Scud

Got the steering damper mounted properly - thanks again Docc for the alert to the Shindy damper and the photos of how you mounted it. It's smooth as silk (but obviously I haven't road-tested it yet). My electricity lessons continue - ran a battery tender cable to inside the fairing (with lap solder and heat shrink). Don't know why I started using crimp-on connections a while back, soldering is sooooo much better. Put the battery back in, along with all lights (except for front turn signals, which are fairing-mounted.) The big moment - everything actually worked. That means I didn't screw up the 30 amp fuse or the replacement fuse block. Whew.... relief. The PO had rigged some rusty brackets to attach the taillight and license plate to the stock subframe bracket - and no turn signals or plate light. The rust from the brackets had spread to the (now powder coated) stock bracket. Here's how the tail section turned out. I shortened the stock fender, blacked out the taillight base and some fasteners, and tinted the lenses (2 coats on the signals and 1 coat on the taillight). After seeing this, I might have to go a shade darker on the Scura I'm hoping for a few deliveries this week.

Hmm... so many opinions. And thanks for commenting - brakes are important and I want to do the work right. I was about to use brake cleaner when a trusted person suggested I use WD-40 instead. This person does all his own maintenance and his vehicles, including motorcycles, are always in great condition. He said brake cleaner damages the seals. FWIW - I also dried them with compressed air so as to not leave any extra WD-40 sitting around. My main concern was to be sure the WD-40 never came in anywhere near the pads. So - do you think should I pop 'em off again and reclean with brake cleaner, then lube with silicon spray? FYI - I did get the pistons all moving freely, but not at exactly the same pace. On the front calipers with 2 pistons clamped, when I pushed one piston in the other went out. I figured that was pretty free.

Glad you're enjoying the story. Next installment: She's cleaned up quite well. Simple Green and Silicon Spray did wonders to the bike - the engine and wheels were the worst - kind of chalky. Naval Jelly also does a fantastic job of getting rid of light surface rust (like on the exhaust studs and a few other spots.) And WD-40 is a great solvent to clean brake calipers (take the pads out first). Got all the powdercoated bits back on (you can see sidestand, fairing bracket, and dash in the above pic). Reset forks to stock height (PO had raised forks above clamps to lower the bike) Reinstalled exhaust (so much easier without the crossover). Adjusted all suspension settings to factory specs (they were way off, the forks weren't even set the same as each other) Tried to install Shindy steering damper - the Bitubo had a sticky spot in the middle. I need to go get more spacers, washers, bolts, etc to do it correctly. This thread re the steering damper is very helpful. Went for a sunset ride on the Scura as a reward (she's been very helpful recently - even better than a parts diagram). Here's a tip for anybody who finds the helmet lock unattractive, but doesn't want to cut the tab off the frame. Grind the things that look like rivets flat (they're actually screws), then use a small triangular file to put some slots in the rivets, then take it off with a screwdriver.

Starting to get to the fun parts now. Picked up my first round of powdercoated parts. Flat black for making some things disappear and for protection and easier cleaning on other parts that were already black but with poor quality paint, or showing some wear/weathering (there was a little rust on the battery tray). Put the sidestand and dash on last night... now the dash looks better than the triple clamp... FYI - I used QuickSteel to fill in a few imperfections before powdercoating (it can handle the heat). There are two kinds - a two-part putty in a tube and a premixed paste in a canister. I tried the paste, but will use the putty next time, because it goes on smoother and is easier to sand, the paste is more gritty. Buying a bike with an uncertain past and a broken odometer carries some risks. Some things I've found made me wonder if the bike had more miles on it that claimed - then other things (like an old date code on the front tire) support the low mileage. They just weren't easy miles - and the bike was not always garaged. Hoping to have it back together functionally, balance of fluids replaced, and re-tuned by next weekend. Then ride it a bit while I ponder other promising possibilities, perhaps paint?

I sent inquiries to various retailers, who will not advise regarding cross-compatibility (liability reasons). So I did some searching, and the Brembo front brake and clutch master cylinders are common to other bikes. If you search for a 1998 Ducati 748, or 1995 Ducati 900SS, you'll see that they are the same master cylinders and levers. Pazzo racing has pictures of the correct levers on the Ducatis. Pazzo's part numbers are DB-12 (brake) and DC-12 (clutch). I ordered a set of black shorties for the Scura from MotoMummy on sale for $150. The LeMans will get the Scura's take-offs. This compatibility puzzle was also solved in this thread, which lists a whole bunch of Ducatis.

