belfastguzzi

Hey Guy what's the best ferry route? When will you be booking travel?

It is interesting, not just because it's one topic, but because there are a lot of this type of topic posted around the place. I really noticed them because of the lack of service/interest/delivery that I have had from the UK Piaggio system. It's hard to put together the huge investment that Piaggio seems to be putting into motorcycle development for the future, with the very backwards approach that they have to their crumbling dealership and aftercare situation. I hope that they wake up and shake up.

Here's the fix. I hope that it's permanent. At a machine shop, the broken elbow was filed down to a smooth face and reamed to accept a steel tube. The tube was turned down to press fit with the outlet turned to accept an 8mm hose. It was glued in with Loctite. I will clamp a new section of 8mm 10 bar petroleum hose to this and to the T piece from the injector hoses. I don't intend using a quick disconnect fitting.

Oh yes... that's right. That should have been very straightforward: can't think where the plan fell down

Hi Antonio the answer should be, yes. I think that Guy or perhaps Jaap can tell you exactly how long it takes. (I'm not sure if Jaap went home that way.)

I know that in the grand scheme, this is an insignificantly minor matter: but just for documentary interest, here are a few more pics relating to problems with hoses and routing. Taking the battery out, it is clear that it didn't really matter that the drain/vent lines were not connected to the tank – because the drain hose was squashed completely flat anyway. It was between the battery and airbox. So even if there was some free length to help in getting the short hoses connected to the under-tank unions, there would be no free-play to pull them through. (And there wasn't.) The lesson must be: after purchasing a bike, take the tank off and check the routing of all hoses and cables. Re-route or even replace as necessary. This could save you, or a mechanic, having unexpected problems in the future. It could save a broken fuel outlet elbow! Flat drain hose Below, you can see the horrible, thin and brittle plastic fuel line used on the 1200. Again, it is very short and tight. You can see that the lengths of both the drain and the fuel lines as fitted are nothing like the lengths shown in the parts diagrams. Route of fuel line from throttle bodies at either side, to fuel tank. Compare actual tank drain hoses > with much longer lengths here > and fuel line

Whoops, I looked back and the dates are marked in ink. Two differences the next time would be that I'd do more open road rather than (what I consider the beautiful) smaller roads and I won't make meeting places along the way. Arrangements to meet others at particular places and times are too difficult to manage, creating delay and frustration. It could be good to do the Antrim Coast road again, with an early morning start to miss the traffic. That would also give more time to visit some places on the route that people were interested to see last time, such as the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick a Rede rope bridge. See .

Hi Trev, Yes, though there are no detailed plans yet. The more I hear from people who might want to come, the easier it will be to decide what to do. If it was only a few local people then it could be very casual, but if people are travelling, then it needs to be more organised. For example: Jaap has expressed interest and has penciled the date in his calendar. The place we stayed last time worked well and would still allow a trip to Donegal, for example. It's open to suggestions and I'll meet with one or two people here soon to start making some definite plan. If you've any thoughts, let me know. D

That's all thought through with a great deal of detail. It's almost as if you're speaking from real life experience...

Obviousy made up, but excellent. Funny stuff

How interesting that I posted a lusty UGP race video a short while ago – and then received a work related email to do with the biggest road racing event here. We were going to provide carnival/samba drumming for the opening of this year's North West 200 launch event on 12th Jan. That's just been cancelled because the new sponsor thinks that classical music is more appropriate. What?! Is the sponsor really in touch with the product, the market, the sport?

I had a peek at Wild G this morning and saw this video in one of those threads about 'how much horsepower do you need?'. It had been posted to illustrate a smaller bike winning over a bigger, due to rider. Joey, at 47, did it again. It's just a great race video – and I always love those shots from the Ulster where the bends sweep over the top of the hill, into space, with the view to the lowland below. As ever, the enjoyment is tempered by the fact of death: about half the names recited by the race commentator are now gone. See here >> 1999 UGP

Profession – unfortunately not. Scura – the epoxy couldn't hold a seal at that awkward point, with so much stress at the engine block–engine support bracket–timing cover joint. It seems a terribly weak design at such a crucial point. I tried lots of times, but a hairline would always open. I also tried to source a new timing cover, but wasn't able to get one. However the killer was that the fork seals went again, only 2,500 after they had been renewed. I could but up with some oil escaping from the timing chest, but the fork oil was pretty dramatic, on both sides, and soaked the brake pads so it had to come off the road. Time and circumstances didn't allow me to work at it, especially because I didn't have indoor space and the weather outside was bad. To fix it properly I need to open the timing chest and the sump, as I have a Roper plate to instal. I have now trailered it to work, under a roof, so here's hoping that I'll get it fixed and back on the road this year. I got a replacement timing cover from John O'Sullivan, which is brilliant.

