Engine resto's

mike69 · Post by **mike69** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:46 pm

Gun, I own a 78 Goldwing and a 66 Dream. Once you take a ride on a Goldwing you may just want to make short trips with a Dream.
When buying an older Goldwing the first thing want to do is make sure your charging system is working properly. Replacing a stator on one is about a 12 hr. job. Not too expensive if your doing it yourself but imagine the price of a shop doing it. My brother and I replaced mine and it was rough.
They can be a money pit if they have been neglected.
Since they have points,you also might want to consider installing an electrnic ignition. about $120.
On the positive side they are awesome bikes.Loads of smooth power and will cruise 70 to 80mph all day no problem.

Gun · Post by **Gun** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:18 pm

thanks for the heads up. i'll keep that in mind! i really like the look of the goldwing, but only those two years with the square tanks.
i would definately switch to electronic ignition! my cb77 is enough points for this know-nothin'.

Talked it over with the girlfriend, and i think this is the route we feel best about. Going to be a lot of bike for me though. 5'6 145lbs. good think i'm slightly tougher than girlscout. Might be able to actually hold the thing upright.

Gun · Post by **Gun** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:40 pm

My buddy who wanted this trip initially is pursuing his music career a bit more ferverently than before, and i honestly doubt he'll have the money or time for this trip come mid summer.
I'm contemplating cutting the trip in half (hit banff maybe glacier, and turn back from that point across northern idaho), not buying a gl1000 (yet) and just investing that money into the superhawk (engine rebuild, better tires, electric ignition, etc..)
I was wondering about using downshifting to take some pressure off of the brakes when going downhill. I've done this with new bikes and vehicles, but how does that work with the cb77? too much strain on er? should i just stick to frequent rests?

Gun · Post by **Gun** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:04 pm

also, cutting the trip in half, i'm having a hell of a time figuring my way from kalispell back to bend oregon, without it all just being blah.
Ithink i could swing by sandpoint, ID but after that i'm at a loss for the best route.
I'm almost considering heading for the coast again and riding it back down to oregon and then cutting on a different highway through the cascades back to bend.

any ideas?

Vince Lupo · Post by **Vince Lupo** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:36 pm

The thing about the trip that's kept intact is that it's the most 'difficult' part (very pretty though!). What if you just went up to Vancouver Island and did the entire island? Take a ferry to the Queen Charlottes, see some whales, tour Victoria, drink some tea, eat some Rogers chocolates, tootle around Vancouver, then come back through Washington state, but maybe head back down further east? That way, you'll still see some really great things, but the terrain won't be as challenging for the bikes as heading from Vancouver to Calgary and then down through there. Or, you could try to take the ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, then get on an Alaskan ferry to Skagway, then you could say you rode your CB77 to Alaska!

jwbert · Post by **jwbert** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:47 pm

One thing an old guy once told me regarding using your engine to brake with. "Brakes are cheaper than engines" Use each for its' intended purpose. For what it's worth. jwb

Gun · Post by **Gun** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:49 pm

Great advice J. Makes an awful lot of sense.

Vince. You're right, and you know it.
Maybe i'll plan something that heads south past crater lake, so that i can see some northern california and the red woods, then hit the coast up to vancouver island, and then drop back down to oregon.
The rockies can and will wait.