Jump to content

swooshdave

Members
  • Posts

    2,067
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    62

Posts posted by swooshdave

  1. 54 minutes ago, audiomick said:

     

    Funny you blokes should write that...

    I started riding motorcycles in about 1984. My impression of Guzzi (in Melbourne at the time...) was red, eccentric, and sporty. I.e. Le Mans. The first time I saw a California (or was it a Nevada or a Florida? Chopper style, whatever...) I thought "why on earth does a company that builds such beautiful sport bikes even bother to build something like that?".

    Then I came to Germany, got a  bike, got a Guzzi (the first one was a V35 Imola. No power, but red, sporty looking and beautiful...) and started spending time on a German Guzzi forum.

    It turns out, in Europe (or at least in Germany, but I'm convinced it is not restricted to Germany...), the Tonti California is considered to be "the" iconic and defining Guzzi. The beautiful, sleek, sporty things are just a niche product. :huh2:

    Weird, really, because they all know about the V8 race bike, and the the first Tonti frame was the V7 Sport (sleek, sporty, beautiful...) and so on. But the California seems to be considered to be the "mainstream" Guzzi model.

    I still can't quite come to grips with the idea. B)

    I question a lot of German choices. This would be one of them.

    • Haha 2
  2. This is the second time I ran into @activpop at the Portland Cars and Coffee. Last time he was on I believe his Stelvio? Anyways this time he brought a proper Guzzi. I had the kiddo with me so no riding. We had one of those sneaky warm days (high was about 75F later in the day) in the early Spring. They are always welcome.

    Hse6gVZ.jpg

    rgQtMzp.jpg

    The bike looks and sounds fantastic. The Titaniums are definitely not as loud as Mistrals but not everyone has to be a hooligan.

    One of these days I'll unbury the V11 and bring it out too.

    • Like 13
  3. On 3/14/2024 at 2:47 PM, Lucky Phil said:

    I think Kiwiroy did a diagram years ago. That's where I got the idea.

     

    Phil

    Interesting discussion here. Apparently to doesn't actually make a difference?

    btw Searching for diagram and @Kiwi_Roy is like typing "p0rn" into Google. You'll get a trillion results.

    • Thanks 1
    • Haha 1
  4. On 3/3/2024 at 2:19 PM, Lucky Phil said:

    The problem with the direct battery solution is there is a parasitic drain now on the battery when the bike is parked which along with the parasitic drain from the ECU causes the battery to lose charge fairly rapidly. The OEM design eliminates this because when the ignition key is turned off the reg is isolated due to it voltage sensing being from the light wiring circuit. The problem with the OEM arrangement is that the light circuit wiring is marginal in it's ability to carry the current without the voltage sagging when the lights are on and because the reg senses essentially battery voltage from the lighting circuit it reads the "sagged" voltage when you have the lights on. This then overcharges the battery. Instead of the reg reading actual battery voltage it reads battery voltage minus 1 volt usually. The solution is what I did years ago and is to run a separate supply for the headlights and fit mini relays in the headlight shell. This cures the voltage sag with the headlights on, eliminates the high current that the headlight switch normally has to carry and keeps the reg wired as per OEM which isolates it with the ignition switch off and avoids the parasitic drain when parked.

     

    Phil  

    Is there a wiring diagram or pictures of how people have done this? I think it's simple but sometimes the details are what matters.

    • Like 1
  5. On 1/23/2024 at 4:19 PM, DucatiGuzziIndian said:

    Looking like we have everyone but just checking with a couple people.

    Looks like I may have 1 plate left over (that was probably for Joe) but we'll see how things go.

    I'll send him a message...

    Thanks

     

    I never got an email.

  6. 50 minutes ago, activpop said:

    Yeah, we haven't even got mail delivered since last week. So much for that neither snow nor rain nor heat stuff...

    We got mail yesterday before the ice came in. And yes, we were surprised.

    Temps are rising here so the ice is melting, so now we will have to deal with... flooding.

    • Sad 1
  7. A note that the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington) have had some severe weather (snow and now ice) so may be extremely difficult for @DucatiGuzziIndian to ship anything. I'm not sure what it's like in Seattle but our roads in Oregon are lovely sheets of solid ice. Because of high winds a few days ago many, many people are out of power. And this is the first time we've been above freezing (0C, 32F) since last week.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
×
×
  • Create New...