i PDI’d this bike when it was new
This was the first new Guzzi i ever worked on . It was sold with all the leather panniers and topbox , de-chromed , and powdered black , sold to a chap in Holloway. He doesn’t own it now ,”found ” in a barn …apparently .
looking a bit the worse for wear .
ing it in says i 
Little V50 , comes in , owner says he has broken the clutch , he has no drive . wants a quote for clutch replacement . Bring it in says i ….turns up in a van from Bristol….
leave it with me for the week , he says , i’ll be back on Saturday .
have a quick check over deffo , no drive .
remove rear wheel , drive box and caliper.
bear in mind this guy has owned this for 2 years .
as i remove the drive box , there is a spring , sleeve , circlip , and disc .These link the driveshaft to the drive box .
there was no disc or circlip ?
HOW ON EARTH DID IT TRANSMIT DRIVE FOR 2 YEARS ?
the spring pushes against the disc and circlip (the circlip locates in the sleeve) and this all holds it against the pinion in the drive box , transmitting the drive .
so quoted for clutch plate swop about £550 , actual cost £100 .
So frustrating , ordered this from my friendly dealer , correct part number used , wait 4 weeks . parcel arrives …left hand part in a right hand bag .
Order another one , same thing happens …BUGGER !
See one for sale , on the other side of the EU , at more than UK retail , but i need it …. email an order , with a note to check before sending , that it is the correct part .
parcel turns up 4 days later , BRILLIANT , thinks me …..unwrap parcel…left hand part inside . BUGGER.
Email EU supplier , with photo’s to show it is the wrong part, they agree and arrange collection , to return said part .
Have currently spent nearly £400 , and nothing to show for it .
Just watch both of them turn up at the same time .
update , they did turn up on the same day , 30 minutes apart !
High mileage stelvio clutch job , clutch slipping because it is,a worn out ,b because the cush springs were rubbing on the gearbox casing .
This is Max Guzzi , he is from Pavia just south of Milan ,
be nice to him if you see him, it is his first time in England .
Buy him a beer , then look at all the places he has been . He is on Cali Jackal ,
with over 270k kms on it. He has more Elephant stickers on his bike than you have
fingers !
Norge 8v GT ,
had a leaking oil pressure switch , to get to it involves seat, panels,and fuel tank …then you remove the lower fairing , on both sides to access the inlet manifolds to the throttle bodies .
then you can remove the airbox , underneath is the oil pressure switch. It also means you can get to everywhere to clean up the oil that has leaked out .
new switch has an adapter to fit new type of switch , so hopefully it won’t happen again .
clean everything up and screw it all back together.
customer went for MOT …MOT failed .
customer complained of poor back brake performance.
customer complained about MOT tester .
customer complained about cost of replacement pads.
mechanic , how long has your rear brake been poor ?
customer , for about the last 4 months .
mechanic , do you not check your bike over every now and again ?
customer , well the last mechanic said they were ok !
mechanic , when was that then ?
customer , last year just before the MOT.
mechanic , how many miles have you done since then ?
customer , 12,000 miles all in London.
mechanic , OH !
When there used to be lots of guzzi workshops in London , ….this is how we would send messages to each other .
I once took out a filter that was 25 years old , message written by a mechanic in 3 Cross . He still worked at a dealer nearby , took it to show him ….he nearly fell over !
ALWAYS have a minimum of 2 keys for your Breva , Griso , Stelvio , Cali 14 ,Norge , 1200 Sport, anything that has a key coded to the bike .
This customer managed to lose a set of keys ages ago, never got around to getting some more cut, even though he had brought some spares, to do just that .
Lost his only remaining set , didn’t have the key number written down , BUT does, thankfully , know his user code .
SO , new set of locks all-round , code the new keys to the dash , and off he goes,
£450 quid lighter .
ALL FOR THE SAKE OF NOT KEEPING A KEY SAFELY SOMEWHERE .
Special offer , all of June , if you don’t know your user code , but you have 2 keys , come and see me, and i will give you one , THAT YOU CANNOT FORGET OR LOSE .
THIS IS AS IMPORTANT AS HAVING 2 KEYS .
1200 Sport , one of my all-time favourite Guzzi’s , i don’t think there are 200 in the UK .
A do everything bike , comparable to a VFR750 , doesn’t do anything fantastic , just does everything well.
Fast enough to get from A 2 B at a very good average speed , comfy if you mod the seat a bit and put on the later bars , fuel efficient , 40+ mpg , good looking , forgiving chassis , good brakes , what more do you need?
Put on the factory 2 into 2 exhaust system , and lose a bit …ok a lot , of weight ,AND get some noise out of it .
baldricksworkshop 