A caged ball bearing

Concerns about GL1800 headstock bearings have been circulating among Wingers for some time and now a group of US GL1800 owners are trying to sue Honda because they think the front wheel wobbles too much and Honda is at fault for not sorting the problem out for them.

Their legal claim states that they have experienced an “unusual level of wobble or oscillation” in the front wheel and steering assembly. They have an expert witness who has examined a bike for them and declared that there is a fault which can be remedied by attention to the steering bearing.

Honda are trying to get the action nipped in the bud on the basis that an opinion based on the examination of only one bike cannot possibly provide convincing evidence of a general fault.  There’s a legal precedent in Illinois, where this action is being launched, that expert evidence has to be looked at prior to deciding whether to allow a Class Action.  When facing a possible class action there is value to a defendant (i.e. in this case Honda) in getting the expert evidence dismissed as inadequate before approval for a class action is granted.  If a class action is refused by the Court individual claimants are unlikely to proceed because of unaffordable costs.

Although it’s not clear from the information released so far (the expert’s report has not been released)  this legal action seems likely to have something to do with the controversy there has been about Honda’s choice of ball bearings for the headstock of the GL1800s, rather than tapered roller  bearings, as used on the GL1500 and earlier GoldWings.

Are the front wheel wobble problems which are being encountered by some GL1800 owners due to problems with the steering bearings?  Are ball bearings adequate to this task on a heavy bike like a GL1800?  Is there any substance to reports of steering bearings being found to be too slack on delivery of brand new GL1800s? continues………

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There’s an interesting and very well illustrated account of the restoration of a GL1200 Aspencade running on the GoldWing Riders Forum which you might want to follow, even if you don’t have a GL1200 yourself.

It reveals what happens under the skin to ageing GoldWings (and could be happening to your GoldWing if you’re not looking after it) and also shows what can be done to recover the situation in your own garage if you make use of the help and advice which is available from other Wingers on a good GoldWing forum like this one.

The Winger who’s doing this restoration is called Liam who, fairly obviously from the Thread, has well above average DIY skills.  He’s based in Ireland, but he’s drawing on resources abroad for parts, including America.  It’s an interesting read.

As with everything on the GoldWing Riders Forum you don’t need to sign up to read what’s available on there, although since it’s free to join you might as well do so because then you can ask questions to seek information and advice about your own GoldWing problems.

Related Articles

John Gratton’s GL1100 Restoration Part One

John Gratton’s GL1100 Project Part Two

I’m sorry the frequency of new reading material on the Blog has dropped off this past week or so – the picture explains the reason.

I’ve been re-building a gatepost, or rather helping in a very un-skilled labouring capacity. The old one had been leaning over further and further over the years and had become known as the Leaning Tower of Samlesbury.

I suppose we could have contacted the experts in Pisa to find out it it could have been saved but the decision was made to demolish it and take the opportunity to widen the gateway slightly to improve motorhome access.  No names no pack drill but a Winger friend of mine managed to clip one of the gateposts last year and dislodged its capping flagstone.  Fortunately the damage to his pride was worse that to the motorhome but he hasn’t tried to come to our home in it ever since then.  Just as well he picked the non-leaning post otherwise I suppose he might have finished it off prematurely.

Anyway I’ve been experiencing much harder physical work than I’ve been used to for many a year and stiffening up and aching in places I didn’t know could ache all week.  I’m relieved it’s now weekend and we’re having a break.  The bike’s sitting in the garage looking lonely and neglected but there’s a heavy frost and salt on the roads even though we haven’t had any snow, so that’s where the bike’s stopping.

It’s been a race against the cold weather building the new post of course and it will have to wait for its final rendering coat until the temperatures has improved quite a bit.  The new post has been given some decent foundations so it stands more chance of staying upright than the last one, which didn’t seem to have had any at all.

