Martin Barrett

rfq --- read ... question ran up stairs to find book ---- bugger not flying squirel but super squirel?

Attached thumbnail(s) Scott flying squirel Rfq - super squirrel - built in Shipley

Attached thumbnail(s) Scott flying squirel

I REALLY AM A USELESS TOSSER. Rang home to remind Debs to do the recording, she duely did as she was asked. She had even set the alarm on her phone to remind her. I got home to "it didn't seem to be the programme you wanted" Quick check and I'd messed up the dates. SORRY. Now I hope as with all things on satalite TV it won't be to long before they repeat the series. I will try harder next time. At least we have the bonus feature of the Chef and his Cafe Sport I can add to it when it comes back. Along with the earlier Spirit of Mandello.

Slight up cock on the recording front, Got it into my head was an 8.00 start. Got the kids all of to bed and set up off to go. Start the recording process, and on comes "Full Throttle Famous" some bint called Tamara talking to a Italian Chef who has a Cafe Sport and an RSV. Thought not quite what was described but recorded it down anyway. End of programe stop the recording and start to shuffle the files on the PC to stop the kids deleating it. Feeling quite pleased with myself i walk into the lounge to find Bikes Aloud on and two guys discussing the merits of a Rosso Corsa and a RSV. A few choice words. All is not lost, but we will need to depend on Mrs Barrett's benevolance to record it on one of the final reruns on Monday or Tuesday afternoon. It's not my fault. You don't expect to see Moto Guzzis feature on two TV programmes in the same day, behaving like busses not one for ages and then two turn up.

Give me a chance, Will try and record it over the weekend. Have two shots at it. However there is a good chance that half way through Saturdays show it will suddenly change to childrens programs. So best bet is for sunday night.

I do, but that doesn't count for much. and the bunching or difficult to read fonts. I can't see you having any dificulty with that plate. you'd be really unlucky or have to upset someone big time. Might want to slip the original back on for MOT test though.

Bugger seems that you're correct. The vin handbook we have at work says year of manufacture, but every thing else seems to indicate model year. The book and folders we have all relate to cars, vans; lorries, caravans; trailers and plant not a single reference for motorcycles. However the PNC will search on chasis and engine numbers, so all is not lost if we only have a frame number to go on. Most officers can only defferentiate between moped and high powered motorcycles. So PM would generaly be quite safe swaping his plate between his Guzzis. Not that I condone such lawlessness. Couldn't find the date and month bit on headstock. found the stamped number and a small plate but couldn't identify which bit refered. Going down with a head cold so was quite uncomfortable looking, so gave up early. Sorry, I wasn't trying to knock you. I've been happy for what you've done for me.I think I've been quite understanding of the issues. I'm not allways burning up the phone lines asking for updates. As a customer I have some expectations.

Yes more than happy with service provided. The levels were only to suggest the degree of fixed, not as a star rating of service provided. Perhaps 1.5 should have been 1 7/8ths or even the full two as they function and its now only cosmetic. Two week turn around from broken to fixed, the extra week was my availablty to collect. I've no bones about the time scale. I appreciate most of the delay is warranty approval and wait for parts. Probably quite time of year in workshop so that probably didn't come into on this occasion. accepted and not expected What's the actual cost to you for this. I make assumtion that you don't have to outsource the welding. Parts and materials at cost, labour time whose only cost is if its time lost that you could have charged to some one else. I don't know how long it took to weld and grind the headers. It shouldn't have taken long to replace the bearing. I was paying to have the tyre fitted. I don't know if wheel removal is also covered in the labour cost of the warranty replacement of the shock. Is it right that a customer whoses paid good money for a new motorcycle sold with a warranty should further pay again for those items and fitment that fail within that time scale. Wheel bearings are consumables but not with 18 months and 7,500 miles. The cost should be met by the manufacturer. It would cause them to pay more attention to build quality in the first. If there are problems with getting reimbursed for warranty work that is an issue for the dealer and manufacturer not the customer. I understand that dealers are in it to make money. This efects their profits. If you are piling them high and selling cheap your unit profit is reduced and if they all come back for remedial work which you aren't getting paid for thats not nice for you. It is however a risk the dealer takes when setting his prices. Again, I have no problems with the way I've been treated by yourselves.

