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Chuck, thanks for more excellent story-time, I love it. Hey, I am
thinking
the big flywheel loops like a low rpm for an idle. I say idle it as low
as
you can get without having the Gen. light come on or loading up the
spark
plugs and you are OK. I think 600 rpm is about the bottom anyone can
get
although we will soon see as this conversation is likely to start a
thread
on the lowest idle speeds for a Loop-frame. But what the heck, riding
season has not really started yet so we may as well shoot the breeze!
Bob Hawkes
-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Sherman [mailto:chucks-@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 5:53 AM
To: Loopfram-@topica.com
Subject: RE: It's ALIVE!!!
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I worked with a valve manufaturing firm in Northern Italy - western
side, north of Milan. Went there several times a year. Honestly did
not see a SINGLE Guzzi on the road; Italians are either on scooters,
sportbikes, or dual sports. I think the majority of the loop-framed
bikes found their way to the US...A bike that gets 35 MPG is a pig in a
world with $5.00 gas and 40 MPG diesel Fiat Puntos
They're lately quite fond of the SUV equivalent of a scooter - large
displacement, small wheel motorbikes. 650cc scoots like the Burgman.
Last time I was there, I rented an Aprilia 125 and took on the traffic
of downtown Rome. the Aprilia wqs capable of 70 MPH which is no mean
feat to discover on the congested streets of the city center. I was
stopped by one of the local police as a result of my antics; thankfully
he was in a good mood and let me go.
Gosh, that was fun!
Oh - I've got the bike (I'm thinking it really is Giuseppe) idling
smoothly at 600 rpm.
Robert Hawkes wrote:
| |
Chuck, Did you live in Italy? Did you see lots of Loops there? "Our
craft", what craft? Were you a motorcycle mechanic? Sorry for all the
?s.
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Sherman [mailto:chucks-@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 9:05 AM
To: Loopfram-@topica.com
Subject: RE: It's ALIVE!!!
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Nice.
Actually, the bike impresses me as being not unlike a fine gentleman
from San Maurizio d' Opaglio who wend by the name Giuseppe. Was old as
dirt when I first met him, yet you wouldn't have known it by looking at
him - or working with him. He worked ever day into his 80's - passed
away recently.
We would often argue - a mixture of Italian and English. I think it was
because we were willing to be passionate about our craft that we got
along as well as we did.
Will have to get the camera charged up to post a pic. Do we have a
place for pix on the list?
Robert Hawkes wrote:
| |
Chuck, excellent! Send me a pic as I can usually name a bike based on
my
visual impression. Although since it came from a dusty road, and if you |
|
| | | |
are
literary you may want to just name it after one of the males in Grapes
of
Wrath. Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Sherman [mailto:chucks-@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 6:02 AM
To: Loopfram-@topica.com
Subject: It's ALIVE!!!
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Well -
After many arguments with the shipping company (no less than four
deilvery promises) my '72 Eldo showed up Thursday nite. Bought the bike |
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sight unseen - an orig unrestored running civilian Eldo.
Driver sez to me B4 unloading, 'You restoring it?'
Not a good sign.
He unloads the bike...
Ebay lo res pix often leave much of the reality out. In this instance,
the bike had been driven on dirt roads and not washed in at least a year |
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- maybe four or five. Looked like a barn queen.
After signing for it, I checked the gas. Yup, been sitting at least a
year or two based on the smell. My wife hates that smell; that's the
leading indicator. She'll bitch every time I bring an old ride to life
as partially burnt fuel in the garage smells particularly nasty.
Turned on the key - hit the starter. Nothing. Wires to the starter
button fell off in transit. Reconnect and hit it again...
Rump...Rump...click click click.
Bad battery. Battery's held down by a bungee cord. Throw the charger
on it and start checking other stuff...
Bike's in decent overall shape under the dirt. Still has orig seat,
orig muffs, orig black and white Grand Prix handgrips. Numbers match on |
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motor and frame. Set of aftermarket lights mounted inside of the crash
bars. Crash bars are pitted, along with poor chrome on the shock
springs and the orig muffs. Lots of stone chips on the frame.
After inspection, the battery has enough juice to light 'er off. Toss
some fresh gas in the tank and give it the ol' college try...
It lights - kinda. After several attempts (read various levels of
choke, drying the plugs, et. al) the bike finally runs. Takes an hour
to sort out, but it's runnin'...
Kinda.
Valve train is clattering to beat the band, bike needs 50% choke to run, |
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shakes like a mutha and won't take any throttle. Pop the valve covers
and check the clearances; 3 of 4 valves have lash clearances more
commonly associated with sparkplug gaps. Sheesh. Relash the valves to
spec, and try again.
MUUCH better - motor is quiet and runs a bit better.
I have a cheater method for getting gunked carbs to work well - it's
called Techron. Toss a can in the tank with a few gallons of gas, and
let the bike run for a while. Stop, set...repeat. After several cycles |
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of this, the accel pumps began working again, and the bike would run on
no choke. Beats the hell outta tearing into 33 year old Dells.
Carbs were poorly adjusted - too rich on the idle circuit, and not
properly synched. Resynched and adjusted - niice. Makes a huge diff.
Engine was a bit retarded, too. reset with a little more advance than
stock and went to a colder plug to offset.
By Saturday afternoon, I had a bike that started and ran like a top.
Will cover the cosmetic stuff in another post.
Have to figure out a name for the beast. It's definitely a male bike;
am thinking Guiseppe or Giancarlo. What do you think?
Until next time,
Chuck.
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