When it was new, the ’83 Honda GL650 Silverwing
Interstate seemed like a sure-bet winner. The basically identical GL500 had been successful for several years prior and before the GL, there had been the CX – the first of the series to use the transverse “twisted” 80 degree pushrod V-twin, which was a better-engineered, better-built and more potent loose copy of Moto Guzzi’s engine of similar layout.
The only real complaint leveled at the GL500 Interstate – the touring version of the GL Silverwing, with suitcase-style hard bags and a full (Vetter) fairing – was that the 500 cc twin could maybe use some more power.
The GL650 provided exactly that – plus some more besides.
For starters, the updated twin had more CCs – 673 of them, despite the “650″ badges on the engine cases – and 64 hp vs. 50 for the 500 cc twin. But this wasn’t just a quickie bore and stroke job. The “650″ CC engine was completely re-engineered to handle the higher power output. The connecting rods, rod bolts and main bearings were all upgraded. Cylinder studs are beefier. A finned, bolt-on oil pan was added to increase total oil capacity to 4.1 quarts. The intake valves in the “650′s”heads are larger – though exhaust valve diameter remains the same.
The cooling system got a thermostatically triggered electric fan while improvements to the case design made servicing the water pump much easier. There was also a new maintenance-free automatic cam chain tensioner system.
A new cam profile with increased lift and duration brought the power peak down to 8,000 RPM v. 9,000 RPM in the 500. Compression was actually lowered a bit – to 9.8:1 from 10:1 – but the four-valve head and all-alloy construction let this engine run happily on 87 octane regular unleaded.
The differences between the 500 CC engine and the new “650″ were obvious before you even started it up.
First, the engine was painted semi-gloss black while all 500 CC engines were aluminum. A closer look turned up other points of departure. For example the shape of the cylinder head cam covers; the “650′s” are unique to this engine. Also, the intake tubes are different; they’re shorter – and straighter – designed to improve flow. The airbox is larger, too. And the carbs. The “650″ has a new set of 35 mm Keihin CVs equipped with accelerator pumps vs. the 500′s 34 mm units.
The “650″ also has a new-design transmission with different ratios that help it get slightly better gas mileage than the 500 – despite the extra displacement and additional 14 hp.
Other updates/differences that distinguish the one-year-only 1983 GL650 include larger diameter 37 mm front forks (500s had 35 mm forks) and higher-rate springs, along with steel frame tubes that were bigger and stronger than the ones used for the 500s.
That’s the history. What about The Experience?
After about 630 miles of seat time on the GL650 – and having ridden a friend’s GL500 for comparison – I can report as follows:
The first thing you notice – before you’ve even touched the starter button – is how light the bike is. It has a curb weight just over 500 pounds, or not much more than a current-year standard without any fairings at all – and hundreds of pounds less than a new Goldwing. It’s an easy bike to “walk” in close confines, such as trying to fit it into a spot in your garage. And it is an easy bike to ride at a fairly aggressive pace, too – if you want to do that. Though you sit high in the saddle, you can still squeeze the tank between your legs, shift your weight down onto the pegs and heel the thing over to fairly aggressive lean angles. The limiting factor here is clearance – which you’ll run out of long before you exceed the bike’s safe limits.
But sparking the pegs can be fun, too!
The suspension features air-assist on both ends – with Honda’s Pro Link monotube shock in the back. After some experimenting, I settled on about 15 psi in the front forks and 50 psi in the rear as the optimum combo for my weight and comfort level. The thing is, you can easily tailor this bike’s settings to your size and preferences – all without any tools (other than an air supply). Some road tests from “back in the day” say the 500s rode softer/nicer than the supposedly stiffer “650′s.” I didn’t notice this. My guess is it comes down to “tuning” more than anything else.
