Tech Tips

OR: "If ya' can't fix it with duct tape and bailing wire, it just CAN'T be fixed!"

All ideas, suggestions, techniques on this page have been tested/ used by me or sent to me by other cheap bastards like myself. I present these tech tips as a public service only. Please research a particular procedure and make sure you are qualified to do it before tearing into your bike. Good luck and pass the duct tape!

Cheap Electrical Analyzer!	A Cheap Piece of Mind when running extra lights, gadgets and gizmos on yer wing (or any other bike) Installing a 2 battery system onto yer wing
Goldwing Starter Clutch Woes (NEW!)	Removing A Goldwing Starter ~~Rebuilding a Goldwing Starter Updated!!!
Holy Sinking Side stands, Bat Man!! Cheap Side Stand Puck	Fogged Glasses and Shield Fix!
Well NUTZ! Ya' Need a well nut!	Navel Jelly Slimes Gunk!
Tired of gettin' stuck at Stoplights? Me too! Stop Light Trigger	Goldwing Saddle Bag Fix
Stator to Car Alternator Conversion Plans (GL 1000- GL 1200s)	Cheap and Easy wheel Bearing Removal NEW!!!!

Many of the emails I recieve relate to the starter and/ or starter mechanism on a Goldwing. Starter testing removal and replacement is covered in my section titled "Removing/ Rebuilding a Goldwing Starter". THIS section will talk about the starter clutch.

Now, most folks haven't a clue as to how their old wing actually starts. They turn on the ignition, press the starter button and, vroom, they're off and going... However, the starter is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to firing up your trusty wing.

"Worn or corroded rollers will often cause the starter to spin without rotating the engine, or emit a loud screeching noise as the engine is being rotated" (Honda Service Manual, page 17-8). Under normal operation, the starter motor is attached to a starter cog which sits in a starter chain which is connected to the clutch hub/ housing. The starter motor is energized which spins the cog, chain and clutch hub, thus turning over the engine.

Sometimes, especially if a bike has been sitting for awhile, the "rollers" which sit within the starter clutch (picture 1) become stuck (Corroded is what the service manual calls it), Under normal operation, once the starter clutch spins, three rollers (Honda's term not mine) press outward which in turn engage the crank through the clutch hub assembly. Once the engine begins to fire, its revolutions per minute overtake the hub assembly which disengages it. The complete (internal) starting system is quite complex (picture 2).

Clutch hub/ roller assembly and charging schematic: Honda Service Manual pages 17-8; 16-8 respectively. Click to enlarge. Image will open in new window.

I have had very good luck in getting stuck and gunked up rollers to engage the hub assembly without having to tear into the engine. Here's how I do it:

This is a little trick used by the amateur radio guys who ride Goldwings… It’ll cost you some space in your left saddlebag, but it’s the easiest and cheapest way to gain some peace of mind when running auxiliary lights and other goodies on the wing.

Mount a second battery ibatteryttom of your left hand saddle bag and run the positive/ negative cables from it to the positive/ negative cables on the “main” battery. This will allow you to operate your stock electrical system with the added benefit of twice the reserve power from the battery(s).

Some items to figure out before you do this: The most important is to make sure the wire you are using from the switch to the lights and fuse block to the switch is “heavy” enough for the amperage (The amp draw kills an electrical system, not the volts). Your wire should be no smaller than 10 or 12 gauge if your lights are 50 watters. If it’s not 10/12 gauge, then rewire it. Also, make sure there is a relay wired in between the lights and switch.

You are still going to have the same mount of voltage/amp draw running two batteries as you did with one, but the second battery will discharge at a slower rate than the main, which will allow you MUCH added piece of mind when running the lights for a long time or at low rpms. Gold wings only charge above 1500 rpms so city driving for extended periods of time (with the lights on) is a killer. You won’t have to worry about this with a “battery back up”.

