Anyone who owns a Quota 1100 ES or knows someone that does? I need some information concerning the gear selector mechanism.

[docc]

22 minutes ago, audiomick said:

Yes, I also reckon the bolt is too short. Maybe 4 or 5 mm more would be good. I read somewhere, written be someone who should know, that there should be 1.5 to 2 turns of thread proud of the nut. And the lock nut does look a bit shabby.

But why the nut on the bottom? I see no reason for that. On the contrary, I expect it is a lot easier to tighten up with the nut on top.

I suppose my thinking is that if the nut comes off the bottom there is still a bolt in place. If the nut comes off the top, the bolt falls out.

[p6x]

3 hours ago, docc said:

I feel like that bolt on the pinch should be slightly longer and the lock nut should be renewed.

I would also be inclined to insert the bolt downward with the nut on the bottom.

The drawing shows the nut at the top, Doc.

Agreed about the nylstop nut renewal. Those are supposed to be a one time use only. In any case, the gear lever spline claw is permanently deformed, making its removal difficult. I think it was overtightened. The "Nut Place" did not have M6 nylstop nuts; McMaster-Carr has them, but they sell them by 100, and the shipping cost is significant.

I am going to wait until the Nut place restock them.

[p6x]

On 3/10/2025 at 10:07 AM, gstallons said:

Good . Were you doing something else to this bike too ?

Excepted for this mishap, and the somewhat loose battery connections that caused a no start, the Quota has been incredibly reliable. I mean, much more than the V11 if I have to compare both.

I am going to put it through its paces by driving it all the way to Wyoming, at what used to be the northern boundary of the former Republic of Texas. Exceptionally, I am going to bring a 10 and 13mm flat wrenches with me.

I am a member of the AMA, and under their umbrella, I have a one time free tow (per year) to the closest Moto Guzzi dealer. I am yet to find out what happens if the dealership refuses to work on an older motorcycle. The Moto Guzzi dealer in Arizona that changed the tires on my Quota said they would have no problem working on it for anything. While the Moto Guzzi dealer near me, Wild West Motoplex does not work on anything older than 10 years.

[gstallons]

3 hours ago, p6x said:

The drawing shows the nut at the top, Doc.

Agreed about the nylstop nut renewal. Those are supposed to be a one time use only. In any case, the gear lever spline claw is permanently deformed, making its removal difficult. I think it was overtightened. The "Nut Place" did not have M6 nylstop nuts; McMaster-Carr has them, but they sell them by 100, and the shipping cost is significant.

I am going to wait until the Nut place restock them.

The only concern everyone has is : should the nut come loose to the point it falls off , the bolt would fall off and you're in trouble.  Installing the bolt N to S ensures it will remain in place until you can tighten it and be on your way . 

 This 10 yr old policy must mean they will look at your VIN plate to see the date of production to say "sorry it is now ten years and one month old , push it back out of the shop" .  

I would think there are more bikes on the road 10+ yrs. old v bikes under 10 yrs old.  an absurd policy .

[p6x]

10 hours ago, gstallons said:

The only concern everyone has is : should the nut come loose to the point it falls off , the bolt would fall off and you're in trouble.  Installing the bolt N to S ensures it will remain in place until you can tighten it and be on your way .

Even without the nut, the bolt would not fall off; I pointed out that the splined claw of the gear lever has been deformed because of excessive tightening. Since the hole where the bolt stays is in both parts of what forms the claw, there is now a lot of friction because that hole is no longer concentric. There is about a 5 degrees angle between the top and the bottom of the claw.

10 hours ago, gstallons said:

This 10 yr old policy must mean they will look at your VIN plate to see the date of production to say "sorry it is now ten years and one month old , push it back out of the shop" .  

I would think there are more bikes on the road 10+ yrs. old v bikes under 10 yrs old.  an absurd policy .

I also find this policy wrong, but there is not much I can do. It is their decision. They do not seem to care that it may affect their reputation. I think they weighted their policy based on the hassle to service motorcycles for which spare parts may require extra effort that cannot be incorporated in the invoice. I pointed out that a satisfied customer may purchase a motorcycle from them rather than another business. The feeling that I had if it was possible, they would have no service department and only sell motorcycles if that was ever possible. I have a feeling that in today's market, finding a good mechanic is no longer easy; once you found him/her, keeping is also an issue.

I am old enough to remember the days when you could get your motorcycle serviced just about everywhere.

The new vehicles are less serviceable than they used to be. These new TFT displays, the added electronics do not age well. Because the technology is in constant evolution, you may not be able to replace some of the electronics after a while. It is a bit like the EV batteries. If you purchase an older EV, some of the onboard technology may no longer be available to replace. I enjoy my two analog instruments. I only need to know the mileage, the speed, and the rpm. I have a warning light for low oil pressure, one for the charging, and a fuel reserve indication which I don't really need since I know how far I can go with a full tank.

Cherry on the cake, a 10 and 13 flat wrenches will address most of my problems.

[gstallons]

Being self-employed you learn to be available and work on what you sell. The best thing to do is take a deposit before you start . If dealerships don't want to work on older bikes , that is their business.