Subject: Introduction
Author: Bruce Giller
Date: Jul 21, 2000, 5:20 AM
Post ID: 1701504059
I meet my Eldo 5 years ago in Albany, NY. I drove up from Takoma Park,
Md to Albany and back in one day in my '79 Chevy pickup. On the way up,
the bed was empty, on the way back the bed was occupied by a red 1972
Eldorado. It had a Wixom fairing and hardbags, a Travelcade King/Queen
seat (original in a bag), luggage rack and small sissy bar. I spent
that winter overhauling it for it had sat for many a year without anyone
paying any attention to it; the clutch was oiled up due to a leaky
tranny seal. At least it was stored inside all that time. I got to
know the construction of the bike quite well - even got to make a few
Guzzi tools.
Recently I had the Travelcade seat replaced with a Rich Maund seat
which served my wife and I extremely well on our trip out West. 10 hour
days were normal and neither of us had sore a**s.....well not until the
end of the trip. The Eldo performed flawlessly (ok, just one burp after
a gas fillup which I attribute to bad gas) even in pouring rain where
all I could see was the white line on the side of the road. But I was
leaking oil from the front seal and the right side cylinder base (a new
seal and Speedi-Sleeve for the front and new gaskets and O-rings for the
cylinder should take care of them) - had to fill up with a quart every
two days. Left side exhaust nut vibrated loose (have new style nuts
from MI) and lost the two front turn signal lights (filaments broke).
Not much going wrong on a 28 year old bike on such a long trip.
I found a auto parts/repair place in Boise City, OK which lent me a
chain ViseGrip to tighten the exhaust nut. The head mech. asked what
kind of bike and I said Moto Guzzi. He replied that he hasn't seen one
of them for years...and do they still make them? I said they sure do
and told me about the different models.
On the trip, I noticed that both of my fuel petcocks weep a bit. I
know that you can no longer get replacement rubber bits for these
petcocks (Guzziology suggests to replace them with new style petcocks).
But I like the old style design (almost like the terrible handlebar
controls) and I want to keep them. The only rubber bit to be replaced
in the petcock is a large rubber disc with two holes. I was thinking of
making up some new ones but out of what kind of material ... and where
to find it. Any ideas of what kind I should use?
Bruce
'72 Eldo