Pop's Bike, 75 GL1000

[Fred Camper]

Electronic ignition likes a fully charged battery. They do not work well on 11 volts. A car battery would be a great idea to get things figured out. Just need good connections.

[cbghia]

She FIRED!!! I used the car batter hooked up via jumper cables. Put a little gas in the carbs using a funnel thing with a fuel hose on it and I started kicking it over.

BAM! I had the crazy cruise control set on so I didn't have to hold it. When she fired, it was LOUD!

I quickly cranked the throttle closed and killed the engine. But it started and that was my main goal. Now to get the exhaust on it and the radiator cleaned up and put on! Starting to get excited!

[cbghia]

Oh, and I have to figure out what to do about the fuel pump. Should I go electric? I am a VW guy and I know of a few different pumps available with low pressure.

Edit:
Well, I just pulled the pump, stuck some fuel lines on it and tried pumping by hand and it is pumping backward. I stuck the "input" line in a bucket of water, and it started pushing the water around in a circle. I haven't opened it up yet. Have you ever seen one of these pump backward?

Edit again:

I am an idiot. I opened it up and both valves look like crap. It wasn't pumping backward, the valve just wouldn't close, so it pumped in and out of the same hole.

So I am now hunting for new valves for this thing. At least the diaphragm doesn't look bad.

[cbghia]

Inside of the radiator did not look too bad, so I have opted for a vinegar flush/soak. Needed to plug the bottom.

Wrapped up the end in duct tape. Put a soda cap on there and then taped over that.

Does it leak? Yep, but holds enough to soak it for a bit. Afterwards, I will wash it with baking soda and water.

[cbghia]

Well, I got the radiator mounted up last weekend and what do I find today when I fill it? a hole. Drat!

[cbghia]

You can see the leak on the left side. I wonder if it is fixable...

[Marc]

Two options: 1) Take it to a radiator shop and see if they can replace the core or 2) Get a used radiator from a fellow forum member or Ebay that may or may not be better than what you have.

[SoyBoySigh]

BUMP! That's a good looking bike! I'd sure love to see more pics of it, if it's been finished at all? GORGEOUS though, seriously. And it seems like a straight clean-up job, rather than a spray-over job. Far more work doing things polished and stripped rather than just the usual blacked-out method which seems so popular these days. But look at the REWARD! The early-type single-puck calipers in bare Aluminum? WOW - I'm gonna do my TWIN-POT calipers in clear-coat too! Same deal with the fork, I've gotta say it looks beautiful with that level of polish on it. Shiny but not TOO shiny. And the body-work in the flat red, that's a very old's-cool look. Very old's-cool HOT ROD. Dontcha think?

Well AYE for one would love to see the same treatment done on those hard bags. Some beautiful luggage on that bike. Not a type I'm familiar with.

Gotta wonder - that's probably about the very last complete, good-condition, never-been-set-on-fire, first year HONDA, let along Gold Wing, that you could pick up off Craigslist for Too-Hunnert-&-Fitty Bucks, right? WOW. Sounds like the old owner just wanted to see it go to a loving home....

Does she have a younger sister? what a foxy ol lady!

-Sigh.