The big difference – the noticeable difference – is power. And power delivery. The “650″ is much stronger feeling, both off the line and in the middle ranges – though the 500 has a higher redline and seems to enjoy being spun to the nether regions a bit more than the “650″ does. For a larger rider like me, however, the extra power makes the “650″ a much more enjoyable ride. For two-up riding, the “650′s” additional 14 hp is arguably essential. It not only accelerates better, you have the beans to safely pull out and pass at say 60 MPH – and reserves enough to maintain 75 mph (essential for any serious highway work nowadays) at about 5,000 RPM – enough of a margin to feel comfortable and not overstress the bike or feel like you are.
The 500 is a great bike but 500 CCs and 50 hp is marginal for two – or even one, if the rider is someone like me who weighs more than 200 pounds.
Which is why it’s so surprising – so sad – that this much-improved Silverwing turned out to be a one-year-only deal. It has the power – and the legs – to operate as a long-distance tourer, while the 500 was really better suited to local commuting.
So, what happened?
Uncle Sam clipped the Honda’s ‘Wings. And everyone else’s too – if you happened to not be Harley Davidson, that is. In ’82, Harley was on the way out. It had filed for bankruptcy protection – which it needed because Honda and other Japanese imports were eating HD’s overpriced (and much less reliable) lunch. Imports had captured 60 percent of the domestic “heavyweight” motorcycle market; by 1982, this had jumped to a staggering – for Harley – 69 percent.
In stepped The Gipper to save HD – by punishing the Japanese. And consumers.
Import duties on Japanese bikes were jacked up to a confiscatory 45 percent in – you guessed it – 1983, the year the GL650 was introduced. New Japanese bikes got more and more expensive; inventories began to stack up. It saved Harley – but it killed the ‘Wing. Honda cancelled the bike – no doubt in part because of the “Harley Law” that made it increasingly uneconomic to manufacture it. The high tariff erased the bike’s former price advantage, which in turn made all the improvements Honda made essentially moot.
The main beneficiary of the kick-in-the-balls tariffs – other than Harley Davidson – turned out to be people like me who acquired a used ’83 ‘Wing many years later. The RR-era tariff penalty was long gone – paid by the unfortunate original purchaser. But the bulletproof ‘Wings outlived the Gipper – and most of the Harleys built during those years, too.
Many are still out there today – almost 30 years later and still going strong.
One of them is sitting in my garage, right now… .
Throw it in the Woods?
I don’t understand. Yes, yes, 40% tariffs to help preserve HD, Corporatism, okay, THAT I understand.
But the usual response was to come out with (w a i t for it!): a 700cc motorcycle to avoid the tariff. Since it was already a 700cc or less motorcycle, just labeled a bit smaller, why did the tariff apply to it in the first place, and why didn’t they upgrade it to the 700cc label in the second place? Maybe bore it out a bit more?
But WHY did the HD Welfare Tax apply to this model in the first place?
The argument was usually over whether to take a 650cc and overbore it, or a 750 and sleeve it, yes? Not decide to kill it after a major renovation/upgrade that only lacked the New! Improved! 700cc! Tariff Beater! label.
If I missed something, please, tell me.
In 1983 a GL650 was $4,011. I bought my first bike that year, a 1982 SWGL500i for $2,799. put 29Kmi before the kids popped out and sold it in 1992. Now have 7 CX’s, almost my own museum. The tariff first applied to 750cc and larger I thought, hence all the odd 700cc’s, then it changed to anything above 699cc. The GL650 had the odd 674cc I believe to combat a possible change to a 675cc limit that never happened. These engines whine, and warble and rattle and shake, simply music. The WHY has not been explained very well here. I don’t know if any that follows is true but just my h-opinion > A little top heavy, pushrod engine, more parts less power, vibration (who says thats bad harley?), not asthetic for a cruiser, short frame, just many things that go against the ‘popular’ wants of the masses. But it found thousands of niche buyers mostly in the rust belt and east coast areas and the UK. It has become an iconic cult bike with amazing stamina and appeal except for the Doctor J here. The Plastic Maggot is truly beautiful in sight and sound. The modern CX is now a V-4 in ST1100-ST1300 skin with modular plastics. See the CX dirt track racer in Columbus OH at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Another TWIST on a twisted VEE punched out to 750cc. Sorry Doc, sounds like you have a complex and alzheimers. (closet CX lover perhaps) Oh I’m glad the Harley was saved from extinction as Norton and BSA and many more were not saved. I’m just glad they make a water filled Harley now. Stirring not shaken. Lots of cool machines made throughout the years. I’m going to shut up and ride.
