Moto Guzzi Special

Local man Mark's Guzzi is getting close to finally being finished and probably would have been if we hadn't been chasing a electrical issue which I thought was a faulty new battery. To cut a long story short it turns out that even though checks on the alternator stator seemed to show that it was all ok it would now seem,after swopping for another used stator, that the original item wasn't. The charge light is finally working and the battery has stopped self discharging.
   I feel that the helpfulness of the company who advertise on Ebay as 'Tayna - batteries' needs to be mentioned as they were very quick to reply to my emails with suggestions.  They offer batteries at a very reasonable price with ultra fast next day delivery - order before 4pm and get it next day

   Nearly but not quite finished 

Glemseck Sprint

I quite like the look of this event - only 1/8 th mile run -  and think that maybe the effort should be made to go....... maybe next year? 

   Having watched a few different You Tube videos of it I'm quite surprised,especially for a country like Germany, at the lack of protective clothing - lots of open face helmets and denim jeans in use 

Nailsea Bike Show 2016 photo's

I went along to the show on Saturday for an hour or so and the sun shone which makes a change.
   The show was in full swing by the time I got there with bikes constantly coming and going. Apart from visiting bikes there were a number parked in front of the pub which were on display with another 40+ in the pubs rear garden.
   Most of the bikes that I liked were the older 'Classics' but here are a few pics of what were generally there.

NUT motorcycle of early 1900's
Newcastle Upon Tyne

Always had a soft spot for Sunbeam S7's styling.
Maybe it's because of the big balloon tyres which were lost
on the later S8

All of  the next pics are of visiting bikes

Moto Guzzi Cafe Racer

I've had the Cafe Racer style bike on the road only since the start of September due to DVLA document detail changes which took approx 5 weeks. 
   My initial feelings are that it feels pretty quick,especially off the line for a old Guzzi with carbs, feels quite light too and it'd be nice to get it weighed properly. 
   It's all part of the shakedown test but I've had some initial concerns from the gearbox that I shimmed and built but it seems to be settling in nicely with mostly slick gear changes etc. The alloy tank was moving about a bit and so different tank rubbers have had to be tried especially on the r/h side..........part of the potential problem with such handmade items I guess.
   A minor hiccup at the moment is that after a few hundred running in miles it's started to run on one cylinder. Turn it off and back on again and it immediately fires up on two and runs fine. I'm thinking that possibly the Elektronik Sachse crank mounted ign is particularly sensitive to not quite perfect connections.

11OO Sport engine fitted with Kehin FCR 41 carbs and a Elektronik Sachse crank mounted ignition.The engine also benefits from previously being fitted with Carrillo rods and being balanced.

 I have fitted new piston rings and had new valve guides fitted and seats re-cut.

I hand filed - as previously done on a couple of my previous bikes - the cyl head and barrel fins.

 I swopped over the shorter of the two down pipes and had the other modified to suit so they don't stick out forward so far as standard.

 The exhaust balance section was made by local man, Steve, the same chap who modified my frame .

 The silencers are Keihin Conti replicas with modified angled bends to suit.

 Rebuilt and shimmed gearbox.

Modified standard new loom with everything mounted under the tank - small coils,fusebox, relays and ignition box.

 I have retained the linked braking system as I'm a fan of it, but to clean up the lines of the frame have moved the splitter to under the seat and the reservoir under the hump - previously did this once before on the Cafe Racer that went to Australia.

 My friend Martin made the alloy front and rear disc carriers.

Laverda Paioli forks to try and keep with the Italian theme.

Laverda rear caliper mount as previously used on a few occassions 

 Stainless front mudguard stays made to suit.

Alloy shear plate mount fitted between frame and engine / gearbox

 Alloy battery plate

S/S battery tray to suit small Lithium battery

 Fairing - cut down 'Harris' Imola

Fibreglass seat unit made for a Guzzi? but not wide enough so I cut it down the middle and added a section in.

led  indicators inset into fairing and rear frame rails

Alloy tank - the Tank Shop - but bought from my friend Richard who decided not to go ahead with his project.

Other bits and pieces

This should give a few friends a laugh.......

.............. one of my cards received today.

Robot Wars

I don't think that this is much competition for the eye operating robot shown on the BBC news this morning or even as a new threat for The Fantastic Four, but I couldn't help be slightly fascinated, the other day, watching our neighbours latest addition to his garden shed.

Moto Guzzi V7 Sport

Here are some pics of my first ever Guzzi purchased around 92' / 93'  I bought it from a chap called John who was,as you can see from the first pics, heavily into his Guzzi's at the time. He has over fairly recent years sold all of his  bikes,spares tools etc and now builds up vintage Norton singles from parts acquired at autojumbles.

My first viewing of what was to become my first Guzzi

The Guzzi lived under a canvas cover either in this unofficial car park opposite our flat
or out on the road

   I occasionally call in on him when travelling near his home close to Evesham though must admit it's been a few years since I did that .
    I think that I paid £1850 for it and a couple of years later I struggled to sell it for the advertised £2,250. This wan't helped by a number of other V7 Sports being offered for sale at similar money around the same time. I ended up swopping it for a Guzzi Special at Jack Lilley's London.
  Even though I used it regularly (even through the winter) for my weekly commute to Coventry and it lived outside it was actually in a tidier more polished condition than when I bought it!