Warren
2
Honda 1968 CB160=> 40 other bikes =>2010 NT700V. All were three, four or 5 speeds. Never had a 6 speed or thought I needed one.
2014 fjr1300 es
- Thread starter Mellow
- Start date
Though not the additional weight associated with those extra ponies.
I test rode a 94 ST1100 in 95 , or 96. I was on a Trans alp ath the time for a primary mount, I almost bought the ST on the spot , but decided to go home at noon after returning from the ride. Bike was low milage, non frakled and clean like showroom condition. After thinking about it for most of the afternoon I went back to the shop and ALAS, it was gone. another one never rolled around that intereste me. I think if I ran into a good clean low milage one today I would have to give it serious consideration if the price were. The first sport tourer was a 2000 Conie, a fine bike but mine wantd the valves adjusted evry 6,000 miles and that became a hassel to me next came the GL1800 and then the NT.
Eldon
Eldon
I was always hunting for another gear on the NT. I do so on the Guzzi too. I almost got a higher rear end gearset for the Guzzi but don't want the higher 1st gear. So, I suffer with it. One of these days will get a bigger motor for the Guzzi (the 1100 is same size/wt as the 850).
Charlie, does that mean that the 1100 is a bolt-in replacement for the 850?
Yes. Direct. From the introduction of the Tonti frame (850T) to 2004, Guzzi made a big block and small block. The big blocks were 850 to 1100 and all shared the same case. The 5sp tranny was the same as well. The small blocks were 350-750. There were minor variations in heads and cylinders but all can be cross fitted. That's one reason why parts are fairly easy to come by.
Or, I could get an automatic transmission and fit it, just bolts up.
Or, the Griso engine can be refitted with a bit of work on the frame mounts.
Or the DOHC Daytona/Centauro engines. Or add FI, either single throttle body or dual. Various sizes of carbs. Different head/piston combinations, etc etc.
You can go from stock power up to about 120hp with a hot rodded engine (a bit higher with the DOHC models). Not bad for a 2valve engine with pushrods and rockers.
Or, I could get an automatic transmission and fit it, just bolts up.
Or, the Griso engine can be refitted with a bit of work on the frame mounts.
Or the DOHC Daytona/Centauro engines. Or add FI, either single throttle body or dual. Various sizes of carbs. Different head/piston combinations, etc etc.You can go from stock power up to about 120hp with a hot rodded engine (a bit higher with the DOHC models). Not bad for a 2valve engine with pushrods and rockers.
I might have told this before, but in 2000, I was on my way home from the Concours Owners Group Natiional "Rolling Rally" in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I'd stopped to visit an aunt and uncle in Winfield, KS, and was leaving to head west to Medicine Lodge, KS, to spend the night. I was buying gas when a little old man tottered across behind my bike and looked at the license plate.
"Colorado!" he quavered, "I rode my motorcycle aaallll over Colorado!" "Really," I said, "when was that?" thinking he'd probably say something like "1948."
"Last summer," he answered. "OK," I said, "what kind of motorcycle do you have?"
"A Motor Guzzi," he said.
I told him I loved Moto Guzzis and he told me had had one he was restoring in his shop downtown and asked if I wanted to see it.
I did, so I followed him to his jewelry shop (he'd quit the jewelry business but kept the shop). He was restoring an 850 of some sort from the late 60s. He had everything but the engine there at the shop. The engine was off being powder-coated, IIRC.
The next year when I was back visiting my aunt and uncle I called him and met him and saw the bike he'd been working on and the one he toured Colorado on. The bike he'd toured Colorado on was called a "Convert" (is that right?) and had an automatic transmission and bags. The one he'd been restoring was (maybe) an El Dorado. Plus he and his son had a barn full of the old Italian-built Harley Davidsons, about 10 old Triumphs needing restoration and even five or six Nortons. They were just finishing the restoration of a '49 Harley.
