Winter Project - My New to Me Sad Neglected LeMans

[Steve Swan]

I joined up with this great forum last July not long after i purchased this '02 Lemans, upon receipt, it became rather obvious the p.o. did not take care of it, so other than fluids change, its sat since and because the totally unexpected happened, i became a car guy, bought a gorgeous '94 Corvette, i am really digging the car and have been intoxicated by it, doing a bunch of routine stuff a 31 year old car needs so it's summer ready, my other car is a '96 Geo Metro, i've never owned a car even remotely similar to the Vette.

So...  back to my LeMans.  The bike came form Michigan, was very obviously ridden in salt, likely never cleaned nor maintained much at all, i'll post pics, this will be a bit of  running thread as i bring this poor old soul back to life. Very sad, beyond my comprehension how someone can treat a bike like a piece of shit.  

So, i'll have some questions along my merry way.

Here are pics of the salt damage, major pitting in alt.cover and side stand.  Scattered rust through out.   

Next are basically 3 electrical curiosities, i am guessing the p.o. had his hands on this...  has a Ducati regulator, would the factory be sending out a LeMans with Duc parts on it?

 

Edited January 28 by Steve Swan

[Steve Swan]

Next, markings on the alternator frame, 24...?  degrees...?  What do you think?

 

And, then lastly, this unattached wire dangling loose wire, a ground...?  i don't seen anywhere near by the wire could atach to. Any thoughts where it attaches?  Probably difficult to know, until i remove the tank.

 

  When i last rode the bike, i siphoned out what ethanol i could and put in corn-free.  Once i remove the tank, am i at risk for it growing larger, creating a challenge upon reinstall?  Gotta remove it as i am give the old rode-hard-and-put-away-wet gal a thorough servicing and cleaning and refinish finishes on rust-damaged parts.  Not going spending-money-nuts, but it will be cleaned up and roadworthy when i'm finished.

What ever the mufflers are, they have the worst god-awful sound, they are literally raspy, nothing deep like my '00 Greenie was. So i have round satin Mistrals ordered, but that's gonna be my only big dollar expenditure for the time being.  The bike only has 12k miles on odo.  it came with nice items, lowered, adjustable driver pegs, shift, brake pedals, 2 sets of Givi bags, top rack with luggage case.  I am saving the bike from an early demise.  Wasn't in my playbook to get into another deep-ish project, but at least i'll know what's between my legs and under my butt come riding season.

I very much welcome your thoughts.  Thank you so much for your time and help.

Edited January 28 by Steve Swan

[gstallons]

Whew......it looks like that thing was parked o/s and by a shed ! I will have a look and see where the - wire should be attached . I would think the owner installed a Ducati V/R . Don't worry about it.  The magic marker stuff on the alternator , IKD.  

BTW leave the fuel tank open and it will return to normal . If it is hard to reinstall , you can pare down the rubber pucks at the front  until they accept the tank . about 120 degrees of grinding is all you need .

[docc]

The regulator is factory original. "Ducati Energia " is a different company than Ducati Mechanica that makes the motorcycles. The loose ring terminal is the factory ground for the regulator and goes under the missing mounting fastener for the regulator. Certainly run another, more robust, ground from the regulator case to the timing chest of the engine.

The markings on the alternator show the direction to turn the crank to position at TDC for valve adjustment and the size of the socket to use on the crank nut (24 mm).

Thanks for the running thread, @Steve Swan! Looking forward to watching and sharing in the progress!

[gstallons]

Sherlock Holmes !

[4corsa]

For your alternator cover, I bought one of these carbon fiber versions, which appear to be on sale for $75 right now:

https://mdicarbonfiber.com/products/ducati-moto_guzzi_1100_sport-alternator-cover

 

[4corsa]

29 minutes ago, 4corsa said:

For your alternator cover, I bought one of these carbon fiber versions, which appear to be on sale for $75 right now:

https://mdicarbonfiber.com/products/ducati-moto_guzzi_1100_sport-alternator-cover

 

[Scud]

Fun times ahead... Is this the red/grey or the champagne LeMans?

