Subject: Honey, hold the mercury sticks...
Author: David Washburn
Date: May 26, 2003, 5:30 PM
Post ID: 1713143296
With the able assistance of the BW (the Bonster, as Chris Mitchell
refers to her) I fired up the Eldo/SP to dial in the new 36mm carbs.
There was much popping and spitting and I found it impossible to get a
decent idle. My helpmate had retreated to the front walk by the time I
discovered the cause. The right carb was half off the delrin intake.
Hmmm, maybe that big spitback with the orange ball of flame was to
blame. Fortunately my homemade foamy filters contained the blast of
fire without igniting.
I hopped on the bike for a victory lap and after periodic stops to
richen the idle and raise the slides the bike was running fantastic.
With the new 13mm master cylinder pumping the FO9 single caliper up
front it stopped as well as it ran. The one "panic" stop I tried on an
empty dry road proved only that my handlebars needed tightening, they
shifted a good four inches forward before I let up on the brake. A far
cry from the stiff lever of the stock 15mm pump.
The bike looks like it's ready for commuter duty once more. Tomorrow I
will run it over to John's Cycle to get an inspection sticker.
Many thanks to Gordon and Rick of MG Cycle, Wolfgang at All Italia and
the peerless parts purveyors at Mark Ethridge's Moto Guzzi Classics.
David in NYC