Hi Vat,
Welcome!
I got into CXs and Gls thanks to my friend Graves (who owns several) and kept pestering me to try one. When I decided to buy my first touring-type bike, I was seriously considering a cop Kz1000. I liked that they were fast, reasonably light/agile and also fairly simple, with “the guts” mostly very accessible. I already have a restored ’76 Kz900, so I figured the cop Kz1000 would be similar.
But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted something different. The GL650 Silverwing fit the bill. It’s an oddball, but it’s light, extremely fuel efficient (I’m getting almost 60 MPG out of mine) and certainly adequately powerful for touring. It took a little while to get used to the high-revving twin (I felt I was abusing it at first) but have come to appreciate that this engine was born to run – for years – at 5,500 RPM on the highway (appx. 70 MPH), with a 9,000 RPM redline and enough grunt to run up to 100-plus, if you need to.
I’m planning on getting a more comfortable seat/backrest, but otherwise, this bike really does the job for me.
Less than $2,000 for an unusual/rare but absolutely bulletproof, long-legged and economical tourer is righteous in my book!
I sold the Honda CX500 in 1967 when it first came out as one of the ugliest, ill handling, gutless pieces of junk in motorcycle history. I test rode one for a day and was constantly in the redline and would never ride another one until I took one in trade. I rode it in 100 degree heat and it was the most miserable heat transfer to the rider because it had a Windjammer. Water cooled bikes with fairings burn the rider up in Arizona heat. Even with the improvements to the 650, it still wouldn’t compare to the pleasure of riding a bike like a full dress BMW R80RT. (air cooled) Many other Jap bikes had better suspension and frames like my KZ650 which would smoke that turd of a 650 and looked much cooler and wouldn’t burn the rider up in the heat.
The Honda didn’t outlive the Harley’s because the cams were put in the heads on a hardened surface without bearings, so you couldn’t rebuild them like the Harley’s which didn’t die. All Harley’s keep getting rebuilt as they are always in demand. Most of the CX500′s and GL650′s are in a junk yard because people only rode them because they were cheap transportation for awhile. Then they bought something that was more fun. Good riddance!
1967? Didn’t the CX come out in 1978? (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CX_series ). I don’t think Honda was selling anything but Dreams back in 1967. And that’s a totally different bike!
I guess ugly is in the eye of the beholder. I think the CX series’ transverse twin engine looks great; better than the Guzzi – which looks (to me) clunky. It also produces more power than the equivalent Guzzi – and was without question more reliable and required less maintenance.
As far as heat transfer, my GL650 doesn’t seem to have that issue. I’ve ridden my friend Graves’ GL500 and it doesn’t, either – at least, it doesn’t bother me (or him). I definitely don’t agree with you on the suspension being inferior to other Japanese bikes of the era. I happen to own a ’76 Kz900 (same basic bike as the Kz650) and much as I love the bike’s agro-macho looks, the suspension bites: Cheap twin tube shocks out back vs. the Honda’s much, much more advanced Pro Link mono shock. Pretty – but impossible to balance perfectly – wire wheels vs. the cast Comstar mags (a major technological Great Leap Forward) on the Honda. No adjust front forks vs air adjustable forks on the Honda. Single disc brake up front vs. dual discs. Chain vs. shaft drive. I love both bikes, but I’m wondering how you can say the Honda’s suspension/handling are inferior to a bike like the Kz? Or for that matter to any late ’70s-era Japanese equivalent? I can say for sure that the GL650 handles better than a Harley dresser in part because it is so much lighter.
I can’t comment on the BMW because I haven’t owned one of those or ridden one extensively. But I am certain it costs two or three (or four) times what the Honda cost!
