Restore or Customize?

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txtriathlete
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Restore or Customize?

#1

Post by txtriathlete »

Bought a 82 Interstate the other day. The plan was to lightly customize it to make a bagger, but now that I'm looking at it in the shop I'm feeling a little guilty about chopping it up. This is one of the nicest one I've had out of 4 or 5 previous old wings. The bike has 45,000 miles and was parked in a shop about 10 years ago due to "carb problems". So been stored indoors for the past decade (last registered in 09).

Paint and plastic is all in very good condition, no broken tabs or anything. A couple of cracks (less than 1") on the corners of one of the bag lids and the top box, but other than that it's clean. Frame is not scratched or rusted - just a small amount of surface rust on the side stand and center stand. I was going to strip it and powdercoat it but it really just needs a light touch up. Exhaust is perfect.

Engine spins nicely (not frozen) although I haven't tried to start it with 10 year old fuel in the carbs. Of course EVERYTHING has to be gone through - its been sitting for 10 years. Tank is full of rust (duh) so right now I'm in the process of dismantling the rear of the bike to get the tank out. I pulled the carbs just to see and they aren't really that bad, some varnish as expected but not horrible.

So, do I save it as a "survivor" or continue on with the customizing plan? If I go the bagger route I'm going to end up cutting quite a bit of the plastic and metal as well as new paint and powdercoat over the chrome - a path of no return to original.

I didn't take a pic of the bike when I got it but here it is in the shop semi-disassembled.

Image
Last edited by txtriathlete on Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
A few of my favorite things...
82 GL1100 Interstate - The PhatGL - Current Project
77 GL1000 - Next on deck - will be converted to a dual sport
99 Vakyrie Interstate - Daily (when the weather is nice) Driver
78 GL1000 Vetter - Restored to original - Sold
79 GL1000 Vetter - Refurbished as a Driver - Sold
78 GL1000 Naked - Project I never got around to - Sold
78 GL1000 "Old Gold" - The one that started me on this crazy path- Sold

95 20th Anniversary 1500 Wing - Sold
99 Kawi Drifter "Faux Indian" - Sold
03 100th Anniversary Harley Heritage Springer Softail - Sold
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Rat
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#2

Post by Rat »

Put the 'trunk/topbox' away for long trips and presto .... it's a Bagger ....

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‘14 KLR650 ... not a rat ... yet
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My Original 'RAT' was a hybrid '82 CB900/1100F
txtriathlete
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#3

Post by txtriathlete »

RAT wrote:Put the 'trunk/topbox' away for long trips and presto .... it's a Bagger ....

Gord crossy.gif
Yes, but...

Still would want to paint, etc. Also the box sits on a nasty rack that would end up sticking off the back, so the back end would not be very clean.
A few of my favorite things...
82 GL1100 Interstate - The PhatGL - Current Project
77 GL1000 - Next on deck - will be converted to a dual sport
99 Vakyrie Interstate - Daily (when the weather is nice) Driver
78 GL1000 Vetter - Restored to original - Sold
79 GL1000 Vetter - Refurbished as a Driver - Sold
78 GL1000 Naked - Project I never got around to - Sold
78 GL1000 "Old Gold" - The one that started me on this crazy path- Sold

95 20th Anniversary 1500 Wing - Sold
99 Kawi Drifter "Faux Indian" - Sold
03 100th Anniversary Harley Heritage Springer Softail - Sold
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5speed
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#4

Post by 5speed »

if it was a rare bike I would say restore it but 82 interstates aren't rare..yet.
1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)

2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
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rcmatt007
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#5

Post by rcmatt007 »

unfortunately to keep the side bags you are sort of stuck with the rack.... but I tend to agree with Gord (and paint the things that need to be painted)
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78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
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txtriathlete
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#6

Post by txtriathlete »

rcmatt007 wrote:unfortunately to keep the side bags you are sort of stuck with the rack.... but I tend to agree with Gord (and paint the things that need to be painted)
I'm looking at the bags and rack right now. I think there is a way to cut the rack and still have solid mounting points on the bike and bags, but I also want to lower the bags an inch or so and maybe an inch or two back so I will probably come up with custom mounts that somewhat mirror the stock mounts, but lower.

I have a lead on another 1100 that might work for a full customization, so this one might end up going back to original after all. I love how these multiply in my garage...
A few of my favorite things...
82 GL1100 Interstate - The PhatGL - Current Project
77 GL1000 - Next on deck - will be converted to a dual sport
99 Vakyrie Interstate - Daily (when the weather is nice) Driver
78 GL1000 Vetter - Restored to original - Sold
79 GL1000 Vetter - Refurbished as a Driver - Sold
78 GL1000 Naked - Project I never got around to - Sold
78 GL1000 "Old Gold" - The one that started me on this crazy path- Sold

95 20th Anniversary 1500 Wing - Sold
99 Kawi Drifter "Faux Indian" - Sold
03 100th Anniversary Harley Heritage Springer Softail - Sold
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Jonesz
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#7

Post by Jonesz »

There are some pics of a bagger build that Sagebrush did on this site at:
https://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic ... &start=105

Have a look and read the build notes.
Jonesz

1983 GL1100 Aspencade named "Freki" currently undergoing change to a standard. Sold
1999 Valkyrie CT 1500 goes by the moniker "Valerie"
1978 Gl1000 "Loki" new project going to be a Cafe Convertible
1979 Suzuki GS850. Sold
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skydog
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#8

Post by skydog »

Wanna buy another?
local?As in R.C. local.
80 Standard .
75 naked "Blue Streak" gone
78 fairing bags "Brownie" 4 sale
80 standard project 4 sale
84 Standard, Vetter bags "Horse with no name"
85 Interstate gone
84 aspy
86 aspy
"When the day comes to settle down,who's to blame if you're not around?You took the long way home"
txtriathlete
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#9

Post by txtriathlete »

skydog wrote:Wanna buy another?
local?As in R.C. local.
80 Standard .
Always willing to look. You can email me or PM me and we can find a time to get together.
A few of my favorite things...
82 GL1100 Interstate - The PhatGL - Current Project
77 GL1000 - Next on deck - will be converted to a dual sport
99 Vakyrie Interstate - Daily (when the weather is nice) Driver
78 GL1000 Vetter - Restored to original - Sold
79 GL1000 Vetter - Refurbished as a Driver - Sold
78 GL1000 Naked - Project I never got around to - Sold
78 GL1000 "Old Gold" - The one that started me on this crazy path- Sold

95 20th Anniversary 1500 Wing - Sold
99 Kawi Drifter "Faux Indian" - Sold
03 100th Anniversary Harley Heritage Springer Softail - Sold
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Whiskerfish
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Re: Restore or Customize?

#10

Post by Whiskerfish »

It depends on what you plan to do with the bike in the long term. If you are going to keep it then customize it for yourself. If it will be sold in a couple or few years then restore. Restoration 95% of the time has a higher resale value. Very few people that have interest in these bikes will buy one already customized. They want to do it for themselves. IMHO
"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
and a whole garage full of possibilities!!

Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
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