Good for you nice links in to pashnit saves stopping to take pics yourself I got to ride mine Saturday 50 miles in the rain on the way back from the dealer having had the shock replaced. I then had to pay for it the rest of the day, Debs had enough of Michael (our autistic 5 year old) creating in the back of the MPV on the way back from dropping me off. So I was left looking after the Kids with a weeks worth of ironing to keep me amused, whilst she escaped. You know how it goes, do a bit of ironing then pick up the destruction caused by our four horsemen whilst ironing. Then pick up the destruction created whilst picking up the destruction caused by....... repeat to bed time. Today she was sick in bed, very similar result. Never mind be able to ride to work tomorrow.

Yes it is. I was currious because the front wore well before the rear. hadn't experianced this before. It seems my suspcions are correct. its my daily grind up and down the motorway saves the rear but hitting the off ramp at speed and braking down hard on the shellgrip, with all that weight transfer, takes it out the front. I commute on her to justify the expense of my mid life crisis, it would be cheeper to take our second car. But at least I'm using her. It's difficult otherwise to make the time for a jolly with family comitments. Debs refers to her as "the mistress"

Le mans 02 ZGUKTA0102M111420 10th character indicates was built in 2002 Mine was, still got another 6 months

Chap seemed to think that they would be in this week - Probably dealer speak for they've arrived but we've not fitted them. or the law of Sod, mend it and the replacement arrives

My stock BT020s were replaced at 5,800(miles) for front and 7,600 for the rear thought probably could have squeezed a bit more out the rear. I know that there are several factors that determine tyre wear. Most of my mileage is done on my daily commute to work. Starts of across town for a couple of miles. Then ten down the motorway once off the motorway have one roundabout and I'm at work. To start with not pushing at first, then if traffic is light once on the motorway I suppose minimal wear only overcoming rolling and wind resistance with the rear taking the load across the centre of the tread pattern. On leaving the motorway up the off slip braking down hard on the "shellgrip" to the traffic light controlled roundabout. Maximun wear on the front centre. Get a green light tight, turn drifting out to pass cars, as the 1st exit is a tight turn on to dual carriageway. as it opens nail it. Short length of dual carriageway before breaking hard down for one round about, right turn in to 40mph single track road and work is within spitting distance. The ride to and from, and the money make it worth going. No longer a vocation just a job. On my FJ I used to get 7,000 front and 5,000 rear, the XJ similar ratio and distances might have been a bit more but I can't remember. Did fit sticky rubber once, didn't last long. So is the V11 gentler in the way it lays down the power? Am I just wearing the front out braking on the "Shellgrip"? Or is it I do too much commuting and not enough other riding? Obviously the Heros will wear the edges out first. So how do your tyres wear, what millage do you get?

I took the sleep. Collected her today. Great to back on two wheels even in the rain. Fixed to level 1.5 - headers welded. I miss the POP on the over run, was great for clearing cars out the way on dual carriageways. Had to resort to an undertake today. When the rear tyre was changed they also had to change one wheel bearing. The race had started to break up. Didn't look very greazey

