Like most Goldwing owners, I found myself with a dream bike and a wish to keep it maintained and ready to ride at a moment’s notice. The only problem? High maintenance costs, mechanics that were few and far between and a frustration through all that which I never saw coming.
Fortunately, I had a mechanical background and was not intimidated by the mass of wiring and number of fasteners, screws and bolts that it takes to get to anything. So, with an $80.00 shop manual from my dealer, a small garage and a set of basic tools, I was set.
I started with getting to know my bike, and this became a forced project when my Pearl Blue ’01 developed the infamous “Frame Crack”! I was able to work with Honda directly as they wanted to keep the recall quiet and with some back and forth with photos etc. a new frame was delivered to my “local” Honda shop for replacement. One problem… Honda only provided 80 hours of labor costs to the dealer, and it wasn’t enough.
So, into my box of tools I dove and tore down the entire bike, leaving a frame with an engine and handlebars riding on two wheels and nothing else. All plastic was removed, wiring, gas tank, everything. The dealer came by and picked up the bike and off it went. A couple weeks later I had the bike back and spent the next few weeks getting all the parts back on.
Fast forward to today. I still have that small garage, basic tools and a newer 2016 model and with that knowledge learned, I enjoy helping others work on their bikes and keep them maintained. Not that all my work is “official” and “Honda Certified” but it is good, sound and common-sense maintenance. At first, I create a couple videos for friends, and it seems like others around the country have stumbled on them and have thanked and complimented me on my work. So, with the opportunity to make a step up in life due to some family needs, so too will be my quest to inform other Goldwing riders and assist them with their passion of riding.
With that, I have moved my workspace to a slightly larger garage and created a clean place to get started. The same basic toolset, a shelf to store fluids, cleaners and the like, a small bench to work on, some good overhead lighting, and the most important comfort device of all… a carpet to work on to pad the knees and stay a little warmer in the off season.
Over the next couple weeks I’ll finish moving in, get lighting set up and be ready to get some videos started again. Hopefully you’ll hang around, spread the word and get some information that will help out with your wing and its upkeep. I work on the 5th generation versions of the bike and mainly the later years of that generation spanning from 2007 to 2017. I do touch some and have plenty of knowledge about the earlier versions from 2001 to 2006 and will from time to time discuss those years.
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