Yeehah....the NTX is all running,insured,MOT`d,taxed and registered on an age related plate! 
Only four years since it was bought as an unregistered non runner.
Here`s the story (saga) for those who`ve asked to know all about it.
If you don`t want to read chapter and verse,there`s a few photos for you to look at through the Thread.
If you do read,you`ll discover a lot about the trials and tribulations of importing and registering a bike.
I`d never seen a real life NTX before (only seen photos in bike mags) and whilst at the Stafford Classic show in October 2005,there,bold as black brass,in front of me was an NTX650 amongst various scrappers and projects.
Whatton was there independently too (we never manged to meet up),and when he saw it,he`d thought to himself that it was the sort of weirdo thing I`d like.
That night he had a text off me to say I`d bought......guess what.
£550 and it was bought and delivered to me.
There wasn`t much wrong or absent....
No ignition modules (hard to find and unreliable Motoplat units).
The guy selling it had tried to jury rig a Suzuki CDI and although there was some sort of a spark it wouldn`t run....so he gave up on it.
No right hand sidepanel.
No mirrors.
Incorrect rear indicators.
Incorrect shock absorbers.
No UK registration (but some Italian paperwork).
For some reason I didn`t get around to working on the NTX until this July.
I stripped the wheels out and the whole front end and checked all bearings and pivots....all was well apart from needing some greasing.
The engine cranked over by hand.
The carbs were removed and all the jets and float bowls were found to be clean and clear!
A new white UFO front mudguard replaced the extremely faded and horrible Guzzi one,and a brand new set of NTX fork protectors/disc guard were found on fleabay for £18.
I chucked a pair of universal Polisport fork gaiters on while I was at it.
And a pair of universal handguards which trimmed to a neat fit.
A great deal of time was spent at autojumbles and online trying to source the ignition modules.
Dynajet UK had sent me a V65 Dyna ignition but bizzarely the rotor didn`t fit the NTX camshaft so the kit was no use...I couldn`t machine the rotor to fit as the sleeve was very thin and would have collapsed.
Nothing else could be found..the NTX has a totally different set up to the street Guzzis.
Finally,BINGO...Pete at Reboot Guzzi Spares found a brand new pair of the later and improved Moptoplat units on a dusty shelf in a French Guzzi dealers.
They`d been ordered some years ago and not collected...mine for £180 posted instead of approx £360.
I found a 'no colours guaranteed' wiring diagram on the Internet and used some educated guesswork and a bit of common sense to work out how to connect the modules...remember,the previous owner had tried to cobble up a Suzuki unit,so it wasn`t 'plug and play'.
Last minute examination of the fuzzy/out of focus diagram revealed a need for a capacitor.....another Internet search and MotoSpada came up with the goods.
Here`s the modules hooked in...the wiring has since been spiral wrapped and is all neat and tidy.
A new battery was fitted and attempts were made to start it but there was no more than pops and bangs.....until I wondered if the timing was 180 degrees out.
Reversal of the pickup wires led to VAROOM...BOOM...BOOM...BOOM...BOOM.
It was a runner ... .
A runner with a feckoff great big hole in the silencer.
Sounded glorious but no way streetlegal.
Took the silencer off and Kenny the ace sheetie in work helped me form a piece of metal plate that was the shape and size of the lower half of the silencer,which he TIG welded in place.
A can of Wilko barbeque paint and it`s as good as new.
The top of the Acerbis made 30 litre plastic tank was scummy too,but a bit of wet and dry and some Plasticote red rattlecan sorted that out.
(Erm....this is the 'before' photo.......)
All the warning lights and head/tail lamp worked...so too the brake lights.
The right front indicator just needed a bad earth sorting on the fairing bracket....and pair of Yamaha DT ones which matched the bike`s boxy looks were fitted minus stems on home made brackets at the rear.
A pair of £15 universal rectangular mirrors sorted that out too.
A good warm up and then all oils were dropped and changed.
Don`t ask what oil.
Insured on frame number for 30 days and off we go for an MOT.
How cool and odd it felt to ride with no number plate.
Ooops,rear tyre was on back to front and the headlamp beam not dipping to left (forgot about that).
I`d never even noticed the tyre..or thought to check....but being Italian,was it really the wrong way around....
.
Swap tyre about and apply a bit of tape and we`re MOT`d.
Off to LVLO in Chester with insurance,MOT and completed Import Pack forms to get registered.
