Baldini

KB ...errr....that's the sea in the background...

Yeh - He was a hell of a racer KB

Ian Cobby & Paul Lewis?

Amadeo has got into tuning sports car (for Caterhams & suchlike I think) engines & doesn't do much with Guzzis now. I talked with him back of last year - then, he still had some stuff, would still supply bits/arrange machining/dispense knowledge but wasn't interesting in building. Better living, less grief with the cars I think. KB

perhaps there's some misunderstanding here but I don't see how you're gonna get around a bend quick if you're accelerating before you apex...just means you coulda gone in faster... ...& how do you get round downhill bends??? ...I could be talking out my arse cos the bike's in the shed & i'm sat here, buggered if i can ever explain how i do anything - but it works for me - whatever gets you round. KB

first is very low - don't think i use it on the road other than for starting off - just makes things more hectic. really learn the bike & you'll feel at home on any road cos when things go strange least one thing will be familiar.... KB

robbiekb, Dunno about gyroscopic forces...but I know if you're out with Jap sports bikes you don't play by their rules. Use what a Guzzis good at, smoothness is everything - Clearly you're changing down at too high road speed for the revs - stick to higher gear (noise doesn't = speed) & use torque to get out of corner while they're going thru the box & worrying about highsiding. There's not always a perfect gear but the clutch can smooth things out. In tight stuff, really pushing on, you would be either on a closed throttle (up to apex) or a smoothly opening throttle (to exit) - no part throttle really...so mid-corner throttle response shouldn't come into it - it's only when you're trying to get on throttle smoothly to exit where that becomes a problem. Another thing, you don't really make up or lose time mid-corner in slow corners (unless you balls it up,) - You can make up on brakes & exiting but not mid corner - cos of slow speeds it doesn't matter much. It's fast sweepers/combinations & flowing series' where the gaps open up cos of corner speed. Try different lines? On a clear road with plenty visibility you can use a lot of road. On slow tight stuff "slow in, fast out", squaring it off - go in very deep, lay it over hard, straighten up & get on power - works, even on these things! A track day'll teach you loads very fast if you never did one before. It's more different to the road than you might imagine. But an equal rider who knows what he's doing & trying hard on a Jap sportster is always gonna have the legs on your Guzzi - everywhere....but then - he's got no excuse!!! Take it easy KB

Change all fluids sap I think. If the gbox oil is emulsified (got water in it, looks milky) which can happen, it'll do no good at all. Guzzi rec'd check eng oil after running motor for a minute or so (circulates oil) so I presume that's the level they design the dipstick marks to. As Al says - bike level, dipstick screwed full home, then removed. I do it from cold. KB

Try higher gear: 3 - 5K (wherever throttle response is smoothest) on a trailing,closed or steady throttle. Higher gear's gonna be smoother, & smoother = quicker. Get gear selected before leaning in, closed/trailing throttle til mid corner then slowly on throttle for exit. Smooth transitions on/off brakes, clutch, throttle. Cover the clutch & dip it if necessary in really tight stuff or if you haven't got the gear. How you mean locking up the rear - in a straight line or it's stepping out as you lean in on brakes? Locking on engine braking or rear brake? Closed throttle? Sounds like you're changing down too many, &/or too much rear brake. Sounds like a great place to ride. KB

Paul, I heard of 5 in England/Wales - 4 w/dealers, 1 w/private owner + the IOM ones. Guess there just isn't the interest in Guzzi. I was surprised Peter Hindley's Sporti didn't make more on e-bay. KB

Cos of stories of oil starvation under hard acceleration I keep mine up to max or even slightly over. Not had a problem with this so far. KB

Congratulations Jim. You "put yer money where yer mouth is" & got a little piece of history !!! KB

Try spinning rear wheel w/ bike on stand - should isolate sound if it's low speed/neutral. It's easy to check the bearings, just remove wheel, have a look. I broke two rear brakeside bearings in the first few k miles cos bearing spacer in hub was too short. Does wheel spin freely when axle torqued fully? Many of these bikes seem to throw up niggly problems in the first few k miles. If you can get thru that, then things should be good & get better. Motor doesn't smooth out til 10k miles up. It's a long term thing! KB

First one sounds like pre-ignition to me, which typically occurs low revs/high load. Too much load at revs, bad petrol, FI badly set, timing out, or too hot? Al's covered the big one... & if oil pressure has been lost, first noise could be related - little/big ends? KB

Welcome to Mr Flag and much to many's of his various outpourings do we must have to commend. He henceforth in royalty & glory will leading Guzzi. KB

Andy, why have you stripped the box? how many miles? KB

Thanks Carl, even I can understand this stuff. Hope he does some more research... KB

Heh!Heh! KB BTW, Ben, why the yellow breasts with the large red nipples just below your signature???

If I can't see ahead of the vehicle in front I leave more of a gap anyhow cos you can't anticipate so much. Seems to me a lot of drivers drive on the brake lights of the vehicle in front...with not a clue what's in store further down the road. But I dunno the answer...I'd say there's too many variables to be definitive. The stuff you're talking about countersteering/lean n'all - is done instantly almost as one action anyhow - it's just "steering" - it takes a wheel to turn the wheel in a car, then correct for the oversteer, then correct again & again....then you hit something you'd not noticed before...my riding's better than my driving...my guess is the bike stands a better chance of missing it cos of it's size & manouverability - but if it hits anything it'll hurt more - so for that alone I'd keep out the way. KB

...if the other bike was ridden by an incompetent...

Thats beer????

No, I was planning to do it on my Tonti but it broke & I only finished fixing it that lunchtime. I went along for a looksee anyhow - pissed me off so much I wasn't out there I booked an open trackday there couple of weeks later. Had a ball. I may be interested in 15th May - who's organising it? It is a fantastic track. KB

got that one wrong then..... KB PS: Guzzirider - big speed differences on the straight frighten the cr*p out of me -short straights, it's the only way! Preferably with something really tricky to get thru just before. Ty Croes is perfect.

Ah Haa!! The fatal flaw!!!