Comments on: Randakk’s Honda GL1000 Supercharger

By: PaulN

PaulN — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:52:04 +0000

I really like the stuff that Randakk is building, but I have to agree that shelling out $6,000 for a box parts doesn’t really make a lot of sense.

Yes, there is great satisfaction in doing something yourself. I’m always making stuff for my 1983 Virago becuase nobody makes parts for it, and because I like the challenge of doing it myself from scratch.

However, the accountant in me says I could spend that same $6,000 on a Blackbird and start hauling the mail without picking up a wrench. As a bonus I could even sell it without having to worry about getting back the money I spent on parts.

Obviously it comes down to personal motivations. Like I said, I really like Randakk’s approach, and I admire his skill and committment to such a great machine. A buddy of mine just collected a 1975 GL1000 from his Dad. It’s as crusty as a week old doughnut, but I might be able to pick it up for $500 or so…

By: sanglant

sanglant — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:23:37 +0000

Then I guess you’ll be contacting Randakk and putting an up front payment for the kit in his hand? He can obviously build it, just at a higher than $5700 cost for individual units. I’ll look forward to seeing the pictures of your bike when the work is done.

The points about parking lots, I think you missed. That’s the chopper set, not GL owners, and I think you will see that if you re-read my post.

Wanting a kit is one thing. Paying for it is another. If you want it badly enough, gather the wing owners you’re talking about, make a group, and approach Randakk about making a group buy on the kits. With cash in hand, I’m sure he’d oblige you.

By: Steve H.

Steve H. — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:06:31 +0000

Some very good points brought up by sangiant – but the people that would be interested in this system do not fit into the considerations stated. We ride these old things because of the way they work day in and out. I’ve had mine for seventeen years and see no reason to get on anything else. I don’t care about parking lot appeal – I don’t spend much time there. I ride daily here in the Great Northwest.
I would appreciate the power increase not to smoke anyone, but to get the extra performance for certain situations. My bikes fit me so well that this would just make an already good ride better.
Selling my bikes? Why?
We ride these bikes for none of the reasons sangiant stated that he sees as valuable. So, anyone offering this system would sell them. And we would appreciate it.

By: Steve H.

Steve H. — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:49:54 +0000

O.K., maybe “hundreds of thousands” was a bit high in the number of ‘Wings out there, but we all know there are tens of thousands. To get one or two hundred per year installed – world-wide – would be good for the aftermarket entity offering the system. It would be good for those of us still happily riding these “dinosaurs”.

By: sanglant

sanglant — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:09:43 +0000

Todd, I appreciate your sentiment, but I think you’re mistaken. There aren’t that many of the original ‘wings out on the road, and those that are aren’t in the best condition. Not many of their owners would be willing to spend basically double what the bike is worth just for some parts, even if it is a supercharger. That assumes that you are competent enough to do the work yourself. Among my bikes, I have a 1995 Katana 600 with a 1216cc engine, USD front, etc., etc. done to it. I’ve been asked how to build one by many other Kat owners, and honestly, it wasn’t that difficult to do the work, aside from adding the ’91 GSXR swingarm. Still, I have seen no other bikes like it. Why? It’s not cheap to do, those with the mechanical skill to do it themselves are not hat common, and you won’t recover your investment if you sell the bike.

The appeal of the kit is also to a very narrow group. I also have a V65 Magna, which is a pretty fast bike, for a cruiser (think V-Max if you don’t know what a V65 is). There is a very loyal following of these bikes out there, but step out of that group, and few know of or care about the bike. I’ve probably spent about $2k on mine, beyond the original $2k purchase price a few years back, in upgrading and repairing/replacing various bits and pieces. But, I wouldn’t spend the money for a supercharger for it, even one as nice as Randakk’s.

Why? I have bikes that are much faster than a GL1000 (or my V65) will ever be, and are much safer to operate at those speeds. While it is great fun to smoke guys on “fast” bikes with my “little” katana, you can feel the frame flexing under power. A GL1000 that can accelerate like a modern superbike will unfortunately still stop and turn like a GL1000.

The chopper set may be willing to spend a lot of money on a bike, but they do it for very different reasons than someone riding a GL would. The chopper set, at least those spending the $50+k you cite, are looking for parking lot appeal and bragging rights. My V65 will give most v twin choppers spanking in a straight line, and it will kill them in a corner. Still, park it next to a functionally inferior Big Dog, and people will ask me to move mine so they can get pictures of the dog. An old GL, no matter how nicely built, will never get the same notice and notoriety as a chopper at, say, Daytona bike week. I’m not saying that the GL wouldn’t be a better bike; given the two, I’d take Randakk’s bike every time. But, given the choice of a bike like Randakk’s, or perhaps a Super Duke, I’d have to take the keys to the KTM. And if you try to build Randakk’s bike, I’m sure you’d spend enough to buy one.

Take it from someone that’s built some obscure machines and owns too many bikes; it’s not worth the dollars and cents cost. Do it for the love of the project, for the love of the work, or for the love of the creation. Don’t do it for a profit. Business is for a profit. I don’t go work because I love my job so much I can’t think of anything more fun to do, I do it because it pays well. Dragging pegs on an old MZ Skorpian that I’ve turned literally every bolt on in Charlotte’s Web, on the other hand, is something I pay to do.