May 23rd, 2007
This is a video of Edith when she came home and found her new bike! (See Video Below)
Here is some info on Edith’s new bike folks have been asking for.
General information
Model: Honda GL 500 Silver Wing
Year: 1982
Category: Touring
Rating: 75.6 out of 100.
Engine and transmission
Displacement: 497.00 ccm (30.33 cubic inches)
Engine type: V2
Stroke: 4
Power: 50.00 HP (36.5 kW)) @ 9000 RPM
Compression: 10.0:1
Bore x stroke: 78.0 x 52.0 mm (3.1 x 2.0 inches)
Valves per cylinder: 4
Fuel control: OHV
Cooling system: Liquid
Gearbox: 5-speed
Transmission type
final drive: Shaft drive (cardan)
More details Consult a Honda repair manual.
Physical measures
Weight incl. oil, gas, etc: 235.0 kg (518.1 pounds)
Chassis and dimensions
Front tyre dimensions: 3.50-19
Rear tyre dimensions: 130/90-16
Front brakes: Dual disc
Rear brakes: Expanding brake
Speed and acceleration
Top speed: 153.0 km/h (95.1 mph)
Other specifications
Fuel capacity: 20.00 litres (5.28 gallons)
After looking over the bike and taking the seat off, I believe the bike may have originally been blue. It is now Dark Cherry. The paint job was done by a professional. The paint has some tiny metal flakes in it and is clear-coated. Photos don’t do it justice. The frame is it’s original black. Over-all there is some rust, mostly around and on the bottom. But, this is a 25 year old bike so some rust is expected. Otherwise it’s in great shape. One of the mufflers has some carbon scarring on it and there is supposed to be an oil leak, though it hasn’t leaked any for us.
Edith rode 5.2 miles the other day in the parking lot next door, in that time she has been able to get a ‘feel’ for the bike. One troublesome factor is the kick-stand. It tucks under the exhaust pipe and is hard for her to find with her shoe and kick it down. The front brake needs adjusting because it grabs a bit too fast for my taste. It’s not unsafe just needs to be adjusted. In fact, I think we will probably replace both the brake and clutch levers so they look nicer and fix the problem then.The Neutral light stays on (find an old bike where it doesn’t!) and the choke cable is stuck. So we will replace that cable too. The tires are in great shape and it’s tuned up well. The spark plugs are new. All the lights and electricals work fine. The Wal-Mart battery looks new too. It has a very bright headlight and taillight. When I do the oil change I’ll re-fill the radiator too, simply because I want Honda oil in it and better radiator fluid - I have no idea whats in it now. There is a slight tear in the seat, almost unnoticable and the sissy bar pad is not secured well. None of this affects the performance of the bike, it’s just cosmetic things she and I want to clean up. But there is one big problem with the bike…
I HATE THE HANDLEBARS! What idiot put these handlebars on this bike?!?!??? The bars point almost straight back at the rider! Go figure! Making a sharp turn is difficult because the bars want to jab you in the gut! And when riding, your wrists are twisted away to the left and right. The Bars have got to go! 1st on the list of “modifications”. They are ok for now. (see photos in the blog below)I noticed when Edith was riding that the rear turn signals vibrate a bit. And I’m going to put some rubber grommets under the seat because it tends to rattle some. It’s secure, just the rubber under it is worn and loose.Otherwise, the bike is in great shape. And yes… it will fly! I know, I tried it out. hehehehe.Frankly, the bike is too light and small for me, but it hauls my arse with no problem. So it’s got some gumption and torque.
I removed the side saddle bags, back rest and windshield while Edith is training just in case she drops it. The saddle bags are original and were painted when the bike was painted. They did a great job. They pop open like luggage and have straps to hold the contents. They can easily be removed and carried into a hotel room, both have handles. The bike doesn’t look funny without them. The back rest is from a Harley and fit this bike perfectly. It bolts on under the back seat. (The bike has two seats, front & back) The Sissy bar is also removable.
The windsheld is new and was put on the bike a month before we got it. It has release bolts to remove it. The shield covers the front of the bike like a fairing coming around to shield the grips and down below the headlight.
When the bars go so will the levers and we will add a cruise control. The aforementioned modifications will be done over time so they won’t cost much. The priority now is to get her endorsement and get her riding. And the general maintanence of the bike.
Edith has taken to riding very well. Though she has more to learn she isn’t afraid of the bike nor is she scared to try something new. She was doing figure-eights in the parking lot before we got to that step. Right now she is still getting used to the controls and such. Our hiatus from training isn’t helping, this week she had to go out of town for work and we both will be out of state this weekend, so training will resume next week. I’ll start from scratch again and quickly get back up to speed.
Oh, one more thing. As with most older bikes, the clutch is tight on this bike so Edith has had some issues with wrist and hand fatigue. This should go away after she strengthens up her left hand. But, you gotta be tough to be a biker lady.
J.
Postscript: This week I’m packing and getting the camera gear packed for our location shoot in Oklahoma this weekend. I’ll try to blog some more if I can.
This is a video of Edith when she came home and found her new bike! (See Video Below)
Here is some info on Edith’s new bike folks have been asking for.
General information
Model: Honda GL 500 Silver Wing
Year: 1982
Category: Touring
Rating: 75.6 out of 100.
