Martin Barrett

Welcome, I'm sorry to hear about your wife. I was good to that the pair of you kept going and tried keep your normal life despite her illness, making adjustments where necessary. I saw mention of the pair of VF750s. I'm shortly to take possesion of my fathers VF750SC. Only 8,000 miles and not used for 15 years. I'm a bit aprehensive on how sensible it is to take on. Martin

Vintage and Bill are both right. It will no doubt raise more replies on the Wildguzzi as is more relevent there as US focused. I don't know if there are any US members here who do not look in there, but how frequently. I do dip into the UK one but my focus is here (Ok not quite like for like ). From Todds post I get the impression that it's been cross posted anyway. This topic does intrest me, although it doesn't effect me directly. I'm glad to see it posted. My understanding is that some of your roads you ride are in military bases (training areas) and therefore you are subject to their rules and regulations to do so. And perhaps the National Parks also are set up the same way? Even if only effects closed to public bases it's still of intrest. Over here on bases normal road traffic act applies and the normal extra restriction applied is a lower speed limit, the only other restriction I've come across is airfield endorsements but as you can't drive down the aisles in Wally World either thats fair enough.

Very nice Will. Slartibartfast did a good job on the fjords. Very spectacular and those Loften peaks WOW. I feel like the Elves in Lord of the Rings with the sound of gulls and the call of the sea. Untill now my yearly jaunt around Scotland was suffient, but I now feel the need to see these for myself. It will have to wait a few years though. When will you & the Tenni be back in the UK if at all?

Thanks Guy, The Lad is doing well, just a bit bruised and swollen at the moment. It's now difficult to keep him off the climbing frame so he doesn't pop his stiches. The padling pool has been drained also. 5 days should do it, that will include a possible overnighter on the way back from the West Country along the south coast. But could all be done on single days. But will have to be proper days with early starts. I'm getting concious that the days are starting to get shorter. 28 points to do, just ignore the east anglian ones on the map 6 posts up. Got untill November though.

I think the soldier may be making that connection also as indicating will leave the marines when his tour is up and not extend. Although indicating wants to move to a SWAT team.

Gosh over a month since the last up date! Been a bit quiet on the RBR front recently. But not totally neglected. Last week was a heavy hospital week with the miricle baby (see link in sig block) I finished my weekend of night shifts and with limited sleep on the Monday was down to Great Ormond Street Hospital to see a specalist in the afternoon. On the Tuesday he was still at school but finishing early so I had a few spare hours to myself. Whilst Debs (aka GuzziWidow- so she can PM me whilst I'm at work ) was taking the other 3 kids up to her mothers to leave them for a few days, as Michael was due in for surgery the next day. I decided to make the most of those few hours and go and hit a localish landmark. The one in the next county east is a memorial to the American Bomb Group that flew from an airfield in WWII. The interesting thing about this one is that since the landmarks were set the local police have taken over that part of the airfield and their firearms and other suport units are based there so access is restricted. There is another general war memorial at another gate on to the airfield. I visited that one first and the made enquires with teh man on the gate and he walked me up to the correct memorial. I didn't have to play my "job" card either. As I left there my left throttle body poped off, so had to remount it. It last did it over a year ago on the way through Wales. I'm experiancing a rattly balance pipe but doesn't backfire, and a little over due a tappet check, could either of these cause it? Just over 100miles in about 3 hours. A nice mix of roads in good weather. Landmark: Boreham, 394th Bomb Group monument airfield Having spent Wednesday through Friday at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge and at work over the weekend, today was my day off. Michael had been on a oxygen monitor overnight and I had to return it today. I therefore decided to extend my route by a couple of hundred miles and do the East Anglian landmarks. Just as reached the hospital the throttle body blew off again. this time the rubber had split for about an inch. I taped up the split with duck tape and remounted it again. It held for the rest of the day. Whilst I was doing this I heard some say "It's a Moto Gootse" (don't forget my tank is covered) I turned to see a very elderly couple. I complemented him on his pronouciation saying as he pronounced it correctly he no doubt wasn't surprised to see me working on it It did say that he thought the newer ones were supposed to more reliable than the ones of old. His wife ( I asume she wasn't his bit of fluff) told be he used to be a biker. I told her it never gets out of your blood. It appears he has/had a Vincent. I live in Stevenage where they were made. The owners club use the same pub as does the Guzzi club and occasion they apepar on a mass ride out. After my quick fix I continued. At Bury St Edmunds I had to avoid a shed load, some supermarket lorry had lost a couple of pallets of sausages. This was on a bit of dual carraige way and the traffic had stopped so I filtered through. Most of the heavt stuff had allready been moved aside. As I neared the first landmark I became concious that the dark cloud was over it and true to form 2 miles out it started to spot with rain. The rain held off untill I'd taken my photograph the chucked it down for two minutes and stopped. Pressing on I again noticed Heading towards a cloud. The roads were slightly damp in patches so took it easy as likely to be greasy having had no rain for several weeks. As I got towards the second check point the traffic came to a standstill. A police car acroos the road and a couple of fire engines. I had filtered along the outside but on seeing the cause I switched to the inside and went to the enteranceway by the front in order to pull up out the way and consult my map. The WPC turning the traffic around came over and advised me of the best diversion route. She was in remarkable good humor and wanted to help. I know what its like stood at a road closure even one with signs and barriers "Is the road closed?" "Can't I get through? I always go this way" It does start to try ones patience. I going to try the narrow lanes, she said it was very twisty, which might be fun on the bike. I then mentioned the damp roads and the grease and didn't want to end up like that and pointed further up the road. I followed her diversion and where it rejoined it was just the other side of the large fire I'd assumed it was an accident, most of the water earlier was from where the fire tenders had topped up at a hydrant. Not much further to the lighthouse that was the landmark, and then start on the way back, picking up my third landmark a 16thC market house on pillars so the stalls could be placed under it. I then stopped for fuel. There was a California two tone brown (non efi?) parked outside belonging to the cashier. nb still haven't done Letchworth - that point was just to bring the route back the way I went A total of 260 mile in about 6 hours, just the odd smattering of rain but didn't get wet. A more pleasent temperture today not too hot. Landmarks: 3- Ashby, St Marys Church 3- Bonus the memorial to bomber crew 4-, Happisburgh, Lighthouse 5- New Buckenham, Market House

