An interesting diversion

[desert_max]

I've been busy. I still dote on my '94 Vmax, but I have another money pit these days. Not the powerhouse Mr. Max is, but not a slug either.

I have had lots of motorcycles, but I get more looks and comments on this one than any other bike I've ever had. Who knew? Also, this is a really fun road bike that just eats up the miles. I finished about two weeks ago and have about 500 miles on it since then. The Max is on a battery tender...

What is it?

My latest project. I started on in last March, but suspended activities in the garage when the Phoenix summer kicked in. I resumed about a month ago.

Naked 1978 GL1000 Goldwing. Many of my hours went into this – I’d estimate 100 quality garage hours. I had a friend do the paint. I don’t paint.

Boring technical details:

The short list is: VMax bars, Sportster mufflers (fabricated custom brackets), VFR shocks and, Dyna ignition, Accel coils, carb overhaul (twice), Viper fairing (a bitch), Darkwing tail (lots of cutting and trimming to make this fit), two new Shinko tires. The wiring was a mess and has been much improved. Gauges all work, horn works, lots of time there. Believe it or not, I got the bike for next to nothing and have kept to my budget. I’ll ride it this winter and flip it. I believe I stand to make quite a bit of coin on this one. Still have all the stock bits for a return to factory spec. Potential buyers might like that.

So, it’s finished…. Oh, except the chrome covers for the header pipes need to go back on. They’ll cover the brown stain on the lower head pipe.

…and I guess I’ll be doing some serious polishing. Funny how new, shiny bits make other things that didn’t look so bad before suddenly worse.

 

[ga_max]

Very Nice.

 

[Rollie]

Different. I like different.

 

[9.nub]

Gotta love a boxer motor. I let one slip through my fingers about 5 years ago. 'Bout a month after it was sold ... I started really jonesing to bob it.

It's gorgeous.

 

[jedi-]

I like it:thumbs up:

 

[one2dmax]

I agree. Turned out nicely.

 

[Miles Long]

Different. I like different.

Oh yeah! A cafe 'wing. Love it!unk:

 

[Fire-medic]

I have seen a few stripped-down 'Wings over the years, and thought they would provide a long-lasting, non-fussy and capable ride. This is a good version, clean, simple, and neat. I have a pic from Daytona of this vintage, supercharged, somewhere.

 

[scuff]

That's really cool, you know my dad passed away last January and I have his 1978 GL 1000, been mulling over what to do with it, you gave me some inspiration with yours, thanx

 

[jfeagins]

Nice. It brings back a few good memories of the 1977 I used to own.

 

[VMax-Mike]

Desert Max That bike is cool as hell. And you did the most impotant thing to it the wiring. Nice job for sure. Scuff get started on the wiring now. New stator is a must.

 

[desert_max]

Wow guys! Thanks for all the kind comments. I just logged on this morning. I sort of half-heartedly posted this last night not thinking it would be of much interest to a bunch of Mad Maxers, but you guys are a lot like me. You appreciate a machine for what it is.

Even though the early GL was (and still is) an engineering marvel in its time, this one is pretty much a motorcycle distilled down to the lowest common denominator. (And I shamelessly copied ideas from a bunch of guys from around the country.)

Again, thanks for the kind comments. Makes doing these things worth all the effort. (Doing one gives you an appreciation for what the REAL builders go through. Something like this is just a taste).

Anyway, it's good to have the motorcycle now in its native habitat - ON THE ROAD!

It spent the last 9 months looking a lot like this:

 

[Traumahawk]

Good looking bike!!!