Baldini

YEEEHAAAAA!!!

Al, Point taken - No argument. I hate blistering paint too - what I am getting at is that we only have the blistering paint cos Guzzi got concerned with "fashion" - since they put 16" wheels on Tonti frames...It's not their strongpoint. It is a distraction trying to second guess what the market wants, I believe you make the best product you can and people will buy it. Like a featherbed Norton, the heart of a Tonti frame Guzzi is just "right". That's why there's so many still running around. Maybe they're only 50% original Guzzi parts - my 950 has no original electrics, suspension or bodywork, & most other bits are modified - but they're still out there. I know the new bikes have changed, all these engine management electrics frighten me - I've no idea how they work...But what concerns me here is that in chasing a market, Guzzi are moving away from their strengths. Look at the comments re oil starvation, valve material & exploding gearboxes on this forum...The MGS1 looks beautiful but is it sound, how strong is it? I guess I get defensive about Guzzi, there are people who buy a Guzzi like they would buy a Honda & can't believe the heap of problems they're landed with - but in solving the problems the bike becomes yours. It's the opposite to buying a Jap when you (usually...80's Honda camchains anyone) buy a perfectly functioning jewel and start looking for ways to knock off the performance with aftermarket cosmetics, listen to all them jap sportsters popping & banging on the overun. I'm not saying Guzzi are right to make bikes so rough at the edges but in correcting the peripherals will they lose sight of the basics? We can sort out the suspension, the paint etc, etc, but if chocolate valves are taking the heads out, oil starvation is blowing bottom ends, and transmissions are exploding mysteriously then there ain't much left. Al, I have no argument with what you say, save perhaps for a dealer tearing down a good engine to replace the paint - as others have pointed out Guzzi rates do not permit him time to do a proper job - regardless of how good he is, he's running a business. Please accept my genuine apology for causing offence. Carry on the good work... Ride safe, KB, Wales

Well least they've given up on the exhausts! Cases don't need to be painted - black, silver or any other colour. What's the point? KB

Uh oh! I've just noticed why Brian Robson isn't fussed by a bit of bubblig engine paint - 1976 Trident...

Moto Guzzi - it's a Moto Guzzi. Look on the Guzzi Exchange forum - people running 30yr old bikes as daily transport and on the track. What percentage of Japanese stuff'll still be running in 30years? Sure there's stuff to be fixed. You buy a Guzzi & you're on your own - the factory never has given a shit for it's punters - but that's why there's Guzziology, Moto International, Corsa Italiana, Motomecca, Wessons, TLM, ... this website, etc. A Guzzi isn't run in til +10k miles, it's long term. My 25yr old 950 has essentially the same engine as my V11 - I don't run a rev counter on it cos the motor talks to me. If you want a bike that'll be spot on the day you buy it and will never be as good again - buy a Honda. Slap on an end can & a tinted screen to make ot your own - then chop it in for next year's model at 5k miles. It never talked back to you, but it never was yours... I bought a new Guzzi - I knew it'd be like this, it always has been - that's why I didn't buy a Honda. Guzzi are good at the basics, Aprilia shouldn't mess around tarting bits up, painting cases - bare cases are fine. It's a stupid problem we didn't need to have. As long as they make the big spinning bits inside solid - I'll put up with the rest. The Aprilia Guzzis look good but - sound as the old Guzzis ? Check out the last minute bracing behind the ali swing arm plates, the jap style spatter on the subframe welds... get them concerned about the outsides & what'll happen to the insides? I'm hoping my cases won't bubble ... but... I do need a new leather jacket... Ease up a bit Al! Like me...til that bloody mickey mouse gearbox spring goes again anyhow... KB, Wales.

...Now why didn't I think of that... KB,Wales

MAKE SURE BIKE IS IN NEUTRAL ( Not easy when it's stuck in 3rd cos the selector spring's broke!) Detach remote shock reservoir from it's mount bracket. Remove starter motor (2 bolts thru bell housing, try not to short live cable whilst detaching), detach neutral cable. Detach shifter arm from shaft. Drain gbox oil. Plug is above collector box, I used tin foil to funnel oil. Undo 11(?) (5mm) socket cap bolts and remove selector cover (cover is stuck w/gasket cement, I used a draw hammer - gently!). Remove 2 selector gears (retained by circlips) & mechanism to access spring. Clean up gasket mating surfaces. Make sure sliding dogs are equidistant from gears on shafts, (makes engagement of selector forks with gears in cover easy) - gbox in neutral. Apply gasket cement & replace cover, oil etc... It's fairly straight forward, but a bit fiddly. Took me about 4 hours but once you you've done it, it's probably a 2hr job. Trouble is...how can you be sure new spring is a good one! Best of luck. KB, Wales.