He died before I ever got back to visit him again -- seems like he'd been in his early 80s when I met him.
He also did repairs and restorations on gauges from old agricultural and stationary steam engines. My aunt showed me an article about him that had been in the Winfield newspaper that didn't even mention his motorcycle stuff. He was quite a guy.
"Colorado!" he quavered, "I rode my motorcycle aaallll over Colorado!" "Really," I said, "when was that?" thinking he'd probably say something like "1948."
"Last summer," he answered. "OK," I said, "what kind of motorcycle do you have?"
"A Motor Guzzi," he said.
I told him I loved Moto Guzzis and he told me had had one he was restoring in his shop downtown and asked if I wanted to see it.
I did, so I followed him to his jewelry shop (he'd quit the jewelry business but kept the shop). He was restoring an 850 of some sort from the late 60s. He had everything but the engine there at the shop. The engine was off being powder-coated, IIRC.
The next year when I was back visiting my aunt and uncle I called him and met him and saw the bike he'd been working on and the one he toured Colorado on. The bike he'd toured Colorado on was called a "Convert" (is that right?) and had an automatic transmission and bags. The one he'd been restoring was (maybe) an El Dorado. Plus he and his son had a barn full of the old Italian-built Harley Davidsons, about 10 old Triumphs needing restoration and even five or six Nortons. They were just finishing the restoration of a '49 Harley.
He died before I ever got back to visit him again -- seems like he'd been in his early 80s when I met him.
He also did repairs and restorations on gauges from old agricultural and stationary steam engines. My aunt showed me an article about him that had been in the Winfield newspaper that didn't even mention his motorcycle stuff. He was quite a guy.
Yep, the Converts were the automatics, two speed slushboxes.
And, yes, the Loop frame bikes were Ambassdors and Eldorados. Mid-70's models. Some police departments used them, including LA and AZ state police. They were 750 and 850. Later Eldos had front disk brakes. Some had reverse shift patterns and were 4sp.
The Tonti (850T) came to be as a racing project. They needed a stiffer frame. Survived that way until the late 90's when the monoshock spine frame bikes came to be (Daytonas). The LeMans V11 series carried that on until the more modern stuff (Breva and Norge) came to be.
And, yes, the Loop frame bikes were Ambassdors and Eldorados. Mid-70's models. Some police departments used them, including LA and AZ state police. They were 750 and 850. Later Eldos had front disk brakes. Some had reverse shift patterns and were 4sp.
The Tonti (850T) came to be as a racing project. They needed a stiffer frame. Survived that way until the late 90's when the monoshock spine frame bikes came to be (Daytonas). The LeMans V11 series carried that on until the more modern stuff (Breva and Norge) came to be.
I have always admired and wanted to ride a Guzzi. Love the sound of the pushrod twin.
Charlie, you have about convinced me to give a Guzzi a try, just to say that I have done it! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of Moto Guzzi's.
Charlie, you have about convinced me to give a Guzzi a try, just to say that I have done it! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of Moto Guzzi's.
Be careful Tim. Many who have tried them become addicted Like me
Snort, buck, shake. Especially the sideways shake. And on the older ones like mine the distinct "shaft jacking" when you take off.
Most of the 80's and 90's versions have linked brakes as well, which I have come to like on the road.
If I ever get another newer bike it will be a Stelvio.
If you want more information than you can stand www.wildguzzi.com and www.guzzitech.com And there are smaller groups for the spine frames and loop frames.
Like me Snort, buck, shake. Especially the sideways shake. And on the older ones like mine the distinct "shaft jacking" when you take off.
Most of the 80's and 90's versions have linked brakes as well, which I have come to like on the road.
If I ever get another newer bike it will be a Stelvio.
If you want more information than you can stand www.wildguzzi.com and www.guzzitech.com And there are smaller groups for the spine frames and loop frames.
Just checked, or did they need adjusting each time?
I was constantly going for a 6th gear on my '84 GPz750 when I first bought it.
