Moto Guzzi Adventure Sports Bike

[Paul in NZ]

Very limited edition, only one eve made, in fact I just made it (or am making it - its a work in progress)

As some of you know and none of you care, a sudden onset health issue seemed to mean riding my beloved Moto Guzzi LeMans Mk2 was going to be imposible or at least rather dangerous... So - despite helpful offers to take it off my hands I retreated to the mancave and started whacking it with hammers.....

The handlebar suppliers of NZ (ventura) seem to have decided I'm a real cunt and deserve no quarter which is true but I still cannot figure out how they knew? Despite the recession and offers of cash the bastards have remainled resolute so I had to get sneaky!

The britsh Velo type ones were rejected, so nearly 'right', look gorgeous but just didn't work with the furniture... Damn.. A Moto Velo seemed a grand idea...

The drag bars were also close but too many compromises and, well, they really looked ODD! (I'll keep them for project X)

What to do? I measured and designed a set and maybe the dudes making them, maybe not, email expertise seems not to be his thing... I remain hopeful!

In the meanwhile - oh deary me what have i done.... A set of cheap steel MX bars that are too wide and too high but oddly - work... The rear sets got sent to a loon in the USA and he sent me most of some std pegs and some other bits got donated from friends (lets hope the handlebar guys never alert them to my true status)

So - now I have a Moto Guzzi Lemans adventure/MX bike with a close ratio gearbox - rock on... Now, where are those pannier racks....

[The Pastor]

Pics or it didnt happen

[Motu]

Take a peek at my profile pic to see how it's done on a BMW.

[dangerous]

Very limited edition...
PAUL... what ya up to :2thumbsup

[Paul in NZ]

Pics or it didnt happen

Oh it happened all right... I'm too damn lazy to push the car out (and it's COLD) and take a proper picture..

This is not the final effort anyways

[dangerous]

Oh it happened all right... I'm too damn lazy to push the car out (and it's COLD) and take a proper picture..

This is not the final effort anyways

OHHHHH... is that all, new bars... here i was thinking ya ripped the tank open and added 20lt extra, through 18" knobles on it and raised the supension by 3 feet :banana:

[Paul in NZ]

OHHHHH... is that all, new bars... here i was thinking ya ripped the tank open and added 20lt extra, through 18" knobles on it and raised the supension by 3 feet :banana:


I'm not finished yet....

[Ocean1]

Looks perfectly natural to me.

Needs bark busters. :niceone:

[dangerous]

Looks perfectly natural to me.

Needs bark busters. :niceone:
please 'dont' incourage him...

[Genestho]

OHHHHH... is that all, new bars... here i was thinking ya ripped the tank open and added 20lt extra, through 18" knobles on it and raised the supension by 3 feet :banana:

LOL! Yea, those photos were not at all what I expected!!!! Thank Christ!!! LOL

[Elysium]

Instrument console looks like it came from an aircraft.

[dangerous]

Instrument console looks like it came from an aircraft.
stock mk2... gota love it aye?

[Elysium]

stock mk2... gota love it aye?

Perhaps salvaged from an early model Goldwing?:banana::banana:

[dangerous]

Perhaps salvaged from an early model Goldwing?:banana::banana:
piss off... mk2 was out wall before the goldie :2thumbsup

[Kickaha]

piss off... mk2 was out wall before the goldie :2thumbsup

I didn't realise the the MK2 was in production in 1975

[mnkyboy]

Oh it happened all right... I'm too damn lazy to push the car out (and it's COLD) and take a proper picture..

This is not the final effort anyways

Nice work

Whats the little thing next to it?

[dangerous]

I didn't realise the the MK2 was in production in 1975
here we go again... just gota get a bash in were ever you can, yes I know the wings were out well before the mk2, alas Im am refering to the wings with fancy dash's not two round diles and a few idiot lights

[Paul in NZ]

Instrument console looks like it came from an aircraft.

Well most people think the engine came from a biplane so thats fair enough!

[Paul in NZ]

Nice work

Whats the little thing next to it?


Vickis Suzuki A100/AC50 hybrid waiting for me to get to it - apparently a seat made from insulation tape and rust is not suitable for milady....

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1258506&postcount=78

It has a few other issues as well but it's more fun than a queer gerbil down yer trousers on a shrove tuesday before lent...

[Paul in NZ]

Perhaps salvaged from an early model Goldwing?:banana::banana:

Well the Mk2 has it's quirks...

It has many improvements over the Mk1 that make it a better bike over all BUT somehow it lost the raw edge that made the Mk1 such a cult classic. I think it was a classic case of a maker listening to their customers and giving them what they said they wanted....

The Mk3 saw a swing back to a more minimalist approach with many other technical improvements and was perhaps the best of the lot. The Mk4 was not a great leap forwards but the improved version, the Mk5 was much more popular hence the odd numbered lemans are the desireable ones (in theory) and the even numbers languish!

However, the Mk2 is a wonderful sports tourer and a not very good pure sports bike. The fairing is very effective and it's possible to clock up big miles behind it. It has a volt meter (essential italian reading) and a clock which is something all gentlemens motorcycles must have. So why the changes?

The nose cone and dash on the Mk2 make it very heavy steering compared to a Mk1. Just pushing it around the shed is a chore transformed if you remove it. Steering it with the clip onls like that is a pain. My bike is a super dooper one (of course) because it has a magic ZD close ration straight cut gearbox which just about doubles it's worth (I kid you not) and it came with odd rear sets which made it uber sporty but crowded our feet 2 up (which is it's primary use)... So, standard feet bits and wider bars mean better sports tourer and maybe we will have room for proper panniers (sitting on the suzuki) making for a classic sports tourer of immense character and fun!

