Moto Guzzis?

[Big Dave]

Yeah. Listen to that man - buy a Triumph. Bonneville.

[Road kill]

I have a mate that has a fairly new V7,,,I love it because my Saint runs circles around it.

And he's going to read this

[MotoKuzzi]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-605303349.htm

I love this. But are Guzzi's any more troublesome or expensive to live with than other makes?

.

I have owned a California for 6 years and managed to keep it on the road for about 2 of those due to drive shaft issues, which may have started as lack of lube by a previous owner but compounded by a lack of experience on my part.

Hint - if you remove the UJ for inspection - get an engineer to press it back in properly. If you don't and it don't sit square it will cause all manner of very expensive issues at the coupler, pinion shaft end.

I'm now very proficient at removing and lubing / replacing driveshafts and have a couple of spares ready to go. They can be resplined but unless you have an engineer mate the only piece worth resplining is the pinion shaft otherwise you're up for about $1400 for a matching crown wheel and pinion from Italy.

If you're not mechanically minded you need to be prepared to learn.

[Banditbandit]

I doubt anyone would reccomend a Lario as a good place to start with Moto Guzzis...

Most of them are sorted now but back when they were new seasoned technicians would hide behind scatter shields if someone ran an engine inside the workshop... Quite powerful for the engine size (back in the day) but the 4V head was a ghastly mistake. Two piece valves with too strong valve springs and a revvy nature left a lot of heart ache....

Fabulous bike once fully sorted and amazingly swift...

Thanks for the heads up - I've always loved the look of the Lario .. just beautiful ... but maybe not after what you say.

I love this - the sexiest motorcycle I have ever seen ... I want (unfortunately the wife says "sell one to pay for it" ...)

[98tls]

Worked at Uptown motorcycles when a younger fella,bloke that owned it was a Guzzi nut,the shop hack for awhile was a Spada which at 1st i thought was the ugliest motorcycle i had ever laid eyes on but after a few weekends away riding the thing i came to like..a lot,spent some time on a Sport as well,long as a truck but another bike i have fond memories of once i stopped trying to ride it like an inline 4.

[Paul in NZ]

Thanks for the heads up - I've always loved the look of the Lario .. just beautiful ... but maybe not after what you say.

I love this - the sexiest motorcycle I have ever seen ... I want (unfortunately the wife says "sell one to pay for it" ...)

Tonti framed big blocks come in 3 flavours. Small valve, mid valve and big valve... Mk4 and Mk5 use the big valve engine which is the most wear prone. Usually the valve guides go first.

From the factory they were fitted with amazingly strong return springs in the carbs and hence had a throttle action suitable only for over sexed steroid abusing gorrillas with a right handed masterbation fetish. Its an easy fix (lighter springs) or even better flat topped carbs.

Having said that - once a few little annoyances like this are sorted the Mk5 as you have shown, is a bloody good bike by anyones standards. Astonishingly rapid on the road and great pillion friendly sports bikes. They can be purchased cheaply these days. Look for the last of them which was the SE version....

[awa355]

.

I have owned a California for 6 years and managed to keep it on the road for about 2 of those due to drive shaft issues, which may have started as lack of lube by a previous owner but compounded by a lack of experience on my part.

Hint - if you remove the UJ for inspection - get an engineer to press it back in properly. If you don't and it don't sit square it will cause all manner of very expensive issues at the coupler, pinion shaft end.

I'm now very proficient at removing and lubing / replacing driveshafts and have a couple of spares ready to go. They can be resplined but unless you have an engineer mate the only piece worth resplining is the pinion shaft otherwise you're up for about $1400 for a matching crown wheel and pinion from Italy.

If you're not mechanically minded you need to be prepared to learn.

From many of the comments posted, I'm probably better to steer clear of a guzzi. I love the cafe styled Guzzi's but when I get back into a decent bike, I really wont have heaps of spare cash to keep a bike going. That minor technicality isn't going to stop me from looking tho.

[dangerous]

Don't lend him your bike, he may blame the tyres ...

Fuck,wish id seen that.First time i met him was at a stop just north of Kurow many years ago,when we set off he made a mint attempt at one wheel,was directly behind him as we set off and i swear i heard

Last time I saw him do a wheelie he fell on his arse

got a farking elefents memory you aye
fuck all 3 of ya's... happy now

From many of the comments posted, I'm probably better to steer clear of a guzzi. I love the cafe styled Guzzi's

fuck man... it dont get any easyer than a guzzi, basic as basic, dont be shy

This is not a California .. but it's very pretty ... and reasonable money too.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-602439763.htm

the problem child of the Guzzi's

I've always hankered after a Guzzi (Le Mans - 1994)

no LeMans between 91 and bout 2002, ya proberly mean a mk5

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-605303349.htm
I love this. But are Guzzi's any more troublesome or expensive to live with than other makes?

nothing wrong with em, less trouble than ya average jappa, pm jackel nice guy in ashburton he has one amoungest others, and just in case this lot try n tell ya a Guzzi and or shaftie cant whellie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve974...=TL_ihOy_frr4A

[nudemetalz]

Apparently, GN250 valaves can replace the 4V 650 head ones,...a good fix but you might want to keep it secret at the Guzzi Rally....

[Paul in NZ]

Apparently, GN250 valaves can replace the 4V 650 head ones,...a good fix but you might want to keep it secret at the Guzzi Rally....

You also need to replace the valave springs - the factory ones are stupidly strong and will wear everything out double quick.

There have been a few yanks and some europeans building up 750cc plus Lario's and getting very good results...

Don't be put off by Lario stories. Moto Guzzis are usually reliable and most of the inherent faults (if any) are well known and workarounds availiable. Great bikes - great community of riders.

[nudemetalz]

Ooops,..Valave...think of it as an Italian way of saying valve....

I always wondered they didn't make the new V7 series with an updated 4V head. Might give it a bit more urge than the 50-odd hp they make.
The Lario is reported to make 58hp.

[Paul in NZ]

Ooops,..Valave...think of it as an Italian way of saying valve....

I always wondered they didn't make the new V7 series with an updated 4V head. Might give it a bit more urge than the 50-odd hp they make.
The Lario is reported to make 58hp.

Because no one with a memory of earlier 4V small blocks would buy it...

The biggest 'problem' is the heron head on the small blocks. I guess its cheaper to make of something but they really strangle them. I suspect what they really need is a whole new OHC engine to be honest.

BUT - having 50hp isnt a problem in that bike.. The owners seem to like them.

[Big Dave]

I even like them. And 50hp is a wild exaggeration.

[nudemetalz]

Too true, Paul.

Actually, the time I had Mark from Scooterazzi's one for a couple of weeks I really enjoyed it also.
To contradict what I just said , it didn't feel that gutless. Mind you, his had some lovely sounding Neptunes on it

Being relatively light helps.

[Paul in NZ]

I even like them. And 50hp is a wild exaggeration.

Cough.... yup......