Subject: Re: Guzzi Myth... (long)
Author: Charles Mullendore
Date: Jul 25, 2001, 5:26 PM
Post ID: 1707642559
Hi Paul and all,
My own 42 lira worth...
I've rode my '69 Ambo just under 20,000 miles now and it has only let me
down once. Went on a breakfast ride with some CMA members one Saturday into
nearby WV. As we rounded a gentle curve the engine went dead. A little
roadside multimeter work proved the ignition coil to be the culprit. The
one ignition part I didn't have with me - didn't figure that a one month
old U.S. made coil would fail so quickly. Once a Bosch "blue coil" was
installed it ran and continues to run great.
Met my buddy Dan this past Sunday for breakfast in Hancock, MD. His own
Eldo had over 70k on it prior to the recent top-end rebuild we did. He left
last year after the WV Rally and made a 12k loop of the U.S. with only two
problems - a broken clutch cable and a timing chain. He replaced the timing
chain (with parts Joe Eish next day aired to him) in a motel parking lot.
The rest of the trip it was stone reliable.
Anyway, after breakfast, we rode a little over 60 miles before he had to
head back to Winchester,VA. Met up with my brother on his Ducati 907ie in
Martinsburg, WV
and rode the rest of the day down into the Shenandoah Valley of VA. Almost
all back roads (this is the way I "tour" most frequently) with lots of
great scenery, twisty mountain passes and hardly any traffic. On RT.211
from Luray,VA to Sperryville,VA it's all curves up and over the Skyline
Drive. I was revving the old Ambo much higher than normal in an effort to
keep my brother from falling asleep behind me. It never missed a beat and
actually seemed to enjoy the pace as much as I did. Total for the day was
325 miles.
Even if my '69 is 32 years old and has nearly 60k on it, I still ride it
without trepidation. It has been more reliable than any other Guzzi except
the '86 LeMans I used to own (it's only failure was a front brake switch).
It still has all of the original electrical equipment, no relays have been
added. At the WNY Rally my headlight low beam wouldn't work. Once I
tightened up a bayonet connection inside the headlight it worked fine.
That's it for electrical problems. Tight, clean connections protected with
dielectric grease and switches with clean contacts and the same protection
are all it takes.
A little 20/20 hindsight here: maybe the 10 grand would have been better
spent to have Mark at Moto Guzzi Classics or Moe at Cycle Garden build you
exactly what you wanted? Hope you can get the bike you have sorted and
reliable as soon as possible. These bikes are just so much more enjoyable
than anything else. Cheers,
Charlie
3 Ambos
2 Cagiva Alarossas
1 BMW ('77 R100RS)
Paul Beaulieu wrote:
| ============================================================ Hot. Cool. And FREE. Get outrageously awesome offers on stuff you want emailed direct. http://click.topica.com/caaacgGb1dfltb2BLYza/TopOffers ============================================================ Every one talks about the wonderful Moto Guzzi and it's indestructable motor ..But what about the rest of the bike ? I am used to my old R90/6 , just put gas and go. Just like a car . Last year I traded it in on a "total restored " eldorado from Harpers,and that was the begining of constant problems ..no not the motor but all the rest .....Just like an old british bike. Does anyone on this page actualy have a reliable loopframe that is sutable for touring? Me I have just about had enof... next year I will ride insted of fixing ..anyone want to swap a BMW for an eldo?? "crome dont get you home" paul beaulieu |