1986 Honda Gold Wing

I purchased this 86 Goldwing Aspencade after owning an 85 Goldwing Interstate, which I restored over a two year period. The flathead four cylinder 1200 cc carburated engine is pretty bullet-proof and is easy to work on. These engines typically run for 150K to 250K miles with proper maintenance. The Goldwing is a great motorcycle that is a classic touring machine. It is big and heavy (750 lbs) but they are very dependable and fun to ride ... although they are getting on in age. The Aspencade is fully-dressed and has all the bells & whistles ... AM/FM Cassette, CB radio, Intercom, On-board air compressor, auto-adjustable air shocks, trunk & saddlebags, etc and I thought it was in reasonable shape based on the limited pictures and the very limited description in the Ebay listing. The seller indicated it was ready to roll when it really was not - it needed the carbs rebuilt and a fair amount of deferred maintenance completed before it would run and was really ride-able. Two brand new Bridgestone tires were included but they were a couple of years old and needed to be installed. I am in the process of rebuilding the carbs now and expect to have this road-worthy by July 1st. The bike was stored outside so there is much surface rust on the chrome exhaust pipes and chrome accessories. Some will need to be re-chromed but the majority will likely clean up with considerable effort. The price was right ($2,050) considering the condition but the work needed will easily put the cost about $3,500. Not too bad when you consider that this bike will then be in great condition mechanically and average to good condition cosmetically. The former seller sold this through an Ebay retail store that sold items on consignment - not a huge issue other than it was very difficult to get specific answers to key questions prior to the auction's end because all communications were relayed through the retailer. To further complicate things, the owner had the sale managed by his father who was an older gentleman who knew very little about the bike's history or condition. The son had moved away recently and the bike was being stored at the father's home. It would have been more informative and helpful to speak directly with the owner but that wasn't possible. I took a chance and it seems like it will work out okay. The fact this was a one-owner bike that was purchased new and was registered and ridden up until last summer when the son moved away, helped me decide to the the chance on it. If I took this survey at the end of the summer I could better respond about my satisfaction level. Assuming that the only other major work needed is to change the two timing belts and belt tensioners, this will work out to be a very nice deal on a truly classic touring machine. In fact, the lack of owner communication may be the reason this bike sold for so little at auction because others couldn't get answers either - I would have expected an 86 Aspencade to be in the $3,000 - $3,500 range even with the work needed that I've identified.

Rides smoothly, low center of gravity, great acceleration, very quiet, and 45 mpg. I owned a Gold Wing 1000 several years ago.

I had me try a 1984 Goldwing and it wasn't as comfortable as a 1986. I also had me ride a 1995 Wing that handled well but the bars were too much of a reach for me. So surprisingly just because it says Goldwing doesn't mean it is the year that will fit you best. 1986 was the year for me. It would be ideal to be able to try a few different years before deciding on one. The bikes all performed well. All had good response to driver input (throttle response, braking, Etc.) but the sweep of the bars and the seat designs vary enough to make a difference for rider comfort. I had given me a Suzuki GS1100GK that was a nice enough bike, however the attention to detail was lacking compared to the Goldwings. Hope to see you riding soon.

WHAT A GREAT E-BAYER RECIEVED MORE THAN I BARGINED FOR. NOT ONLY RECIEVED BIKE IN GOOD CONDITION AND READY TO BE RIDEN CROSS COUNTRY. THEY ALSO HAD THE SEAT COVER TO KEEP RAIN OFF SEAT AND A COVER TO KEEP BIKE OUT OF DUST AND SUN LIGHT. MANY OTHER EXTRAS ON THE BIKE AS WELL. THANKS I HAVE ENJOYED RIDING THE BIKE AND HAVE PUT SEVERAL MILES ON IT. PLANNING A TRIP TO THE TAIL OF THE DRAGON SOON.

I've been on two wheels since I was 8 - that was 41 years ago. I've owned all the major brands, ridden the rest. I ride an '86 GL1200 Aspencade now - not because I can't afford a newer bike, but because the quality is there - the newer Goldwings are way too plastic and way too complicated and nobody else makes a tourer this size and weight that is this dependable, handles this well, looks this good, and comes at this kind of price - you can't buy this at any price.
Add a pair of aftermarket pipes and you've got the best bike you'll ever ride!
I only miss my '58 DuoGlide because it spent so much time in the garage with me, you'd have thought we were married.
Pappy, from the edge of the 'Glades

Great cruiser. Comfortable to ride, ergonomics got better year after year. Getting off my GL1000 and getting this is like going from a Pinto to a Lincoln. Dependable too. As long as you don't overheat them and do regular maintenance they will last 100,000 to 200,000 miles or more.

Defects in item were hidden or not visible at the time of purchase. Since unable to write an accurate assessment on Ebay, have no recourse to recoup
losses on item....

I read all the reviews,watched the bidding and went for it.Sunday evening I placed the winning bid,Monday I communicated with the seller,Tuesday I spoke with Express Auto Transport and Friday I took delivery.This is the best performing bike I've ever ridden!It starts without fuss,accelerates great.There weren't any strange noises anywhere.It feels very comfortable on the road!By Friday evening I put 150 miles on the bike.I'm only disappointed that I couldn't find a way to get myself to Ohio to ride the bike to New Jersey.That would've been the perfect ending to my ebay experience!

This bike was not as advertised. It was advertised as in great shape. The bike needed a lot of clean up and repair. Could not ride it over 10 miles before the battery ran down. It needed a regulator & stater. Had to wait 10 day for parts and instalation. The housing that the air filter sets in was broken and the base it sets in was in backward. Also the onboard computer dose not work.
I bought the bike because it was advertised as a great bike and every thing worked. Also it was advertised that the stater was beplaced. The bike has 35000 miles on it. That means this will be the third stater in that many miles. I don't think so. I was very disatisfied. I had to put 1.565.50 before I could enjoy ride it.
Thank you. John Whittecar

I love the power and the nice smooth ride it has. It is very comfortable and it handles real nice. I don't know exactly the name of the color but it is a nice 2-tone color scheme. I have added allot of chrome parts already and it really looks good now. I recommend that if you want a good bike get a Goldwing and you won't go wrong.