Hello everybody

[RIPUneleven]

Greetings everyone. Today I take ownership of my Dad's GL1500 Goldwing. He passed away last year and left me his pride and joy (pictures to come). I have been riding motorcycles since I was 18 (now 44) and currently ride a Harley Streetbob 2014. My Dad hadn't ridden the bike the last couple of years and as such it has been sitting a while, Less than 5 years I would guess. I know there will be checks to do, but I'm asking beyond what I'll be doing below what things should I be checking before the first start and first short ride? Any and all advice is welcome and greatly appreciated. Looking forward to taking care of Dad's bike for the rest of my life to honour him and enjoy many long road trips to come over the great land of Australia.

Things I know I'll be doing:
New Battery
Drain fuel and replace
Cold crank first before first start to flow oil through then oil change
Battery tender install
bleed brakes and clutch
check tyre quality and pressures

Im thinking about carby seals and gaskets leaking, cooling system etc. If you know of things I should check over then please; speak to me, tell me, teach me
Thank you one and all

[Rambozo]

You may well have to rebuild the carbs. Not sure how your fuel ages and if it leaves behind all the gunk when it dries out.
Depending on history it might also be time to change the timing belts. If they are past due, I would do that first before spinning the starter, as sitting in one place for a long time is one thing that causes failure.

[RIPUneleven]

Thank you very much for that. I can confirm it's a 1999 model GL1500 Aspencade.

[RIPUneleven]

The more I go inspect and discover the Goldwing the more I fall in love with it and see why my dad chose this bike. It's an ablsolute beauty. Everything is there!. Love it, Very keen for some long km's and road trips aplenty in the future

[Sassy]

First time I ever seen a wiper on a plastic wshield!
I agree with doing the belts before firing it.
Before worring about the carbs get some fuel system cleaner and fresh gas and see if it'll run.

[RIPUneleven]

My mate and I drained the fuel, replaced it with premium unleaded, got a fresh battery to see if it'll fire up, it fired first time like it's been running every day for years. No ticks, no groans, nothing. Just purrs like a kitten. It's got a genuine 77,000km (48,000 miles) on the clock, everything works, I think Dad must have been firing it up every now and then... We'll bleed the brakes and clutch, drain and flush radiator, drain and replace oil, and drain and replace drive oil next.

[RIPUneleven]

Oh and the windscreen wiper was Dad's "thing" He loved this machine, so I'm not sure I want to take it off, but I might as I don't really like it. I did promise myself that I would keep the bike exactly as it was for Dad's memory, but I'm not a fan of the wiper, never have been

[Sassy]

Right on! Happy for ya.
The wiper,,,,, how 'bout you build a box with a glass front and frame that unit? Hang it in your office.
New windshield is probably in your future.

[RIPUneleven]

Right on! Happy for ya.
The wiper,,,,, how 'bout you build a box with a glass front and frame that unit? Hang it in your office.
New windshield is probably in your future.

Great idea on the wiper... Still think the timing belts would need doing since the bike runs well and the kms driven?

[Rambozo]

It's not the mileage, it's the age. If you don't know when they were last changed, change them. The belts will not effect how it runs until one breaks and that often destroys the engine. This is an interference engine so the valves will crash into the pistons if a belt gives up.

[RIPUneleven]

It's not the mileage, it's the age. If you don't know when they were last changed, change them. The belts will not effect how it runs until one breaks and that often destroys the engine. This is an interference engine so the valves will crash into the pistons if a belt gives up.

Good point, I'll get it done I have to drain the coolant anyway, so while the front is apart I'll do it then