[Dad3Sons]

This is 2LZ's bro. He pretty much nailed it.

I bought the GL1200 as a COVID boredom project January 2020. Found it on CL locally. It was garaged and sitting for several years, but had an owner who looked like he took care of it. The cosmetics were excellent for a 35 yr old bike. It ran on choke only. Also the brakes and clutch didn't work. PO said the stator and charging system were good. Thankfully he was right.

All I did was flush the hydraulics on the brakes and clutch and they worked fine, except the left front caliper wept a bit. That's the one operated by the front hand brake lever. The rear and right front discs are operated by the read brake pedal. The front brake on this bike is for decoration only. Grabbing a big handful of front brake only suggests a stopping reaction. Stabbing the rear brake pedal hauls it down pretty good.

For the engine, all I did was pull and clean the carbs, especially the pilot jets. All were completely clogged with ethanol residue. Engine runs like a scalded cat. Smooth and crisp.

2LZ was a little harsh on the description of the engine performance. The bike is 700lbs dry. It's not going to be quick. And the ergonomics are good for someone 5'-10" or shorter. I"m 6'-1" and it's cramped. The engine just gets in the way of your feet. It's also not a great fit for riding in the hilly, twisty region 2LZ lives in. I live out in the valley flats where you gotta be going 65+mph to not get squashed. It thrives there. It's heavy, comfortable, and stable in the wind. The big wind screen is also a bonus in traffic with the turbulent air.

This is a bike I'll probably keep for a while. It's reliable, comfortable and my wife likes riding on the back. It's a 700lb BarcaLounger.

I tried to upload a picture, but the size limit of 193 kb blocked me...

Good luck with the project!