Racing GL1000

[Boufie]

Full page of photos here

[Hal]

This is interesting...

"J'oubliai une petite réflexion du concepteur Pierre DONCQUE, après le BOC : " le pneumatique arrière à taille haute est,n(de par sa flexibilité transversale) en partie responsable des louvoiements constatés à vitesse maxi.""

This is the chassis designer or frame builder, Pierre Donque, saying that he reckoned the "louvoiements" at maximum speed (or rear-end movements, wriggle or whatever you want to call it which so many of us have noticed), was in his opinion caused by the high profile of the rear tyre, on the 17" rim. I have to say that the rear arm looks, in some of these pix, like the OE arm with an additional strut for the monoshock.

of course it's true that this bike was running the original wire wheels, which may also have something to do with it, as it's a heavy bike.

I'd like to try an OldWing with a really solid rear arm on track to see if it's possible to get rid of the high speed wriggle completely.

[tandgee]

Hal, sorry that the French site was not immediately accessible. S'pose because I'm a newbie the Forum rules prevent me putting up an URL - so I cheated by putting spaces into it (Maybe that earns me a leg-slap , but at least you got there in the end.

Here in the lowlands (600m/1900ft) we have (at 10.30am) no snow, clear blue skies, -5°C outside but the sun heating the living room up to +27°C. Roads unrideable because ice unpredictably in the shade of every farmhouse or wood - and gravel everywhere. Eastern Switzerland has over 3m/10ft of snow. Greti just came back from near StMoritz. Mornings she had 27° - but minus!

Through a couple of contacts in the French GW scene I want to try tracking down the 'Didier' mentioned in that Forum. I'll let you know if/when I'm lucky

[SoyBoySigh]

What's cool to see on the Swiss bike is that they might not have discovered a fork brace, but at least they're using a pair of 296mm discs from early CB750 rather than the stock 276mm version. Looks really cool with Lockheed calipers, but I should think it's sensible for ANYBODY to do this mod using GL1100A Aspencade caliper hangers and twin-pot calipers, with either the CB750K0-6 rotors, OR - if you're using Comstars there's also a FIVE-BOLT version of that same 296mm rotor fitted to the CB750A!!! Wish I had discovered this before purchasing my thick vented HEAVY 296mm rotors from CB1100R, CBX pro-link, or GL1100A Aspencade. I'd bet this would save a butt-load of weight especially if they're cross-drilled.

Of course, the trick THEN, is to fit up a 286mm rear rotor maybe even spin one down from a stock rear disc, and use a 276mm rear caliper hanger from CBR1000F Hurricane (flipped upside-down for under-slung of course) or GL1200/GL1500 that is - or if not 276mm then 286mm using VF series rear brake parts especially VF1000R

I'm currently trying to fit up a CB750F1 rear hub on my "CB900K0 Bol Bomber" with a 260mm rotor from the front of CB350F/CB400F - and if this works, I see no reason why it shouldn't also work on the 'Wing. Of course, the stock rotor carrier doesn't fit the bolt pattern, couldn't even be adapted. But with a properly styled adapter fitted and round-headed carriage bolts or better still RIVETS just like the original, the disc could be rendered to look "Period-Correct" - which is the whole point in using one of these discs instead of any random crotch-rocket stuff.

There were prototype 'Wings which used the 276mm rotor in the rear and the 296mm up front as a dual-disc. WAAAY more sensible especially looking back through those 20/20 hindsight specs. And if only Honda had cross-drilled their rotors at the factory, or as an option at least. Would've bumped things forward a good ten years I'd bet.

So yeah, it might be more of a modern interpretation of things, but that's what I'm shooting for - is to use all period-correct PARTS but to configure the brakes much more like a modern crotch-rocket set-up. And twin cross-drilled 296mm discs with 260mm rear is about as close as I can get with '70s bits & pieces.

Of course, if one could get some Cast-Iron rotors made to fit these carriers, I wouldn't turn down a pair of 310mm-330mm discs with Lockheed calipers ha-ha.

My DREAM brake would be to whip up a "Faux-Leading-Shoe" drum style hub, using a GL1500 front end with a "hub" cut out of a PC800 Pacific Coast front wheel. With DIY rotor shrouds of course - and if one felt that the 286mm rotors were a step down from my current 296mm set-up, a Cast-Iron rotor for the GL1500/PC800 would be much easier to build than the CB750/GL1000 version.

There's that outfit in the bike magazines, advertises bespoke rotors made to your specs. I wonder what they'd charge?

Whaddya think? With the internal discs shrouded inside ala CBX550F type of thing, would it be cool to run the Cast-Iron discs in there, and not have to worry about the corrosion? Or would the rust-laden rainwater spray all over your RIMS? Sheesh - I've got three versions for front rims right now, and two of 'em are shouldered, ergo they'd be a pain to keep clean. 2.50x18" from Harley XLH rear wheels, a 3.00x18" modern reproduction which is also drop-center shouldered (should've bought the reproduction BORRANI which is now available in this size from Motocicli Veloci Milano! Not to mention all of the five, six maybe SEVEN of the 3.00x16" Borrani rims I've bought for the kid's "KZ440LOL" project (with the front wheel pictured in my Avatar) I thought that 3.00x18" was supposed to be styled like a WM3 just broader, but I had it sent to Buchanan's and they tell me it's deep-drop-center so. Well at least it matches the other two 2.50x18" that I bought for front wheels. And yeah - the one other rim is a Super-Akront 3.50x16" that I got to pair up with either of the two 4.25x18" Akront rims (one for Honda rear hub, one for Harley aka the Honda "Front-Hub-Trick" with bolt-up cush-drive etc, for the chain-drive on the "CB900K0 Bol Bomber") Needless to say I'd love to run a 'Wing with an 18" & 18" rim-set. Maybe even 16"-front / 18"-rear, with the Freddie Spencer AMA Daytona slash Interceptor stance! Yeah that'd be awesome. But I really wonder how a pair of Cast-Iron rotors would work out with a shouldered front rim! I suppose you'd wanna paint 'em everywhere but on the working surfaces, "swept-area" etc. And that would have to be a heat dispersive coating too, wouldn't it? Well if you got it RIGHT I bet it would make up for that 10mm size difference.

