pete roper

Previous aluminium plates I've made for our old race bike were up to 1.5mm thick. To be affective as a windage plate as well as a baffle you run the oil just below the plate. Because the volume of the crankcase isn't constant as it lessens it will attempt to flex the plate downwards and as it increases the reverse happens so the plate will vibrate like the skin of a drum. The alloy plates all had a tendency to crack and disintegrate, hence the choice of stainless. Pete

Stainless steel and yes they are heavy, but they won't crack and fall apart! They're going in a Guzzi fer Christ's sakes a few extra ounces isn't really an issue!

Oh Jesus, not another re-hash of that tired old photoshop turd! It makes my brain hurt.

This week we've got a Cafe Sport in and I'm going to introduce Michael to the wonders of V11's. Damn nice bike, it's that that prompted the new run of plates as it hasn't got one. The reason I stay with the 2mm plate is I'm a bit worried about vibration causing cracking if I go much thinner. I might just be being paranoid though...... Pete

I've just had another run of plates done. Only got five done this time but I can up the number if required. Yes, the doppelgänger plate is an exact copy of my design and was stolen without my consent by the thieves at Gutzibits or whatever they call themselves. As I've said before, if they'd just asked me I would of said add £5 to the cost of each one and send it as a donation to Medicienes sans frontiers and it would all of been good. As it is they can go and roger themselves with a rusty star-picket. Oh, and sorry to anyone who tried to contact me about the plates. As mentioned in another thread a lot happened last year which meant I was a bit 'Under the pump', most of my work is with 8V CARC bikes nowadays and I simply didn't have the time or inclination to get more plates made. Now Michael is out of hospital and back at work, as long as my health holds together, I would be able to run up batches as required.

That's my offsider Michael's workshop. His family also have a farm and have done for a long time, hence the old farm equipment. Since his return after his stack on his Aprilia we're working on making his workshop wheelchair friendly as he's now a paraplegic, (Last year was really a nasty one for us. Ron, Mark and Michael all stacked quite badly. Mark busted his Tib and Fib and is now full of Titanium rods. Ron bust something like seven ribs and a few other bits and was out of action for months and Michael bust his back, collar bone, nine ribs and split his sternum open and is now chairbound. @#!#$# 2018!) In our filthy socialist country our 'Green slip' insurance scheme offers Michael lifetime support so both he and Motomoda are getting a lot of help to enable him to continue working, not just in his current shop but in the new one being built next to his new townhouse that is being constructed on his parent's block in Bungendore. I'll keep his indolent, malingering nose to the grindstone! Pete

Our efforts tend to be more road orientated, (That's Beetle sticking the datalogging kit on his 1400.) Our mate Ron has a dedicated track bike though. (Both of these clowns had serious stacks last year but thankfully have recovered!)

Titanium exhaust valves, (Lighter.) but roller tappets, (Heavier.) and the POS still won't rev beyond 8,000! 85 HP? Kiss my huge, sweaty, antipodean arse! I part my buttocks and break wind fulsomely directly in the face of this insult to Moto Guzzi's heritage! On TI valves? I suggest you do some reading up on RSV-4's....... Pete

Nobody's going to be looking in there again in your lifetime! WGAF what it looks like as long as the oil stays on the right side of the gorilla snot?!

@#!#$# mate, I haven't even started! Nice project by the way. I've just sold all my pre-2000 stuff, all of it, but if I can help in any way, let me know. Pete

Even without the poison dart of Piaggio ownership Guzzi seem to perennially shoot themselves in the foot. Why abandon the four shaft gearbox for example? While the six speeder in the CARC bikes is a good box and absolutely bulletproof, (In ten years I've never had one apart because it was broken!) it is longer and not as slick as the four shafter if set up correctly. Then they poisoned the reputation of the 'Nuovo 8V' with the flat tappet fiasco! They even tried to destroy the reputation of the smallblocks by producing a run of them with no crank thrust bearings! Now the styling and development is all being done by talentless spivs I hate to think what they will try and foist on us next! That's OK though, at least they did get to build the CARC bikes and they for me will remain the pinnacle of development and my muse. I'll be retiring ASAP once we have Michael set up to continue working and I can become a cantankerous old suspender-snapper and spend my time talking about the 'Good Old Days'! My arse.........

Chuck, even if the 4V does turn up I fear it will be simply another iteration of the basic V85 platform with pushrods, roller tappets and a simple doubling up of valves. It won't be an engine for the 2,000's. At the very best it would of cut the mustard in the mid seventies. Piaggio has no plans for maintaining any sort of 'Legacy' for Guzzi's history of achievement and innovation. They are listed as a lousy risk on the stock market and what they want is to 'Move Product', preferably low cost product, so that is what is going to happen. Despite the hype there isn't really anything new or exciting in the V85. In fact in almost every measurable way it seems to be a retrograde step. Despite the engine architecture of the transverse twin making it an ideal platform for Hi-Camming and the marque having a 25 year history of the format it has been shitcanned in favour of a return to an obsolete and inefficient hemi head, 2 valve, OHV system that hasn't been used outside of garden maintenance products and DIY home improvement equipment for decades! Sure it's got TI exhaust valves and a dirty great throttlebody but that alone won't make it a fire breathing monster or even mildly competitive in its market segment. It's rear suspension is a further retrograde step. How many other serious bikes in the segment use a cantilever rear end and the abandonment of the reactive rear drive means that once again the drive and suspension functions will interfere with each other diminishing both. Any 'Nuovo LeMans' using this motor and driveline would be a pale shadow of any of its namesakes of yore. Perhaps in the 'Modern' world that is unimportant? Especially if it looks 'Cool', (Something that seems to trump just about everything else in the modern purchasers mind it would appear.) but to my mind it really is a stake through the heart of everything Guzzi has always been. I understand I'm probably in the minority and I hope that those who do invest in the future products enjoy them immensely but sadly, for me, the passion has died and I fear it will be hard to rekindle. Pete