Engine and transmission
Displacement: 497.00 ccm (30.33 cubic inches)
Engine type: V2
Stroke: 4
Power: 50.00 HP (36.5 kW)) @ 9000 RPM
Compression: 10.0:1
Bore x stroke: 78.0 x 52.0 mm (3.1 x 2.0 inches)
Valves per cylinder: 4
Fuel control: OHV
Cooling system: Liquid
Gearbox: 5-speed
Transmission type
final drive: Shaft drive (cardan)
More details Consult a Honda repair manual.
Physical measures
Weight incl. oil, gas, etc: 235.0 kg (518.1 pounds)
Chassis and dimensions
Front tyre dimensions: 3.50-19
Rear tyre dimensions: 130/90-16
Front brakes: Dual disc
Rear brakes: Expanding brake
Speed and acceleration
Top speed: 153.0 km/h (95.1 mph)
Other specifications
Fuel capacity: 20.00 litres (5.28 gallons)
After looking over the bike and taking the seat off, I believe the bike may have originally been blue. It is now Dark Cherry. The paint job was done by a professional. The paint has some tiny metal flakes in it and is clear-coated. Photos don’t do it justice. The frame is it’s original black. Over-all there is some rust, mostly around and on the bottom. But, this is a 25 year old bike so some rust is expected. Otherwise it’s in great shape. One of the mufflers has some carbon scarring on it and there is supposed to be an oil leak, though it hasn’t leaked any for us.
Edith rode 5.2 miles the other day in the parking lot next door, in that time she has been able to get a ‘feel’ for the bike. One troublesome factor is the kick-stand. It tucks under the exhaust pipe and is hard for her to find with her shoe and kick it down. The front brake needs adjusting because it grabs a bit too fast for my taste. It’s not unsafe just needs to be adjusted. In fact, I think we will probably replace both the brake and clutch levers so they look nicer and fix the problem then.The Neutral light stays on (find an old bike where it doesn’t!) and the choke cable is stuck. So we will replace that cable too. The tires are in great shape and it’s tuned up well. The spark plugs are new. All the lights and electricals work fine. The Wal-Mart battery looks new too. It has a very bright headlight and taillight. When I do the oil change I’ll re-fill the radiator too, simply because I want Honda oil in it and better radiator fluid - I have no idea whats in it now. There is a slight tear in the seat, almost unnoticable and the sissy bar pad is not secured well. None of this affects the performance of the bike, it’s just cosmetic things she and I want to clean up. But there is one big problem with the bike…
I HATE THE HANDLEBARS! What idiot put these handlebars on this bike?!?!??? The bars point almost straight back at the rider! Go figure! Making a sharp turn is difficult because the bars want to jab you in the gut! And when riding, your wrists are twisted away to the left and right. The Bars have got to go! 1st on the list of “modifications”. They are ok for now. (see photos in the blog below)I noticed when Edith was riding that the rear turn signals vibrate a bit. And I’m going to put some rubber grommets under the seat because it tends to rattle some. It’s secure, just the rubber under it is worn and loose.Otherwise, the bike is in great shape. And yes… it will fly! I know, I tried it out. hehehehe.Frankly, the bike is too light and small for me, but it hauls my arse with no problem. So it’s got some gumption and torque.
I removed the side saddle bags, back rest and windshield while Edith is training just in case she drops it. The saddle bags are original and were painted when the bike was painted. They did a great job. They pop open like luggage and have straps to hold the contents. They can easily be removed and carried into a hotel room, both have handles. The bike doesn’t look funny without them. The back rest is from a Harley and fit this bike perfectly. It bolts on under the back seat. (The bike has two seats, front & back) The Sissy bar is also removable.
The windsheld is new and was put on the bike a month before we got it. It has release bolts to remove it. The shield covers the front of the bike like a fairing coming around to shield the grips and down below the headlight.
When the bars go so will the levers and we will add a cruise control. The aforementioned modifications will be done over time so they won’t cost much. The priority now is to get her endorsement and get her riding. And the general maintanence of the bike.
Edith has taken to riding very well. Though she has more to learn she isn’t afraid of the bike nor is she scared to try something new. She was doing figure-eights in the parking lot before we got to that step. Right now she is still getting used to the controls and such. Our hiatus from training isn’t helping, this week she had to go out of town for work and we both will be out of state this weekend, so training will resume next week. I’ll start from scratch again and quickly get back up to speed.
Oh, one more thing. As with most older bikes, the clutch is tight on this bike so Edith has had some issues with wrist and hand fatigue. This should go away after she strengthens up her left hand. But, you gotta be tough to be a biker lady.
J.
Postscript: This week I’m packing and getting the camera gear packed for our location shoot in Oklahoma this weekend. I’ll try to blog some more if I can.
5 comments:
Greetings,
I have a 1982 Honga GL500 motorcycle just like yours. I am looking for a passenger backrest for my bike. Yours looks fab. You mentioned it is off a Harley. Can you give me the year and model Harley it came from. I would like to get one just like yours.
Any information would be appreciated.
Mark
mmullhol@hotmail.com
Greetings;
I recently purchased a Silverwing gl500 and am desperate to find backrests that fit. If you would be kind enough to give me model info on what you are using,I would greatly appreciate it.
thanks,
Mike
When we bought the bike the man said the backrest came from a harley. It has no numbers on it. Sorry. :-(
Well said.
Genial brief and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you for your information.
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