The bike needed to be inspected so I had to return the following week.
That revealed a clash of numbers between the number it was insured on and the Italian paperwork,which didn`t seem correct for the bike at all.
The guy couldn`t issue a plate and the NTX wasn`t quite tall enough to qualify for an 'Enduro Exception Q Plate' (there`s a dimensional category difference between road/trail bikes and 'off road/enduro machines').
Also there was no proof of the bike being beyond 10 years old and exempt from SVA and Customs interest....I`d need an age verification letter.
Or I`d have to go and pay a load of dosh for an SVA test.
Another setback......insurance time limit approaching and now not likely to get to show the bike at the Italian themed Stinkwheel Show on the 20th.
I`d emailed the Guzzi factory three times about the bike`s age,with no reply, and all the UK based owners clubs were only interested in me becoming a member before they`d even offer any advice or suggestions,so I rang NLM (North Leicester Motorcycles) for some advice.
The number problem was clarified by Stuart ( top guy....very helpful and friendly,and a veritable authority on Italian bikes) at North Leicester Motorcycles..who told me the number I`d used was the homologation batch number and not the frame number.
The correct number was found which matched the Italian papers.....buried under a mass of wiring and control cables.
Then I had to alter my insurance for the correct frame number and once more off to the LVLO in Chester ..good job it`s a nice ride.
I explained the situation...the numbers error..the MOT station saying I`d need to have and pay for another MOT test on the new number...the need to get another Import Pack`s documents..the insurance deadline...the forthcoming show,etc etc.
Thanks to all now matching on the Italian paperwork and the forms being at the LVLO the errors were rectified and one hour later and I had a UK age related plate!!
Immeasurable thanks to Paul (Vehicle Inspector) from Chester LVLO for all his help and support.
This is the result.....................A new day dawns on a new life for my Moto Guzzi NTX650 (known as 'Gus').
One of three known to be in the UK.
7am on top of the Horseshoe Pass in North Wales.
I was up and out on the road for 6am.
I would have had a cuppa and a brekky to celebrate but the `Ponda wasn`t open for another hour and a half or so.............
It felt like having my first 'big bike' after passing my test all those years ago......so exciting!
Just needs the correct shock absorbers and a right hand sidepanel to be A-okay!!
Only four years since it was bought as an unregistered non runner.
Here`s the story (saga) for those who`ve asked to know all about it.
If you don`t want to read chapter and verse,there`s a few photos for you to look at through the Thread.
If you do read,you`ll discover a lot about the trials and tribulations of importing and registering a bike.
I`d never seen a real life NTX before (only seen photos in bike mags) and whilst at the Stafford Classic show in October 2005,there,bold as black brass,in front of me was an NTX650 amongst various scrappers and projects.
Whatton was there independently too (we never manged to meet up),and when he saw it,he`d thought to himself that it was the sort of weirdo thing I`d like.
That night he had a text off me to say I`d bought......guess what.
£550 and it was bought and delivered to me.
There wasn`t much wrong or absent....
No ignition modules (hard to find and unreliable Motoplat units).
The guy selling it had tried to jury rig a Suzuki CDI and although there was some sort of a spark it wouldn`t run....so he gave up on it.
No right hand sidepanel.
No mirrors.
Incorrect rear indicators.
Incorrect shock absorbers.
No UK registration (but some Italian paperwork).
For some reason I didn`t get around to working on the NTX until this July.
I stripped the wheels out and the whole front end and checked all bearings and pivots....all was well apart from needing some greasing.
The engine cranked over by hand.
The carbs were removed and all the jets and float bowls were found to be clean and clear!
A new white UFO front mudguard replaced the extremely faded and horrible Guzzi one,and a brand new set of NTX fork protectors/disc guard were found on fleabay for £18.
I chucked a pair of universal Polisport fork gaiters on while I was at it.
And a pair of universal handguards which trimmed to a neat fit.
A great deal of time was spent at autojumbles and online trying to source the ignition modules.
Dynajet UK had sent me a V65 Dyna ignition but bizzarely the rotor didn`t fit the NTX camshaft so the kit was no use...I couldn`t machine the rotor to fit as the sleeve was very thin and would have collapsed.
Nothing else could be found..the NTX has a totally different set up to the street Guzzis.
Finally,BINGO...Pete at Reboot Guzzi Spares found a brand new pair of the later and improved Moptoplat units on a dusty shelf in a French Guzzi dealers.
