pete roper

It'll be either an 8 x 1.25 or 10 x 1.5 nipple as used on Brembo brakes. Take the old one out and take it to a brake and clutch place they should be able to match it up on the spot otherwise Brembo brake nipples are available separately from the usual sources. If you have problems gimme a hoy and I'll post one over to you if you can't get any joy from MotoKiwi or your local blokes. Pete

I still remain convinced that the problems associated with the early 8V motors were induced by poor set-up, ignorance and sloth on the part of the selling agencies. Yes there were some soft tappets but even bikes like mine that had them didn't fail unless other things were neglected. I don't do anything *Special* to the bikes I look after but I've never had an 8V that has been serviced in my workshop fail, including early A5 motored bikes. Set-up and tuning is vital, proper PD and inspection of things like the valve clearances and tune at the first service are also paramount for the bikes to run correctly and I'm still getting bikes sold by supposedly reputable dealers coming in with both air bleed screws open and their 'Sacred Screws' messed with. It's really pretty inexcusable. Why bike's continue to fail in Europe I really haven't a clue but if they have failed you can't just replace the cams and tappets as the factory suggests. You HAVE to clean out the sump, back flush the oil cooler and lines, blow out the oil galleries and inspect the oil pump otherwise you might as well not bloody bother. Pete

David? Sounds like the speedo sensor. Have you ridden in the rain a lot recently or given it a heavy duty washing?? Pete

May be the other way round, earlier tapered, later parallel , can't remember offhand but the situation viz-a-vis ompatability remains the same. Pete

No, the earlier gears won't fit, the oil pump shaft on the loop frame engine a is a parallel shaft, the later engines use a tapered shaft. A very few 850T's had gears that will fit the tapered shaft otherwise no. At least to the best of my knowledge. There is a bloke in the UK who is making steel sets that look like a good thing. They are straight rather than helically cut though which has both advantages and disadvantages. As many people know I strongly advise against the use of any of the alloy gear sets or composite/combination sets with a steel crank gear and alloy cam and oil pump gears. Whenever this subject comes up it produces torrents of invective and insults from at least one board frequenter, I have no idea why but it's truly Pavlovian! The fact remains that I have seen so many alloy gear sets that are damaged or have failed in service that I refuse to install them. And no, it doesn't matter what manufacturer they are from. I am always told that this is because they have been installed wrongly, (The implication is always that they have been installed wrongly by me, although, as I say, I refuse to install them???) or they are not from a single, specified, manufacturer. Believe me. They are three wheels on the end of sticks. It's hard to install them wrong in a way that will destroy the gears. It is either manufacturing or material. If people want to use alloy gears? That's fine by me. It's not my engine being risked but I won't install them as I would quite reasonably be expected to warrant the job and I'm not willing to do that with these parts from any manufacturer. If you do go down this route if you aren't installing them yourself I would enquire about warranty. As for the windage plates for Tontis? Yes, I do still make them and have them in stock ready to go. Pete.

Agreed. The stock tensioner in the later models works fine and seems to last well. The Valtech 'Blade' type shown is IMHO a better device but care has to be taken when installing it. Make sure that the spring doesn't run across the timing cover screw boss or the cover will leak and be careful when installing the blade which is more easily done AFTER the chain and sprockets have been re-installed. The Valtecs *can* be noisy at first but it usually settles down within a few hundred kms. Discussing timing gears always brings nutters out of the woodwork. Theoretically gears are a better option. In reality it is unlikely that on a road bike anybody would notice any benefit. If you do choose to go down this route though I strongly advise against any type of aluminium or aluminium/steel combination sets. I've just seen too many fail and refuse to install them. There are steel sets available, there is a bloke in the UK I think, who makes straight cut steel sets but the are very spendy. There used to be helically cut steel sets available too a long time ago. While the helix allows you to play very precisely with the timing it does impose an end thrust on the shafts so you can expect greater cam thrust piece wear than you get with a chain or straight cut gears. Pete

