My recommendation for Honda GL1000 timing belts is simple: It you can’t verify their age – change them! Thereafter, my recommendation is to change them every 5 years or 25,000 miles…whichever comes sooner. Obviously, they should be inspected from time to time for any evidence of damage, oil contamination or deterioration which would warrant immediate replacement.
I find the factory recommended idle mixture screw setting specs to be very close to ideal. They are listed here for the Honda GL1000.
Idle FUEL Mixture Screw on Honda GL1000
I do usually richen them up an extra 1/8 to 1/4 turn (out) to compensate for the leaner modern “gasoline” which is diluted with ethanol in most US markets.
But sometimes, you just need an excuse to do some high performance tuning on your bike! 🙂
Internally Collapsed Header on Honda GL1000?
Collapsed GL1000 Header
Example courtesy of Steve Seamans of NGWClub Forum
Catastrophe or Nuisance?
Greg Jones (left) and Al Wransky (right). Photo by Scott Larson
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How many million mile motorcycles are there? Answer below. Read on!
Allan Zahrt with his Million Mile GL1000!
In the early seventies Honda launched without fanfare an ambitious project. Internally, Honda had a bold plan: to build the world’s best motorcycle. Not just the best Japanese motorcycle – the best motorcycle available anywhere in the world. Period! The eventual result of this project was revealed to the world at the Cologne, Germany International Motorcycle Show (INTERMOT) in October, 1974 as the GL1000.
This simple device is critical to proper ignition function on Honda GL1000s!
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I’m happy to share this excellent video tip created by Ari Henning of Motorcyclist Magazine. Ari is a notorious AHRMA road-racer and all-around swell guy!
This is excellent information.
I was very fortunate to grow up in a neighborhood and farm family full of excellent shade-tree mechanics. Mostly they were short on cash and long on resourcefulness.
I learned quite a lot by pestering these very talented home-gown mechanics.
This is covered in my GL1000 Carb Rebuild Video, but just in case you haven’t made that great investment…