And clean the battery terminals and lead ends thoroughly and re-install them with terminal protectant or Vaseline slathered on them. When you were wriggling the fuses you may of tugged at the main leads inadvertently and improved the dodgy contact. For some reason, despite fastidious attention, my Griso is prone to this. Clean up the leads and terminals and it's fine for another six months. Pete

And select your model machine in preferences. I'd junk the PCIII as well. Antiquated piece of junk that now the 15M is fully accessible serves no useful purpose apart from adding complexity and multiple failure points.

WRT the factory's definitions the early Stelvios were known as '4V' and then the NTX 'Big Tank' models got called '8V'. As an example of just how spectacularly stupid and dishonest the management are in an interview given by one of the Piaggio wonks about the time the V85 was being rumoured he stated that the Stelvio was sold in two forms a 4V engine and later models had an 8V motor. Such woeful and pathetic ignorance of the recent model history of the marque is inexcusable. Any person with more than a passing knowledge of Guzzi's recent history knows that ALL Stelvios use the 4VPC, total 8, valve motor! It just shows exactly how contemptuous they are of their customers! Raging assholes the lot of them!

On the whole definition of the engines thing? Yeah, it's weird and stupid but when referring to, especially the CARC series, the general terminology seems to be the two valve per cylinder models are known as 2 valves and the four valve per cylinder models are known as 8 valves. Don't ask me why? I have no bloody idea and agree it's stupid but, well, y'know........... Pete

“Sadly never got” sounds like a demeaning comment , no I’m happy with my 2v, not sad at allMaybe you could go back to Wildguzzi What a weird thing to say? Did I suggest that the 2V version was 'Bad'? No! In fact I think it's actually a great bike. But the fact is that in the US you didn't get the 4VPC version, which wasn't my decision it was obviously made by Piaggio USA or whoever, is I think a shame as the 2V 1200's were under valued and under represented whereas the Breva1100, essentially the same bike, were and are fairly popular. The thing is a rollerised and correctly mapped 1200 8V WILL knock the socks off a 2V model and all I was saying is I thought it a pity you never got the opportunity to experience the difference for yourselves. I can't get where you get 'Demeaning' from out of that???

It's the ratio between the master and slave which is important. Find out the piston diameter of both master cylinders. If they are the same it means my worries are unfounded. The thing that usually busts off the masters with an integrated reservoir is the mirror mounts. Since you won't be using them I wouldn't think a busted one would be fine. I have at least one of those hanging around for the brake side I'm sure. Not certain about clutch side. I do have them, just not conveniently busted ones for certain. I also have both CARC bike type which are rectangular and I've wrecked out a Cali14 too which have different shaped reservoirs I think but same piston sizes. I'll have to check but most of this shit is in my offsider Michael's shed and since he damaged himself a lot of his other stuff, including his car, has been moved into the shed and some things are hard to get to but over the Christmas/New Year period I'll get in and have a bit of a dig. Pete

They are driving the same calipers so the brake one will work fine. From memory of another thread the slave cylinder on the clutch circuit is a smaller diameter than those on the CARC bikes or Cali 14. I have second handles of both on the shelf if you'd like to try them? Usual story, I send them to you, if you like them 1/2 new price. I cover postage your way on the understanding that if you use them you cover that cost as a donation to Medicienes sans frontiers. If you don't use them you send them back at your cost. Pete

Well he was having problems because the bloke who sold him that shitbox Scura was a complete bastard. Now feeling guilty, (Smirk!) He will gladly offer to buy it back from him for half what he paid for it simply because he's turned over a new leaf and is nice like that.....

Mille probably used the Motoplat ignition which had electronic advance of a very unsophisticated type. It retarded the spark for starting but as soon as the engine fired it went to a quite high idle advance. Problem always was if it stalled you had to turn the ignition off to re-set it. Failing to do so and trying to start it would result in fireworks and carbs exiting stage right! As for the spark 'Wandering' due to a slack chain? Yes, it can definitely be a problem. Commonly known as 'Scatter' you can mark the flywheel and then watch the mark with a strobe. While at higher speeds and loads there may be negligible scatter, at lower speeds and light loads (especially with the horrid 'Flappy Foot' tensioner) you'll see the mark jump about like a monkey with St. Vitus Dance! More than enough to make the ECU have a brain fart. Pete

I see no reason why not.

The 8V, which you sadly never got, knocks the socks off the 2VPC model. Just sayin'. Pete

Chuck, I'm pretty certain the V11 pump has bearings. It was the early hi-cams that had the bearingless pumps. The other problem with them was the gears used some absurd toothform that nobody else had used since prior to the unification of Italy!

Note that these are NOT examples of Joe's gears. These are just a few of the sort of damage I've seen far too often with any and all of the 'Ergal' or aluminium/steel composite sets. Usually at comparatively low mileages. Five sets removed by Joe I believe! One of the composite sets, (Steel crank gear.). There were sent to me but I tried a set in my engine with similar wear problems. I checked mine at 1,500 km and found severe damage but my oil pump gear hadn't actually ceased to exist! Just a small sample. I'd rather stick my @#$$#! in a blender than have them in my engine! Pete