If the light is not coming on would indicate that the neutral indicater switch has failed - mine was changed under warranty - I think someone did clean theirs up. Its not an uncomon problem - try search :!: ask Dr Gill about the advisablity of removing the side stand cut out switch ( NB was removed by previous owner)

Yeah looking forward to tomorrow we may get some rain. It's been a real bummer riding in all this sun shine. Us fat blokes don't like the heat get a bit sweaty. I get to work and the back of my shirt is ringing. It's much better when it rains its only my gut that gets wet due to the overhang of my jacket. Since sorted my altenator I'm in love again. I might sneak out across to Norfolk on Monday to do some RBR points. I have to return some medical equipment to Cambridge so just extend my ride by a couple of hundred miles. I could see the humor in the post, but whilst I've experianced my fair share of problems it's been none of those ( duff oil light switch, neutral switch, shock eye, header pipes, and hanger, wheel bearing by spacer and now altenator inc burnt out connector) I think the 26,000 miles I've put on it in the last 3 years is the most I've done on any bike I've had. If nothing ever went wrong we'd have nothing but religion, politics and sex to talk about. That just causes arguements.

My first car was a 14 year old 1968 XJ6 2.8. It drank me out of house and home, you could see the petrol gauge move. I could only keep it on the road for a year and then went back to motorcycles

It's a cultural thing. and each to their own. And it makes this board so more interesting because of it's global make up. I used to shoot whilst in the air cadets, but having joined the RAF whilst doing the qualifying shoots I became very aware that the next time might not just putting holes in a target but people. I believed that should that arise it would be for good reason. As a police officer I'm glad that guns aren't a feature of our everyday (UK) life. Being armed it effects the whole way that you have to interact with people. Over the last few years the increase in knife crime has meant the advent of stab and ballistic vest as part of our normal uniform. We've had incapacitant sprays (CS and now pepper) that are "firearms" under UK law as part of our normal equipment for the last 10 years. I've seen the move from traditional truncheons through side handled batons (nightsticks) to expandable straight batons. I've never had to hit anyone though I've felt compelled to draw once, a bit of a stand off not wishing to escalate to the next stage knowing the cavalry were on the way. Once pulled up, sheath the baton and moved in for the take down with rigid cuffs(best bit of kit ever) We've had a couple of high profile police shootings in the last couple of years, and it takes over a year before the Officers involved are vindicated and advised that they will not be subject to criminal charges and returned to full duties. There may have been failings in the system that led to the actual shooting but the chap at the sharp end acting in good faith doing it to the best of his ability is placed under an enormous amount of pressure, as if having shot someone wasn't enough. There are guns out there, and in some areas quite common. We had a local "businessman" assassinated with an AK47 I'm glad the thing I'm most at risk from these days is spilling my coffee into my lap I'm just an old traditionalist For what it's worth I liked the 7.62mm SLR, that'd be my home defence weapon of choice. Would have to get a longer driveway though.

Thankyou for holding me such high regard. But I think I'm only qualified to see how dirty a motorcycle can get. I can tell that my tyre pressures are a bit low normally when they get to about 20 psi and I'm detecting a weave in sweepers. Whilst I'm localish I'm not the man for the job unless its such an obvious improvement that I'd be bound to notice. GuzziBun is local and Baldini has a sensitive rear end but in darkest Wales.

Mine will be the most sort of of all. You buggers keep changing bits on yours were mine is bog standard although I'll give you it's not quite mint

Yes they are all single plates. If I understand this correctly the Scura has a different single plate clutch to the other two. I don't think it is just a case of a later batch of "the same" but is actualy different. I haven't seen a part number comparison so I don't know if I've got the wrong end of the stick.