As you will see from the picture I was allowed to have a play with a jack hammer and I also used the shovel which you can see having a rest leaning against the post – although I wasn’t very successful with either and my contribution was little more than making the tea and cleaning the tools afterwards.  I did however do enough to learn just how physically unfit I’ve become.

But the new gatepost is up and the groundwork is finished, so there’s an enforced break until the cold spell finishes and the new gates are being made.  With enormous relief I can tuck myself into my favourite corner with my laptop on my knee and a cup of coffee to hand  and get back to the important business of boring you lot to death!

Honda GL1800 GoldWing, Pearl Orange

First registered 13/02/2004, one owner.

Taxed till Aug 2011 & MOT due mid March 2011

Private reg plate L800 WNG. (have show plates as well)

Has covered 46,000 miles and a full history has been kept from day one (every mile logged)

BMW dealer when valuing it, described it as “Good to Very Condition”, it does have the odd scratch and mark from it’s years of service.

K&N air filter and NGK Iridium spark plugs recently fitted, so they both have a long life.

Dunlop Elite 3 tires almost new and they have been Ultrasealed. Wheels have recently been chrome silver powder coated and new bearings fitted on the front. Lots of stainless steel nuts, bolts and sockets (Pro-Bolt) fitted at the same time.

Small amount of extras fitted, Hondaline trunk spoiler with brake light, lower trunk and lower pannier spoilers (colour matched) Fog lights, Kuryakyn tow bar with electrics. Kuryakyn trunk rack, grips and footrests. Tulsa hand and foot wings plus Baker Leg Wings & lower side fairing deflectors. It is fitted with a ram mount and wiring for my sat-nav will leave on.

I also have an J&M Arai XL colour matched Classic/C helmet with integrated corded headset (used appox 5 times)

Well if you have read this far you must want the price…£9500 ono

(Contact details removed.)

Barry preparing to judge the 2010 Blackpool Light Parade Display on the Promenade at South Pier

Editor’s Introduction: Barry Walton is well known in UK GoldWing circles and has been selling and working with GoldWings at Colin Appleyards since Moses was a lad.

According to one story which circulates in Keighley pubs in his wake, if it hadn’t been for a chance meeting between Soichiro Honda and Barry in the early seventies outside the fish & chip shop at Hawes, the revolutionary motorcycle launched in America in October 1974 as the GoldWing would have been called something completely different.

If you need to know anything about UK-spec GoldWings of any model, Barry’s your man.  You can usually contact him in the Showroom during working hours on:

01535 606311.

Reference information about GoldWings on the internet tends to relate to US-spec GL1800s and of course there are important differences on UK versions.  Barry has kindly compiled a useful reference list of the colours and their codes, together with details of features of the UK-spec GL1800 from its first release in March 2001 to the present day.

General features of UK-spec GL1800s:

• All have ABS fitted (it was optional in USA).
• VIN numbers on the RH frame (rather than on the headstock, as in other markets) and the tenth digit indicates the model year – except for 2010.
• Not pre-wired for or fitted with  saddlebag brake/tail lights, although these can be fitted.
• Not pre-wired for lower front driving lights, although these can still be fitted.
• Not pre-wired for the Hondaline factory CB radio and cannot be fitted with one.
• Do not have the upgraded audio systems which are supplied to other markets but they do have an RDS radio system.
• Neither rear speakers nor the 30 watt audio amplifier have never been fitted to any UK models

A list of UK GL1800 colours and features by Model Year follows:

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continues………

http://www.goldwing-riders.com/ukwings/

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I’ve mentioned the GoldWing Riders Forum on this Blog before; it’s an independent (of any club) and entirely politics-free, UK GoldWing forum which I’ve been using for a couple of months now.

And having gained a bit more experience of using it and learned quite a bit more about forums generally,  I decided I should offer a few tips to Wingers who have not yet tried a forum or who have been turned off by a bad experience of them in the past.