Chap I work with has had in the last two years: F650CS; Rockster; Boxercup and now back to F650GS all new except the Rockster which was dealers demo bike, and before that a R1100RT. He says he will stick with BMW now, he is allways singing their praises when it comes to customer care. He's had a few quality control or failures but they're fixed PDQ. He keeps telling me to get rid of the Lemans before the warranty expires and get a BMW. At times seems like good advice, but they don't quite tug the heart strings the same way. The Lemans is my first new bike, and I bought it as a keeper. If it was writen off or stolen I would replace it with another, but I can't see myself buying anything in the next 10 years or so. I won't make them in to a high volume manufacturer. One of the ways the volume manufacturers do it is with year on year revisions. You don't want to be seen on last years model, this one is lighter stiffer more powerfull flexible etc. Unless you're a volume manufactuer you couldn't afford the R&D. I think Guzzi will probably remain a quirky niche manufacturer, for those who know that you can get enougth real world performance out of an air cooled twin. I don't think Guzzi will survive an engine change unless they can do what Aprilla did with the RSV, and sustain it.

Shouldn't that be wop if we're using derogatory nationalistic (racist) terminology? Unless the user is an Australian.

'Cafe Con Leche' 'Caffe Nero Con Fuoco'

As Al said one part relates to the configuration of the cyclinders and the other relates to the poistioning of the crank ie - Holed, on the bench waiting for parts

Got home today to be told that the bike shop had rung saying she was ready for collection. I haven't been able to ring to verify exactly what has been done. 1- shock and oil light - makes her rideable 2- 1 & headers- sorts out pop on over run- makes her mechanicaly correct 3- 2 & engine paint - perfection I'd settle for 1 and continue to wait for the headers. I expect 2. I dream of 3. If she is ready I won't be able to collect untill Wednesday at the earliest. Stuck at work tomorrow. Allowing the wife a weekend away, though she is taking our 6 year old, so I'm left with a three year old and an autistic 5 year old can't see how how I can do it over the weekend, (the 13 year old doesn't count as can be left alone for a few hours). Then on Monday and Tuesday have hospital appointments, kids in school, full and half days, and have to go to work on nights. So if I go without more than 3 1/2 hours sleep can get across and back on Wednesday.

Glad you've got it back, and its seems to working great. Was it all covered under the warranty. i.e. was she new to you in Feb, or had the warranty ran out between the paint job and the gearbox overhaul? Three months is a long time to off the road for. I've been waiting that long for header pipes, but that hasn't stopped me riding. Only when the shock broke nearly two weeks ago, expecting a long wait for parts. But got home today to find out that call had been recieved to say garage had called to say it was ready. Not been able to check will do so tomorrow. Only fly in the oinment is that I can't see being able to get her back till Wednesday, and that envolves next to no sleep after a night shift, due to other commitments.

My left hand header blued more than the right. The popping started at 3,800 miles and was diagnosed as cracks to both headers, but I think the right was worse. I wouldn't have thought your headers would have cracked yet, could be leak around exhaust gaskets. If its not the fueling the other common fix is to set tappets at european specs (looser). Seems to keep the bikes happier by all accounts. I love mine. Up untill the shock broke (only two reports- not endemic) the only faults were minor niggles which didn't stop me riding it. Currently off the road (1st week elapsed) waiting for the shock ( could be a while piss poor general parts supply) being dealt with under waranty. I've not laid a spanner on mine (other than to fit pannier frames, re fit starter cover correctly, and rear light bulb), falsely beliving it would have been put together right. How ever the failed shock indicates a possible contributing cause as lack of grease on suspension. I would recommend a check of all spindles and bearings etc. Can't wait to get her back

Are Moto and MOtO one and the same?

Thank you MOtO for posting the link to the thread. It wasn't pretty reading, having broken down to a personal slanging match. I'm glad that we don't do that here. I have no issues with the Dealership or any of its staff, and belive that they will do their best for me. To me the problem as always has been quality control over some of the parts fitted and assembly. Made worse by poor parts supply. As previously stated the basic design is sound and will go on for ever. On my original thread EXWTF posted to say his top eye had a crack. But you are right two failed shocks isn't nessecarily an endemic problem.

Thank you for you openess. I was unaware of this risk to motorcycling. I hope that we are all mature enough to take this information on board in an appropriate manner.