front wheel.

Check that your charging system is currently working. Search this site for: stator, poorboy alternator, dreaded three yellow wires.

[8bitopa]

Thanks Andy. I tried to post a picture in member galleries but it said something was disabled so I didn’t fool with it much after. I’m in Tampa, FL.

It is an Aspencade. Probably should’ve been specific on that when I made the original post. Shop manual is high on my list as well as al fluids. I watched a couple of the videos in the how to section last night. The cooling flush one most importantly.

About the clutch fluid: I noticed yesterday it has the same type reservoir as the brake fluid and even has the same cap on it that indicates dot4 fluid. Is that what these clutches use for hydraulic fluid?

I have an oil filter on the way from K&N. Didn’t look too long but it seems the air filters are a little less available out there.

[8bitopa]

Couple photos from yesterday.

[Andy Cote]

About the clutch fluid: I noticed yesterday it has the same type reservoir as the brake fluid and even has the same cap on it that indicates dot4 fluid. Is that what these clutches use for hydraulic fluid?

Yes.

Try the Classified tab above and you may find a used service manual.

Nice looking bike.

[julimike54]

The picture you provided is labeled Limited Edition on the saddle bag, if this is the case you have a Gl1200 LTD. The LTD has three manuals you'll probably need, before all said and done. The mechanical Honda Service Manual, the Electrical Service Manual and last the Supplemental Manual for the fuel injected aspect of your ride. Besides fluids, consider all the rubber bits are probably original and have decayed in its life, might not be a failure yet but its old rubber. Check the vacuum, radiator and fuel lines, consider the brake lines also. They may look ok but may becoming brittle and could crop up as a failure when you don't want one.

[Rednaxs60]

The picture you provided is labeled Limited Edition on the saddle bag, if this is the case you have a Gl1200 LTD. The LTD has three manuals you'll probably need, before all said and done. The mechanical Honda Service Manual, the Electrical Service Manual and last the Supplemental Manual for the fuel injected aspect of your ride. Besides fluids, consider all the rubber bits are probably original and have decayed in its life, might not be a failure yet but its old rubber. Check the vacuum, radiator and fuel lines, consider the brake lines also. They may look ok but may becoming brittle and could crop up as a failure when you don't want one.

Mike beat me too the manual issue. Without these, you will ask a lot of questions and get varying answers depending on a persons experience/expertise. These are a first thing issue, timing belts are a peace of mind regardless of when these were done.

This is not an Aspencade as has been mentioned. The '86 Special Edition - Injected model is an Aspencade, but not the '85 Limited Edition. The '85 Limited Edition was Honda's third generation fuel injected motorcycle, the first two being the 1982 CX500 Turbo, and the 1983 CX650 Turbo.

Become familiar with what is on the bike. The dash/travel computer and ECU are interconnected. The travel computer is needed to change dash parameters, and such. It has inputs from the CFI system that affects the fuel management system. The dash provides inputs for the trip management system.

You mention speedometer issues. What is the problem, no reading? The LTD uses a signal from the speed sensor assembly on the front wheel. It connects under the shelter. I would remove this, take the front wheel off, check the speedometer gear box assembly - still available from Honda if required, make sure it is working good. If the speed sensor assembly is not working, you can use a 2002 VT750 speed sensor assembly. Only issue is the connector is the same as the one on the wiring harness so you have to make a jumper between the two or change the connector on the speed sensor assembly to suit. Wiring is the same colour scheme.

For the coolant temp, check the connections on the thermostat housing. Unfortunately these are under the air chamber and not easily accessible.

The brake lines degrade from the inside out, get soft. Upgrade of brake lines is always a good thing.

Brakes all round. Take the calipers off, clean and new dust/oil seals. Clutch slave cylinder rebuild as well. Lots of crud accumulates over the years depending on fluid maintenance. If the clutch/front brake MCs show signs of lack of fluid maintenance, a cleaning (minimum) and possible rebuild wouldn't hurt.

Vacuum lines if showing signs of cracking and such.

RPM should be 1000 +/- 100. To adjust this, there is a screw in the middle back of the air chamber. Do not adjust the screw under the right side CFI cover unless you are going to do a left/right cylinder bank balance with vacuum gauges. You cannot balance the cylinders on the same side like a carb model.

1200 stators have a bad rep. Check the stator connection as it comes out of the engine. If it is in reasonable condition, no signs of heat stress, take apart, a very good cleaning and reconnect. The main issue is crud/dirt build up over the years causing heat buildup.

Check the connections at the RR for the same. Make sure the RR connectors - 2 in number, are very clean.

As you do maintenance, you may want to do a connector cleaning regime. Making sure the connectors are clean as if from the factory will pay dividends in the long run.

Been refurbishing my '85 Limited Edition for the past 6 years - retirement project. C-19 project was a complete paint job and engine rebuild. Have a few accessories and modifications done as well.

Good luck with your new ride. Enjoy!

Cheers

[8bitopa]

Thanks to all so far.