This is the theory anyway!

[Paul in NZ]

LOL! Yea, those photos were not at all what I expected!!!! Thank Christ!!! LOL

Glad I can still shock....

[mnkyboy]

Vickis Suzuki A100/AC50 hybrid waiting for me to get to it - apparently a seat made from insulation tape and rust is not suitable for milady....

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1258506&postcount=78

It has a few other issues as well but it's more fun than a queer gerbil down yer trousers on a shrove tuesday before lent...


So I'm assuming it's not for sale ;)

[Genestho]

Glad I can still shock....

LOL! SORRY! Hope I didn't offend! There was a w.t.f moment until I scrolled down!!!

When you were talking about people asking if the engine came out of a bi-plane, I remember reading somewhere that two 750cc Guzzi engines were powering a Surveillance Drone Engine, a wee Hunter?

[AllanB]

Cool - man your shed looks like it has more shit in it than mine :2thumbsup

[Padmei]

Pah where's the bashplate? BTW looking at the pics - are you a customs agent?

[Paul in NZ]

Pah where's the bashplate? BTW looking at the pics - are you a customs agent?

No - secret agent.....

bugger....:argh:

[Paul in NZ]

LOL! SORRY! Hope I didn't offend! There was a w.t.f moment until I scrolled down!!!

When you were talking about people asking if the engine came out of a bi-plane, I remember reading somewhere that two 750cc Guzzi engines were powering a Surveillance Drone Engine, a wee Hunter?

Pfft - you have to try harder to offend me... I work with pro's

[Paul in NZ]

So I'm assuming it's not for sale ;)

Nope - quite the opposite - I'd like more of them...

[dangerous]

When you were talking about people asking if the engine came out of a bi-plane, I remember reading somewhere that two 750cc Guzzi engines were powering a Surveillance Drone Engine, a wee Hunter?
or the W3 guzzi engine :2thumbsup
yes Guzzi engines were used in un maned aircraft...

[Genestho]

or the W3 guzzi engine :2thumbsup
yes Guzzi engines were used in un maned aircraft...

Holy Heck! Thankyou DD!

[Dodgyiti]

Nope - quite the opposite - I'd like more of them...

Good boy!:shifty:

Pretty mild custom so far Paul, come on, get stuck in there!

As mentioned, bash plate- then ditch the front mudguard, ditch the fairings (then tell people when they see it - you did all this to a genuine Mk1 for fun), bark busters and the headlight an wee fairing from a late model trailie or at least mesh grille the original one.

I'm so proud of you :hug:

Ya could of sold her and taken some late model soft cock option...

[Paul in NZ]

Tamed it down a bit today with some lower bars, not quite enough pull back but very good fitting and excellent quality alloy bars.

[dangerous]

Good boy!:shifty:

Pretty mild custom so far Paul, come on, get stuck in there!

As mentioned, bash plate- then ditch the front mudguard, ditch the fairings (then tell people when they see it - you did all this to a genuine Mk1 for fun), bark busters and the headlight an wee fairing from a late model trailie or at least mesh grille the original one.

I'm so proud of you :hug:

Ya could of sold her and taken some late model soft cock option...

AHHHHHHH... you bloody butcher wrecker of guzzies you you you freaking AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... its a mint mk2 man, LMFAO get a grip Paul for the love of Guzzi :Punk:

[Paul in NZ]

AHHHHHHH... you bloody butcher wrecker of guzzies you you you freaking AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... its a mint mk2 man, LMFAO get a grip Paul for the love of Guzzi :Punk:

Actually its more stock now than ever - only the handlebars are different, used to have rear sets etc and guess what, it's a much nicer bike to ride now - MUCH nicer. Guzzi left those handlebar clamps there for a reason methinks...

[Dodgyiti]

Guzzi left those handlebar clamps there for a reason methinks...

Yeah, they were too tight to mill them off the SP top clamp so they hid them behind the foam dash pad- design coup.
:laugh:
Dan- Paul is the yin to my yang. He beautifys whilst I butcher. Now where is my cleaver?

Paul- want me to post that fork brace back to you- could look good in place of the front mudguard with a mesh cover over it? It will sure up the front end now you have heaps of leverage through the wide bars.

[nudemetalz]

Doesn’t matter how you customise it to fit yourself, Paul.
It will still rock side to side at idle and therefore be a Guzzi !!

[SDU]

AHHHHHHH... you bloody butcher wrecker of guzzies you you you freaking AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... its a mint mk2 man, LMFAO get a grip Paul for the love of Guzzi :Punk:

HTFU it's what being a true guzzist is all about:laugh:

[dangerous]

HTFU it's what being a true guzzist is all about:laugh: :( geee i was just taking the piss... :shifty:

[nudemetalz]

:( geee i was just taking the piss... :shifty:

You don't ever do that, do you DD ? :laugh:

[Dodgyiti]

:( geee i was just taking the piss... :shifty:

Yeah, I know it too.

When I butcher my Guzzis I use the phrase "Lighter + Smarter = Faster"
It is on a sign above my tools in the man shed.
And that is one thing Mr Dangerous can agree with.
My customisations may look like a shallow attempt to just make things shiny (and they end up looking like that because that is what I like - pimping my rides) but underlying that is light weight, adjustable suspension, electronics, improved combustion, better brakes etc etc.
I did hold out some hope Paul would keep his standard to counter all my doings, but heck, if it means riding it or not riding it- then all power to him!