Eric,
You are correct, I was selling them in 1978 when I first moved out to Arizona. Excuse my typo.
When I first saw the bizarre design of the 1978 CX500 gas tank and head light nacelle, I referred to them as the Darth Vador Replica. I admit that the 1960′s XLCH with the wrap around oil tank was my ideal bike as far as outstanding looks. Now I have to laugh at myself because I have 6 1985-88 BMW K bikes that have a gas tank that looks like it was copied from the CX500 and the stripped 1985 version had the same ugly headlight nacelle like the CX500. I couldn’t believe that BMW would expect us to buy a bike that was that ugly. I have 2 1975 R90S’s that I considered to be one of the best looking BMW designs and I only paid $2000 for each one in the early 80′s. My most expensive K-bike cost $2500 and had 36K miles. BMW’s are really inexpensive unless you buy a new one.
The KZ900 was an evil handling bike that constantly had to be wrestled with unless you were going in a straight line. I traded my extremely good handling 1977 Suzuki GS750 to my friend and rode his 1974 KZ 900 for 20 minutes and traded back because I got tired of fighting with it in every corner. The KZ900 kept straightening back up when trying to corner it. It was as dangerous as the old Kawasaki 2-stroke triples in the corners. The 1977 KZ650 and the 1977 Suzuki GS750 were the first two larger displacement Japanese motorcycles produced with good frames that handled well. The only comparison between the 650 and 900 was they looked the same. I was selling Kawasaki’s later in 1978 when the KZ1000 arrived and it had a vastly improved frame. It was fun to ride since it handled like a heavier KZ650. I rode a 1972 Norton 750 Commando before the Suzuki and it handled so well thatI compared every bike after it to the Norton. Unfortunately, the Norton required constant maintainance and the Suzuki and Kawasaki were very low maintainance. I got my 1977 KZ650 as a trade-in. It had good looking cast mag wheels unlike the cheap looking, stamped out, riveted together Comstars. Ugh! The KZ650C came with a large tear drop gas tank, lower custom seat and triple disc brakes. Mine also had Koni rear shocks and a 4-1 Kerker header. I raced it on the San Rafael early Sunday morning road race. I had it so low in the corners that I was scraping the header while chasing some of the faster bikes. I also owned a 1983 Harley FXRT(full dress, Sportster front fork, rubber glide, air suspension front and rear) that I could slam into corners like my BMW’s. I surprised numerous Jap bike riders because they didn’t know what a road racer could do with a Harley that had lots of ground clearance and knew how to push it to it’s limits. It was the most fun Harley to ride at that time if you wanted to do more than go in a straight line other than a Sportster.
Am I prejudiced about motorcycle design? Absolutely, as these are my opinions about good and bad design. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Eric, you would have to ride a 78 era KZ650 even with stock suspension after riding your 75KZ900 and you would see what I mean about the handling. I am familiar with so many bikes because I sold all of the Japanese bikes in the 70′s & 80′s plus Harley’s.
I do have to thank the CX500 Honda for one thing. A man came in to look at one in the showroom in January 1978. I asked him if he had a bike now and he said that he had several BMW’s. I asked him why he was looking at the CX500 if he had BMW’s. He was just curious, but said that he was selling one of his BMW’s. I went to his house the next night to check it out and bought my first 1974 BMW R90/6 with 15K miles for $1500. I have had a BMW ever since as one of my bikes and now have 10 of them. Thank you CX500!
“The Honda didn’t outlive the Harley’s because the cams were put in the heads on a hardened surface without bearings” What a dumb idea. I run a Honda ATC trikes website and they also suffered from the same design. I think now there is a cam bearing kit to combat the design flaw.
Dunno ’bout that. I do know these are easy 100,000 mile bikes with decent care. They’re still plentiful, too – used as daily riders without having been rebuilt by people all over the country, even though the newest of them is now nearly 30 years old. How does that imply cheap design? How many 1978-83 Harleys last 100,000-plus miles? How many are in use as reliable, everyday bikes without having been completely gone through?
