Barn find - 1994 Strada 1000 - recommissioning.......

Ash

Oh Yes....
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It was time..... For another Guzzi ;)

After my Convert overhaul that didn't work for me / my disabilities.
Thread here - http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/448728-A-Guzzi-Convert-winter-refresh-project

Then my SP3 rather quick overhaul before riding to Mandello Del Lario.
Thread here - http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/459204-Here-we-go-again-SP3-makeover-freshen-up

I sold the SP3 because it was just too big, unwieldy for me going forward & the fact that it had a barn door fairing, built in dashboard/ headlight, electronic gauges plus a lucas Rita ignition that made the rev counter read double.
I realised that it would of been to much for me to convert it to a naked guzzi that I could ride.

I can't ride most Guzzies because of the footboards, high / wide bars & forward facing leg positions.
Quota too tall, same with the Stelvio, Griso just wasn't for me & the shear fact that T3's, G5's etc are fetching strong money.
The Spada mk1 & Mk2 had fairings ruled them all out.

Darn Guzzies get under your skin & I have rather a soft spot for them as do most how will read this.

I resigned myself to not having another, but I saw a Strada 1000cc for sale on eBay last year but wasn't in a position to buy it then :(

The seed was sown into my daft head :blast.

But not many were sold / imported into the UK, so are quite rare.
All were imported with KMH & MPH speedometers distance travelled reads in KM's.

As luck would have it one come up 4 sale last week, a 1994 but registered in 1996, 52k KM or 34k miles.
Garage stored since 2008 & was being sold for spares or repairs non running :eek:
( will I never learn ) :rolleyes:

Luckily for me I have a great mate & my touring buddy who has owned a M5 Le Mans for over 20 yrs & has his own workshop specialising in Italian vehicles, including the high end variety. :cool:

He said go for it as 34k miles is low for the strong engined & well built bikes.
The price being very good ( fingers crossed as to why it was parked up & stored ).

Part of the deal was it had to be collected on Friday am from near Wallasey, only 200 odd miles :blast

The first five pictures are as purchased & the pictures show the bike in a better light than it really is.
As is sometimes the case with digital pictures especially viewed on phones or tablets.

The down pipes & silencers or badly pitted & will require rechroming, subject to cost or replacing with stainless.
The bike is complete with no missing parts..

As I recommission / overhaul I will post progress on here..

Just got to fit a few new farkles on my 650GS SE & get it off the bike lift first.. ;)

Bring it on :thumb
 

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Luckily I had a towbar fitted to my little Mitsubishi colt just b4 Xmas.
So didn't have to trek my campervan to collect the Guzzi.
So up at silly 'o' clock Friday am, decided to take the safer / smoother M6 / M5 route home to Hungerford, not realising there are so many ' smart motorway ' roadworks going on..
:tears

So that turned into a marathon journey.. :blast
 

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Saturday was deep clean day.
With the weather being stunning, I made use of the fact that the bike was on my MotoLug bike Trailer to clean it.
Copious amounts of gunk, washing up liquid, watter & elbow grease.
By the time I finished after 5 hours my poor arms & busted body were done for & didn't were to put mesen.
But glad I did it.
It semi put my mind to rest that the bike wasn't a complete basket case.
 

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Sunday morning I took the bloody large battery out of it rather snug hole in the frame.
( I always put a strap around batteries b4 I fit them to all my bikes ) ;)
Not the easiest fing with my mitts.
Obviously at one time it had been loved, judging by the costly battery fitting way back b4 2008 & theer was a BMW service sticker under the seat plus the lack of any real damage in its 34k miles.
( piccy of old battery )

Put a set of jump leads & car battery on it.
With plug leads off, pushed starter button & it turned over, so another sye as it wasn't locked up... :JB
Plus all switches & lights worked, bar the neutral light.
(but unbeknown to known at the time it was on the trailer it was in between 4th & 5th gear ).
So once off the trailer as I was checking the clutch I realised it, put it in neutral & the green light came on.
Clutch seemed fine :thumb
 

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It did look good sat on the trailer on Sunday morning... :kissy2

Az I said the pictures make it look better than it is..
But so much better for removing 11+ years of God knows what crap off it..
 

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The Strada 1000cc run the big valve engine but 36mm Dell'orto carbs rather than the 40mm on the Le Mans 5 of the same age.
2 X 18" wheels unike the Le Mans 5's 16" front wheel of the same age.
Metal fuel tanks but all other painted parts are plastic unlike the earlier Guzzi models.
Upgraded cartridge forks & Koni rear shocks.
2 X 300mm front discs & 270mm rear disc & linked brakes
71 HP
And some nice Alloy parts..

States electronic ignition on all the specs but mines definitely points & condenser.

More on that in the next post..
 
It lives :bounce1

My mate said bring to his workshop & he would attempt to get it running..
( didn't need to say that twice ) :D

We took it off the trailer.
Phil got his inspection lamp out & said it looks like it's got points ( cantact breakers )
And condensers, I don't fink so says I, but he was correct.
So much for all the specs :rob

He smelt the petrol & said that it didn't smell like stale petrol & certainly not 11+ yr old.
So it would seem somebody had been playing with it not too long ago. I guess I'll never know.
He hooked up his jump pack but she would turn over but no spark on the plugs, so off with the fuel tank.
Where we notice it has wires connected to the fuel taps, we look at the idiot lights & sure enough it has a low fuel warning light :cool:
He sorted the points out & she fired up first push of the starter button.

I wonder if the points problem was the reason why it got parked on in 2008 shortly after a new MOT & tyres...
Especially if the previous owner thought it had leccy ignition like I did & maybe he wasn't mechanically minded enough to find out & parked it up like so many do.. :nenau


Front signal disc on the right works fine.
But the rear disc which is linked to front left disc didn't, but the real brake fluid was like treacle & maybe the brake caliper is sieced.. Time will tell..

When I strapped it down the handlebars dropped down a couple of inches & the choke cable was tight so we couldn't release the choke until the bars were in the correct position.
Once we did that it ran as sweet as a nut...
 
Video link of first power hook up after 11 yrs..?


https://youtu.be/S_5K8w_Y1EM



Video link of first start up...

https://youtu.be/bl1dNhD4mkY

:aidan

Best I get weaving, get the GS fettled & off the lift ready for the Strada overhaul..

Tyres are like new, but they are at least 11 yrs old, so I will get new Avons.
New clutch, choke & throttle cables.
New brake pads,spark plugs, new bulbs etc etc..
Points / condensers or maybe electronic, which would be easier for me going forward.
Polish all the alloy as I have a polishing & even I can do that. And I love doing it..
Battery obviously
RE paint both stands & touch up any frame corrosion as needed.
It has a small screen on it but I have a slightly larger one of my old Z1000 LTD I had which might work better.
Seat will need some new vynyl which I will do as I have a stapler & as I use an Airhawk cushion you won't see it any way..
It's not bad but had some cracking.
 
Great to find a project bike that’s not been messed about - good place to start !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Great news Ash, I hope that you can get it to fit you like a glove.
Sounds like you have a cool project there, I’m in :thumb2
 
Great news Ash, I hope that you can get it to fit you like a glove.
Sounds like you have a cool project there, I’m in :thumb2
Good Luck with it Ash. That is lovely.
The work will certainly have an avid following on here! :thumb2
 
Good stuff Ash :thumb

You can't resist a fettle :D
 
Popped into my mates workshop.
He has suckled out the rear brake fluid.
And found ' chutney with added grit ' at the bottom of the reservoir. :(
So once I get it home onto my bike lift I will overhaul / replace as needed..
 

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