After driving around on old 'big' Moto Guzzis for about a quarter of a century, a V65C has recently been purchased. Nowadays I drive a maximum of 10D kilometers, and that is also possible with less than 1000 cc.
Moto Guzzi: a matter of weight
In addition, it is not inconvenient that such a small Guzzi is really much smaller and considerably lighter in weight. And run faster than 100? He does that on his slippers. It takes some getting used to that such a small V twin has to be driven a bit more at revs.
Even if you buy a neat bike from - I believe 1986 - it is useful to first look at such a rabbit when it has run the first 100 km. During that first 100 km it had already been noticed that the V-twin was not running as well above 5000 rpm.
At the time, it was also noticed that after a few bottles of chianti, those often completely inimitable Italians must have figured out how funny it would be to put the jiffy almost in line with the wheels and let it collapse surprisingly quickly by itself. Falling over is 100% guaranteed with this wonderful construction.
So that was the first point of attention
Fortunately, Teo Lamers - the founder of the still flourishing TLM from Nijmegen and now an established Australian - had already come up with something about this. With a U-set plate that could be welded to the lower frame tube, it became possible to mount the long jiffy of a Nevada (resembles the long, fantastically stable jiffy of the Moto Guzzi Cali). I got a tip from the unsurpassed Jan Keijzer, there was such a welding set complete on the Internet. The stuff was for a few bucks purchased. (Oparts for little Guzzis are cheap because they are about as popular as Spa red at a Vindicat party.) And Jan welded the stuff to the frame. First, the no-weld option was considered. The lower frame tubes with footrests jiffy and so can be disassembled on the small Guzzi's. The purchase of a set of complete down tubes would therefore have been an option, were it not for the fact that the Italians have implemented their inconsistencies even in a far-reaching construction box system. The chance of 'not fitting' after purchase was therefore too great for the investment. After just a bit of work, the V65 was again a stavast engine.
About the Guzzi jiffy: A Guzzi jiffy and other Italians
Then he could go home again and was examined. There I saw at least that there is a good rear tire around my acquisition. Tires in the same size do not have to be equally 'thick'. With the little one Guzzi's in any case, a tire of the prescribed size may touch the flanks. Strangely enough, not only does the rubber wear out, but the rear fork also gets abrasions.
The wiring was not too bad
After removing the tank, the wiring turned out to be less dramatic than is the case with many old Italians. The case was carefully checked and a power strip was bypassed. A few extra ground connections were drawn that the Italians should have pulled ex works. Due to the mounting of a Hercules BW125 handlebar, some cables had to be moved. Guzzi (imitation) mirrors were purchased that showed more than the pilot's elbows. A slightly larger, functioning windshield came from the remaining stock of Gekra. The left-hand carburettor was found not to be connected to the air filter on the suction side because the suction rubber between the Dell'Orto and head had been pushed too far. That problem was solved and the carburettors were synchronized. Withholding above 5000 rpm was like fuel shortage. The routing of the fuel lines caused some near-attacks. And the air filter?
A pointless construction
For the construction of the air filter, designers would have been put to death in less civilized countries. Maintenance friendliness with pointless crying capital letters applies there. Allow at least 2-3 hours for air filter replacement, including scraped knuckles, mild despair, and coffee stops. That's why apparently no one is doing it. Such a thing can only be thought up by Italians. Youtube has a video about a Frenchman who makes the fitting edge of the filter a few mm thinner with wooden molds and a few hours standing time in the kitchen oven. This makes mounting the filter easier, but takes a day of preparation time. The filter that came out of my Guzzi was convincingly black.
Oh yeah
The Guzzi has a huge Lucas starter motor of the type known to eat Amperes like a thirsty Beier tapping his gallons of lager. The floodlight on the crash bar is equipped with an LED lamp. Because the light and sight additional 55 Amps of a normal halogen lamp? It kills the dynamo.
Put the tank and buddy back on again.
And see what has changed.
But that jiffy?
It is great!
More about Moto Guzzi:
I think you mean 55 watts. Is still almost 5A.
Well… Tis work under extreme time pressure and I am a mechanical engineer…. And thanks to the possibilities of Tinternet, the matter has been corrected! thanks! And happy Easter bunnies!