Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

This is the "stripper" version of the full-dress Gold Wing. so there's no radio or tape player or CB or intercom or LCD instruments. Honda's Gold Wing Interstate comes with fairing, saddlebags. engine and bag guards, top box and passenger back rest. the rocker arm changes - and can thereby adjust the lack in the valve clearance. In operation, when an imake or exhaust valve is at rest, eng,ine oil pressure expands the hydraulic capsule to take up valve clearance. A the camshaft opens the valve, a ballcheck valve locks the capsule in position for the duration of the cam lobe. When the lobe has passed and the valve is again eated, the capsule is again energized to hold the rocker shaft in position for zero valve clearance. The obviou advantage of this new system is reduced maintenance. Gold Wings, with their exposed cylinder heads, were never diHicult to service - but valve adju tment is now a thing of the past. In addition, the valves are always held at zero clearance whether the engine is hot or cold. Smoother and quieter operation are the benefits, since the engine maintains "just tuned" clearances. For carburetion, Honda borrowed heavily from the technology developed for their V-4 eries of engines. Four constant-veloci ty carburetors are fed by a new electric fuel pump, and 'aTe angled for a smooth intake flow. These carbs feature lightweight slides, which are quicker to respond to throttIe changes. For the CV diaphragms a hew elastomer is employed, entgineered to be extremely light and flexible. The combination of these two changes does indeed result in lightning-fast throttle response. In fact, carburetion was improved to the [point that Honda 'was able to remove the accelerator pumps - though you'd never know it to blip the throttle. Lack of the accelerator pumps means marginally better gas mileage, as well as lower overall emissions. As you would expect, this larger and more powerful engine requires a revised cooling system. Gone is the three-row radiator, surprisingly replaced by a two-row unit with differently-angled cooling fins. Also surprising is that Honda has stayed wi th brass for the radiator body, rather than opting for the lighter and more thermally-efficiem aluminum employed by other manufacturers. In spite of having lost one row of coolant tubing, the new Gold Wingradiator is more thermally efficient and offers improved cooling - due entirely to improved air circulation within the radiator. Looking downstream from the en: ginI', power i transmitted through a hydraulicalI-y-acLUated wet clutch, which sport one more clutch plate than last year's Wing. Gone are worries of clutch cable maintenance, as well as any thought of adjusting the clutch. The hydraulic system oHers improved leverage, and can take advantageof strong clutch springs without penalty of stiHer clutch action. Also revised is the auxiliary shaft damper. In years past, this damper was a traditional "rubber biscuit" designed to protect delicate parts from driveline shock. The rubber unit worked fine, but would occasionally cause an ugly "graunching" sound when pulling away from a stop. The redesigned damper does away with the rubber component altogeth(':r, repla ing it with a sturdy coil spring mechanism. This improved damper al 0 sports a centrifugally-activated clutch which locks it solid below 3,000 rpm - which positively eliminates the old start-up graunch. Driven oH the end of this damper is a revised three-phase generator: upped in output from 300 watts to a loftv Honda's proven flat-four engine has hydraulic lash adjusters and smaller valves for 1984. It's famous for long life. 360 watLS at 5,000 rpm. Drawing on the bitter experience of a competing manufacturer - Yamaha Venture alternators intitially overheated this new unit is cooled by engine oil "just in case." Changes to the engine and its peripherals would be enough to justly label the 1984 Gold Wing as "all new." However, (and not toosurprisingly) the boys at Honda R&D took the opportunity to update the frame, u pension, fairing and bodywork of the Wing to complimem the new powerplant. First of[, the position of the engine has been moved forward 65mm and up 30. The most noticeable eHect of this is more clearance between the rider's shins and the cylinders - a welcomed improvement. In addition, the upward cam to !,he engine means more cornering cleat.ance. The Gold Wing was never intended to be a sporty bi~ but this latest incarnation of the beast is much less prone to scrape things when cornering. It's possible to drag bits of the undercarriage during an all-out canyon blitz - especially packing double - but in normal use no metal hits the pavement. Very impressive for a full- boat touring bike. The forward placemem of the engine meant a greater forward weight bias, so the (ront su pension has also been revamped. Internally, the forks handle this difference with revised spring and damping rates. Spring rate can be further in reased by adding a few pounds of air pressure, and as in last year's Wing the minimum air pressure is zero p i-so that folks who don't check the pressure as often as they should won't do any damage to the suspension bit. Externally, the fork tubes are physically larger in diameter: upped from 39mm t04lmm. Honda's latestTRAC ami-dive system is fitted to both fork legs, and the front suspension is finished of[ with a fork brace to keep the sliders aligned when only one of the brake discs is applied. AHA! Did someone say sometlling about applying just one of the front brakes? Yes indeed. For 1984, the Gold Wing emers its econd year of being fitted with automotive-style imegrated brakes. Tramping down on the rear brake lever activates the rear brake, as well as the right front disc. Braking force i proportioned between the ffOnt and rear discs via a 25

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