Yes, I enjoyed. Difference is, my 'work of art' drives perfectly. (Unlike my Moto Guzzi works of......)

NO, ThAnK YOU!!

Decided I would take some photos outside yesterday, so I lifted the compact and snapped some pics. The prettier ones are posted somewhere else. Here, I'll put some pics of... my car. I was thinking, most cars, being sleek and jelly-like these days, don't look like this so... I'll take some pics of it. My Car isn't Made of Jelly It is made of metal, rust and trees

Thanks guys. I thought it looked heavy Skeeve, so my interest grew in looking at a plastic one. The BMW item might be more substantial than Guzzi's item. Also, there is only one line from the tank/internal pump. There is no return. Slavomir, which connections would break? Do you mean the metal ones? Or do you mean that Aprilia plastic ones would pull apart, or break? If so, there's a good chance that they are/were the same as Guzzi parts. I will call at an Aprilia place tomorrow.

Yes that's the one I saw. It must be available in the UK too? I should send the link/picture to the local BMW place so that they know what it is.

Thanks John This is probably what I will fit when the elbow gets replaced and then I'll put on all new hoses with hose clamps. I phoned BMW here yesterday to ask if they had connectors in stock. They have one half only. I also asked about an all metal connector. The said there isn't one. There is though, apparently it's an aftermarket option for GS models. I saw a the part on an American BM site. The plastic may be good enough, as long as it is more substantial and works better than the one that Guzzi use. Good to get the Motorworks site reference. There is a spigot shown. It could the type of thing that's needed for a plate fitting. It's probably plastic though. An elbow would be better and probably necessary because of the under-tank clearance issue. The picture isn't good, so can't tell much from it, I presume it is a threaded end:

Mike, that is a fabulous offer, hugely appreciated. I'll see if I can find any suitable parts locally this week. If I can't, then I'll contact you. D

Uh oh, THANKS for the warning! – Pete did warn me about the elbow breaking, but I had hardly lifted the tank at all when there was a snap. They seem to break easily.

It's nothing special, just horrible poor quality tools. Far better to put your own set together. Why, in particular did you want it or what tool are you looking for?

It's the same. Take one out, put the other in. It is awkward getting the cables on, if you have additional connections, as the wires are a tightish fit. But simple enough. Make sure that you undo the negative connection first. And fasten the positive first when the new battery goes in. The attach the negative. You don't want an accidental short with the spanner.

I'd guess that the changes may be because there is so little room between the tank and the 1200 engine/alternator, so the protruding parts had to be relocated? I've said before how the tank is so close to the engine that it actually sits on it in places, sandwiching cables and, on my bike, rubbing through the +ve live cable from the alternator. Grey tape around +ve cable where it is worn through to bare live wire. Main areas of tank pressure on cables and hoses, including pressing both coil feeds between tank and cylinder heads. I taped the frame where it is worn through to bare steel and have taped extra onto the rubber support (at photo top) as it plainly is not supporting the tank high enough.

Fuel (petrol/gasoline) tanks. I experienced great difficulty in attaching the drain pipes to the Griso tank, as they are so short and tight. There is general agreement that access to the fuel lines on this bike (and so access to the 'quick-release' fitting) is tight as well. Looking at a parts diagram today, I was surprised to see that the drain hoses are much longer than mine. Then I noticed that the drain unions themselves are in an entirely different position. I had the 1100 tank diagram. In the diagram for the 1100 Griso, the outlets are in the bottom-forward part of the tank. On my 1200, they are in the bottom-rear of the tank so creating the problematic shortness and difficult access, obstructed by the frame, when trying to get the hoses connected to the unions. _____________ I've just found the 1200 diagrams: everything is different. Drains / vents and the fuel pump hose assembly American-type(?) arrangement, G1100 Griso 1100 --------------------------------------------- and the 1200 * Though my hoses are still much, much shorter than this diagram shows. The actual arrangement is different. Outlets are placed as shown, but hose legths to T connector are much shorter and asymmetric. These are the vent hoses, pulled out as far as they will come. If you can make this out, it's underneath the tank. Two unions facing to rear, which the hoses push onto (if you can get at them. 1100 fuel pipes and the 1200 assembly