I actually like the Cafe a lot. The 'Racer' I loathe for all the reasons Keith and Dave list. Oddly enough I've overcome my loathing and disgust for small locks now they don't blow up and drop valves any more and am actually thinking of getting a Breva 750 for my oldest boy who has just got his permit! Learner legal and big enough for him to carry his misses when he passes his full test. Unlike the Classic and it's derivatives it actually has decent wheels that will take proper tyres. Suspension is still shit and it's as ugly as a sack full of bashed crabs but it is still a quite nice little bike. I prefer my Mana but that's me. I also found that I've just fully depreciated the Mana so the taxman can buy me a new toy next year. I'm really trying to convince myself I don't need a V4 Tuono but it isn't working............. Pete

And I for one am happy it wasn't just parted out. Pete

Keith, all know is that odd hub looks nothing like any 'Factory' hub I know. My thoughts on the two clutches? I have to rely on memory but both the bronze plate and the 'Weird Harold' spring shriek 'TK' to me. I may very well be wrong. Anyway, I have a five speed hub and *another* hub which I believe is off a 'Nuovo six speed'. If I get a chance tomorrow I'll dig through the parts site and compare part numbers but as it is we should be able to get some sort of definitive answer by actually trying bits which, at the end of the day, is the best way of sorting out odd, f@cked up shit!!! Pete

Gimme an address and I'll bung two hubs in the mail to you for you to try. The shorter on is a new Griso/Breva one the used one'll be a five speed one. Not sure which is right but you can find out bt measuring and slve the problem for both of us!!! Pete

Which one is the 'New' part? The one on the left in two of the pics? The 'Short' one? If so it's like no Guzzi hub I've ever seen and the spigot on it is too wide to fit in the case by the look of it. Can I ask why you're even contemplating a second hand part in this situation where the hubs are a known wear point? It's barmy. Like running a new chain on old sprockets you'll just end up with accelerated wear. Pete PS just having looked at this pic again http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/uploads/post-2704-13371336454567_thumb.jpg it would appear that one of those clutches is a poxy Transkontinental! . Now they open up an entire new world of horrible! Really. Time to stop stuffing about and stick a twinplater in it!

Sorry, I thought I'd replied on another forum? The needle roller puller for the old five speed gearbox works for this job too. If you take your box to a decent shop with the factory tools they can do it or just find an engineering place with a set of expanding pullers and a FB slide-hammer. Pete

Email me. motomoda@optusnet.com.au that works for paypal too. $210US shipped worldwide will get you one. I'm just about to do another run as Todd at MPH has just ordered another batch. Pete

Quick pic of those three different hub types.

I don't disbelieve you. Remember 2002/3 was a lousy time. They may of been buying any old junk from anyone who would still supply them. Perhaps its just my 'pooter screen but it looks like a bronze plate to me. That's fine, I'm happy to be wrong. What I'm not wrong about is the wear pattern in the splines and that is TYPICAL of Surflex plates, (Perhaps they had to nip up the road and buy back a few plates from Agostinis? Who knows?) as is the rivetted construction and solid centre of the plate is pure Surflex. Sorry, I forgot to take the pics of the hubs today, I'll be at the workshop tomorrow morning trying to explain to a pair of kids why their RS125 Aprilia has oil dribbling out of the exhaust, ("We try not to rev it over 8,000." God help us!) I'll try to get the pics then if I'm not arrested for homicide..... Whatever way you look at it the best way to go is just take the whole sorry single plate piece of shit and throw it in the bin. Buy a twin plate set-up off fleabay, it a new hub and friction plates and go ride. It works. Ask Chuck!!!! Pete

The reason for that, and the fact it has a different input hub is because that is NOT the original clutch/flywheel. My guess is that the original cracked its flywheel and a replacement was aquired. The original Scura clutch/flywheel assemblies were made by RAM but rather than leave their time honoured and reliable design alone some nong at Guzzi decided to change the specifications. Hence the cracking that doesn't, (To the best of my knowledge.) affect most 'Ordinary' RAM clutches. Looking at these pics though there are a couple of other issues of note. Firstly the friction plate material looks like it is of the sintered bronze variety. This stuff has been used by companies like RAM and Surflex for years for 'Racing' purposes. While it has a lovely feel and take up it simply evaporates in service and is entirely unsuited to road use. The fact you got anywhere near 19,000 Kms out of the plate says you are a weak kneed softcoque who rides like a big, wet, smelly Gurl! Secondly, looking at both the construction and the damage to the splines of the friction plate I'd bet my one remaining nut on it being a Surflex clutch plate. The 'Widening' of the spline slots is commonplace on Surflex plates made for the old 2mm hub used on earlier five speeders. It would seem that on this plate the same issues of hardness and ill fitment are coming into play. Those splines are seriously elongated. The hub will also probably be damaged but by how much and whether it will still bserviceable I can't tell without seeing it. As I said. That ISN'T the original clutch and if it has a hub with splines more than 20mm long it is NOT the original hub. I have examples of all three hubs lying around. Would you like me to take a couple of pics and post 'em up so you can do a comparison? Pete