So why don't more folks build replicas of these Racing 'Wings?

Does anybody anticipate a problem with the rear wheel? Would it need to be off-set in any way? Perhaps this was a feature of these special frames, or at least the Dresda version? Or - perhaps they're 18" rims but skinny rims at that.

What's the width on that rear Cast/Mag rim? Are they Magnesium rims or Aluminum? To look at 'em, I'd guess 2.50x18" But I suppose WM3/2.15"x18" was a pretty common standard, hey?

I wonder what all a person could get away with. For rear wheels, I've got several wire-spoke rims on hand. Drilled for a GL1000 spec hub, I've got the 4.25x18" Akront I mentioned, plus a Super-Akront (GORGEOUS type of rim!) in 3.50x18" - I wonder whether that could squeeze in with a 140/80-18 tire on it? 130/90-18 perhaps? Oh, and I've got a Borrani 3.00x16" which came off of a CB750 rear drum hub, ergo ideal for a GL1000 hub of course. I've also got several drilled for the Harley rear hub. The 2.50x18" which I scored for FRONT wheel use, the additional 4.25x18" Akront, plus some 40-spoke Super-Moto rims drilled for Harley pattern hubs in 4.25x17" & 5.00x17" - plus an NOS un-drilled 3.50x16" Super-Akront and the un-drilled 3.00x18" shouldered rim. And a bunch of other rims in steel, like a 2.15x19" that came off of a GT750J/GT550J 4LS drum for the "KZ440LOL" project, another 19" steel rim from a T500 Titan 2LS drum for the side-hack wheel which the Kid suggests for her KZ down the road, stuff like that.

Oh - and some Comstar rims in 2.50x18" which I've saved up for rebuilding. I'd love to see a 'Wing built with a set of BOOMERANG Comstar wheels. Perhaps there's something could be done with a CX650T Turbo or CX650E Eurosport shaft-drive, or similar parts from some type of CB700SC or some such - ANYTHING which could somehow adapt the 'Wing final drive to a 3.00x18" Boomerang Comstar rim. Now THAT would be awesome.

Picture it - not just a "Proddie Racer" indy team race-bike built from a 'Wing. But rather, a WORKS HONDA interpretation of the GL1100 or GL1200, with a GL1500 fork and a fairing more reminiscent of the CB1100RB or CB1100RC/D than the crap that Craig Vetter messed up the 'Wing with.

(It's safe to say that within THIS particular thread, ennit?)

Yeah. Now that would be cool. The same adjustable clip-on bars from the CB1100R and the VF1000R - the same colours for that matter. Something like a cross between the Nekkid chassis of the GL1500 and the bodywork and livery of the VF1000R, but with the earlier '80s running gear specifically RIMS, from the works team CB1100R with the 3.50x18" rear Boomerang Comstar rim in flashy gold no less.....

Mmmmm....

But yeah - much as I can see myself throwing together some cruiser-esque rims with 16"/16", I've already GOT that happening on the Kid's "KZ440LOL" - I should think any interpretation of the 'Wing that I'D wanna build, would follow in the vein of these Endurance Racers. 18" rear wheel and as fat as could squeeze in, and either an 18" front rim or a 16" rim.

Though I suppose some type of BIMOTA HB2/HB3 style of rocket could utilize 16"/16" rims - but rather than 3.00x16" front and 3.50x16" like I've got on hand now, it would require something like a 3.50x16" front with a 4.50x16" or 5.00x16" rear. And that style would probably want some Cast/Mag wheels, ideally those same Performance Machine rims that were fitted to certain Ducati TT1/TT2's, or Marvic bolt-up composite rims with the Magnesium three-spoke center and the Akront plain rim screwed to it's exterior, or the Akront "Nervi" type. Though IMHO those "Nervi" rims would be better used on a rebuilt COMSTAR wheel! In ANY size. Of course there are 16" Reverse-Comstar rims from CB900C, and 17" rims from the 'Wing of course. And there's a 16" front Boomerang rim. But if only there were a MATCHED pair of Comstars like that. I suppose there's the 3.50x17" rear Boomerang from CBX750F/VF1000F Bol D'Or models, which could pair up with the 16" Boomerang front. But what I picture above all others, would be a pair of early SILVER COMSTARS with a 16" front. Perhaps with a modified rear hub, spun down flat and with front rotors hiding the middle of it?

That's how I picture it anyway - either with wire-spoke rims, or with COMSTAR rims. But they'd still have to be in AWESOME sizes of course.

The fairing might seem like a tall order, but I'd bet there are a lot of '70s era BMW Boxer fairings which could be adapted to the 'Wing.

Is anybody out there working on a replica of these bikes, using a standard chassis? I'd be curious as all get out, to see what all is possible with a maxed-out rear wheel size....

-Sigh.

[Old Fogey]

I had to take a break for coffee half way through all this!

Still not too sure where you were going with it all, but as far as the gold boomerang wheels go, it's been done with CX500 Turbo wheels by one of the members on here.

[DUGG]

I came across this last weekend and found it very interesting and thought I would give it a bump. I had no idea that the Goldwing had any racing heritage.