More going-through stuff over the last week or so: Removed pods, cleaned throttle bodies, and fitted factory airbox (sans snorkels). Reinstalled (straightened) stock bars, raided the Scura take-off-box for the bar-end weights. Lubed throttle and high-idle cables. Rerouted hydraulic lines, cables and wires. The PO did some "cheats" to use the stock-length cables and lines with raised bars. Removed and cleaned front wheel, cleaned brake calipers, checked bearings, etc. All is well. Verified that new gauges should arrive next week, as will my box of goodies from Harper's. My batch of black powdercoated bits should be ready later this week. Picked up the cross-overless pipes from the welder.

I don't know part numbers. But I was able to buy a "parts only" wire loom from a Ballabio for US$15 on eBay. I've been taking little bits off it to repair/replace some things on my LeMans. Perhaps you could find a similar loom there. Then you can splice new bits where you've had damage. Have you considered a new voltage regulator - one that comes with the plugs you need? Regarding the bracket, you can use QuickSteel, a two-part epoxy putty. The repair will be a little more bulky than a weld, but it's strong - and it will get you back on the road more quickly. You can always take it apart and have it welded later.

Those both look to be '02 repaints. I like the red tail sections on both, also like the white stripe (but I think narrower would be even better). The red pinstripes on the wheels are cool - I assume it's the reflective tape, which is good for safety. Red (or eliminated) airscoops are nice. The "naked" stock airbox looks tough; I have not seen that treatment before, but I also like the red side panels. Thinking that wheels, alternator cover, rocker covers, porkchops, and levers and some other parts might all end up at the powdercoater at the same time. Plenty of functional stuff still to do before playtime though. Not sure how it will end up... just having some fun imagining along the way.

Mis-owned. That's a good one. Y'know what's a bad combination? Pods and no rear fender - the rear tire throws junk in the general direction of the air filters. Pods are coming off - stock airbox going back on. All fixable... I am now intimately familiar with the fuse block, having just swapped the broken one with a perfect one from a spare harness. The mount screws go through two threaded parts - the little brass squares in the fuse block and the silver inserts that go into the grommets. And I must say - swapping the fuse box is a rather intricate piece of work, a task that probably should be avoided, but all part of my self-induced electrical education. While I was at it, I added the 30amp fuse (per above-referenced electrics overhaul thread) and put in 5-pin Omron relays. I've got a little more electrical work to do. The project's in a "holding pattern" till I get a care package from Harper's and my box of parts back from the powder coater. Meanwhile, I am enamored of various features of these two bikes: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?app=gallery&album=160 http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?app=gallery&image=810

You have a red one, now you need a black one. Or maybe it's not really for you, it's for when your friends visit - a "guest bike." Of course, you'll have to keep it in good order and ride it a lot to be sure it's ready for them.

In addition to previous suggestions, you could probably get in there with a sanding flap wheel on a flexible shaft (electric motor), or a sanding sponge on a stick (manual).

Thanks - I just did the search as you recommended. In doing so, I happened upon another thread on this forum, which is worth reading. It's about the failure of the Caswell system - but with some ideas about making sure it does work. http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16928

I see one more bridge at the Southern end of that. Seven Bridges Road by The Eagles:

Got the 30 amp Maxi fuse in today - and my fuse box looks like a hockey player's smile (missing tooth). I zipped the Maxi holder to the subframe rail so it can hang out in the large space inside the tail section (like the flasher relay does on the other side.) I noticed that these 30 amp Maxi fuses are rated up to 32 volts - so I guess this is not far off from simply soldering the wires together and bypassing the fuse. @Docc - thanks for the tip on the lap soldering. I also got the good heat shrink tubing with 3:1 shrink ratio and the adhesive.

Sometimes the fun starts with a destination and a map. @Docc - I see a surfboard and a chest protector (among all sorts of other garage stuff). Do you surf? And I saw part of dirt bike in another picture recently. What's the story there?

Would you mind posting some more detail about this procedure? It would be helpful to know things such as: what do you need to remove (fuel door, petcock, etc.), exactly what coating should be used - and how it is applied. I've seen a number of posts with concerns about the effect of ethanol on the plastic tanks. It occurred to me that some sort of lining would prevent damage, but I hadn't done any research into it yet. It would be great to have a "how to" for this.

If you need any help rationalizing - you could spend a few hundred on the bike you have or you could convince yourself that you need a brand new bike for $15,000 (or more). See how much you've "saved" already?

I was just talking with someone at Harper's Moto Guzzi today. For about $75 your paint code can be "Carbon Fiber Replacement." It's not on their website, but the guy said they had them. Then you can sell your stocker on ebay - maybe even for the same price. Cheap (net difference), easy, and think of the weight savings... probably more than a whole ounce.

