emry

I won't trade my 02 Scura. Well that being said. So far 5.5k miles, timing cover leaked twice (Warrenty once, silicone fixed the second), bubbling engine paint, (Harley engine paint fixed and got my wife a very nice rain suit), and the fogging tach, (small drill hole fixed). While you may have read about other problems on this site, shift spring, pinging, groaning rear brake, and now the recall on the trans and rods. These (in my opinion) are very similar to other model problems from the other manufactuers. (I won't tell you how many Suzuki head gasket/cyln to piston, timing chain job I've done.) While the larger amnufactuers are quick to fix and recall these problems they also do so because many more sales are at stake. (Hey guy's didn't we cover this somewhere???) Oh well you get the idea I hope. Just remember the problems presented here are the worst. There are several thousand very happy owners who we never have heard a word from. (Don't know if this is good or bad ) Personally I say go for it. Good luck on your descision. Would make a good present though.

Doesn't Ghezzi & Brian use something similar on one of their bikes?

5800 miles and it has rattled, loudly since new. Quiet when the clutch is in. Personnelly I like the noise. More character.

Figures doesn't it. From the picture I would suspect that the radius at the sharp bend is to small. Using a similar diameter with some quality wire and a larger radius should solve the problems. Hopefully.

The race team I used to work for used Elf on race days. It was $60.00 a liter. Ooch. It was worth about 3 Hp (dyno) over the standard race gas; at the time F&L and later NuTech. Running the Elf did require a rejet of about two main jet sizes and a little igntion remapping though, and this is where the extra Hp comes from.

My steering had begun to get a little stiff lately so I tore into it to find.... Yes, water in the steering head bearings. Not a trace of grease in the whole steering head. Guess this explains why the factory didn't lube the spline drive either. Must of been out grease for the year. So adding one plus one I checked the swingarm bearnings and alas, no grease. It would seem that the factory mearly installed all of the bikes bearings fresh out of the package. Had to replace the steering bearings, the water had puddled on the small rubber cover at the bottom, the one that helps to keep the dirt out of the theorically greased bearings. The bottom one had rusted pretty significantly. says check it all, it probably was not done right in the first place.

While my orginal spring has yet to break; 5.5k miles, ( I Know I need to ride more often) I would happily chip in to help the development of the bike. I would think that the 316L would be overkill, the corroison properties are the main benefits and usually only out weight the cost when that property is needed. The 1065 or the 1090 should work just fine, both are often used for automotive valve and suspension coil springs respectivly. Just another note, tensile strength denotes how much force it takes to lengthen or stretch the given material, not break it. Yeild stregth is the amount of force it take to permently deform a sample and Ultimate stregth is just that. (Anyone got a welder handy ) Does anyone have a picture of a failed spring for us to look at or a description of where the failure normally occurs?

Bubble Bubble toil and trouble. Lots of bubbles. Well only a little toil, cam cover leaked twice. But no trouble. ... Tiny bubbles.... Sorry I'm in a singing mood, think Don Ho.

Why did ya have to mention Alice's. I used to live in Castro Valley but now I reside in GA. Boy I sure miss those Sunday rides....

Just checked a JEG's catalog. $58.99 for a set for a chevy 350. That is enough wire for 4 MG's. Seems like someone is out to make a easy buck. I also agree with the snake oil. But whatever happened to the flat speaker wire. Can't recall the name.... Now those pricey things were cool.

I'll put my vote with callison's.

Funny, same thing happens to me and my wife, EVERY time we ride. Any drought stricken area wish to pay me and Rich to ride around their fields? The rain men cometh! Oh yah. Nice bracket. Very similair to the one I fabbed up. The Diamond grate is a nice touch.

Since it is a dual piston caliper it does not have to float. The pistons will move in the caliper relative to the rotor. i.e. if the inside pad wears faster the inside pistons moves out farther. I though I had solved my grona problem by removing the pad tension spring some 4000 miles ago but I have heard a slight wimper lately. I need to clean the bike though too. I would imaging you could create your own semi floating rotor by replacing the rotor bolts with some custom stepped bolts with wave washers on either side of the rotor. A little shimming of the caliper my be in order though.

Mine leaked after about 600 miles. It started to leak again at about 4600. A little smear of black silicone fixed it much faster than the dealer. I have been wondering if there is some sort of flex occuring in the frame that is putting extra tension on that side at that spot. causing excess bolt tension cycling. Any one else have any thoughts?

I made my own FBF kit for about 5 dollars. I used some small angle iron. Think it was actually a shelf bracket. Brased it into a rectangle to cover the perimeter of the OEM filter and bolted it down. Took about 15minutes. I'll see if I can borrow a camera.

Like Martenni said I would try a spacer. Normally I tighten the nut either till it is tight and then back it off the the wheel is stiff until it spins freely. My 1970 Ambassador does the same as yours, no problems yet.

And I thought my Scura was the only one that looked that bad...

I think it has something to do with male bondage.

The Raceco valve specs solved my idle stalling. Plus I like the extra noise.

Don't forget that the oil we are changing isn't actually worn out. It is just dirty. The purpose of changing the oil is to remove the extremly small particulates that are the result of the combustion process and the small amount of physical wear that takes place in the engine.

Carb cleaner works real good.... Found that out by accident... Turns the paint real soft. Paint stripper is cheaper i'm sure though.....

I though I had read on this site about the synthetic causing the plastic cages on the trans-bearings to fail. Anyone recall where? Well I just did a search here and didn't find it. Maybe someone recalls seeing elsewhere in the great digital expanse....

Well this seems to boil down to this. All manufacters have had some serious build quility issues with almost all of the new models they release. But the important part is how well the company or dealer (remember, dealers are independantly owned) choose to deal with your selected problem. Guzzi may be hesisitant to issue a recall or even a warrenty authurization but a good dealer will get the problem resolved. A bad dealer may just compound the problem by simply not wishing to deal with you or MG. Most people consider the Japanese brands to be very reliable. This is because the dealers and the factory have worked together to create systems that provide a high level of service with good dealers or an alternate for consumers to deal with for bad dealers. i.e. another dealership. MG while being a OLD marque is just becoming the new kid on the block thanks to the capitol provide by the Aprilia financers (can't remember the guys name) Many dealers seemed to grab MG outlets thinking it was was going to be the next sliced bread, along with Aprilia and Triumph. Unfortunatly after a year or two the novelty wears off and the dealer is stuck dealing with a company that is very different in how it operates from the Japanese or American manufacters. This situation was the same for the Japanese coming in the 70's. Over time the good dealers worked with the factory and have created some very "sucessful" brands. Guzzi will hopefully do the same. I am sure that Guzzi's new management is willing. Unfortately it will not happen overnight. So support the good dealers, (can be hard due to distance )) and enjoy a unique brand. Since the bike itself is neither any better or worse than any off the others.

Well put John.

Check the "water manometer" thread in the how-to section.