hi this topic is about my rebuild on my Honda goldwing 1200 SEi 1986.
it started with my front fork seals leaking so i did the normal and aquired the seals form a british supplier which did not list my 1986 bike in there parts list so i had them check out my order and parts numbers for the correct seals for the suspention and clutch system it proved usefull and now the supplier is up to speed on my make of bike and listed in the parts they sell.
the next issue was one i have had since aquiring the bike which was that it was so hard to put it on main stand even though the air shock worked but of course these where old 1986 and needed servicing. I spoke to two main bike shops local to me experts in bike repairs so listened to there advice but one struck me as odd when he said he had gone the same route and decided to change the rear shocks to progressive shocks like others had done , the odd thing at the end of chatting was he said if he could not put it on main stand that he would do a black mod on the stand buy cutting it down reweldind the feet so it went onto the stand easy. i asked him which shocks was purchased for this and he told me 310mm pin to pin as per the seller of such a large manufacturer had listed fot the honda goldwings of the 80ts , I had a such lenght in my spares and of course i double checked the bike and sure enough it measures on the ground 310mm but that was my airshocks which were deflated and faulty. I removed them that day after ordering them thinking the web site was correct in its lenth thankfully they had not been posted out when i discoverd that the air shocks pin to pin lenght is 350mm not 315mm i got on the phone to the supplier discussed it with the technicain of the firm and he agreed with my findings that the catalogue of parts was incorrect. he managed to find a sutable set of progressive shocks and these came the next day lovely the fitted correctly and now low and behold i can mountit on the main stand as per the original design required . my ground messurment is 330mm which gives me more hieght in cornering level suspention with front shocks and the rear shocks work inside the correct running lenght 20mm up and 20mm down bumps and issues of road conditions became a new ride for me after three yeard of bing told by experts there was nothing wrong with the bike. ha so if your wondering and have a goldwing 1978 to 1989 double check the supension pin to pin lenght on fully rmoved shocks then order air shoocks are 350mm pin to pin not 315mm as parts lists say. honda designes bikes and this stand is part of that design from new so one should not alter a main stand in a black way to make it easy just get the right shocks , I am 66yrs old have a damaged spine and just given the all clear from bladder cancer and can now get it on main stand as one should if your lifting the bike to mount it your a lot fitter than me and younger so dont be fooled its correct 315 mm is not the correct lenght for rear shocks progressive 350 - 360 is . if you want more info just write , i am a 51 yrs time served engineer now retired i know a lot of stuff .thanks hope this helps some one in same issue . james