Shaking apart?

[polebridge]

I have 7K on my V11 now. Since buying the bike the bolt that holds the steering damper in place backed out. I pulled over and fixed that. Last night I notice that the handle bar (it's a Coppa Italia) mount was quite loose. Another nut that worked its way loose. I assume this is due to vibration. I will tighten that one tonight.

 

My question is this. Do I need to start checking all the various nuts and bolts for tightness? Does anyone else have these issues and, if so, can you recommend a procedure for checking these i.e. which nuts and bolts give the most problems and need checking and how often?

 

Thanks.

[Guest ratchethack]

PB, generally speaking, it's a good idea to go over the entire bike thoroughly when you take delivery, and either simply check everything accessible for tightness, or pull select bolts out and threadlock them. I've done the latter on most if not all the bikes I've owned as a general rule.

 

This is not something unique to Guzzi, though Guzzi's have been known to lack threadlocker in wot I consider many places it needs it (too numerous to mention). I don't know that there are particular places to look out for, though I discovered some large socket-head frame bolts that were less than tight on Day 1.

 

It's also a good idea to periodically check critical bolts for tightness -- regardless of whether they've been threadlocked. IMHO the brake assemblies would be an important place to start.

 

It's a good way to familiarize yourself with the bike and stay in tune with it. The practice greatly decreases probabilities of problems and strandings on the road.

 

In 34K miles, I've not ever been stranded, nor have I as much as had a part begin to back off for a dive down the road underway. Except for that pesky speedo drive cable, which popped off its staked-on retaining disk on the bevel drive, and launched itself somewhere on the road. . . and that wasn't due to a loose fastener. . .

 

Have fun.

[polebridge]

PB, generally speaking, it's a good idea to go over the entire bike thoroughly when you take delivery, and either simply check everything accessible for tightness, or pull select bolts out and threadlock them. I've done the latter on most if not all the bikes I've owned as a general rule.

 

This is not something unique to Guzzi, though Guzzi's have been known to lack threadlocker in wot I consider many places it needs it (too numerous to mention). I don't know that there are particular places to look out for, though I discovered some large socket-head frame bolts that were less than tight on Day 1. <_>

 

It's also a good idea to periodically check critical bolts for tightness -- regardless of whether they've been threadlocked. IMHO the brake assemblies would be an important place to start.

 

It's a good way to familiarize yourself with the bike and stay in tune with it. The practice greatly decreases probabilities of problems and strandings on the road.

 

In 34K miles, I've not ever been stranded, nor have I as much as had a part begin to back off for a dive down the road underway. Except for that pesky speedo drive, which popped off its staked-on retaining disk on the bevel drive, and launched itself somewhere on the road. . . and that wasn't due to a loose fastener. . .

 

Have fun.

 

Thanks. I'll start checking the major ones I can find. Good advice on the brakes. I think I will start there. I am glad to here you have had so many trouble free miles. The dealer I bought my Aprilia from used to sell Guzzis but has dropped the brand. The salesman I bought from from there says he can't believe I bought a Moto Guzzi. He really hates them. According to him the only two he sold had so many problems that they both were lemon lawed eventually. After that they dropped them altogether. I told him that mine has been a great bike with no problems at all. He warns that I will have big problems. "It's only a matter of time".

I am assuming of course that he is completely wrong!

 

Anyway, on a side note, I did actually manage to slide my front Z6 just a tiny bit. Not intentionally mind you and it recoverd so quickly that I didn't even have time to panic! You know that feeling when the front end suddenly goes light on you? Must have hit a slick part of the road or something. It recovered before I could even think about it (and with no input from me at all).

 

Good tires.

[Tom M]

I'm with Ratchet on this. I try to make sure that every fastener on the bike has a locking mechanism; either a lock washer, blue Loctite, or both.

 

When I removed my fairing for the first time last winter I was surprised to find some of the front subframe bolts were VERY loose. They got blue Loctite along with the factory lock washers before re-torquing.

 

Critical bolts like the caliper mounting bolts on my bike have yellow paint-pencil marks so you can tell if they've moved by looking at the marks. I assume they are from the factory. I should start re-marking them because it's so easy to check them with a quick look rather than getting out the tools.

[Dan M]

 

It's also a good idea to periodically check critical bolts for tightness -- regardless of whether they've been threadlocked. IMHO the brake assemblies would be an important place to start.

 

It's a good way to familiarize yourself with the bike and stay in tune with it. The practice greatly decreases probabilities of problems and strandings on the road.

 

 

Can't add anything to this other than it should be every rider's routine on any bike. Soon you will know what tools are needed to go around the bike and it takes virtually no time.

[GuzziMoto]

Take care of your Guzzi and it should last longer then most bikes.

[Guest ratchethack]

Hey PB -- I just remembered one that's pretty inaccessible but has loosened up on 2 out of 2 V11's I'm fairly intimately familiar with (my '00 Sport and a Pal's '04 LM).

