Naked Goldwing history

This old 1975 Goldwing of mine has an interesting history. It started out in the Panama Canal Zone having been purchased by an American soldier stationed there. He traded it to anther soldier for his new CB 754. It seemed like a good trade since they were both new bikes. Owner #2, Bruce Q. paid an extra $400 in the trade and ended up having about $2,200 in the Goldwing. When his tour of duty was done Bruce Q. decided to ride the Goldwing all the way home to Central Illinois. Unfortunately a bad earthquake in Guatamala knocked down some bridges he would have been traveling over so he had to have it shipped home.

Enter Owner #3, a shop teacher, Tom H., in Streator, Illinois. Tom said that he and his wife felt like they had really arrived when they got this Goldwing since they moved up from a 500 cc Honda. They took it on vacations to Colorado and as far away as the Pacific Northwest. Tom had some chrome work done, timing belt covers, intakes, valve covers to mention a few. He added a fairing, air horn, sissy bar and other odds and ends that displayed a lot of love for the bike.

Eventually Tom and his wife sold the Goldwing to owner #4, Dwight G. and his wife who mostly rode it around Central Illinois. Dwight's wife told me that it ran so smooth it wasn't unusual for her to fall asleep while they were riding. Thankfully, she wasn't the one driving when she was napping.

For one reason or another they parked their Goldwing and it sat for about 20 years according to the license plate that was on it when I got it in 2002. I just mentioned to Dwight one day that I thought it would be fun to get an old motorcycle that wasn't worth anything and learn about motorcycles in the process of taking it apart and putting it back together again. He said, "I have an old motorcycle I'll give you."

I had my doubts when I saw this old wing, but it's been a lot of fun bringing it back to life. The parking stickers for the Panama Canal Zone are still on it from 1976 so it's nice to have that piece of history to look at.

A couple of years ago I happened upon Pistol Pete's website and read up on the history of the "Naked Goldwings." I'd never heard that term before and I was fascinated to read about the early pre-production Goldwings that were made in 1974. I also learned from his website my Goldwing, based on the serial number, was one of the earliest Goldwings made, either a pre-production bike or one of the first to come off a fully operational line on the first day of mass production. I like that.

So I'm the fifth owner of this naked Goldwing. I never could have brought this old wing back to life without the help of three friends; Bob S., Rod G., and Ed A. A short time after I found Pistol Pete I also found NGW Club. Both Pistol Pete and NGW Club have helped me tremendously in the maintenance and improvement of my bike.