Now, your electrical system (stator, regulator, etc.) will not differ in any way as far as recharging your batteries… All they will “know” is that the battery isn’t “running down” as fast… If you decide to do this, make sure the bag mounted battery is secure, it has a drain tube and hole for venting the battery, and it has some kind of plastic (or other impervious material) situated above it so that other items don’t come into contact with it and either short it out or get battery acid on ‘em.

Another thing: The second battery DOES NOT have to be the same physical size battery that your Goldwing normally takes (usually a BBL 18 or something like that). ANY battery which has the same amp rate as the stock Goldwing battery will work. Case in point: The battery in my wife’s motorcycle is about half the physical size as the battery in my Goldwing, but it has the same amp hour rate (albeit not as many cold cranking amps). I could, if I wanted (and she didn't kill me first), take her battery and mount it as described in my saddle bag and have LOTS of room left over in the bag itself. Amateur radio guys who run linears and other high power pieces of equipment on the wings have been doing this little trick for years... Pretty nifty, huh?

Ever tried to remove the front wheel bearings.??? I have come across an easy way to get em out... Ya need to go to the hardware store and get ya one of dem concrete anchors ( the kind that expand when the bolt is tightened)... Git yer self one that is just a bit smaller than the bearing ID (jess bring the new bearings to da store wit ya)... To remove the old uns, jes put the anchor inta the old bearing, but leave a bit of the anchor part exposed... Grab the anchor with pliers while tightening the bolt... Once she be tight, jes flip the wheel over and use a good ole piece of dowel to drive the bearing (and anchor) out... Werks real good and ya can jes save the anchor bolt setup fer the next time... Git yerself a whole set of these anchor bolts and you be in business fer all sorts of different bearings...

A cheap and easy fix for broken or missing saddle bag clamps is to purchase a set of boat fender hooks.

The fender hook above is sold by Dock Accents for only $2.50 per PAIR! Over the years, I'll bet I've heard the "my saddle bag lid flew off" story about a dozen times... Goldwings are great motorcycles, but I have to admit that the saddle bag locks leave something to be desired. =)

Starter removal from a Wing is pretty straightforward: Before you remove the starter, however, make sure it needs to be removed. I say this because Honda starter relays are notorious for getting old and “rusting up” over time. They may look good on the outside, but the solenoid inside the case starts to stick. If you think the starter solenoid may be bad and want to check the relay first, do the following:

Starter/ electrical system close up: Honda Service Manual page 17-3. Click to enlarge. Image will open in new window.

The Honda service manual says you have to remove the engine to replace the starter. Other folks say you have to drop the exhaust to get the starter off and on. I've gotten 'em off without dropping the exhaust before, but it takes patience and time and I have NEVER removed an engine to replace a starter...SHEESH!

This process will be a little different if your motorcycle has running boards or other “goodies” attached to it. (you’ll need to get those goodies out of your way first).

NOW, the starter can usually be removed without dropping the exhaust IF you have the following: Skinny fingers, lots of patience and a ¼ drive ratchet, deep well 8 mm socket and a swivel extension. (I’m a pretty big dude, but I have gotten the “art” down to being able to remove a starter without goofing with the exhaust in about 10 minutes).

If you CANNOT remove the starter without dropping the exhaust (it gets in the way of the front bottom starter bolt), do the following:

2. Disconnect starter cable from starter AND positive/ negative wires from battery (Just to be certain) =)

3. Key off and make sure the bike is sitting firmly on the center stand (Don’t wanna’ be a Goldwing waffle if the thing decides to fall over on ya’)

4. Remove ALL four exhaust bolts from the bottom of the head. Shoot them with WD 40 or some other penetrant before trying to get ‘em off, because they will pretty much be “welded” in place if they haven’t been removed in awhile. The bolts are 11mm.

