Ballacraine

Is it just that there are a lot more Scuras than Mandellos & Tennis & that they all will fail given enough time? Nige.

Thanks for that, Paul. That is useful. We still need information on whether all clutches fitted are genuine RAM items or if the rumoured Guzzi 'improved' copy actually exists? Nige.

Guzzi used to / still have a core of die-hard customers. If they don't get this 'attitude problem' sorted quickly though, they will find that the diehards will not buy new Moto Guzzis. Nige.

I suppose you could view that as an improvement from 'What problem?' Nige.

With the expensive 'collateral' damage, I am not surprised at that, Paul. Will we see bits of it on ebay do you think? Nige.

I'm very pleased to hear that, John. Technical bit: A 'clunk' on the splines is probably going to be amplified around the engine & transmission unit though. I hope you have a trouble-free run from now on too! Regards, Nige.

I'm pleased to hear that, John. Obviously, I haven't heard the tell-tale noise, but my guess from your description is that the worn splines on the friction plate were probably the guilty party. Can we take it there was no damage to the flywheel then? Regards, Nige.

I think you even got more of a response than I did! Good idea to press them again though. Nige.

Many, many years ago, I had a near religious experience! I was polishing back a top coat on a petrol tank & a blob of rubbing compound fell onto the rockerbox of the engine stored under the bench. I wiped it off... Instant gleam! Much cheaper than Solvol & the same or better results with less elbow grease. I have used it ever since. It is superb on a decent untreated alloy. Nige.

If it actually stays on, paint is easier to maintain. I used to get fed up polishing around the webbing so I satin blacked the cases on my 750-S3. It looked smart & it stayed on! Nothing yet. Just slowly encroaching speedlimits. It is still under consideration! Nige.

Obviously usage is a consideration, but I suspect the prime cause is the paint is really too thick for the application anyway. If you are after a more durable coating several thin coats of a decent VHT matt or satin paint properly applied & cured is your best bet. That is what I shall be doing when mine calls enough. Nige.

Usual checks are for cleanliness & tighness of all connections. Firstly check the battery connections are clean & tight, then check all earths. This, along with dodgy relays, should eliminate most of the possibilities. Then to do the job thoroughly, all other connections should really be checked. How old is the battery? Nige.

Well, although I am not a paint sprayer I know a few folk who are. As I understand it, the secret of a good job is down to the preparation. You have to have a good clean, surface to key on for starters. Thin coats are reckoned to be a lot better than one thick coat. The drying & curing process works better with thin coats. My guess as to why there are problems with this finish? I would say it is a combination of factors. The fundamental cause I think, is that that the paint was not applied in the above fashion, but the coating was probably too thick for the application anyway. Heat dispersal works better through thinner, properly cured layers. Anybody any other opinions? Incidentally, touch wood, my wrinkle finish is holding up well....and the Guzzi's too Nige.

Just to add my 2 pennorth! Back in the early eighties, on my 750S3, I had Agostini big valve V7 heads with polished rocker arms & a pair of luvverly Dellorto PHM40s. S&B airfilters ( Remember them? ) teamed with a one off two into one made by a bloke wot made exhausts for works rally cars. I had the P3 Cam too! It sounded awesome, ran sweetly & went very well. Dynos weren't available to Joe Public in those days. I can only say it gave a marked lift over standard performance. Seat of pants, I would guess at around a 10hp gain at the rear wheel. I then made the mistake of putting in a LMII lump & fitted the same equipment. It had a heavier flywheel & was a lot noisier so that required further silencing work. It never was as sweet as the lighter flywheeled 750 & was harder work to hustle. In retrospect I should have used the shorter throw 750 crank teamed with Spada pistons. I reckon it would have given me a short stroke 850cc or thereabouts. I think that would have been sweet! So I like lighter flywheels, they make the bike feel less lugubrious ( Nice word that! Look it up if you aren't sure ) That said I wish I could be sure that these single plate efforts aren't going to depart in spectacular fashion! Nige.

Pete, Your input is still valued & most welcome! It is a pity that the company seems so lack-lustre & casual about after-sales back-up! Nige.

Does that make it 6 failures?...I've lost track of how many are known to the group. Nige.

All good points, KB. I am with you on all counts. When you say they were not impressed do you mean they were concerned, or did they just fob you off? There is no use going through this agony & expense time & time again. Everything wears out eventually, but we have to be replacing with something that is proven not to fail in spectacular fashion! Pete....Very useful input, matey! Do you have a recommendation for a single-plate fitment that isn't likely to fail in spectacular fashion? Nige.

Yes, I did see it. I would guess ity would be using the single plate RAM clutch. Does that infer that all RAM clutches, may be suspect? Nige.

Do we know of any single plate clutch failures on models other than the Scura? Nige.

I'm doing my best to attempt to clarify. I'm sorry, I didn't intend to muddy the waters further... So that first picture I picked up on from the link John posted is not from a RAM single plate? I take it, it is the one on the top left of the most recent pic John posted? Well, that still is substantially different to the stress failed pic. Nige.

I hope Guzzi have a record of what type of clutch is fitted to which frame number! Nige.

...and the very dubious 'improved' guzzi copy. This is a failed one I picked up from a linked thread.

OK then, John... So we have two different designs here......The substantial and hopefully sound genuine RAM offering:

Would incorrect torque on the bolts cause the fracturing of the aluminium flywheel? Does the genuine RAM clutch use an aluminium flywheel? Nige.

Now that is more like it. Thanks for the info, Roberto! Nige.