Project Guzzi

Rushy,

Well you aren't the only GSer with one of these fine gentlemens expresses :thumb2
I live in London and you don't see them here either, though I did see 3 in one day last Summer out and about on the GS in Kent, go figure?

I too have the same GPR exhaust on mine, have you "de-snorkelled " her yet? :eek:
I don't know how much difference it made, or it could be just using mine more over the summer on a long B road only trip down through France and back (well, the French equivalent of B roads), but I don't find the small throttle sensitivity a problem now?
I agree about the standard tyres, lovely and sticky, but not really needed with the nicely-pokey-but-hardly-a-1198 levels of performance? Besides, I am quite quickly wearing the edge of my boots away on my favourite roundabout!:D I'll go for something more Sport-Touing next I suspect..

On the handling, it's not as erm, intuitive as the 1200GS imho, (but then what is), but seems fine to me, it ripped the headlamps of a CBR1300 Honda and Yam XJR1300 in a Performance Bike magazine test a year or so back, not saying much maybe, but they hooned it round a track without any complaints and loved it, and that's hardly a guzzi friendly publication? I suspect the standard suspension is a notch below say the Griso, but the all day comfort, reasonable weather protection, decent panniers etc, and that horny snorting engine that is about the same performance as the GS but feels waaay more exciting, well that's good enough for me:beerjug:

Cheers and happy Guzzying

Dave
 

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I've enjoyed this thread. A good thread about mucking about / tinkering with bikes rather than a lot bollocks that occurs elsewhere.
Any pictures yet?
 
Rushy,

Well you aren't the only GSer with one of these fine gentlemens expresses :thumb2
I live in London and you don't see them here either, though I did see 3 in one day last Summer out and about on the GS in Kent, go figure?

I too have the same GPR exhaust on mine, have you "de-snorkelled " her yet? :eek:
I don't know how much difference it made, or it could be just using mine more over the summer on a long B road only trip down through France and back (well, the French equivalent of B roads), but I don't find the small throttle sensitivity a problem now?
I agree about the standard tyres, lovely and sticky, but not really needed with the nicely-pokey-but-hardly-a-1198 levels of performance? Besides, I am quite quickly wearing the edge of my boots away on my favourite roundabout!:D I'll go for something more Sport-Touing next I suspect..

On the handling, it's not as erm, intuitive as the 1200GS imho, (but then what is), but seems fine to me, it ripped the headlamps of a CBR1300 Honda and Yam XJR1300 in a Performance Bike magazine test a year or so back, not saying much maybe, but they hooned it round a track without any complaints and loved it, and that's hardly a guzzi friendly publication? I suspect the standard suspension is a notch below say the Griso, but the all day comfort, reasonable weather protection, decent panniers etc, and that horny snorting engine that is about the same performance as the GS but feels waaay more exciting, well that's good enough for me:beerjug:

Cheers and happy Guzzying

Dave

Hi Dave, nice post , nice bike :thumb

Pipe is de snorkelled and I think new boots will make a big difference to the handling and my confidence in the bike. There is a hard to find , very grainy promo clip on you tube of some guys properly throwing 'em about . The bike is certainly a much more comfortable ride than my Fazer, the screen is surprisingly effective, 90mph cruising all day long but I do intend to sort out the stretch to the bars & I have ordered a set of those adjustable pegs to try . I have the panniers too.

Kit and clothes in the panniers , luggage web on the seat hump tent packed on top, almost as practical as my old 1150GS and the engine certainly makes the bike. :cool:
 
Tank and mudguard are back..........

I've enjoyed this thread. A good thread about mucking about / tinkering with bikes rather than a lot bollocks that occurs elsewhere.
Any pictures yet?

Thanks , here are some shots of the new paint job , picked it up Monday and fitted the mudguard but keeping the original tank on for now until I have picked up a new fuel filter and possibly a new 'open airbox' lid as I might as well do that too at the same time.

I'm really pleased with the job Lee at Motopaint did for me. Quick turnaround, greta finish, all badges removed and replaced properly and he did a nice interpretation of what I wanted with a very poor design brief from me....:clap

Motopaint, Cradley Heath , West Mids..

IMG_7834-2012-03-06at12-37-44.jpg


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Here is a before and after of the bike with the mudguard fitted and I think it was a good decision to not go with a speed strip but instead to have just the centre section in filled white . I got exactly the look I wanted in that the white screen now kinda flows down into the white on the guard. I know the pinstripe effect is different to the actual detailing on the screen but I'm not bothered about that and if I was I could just get Lee to repaint the small screen for me at a later date.