5. Once all four bolts are off, take something long and pry down on the exhaust. You are trying to move the exhaust down about two-three inches to get it out of the way of the front, bottom starter bolt. If the exhaust is stubborn, loosen the muffler mounting bolt holding the muffler onto the bike (located near the rear of the bike).

6. Using an 8mm socket and ratchet, remove the top and bottom starter bolts. (Remember, “Lefty loosey---Righty tighty”… I’m not being a smart ass… I STILL get turned around when I am laying under a bike) =)

7. NOW, the starter will probably be “stuck” into the engine at this point. It won’t want to wiggle much… To remove it from the engine itself, I use a short spade screwdriver and gently pry back on the starter where it enters the block. Sometimes, a couple of gentle whacks with a rubber hammer will help loosen it.

8. Once loosened, the starter will pull out of the engine block. It’s a little tricky, but move it around until it drops free from the engine block and falls down between the block and exhaust pipes.

9. Once the starter is out of the block, gently reach into the block with your index finger. You will feel a chain and a COG. Make sure the cog is sitting IN the chain. I’ve never had it happen, but I guess the starter cog COULD somehow fall into the engine block if you’re not careful (NOT a good thing!)

10. When you go to replace the starter, reverse the procedure. Be AWARE, however, that the shaft of the starter has to fit INTO the starter cog which is sitting in the drive chain. The cog only goes onto the starter shaft a couple of ways so be patient. You will know when the starter is correctly seated against the engine block when the starter bolt holes line up. If ya’ have it, rub a small dab of anti-seize compound on the starter bolts before inserting.

12. You can usually successfully “rebuild” a Honda starter two or three times before it is beyond saving. If you’re not gonna’ rebuild the starter DON’T throw it away. Those critters still have value even if they are “dead”. (Worth about 10- 20 bux on Ebay even if they’re dead)=)

(Special Thanks to MarkT's Tech Tips for the following)

Rebuilding a Goldwing Starter (This article refers to the 1000-1200 Goldwings)

Yes... You can (in most cases) rebuild the starter yourself. Before you go digging into the starter, though, be sure to rule out any associated hardware first. Four items of concern need to be checked before digging into the starter:

If any of the three are defective you will not hear an audible "click" when you depress the starter button. IF YOU DO NOT HEAR A CLICK or the starter does not attempt to spin, check items 1-4 first...

The kill switch and starter button can be checked by taking the assembly apart and using a multi-meter to measure voltage going into and away from the switches. If those check out "OK" move to the starter relay (MANY times, the starter relay and not the starter is the problem). The starter relay is located under the left side cover near the battery. I can't remember off-hand, but it should be a round or square gizmo with a "hot' wire running directly to it from the battery. Double check the connections going into the relay. Also, check to make sure the "master" fuse located on the starter relay is still good and hasn't been blown. This fuse looks like a metal "spade" approximately 1 inch in length. It's designed to burn through if it gets too hot. If the starter relay checks out, move on to the starter. Most of the time, if you replace the starter brushes, you will have a dependable starter for a few more years (the replacement brushes aren't as "hard" and will wear out quicker).

Starter/ electrical system close up: Honda Service Manual page 17-3. Click to enlarge. Image will open in new window.

See "Goldwing starter removal" to see how the starter comes out without having to remove the engine... SHEESH!

I recommend before going on, that you head to the Honda shop and buy their "Starter Rebuild Kit".... The "kit" is usually no more than new brushes and springs, but hopefully, this is all you'll need. You should be able to get this kit for around 20 bucks at your handy Hondoo dealership.

Once the starter is out, you'll notice that the starter is built in three pieces:

The "cone" (where the output shaft is), the body (which houses the armature and field coil), and the rear (which is where the brushes are located). A word of caution! Keep a hammer punch handy because the bolts holding the starter together have screw heads that are easily stripped. I normally hammer punch 'em right from the start to break 'em loose (before I break 'em off) =) On a bench or table top, remove the long screws holding the starter together. After the screws are removed, grasp the starter in your hands and gently but firmly pull the starter apart. Concentrate on removing the "butt" of the starter first, as this is the end where the brushes are located. Don't freak if the starter smells "burned" when you pull it apart. (That's normal... To a degree) =) There's lotsa' goop and yucky stuff inside... The starter brushes will be mounted to a plate sitting inside the "butt". Replacement is pretty straightforward. Just unscrew the originals and insert the newbies.

