Just checking in

[redhog]

Thanks to everyone for all the hints and help following a piece of 1/2 inch steel going through

the rear tire of my 2003 Le Mans. The motorcycle/transmission jack that I have lifted the bike

OK with the help of lots of wooden shims. The best advice that I received from the forum was

to have a professional install the new tire. For $25 US the guy did a great job with only a few

nicks to the rim. Does anyone know of an auto paint to match the gray rim? I used a tube

of touch up paint from my wife,s Toyota to hide the scratches but it wasn't quite dark enough. I

have been warned not to talk tires and oil brands here but I have a salient question. I replaced

the original Bridgestone BT 020 with what I thought was the closest match from a web dealer and

it was an OEM tire made specifically for a 2006 Ducati. It seems that the web dealer had 4 versions

of this OEM tire, one for Kawaski, BMW etc. and although they were all BT 020/180X55R tires the

widths varied from 6.9 inches to 7.2 inches. Apparently the original tire on the Le Mans must have

been narrower than the 7.2 diameter tire that I replaced it with as we had to physically force the

new tire into the axle opening but once installed it worked OK. In the future I need to know the

maxium suggested rear tire width for a Le Mans. can anyone help me out? Also, I read reports

of people running a BT021 tire with good results. I am really lost here and am trying to figure

out the differences between a BT020 and BT021. Back in the old days I always replaced tires

on the 1977 850 T3 with Conti twins and never had a problem. You guys have been great and I

enjoy lurking on the forum. Now if someone can just tell me how to get a grease gun fitted onto

the front U-joint of the driveshaft........................................Jerry

[savagehenry]

from the thread "how to, finally, grease the uni joints., greasing the front uni joint " in HOW TO...

 

I have never found a thread in this forum telling me how to grease the front uni without taking out the swing arm. This has been giving me the shits for years. Today I finally figured out how to grease the front uni joint on my Ballabio and then managed to let it fall over and crease one of the Titanium pipes.

1. Go buy a 12" long McNaught (KZLNS) or similar needlepoint coupler grease attachment. About $50 in Australia. This will also grease the rear uni with no problems.

2. take off the rear wheel and the bevel box.

3. Get under the rear of the bike and rotate the shaft so the nipple is facing down (not up as I keep reading)

4. Hold up the tail shaft

5. Grease away. It goes in no problems.

 

There is info on where to get the needle tip greasers in the rest of that thread also

[Guest ratchethack]

. . .I have been warned not to talk tires and oil brands here but I have a salient question. I replaced

the original Bridgestone BT 020 with what I thought was the closest match from a web dealer and

it was an OEM tire made specifically for a 2006 Ducati. It seems that the web dealer had 4 versions

of this OEM tire, one for Kawaski, BMW etc. and although they were all BT 020/180X55R tires the

widths varied from 6.9 inches to 7.2 inches. Apparently the original tire on the Le Mans must have

been narrower than the 7.2 diameter tire that I replaced it with as we had to physically force the

new tire into the axle opening but once installed it worked OK. In the future I need to know the

maxium suggested rear tire width for a Le Mans. can anyone help me out? Also, I read reports

of people running a BT021 tire with good results. I am really lost here and am trying to figure

out the differences between a BT020 and BT021. Back in the old days I always replaced tires

on the 1977 850 T3 with Conti twins and never had a problem.

Jerry, good on ya for having a Pro lever on your tire.

 

First off, I would encourage you not to be intimidated in any way from talking tires or oil brands -- or anything else you want to talk about here! IMHO this is the purpose of the Forum! Where else are you gonna discuss tires and oil for a Guzzi?!?! Let the whiners bray their silly heads off, f'er cryin' out loud!

 

For me, making the transition from mounting tires myself was a bit of a break with habit, but when steel radials became "the norm" for both of my moto's awhile back, it became a no-brainer in the cost/benefit department.

 

You seem to be struggling with wot's evidently a wider tire than not only wot's needed, but one that likely provides less than desirable handling for your Guzzi. The 5.5" rear wheel, which I presume is the one you're using, can run either a 180 (as issued from Mandello) or a 170 width tire. Many on this Forum, and many I know personally not on this Forum, have achieved far better handling and overall superior performance by running 170 width tires on their Guzzi's on the 5.5" wheel. Since actual widths (the ones you've been using above, 6.9" and 7.2"), vary not only from mfgr to mfgr., but from model to model within a mfgr., as you've discovered, it's usually best to use the nominal width for purposes of discussion (that's the designation on the side of the tire).