The GoldWing Riders Forum seems to me to be a safe bet and it has the considerable advantage of being very much UK-oriented, so it’s well worth trying, but there are lots of others on the internet and I’ll mention some of those too.

I haven’t used forums much myself until recently and it certainly wasn’t an entirely pleasant ride when I first tried one a few years ago.  So I will sound a cautionary note or two because forums, or rather some of the people who use them,  can be unpleasant or worse.

But forums aren’t all bad, even the bad ones, so if I can demystify them a little bit and provide some explanation of why and how you should be a bit selective about what you let yourself in for, I can perhaps encourage a few more Wingers to enjoy a new, biking-related pastime this winter while their bike is laid up. continues………

Sergeant Matthew Telford of the Grenadier Guards was promoted to that rank in June 2009.

In November of that same year, Sergeant Telford was one of 5 British soldiers killed when a rogue Afghan policeman opened fire on them.

His widow will only receive a Corporal’s pension since at the time of his death he had held his rank of Sergeant for less than a year.

He was killed on operations by the enemy whilst wearing three stripes of a Sergeant on active service, surely his widow should receive a pension based on that rank.

Please sign the petition to support an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons for a change in the rules that deny a hero’s widow the pension she deserves.  It’s the least we can do.

Click here to go to the Petition Website

Over 27,000 people have signed this petition already (I was number 27121) and it will take you only a few seconds of your time to join them.  If, despite the economic difficulties we face, our Country can afford to pay off suspected terrorists we should at least play fair with the widows of our fallen troops.

This video clip is also by Nigel Bowers and it takes you through the sequence of a safe overtaking manoeuvre.  It covers the things you should be looking for and the plan you should make before you commit to the manoeuvre.  Nigel’s real-time commentary is very helpful, so don’t forget to have your computer’s sound on to get the full benefit.

Commentary follows……………………. continues………

I have received the first batch of Blog Badges including some , like the picture here, with the word “Contributor” superimposed in red.  These will be presented FOC to anyone who writes a feature article for the Blog from now on as a thankyou.

I’ve also got a few plain Blog Badges (i.e. without “Contributor”) and these will be offered for sale as soon as I can sort out the practicalities of on-line sales.

These badges have come out far better than I was expecting.  The ’tiling’ effect of the bike’s image on the website looked like it would be difficult to do in embroidery.

But Alan Mason of Storm Embroidery in Barnsley has excelled himself and they look really good.  Alan is a Winger himself and has a lot of experience producing badges, polo shirts, fleeces and other regalia for GoldWing clubs.  He doesn’t bother with newfangled things like websites but  if you need any embroidery done he can be contacted on:

01226 231054

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Viewing figures for this Blog hit a new high last week with over 5,000 unique visits for the first time.  This is quite a milestone and it coincides with the Blog’s second birthday – so not bad for a two year old eh?

Thank you to the UK Wingers, who make up most of the readership, for their continuing, and growing, support.

You may have noticed that I’ve been trying some new publishing approaches recently too, having learned how to incorporate video clips and galleries of pictures.  I’ll be making more use of these new (to me) tricks in future and if you have an interesting video clip or set of picture you would like other Wingers to have a chance to see please offer them.  This Blog was always intended to be a magazine-type website for all Wingers rather than a personal Blog and I’m especially grateful for the growing number of contributors.

Anyone who would like to use the Blog to publicise a GoldWing event or a report about a ride or a repair or rebuild project, or the activities or interests of any GoldWing Club or Region are most welcome to do so.  Just send me the text and some pictures and I’ll edit them into shape for you.  There is no limit on the number of words or pictures other than what will be acceptable to readers (one of the advantages of an on-line magazine) and your contribution will usually be published quickly, while your news is still fresh.  You can include a whole gallery of photos in your event or club report if you wish, as I did with the recent Toy Run report.

Use the Contact Stuart facility to outline your idea and we’ll take it from there.  Don’t be shy!