Lucky Phil

My brother is a fuel tanker driver here in Australia. An interesting fact he made me aware of. The way some of the cheap independent fuel outlets get the cost down is by selling what the industry referrers to as "interstage" fuel. There is a single pipeline running from the Newcastle to the Sydney holding/distribution centre from where it is trucked to the retailers. The same pipe carries all the various fuels including diesel and 91-98 Octane. When they switch over from one type to another it's simply done without flushing the pipeline or anything like that but there is a calculated mixture of one type with another before the latest type comes out the other end 100% undiluted by the previous fuel. Interstage fuel. Sold cheap to the bottom end retailers. I've never been to one of those outlets since. Phil

That is correct Mick Phil

Yea docc thats why I always actually use "Guzzi part" not just Guzzi before the numbers in fact. Forgot the "part" bit. I must say parts are getting harder and harder to come by these days. New parts are thin on the ground and used parts are more affordable but there's a lot of "suspect" parts and sellers out there and shipping is making the costs exorbitant. You should see the cost and speed of availability of RE parts direct from India. The parts are dirt cheap and the service is the best I've ever experienced. Hows $300US for a brand new painted fuel tank shipped to your door in under 10 days sound. Phil Phil

There is only one way to know the required bearing spacer length. Measure it. As already pointed out the factory has supplied 3 different lengths at different times so how do you know 113 is the right answer for your wheel. When you remove the first wheel bearing use a 6"vernia to depth measure between the old bearing race ( provided it isn't totally shagged) and the wheel bearing recess shoulder and thats the spacer length you need plus, .1 to .2mm exactly. Any less than the base measurement and you'll have bearing issues any more than the baseline plus .2mm and you should be fine. A little longer is fine a little shorter is not. Years ago I used some glued on shims to adjust the length of mine as it was only .5 or so short and I couldn't machine up a new spacer at that time. Phil

I always google Guzzi and the p/n without the GU. Don't know if I'm missing out on some sources but I've always got more than I can deal with that way. Phil

You leave off the GU when searching for or ordering Guzzi parts. Just use the numerics. Phil

That's where all my ideas come from Shiraz and Merlot. Phil

True, so to support my logic I would need an arrow on the wall and signage "hole behind" or some such wording. Phil

The only differences between the short and long frame bikes in that area that I'm aware of is the added gearbox mount arms and the larger dia swingarm pivot boss threads. It's possible that the bikes have slightly different ride heights and therefore slightly different front universal joint angles. A slight change in the universal joint angle may make a big difference in getting the grease fitting to attach. Just a thought. Phil

Define "art" well here's a definition I've thought of. If it's functional it's not "art" it's "design". In other words as soon as it has a "function" and by that I mean a physical function as opposed to an emotional function it's NOT art. Art is not designed to be physically functional. So it therefore follows if you hang a painting to cover a hole in the wall it is no longer "art" but a wall patch. Seems logical to this engineer. I think I'm fairly happy with that admitted "thought bubble". Phil

Why the question docc? Just the p/n difference? Phil

Well after 42 years as an aircraft engineer almost exclusively on commercial jets ( I worked on DC4's as an apprentice as well) anything with screaming turbo props leaves me cold in the visceral sense. It might look beautiful in an image like you posted but as soon as those turboprops wind up it's lost me. It's just a tool from then on. A pretty and highly competent tool but a tool non the less. Art? No. Pretty? yes. Beautiful? maybe. Phil

Did you tailor your body dimensions? Phil

One of the issues with fastener surface finish be it for colour or corrosion protection is it doesn't last and ages. Part of the reason all my bikes get the titanium fastener treatment. Titanium is not only light and strong but the surface finish remains in brand new out of the packaging condition for ever. Some owner in a hundred years is going to appreciate that. Phil

https://cycle-ergo.com/ Phil

Once something enters the world of having at it's core reason to exist a physical functionality, purpose or use it's not part of the "art" world in my view. A motorcycle or a car by definition are transportation devices first and foremost as is an aircraft. They can be beautifully designed, formed and crafted but in my mind they are not art. A Spitfire no matter how beautiful the design is, is never referred to as a piece of "art" nor was the Concord or any other aircraft ever produced that I can think of for that matter. I wonder why people are so quick to assign the tag of "art" to a particular motorcycle as I've seen many times but not to something like a Spitfire? Both machines designed to transport people to a location albeit by different means but a beautiful motorcycle somehow enters the realms of "art" for some and the beautiful aircraft does not. A mystery to me at least. The acid test is ask a non motorcyclist if the MV Agusta F41000 is "art" and they'll look at you like you are insane. BTW my MV along with the 1000SS Ducati lived in my lounge room and dining room for years. Phil

They don't fit my definition of art and I've owned 3 of them. Beautiful yes, functional, yes, art, no. Phil

The problem is people don't understand the difference between engineering, designing and fabricating. Many of these crude and impractical creations are all about fabrication (often quite good) with a pinch of usually bad design thrown in and scant regard to the engineering. Anyone with some basic tools and hand skills can strip components off a motorcycle (usually the stuff that makes it a practical riding proposition and road legal) and call it a "custom" or an "interpretation" of god knows what. The truth is motorcycles are not "art". They can be beautiful and an expression of a designers philosophy but if they don't adequately fulfil the design brief then they are just a piece of crafted machinery of limited utility. When I see a "customised" motorcycle like some of the examples shown that are intended to be road ridden then I'm with Pete. These bikes don't fulfil the design brief of a real world road rideable machine in the 21st or even the 20th century in most cases. The other issue is a cultural one. An interesting observation I have made watching many many US based car and motorcycle shows is Individuality is valued above just about everything else in the US and that includes practicality in more cases than I can sometimes believe. Most of these types of bikes are aimed at the American market and the US market is also where the dollar is to spend on such things. And if it's aimed at the American market then these days by default it's aimed at us as well. If you want to study the most brilliant motorcycle designers on the planet then just call into your local motorcycle shop and see what they are selling. With all the limitations and regulations they are lawfully bound to observe in every country in the world and the necessity to make the product real world road rideable you can't help but be impressed. These people make "customizers" look like the backyard hackers the vast majority really are. Phil

You mean the "Crossfire system " ? Phil

The original Bitubo damper had failed. I had the Ohlins damper laying around but not the bracket. The original V11 Ohlins bracket I couldn't find anywhere for sale so I acquired the Ducabike item then made the fittings from Ti. Didn't make the Ti bolt and nut though. Made the HDPE washer to control the spherical bearing movement. Phil