1985 LeMans ?

[daveco2]

Hello,

 

I'm thinking of getting a 1985 LeMans.

Any comments on whether this is a good idea - parts availability, breakdown frequency, general quirkiness?

I've done all the maintenance on my bikes myself and look forward to the Guzzi.

 

Any comments, ideas, or alternatives would be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[jimbemotumbo]

Hello,

 

I'm thinking of getting a 1985 LeMans.

Any comments on whether this is a good idea - parts availability, breakdown frequency, general quirkiness?

I've done all the maintenance on my bikes myself and look forward to the Guzzi.

 

Any comments, ideas, or alternatives would be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

 

Pretty easy to work on and find parts for. Buy a copy of Guzziology. Quite reliable in the major areas. A bit fussy electronically. If you spend a day going through all the wiring and improving the grounds you'll take care of most of the annoying surprises before they show up. Look for rubber rot, worn cables ... the usual older bike issues.

I've had no trouble finding parts for early LMs. Sometimes tough to find correct side covers and such.

 

Go for it. Great rides.

[Guest ratchethack]

Dave, having also done all the maintenance and rebuilds on all my bikes (also gathering info for my own acquisition of a LM III/IV), I b'lieve you've focused on a great one, arguably one of the most collectible and finest examples of Guzzi's of what many consider Guzzi's "golden" era. Parts availability is good and will continue to be good -- relatively speaking. That is to say, pretty much everything you might need is still sourceable without too much trauma relative to just about any other marque of that era, since so many parts were common to so many models for so many years. There's still lots of knowledge and experience to draw on.

 

Ed and Todd at GuzziTech are a great resource: http://www.guzzitech.com/

 

Have fun!

[BrianG]

An '86 Lemans was my first Moto Guzzi. It's a great bike and certainly a MG classic. You might want to disconnect the coupled brakes if the previous owner(s) haven't done that yet, but if it's still coupled ride it that way for a bit. It's certainly interestsing!

 

Be careful in your first hard right turn. When you roll on the throttle the engine torque will want to throw you down on the ground while the back end jacks up from driveshaft torque. A very weird thing the first time you experience it!

[Baldini]

Dunno that LMIV is one to go for if you're into collectability - look at LMI, or LMII roundbarrels or LMIII. Don't pay over the odds - LMIV & V's are among the cheapest big block Guzzis over here - A LMI will fetch three times what aLM IV will. IMV, Guzzi's focus, especially styling, had really slipped by the LMIV. But, if you're after a bike to ride, like all Tonti frame Guzzis, much is interchangeable between models so you can make of it what you will.

 

Here, LM1V came w/ 16" front wheel & smaller (270 rather than 300mm) rotors. I rode a Spada w/ 16" & didn't like it at all (Dr John raced a 16" LMIV with considrable success tho...). Dunno if 16" was worldwide - your bike may have been converted to 18" - many are - & Guzzi did that themselves on LMV. Trouble is they left smaller discs too....

 

Linked brakes work great, tho they take some getting used to off of conventional systems.

 

As others say, parts are available generally, there's still specialist shops & once sorted, they'll run forever! Use the bits you like, sling the bits you don't! Tonti Guzzis are great bikes to own & ride.

 

KB

[JFK]

I owned an '85 LeMans MkIV for about 5 years and loved it, despite consensus saying it was the least desirable of MkI through V. My own ranking of the others (based on a mix of subjective factors) would go - MkI, MkIII, 1000s, MkV, Mk II.

 

I took it on the track, commuted every day, filled the panniers with shopping, toured up and down the east coast of Australia 1 and 2 up ... put about 50,000km on it ... and did my own basic servicing.

 

Styling - you will just need to form a view. In mine, none past the MkI are oil paintings. But I'm not offended by any of them ... quirky is all.

 

That dreaded 16" front wheel - they certainly handle differently to their 18" kin. Here in Australia there was a lot of bollocks written about them and their poor handling, but I found that not to be the case provided you recognise the differences and ride accordingly. The steering is quicker but the wheelbase stays long. They prefer smoother roads. They are more sensitive to tyre pressure and wear profile than 18" guzzis, but if you manage that they handle just fine. I also upgraded the front suspension units (they were due). In terms of riding style I found the trick is to steer with the pegs & seat rather than wrestle the bars ... just let the front wheel do its own thing.

 

Collectability - I would agree its at the low end ... way below a MkI, but let's face it guys, it better than a Lario!

 

Hence, value for money is high.

 

Good luck!

 

Jonathan

[JFK]

Oh, and linked brakes?

 

I got used to them pretty quickly and think they are a pretty good system considering the weight and poise of the bike.

 

You are never going to be standing a guzzi on its nose at the start of a hairpin and squirting it out the other side anyway, and in the real world I think it copes with "oh sh*t" moments well.

[Greg Field]

I bought a new '85 LM 1000 in 1985 and had it until it was destroyed in an accident 3 years later, whereupon I replaced it with a used 1986 LM 1000, which I still have.

 

If you're looking for collectibility, the LM III would be a better choice, as others have pointed out. As a rider, thouigh, the LM 1000 is a good bike. All the major running parts are still available through several shops, including Moto International, the shop at which I toil. The tupperware is getting harder to find by the day, though, as are nice upgrades such as the European turn signals, Forcella Italia forks, wheels, brake rotors, etc. This is the one case where I'd recommend the owner either decide to change the looks of the bike or fix any cosmetic defects first because I doubt much of the bodywork will ever be re-popped. Get it while it's available.

[daveco2]

Thanks for all the great information. I knew I could count on this forum.

My problem is all the sport Guzzis look good to me. Which to get - big dilemma.

 

Dave

[Baldini]

...My problem is all the sport Guzzis look good to me. Which to get - big dilemma....

 

Go for best condition/miles/availability regardless of exact model...better to get something in really good order & not worry about exact model too much - performance is similar, parts are endlessly interchangeable even between sports & sit up models.

 

Regard LM I/II as pretty much same, other than LMI is much more collectable if that interests you. Along with detail differences, II has big fairing, I has cockpit fairing - interchangeable. Both are 850 roundbarrel engines - only issues compared to later square barrel is styling & you can't increase bore as much cos of closer studs.

 

LMIII is still 850 different styling/bodywork & first of square barrels.

 

LMIV/V are up to 950 & different styling again. Only big issue is 16" wheel/brakes.

 

KB