I’m not slamming Harleys; I like them too. Just saying…
The more I ponder that post, the more I think the poster is confusing the old Honda Dream with the CX/GL. I checked and my memory was right – 1978 (not 1967) was the first year, so there’s no way he could have been selling CXs back in ’67. If he was selling Hondas in 1967, he was selling Dreams. And that was a primitive bike. Eve so, it was the bike that helped make Honda a mass-market manufacturer by making a bike that people besides big, hairy men wanted to ride!
Nice article, EXCEPT you are completely wrong.
The GL650 was not included in the tariff, ONLY bikes 700cc’s and up.
You owe the gipper an apology, and get your facts straight next time.
Well, yes and no. You’re right the tariff applied to larger cc bikes. But it had a depressing effect on Japanese bike sales in general (the GL 650 included). The question is: Should we thank the Gipper for making excellent Japanese bikes more expensive in order to give a competitive leg up to Harley?
The CX/GL wasn’t a copy of the Guzzi but of the much older Marusho Lilac. One might even say that Moto Guzzi copied Marusho!
The Japanese still made plenty of bikes, they also kept selling plenty of bikes. The tariff did play a pivotal role in the decision of both Honda and Kawasaki to move a big chunk of their manufacturing to the US for the bigger cc bikes.
There was still a recession going on, bike sales had been going down across the board for while. They had to trim it down, there were 117 new bike models introduced by the Japanese in 1983 and they were spreading themselves thin and their sales were in a notable downturn worldwide already.
Aside from a need to blame Reagan for something, I don’t see the logic in your statement or rational at all. If the GL650 was exempt from the tariff, exactly HOW could a tariff which didn’t apply to it be a major cause for it’s demise???
Again, check your facts, in the first paragraph you state: “been the CX – the first of the series to use the transverse “twisted” SOHC 80 degree V-twin, which was a better-engineered, better-built and more potent loose copy of Moto Guzzi’s engine of similar layout.” SOHC-really? Someone already corrected your erroneous presumption about it’s Guzzi precedence.
The tariff can be argued, but not in this context, as the subject of the article had nothing to do with the tariff.
Good catch on the “SOHC” thing; fixed now. On the tariff: The object of making some Japanese bikes artificially more expensive was to decrease sales of Japanese bikes – or put another way, encourage people to buy other bikes (like Harleys)… right?
You’d have a stronger case about the tariff if you were talking about the VF1100S, especially since it was sold during the tariff years. Your big problem would be determining how much the bad press about the early V4 engines impacted sales, vs. the tariff.
I think the reality of the CX/GL line of bikes is that in the US market, Honda never quite knew who their customer was. The CX was introduced as a standard, sold a few years later as a cruiser in Custom trim, and then positioned as a strange sort of touring machine with the Silverwing.
Recall that in 1983 Honda had a HUGE number of bike in roughly the same displacment class:
FT500 Ascot
VT500FT Ascot
CB550SC Nighthawk
CB650SC Nighthawk
CX/GL 650
VF750S Sabre
VF750C Magna
VF750F Interceptor
VT750C Shadow
CB750SC Nighthawk
And that’s just competition within the Honda brand!
I wonder how the market would have received the EuroSport models, had Honda imported them.
Make a list of all the Honda models in the same displacement class for 1983 and then tell me the CX/GL 650 was in any way impacted by the tariff.
Humm… I guess my post with the model list didn’t get lost after all.
I have a Silver Wing in my garage too but it’s a scooter.
600cc’s and fuel injection and 54 mpg and a stock Harley cannot catch it.
At least the Silver Wing name survived.
