My other obsession (well, another one)
OK, ok, I know this has nothing whatsoever to do with the GMC– hey but this is my web site and it does give you a glimpse at what it takes to do what we do with these classic coaches. You need to sometimes “think outside the box” and I try to do that whenever I can– take my motorcycle as an example:
This is my 1975 Honda GL1000 “Goldwing” motorcycle. It was the first year of what is critically regarded today as the quintessential highway travel bike of today. The first year sure looks different from the flowing faring, monster bikes Honda calls “Goldwing” today. This was the first (other than BMW) shaft driven, water cooled, opposed “pancake” motor on the market and in its day, it was a technological masterpiece. It was dubbed “Super Bike” and was more a Cafe Racer than a highway cruiser. With it’s low center of gravity, smooth drive train, stable torque monster motor and excellent braking, it was first thought to be a road racer, a sport bike to beat all it it was so far out of the box that it reeked cool!
Well, it’s still my masterpiece and I’ve added a few “enhancements” to make it more than it ever was– at least in my eyes. No bags or fairings, it does have running boards and highway bars, I’ve equipped it with a vintage Corbin-Gentry Harley FLH seat (courtsey of Spike, a great friend and formidable menace on 2 wheels). Got tired of balancing those 4 look alike Amil carbs so it now sports a 32 pic Solex VW one barrol carb. Starts every time and has that distinctive VW nasal “weeze” sound every bug has– works great and I have a power band at 3000.
Aside from all of that, the bike has faired well to this point but has been down for a couple of years now. Having my buds from UTI and MMI working at the shop, I have someone to finally help me with it– wish us luck
Go to get r Running for the details of waking up my sleeping monster.
Pics of the bike first out from the shop:
The carb set up is a bit “different”. Tired of those delicate old first design 4 one bbl. carbs, I set out of something a bit more reliable. This is a 32 pic Solex VW carb. and a VW bus intake manifold modified to fit the GL1000 intake tubes. It starts every time and after some fiddling has a power band at 3K– it’s different and I love that too!
The ultimate (for me that is), being “old iron”, I qualify for an antique tag 
something you don’t see very often on the road. Here is a series of pics the first day with it’s new tag– and I must say a momentous occasion for me!
Haven’t left the barn yet, I hope to post more pics on the road, stay tuned and thanks for taking a look at my “old Gold”.