My '99 Connies didn't need valves adjusted every time I checked them and after about 45-50,000 miles, I started doing adjustment checks at 10,000 miles. It seems like every 2nd or 3rd check I'd adjust 2-3 valves.
After one of my knee replacement surgeries, I had a local mechanic I trusted do one of my 10K services (when the bike had a bit over 100,000 miles). He called me and told me that my intake cam needed replacing. I wasn't up and about yet so I didn't go check the cam, but just told him to do what he thought it needed. So he replaced the cam and the rockers on the intake side.
When I got able to get up, I went out and looked at the old cam and I don't really think it needed replacement. Connie cams were semi-famous for getting pitted, but it usually didn't affect their function or their longevity. I think that cam would have lasted a long time.
The new cam was (presumably) still fine when I totaled the bike at 115,000 miles.
After one of my knee replacement surgeries, I had a local mechanic I trusted do one of my 10K services (when the bike had a bit over 100,000 miles). He called me and told me that my intake cam needed replacing. I wasn't up and about yet so I didn't go check the cam, but just told him to do what he thought it needed. So he replaced the cam and the rockers on the intake side.
When I got able to get up, I went out and looked at the old cam and I don't really think it needed replacement. Connie cams were semi-famous for getting pitted, but it usually didn't affect their function or their longevity. I think that cam would have lasted a long time.
The new cam was (presumably) still fine when I totaled the bike at 115,000 miles.
John,
Mine needed the adjustment, I was in the shop several times observing the work being done. I know Phil never had that problem and a lot of others claimed not to. I bought mine use with about 2500 miles if my memory serves me correctly. My other complaint with it was tha every time it got a parking lot drop it would break a foot peg at a cost of around $100.00. I was running about 2500 to 3500 miles per month and that maint on the valves was killing meIf I had been only riding 5 -600 mile per month it would have been acceptable maybe, other than those two discrepancies it was fine, 45-55 MPG ETCI had a Rocky Mayer seat on it , upgraded windshield, Heli bars complete bar set , and a custom Bill McAvan 3 gallon fuel cell.
In hind sight I should have spent the extra money and had a ST1100. Of course as we know, hind-sight is just that. I sold it and got most of my initial investment in it back less the farkles other than I later did get the 3 gall fuel cell back for a nominal fee.
Eldon
I rode two LD rallies on the connie with no problems, , One other problem with it too much aggressive braking and the rear end would try to pass up the front, thus when I went to the GL 1800 I did go for ABS brakes.
Mine needed the adjustment, I was in the shop several times observing the work being done. I know Phil never had that problem and a lot of others claimed not to. I bought mine use with about 2500 miles if my memory serves me correctly. My other complaint with it was tha every time it got a parking lot drop it would break a foot peg at a cost of around $100.00. I was running about 2500 to 3500 miles per month and that maint on the valves was killing meIf I had been only riding 5 -600 mile per month it would have been acceptable maybe, other than those two discrepancies it was fine, 45-55 MPG ETCI had a Rocky Mayer seat on it , upgraded windshield, Heli bars complete bar set , and a custom Bill McAvan 3 gallon fuel cell.
In hind sight I should have spent the extra money and had a ST1100. Of course as we know, hind-sight is just that. I sold it and got most of my initial investment in it back less the farkles other than I later did get the 3 gall fuel cell back for a nominal fee.
Eldon
I rode two LD rallies on the connie with no problems, , One other problem with it too much aggressive braking and the rear end would try to pass up the front, thus when I went to the GL 1800 I did go for ABS brakes.
Eldon, after I put the tip-over bars on the Connie, I never broke another footpeg. I sure didn't stop dropping it. I was Connie Droppers Anonymous # 16a-m.
I never had the problem with the rear trying to pass the front either, but I had pretty soft pads on the rear brakes.
I never had the problem with the rear trying to pass the front either, but I had pretty soft pads on the rear brakes.