I JUST GOT MY 83 HONDA GL650 TRADED MY NICE DODGE 4X4 FOR IT THE GUY I TRADED WITH DIDNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF IT. JUST TOLD ME HE WANTED A BIGGER BIKE AND COULD USE MY TRUCK IN TRADE. ANY WAY I JUST WANT TO SAY MY 83 GL650 HAS 34,XXX MILES ON IT AND IM PUTTING 75-150 MILES ON IT ALMOST DAILY I LIVE IN FLORIDA SO ITS NOT HARD TO DO BUT I LOVE THIS BIKE ITS A CONVERSATION PIECE EVERYWHERE I GO I WILL NEVER SELL THIS BIKE AS LONG AS I LIVE. BUT I ALWAYS WONDER HOW MANY ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW????????? THANKS GL RIDERS BILL
Hi Bill,
Welcome to the club!
I’ve put more than 3,000 miles on mine so far this summer. It’s just as you’ve said – a great everyday bike that gets a lot of attention/comments. I’ve ridden a good number of touring bikes and never really got into them because of the weight/poor handling/expense. No offense meant to Goldwing (and Harley) riders out there. They just didn’t do it for me. I don’t want a 900 pounder. Or a $15,000 machine, either. But then my friend Graves kept insisting I try out his Silverwing and eventually I did. Now that, I liked. Doesn’t weigh much more than my sport bike; reasonably nimble. Great gas mileage – and best of all, dirt cheap. I got my ’83 (with just over 12,000 miles on it) for $1,500. The chrome work on some dresser Harleys costs more than that. I know of no other long-haul, shaft-drive touring bike you can buy in equivalent condition for the same amount of money.
The only thing I’d change about this bike is the gearing. I wish I had six instead of five. The bike – as you know – has plenty of legs and can maintain 75-80 no problem. But having an OD sixth that would drop the revs by 800 RPM or so in top would really be nice. I continue to look into this possibility and will keep you posted…
800 RPM drop would be one hell of an OD! I think if you rode ole Black Betty you would/might change your mind about hogs!
Years ago, I had a CB550 (also an ’83). It had an “overdrive” (green light in the cluster would come on) that dropped the revs a lot. My GL runs around 5,000 RPM at 70 or so. But it has a 9,000 RPM redline. At first it seems like it’s running too hard, but everything I’ve read (and heard) about these twins says they are built to rev – and seem to like it. But I’d still like to be closer to 4,000 on the highway than 5,000!
On BB: I know they’re sweet, but they ain’t cheap! I think my whole bike cost less than you have in your six speed!
Oh but the six speed is so sweet! I’m doing 90mph barely halfway through the 3k rpm range. It’s the hot shit!
It sounds like the ticket!
What’s the redline on BB?
P.S. If I let you ride it you have to give it back!
I think around 6, but I never push it even close to that.
I have a Grey 1983 GL650I with 22,+++ miles on it that I bought just to drive back and forth to work 60 miles a day. When I first bought it I thought about removing the front fairing,,saddle bags,,and trunk to make it lighter to get better MPG,,but after going threw the first tank of gas and I got 55mpg there was no reason to remove anything from it.
40 miles of my daily commute to work is on a major interstate and if I drive it at 5000rpm it gets 55mpg ,,but if I drive it at 5500rpm it gets 50mpg.
I drive it every single day aslong as there is no snow or ice on the road and it has never let me down.
I am 32 years old and have owned several vintage motorcycles my first one was a 1976 Kawasaki KZ1000 second one was a 1978 Yamaha XS500 the third one was a 1981 Yamaha XS750 and now I have the GL650I.
The GL650I has been the best vintage and commuter bike I have owned by far ,,but the XS500 had no problem getting 70mpg ,but it demanded alot of up keep.
The GL650I just demands to be rode with normal oil changes it doesn’t have to have any other up keep to be happy.
The GL650I is hands down the best money I have ever spent on a daily driven commuter bike.
Just thought I would share.
Hey Cliff!
I also have a ’76 Kz (900) in addition to the GL650 (and three other bikes). I’m getting 60 MPG consistently out of mine, which may be due to the synthetics I use or the fact that most of my riding is in the rural country with few stops/traffic. But in any case, I agree: This is (by far) one of the best bikes I have ever owned and of its type, the best, period.
