Alright, so I finally got my hands on this Goldwing Honda 1500. Been wanting one for ages, not a new shiny one, but one with a bit of character, you know? This one, well, it had plenty of character, and by character, I mean it had been sitting for a bit. The fella I got it from said it “ran when parked,” the classic line, right? So, my weekend project was clear: see if I could breathe some life back into this beast.
First Things First: The Once-Over
Before I even thought about turning the key, or even connecting a battery, I just walked around it. Took a good long look. It’s a big machine, really big. You don’t appreciate it until it’s in your own garage, taking up way more space than you thought.
My initial checklist was simple, stuff anyone would do, I guess:
- Check the fluids: Oil looked old, real dark. Coolant? Who knows. Brake fluid, yeah, that needed changing too.
- Tires: Looked okay, held air, but definitely old. Not trusting those for a long ride anytime soon.
- Battery: Pulled it out. Dead as a doornail, as expected. Put it on the charger, but didn’t have high hopes.
- General grime: She was dusty, cobwebs in places. Gave me a good idea of how long she’d really been sleeping.
I wasn’t aiming for a full restoration, not yet anyway. Just wanted to see if the heart was still beating.
Getting Stuck In: The Nitty Gritty
So, the next day, I decided to get my hands properly dirty. First up, new battery. Went out and bought one. Hooked it up. Lights came on the dash! That was a good sign, a small win, but a win nonetheless. Made me feel like, okay, maybe this won’t be a total nightmare.
Then, the oil. Draining that old stuff was messy. It came out like tar. Filter was a bit of a pain to get off, tucked away in there. But I managed. Put in some fresh oil, new filter. Felt good, like I was doing something right by the old girl.
I also checked the air filter. Pulled it out, and man, it was clogged. Looked like a mouse had made a winter home in there at some point. Cleaned out the airbox as best I could and popped in a new filter. These things matter, you know?
I didn’t touch the carbs yet. Figured I’d see if she’d even try to cough to life with some fresh gas and what I’d done so far. Siphoned out the old fuel – smelled awful – and put in a gallon of fresh premium.
The Moment of Truth (Sort Of)
Okay, so with fresh oil, a new battery, a clean air filter, and some fresh gas, it was time. Took a deep breath. Turned the key. Hit the starter.
It cranked. And cranked. And cranked. My heart sank a bit. Was thinking, here we go, gonna be one of those projects.
Gave it a rest. Tried again. More cranking. Then, a sputter! Then a cough! Then, with a bit more encouragement on the throttle (probably shouldn’t have, but I was getting impatient), she rumbled. A bit rough, mind you, but she was running!
Didn’t run her for long. Just enough to hear it, to feel that big flat-six engine actually working. The sound was pretty sweet, even a bit uneven. Smoked a bit too, probably burning off old gunk.
What’s Next on the List
So, she runs. That’s a big step. But I’m not kidding myself, there’s a long way to go.
Next on my list is definitely a carb clean. I know it needs it. Then all the other fluids – coolant, brake fluid, final drive oil. The brakes themselves will need a good going over. And those tires, yeah, they gotta go before I even think about taking it on a proper road.
It’s gonna be a slow process, doing bits here and there when I get the time. But honestly, just getting it to fire up after sitting, that was a good feeling. It’s a project, sure, but a rewarding one. Looking forward to getting this Goldwing 1500 back to its former glory, or at least, roadworthy and enjoyable. It’s a classic, and it deserves a bit of TLC.