Rednaxs, thanks for the list of considerations and priorities. The speedo: it reads 0 99.9% of the time. When I start moving from stop, or as I'm approaching full stop, the speedo display will bounce around from 4-18mph erratically. Any faster than that range, and it's just flat 0 on the dash.

BTW The trunk badging says Aspencade while the saddlebags say limited edition. It's possible someone threw on an Aspencade badge, unless they put those on them for a lack of other badges.

I'm certain I will have more questions as I dive into the recommended maintenance. Some of these parts sound foreign to me already. I'm sure I'll get familiar with what's what as I get into it. I'm not a mechanic by trade, but I tend to figure things out with some nudging.

[Rednaxs60]

It's not an Aspencade, someone added the emblem.

The speedo fault can be a couple of items. Check the speed gear box assembly. Have to take the front wheel off, good time to service the front brake calipers. If it looks good and you can turn the inside components, next to check is the speed sensor assembly. If the speed sensor assembly appears to be good, wouldn't hurt to replace with new, onto the dash. I had an issue with the odometer not working. Bought a second hand Aspencade dash to use the odometer from it, swapped out, no change. Bought an '85 Limited Edition dash, installed and all works good. Thinking there is something wrong with the motherboard. Did the same troubleshooting I am recommending. Speedo gear box was good, no change. Swapped out speedo sensor assembly, no change - left it in, works well with the new dash. Only issue left was the dash and it has to be for the '85 Limited Edition, thinking the '86 SE-i dash will work as well.

Good luck

[8bitopa]

For the coolant temp, check the connections on the thermostat housing. Unfortunately these are under the air chamber and not easily accessible.

Brakes all round. Take the calipers off, clean and new dust/oil seals. Clutch slave cylinder rebuild as well. Lots of crud accumulates over the years depending on fluid maintenance. If the clutch/front brake MCs show signs of lack of fluid maintenance, a cleaning (minimum) and possible rebuild wouldn't hurt.

Check the connections at the RR for the same. Make sure the RR connectors - 2 in number, are very clean.

As you do maintenance, you may want to do a connector cleaning regime. Making sure the connectors are clean as if from the factory will pay dividends in the long run.

Changed the timing belts yesterday. I was disappointed at the quantity of cut wires I found stashed in the left pocket on the dash. ONe of the previous owners put a new stereo on the bike and clearly cut a lot of wires to make it happen. No idea where they go. Hell, one of them has a green light bulb at the end of it like it's supposed to be in the dash somewhere.

Anyway, that wasn't the point of this response. Wanted to touch on these points specifically to look for guidance.

Where do I look for caliper seals? Never rebuilt one but I'll learn it one way or another.

What is RR?

Definitely needs a connector cleaning all around. Everything under the seat looks likes 36 year old dust.

[Rednaxs60]

RR - regulator/rectifier

Dust and piston seals are available from Honda. The rear and front left calipers (think it's the front left) are the same size seals. The right front is smaller than the other two. It will be self explanatory.

Piston seal - inner seal - 45209-MA7-006 Qty 4
Piston seal - inner seal - 45209-GE2-006 Qty 2

Dust seal - outer seal - 45109-GE2-006 Qty 2
Dust seal - outer seal - 45109-MA7-006 Qty 4

Recommend new sealing/crush washers on the brake lines. To pull the pistons think I mentioned to go to Harbor Freight and get a caliper piston remover. If this tool won't work initially, use a channel lock and keep these as close as possible to the outer edge of the piston, and minimize any scoring. The first 1/4 inch of the piston showing can sustain a nick or two.

[8bitopa]

Thanks for the quick thorough response.

[8bitopa]

RR - regulator/rectifier

Dust and piston seals are available from Honda. The rear and front left calipers (think it's the front left) are the same size seals. The right front is smaller than the other two. It will be self explanatory.

Piston seal - inner seal - 45209-MA7-006 Qty 4
Piston seal - inner seal - 45209-GE2-006 Qty 2

Dust seal - outer seal - 45109-GE2-006 Qty 2
Dust seal - outer seal - 45109-MA7-006 Qty 4

Recommend new sealing/crush washers on the brake lines. To pull the pistons think I mentioned to go to Harbor Freight and get a caliper piston remover. If this tool won't work initially, use a channel lock and keep these as close as possible to the outer edge of the piston, and minimize any scoring. The first 1/4 inch of the piston showing can sustain a nick or two.

Was thinking about this as I was getting ready to order these seals. I'm counting 12 seals above. Are these calipers not all 2 piston? Or is this a 3 caliper system? For some reason I was thinking it was dual front and rear.

[Rednaxs60]

2 pistons per caliper - need 4 seals per caliper, one inner dust seal, one outer piston seal per piston - 3 calipers times 4 = 12.

[8bitopa]

2 pistons per caliper - need 4 seals per caliper, one inner dust seal, one outer piston seal per piston - 3 calipers times 4 = 12.

Yep thanks. Had it in my head it was 4 calipers