I still manufacture the plates and have them in stock. Problem I currently have is that I'm now not only 'Mr. Moto Guzzi' but also 'Mr Aprilia' between Sydney and the Victorian border and I have as much, if not more work than I need just dealing with the newer bikes and havent been able to really respond as I should to requests about plates. My apologies. I don't log in here very often so it nay seen like I'm ignoring requests for info. I'm not, I'm just up to my armpits in V7's and CARC bikes with the odd RSV-4 and Tuono thown in. Keep pestering me and I'll respond when I get a chance. Pete

Looks like stock G frame to me Keith. Thanks for the hospitality as well Keith! You live in a beautiful place! Regards to family!!! Pete

Sorry, Keith. I was stupid-busy before I left. We're in York now. As I said in my (Late!) Reply to your msg I'll ive you a call as soon as Jude's phone is working. Pete

No changes to speak of.

What he said. Pete

Nah, it's just we got a iller deal on 2 for the price of 1 biznizz class fares and have enough frequent flier pointsto upgrade to 1st on the A380 both ways. It was just too good to go past. First on th A380 is pretty schmick. I've done it from LA to Sydney before. You'd never PAY for it but as an upgrade its great. When you get off the plane you really hit the ground running, virtually no jet-lag to speak of. Pete

Anybody up for a beer in last half of Feb/ First half of March? Jude and I are flying in for a month, mostly doing our 'Historical Research' BS on Roman and early Medieval Britain, ('Cos we're sad. Could be worse. We could be bird-wachers!!!!) but we're very gregarious and as Keith will tell you I can talk the ears off a field of corn! Jude is good at keeping me in check mind!!!! Pete

Yes. anything is possible. How often would you like to change your clutch? You'll be stuck witha twin-plater or a RAM, with 25 % more power and torque. Good luck with that. then you'll need a new crankshaft, That'll be nice snd cheap. If you want a *Modern* Guzzi? Why not just buy one of the new ones, which are great!!!! Pete

Hi, Pete, Is that to read clearances (other than) 5/7, 4/6? Or (greater than) . . . or ? Thanks for the clarification. Sorry, quite right. Clearances for roundfins were basically 8 and 8. I've used 5 and 7 for years with no problems and a significant reduction in clatter. For any squarefin the 'Euro' specs of 4 and 6 seem to work fine. When are problems most likely to manifest themselves? After periods of hard running in high ambient temperatures or poking along in traffic also in high ambient temperatures. When I rode with Sean across the USA on my, now Chucks, Scurra we were hammering across the west Texas plains between 90 and 100 MPH FOR long periods. Neither of our bikes stopped running smoothly when we slowed down or stopped. LIKEWISE WHEN i was staying with on in Cannoga Park and poking around in LA traffic in 90+ degree heat did it EVER misbehave or show evidence of closing up the gaps to the point it was effecting valve seal. Admittedly that scura has a PCIII and hauls ass like no other V11 I've ever ridden, (I still have no idea why!) but I think Sean's bike is essentially stock and it had no problems either. The thing is that playing with valve gaps DOES have an appreciable effect. Try it and you'll find your idle speed will change noticeably. Whether this will actually translate into any appreciable 'Performance' increase I don't know. What I do know is the wider the gaps the greater the risk of tappet and cam damage due to the tappets by-passing the rampings and simply slamming into the opening flanks of the cam. Changing the gaps though is easy. Far easier and cheaper than other 'Performance' options. That, because of its very simplicity makes it an attractive proposition and *may* lead to people who have experimented unintentionally seeing benefits that dont really exist. At the end of the day, it's the owners choice. Personally I don't think the benefits are anything more than perception. As always these are simpl my beliefs and observations and hold no more or less veracity than anything else you'll read on the innerneck. Pete