Good video recap…… I’m a six time Harley owner and am new to GoldWings. Only six weeks in with my first ‘new to me’ 08 GL1800. My bike is in pristine condition with only 26k miles (when purchased - 28k now) I am sucking up all things GoldWing maintenance related as I like to wrench as much as my skill sets allow. I went ahead and purchased Cruiseman’s Garage maintenance video series and have been working my way through all the self-maintenance items to make sure everything is fresh. I did the Air Filter, Engine and Final Drive oils a week ago. The Air Filter is a pain in the ass but it looks harder to do than it actually is. Just need to take your time and be organized. None of these things, thus far, needed to be changed but I wasn’t exactly sure. Next up is coolant, clutch and brake fluid flushes, then easy peasy spark plugs and I should be good for awhile. I agree with you about valve adjustments etc… I will let a pro do those at the 32k service mark. Same thing with the fork head bearings which seem fine right now.
Thanks John , I follow your video regularly and adopted almost everything you recommended, including wind screens which I appreciate a lot. Keep the good work. Have a great day.
Thank you for saying! I'm going to try to put out a video on this pulse generator repair once I find time to do it! Right now about once every three months, she just decided she doesn't want to start, I just wait for a little while, couple hours or overnight, and then she fires back up, LOL hate for that thing to go out on a trip though, so I want to get it repaired, it's basically tearing down the whole bike just like you're changing the air filter which I'll do while I'm at it.
Air filter change is miserable, would recommend dealer along with clutch and brake flush, oil and filter, final drive fluid, spark plugs and coolant change is a piece of cake
@@robertparisi8016 …. Air Filter change IS a pain in the ass but it actually looks harder to do than it really is. I would recommend (for anyone who has never done one and is intimidated) to setting aside a few hours, maybe three if doing for the first time and then taking your time and being very organized as to what comes off and where it comes from. I did mine recently after owning my first GL1800 Wing for a month. It took me 2.5 hours and I took my time. The dealer wanted $300. I paid less than $40 for the OEM filter and actually enjoyed the process of DIY while listening to some tunes and having a beer while at it. I find wrenching as relaxing as riding
@@robertparisi8016I would recommend that if you are going to install LED headlights into the standard fixtures to incorporate this into an air filter change. It gives you a lot more room for your hands when changing out the high beams after you have removed the upper fairing to change the air filter.
Great How-to Video. After watching this, I believe that I can do this. Mine is a 2013 also but dont think it is Time yet.(Mine was bought Brand New in 2015 as a Leftover and I dont think that I should count those Two Years it set on the Show Room Floor) Seems like the most Trick part was getting the right amount back in. Thanks for Sharing and Ride Safe.
Mine had about 2000 miles on it when i got it in Feb this year. I am sure you are ok on leaving it but manual says every 3 years. I am sure you could do the strip test thing and see if it still is rated good. Sometimes I think these manuals were set up for dealerships to make money. Manual also says new air filter every 12k and I know wingers that leave filter in for over 60 K in non dusty areas and the filter looks great when they change out. I am leaving my filter in until at least 24K
Big mistake with Diff oil change. 1-st it is a total myth, there are no specials additives, just a regular oil. 2-nd; - I checked mine at 7K and it only had 2 Oz or less. It was really empty. I changed oil and put in at least 6 oz to reach the bottom of filler hole. You don't know what they did at the factory or perhaps it was done at dealership. And you know what happens there , stays there. You get the idea. People make mistakes and lots of times they don't care. Even, when I buy new cars, first thing I do is all fluid checks and fill as needed.
I was wondering if this was possible. I will be into the oil change anyway and since the filter will be out of the way I thought I would have more room to do the two jobs. My plan is to use 3/8 wobble extensions or 3/8 universal joint or both to get to the coolant drain bolt while the filter is removed. I'll just change out the drain pans as needed. Thanks for the good video work.
Yep you're welcome, sounds like a perfect plan! Good luck, this round of fluid changes on taking it more easy on myself, I have another video with my new white 16 Deluxe, where I knocked out like 3 things, clutch fluid, oil change, coolant change, all at once. I just did an oil and my brake fluid together next oil change I'm going to tackle the coolant and the clutch again, that brake fluid is quite a long job without a speed siphon tool
@@johnk12345100 It was exactly as you said in your video. Entirely possible to do coolant and oil without removing the lower cowl. Likely not so if flushing clutch. No wobble extentions or universal joint needed. A 1/4 inch drive does make it easy to get the draincock opened.
@@goldwingconepatterns2565 correct you cannot avoid removing that front piece to get to the canister you have to take down for the clutch fluid, go through my videos and you will see that video on the clutch fluid change, it's different than bleeding your brakes! So do watch it before you do the job
you bet glad it helped, I am sure it will be easier next time...I smelled coolant burn off for 2 weeks from some that leaked down on engine. Hopefully you put some towels down when you filled.
My filter got mice living in the box some time ago.. I got 02 wing used with 51k miles, now 56k miles.. mechanic said it was a good call to change that filter when i did..lol...
Yeah that happens! Do you think that was your first filter change on it? Most experience Wingers usually change him about every 50, I don't think I can go that long
I bought the bike used 51k miles at a good price last year. I replaced the front folk tube and seal. The previous owner replaced the seals himself, damaged the tubes before he sold it to me.. that's the reason i had to replace those tubes.. right before i had those replaced, I put on 1k miles the folk was leaking the whole time, the left side gave in and oil-spills all over me, from my chest to my face and it smells like mud and i was on a shore drive, wipe my face, i though mosquitoes but it wasn't..lol.. i don't think he ever changed the air filter and because it's a complicated task, i took it to a Honda dealer.. the same dealer that replace the front tubes.. they did outstanding jobs.. thank you.. p.s. the service rep showed me a bag of debris from the air box and said mice were living in the air box and it was a good call to change that air filter.. i had to give the mechanic a nice chunk of change for appreciation...
@@ThanhTran-pv4kl wow quite a story behind your bike! Glad you got everything worked out sounds like, yeah I'm taking mine in to do the filter too along with replacing a ignition pulse generator that's been giving me trouble. So much work to get to that filter for a non mechanic, Ride safe!
There is no need to remove the front lower cowl. This link shows how to drain the system without splashing or loosing a drop. Mouse click each photo thumbnail to enlarge: gl1800riders.com/forums/members/22132-gatorwing-albums-coolant-drain.html
This is at least one thing that was easier to change then on my Vulcan 900! Had to tear my bike down to change coolant on the Balkan, remove gas tank, that really sucked! But I would take that job any day over a filter change on the Goldwings LOL
LOL, actually besides the air filter, this is pretty easy bike to work on. I think this was my first coolant change on a goldwing. After I made video, i realized i may have not changed on the 06 full dress. So you know how first times go on any maintenance....painful. Dont let this hold you back from getting a wing, they are really great bikes, especially the f6b, nothing better out there as far as i am concerned. Watch my 8500 review video.