 

It's the linkage nut & bolt on the transmission shift arm, the one closest to the box. This thing has backed out slowly in both cases above, causing gradually increasing linkage slop and missed shifts, generating undue concern in each case that there's a transmission problem unfolding!

 

The fix is to take the starter motor out (disconnect the battery gound first! Don't ask, just do it ) for access to the bolt. This is also a good time to lube the linkage and remove and lube the shift foot lever shaft, all of which comes dry frm Mandello, and set the end-float correctly so's to take up any remaining slop.

 

Threadlocking the linkage nuts (there are 2, front & rear) and the clamp bolt at the splined shaft properly will keep your shifts crisp -- well at least as crisp as Guzzi Engineers and at least a few o' the Luigi's who assembled 'em intended. . .

 

And that, my friend, ain't half bad!

[Ouiji Veck]

Fear ye not. 35Kmi ...Totally expecting to go the next 150K with very few issues.

One eaten RW bearing...my fault..over torqued.

I haven't heard of any dealer/ service manager with a CLUE re Guzzi.

This is the place to service your bike.

 

Yea ya gotta check fasteners on any bike. Less on a 4 cyl. egg beater

more on a 2 cyl, push rod, big bore.

 

You can go buy a new Fender Stratocaster for $1000 bucks but in a little while

ya gotta tighten the strings back up a little. Especially if your bangin' the crap out of it

and bending the strings up 3 notes.

 

Have fun!

[macguzzi]

your a lucky man Guzzi bolts don't usually come out when required there usually solid

[quazi-moto]

 

You can go buy a new Fender Stratocaster for $1000 bucks but in a little while

ya gotta tighten the strings back up a little. Especially if your bangin' the crap out of it

and bending the strings up 3 notes.

 

 

Or plug a P-Bass into an SVT turned up to ten and rattle the tubes apart!

[Guest Mattress]

Or plug a P-Bass into an SVT turned up to ten and rattle the tubes apart!

Funny. I just bought a P-Bass Special off of Craig's List. I've been wanting to learn music again. I'll have to look up SVT. My bass came with a small new practice amp, and a hard case too.

 

I eventually would like to be good enough to play with others, maybe a group even. Mostly pursuing it for expression outlet; the kind of music I like, if I could play it, requires an amp system capable of thorax crushing sound waves when I decide to punish the audience as I get in touch with a darker side. And I'll have a friend out in the crowd to run around and collect all the diamond earings blown off.

[mfeeney]

I have 7K on my V11 now. Since buying the bike the bolt that holds the steering damper in place backed out. I pulled over and fixed that. Last night I notice that the handle bar (it's a Coppa Italia) mount was quite loose. Another nut that worked its way loose. I assume this is due to vibration. I will tighten that one tonight.

 

My question is this. Do I need to start checking all the various nuts and bolts for tightness? Does anyone else have these issues and, if so, can you recommend a procedure for checking these i.e. which nuts and bolts give the most problems and need checking and how often?

 

Thanks.

 

There are 9k on my Lemans and all bolts seem to remain tight. I use the V11 manual's guide to torque for each. I check them all regularly. The correct torque will help keep them tight plus a lock washer if required.

[Guest Phil_P]

Hey PB -- I just remembered one that's pretty inaccessible but has loosened up on 2 out of 2 V11's I'm fairly intimately familiar with (my '00 Sport and a Pal's '04 LM).

 

It's the linkage nut & bolt on the transmission shift arm, the one closest to the box. This thing has backed out slowly in both cases above, causing gradually increasing linkage slop and missed shifts, generating undue concern in each case that there's a transmission problem unfolding!

 

The fix is to take the starter motor out (disconnect the battery gound first! Don't ask, just do it ) for access to the bolt. This is also a good time to lube the linkage and remove and lube the shift foot lever shaft, all of which comes dry frm Mandello, and set the end-float correctly so's to take up any remaining slop.

 

Threadlocking the linkage nuts (there are 2, front & rear) and the clamp bolt at the splined shaft properly will keep your shifts crisp -- well at least as crisp as Guzzi Engineers and at least a few o' the Luigi's who assembled 'em intended. . .

 

And that, my friend, ain't half bad!

 

I improved my gearshift linkage on my Sporti with a grease point;

 

http://www.guzzistaforum.eu/forum/viewtopi...&highlight=

[Alex-Corsa]

My question is this. Do I need to start checking all the various nuts and bolts for tightness? Does anyone else have these issues and, if so, can you recommend a procedure for checking these i.e. which nuts and bolts give the most problems and need checking and how often?

 

Thanks.

 

Well a least you should check valve clearences and do a cylinder-injectors synchronization.

Unzychronized injectors cause more vibration.

[Ryland3210]

Well a least you should check valve clearences and do a cylinder-injectors synchronization.

Unzychronized injectors cause more vibration.

 

Once the TPS is calibrated and carbs synchonized, is there an additional synchronization of the injectors, perhaps in the ECU or some other sensor calibration you mean by this?