jrt

With the alternator set up top like it is, what kind of frame are they going to use for the Griso and/or the Breva? Anyone know? It sure doesn't look like there's enough room for a spine-type frame. J

Well, that's true TX, but Jaap's also right. If you cover the bike with a soft cloth, you can prevent scratches from the buckles and the spurs.

To add a little bit- the V11 alternator is listed at 350 W (I bet that's optimistic). You've got 121 +accessories, headlight (poorly wired), taillight, computer, tach, etc. Prolly the best thing you can do is unhook one of your accessories. One other thing you might consider is rewiring the headlight a la Gary Cheek's suggestion to route it through heavier gauge wire and a relay. Ultimately, the charging is marginal. Sorry.

And the answer will come when you get to ride again. I know that doesn't help a lot, but be patient.

First off, thanks for the news Zeb. Personally, I rather like the Breva. I don't like everything about it, but overall it's not a bad looking bike. At least you can still see the motor and transmission.... I'm also rather hopeful that it will be a fun bike to ride, and THAT's the important thing. Guzzi has a great history of fun-to-ride bikes. Not big horspower (V11 sport), not great looks (T-3, T-5 or modern Cali's ), but always a hoot to ride (everything from the loopframe to the V11sport). Ultimately, that's how I'll judge the Breva. That's my Jason

Now that's a good idea, txrider. You should send it on to Greg Field for his 'tips' column in the MGNCO newsletter. Actually, Ratchethack, you should send your writeup in as well. I'm sure lot's of folks would benefit from it- Tonti riders, spine and loopframes all use the same basic setup. Jason

Just a vanity followup to Al- I agree- the tankbag is great, great, great. I don't even take mine off anymore. Neither do I care if if eventually will mar the finish. My techno bags get used once a month in the summer- that's about it. But the Ventura rack system...look at one first mounted up. I have a Ventura rack. It is well-built, functional, and ugly as sin.

The second sentance is truly inspired- I'm dyin' here.

Knock it off you Bashi-bazouks! Belfast, you get extra karma points for this gem of a find...you jellied-eel, you.

How about a left-handed drill and/or easyout? Whatever you do (I'm sure you already know) take it easy and don't damage the threads.

I agree- I don't think I would want to drink well water from the Houston area. Too many refineries and too many chemical plants with less-than-stellar waste treatment histories. Here in IA, we are in a Radon belt, so that's what we get. Well, that and farm runoff (Nitrates/Phosphates) in the well water.

Everybody's water is radioactive to some degree. Bananas are particularly radioactive, as are Brazil nuts. Go figure. Do you remember what they measured and how much?

I'd check the fuses first, then measure the voltage across the battery. Are you sure all the wires are hooked back to their terminals? Maybe one slipped down behind? That said, it does sound like the battery. J

Sorry to hear that Carl; glad you (mostly) ok. The Prius is a nice little car- we have one too.

You rescue logs with a helicopter?

Jasper, that is beautiful logic. I salute you, sir.

Sooooo, are you and Carl neighbors or something? (not to make fun of you, but there is a superficial resemblance going on here) Hope you have no more leaks!

bad-um ching. My brother rebuilt his truck engine once, used teflon tape on various bolts. Teflon came off cause he didn't trim it- it clogged up the oil galleys. My brother did another rebuild on the engine.

forgot about that one- good call Carl.

Well, according to the ideal gas law, PV=nRT, all gasses have the same expansion/temperature at low pressures. I'll have to look up the pressures at which they start to deviate from ideality, but I suspect it's several hundred psi. J PV=nRT P=pressure V=volume n=number of moles of gas R=gas constant T=temperature [edited- revised my estimation based on the post below- edge makes sense]

Well, the nice lady in my dashboard would never use profanity....but damn, she won't shut up once she starts. I'm still not used to it....

How soon do you need one? I can loan you one if necessary- could ship it out monday and you have it by tuesday. Just send it back when your friend gets home. For a replacement, I would vote for the machinist route- the brake lever is a piece of cake to make and you make them look oh-so-nice.

We have a GPS/map combo in our car. It has voice navigation and tells you where to turn, and what roads are one-way, etc. It's great in big cities, but not very useful in the countryside. On a bike, I would think the countryside aspect would be more important, because it could show you some smaller, more interesting roads. I can't really say about software, because I don't have any comparison. One limitation is that the screens are generally small- you can only see a limited number of miles on the road. If it's cheap enough, it may be worth looking into. Good luck! Jason

I'm all for using nitrogen in tires (tyres). In fact, I use 78% nitrogen every time I fill up my tires. Now, to be truthful, there may be certain advantages to using purified gasses, but they are pretty limited. Hydrogen? I'm not so sure about it. It's light, but it's a tiny molecule, and tends to escape quickly (ever had a hydrogen balloon? they last 4 hours max, then the hydrogen leaks out of the balloon). Maybe Honda has a good tight polymer for their tires. H2 is also flammable, but I doubt this is a problem except in a crash. The advantage I see to purified nitrogen is that it's dry. Compressed air always has a bit of water in it, and that's not good for rims, I'll grant. So....do it if ya' want. The prices looked cheap enough for a one-time experiment, but a bit high for me to do it on a long term basis. Hmmm, I do have a tank of nitrogen in my laboratory. I have a tank of argon as well, but I think that would just slow me down BTW, never, never, never breath in argon like you do helium. Helium is very light, and passing through your vocal cords, it makes you sound like mickey mouse. Argon is dense, and is supposed to make you have a deep voice. Trouble is, our lungs are like vases, and its really hard to push dense gas out. Sooo, it's really easy to pass out from lack of air.

That looks really nice Rich. I like the rise at the front to keep the driver pushed back (although, it does scare me a bit). If I didn't already own one of your rebuilds, I'd be giving you a call. J