Should I purchase a GL1500???

[Carter.Hayes]

Hello Everyone,

I am new here and, as a matter of a fact, this is my first post.
I am here because I am thinking about buying a 1999 GL1500 SE with less than 40K miles on it. It appears to have been well taken care of and has only had one or two owners since new.
I presently ride a 2014 BMW K1600GTL Exclusive and it has carried me faithfully to and from Key West. My issue is not with the BMW itself but rather how expensive it is to own. I used to ride a bunch, some of which was long distance riding, but life has got in the way and now my trips are a lot less frequent. As such, I just can no longer justify the expense of the bike just sitting for longer and longer periods. Therefore, I have decided to sell it and get something else that is more practical and not as expensive to own.
I stumbled on a review video of a GL1500 SE and needless to say I think it is just what I need. The bikes are very reasonable to purchase, the overall cost of ownership appears to be very reasonable, the bikes are basically bulletproof and they can handle twisties or mile upon upon mile in pursuit of whatever is over the next hill. I would add that prior to the BMW, I owned a 2013 Goldwing F6B and put over 50K on it before I sold it. I am therefore familiar with the 1800's but completely and totally ignorant when it comes to the 1500's.
Therefore, I am curious as whether or not anyone has gone from a newer bike to a GL1500 and if so what advice do you have. Also, I welcome any input about the purchase of a GL1500.

Thanks,

Carter

[Rednaxs60]

I've owned a 2008 1800, a '95 1500, and still have my long term retirement/project bike - a 1985 Gold Wing Limited Edition fuel injected model.

Went from the 1800 to the 1200, and then up to the 1500. Still have the '85, and have a 2104 Spyder RTL as well. It depends on what you are riding requirements are. Here are some of my thoughts.

The 1500 is a great bike. If you are a tall rider, fits nicely - I'm 6'2". The 1800 was a bit tight for a tall rider and I had to have the seat modified to fit my height.

All 1500s are minimum 23 years old. You will have to be your own mechanic.

Once the mechanical maintenance is done, timing belts, filters, brakes and such, trouble free motoring.

If there have been additions by a previous owner, my recommendation would be to remove these for the system so that if you have an issue, you are dealing with the OEM design and not complicating things with the additions. You can connect a separate fuse block connected to the main and use it for any additions you want to add.

The 1500 is a Cadillac of the Gold Wings, the 1800 a bit more sporty. The 1800 is getting up in age as well. Touring is great. If you get one, check that the rear foot rests are adjustable.

If the bike looks good cosmetically, great, but a lot can be hidden behind the plastic. Ask for maintenance records - peace of mind issue.

Get one with reverse.

You will always read about the problem bikes, but there are more out there that work well.

All 1500s are carb models. I had mine for two years and no carb issues. If you prefer fuel injection, go 1800.

I found the 1500 good all round. In the city, had to pay attention to low speed riding.

People will talk about these being heavy bikes, yes they are, but only when stopped. I had a Royal Enfield Himalayan for a while, it's a light bike, but I challenge anyone to lift it onto their shoulders, all perspective.

A good go over maintenance wise after a purchase, get the OEM manual - first order of business. Recommend this because Honda designed the engine systems - there are 5 of them, to emulate an FI model.

Questions to ask:

Timing belts of course
Fluid flush - coolant, brakes, clutch, rear differential, front fork oil
Tires
Brakes
Filters - any of the filters been replaced
Take a Phillips/JIS screwdriver and remove the MC cover, brake and clutch - will tell you a lot about the maintenance.
When was the drive train serviced, lube of the splines
Suspension - has the front fork springs ever been replaced - these wear out after this long
Rear shocks - original or upgraded - these bikes have one air shock for ride height assist and one standard non-air shock. Have the owner demonstrate how the air system works
Is the hose for pumping up tires and such included.
Is the tool kit there, if so, is it complete - not a biggy but a question to ask
Has the alternator been upgraded to a higher amperage unit. Not necessary but one of the upgrades people do.
Has the speedometer cable been serviced. If this cable seizes it will take out the front wheel speed assembly because the internal gear on the from wheel is plastic.
Owners manual available
How many keys with the bike
Does the trunk lock
What work if any, has been done to the engine

I like to take a list of questions with me, keeps me focused.

Would I get another one, yes, but I have a 2014 Spyder. Like the models that are Pearl Glacier White colour.

I had a CT on the 1800 and 1500. For cruising and daily riding, I found a CT to be no issue - personal preference.

Tows a trailer and you won't know it's attached.

Good luck

[Sassy]

If you do your own maintenance, and there will be it sounds like a great bike.