They`d been ordered some years ago and not collected...mine for £180 posted instead of approx £360.
I found a 'no colours guaranteed' wiring diagram on the Internet and used some educated guesswork and a bit of common sense to work out how to connect the modules...remember,the previous owner had tried to cobble up a Suzuki unit,so it wasn`t 'plug and play'.
Last minute examination of the fuzzy/out of focus diagram revealed a need for a capacitor.....another Internet search and MotoSpada came up with the goods.
Here`s the modules hooked in...the wiring has since been spiral wrapped and is all neat and tidy.
A new battery was fitted and attempts were made to start it but there was no more than pops and bangs.....until I wondered if the timing was 180 degrees out.
Reversal of the pickup wires led to VAROOM...BOOM...BOOM...BOOM...BOOM.
It was a runner ...
.A runner with a feckoff great big hole in the silencer.
Sounded glorious but no way streetlegal.
Took the silencer off and Kenny the ace sheetie in work helped me form a piece of metal plate that was the shape and size of the lower half of the silencer,which he TIG welded in place.
A can of Wilko barbeque paint and it`s as good as new.
The top of the Acerbis made 30 litre plastic tank was scummy too,but a bit of wet and dry and some Plasticote red rattlecan sorted that out.
(Erm....this is the 'before' photo.......)
All the warning lights and head/tail lamp worked...so too the brake lights.
The right front indicator just needed a bad earth sorting on the fairing bracket....and pair of Yamaha DT ones which matched the bike`s boxy looks were fitted minus stems on home made brackets at the rear.
A pair of £15 universal rectangular mirrors sorted that out too.
A good warm up and then all oils were dropped and changed.
Don`t ask what oil.
Insured on frame number for 30 days and off we go for an MOT.
How cool and odd it felt to ride with no number plate.
Ooops,rear tyre was on back to front and the headlamp beam not dipping to left (forgot about that
).I`d never even noticed the tyre..or thought to check....but being Italian,was it really the wrong way around....
.Swap tyre about and apply a bit of tape and we`re MOT`d.
Off to LVLO in Chester with insurance,MOT and completed Import Pack forms to get registered.
The bike needed to be inspected so I had to return the following week.
That revealed a clash of numbers between the number it was insured on and the Italian paperwork,which didn`t seem correct for the bike at all.
The guy couldn`t issue a plate and the NTX wasn`t quite tall enough to qualify for an 'Enduro Exception Q Plate' (there`s a dimensional category difference between road/trail bikes and 'off road/enduro machines').
Also there was no proof of the bike being beyond 10 years old and exempt from SVA and Customs interest....I`d need an age verification letter.
Or I`d have to go and pay a load of dosh for an SVA test.
Another setback......insurance time limit approaching and now not likely to get to show the bike at the Italian themed Stinkwheel Show on the 20th.
I`d emailed the Guzzi factory three times about the bike`s age,with no reply, and all the UK based owners clubs were only interested in me becoming a member before they`d even offer any advice or suggestions,so I rang NLM (North Leicester Motorcycles) for some advice.
The number problem was clarified by Stuart ( top guy....very helpful and friendly,and a veritable authority on Italian bikes) at North Leicester Motorcycles..who told me the number I`d used was the homologation batch number and not the frame number.
The correct number was found which matched the Italian papers.....buried under a mass of wiring and control cables.
Then I had to alter my insurance for the correct frame number and once more off to the LVLO in Chester ..good job it`s a nice ride.
I explained the situation...the numbers error..the MOT station saying I`d need to have and pay for another MOT test on the new number...the need to get another Import Pack`s documents..the insurance deadline...the forthcoming show,etc etc.
Thanks to all now matching on the Italian paperwork and the forms being at the LVLO the errors were rectified and one hour later and I had a UK age related plate!!
Immeasurable thanks to Paul (Vehicle Inspector) from Chester LVLO for all his help and support.
This is the result.....................A new day dawns on a new life for my Moto Guzzi NTX650 (known as 'Gus').
One of three known to be in the UK.
7am on top of the Horseshoe Pass in North Wales.
I was up and out on the road for 6am.
I would have had a cuppa and a brekky to celebrate but the `Ponda wasn`t open for another hour and a half or so............
.It felt like having my first 'big bike' after passing my test all those years ago......so exciting!
Just needs the correct shock absorbers and a right hand sidepanel to be A-okay!!
