New Owner - Few Questions

[Guest anawrocki]

I am a VERY happy new owner of a new Ballabio. This is my first ever Guzzi, but I have been riding and wrenching on bikes since I was 12. I purchased in January and am now at a point where it is time for the 600 mile maint. I picked up a copy of the service manual and have 90 % of the 600 mile service done. In retorquing the head stud nuts I only found one that was out of spec. I plan to do my maint at 5000 mile intervals instead of the prescribed 6K. I would greatly appreciate any insight on the following.

 

1. Is it genneraly considered acceptable to use any high quality synthetic SAE 80/90 in the trans and ring&pinnion? I know this is almost a religious question but when I drained the r&p housing what came out looked very silvery/grey like nothing I had ever seen before (no metal to speak of on drain plug magnet). Is this some sort of special break-in lube or just super fine break-in metal particals?

 

2. Is it really necessary to change out the fork oil at 600 miles? Seems like the next schedlued maint should be good.

[Guest aironepony]

Well done. You should be a happy chappie with that bike.

 

Don't take the forum too seriously though, the tales of gloom and doom seem to swamp out the majority experience. Some of the contributors can't keep their naughty fingers out of trouble and seem to revel in relating their "bad luck" stories.

 

The strange looking oil probably has something called ROCOL ASO added to it. This makes it appear a kind of dirty silvery colour. My 2004 Rosso Corsa owner's handbook still recommends this additive in the rear bevel drive. One of my acqaintances puts the ASO in the gearbox too! With the advent of modern oils, I sometimes wonder if the additive is really necessary. Perhaps someone with more knowledge about oils could say................

[Admin Jaap]

Well done! And welcome to the board!

 

Just one thing: Do you have factory warranty? I don't know how this goes in the US, but here you loose factory warranty if you do the first maintenances yourself...

[v50man]

I am a VERY happy new owner of a new Ballabio. This is my first ever Guzzi, but I have been riding and wrenching on bikes since I was 12. I purchased in January and am now at a point where it is time for the 600 mile maint. I picked up a copy of the service manual and have 90 % of the 600 mile service done. In retorquing the head stud nuts I only found one that was out of spec. I plan to do my maint at 5000 mile intervals instead of the prescribed 6K. I would greatly appreciate any insight on the following.

 

1. Is it genneraly considered acceptable to use any high quality synthetic SAE 80/90 in the trans and ring&pinnion? I know this is almost a religious question but when I drained the r&p housing what came out looked very silvery/grey like nothing I had ever seen before (no metal to speak of on drain plug magnet). Is this some sort of special break-in lube or just super fine break-in metal particals?

 

2. Is it really necessary to change out the fork oil at 600 miles? Seems like the next schedlued maint should be good.

51242[/snapback]

 

I'd suggest breaking it in on cheap dinosaur oil for the first 1500 miles, then switching to a high quality synthetic (Red Line, Lucas).

 

For the gear box and differential, go with the RedLine Shockproof Heavy. Can't be beat.

[O2 V11]

anawrocki, to start with I would change the fork oil now. One of mine had come apart inside the fork leg and other owners had found all sorts of crud in theirs from new. But that is not to say there would be anything wrong with yours. The use of a high quality synthetic oil in the gearbox and bevel drive has it's merits. My bevel drive runs noticeably cooler now since I changed mine to synthetic. The colour of the bevel drive oil would be due to the moly added to the oil. Those who use Redline oil don't generally add any moly to the bevel drive but I did. You said your head studs were mostly in spec, one of mine was little more than finger tight so there is a great variation in how our bikes were put together. Did you use "world specs" for you valve clearances? When I did my first service I greased both mounts of the rear shock, these are dry leaving the factory. It doesn't hurt to grease your driveshaft as well. MG are pretty shy when it comes to lubrication during assembly. I found the torque arm mounting bolts to be the only loose fittings on the bike. The service interval is your choice, I'm sure everyone has a differing opinion of what is right or wrong for their bikes. Enjoy, these bikes improve with age. Mine has 3000 miles on and just keeps getting smoother.

Rob

[Guest anawrocki]

Thanks for the responses. According to the dealer, this bike shipped from the factory with Synthetic in it.

 

I know that forums are generally a place for owners to discuss problems, so no worry's here.

 

I am probably going to use Amsoil end to end for the bike. I just got nervous when I say the alien looking silver stuff come out of the bevel drive.

 

I think I will skip the aditive. Almost all of my past street bikes have been shaft drive and I have used Amsoil Synthetic in most of them.

 

I pondered the waranty issue, but the last time I let the dealer take $600 from me for break in service on my BMR R1200C parts began to fall of less then 5 miles down the road. I trust my analretentive self much more then a mechanic I do not know. I decided to take the risk and hope for the best if/when need to obtain warrenty service.

 

I went with .10mm and .15mm for intake and exhaust respectivly.

 

I may as well do the fork maint, can't hurt. I will do it on the next rainy weekend.

 

Thanks Again!

[jrt]

very cool- I hope you continue to enjoy the bike. They are certainly easy to work on considering some of the other models out there.

I tend to agree with v50man- use dino for 1-2000 miles before switching to synthetic. For the rear drive, I think it calls for a moly additive, but amsoil should either be good enough or contain additives already. I never ran any additives in my old Guzzi, and the drive box got 200,000+ miles, soooo....make up your own mind.