DSC08183-2012-02-15at22-30-10.jpg


IMG_7840-2012-03-06at13-16-29.jpg


Like I said the tank that I had painted was a spare here is an overhead shot of how the bike looks now with the standard tank fitted, when I fit the new one I'll take another shot but you can get the idea from the piccies in the previous post.:thumb

IMG_7839-2012-03-06at13-15-46.jpg


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GUZZI

Hi Rushy

My old bike is looking the 'dogs' :D agree with what you say on the motor. Good thread this, amazing how other forums don't seem to have the same banter n mix of machines, enjoy the bike in the coming fine weather, you don't want to get the new paint job dirty :D
 
Hi Rushy

My old bike is looking the 'dogs' :D agree with what you say on the motor. Good thread this, amazing how other forums don't seem to have the same banter n mix of machines, enjoy the bike in the coming fine weather, you don't want to get the new paint job dirty :D

Cheers Bob....Just trying to figure out if I should buy a Venture shield kit for a Norge to protect the tank :thumb
 
Hi Rushy,

That looks nice, thanks for comment on my silver (the faster colour:aidan) one..

One thought on the replacement handlebars, meant to mention it earlier, Guzzi did change the bars on the 8v model compared to the earlier 4v, to bring them nearer the seat and slightly less of a stretch.

A common mod on the earlier bikes was the replacement Aprilia or Renthalls etc, but not sure the same swap would acheive anything on your (and mine) 8v?

Having had a long demo ride on a 4v, I would say they succeeded in making the position much more comfortable, you may find the bar swap doesn't change anything, and you need to explore risers or something? I could be wrong of course, but don't go on advice from a 4v owner who's done the swap is all I'm saying, :nenau I find the position fine, and I'm no lover of bum in the air, stretched over the tank positions either, but that's just me..

Cheers

Dave
 
Hi Rushy,

One thought on the replacement handlebars, meant to mention it earlier, Guzzi did change the bars on the 8v model compared to the earlier 4v, to bring them nearer the seat and slightly less of a stretch.

A common mod on the earlier bikes was the replacement Aprilia or Renthalls etc, but not sure the same swap would acheive anything on your (and mine) 8v?

Dave

Thanks Dave I did, only recently, find out that ours have different bars than the earlier 4v models but like some 8v other owners i still find the long stretch coupled with the slightly odd width a bit of an issue for my back comfort. I have also noticed that 8v owners still seem to be doing a mod of some sort. I think I am going to try some Genmar risers first as bringing them slightly higher/nearer might be enough :thumb

PS Everybody knows that Stealth black is fastest, thats why the US Airforce paint em black:p
 
This is a great thread especially as I'm going to be a 1200 Sport owner in the neat future. I have found the riding position to be just about perfect in the shop but havn't ridden one yet.

Keep it coming:thumb2
 
I finally got around to putting the new tank on her.

Taking the original tank off was a bit fun. First you take off the plastic radiator shroud ( 4 bolts , only just slips out without taking the mudguard off), then the 2 small sidepanels near the rear of the tank, separate both breathers & unplug the fuel pump, then one bolt and she should slide off . Thats if you can release the supposedly quick release fuel line connector underneath the tank. A weird looking connector that you kind of have to pull and push at the same time.

Tank off and the upside down , remove the large chrome and plastic front side tank mouldings that I guess are sacrificial in a fall , 6 bolts .

Then remove both breather lines , unbolt/unscrew the 2 breather spigots, unbolt and remove the fuel pump assembly and carefully extricate it ,the fuel gauge sender unit & fuel filter through the opening that definitely seems too small.

DSC08243-2012-03-23at23-55-37.jpg



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I had bought a new fuel filter to replace the original whilst I had it all out. However the filter, same as on the GS I think, is held on by some unusual 'one use' Oetiker clips. :eek

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So off I headed to my local friendly Honda dealer to see if they have anything suitable and came back with this box of Wurth goodies including the necessary tool to fit the clips. Big thanks to Roger from Crewe Honda.:bow

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I stabbed my self in the finger with a screwdriver getting the old clips off but the new ones were a doodle, always helps when you have the right kit.;)

Last job was to swap over the fuel filler cap onto the new tank. Here is the new tank next to the old one ready for the side sections to go on before fitting to the bike.

DSC08250-2012-03-24at16-06-10.jpg
 
Finally here are a few shots of the bike as she now looks, v pleased with the result.

DSC08267-2012-03-24at16-42-14.jpg


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DSC08265-2012-03-24at16-41-44.jpg


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Any opinions on whether I should buy a new carbon effect Moto Guzzi tank pad as per the original tank or just fit some clear Venture Shield ?:nenau


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Finally here are a few shots of the bike as she now looks, v pleased with the result.

DSC08267-2012-03-24at16-42-14.jpg


DSC08262-2012-03-24at16-41-01.jpg


DSC08265-2012-03-24at16-41-44.jpg


DSC08261-2012-03-24at16-40-24.jpg




Any opinions on whether I should buy a new carbon effect Moto Guzzi tank pad as per the original tank or just fit some clear Venture Shield ?:nenau


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Looks very good Rushy.
I'd go with the venture shield if it's virtually invisible.
Don't want to make it too bitty. :rob
 


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