CAUTION: There are lots of little shims located at the base of the armature. Make sure you put the exact number of shims back in that you took out or the armature can bind making for a very sad afternoon.

NNNNOOOWWW, up to this point, we've assumed the reason for your starter woes are worn brushes...... HOWEVER, armatures DO wear out (unfortunately).... To check your armature, do the following things:

Remove the armature from the case (Be careful not to twist the soldered connection that allows the hot wire from the battery to be bolted to the starter). Don't forget your spacers (shims)!
Measure the diameter of the commutator and height of the segments above the insulation. (The commutator is the doo hickey on the end that the brushes sit against... You should have a minimum height of 2 mm between the insulation and top of the bars).
If the space is thinner than 2 mm, you can use a very thin hacksaw blade (I use a Dremel tool... It's easier) and undercut the spaces...
Inspect the commutator bars for discoloration. Discoloration along the edge of the bars indicates high resistance (Not good)... Bars discolored in PAIRS indicate grounded or open armature coils (Also not good!)... Don't use emery or sandpaper on the commutator bars as this will rough 'em up and eat up the starter brushes in no time.
Check for continuity between pairs of commutator bars, and also between commutator bars and armature shaft.
REPLACE the starter motor if armature coils are open, or shorted to the armature shaft.

IF the armature checks out, move onto the Field Coil... The field coil is the grouping of wires wound inside the starter case... Check for continuity from the cable terminal to the motor case and from the cable terminal to the brush wire. REPLACE the starter motor if the field coil does not show continuity, or if it is shorted to the motor case. OKAY....... Ya' got a lot more than you expecting, huh? =) Take your time, be gentle, and watch all of your little bits n' pieces, and you should be able to squeeze at least another 40,000 miles out of your starter before you have to replace it. I rebuilt mine THREE times over 12 years before the commutator was so worn that I couldn't use a hack saw on it anymore. During those years, I was able to put nearly 120,000 trouble-free miles on my scooter.

Need to get a fastener into a bolt hole with stripped threads or one in sheet metal or plastic where a nut can't be used for some reason? For $2, you can get a *well nut* from Home Depot. You'll find them in the hardware isle in the little clear plastic bins. It's a rubber plug with a machine screw through it and metal washers at both ends. There are various sizes, you'll want 1/2" for a oil pan drain bolt for example. You stick it into the stripped hole, and tighten it, which contracts the washers together and makes the rubber plug bulge in the middle until it seals the hole. They're very effective if there's any thread at all left; the rubber conforms into all the little grooves with the grip-o-death. Highly vibration resistant. A good choice for an unstressed area where normal fasteners vibrate loose, like the horn mounting bracket.

GL 1200 Owners (1984-1988)...Did you know that at one time, Honda had a massive recall for GL 1200s because of pooped out stators? Yep, in fact Honda replaced defective stators on all early 1200s for free. You can tell if your bike had been recalled by looking on the lower left side of the motor (starter side) for three little dots in the form of a triangle. If ya' see that, then the stator has been replaced... If not, ya' better watch out! One of the easiest, and most inexpensive, ways that I know of to keep track of the charging system of ANY motorcycle is by buying a handy little gadget called an "Auto Electrical Analyzer" available at Radio Shack.

