Cheap Crap Guzzi Electrics and Fasteners

[Enzo]

We all know who have turned a wrench on a Guzzi bolt and screw that they are cheap butter-like crap. Horrible. Here's another thing I have discovered - the electrics are just as bad.

 

I have had a mysterious electric gremlin since the Deep Forrest Abandonment Fiasco. I tried my damnedest to understand, but I don't even know how to use a volt meter. The best I could figure was that the voltage regulator was bad so I replaced it. It is a fine mod to do on the V11, by the way. It solves a couple other possible problems.

 

HOWEVER, yesterday I found out the hard way that it was something else. It died.......AGAIN. Who was saying the Guzz will get you home? Only if you have AAA. I parked it and walked about three miles home. I'm surprised I got any sleep because it was the same old problem, and I had no confidence to solve it.

 

Today I got up early and took my truck over to the bike. Luckily no one had stolen it. I looked at the fuses - no bad ones. I removed the seat and pulled wires to look. The bike started. NOW, when I put the seat back on it died. Took the seat off. It started. Put the seat on. It died. Obviously I had a bad wire which the seat pressed down on and detached.

 

According to Greg Field (know it all blowhard), it was all my doing with the various cut and taped wires. Some of this was the guy before me, however. MOST OF IT. But I started the bike and rode it home sans seat. When I got home I traced down the offending wire. Guess what? It was NOT something I had done. NO. It was a corroded cheap ass connection inside one of my relays. Original equipment. When any pressure was applied to the wire, it broke connection.

 

I pulled all the wires out of the relay in question and attached new connectors and crimped them. I attached them onto the bad relay and AH HA, everything is right with the world.

 

The problem to be aware of: CHEAP CHEAP Guzzi electrics that easily corrode and break off. BEWARE. Look under your relays and spray them with oxidation juice from Radio Shack. Then plug up the under sides with liquid tape or something.

 

Cheap Crap!! You must garage a Guzzi or you will pay. I put a tarp on my bike last Winter and this is what I got.

[dlaing]

We all know who have turned a wrench on a Guzzi bolt and screw that they are cheap butter-like crap. Horrible.

I always thought Guzzi used decent bolts

I pulled all the wires out of the relay in question and attached new connectors and crimped them. I attached them onto the bad relay and AH HA, everything is right with the world.

I think you mean that you pulled all the wires out of the "relay socket", the female counterpart to the male relay

[Enzo]

Yes, I pulled the wires out of the plastic relay socket so I could see what was going on. Then I re-attached the wired directly to the relay itself. Watch out for corrosion in here!!

[Greg Field]

As usual, Enzo's folly can be valuable as a lesson to know-it-all blowhards everywhere:

 

1) Do not re-wire your whole bike using cheap switches and plastic wire nuts from Home Depot and expect it to be reliable.

 

2) Do not remove the fender that keeps all that Seattle rain out of your fuse box and other sensitive underseat electrics.

 

Or be be the fool he is, and then blame your troubles on others.

[Enzo]

A fool is someone on a Guzzi who does not think that I could pass them at will.

[Steve G.]

As usual, Enzo's folly can be valuable as a lesson to know-it-all blowhards everywhere:

 

1) Do not re-wire your whole bike using cheap switches and plastic wire nuts from Home Depot and expect it to be reliable.

 

2) Do not remove the fender that keeps all that Seattle rain out of your fuse box and other sensitive underseat electrics.

 

Or be be the fool he is, and then blame your troubles on others.

I'm hoping that you guys are just buddies throwing jabs at each other. If that's not the case, I'd be telling Captain Nemo to go take a Flying F$@#. Deep Forest Abandonment Fiasco? Sounds like someone should stick a tire repair kit somewhere. I mean somewhere on the bike!!

Ciao, Steve G.

[dlaing]

I'm hoping that you guys are just buddies throwing jabs at each other. If that's not the case, I'd be telling Captain Nemo to go take a Flying F$@#. Deep Forest Abandonment Fiasco? Sounds like someone should stick a tire repair kit somewhere. I mean somewhere on the bike!!

Ciao, Steve G.

Steve, it is best to light up the "cigarette" before throwing gasoline on the camp fire...

I thought these guys had kissed and made up, but apparently not. Maybe a stronger drug then rasta of booze needs to be prescribed, like the maybe the Hooters thread!

[Ouiji Veck]

Everything is being made cheaper and cheaper. It's the new world odor.

All hail Bean Counter...the new messiah.

To try to save pennies by using wire that will "just" carry the load, or connectors

that are "adaquate" ....sheesh...they probably gave that guy a raise. Proclaming him

a true follower of "Bean Counter...the Magnificent"

hmmmm...too early to start drinking.......

[Greg Field]

A fool is someone on a Guzzi who does not think that I could pass them at will.

 

Is this a gauntlet throwdown, Cobra Boy?

 

Seattle to Ione and back via the North Cascades highway, as set up earlier. You've chickened out on this for what three years now?

 

I'll even take the Eldorado, so your humiliation will be utter and unequivocable and completely impervious to your usual weaseling words afterward. Or I'll take Billy Bob if you think the Super Eldo's anti-gravity pod gives me an unfair advantage.

 

Pick a date. I'll even take off work.

