Doesn't seem right!

I just bought an 81 GL1100 with 12K and hasn't been ridden in 18 years. I went over it carefully, ordered new timing belts, oil filter, drained gas tank and refilled with non-alcohol 91 octane and 8oz of Seafoam.I took it out on the highway and it ran fairly smoothly but I don't think it is going into 5th gear. At 60 mph it is showing about 4100 rpm which seems awful fast for the speed., I tried to shift it thru 5th gear by hand and it seemed to work fine. This can't be the correct speed in 5th gear...right???

You folks have a great site here!!!

4,000 @ 60MPH is about right for 81, 1100. The 1200s are aprox 4,000= 80MPH that is one major difference between the two. 1100 is faster 1/4 miler of the two, but 1200 is better geared for smoothness, road manners, & top end, for my taste. Have had 2, 1100s, & have 3, 1200s, 2 are 84 standards, & other is 87 interstate, feel very lucky to have them & my 91 aspencade, just can't wear any of them out!! I keep trying, & tell every one that I'm just fixing them up for the next guy, who aquires them when I'm dead. Don't want them parted out, so i try to keep them all in very good working, riding shape so whoever winds up with them wants to keep, ride & appreciate them. Maybe even make them look better than when they got them.

Thanks Denver!

Sure sounds like they won't do too well on gas at that speed. I really like the 1100 but I just got it because I've always thought they would be a good compromise between sport bike and and the full size GW.

It's sorta replacing my ST1300 that was destroyed by my son who wasn't on my insurance so I got nothing for it when it was wrecked. Anyway, I'm looking forward to riding it this summer!

81 may be busy at highway speeds but it doesn't seem to affect the mileage too much. At least to a guy like me who isn't really keeping track. It's a fun bike to ride and one of the quickest revving wings ever made.
Welcome to the fun. :moped:

All goldwings, even the really big'uns are surprisingly quick and handle really well for a larger machine. At 34 years of age I would have never thought that I would enjoy riding my 84 aspencade as much as I do but it is a really fun and comfortable ride and the more I look at it the cooler it gets :ahem:

Goldwings truly are a bike that anyone who enjoys riding should give a try, you may just fall in love :lust:

Enjoy cruizing that beast :music:

I have a lot of younger guys that come to my place with there sports bike, sports cruisers and such. Most of them look at the goldwing i'm working on, and then ask - Have you got one of them Monster i can try out.
I usually take them to the back and uncover one i've finished. Then the next thing i hear is...Damm, how old is this bike. Man it sure is nice, clean, and nice looking. Then i tell them, you want to ride, hand me your keys to your bike...lol. Some take that offer, some don't, but i always hear these words after they do ride it : i'm going to get me one of them , man that thing is so sweet. Yep... hooked that one.. :smilie_happy:

I hate say this but the older I get the more I like the dirt bikes and North Idaho is a great place to ride them, but I really loved my ST so the 1100 is sort of a gift to myself and better than my Lowrider for road trip with the wife. I need to make something for a back rest on the rear seat since the original is a back breaker. I still have a Harbor Freight trailer I used with the ST and I'll build a hitch for the 1100 so I can do some camping this summer.

I'm a little afraid to do much with it until I get the 34 year old rubber replaced which I'm working on now. Rear brake is mushy but the front is fine. Cam belts scare me so they are on the way and I'll do valve adjustments then too.

The single carb mod appeals to me just to make it a little simpler and maybe perform better...we'll see.

Thanks for the responses guys!!

IMHO the single carb mod is more for simplicity and for the joy of tinkering. You really dont gain any HP or performance, unless your stock rack is in really poor shape. Stock rack in perfect shape vs. single carb mod thats done really really well are going to run the same.

DONT SHOOT ME GUYS..... :blush: I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin....

[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=147195#p147195:1f8nrbgq said:

slabghost » Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:37 pm[/url]":1f8nrbgq]
81 may be busy at highway speeds but it doesn't seem to affect the mileage too much. At least to a guy like me who isn't really keeping track. It's a fun bike to ride and one of the quickest revving wings ever made.
Welcome to the fun. :moped:

Click to expand...

+1 :good: :moped:

If memory serves 80, & 81s were the fastest 1/4 milers of ALL the 4s.

They were all higher RPM up until 82 and many have toured all over the country, really isn't that much higher and gas savings on a proper running bike is negligible, think of it as a bonus when you need it the power it`s there.
At first I looked into changing the final drive and through research found the only way to lower the RPM`s was to change the gears inside the engine, I learned to accept it and give it no thought out on the highway.

The engine is running at its best power band for how everything else is set up, cams, ignition, carbs, exhaust.
Lowering the rpm won't increase fuel economy, I have tried. Anything performance and economy are reduced.

Awwwh, the joy of tinkering...that's what it's all about!!

You guys are making me feel better about the higher RPM that I saw on my short run yesterday. I have swapped rear and primary sprockets on bikes for years but the shaft drive does complicate things...but...they sure are smooth and quiet.

Once I get the belts changed I'll take her out for a longer run. I'm headed into Sask., Canada next month and I may take the Wing instead of my Harley just to get used to it's ways. I do want to wring it out a bit before I go too far from home.

I'm trying to figure out a nice way to attach a back rest to the rear rack to make it more comfortable for the back seater. Not much room to play with when the luggage is attached. Anyone have a good solution to attach it to the lid of the suitcase? Although, with the case off it's pretty easy...just looks better with it in place.

Dan,

How is your single carb mod working? Was it worth the effort/expense?

Umm, just wait until you are tickling the red line in fifth gear. That is interesting. :mrgreen:

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=147299#p147299:3bnt3usq said:

Lowrider » 2 minutes ago[/url]":3bnt3usq]
Dan,

How is your single carb mod working? Was it worth the effort/expense?

Click to expand...

I like it much more over the stock carbs for its ease and tweakability and it's been fun learning what works and what doesn't.
Low end torque and that typical lugging and chugging is almost gone. That's a big + in itself.

What I don't like is the drop in fuel economy but running a 1 barrel Solex for the first time last weekend I got mpg back up to 39.

I've been experimenting with making the CI manifold I have run better.
It's running very good now but it ran better on my custom 1" runners and a type 4 manifold so I'm putting that back on this weekend.

I pegged the speedo yesterday but I didn't look at the tach...I don't think it's as fast as #2 son's CBR 1000RR...that thing will leave a load in your pants for sure but it won't outrun a laser speed gun.

[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=147307#p147307:3mjxaeol said:

Lowrider » Fri Apr 24, 2015 3:50 pm[/url]":3mjxaeol]
I pegged the speedo yesterday but I didn't look at the tach...I don't think it's as fast as #2 son's CBR 1000RR...

Click to expand...

Nope not as fast, but it does tend to surprise those riders when you are keeping up with them and doing it in comfort. :BigGrin:

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=147308#p147308:3du0jvhj said:

brianinpa » 24 minutes ago[/url]":3du0jvhj]

[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=147307#p147307:3du0jvhj said:

Lowrider » Fri Apr 24, 2015 3:50 pm[/url]":3du0jvhj]
I pegged the speedo yesterday but I didn't look at the tach...I don't think it's as fast as #2 son's CBR 1000RR...

Click to expand...

Nope not as fast, but it does tend to surprise those riders when you are keeping up with them and doing it in comfort. :BigGrin:

Click to expand...

While sipping a cappuccino.

Does the cappuccino have an umbrella in it also?