Look on the V10 Centauro forum, there's a long discussion on this - they suggest slightly overfilling w/oil solves symptom. I think performance issue you mention is only small power loss from oil drag on crank. Has oil pick up on the newer Guzzis changed from the Tonti ones cos it was never an issue with them (on the road anyhow)...mind you there wasn't internet discussion forums either... If you check discussion on windage trays it's not clear that they work anyhow.

Janusz, Thanks for the comments. I've been told that std springs in Ohlins on my Scura are 9.0 nm. I've ordered some 10 nm springs to go in there. Also ordered a 100 spring to replace std 85 on rear. I weigh about 200lbs w/gear.Springs'll be sent tomorrow - any quick comments re rates I'm getting... anyone? Thanks, KB, Wales.

Gio, Which forks? On Scura Ohlins there's an air gap. Manual gives it at 85mm. With tops off & springs out I measured 140mm from fork tops to oil level. I got about 410ml oil out both legs. Regular Guzzi forks may be different but it sounds to me like you overfilled them... KB, Wales.

Carl, Do I understand you right - that the problem is only in the valves, ie: that the soft stems of the valves wear & cause wear in associated parts - therefore, early replacement of the valves only, with better items, will avoid this problem? Thanks, KB.

Is the oil leak from around the gearchange shaft where it goes into the selector cover? There's a slight weep there on my 02 Scura (2,500m). The gearchange shaft is rusting where it goes thru the seal.... Which bushings do you mean Russ? I see no bushings... Faulty bolt...???

Just to keep this fascinating subject to the forefront of your minds... I have the bits out but am reluctant to put it back together the way Guzzi had it, particularly the way the spring is retained at the bottom. It looks like a real afterthought - promoting wear. Has anyone actually replaced this spring themselves - did you come up with any better way? Also, has anyone seen inside early 6 speed & 02 - is it the same arrangement? Thank you for your patience, you can now go back to concentrating on extracting maximum performance from the poor overweight beast. KB, Wales.

I've been told that the new springs Guzzi are issueing have a wider, smoother radius where they turn thru the 90degree. The old ones had an adbrupt bend. It may also be worth radiusing the plate where the spring locates?

Roger, Thanks for e-mail - tried reply - returned unable to deliver. What puzzled me was your quoted 1/2"(12.7mm) sag front & back. Mine is 38mm front, 30mm back. As I understood it, sag should be about 30% of available travel. Are we describing same measurements? I measured along exposed lower fork stanchions; length unloaded = 123mm, w/rider = 85mm. 123-85 = 38 which is near 30%. At rear, I measured wheel spindle to seat base & got 526mm unloaded, 496mm w/rider = 30mm sag. I'm about 190lb. Your measurements are so different to mine I wondered am I making some basic error, I'm pretty ignorant about suspension set up. Thanks for your help, KB in Wales, UK!

02 Scura, Std 020's don't give me a lot of confidence, & yes the front cups really bad. Back feels overtyred with std. 180/55. ProfWacko reccommends 170/60, Dlaing 160/60 (was loss of high speed stability due to brand or size change?). I'm thinking to try Pirelli Diablos or Sportecs (told they are same carcass w/different tread) next, but unsure as to size. I agree with the professor, the 180/55 is for pose, and with the power output...look good tho!