Hope to see you at the MN guzzi rally!

Jason

[Guest anawrocki]

When / Where is it? Never been much of a "club guy" but it would be neat to check out.

[jrt]

Me either. MGNOC is not much of a 'club'. More of a 'land' version of the V11lemans website in that it is just a loose association of like-motorcycled types. Rallies are 25-35 bucks, meals included, and run about 25-100 people. 100 is a BIG rally (like Iowa). MN was 75 people or so last year, because it was a fairly central location. Rallies are pretty much about the riding....and the food for some. It is fun to show up even for a day to check out that many Guzzi's in one place.

 

MGNOC main website

Upcoming rallies:

 

MAY 20, 21, 22

20th ILLINOIS MOTO GUZZI RIDERS RALLY

Location: Nine miles north of Oquawka, Illinois on the west side of the “Great River Road” at “Big River Forest”. Contact: Stan Overstreet, 309-867-6705. More Information will follow.

 

JULY 8, 9, 10

15th IOWA MOTO GUZZI RALLY

Elkader, Iowa city park and campground. Contact; MGNOC State Reps, George and Kay Vignovich, 515-285-7209. Email: g.vignovich@att.net. More information will follow.

 

JULY 22, 23, 24

MINNESOTA MOTO GUZZI RALLY

Cushions Peak Campground, 5 miles west on Highway 16 from Houston, Minnesota. Registration before July 1st $30. At rally $35. Make checks payable to Todd Kneeland. Contact: Todd Kneeland, 218-485-0417. Email: tmusemn@mchsilcom. More information will follow.

 

AUGUST 5, 6, 7

21st WISCONSIN ANNUAL MOTO GUZZI RALLY

Wisconsin Moto Guzzi Riders rally takes place at Lake Joy Campground, situated between Mineral Point, and Belmont Wisconsin on Highway U.S. 151. $25 before July 1 - $30 at the gate. Send your pre-registration to: Dan Prunuske P.O. Box 293, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. 53916-0293. For more information see rally ad in this same issue, or phone: 920-887-3128, or visit www.wmgr.org.

[Guest RPHETTEPLACE]

I'll be at a couple of these guys look for the giant bald guy with the midget girlfriend on the Scura

[al_roethlisberger]

Is it just me or do the rallies most often seem to be "midwest centric"

 

 

I know they have some in Arizona or Nevada, but rarely do I see any for the West Coast.

 

Although to be fair, I am not a member, and therefore do not get the paper newsletter or visit the MGNOC website, which is often slow to get updated.

 

I know many people do not agree with me, but I've been a proponent of "pulling MGNOC into the 21st Century" for a while now. But it seems that a lot of the MGNOC membership is of the "old skool" bunch, mostly the cruiser riders(although that is a generalization to be sure ), and seem less interested in getting the whole operation into the digital age

 

 

I think MGNOC membership would shoot through the roof, and you'd see rallies with maybe a bit more than 25-100 attendees, if the club did so.

 

For me, MGNOC doesn't seem to offer much

 

 

But that's just my opinion

 

al

[Guest anawrocki]

Cool, Thanks!

[Bill Hagan]

Is it just me or do the rallies most often seem to be "midwest centric"  

I know they have some in Arizona or Nevada, but rarely do I see any for the West Coast.

 

Although to be fair, I am not a member, and therefore do not get the paper newsletter or visit the MGNOC website, which is often slow to get updated.

 

I know many people do not agree with me, but I've been a proponent of "pulling MGNOC into the 21st Century" for a while now.   But it seems that a lot of the MGNOC membership is of the "old skool" bunch, mostly the cruiser riders(although that is a generalization to be sure  ), and seem less interested in getting the whole operation into the digital age 

I think MGNOC membership would shoot through the roof, and you'd see rallies with maybe a bit more than 25-100 attendees, if the club did so.

 

For me, MGNOC doesn't seem to offer much 

But that's just my opinion   

 

al

51302[/snapback]

 

I share your views, Al, about MGNOC and rallies. I belong to MGNOC, but do wish it would ... err ... come on over to this century. Regrettably, stating that about MGNOC on wildguzzi, even in a temperate way, has gotten me tarred and feathered in nonoseconds. Some folks seemed to view that as heretical as to MGNOC and blaspheme as to Frank Wedge. I meant it that way as to neither. Sigh.

 

Neither am I much for rallies as a way of life, but have attended two or three very briefly and had a good time. And, I am going to drop in on the national rally in (extreme northern) West Virginia later this month http://www.mgnoc.com/rally/national2005.htm on the way to a far, far more important event, daughter # 3's wedding in Maryland.

 

Bill

[Baldini]

...For the gear box and differential, go with the RedLine Shockproof Heavy...

 

You use Shockproof heavy in both gearbox & rear drive box?

 

...I went with .10mm and .15mm for intake and exhaust respectivly...

 

Is that not a bit tight? What do others set gap to? I set .22mm on Tonti...

 

KB

[al_roethlisberger]

You use Shockproof heavy in both gearbox & rear drive box?

Is that not a bit tight? What do others set gap to? I set .22mm on Tonti...

 

KB

51326[/snapback]

 

 

That does seem tight, and I think are the North American standard... the lash setting that often causes rough idle/coughing when hot.

 

al