 

After all dyno charts mean nothing on the open road. Plus, I know all the dyno guys in this town. Every one of them will "swing" and "smooth" a dyno chart if a paying customer asks. And I have it on unimpeachable authority that you did just this on one of the past dyno charts you trotted out here. I'll find out if you did it this time, too . . .

[g.forrest]

please keep keep us informed of the impending challenge...

[Baldini]

...You've chickened out on this for what three years now?...

 

Enzo does right to ignore your foolishness. Racing on the open road proves nothing except how little regard you have for life - your's or others'. Could you not arrange to settle this matter on the racetrack?

 

KB

[Greg Field]

Lardenzo races all the time on the road, as he has repeatedly said here ad nauseum.

 

Remember the CBR guy who "was in full leathers and sponsored" (who in actuality was in sneakers and jeans) on the way to his "abandonment" at the Deep Forest?

 

It's just me who he will not race.

 

So, Baldini, you needn't make excuses for the mighty Enzo and his Cobra; he is the Valentino Rossi of making excuses and of blaming others for his own shortcomings as a man and as a rider. I am tired of his continual "shots across the bow" and then "bravely turned his tail and ran" tactics. It's time to force the inevitable . . .

[Enzo]

After all dyno charts mean nothing on the open road. Plus, I know all the dyno guys in this town. Every one of them will "swing" and "smooth" a dyno chart if a paying customer asks. And I have it on unimpeachable authority that you did just this on one of the past dyno charts you trotted out here. I'll find out if you did it this time, too . . .

 

There are way too many topics and issues here to force into my tiny brain. I have no idea what you are talking about. The last dyno was two years ago and I got 84 hp on a very hot day. I think he adjusted for sea level - which in Seattle amounts to about 35 feet. This time I got 89 and was trying to break 90. The guy said to me, "I can make it read whatever you want." I told him I just wanted it to be accurate. What use is it to me to make up a reading if I am trying to compare to last time? He doesn't like our low powered twins when he is used to testing Hyabusas and race car engines. He scoffs at all of this. Why would I pay $300 bucks to come here to lie to you? I just want my bike to run correctly.

 

As for racing out in hillbilly country past blind corners and driveways and moose and moss - you are the master of that madness. I have already called you the 'Ghost Rider of Whiskey Ridge.' That sort of racing is just going to kill you one day. But when the road opens up to some semblance of visual safety, I'm hard to beat. You think my Cobra was fairly strong at MSH? It was NOTHING compared to now. It was WAY out of tune with a bad pipe. You should see the top end now.

 

As for the guy with the 'racing leathers.' He did have a leather jacket that had a private racing logo stitched into it. He was a very smooth rider so I know he raced. I could tell. I suspect he wasn't trying that hard due to the short pants, but I think he was amused and a bit impressed that our ratty twins could hang with him at a spirited pace. That's all I've said about it.

[Greg Field]

What I do on MSH is "sport-touring" pace, not in any way racing. I can keep that same pace on a 30-year-old bagger like the Eldo. It doesn't even raise the pulse. And I am not a fast rider. You should ride with the SoCal Guzzi boys sometime if you want to see fast.

 

As for the dyno, the account I heard from someone who was also there differs from yours. Knowing what I know about you and about him, I believe his. As for the "what use . . ." I don't know. You'll have to look inward for that answer.

 

As for the logos, do you assume everyone with "Repsol" on his jacket is Nicky Hayden?

[Enzo]

You sound cranky. I think you need a drink. Someone told me you're on the wagon and this could account for all of the nitpicking. I'm glad you have been updating your FBI profile on me with Vance, but all I could remember from my dyno of two years ago was that he did not have software for my old PC and he couldn't give me a real map. He just eyeballed it some. I remember he adjusted the chart for sea level. I can't remember anything else as far as temperature or anything goes. I thought you ought to make all these dynos conform to some sort of standard. I don't know why not.

 

The racing guy had the name of a private racing team on his coat. I was the one right behind him, and in front of him, so I got a good look.

 

I consider your 'sport touring' pace a little unsafe. You win that category for sure. In fact I have said so many times. I am not willing to take those risks on almost every blind turn. Sure, there are people who are fast who are mental. Our reverend Peas and Corn is an example. Even when he beat me at Green Valley, it was because I was having shifting issues at the time and flat out missed two gears on a corner as he swept by. Up until then both he and Jim (?) followed for a long time. We dragged once, and my V11 pulled away from his Beemer. Another time I rode with him I could only follow from behind as we wove in and out of busy highway traffic at 120 mph in the rain - and drunk. Yea, he wins. Fine. That boy ain't right.

 

I just have a rule I try to follow - don't go faster than you can see. I often break that rule when you are around. I have another rule: don't ride drunk. But here again, I often break this one trying to meet with the local FBI cabal at the Buckaroo. But you should know that when the road is good, the view is wide and clear - yea, I can ride with anyone. Right now the Guzzi is a fierce redline hog. I would like to be down there again. AND, I am faster on the Krypto, anyway. I'm sure the So. Cal. boys would find that I could stay in the group - ifin they aren't mental. If I brought the Krypto and the roads were good -what- they are going to stay behind me on a Lemans? On the Krypto I ride comfortably with the R1 boys.