The bars are solid from the inboard end to a little bit past where they exit the bar-clamp. They are hollow (but thick walled) from that point on - to the threaded ends that accept the stock bar-end weights. Even heated, I needed a lot of force to straighten them. I used a floor-jack handle over the bench-vise handle for extra leverage. Had to push them a little past straight to get them to release straight (that's why I put the angle brackets in the vise). I thought about going to a machine shop - maybe have a few sets made up at one time. Fabrication of something like these is outside my current skills (and I don't have any machine tools). Maybe it's a low demand item, but it seems there could be a little business opportunity for someone to make these. I mentioned it to a guy at Harper's Moto Guzzi today when I ordered the billet shift lever that they manufacture.

Some people should just not be allowed to work on motorcycles. Let's observe the mental process of one such previous owner: "Think I'll do something under the seat today. How about take out the fuse box screws for no reason? Ok, that was fun, now let's put them back in. Gosh, this one sure is tight. Better push down harder. Oh, the allen wrench keeps slipping, maybe I should use the cordless drill to screw it in. OK press down super hard so it goes in. Well, look at that, the screw head is totally rounded out, the fuse box is broken, and the frame tab is bent so far that the paint cracked. Well, got her in real good, cross-threaded for extra tightness. I am such a good mechanic... what should I do next?" Now, in all fairness, the blame may fall on a factory worker too - it could have been that way all along. But there are enough of these little bodge-ups that my bet is on one of the previous owners. All this I learned because I was trying to pre-solve the 30-amp fuse problem. Lucky for me, I have a complete and perfect fuse box on my e-bay "for parts only" wiring harness - and it even has a mounting screw. Looking for something useful? Try the Electrics Overhaul thread.

Topic: 30 Amp fuse Purpose: to confirm my understanding, and hopefully clarify for anyone else who might be confused Problem: the stock 30 amp fuse contacts are too small (which causes bad electrical things to happen). Therefore, they should be replaced with a manly-man fuse holder. This is not an additional fuse; it is a replacement. Solution: Remove red wire and pair of green wires that terminate at the 30 amp location in the fuse box (as shown removed in photo). Splice in the manly-man fuse holder and locate it nearby. Question: Is the above correct?

The rear spring is easy to adjust with the battery and tray out - six bolts, easy, not a PITA. I just reinstalled the OEM spring on my LeMans and set it to factory spec (152 mm) by adjusting the collar nuts. It's also useful to have the special tool for the big collar nuts on the base of the shock. But it'll be a while till I can put it all back together and measure sag. If you are carrying so much weight, you should check front and rear sag: Step 1 - measure with both wheels off the ground Step 2 - measure with bike upright and full (packed) luggage Step 3 - measure as 2, but now add yourself with all riding gear Obviously, you need a helper for all this. The differences between these measurements will tell you if you are operating within spec (there are pictures in the manual and ranges. Let's assume you do the measurements and they indicate that the bike is sagging more (dropping lower) than spec. Then you increase preload until it sags less and is within range. As a point of comparison, when I first measured my Scura it was dropping way too much at the front and the rear was at one of the limits of the specified range. Adjusting the front also brought the rear back into the middle of the range. The key to this whole process is to measure the current state first. Then you won't have to guess or experiment, the measurements will indicate the remedy. If adjusting preload does not bring it within range, then you need to spring for a spring (good thing it's spring-time). Alternatively, you might be able to get in range if you carry less stuff. After I set sag correctly, I turned the damper completely off and it was rock-solid stable. BTW - I'm still learning suspension - but I experienced such an amazing transformation of my bike's handling that am feeling a bit evangelical about it. I hope I said it all correctly, and I hope GuzziMoto corrects me if I did not.

You won't need any kind of special brush. Everything comes apart. Even the glass lens can be detached from the chrome-plastic inner piece (4 plastic tabs that snap in place - to remove you need to pry them back gently).

I've been having a hard time finding new bars for the clip-ons, but I had a set of bent, stock bars. So I decided to try to straighten them out. I heated them in the oven, then worked them in a large vise with some metal brackets positioned so I could apply pressure to the most noticeably bent section. Here are some before, during, and after pictures. I'd still be happy to buy a pair of used or reproduction half-bars, but at least I got to remove the PO's home-made bar riser setup. The end result is not perfectly straight; they still have a little wobble when rolled on a flat surface. However, they are straight enough to use until I can find a different set - and I can use the stock bar-end weights. Here's the before pic: Here's how I clamped the warm bars in a vise And here's the end result.

remove phillips head screw from bottom of black headlight bucket slide light assembly out of housing remove parking light (twist) remove headlight bulb (spring clamp under rubber boot) remove entire assembly from bike, place glass-down on something soft release pressure on four plastic tabs under chrome trim ring - I needed a flat blade screwdriver to do this remove trim ring and glass lens clean and reassemble 10 minute job. Have fun - and be careful of the plastic tabs. Mine had a black spot on the plasti-chrome that I was trying to remove, but it seems the finish is damaged. Bummer. Has anyone ever used this chrome spray paint?