I have not fixed the box yet. I have got the cover off & await a spring. There are two springs on the selector mechanism.There is a double coil similar to fitted in the 5 speeds. Behind & above that a single coil with one short & one long arm - This is the one that I've seen break (at the 90 degree bend on the short arm where it locates). It is my feeling that there was a batch of duff springs (either material or manufacture) put in during the 02 model run. Scuras seem particularly prone to failure. I believe that Guzzi is aware of the problem. Unfortunately it seems that some broken springs have been replaced with the same duff stock, resulting in a second failure. I have been told there is a modified spring from Guzzi - but I do not know how you tell a good one from a bad one. It may be that this is just the same spring but without whatever manufacturing glitch causes failure. How do you know if you're putting in a good one? I would have thought that Guzzi could work out which bikes have bad springs & fix it on a recall, this problem is potentially dangerous. It would be useful to set up a poll on this site, to see which bikes have had the spring fail and at what miles. How do you do this - Jaap? Al? It may depend on how hard you use it as to when it goes, but it seems to me that at least on some bikes, early failure is inevitable. If we knew which bikes were affected, then an early fix could save a lot of grief - Guzzi could sort this & it pisses me off that they don't. I love Guzzis - but someone at Guzzi needs a kick up the arse (or ass for our US brethren). ________________________________________________________ Mal, We are in North Powys, near Welshpool. I've had Guzzis for 20 years - you'd have thought I would have known better...nothing changes. A Guzzi mechanic, recently innundated with broken gearboxed Scuras, suggested I see a doctor... Although possible, fix would be no fun by roadside. Cover has to be got off (make sure it's in neutral), no gasket - held firm with goo, oil out (plug is needless to say right above the collector box), bolts are loctited & some a little awkward to get at (needed to cut down allen key), setting up the sliding dogs to locate the selector mech looks fiddly, needs a torch, etc. - all fine in the garage with bits & pieces to hand, but by some French roadside with the bike toolkit... Good luck, KB.

Thanks Martin, Do you have a part number? Do you know of a UK dealer with the modded spring in stock? Cheers, KB.

Martenni, What is the modified(?) gearbox spring you mention? Thanks, KB, Mid Wales.

Mal, Spring on my 02 Scura went at 2,500 miles. I was in a Guzzi dealer today, they have had three come in in the last week or so with broken boxes, all low mileage. The fix is quite simple but a bit fiddly. The cover behind the gearshift pedal comes off with the selector mechanism, containing the spring. There's apparently three springs - the one that breaks is the one with one long & one short arm, short arm with a 90 degree bend (which is where it breaks). You have to drop the oil. I also have have older Guzzis, done quite a bit of work on them, inc g'box. I wouldn't fancy fixing this at the side of the road... Where abouts are you? KB, Mid Wales

Roger, I don't understand the figures quoted for sag... How & where are you measuring these? They don't tie in with what I set at all (30% of available travel)... I'm pleased to hear you got it sorted. Thanks, KB,

Carl, I've e-mailed you my address. Please let me know if it doesn't come thru. Thanks, KB.

I'm going to have a look see in the cover, replace spring if it's broke - is there anything I should look out for? I've found a lot of previous discussion here about this. I need to know: 1. Is the problem the spring or the base or both? 2. Is there a modified Guzzi part/parts? 3. Part numbers? Thanks, KB

My 02 Scura stuck in third gear at 2,500 miles. This seems to be a very common problem on this forum - Can anybody talk me thru the fix? It stuck first in 3rd then I managed to get neutral, now it'll only go to 2nd. Thanks. KB, Wales.

Bob, Your comments are very helpful. Been thinking, I'm used to 18" wheels - large rolling radius = stability, but slow turn in. The fashion for quick steering brings small wheels = instability. My mate who rides big Japs reckons I've just got to get used to it. I reckon we'd be better off with bigger front wheels! Thanks for your guess on spring rates, think I'll try that. Difference between Sportecs/Rennsports - mileage? Roger, On std settings my Scura was bouncy on bumpy roads. The shop added 8 clix rebound to front, dropped comp 2 clix. Big difference. Next big improvement when I added 3 turns rear preload. This really improved the front - I realised you have to balance front/rear settings - each affects the other. I am 200 lbs. Now on max preload at front , +5 turns on rear. I reckon preload is the key - have you set static sag? Damping can be tweeked either way from std, but I would sugest upping rebound particularly at front and dropping compression at back. Are your tyres worn? Tyre pressures in manual seem very low. These are useful: http://www.guzzitech.com/Suspension-Ed_M.html http://www.guzzitech.com/V11SportWobble-Todd_E.html Emry - Why drop fork oil 5mm? It's reassuring to see you've had no problems raising the forks. Did you notice any more instability on the brakes? Do you have std bars & F/rests? Thanks everyone who has posted on this topic - it has been very useful to me. Cheers, KB, Mid Wales.