There are other gizmos out there made specifically for motorcycles which do the same thing, but they cost upwards of forty bucks to purchase! The electrical analyzer available from Radio Shack costs a measley $5.95!! The operation of the unit is simple: It has three diodes, red, yellow, and green, which are paired with resistors of different values. As the electrical system of your scooter changes, depending on the voltage, the lights will light up and tell you how you're doing. The one I use on my GL 1100 (1981), simply plugs into a cigarette lighter outlet that I mounted on the dash above my radio (I have one of them Cycle Sound units). I can always tell how my charging unit is doing. In two years of operation, and in all kinds of weather, my analyzer has kept good watch over my electrical system.

I n fact, just two months ago it helped save irreparable damage to my stator when I was tooling down the road and noticed that my light went straight to RED. I immediately stopped the bike, pulled the side cover, and noticed that a three prong plug connector had gotten hot and melted, allowing the wires to ground out against each other. A pair of wire cutters and electrical tape allowed me to fix the problem and go on my way. I really believe in this unit! After having told friends of this handy little tool, many have installed similar units on their bikes to monitor their systems. If you don't have a cigarette lighter receptacle, don't sweat it. Simply take a small hack saw blade and cut the plug end off of the analyzer. (There are only two wires to the whole unit: positive and negative). "Hard wire" the hot and cold wires to your battery, silicone the open end of the analyzer, and stick a piece of velcro on the bottom of it to wherever you it want it placed... Voila' you have a cheap and dependable electrical analyzer for your scooter! The part number for the analyzer is: 22-1635A and should be available at any Radio Shack store.

Get tired of having the inside of your full face helmet or your glasses fog up? Here's a cheap and easy "fix" that I have used for years. Take any old can of shaving cream and spread a liberal amount of the squishy stuff onto the inside of the shield or lens. Let it stand a minute or so and then wipe it off. I do the same with my glasses and it works remarkably well! Yeah, I know there are products out there made specifically to address fogging problems, but what the hey, we all shave (sometimes) and why spend bucks for a "specialty" brand of something when you can get away with a comparable fix for free?

Have chrome that's getting old and pitted? Here's a cheap and relatively easy way to bring back some of its luster: Raid your wife's tin foil box... YEP, grab the Reynold's wrap! Tear off a sheet and then rub it vigorously, shiny side down, onto the chrome goody ya' want to shine up. I guarantee that you'll be surprised at the results! I don't know how it works, but it does! And if it doesn't, you could always wad it up and chew on it for awhile! YUMMY!

Another relatively cheap way to bring back aluminum and chrome finishes is to go out and buy Navel Jelly (Not YOUR navel jelly! We'll let your loved one deal with that). Navel Jelly is an excellent and inexpensive way to "de-rustify" otherwise nasty chrome and "de-oxidize" otherwise yucky aluminum pieces. It really works well! Be careful of how you use the jellies, though. They ARE corrosive. Follow their directions and you should be pleased with the results.

Have one of them bikes that sink into the asphalt whenever you park it on a hot day? My Kawi does that! My old employer didn't like the little holes my bike was leaving and I had to do something about it.... My solution? I could have boogied to the local motorcycle shop and paid ten bucks for a product known as a "Big Foot" (Looks like a really big foot. too!).

Instead, I motored to the local Hardware store and bought an electrical box block off plate. The plate is a square, galvanized piece of metal with a hole in each corner (depending on the type you get). It's thick enough to place under your side stand and does the job of keeping your scooter from sinking into the asphalt. An added benefit of the plate are the corner holes... Rummage through your boot closet and find a boot lace. Tie one end through the plate hole and make a big loop with the other. Now, when you use it, loop the loop over your handle bar. drop the plate onto the parking lot and use your "piggies" to position it under the scoot. Upon leaving, reverse the process. The plate is thin enough to fit into your back pocket and can even be "contoured" to fit snuggly against your butt (if that's what you're into). :-)

Have tips you'd like to share? Send me some mail and I'll post them here for the whole world to see! Come on, I know I'm not the only cheap ass out here! Send your ideas, tips, and other schtuff to me at squirts@icss.net