[joeincalif]

The 1500 is a great bike. I have owned 3 of them. 92, 97SE and 98SE, but as others have said, most dealers will not work on them, some independent shops still do. A problem might occur in getting a part. The 1500 has several vacuum lines and over time they can dry out and develop a leak, which could be hard to find. Also as stated before, timing belts should be replaced if they haven't been already replaced. If you check it out and everything looks good and maybe you can get service records from the seller and the price is right, go for it.

[Rednaxs60]

Check out WingAdmin's 1500. Make sure you get the new wiring schematics, and the encyclopedia to go with it.

[Happytrails]

Going from a GTL to a 99 goldwing you would maybe lose a couple nice features like electric windshield, abs, fuel injection, electronic suspension or maybe bluetooth. Like others mentioned they can be great bikes if maintained and you would maybe need to do some of that yourself. Dealers really dont want much to do with these due to age. Locating certain gl1500 parts can sometimes be difficult also due to discontinued. For me would suggest maybe consider also 1800's if the prices were good and go for best value. Seeing some very nice level 3 1800's (even some level 4's if thats appealing) for pretty good prices maybe something to consider before pull trigger. Good luck

[Solo So Long]

I would never own another BMW ("Bring MONEY, Wilhelm!").

I got off R1200RTPs and onto a GL1500. The only thing that I miss is the electric windshield. I very much do NOT miss the high maintenance expenses.

I have passed the opportunity to swap, straight across to GL1800s -- it has only been about 4 years that they've been making one that I would consider. The 1800 was a step back in several ways, and the only real advantage is the timing chain replacing belts.

If I were looking for an in-town commuter, less than 5 miles, I would get a Super Cub. 6 to 25 miles, I'd look for a 350 or 360 and restore it. 26 or more miles each way, it's really really hard to beat a Goldwing.

[mcapps2]

I purchased a 1989 GL1500 in 2017 and have been very pleased with it. I have taken it on several long distance trips and I must say that it is the Cadillac of touring bikes in my opinion. I like the large fairing and the comfort that it delivers on long trips, while being a very agile bike.

Drawbacks are that it is a heavy bike, which makes maneuvering in tight areas and in grass (at campgrounds) a bit more of a challenge, especially when towing a camper (Aspen). I have added several accessories: brake controller with a switch to disable the trailer brakes while riding slowly (parking lots, grass, or campgrounds), an in dash voltage meter, lighted flags, indirect "accent" lighting, hidden amber strobes, a 12VDC (cigarette) plug in the left front fairing pocket, and dual dash cams (front and back). I also corrected the cruise control lag and top speed issues by removing the slack out of the cruise control vacuum advance cable and installing a yellow box to raise my maximum cruise speed to around 90 mph, as there are times that I set my cruise at 80 - 85 mph while cruising the interstate out west.

A word of caution: I went through all of the mechanicals of my GL1500; I replaced the timing belts and bearings, the coolant hoses, and later the radiators (aftermarket) along with the thermostat. When I initially purchased my wing I wanted to ensure the longevity of my bike...I noticed that there was green antifreeze in the bike and I wasn't certain if it was silicate free or not. So, I changed the coolant to the Honda HP2 (Blue) coolant. I kept smelling coolant and would at times get a whiff of hot coolant and even at times see a little cloud vapor once in a while... Long story short; DO NOT use Honda HP2 (Blue) coolant even if your Honda dealer says that it is good. The Honda HP2 coolant is way to thins and will leak around hose fittings and even through a new water pump; ask me how I know. Instead use Prestone AF2000 (Green) coolant, which is silicate free and has thicker viscosity; it works as advertised and keeps my bike cool. My cooling fans only come on when I'm going slow for extended periods of time, like during a parade...

I would recommend purchasing a GL1500; they're very reasonably priced and we can still get most everything needed to repair them via babbit's online https://www.babbittsonline.com/oemparts/c/honda/parts . I wish you all the best and, "Enjoy The Adventure!"

[blupupher]

While I loved my 1500, you are downgrading big time from an K1600.
Less power, sloppier handling, worse braking, carb, to name a few items.
But you are going to have a lot lower cost of ownership if you do your own maintenance (which you really need to do, otherwise it will cost as much if not more than the BMW), and there is less maintenance overall on the 1500 (once you get a 20+ year old bike "up to date").
As mentioned above, there are things that you need to make sure are addressed when buying a 1500, whether by the PO or you. Once you get those items taken care of, you should have a bike that will last a long time with just basic maintenance, with the occasion failure of some things (clutch slave cylinder, alternator, relays, plastics breaking, etc).

