GL1200 restoration...carbs or SEI?

[Honda_Recycle]

I am restoring a GL1200. It only has 30K and lived indoors so is in very nice shape. I am still going to go through it as I want it to look brand new. I got a hold of a 1985 with fuel injection. I bought it because I want to put all the bells and whistles on my bike. Does anyone have an opinion on whether I should use the fuel injection system or stick to the carbs? Any advice would be very appreciated.

I have not posted much lately but intend to post progress on the restore. Thanks

[wingrider]

That is sort of a personal preference to my way of thinking....both have advantages, and some disadvantages. Do you feel more comfortable working on one or the other?

Are you planning on building the bike naked, or dressed up?

[robin1731]

You asked for opinions.

Stay with the carbs.

.

[Fred Camper]

If you will own it for 10 years, keep the carbs. If you sell in one year, you have a choice.

[pidjones]

1985 was the LTD (same system). I had an SEi. I'd say go with the carbs.

[Rednaxs60]

I have an '85 fuel injected model. Stay with the carbs, not because one or the other is better, but because the conversion to FI on a 1200 that has carbs would be a huge change. I submit that you might get to a point in the conversion where you would be tired of it and maybe not have a bike to use/ride carbs or FI.

If you want to resurrect the '85 FI model, all for it.

Good luck.

[Liam]

There are a lot of differences between carburated and fuel injection models.
The LTD and SEi had a lot of additional power consumers like the engine management system, self levelling suspension, an early type of sat nav and a bunch of other stuff. The back end of the engine was different to accommodate a larger alternator to power up all this additional load. Even with the bigger output alternator there was barely enough power to run everything, and unfortunately a lot of owners fitted additional lights and accessories which overloaded the system.
There is also a different wiring loom with a second main artery along the RHS going back to the computer that lives under the trunk.

I would leave the carburated bike with the carbs, and refurbish both.

[socrace]

The LTD/SEI were both Aspencades but with even more special features, including cruise control and the other things mentioned. The '87 Aspencade (last year for 4 cyl Goldwings) had almost all the same SEI bells and whistles but with a carb engine. If you can find one, it would probably make a better/easier donor than the SEI.

[AL Smith]

Stay with the carbs(MAJOR JOB for change too fuel injection.)!

[Honda_Recycle]

Thank you all for your suggestions. As for the power shortage I checked the parts differences of the alternator and see that the shaft and the rear engine cover are the same whether a Limited or carb equipped Aspendade. That leads me to believe I can swap the internals of the Limited onto my existing engine. Then I would but a Higher output alternator from Randaaks. Also, if I keep my carbs, will the cruise control work with it or was it only available for the FI engines?

[pidjones]

Others have adapted Rostra cruise units from the auto world (both electronic and vacuum actuated) to 1200s and 1100s. The LTD unit might work on the carbed versions, but you need speed sensor, CC computer and control motor/cable/linkage. Then you also need the space to mount it. Advantage of the auto units is the long universal cable from motor to linkage.

[Honda_Recycle]

Thank all of you for the suggestions. To be clear, the goal is actually to have a restored '85 Limited. It is the frame I am using and 90% of the parts are from that bike. In essence, I am just using an '87 engine and converting it to work in the Limited (SEI) system. I know the back of the engine is different but I found that the parts differences are all 'bolt-on' and I have the corresponding parts from the 85 engine. I also plan to use a Randakk's higher output alternator for the added power needs (I already checked and they do supply a higher output unit for the Limited and SEI models).

I am now in the assembly part of the restoration, the frame and other black parts are powdered and ready to go and most of the plastics are paint prepped. So it is time to make sure I have everything I need.

One issue I have is that the C.F.I. (fuel control unit) was missing. The part numbers are different for the different year models of the 85 and 86 C.F.I.s (and the '86 has two part numbers), the question I have before I waste money is...Will the C.F.I. unit from an 86 (there are two part numbers shown for that year) work in my 85?

Related question, since I have not purchased the C.F.I. yet, and since the 87 Aspencade has cruise control and all the other cool things but still using carbs, is there any reason that my cruise control would not work using carbs? Maybe that is a better way to go. I am not keeping standard colors anyway so it is not a true restoration so there are no rules. I am an electronic engineer/technician so if I have to alter wiring harnesses to accommodate a few differences I am up to the task (with no cheap 'shadetree' mechanic but connectors or worse).

[Rednaxs60]

The stator differences are that the '85 Limited Edition, and the '86 SE-i had 500 watt stators, the carb models were 350 watt stators. The Fuel injected model rear cover is slightly different in that you can replace the stator on a carb model by angling the engine out of the frame - left side, and remove rear cover. The fuel injected models have to have the engine removed from the frame. There is plenty of reserve power with the OEM 500 watt stator depending on what you are going to add to the electrical system. The FI models only use approximately 20 amps, maybe a bit more. Recommend a series regulator/rectifier (RR) when you do the upgrade, much better than a shunt regulator.

I have an '85 Limited Edition and have never seen a control unit assembly on my bike. These FI models use an ECU fiche number 15 under Engine Guard/Saddlebag Stay for the '85 and fiche number 14 under Engine Guard for the '86. These ECUs are interchangeable.

The unit you mention may be used on the carb models but not on the FI models.

The FI models have a specific dash, and the travel computer. If you like the dash of the '85 Limited Edition and the functionality of the travel computer, you need the ECU to effectively get all the information to/from the dash and travel computer. These three items are interconnected and depend on signals to/from the ECU, and other sensor/items.

I submit that modifying the '85 Limited edition electrical system to do something other than what it is designed to do is not going to be an easy task.

Good luck.