 

Several on this Forum have traded their 5.5" rear wheels for the narrower 4.5" Guzzi wheel, so they can run 160 width tires, which by all credible accounts (overwhelming by the numbers) provide superior handling to either the 170 or 180 on a 5.5" wheel on the V11.

 

Now we have many on this Forum who make an informed choice to give up the superior handling and performance of a narrower tire altogether for the sole purpose of parking-lot parading, because they believe that "wider looks better". Some have gone so far as to run "take off" DOT race tires in 190 widths on their 5.5" Guzzi wheels! These "used up" track tires are nothing more than a dangerous and pathetic mismatch of function on the road and a disaster waiting to express itself in my opinion, which is backed by the recommendations of knowledgeable Pro tire guys, whose articles in this subject I've posted on this Forum. Frankly, I can't even remotely comprehend this behavior, and as far as I'm concerned it's just plain foolish, but that's just me, and who'm I to say? Count me amongst those who go for performance and safety first and foremost on their tires.

 

You might consider running a 170 rear tire. Not only would you not have any of the concerns you've expressed about fitting the tire, you'd without much question be enjoying a Brand New World of more confident, more precise, sure-footed handling enjoyment on the road.

 

Sorry, I have no recent experience with Bridgestone tires to offer. I've become pretty much a Metzeler guy in recent years.

 

Hope this helps.

 

BAA, TJM, & YMMV

[John in Leeds]

First off, I would encourage you not to be intimidated in any way from talking tires or oil brands -- or anything else you want to talk about here! IMHO this is the purpose of the Forum! Where else are you gonna discuss tires and oil for a Guzzi?!?!

 

Absolutely right - how else do we learn?

 

 

Sorry, I have no recent experience with Bridgestone tires to offer. I've become pretty much a Metzeler guy in recent years.

 

Had a few thousand miles on the Bridgestone O2Os and found a major improvement in confidence changing to Metzler M1, not long life but Oh what fun!

 

Likely to put a Z6 on the rear next week for a better wear.

[Ballabio Bertie]

I agree with Ratch and John,the Metz Z6 is a perfect compromise between grip and wear on these bikes. I am however currently running a Michelin on the rear (I know,never mix tyres ) but it was free and we Yorkshiremen aren't renowned for parting with our money! I must say it gets a bit slidey at the limit though...But I do have a new Z6 on the shelf ready to fit.

[redhog]

Thanks for all the replies and I know that there must be hundreds of different opionions on tires, handling etc. out there

but as I stated before, at my age I only wanted a tire to fit as I don't ride that aggressively anymore (I used to do it) and

I was overwhelmed by the huge array of tires out there. Look, I hate to admit this but I also have a Harley

Electra Glide as I have also have had Moto Guzzi's for the last 30 years. I like them both for what they are. They are

both at opposite ends of the spectrum and I don't think you will have to think twice about that. Both have taken me all over the Country and have always brought me back, though the early Harley's made me do some improvising.

I am just a bike person and have been since I started out on a Cushman Eagle in 1956. The Guzzi's have a special place in

my heart as I rode the 850T3 for ten years before ever buying anything else and that was what prompted me to keep buying

Guzzi's. I was an active member with the MGNOC for all this time and had no other bike . I keep abreast everything Italian on the market (especially Moto Guzzi) and the Guzzi name has a special meaning to me.

I still want to go to Lake Como and visit the factory and see those machines come out of the door for a few laps around the

track. When I bought my brand new 850T3/FB (foodboards) in 1977, my dealer told me, Jerry, if it comes in with only a few miles on

the odometer it will be OK but if it has lots of miles on it they had to work out some problems. Fortunately, my bike only had 3 miles when it came

all covered with cosmolene as they shipped them on the top deck in those days. My dealer washed it off with gasoline. Some memories.

Sorry about the nostalgia but that comes with age. I am headed for Kansas on the 31st with my brother on his bike and hope for

good weather. Jerry

[Guest frankdugo]

have a good time!