Unless of course you get one that ends up with the the infamous 4th gear shift fork issue (which I did, and is why I got rid of my 1500).
I looked for quite a while for a replacement '97+ 1500 that was worth what they were asking, but never came across one, and found a killer deal on an '02 1800, so got that instead.
For me personally, ABS has become a must have after having a bike with it, so while I am looking for another touring bike (my 1800 was totaled), the 1500 is just not even on my list. Fuel injection is also another thing, after having it, I don't think I want another bike with a carb.
Not saying I would never have another 1500, but it would have to be an amazing deal and in amazing shape for me to jump on it.
Your style of riding also makes a huge difference, while the 1500 does handle twisties pretty well, the 1800 is just much sportier and handles really curvy roads much better than the 1500 IMO if you are an aggressive rider. The 1500 was a more comfortable bike overall for me (not that the 1800 is bad for me after getting some bar risers).
I had looked at a '13 K1600 GT that was being sold for $9,000 with 60,000 miles, but the bike just did not fit me well so I passed.

[rowdyjoe]

At one point last year I thought my riding days were over so, I sold my 1999 BMW R1100RT and have missed having a motorcycle more than I thought I would. I don't ride that much anymore but, not being able to jump on it and ride when I want left a vacant spot in my soul. Soooo, I bought a great looking 30 year old (1993) 1500 Goldwing and it has filled that hole pretty well. The BMW was lighter and easier to maneuver but, the wing provides more comfort and power.
My 1500 came with 50k miles on it and lots of work had been done by the previous owner including replacing the defective rear air-shocks with the popular 3 stage springs/shocks and a dark side tire on the rear. IMO, the dark side tire takes some getting used to but, it works fine even though it feels squirrely in the beginning. The power difference is very satisfying. Carbs have been overhauled and it runs VERY smooth. I'm really happy with my decision.
In 1977, I bought a brand new Goldwing 1000 and equipped it with a Vetter fairing, crash bars, a luggage rack, and custom seat and it was my dream machine. The 1500 goes waaaaay beyond that in every category but, I still measure all bikes by the 1000.
The big advantage the BMW has over the 1500 is maneuverability in tight places. The 1500 is longer and heavier and it takes 40 acres to turn it around in the garage, etc. Reverse is a much appreciated addition to these old tanks. Under power, it's very steady and sure-footed and the lower center of gravity helps maneuverability at all speeds. Transmission shifts are noisy but, sold and there's no doubt you're in the next gear because it announces the shift with a fairly loud "clunk".
I haven't needed any parts so far and really don't expect to need any for a while. 50k mikes is chump change for a Goldwing. There are many aftermarket parts/upgrades available and folks on the forums manage to find what they need.
My concern at the moment is riding time. Even though I'm retired, Texas is a very HOT place right now so, I'll have to make due with some short hops in the cool of the morning or evening and save my longer excursions for fall, winter, and spring.

Good luck with our choice. BTW ...there are great bargains to be found on FB marketplace for used motorcycles and there are lots of Goldwings for sale.

[Happytrails]

Yes seems maybe no shortage of used goldwings on market.

[OldRider2]

Carter,

I went from a 1998 GL1500 with about 30K miles to a 2007 BMW K1200LT. The Beamer was a loaded 7 year old bike, with only 5K miles, so decided to sell the 1500. The 1500 is/was a great bike but obviously a heavy touring bike, not as nimble probably as your 1600, but still handled great. Maybe it was just my 1500 but I’ve felt the engine/transmission was one of the smoothest I’ve driven, better than my GL1800.

I went to the BMW K1200 because I became enamored with all the standard bells and whistles, like the movable windshield, GPS, and powered center stand. The Beamer was a nice bike but after a couple of oil changes and some other maintenance, I decided I liked Japanese engineers much better than German engineers. I thought the BMW was much more maintenance intensive than any of the Goldwings I’ve owned 1000, 1100, 1500, and 1800, and I think you’ll like normal maintenance much better. Try to get the maintenance records but if none I’d probably do all the fluids, check the brakes, tires, and change the timing belts. You might have some minor issues with electrical switches and such just due to the age and what part of the country it’s been in. The 1500 has a manual choke, carbs, and rubber timing belts things that were improved on the 1800, automatic choke, fuel injection, and metal timing chains. The 1500 was a good, solid rider that I think you’d be happy with. Let us know what you decide.

[dpb]

Overall I'm very happy with my 1996 gl1500se. When I got it it was an estate sale with no service history and about 118,000km on it. I changed the timing belts and idlers (and used Hyundai idlers and made my own backing plates as per one of the instruction posts here), fluids, grease and tighten the steering head bearings (I made a special tool), lube the reverse selector cable. I still have a fair bit left to do but I have ridden it a bit after those initial maintenance bits. Forks are a bit wobbly, splines need greasing, etc. Once I've completed all these things it should be fairly low maintenance for a while but my point is that without being able to do these things myself it is not something I could afford to own.