I'm staying out of this Martin "Adonis" Barrett

That yellow thing is the beastie. I was destroying bearings at the following milages 6,000 18,000 23,000 24,500 I then shimmed out the spacer with a washer (ala BFG) and it seems to have done the trick I,m now at 26,300 and seems to be fine*. I've a new spacer on order. I was going to go down replace the tyre change the bearing route but they started collapsing before I got round to the replace the tyre. * It might have caused the wheel to centre slightly different in the frame. I'm sure the UJs look after the bevel box, and the brake pistons should also do so. But I did have to stand the rear end up on beer crates to inspect a strange noise 500miles in having got to the German Treffen. Couldn't identify it but thought it might have been from the rear pads. But seemed all okay, only recently changed and cleaned. And it never repeated itself.

I don't know. The moment has gone. It would only give you something else to hate the 1st Mrs Nogbad for. Let it go. If you were looking for a small dual purpose bike now I'd suggest a Suzuki DR350/Yamaha XT350 or perhaps a pukka enduro/trail bike. Now if one came up now, it might be worth a dabble mainly for novelty value. It would OK also for Nogbadson once he's passed his test and on a restricted license for 2 years. 45hp it will be well within the 25kw (33hp) limit

V35TT ? http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/mot...uzzi_v35_tt.htm

When I was doing my qualifing shoots, in my days as a young RAF Officer, with the Browning 9mm SLP. Done at 15M the instruction from the Flt Sgt was "in real life wait untill you see the whites of their eyes and then throw it at then"

Just a little bit of closure on my problems: The electrical fault was traced to a disconected wire in the ignition switch, this was soldered into another common wire. All working OK now. The replacement gear lever bracket arrived on 1st July (3 weeks - GB Spares - may have been quicker as waiting for rear spacer) but I didn't notice it in bottom of the package as more intrested in the regulator at that time only cost £3, less than would have paid/tipped for the weld repair ( if wasn't included in rear bearings). Another lucky talisman to fit under the seat

As always good to see where you all get to ride, even if slumming it on a Honda

Great captions as always Bill I'm envious I've now got to wait till next year till my next Guzzi social event. memo: Get a Life Martin. No seriously it's always good to see these social events and the pictures from all your ride outs. People having fun on their Guzzis thats how it's ment to be, not just this has gone wrong whats the fix.

I won't be able to watch the race as at work. I'm not sure about that Irish Stout - "Black and Tan" I don't think it would go down well on the Emerald Isle

Up date on my situation - I've put some of this on Enzos thread as he was having some similar issues Having fitted the new regulator and got no joy and not being able to do the National Rally I threw my teddy in the corner and took her to Haywards on the monday. Knowing that they'd look at her when they could but could take a couple of weeks, if they couldn't squeeze her in she was booked in 3 weeks later Just over a week later she was done. All he'd done was clean up some contacts and around the fuse box, replaced a fuse and checked the generator out put which was within limits. All was now fine. I took her home. I then had the brain wave if it was just contacts I'd put the old regulator back on and keep the new one as a spare and could loan it out for trouble shooting would save anyone else splashing out £102 needlessly. Old regulator back on. The charge light was back on I then thought I'd clean up the contacts again on the connectors that were on the regulator which hadn't been cleaned by Haywards. That worked The light would now stayon till the revs approached 1000rpm and then would go out. I thought I can live with that. Next day on the way to work having gone 1 mile it came on for about 100yds and then went out. She did it again briefly the following day. On the third day it was on the way home it came on and wouldn't go out So I put the new regulator back on. No change. Teddy was going to get a serious kicking. Used the car for work Tuesday. Took the Guzzi for its MoT on Wednesday - she passed. But other that that she sat in shame on the drive. Tonight I thought I'd better check the fuses again. The 30amp battery fuse was blown. Replace it and all is well. Now I did manage to get a spark back through the wire to the rectifier when undoing my chocolate box connector, to remove the original, as i wasn't using my electrical screw driver as it brushed against the exhaust header. I don't know if that blew the fuse. What I suspect might have been my problem is my original regulator/rectifier. It might of allowed a surge that burnt out the connecton initialy. and then been breaking up not allowing it to charge at low revs. It may have then blown the fuses. But they could have been done by me when i've shorted it. Due to my incosistant methodology in not double checking the fuses every time I changed something I can't tell at this time. So here's hoping that the light stays off. I'm back in love

Depending on how well its been cared for in its past and under what conditions it has been riden. You may also wish to grease the pivot of the brake pedal. There is no return spring and relys on the fluid presure to return. Mine seized I would blame the previous owner except I had it from new. Having done this I got a 5% improvement in fuel consumption and my pads might last a bit longer.

Bob, sorry I'm no expert. You can see from my sig block what I've had. I've tended to keep them a while. Which CBX the original twin shocker or the B with the prolink and fairing? I don't think there were any inherant weekness just that there was a lot of engine. I think old bikes should be used. That way they keep generating the need for spares and service items. Not just stuffed in a museam.