She looks like a candidate for a thorough clean/inspect process. Although it is low-mileage, since it's been neglected, I'd check every bearing, hose, and electrical connection - replacing things liberally if in doubt. And don't forget to clean those brake calipers and make sure all the pistons move freely.

[Steve Swan]

@docc @gstallons @4corsa @Scud Thank you gentlemen for sharing your knowledge. Yes, i plan to address the major service areas.  It's going to be a process deciding on finishes.  I am leaning to do as much of the finishes in my shop. More consideration required.  i do know the bike is going to be a rider, and so in a way, i'm glad it's not going to be factory original perfect when i'm finished. Thanks for noting where that ground attaches. I've already cleaned the front calipers, the pistons move freely. The bike is red/grey and has some wounds, but nothing horrid. Thanks for clarifying https://www.ducatienergia.com/index.php?lang=en   i figure i've got the months of February, March, April and most of May to get the bike roadworthy. Updates will follow. 

[Steve Swan]

Are there other Moto Guzzi models of which the alternator cover interchanges? I don't think i'm quite ready for a carbon fiber cover, but i guess i could paint it...

[MartyNZ]

22 minutes ago, Steve Swan said:

I don't think i'm quite ready for a carbon fiber cover, but i guess i could paint it...

You can paint the old cover. On mine I needed to fill and sand the pock marks caused by road grime, then you can do a good paint job with a rattle can. If you can't find or afford the eagle badge on the cover, then no one will notice that it is missing. 

[docc]

7 hours ago, MartyNZ said:

You can paint the old cover. On mine I needed to fill and sand the pock marks caused by road grime, then you can do a good paint job with a rattle can. If you can't find or afford the eagle badge on the cover, then no one will notice that it is missing. 

@sp838 3D printed those, but I can't find them now and he hasn't visited in a while . . .

[gstallons]

I hate to see members that float away from the dock like so many members have. Can we incorporate a feature that "pings" them if they are not on here for 30 days or so to let them know they are missed ? We have had so many come n go. You miss them only after they are mentioned. 

[Steve Swan]

an update with a couple pics. have removed more parts. i have decided my approach will be a combination preservation/conservation and not a restoration of which i've been down that road so many times i've grown tired of the effort it takes (and$$$$$$$$). What marks show on this project are going to be a testimony to what has happened to the bike.  I plan to cut all the zip ties and remove fasteners holding parts to the frame, and apply soap and water from a bucket to wash things clean and dry things off with rags. and then i'll do as little rattle can as i can get away with.  Rusted fasteners i will run through a stiff wire wheel to get to bare steel and then i will Parkerize for a durable grayish/black finish.

A couple questions about the drive shaft. Is the shaft two parts, connected by male and female halves that slide back and forth with movement of the swing arm? I guess i should look at my parts book and service manual... obviously there's a telescoping tube and i imagine there's a bunch of crud hidden where i can't see. Not knowing otherwise, is it necessary to disconnect the drive shaft from the transmission case and the rear end?  Again, i guess i should refer to me service manual... And, finally, is the shaft is "timed," do i need to make note of alignment of the two halves in which they separate?

On to the swing arm rotational surfaces...  i can't imagine i shouldn't pull the shaft, clean up whatever crud and old factory grease is in there?

i'll try to make this as entertaining as i can, and thanks in advance for your help.

Edited Saturday at 04:51 AM by Steve Swan

[guzzler]

On 1/30/2025 at 2:08 AM, gstallons said:

I hate to see members that float away from the dock like so many members have. Can we incorporate a feature that "pings" them if they are not on here for 30 days or so to let them know they are missed ? We have had so many come n go. You miss them only after they are mentioned. 

Funny, I was just thinking earlier on that we've not heard from DucatiGuzziIndian for a while...

Hope all is well in your world ole mate!

Cheers