Will a GL650 run on regular? Premiun (92 octane) is rare in my area. I tesed a GL650 today and liked it alot, but the seller’s mechanic says it must have premium gas. Thanks.
Mine seems to have no issues with regular. Keep in mind that back in ’83, gas was worse than it is now. Today’s premium unleaded is several octane points higher than what was available back in the early ’80s. Our current regular probably has a a higher octane rating than the regular of 1983. The manual says regular is fine, too.
Even my ’76 Kz900 (which, bear in mind, was a performance bike when new – unlike the GL, which was marketed as a touring/commuter bike) only had about 9.2:1 compression. Back in ’76, it may have needed premium, but I suspect it’d be fine today with regular or mid-grade. (I say “suspect,” by the way, because my Kz is now a Kz1000 with domed high-compression 10:75:1 pistons and hence must have premium nowadays!)
Thanks Eric – The seller didn’t have an owner’s maunual. I tried to find an one on line, but all I could find was the repair manual, which didn’t have fuel requirements. Hope the bike is still available!
Anytime!
Do you have the original modular backseat? How ’bout the HondaLine radio and case guards?
Post a pic of yours – and I’ll post some of mine!
Yes, it has the interchangeable backseat/trunk. It’s not the Interstate model, so no radio or cases (although the tank is from an Interstate, so no Honda emblem). It is Candy Wineberry Red, and has an aftermarket plexiglas fairing. It’s very clean – only 9,000 miles on it and has been completely gone through. Won’t be picking it up until next week – I’ll post a pic when I can.
I’m making a lateral move from a 1997 BMW F650ST due to the scarcity of premium gas in the area, and I’m getting tired of chain maintenance. Also, the GL should be lower maintenance overall and looks like it will be easy to work on.
Do you know if there is a pdf of the owner’s manual posted somewhere? Thanks.
Cool!
The shaft drive is virtually maintenance-free; the only thing I’d recommend doing (given how old the bike is) would to change out the gear lube twice. Drain what’s in there, then refill with a high-quality synthetic. Run the bike for about 100 miles, then change it again. You’ll only need one container of lube to do this as the capacity is just a few ounces. Why twice? The first time get out most of the original stuff/what was in there when you bought it. The second changeout will get whatever gunk you didn’t get the first time. This is an easy, inexpensive “just in case” that will help assure that shaft drive outlasts the bike. See here for more details:
http://epautos.com/2011/03/02/shaft-drive-service/
Also, shoot some grease into the Zerk fitting on the top of the swingarm.
You may also notice some squeaking from the Pro Link. Don’t sweat this. It’s normal for a 30-plus year old bike. It will also probably work itself out as you ride the bike.
On the manual: Surf eBay Motors; reproductions and originals seem to be fairly easy to find.
Thanks for the great tips! I found a manual and a few needed cosmetic bits on eBay. Can’t wait to get my hand on the bike!
Posted some photos. Working my way through the bike changing fluids and checking adjustments. Fall hit fast, hard and wet in the Northwest, so I haven’t had much riding time.
I bought a CX500 when I got back into biking several years ago. I enjoyed the bike but moved up to a larger bike (Yamaha xs11). Then went to a goldwing. Then to a suzuki 800 and now to a GL650. I thought I wanted a BMW until I rode one. This is the second best bike I’ve ever ridden. I don’t think anyone will ever beat an XS11 as an all around great bike. I’ve been riding for over 40 years now. I hope to keep this bike for years to come. It’s a great compromise of power, speed, handling, and hauling capacity; but, I can see why the bike didn’t have a market. A little too big and a bit too small.
If we could turn back time… !
Today – some 25 years after it was made – I routinely get interested/favorable comments about my ’83 GL650 Interstate.
A new Goldwing or Venture is certainly nice, but it’s also a major investment, like buying another car. It’s also huge, heavy – and forget about doing any work yourself unless you are very skilled and very determined and very well-equipped. My bike, meanwhile, cost me less than $2k, costs virtually nothing to insure and I can fix just about anything (not that it ever needs fixing) will take me anywhere a Goldwing could and gets 60 MPG, too.
One of the things I like about motorcycling is that it’s still cheap fun – if you buy bikes like the GL/CX anyhow!
Good to have you with us….
This was a good website for me to become more acquinted with my 1983 GL650I. I purchased this bike with a knock in the engine, only to find out the automatic cam chain tensioner grenaded. No damaged was done to the interior of the motor, or crankcase. So now after 3 months of working on the bike, and polishing, it’s turning out to be very promising investment. I also have the A.M./F.M. Stereo/C.B./Intercom, with the Cassette Player as well. The beauty of this is the bike has 16,500 miles, and everything on it is operational. I have the 2 up seat, backrest for the driver, crash bars, rear bumper, and cruise on it as well. I can’t wait til spring to cruise around on this thing.
Hi Kevin,
This past summer, I rode my ‘Wing almost exclusively. I don’t think I put 200 miles on the sport bike in the past year. I put 4,000 on the ‘Wing. I ride it constantly – most recently, I rode all around my county on Christmas Eve. It was high 40s out, but with the wind protection the bike gives me, plus a good jacket and gloves, it was very comfortable. It would have been brutal on my ZRX1200!
So far, I’ve had to do nothing major to my bike. Just plugs and routine oil/filter changes, a valve check/adjustment and driveshaft/gear lube replacement.
For the money, it’s the best bike I’ve ever owned. And maybe the best bike, period!
I have 3 GL650I’s,a GL1800,a DL 650,a V-Star 1100,a Warrior,a VLX & a 1977 Triumph Silver Jubilee
I like them all,but have a soft spot for the Silverwings,that’s why there are three of them.The six speed transmission sounds fascinating!
Three GL650 Interstates? You’re my new best friend!
I have a buddy who currently owns two GL500s – he got me into Silverwings. He also has a couple of older Goldwings in various states of disrepair
I love the SilverWings; they’re fun to ride, bulletproof and get fantastic mileage. I routinely get 55 or better out of mine knocking around locally.
Hey fellow Silverwing owners. I just found a steel on craigslist a few weeks ago for an 83 Silverwing with 20k miles thats been garaged for 500 bucks and I’ve already put 300 miles on it. I was wondering if you guys might know which Vetter fairing would fit the 83 Silverwing. I dont have the interstate version but i want to convert it to one by adding bags and a fairing….any info would be greatly appreciated. I also heard that the goldwing fairing from 83 is the same as the Silverwing.
Hi Sean,
Congratulations – and welcome to the fraternity! The fairing used on the Interstate is identical to the same-year Goldwing fairing and ought to be fairly easy to find. I am pretty sure it was a “generic” fairing also used on some other bikes from that era. The hard bags and center storage stack may be harder (and more expensive) to find. But the good news is they’re the same as used on the more common GL500 (other than color and trim) as opposed to the one-year-only GL650.
If you can find a parts bike GL650i that would be the ideal scenario. Then you can also swap in the GL650i’s dual disc front brakes.
If you have any questions, just let me know. If I can’t answer them, I have a friend who is a Silverwing expert. He owns three currently.
Thanks for the helpful info eric. I’m currently searching salvage yards for a parts bike. I’m pretty sure I have dual front dics already though, being that there is a disc on both sides of the front tire. Also I was curious if u are familiar with craig vetter fairings? I think the windjammer was used during that era but there are a few versions and I’m not exactly sure which one fits the best or most like the stock fairing.
Looking for a taller or 6th gear for your old Silver Wing GL650, or your cx650? Try the 18″ rear wheel that came on the ’78 or ’79 500 Standards. That bigger wheel and a tall Dunlop tire will drop your RPM’s quite a bit. The CX/GL500 didn’t have the power to pull the taller gear to American’s satisfaction, but the GL650 should be quite happy with it.
Hey Bob,
It sounds good, but will it work with the shaft drive hub? And: my ’83 has the factory mags; what do the ’78-’79 wheels look like?