Martin Keene Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I know we all like a good build diary. Well, after many years of being tempted by bikes I have decided to do my test this year. So, I need a bike. Not being a huge sport bike fan, they are all the sodding same, I fancied something a bit different, I managed to acquire, in a roundabout kind of way, this for free... So, what is it? Well, it's a 1983 Moto Guzzi V50 III and the plan is to make it look something like this: Obviously it won't be quite as bling, but that is not an issue, firstly because the cafe racers of the 60's weren't as bling and secondly being a first bike, its certain to chat to the floor at some point! I took delivery of it back in November, but banned myself from touching it until I'd tidied a few things on the Westfield. What I did do though was make sure the engine and gearbox appeared to be fine (all gears engage, engine turns over, lots of compression) and then chucked it in the shed until the Westfield was finished. Well, having now finished this winters work on the Westfield and sent it to it's temporary new home for the next couple of months, the Guzzi was dragged out of the shed and a battery whacked on it. I drained the fuel out of the tank and refilled it with fresh, pulled the plugs out, oiled the bores and confirmed it all turned over without meeting in the middle. All good so far. Put the battery on, no oil pressure light and a indicator light on permenantly, I assumed this something to do with no indicators and set about investigating the oil pressure light. I pulled the sensor wire off the switch and the indicator light went out... Err, ok... Put it back, indicator light comes on... Ok, wiring issue, but at least we have a oil pressure light, ish. Check it for spark. Result. Crank it up, oil pressure almost instantly. But no sign of firing. After much a**ing around with choke, no choke, some throttle, no throttle etc, I decided to investigate the fuel side further, I knew it was getting to the carbs, but was it getting any further. So, I stripped the RHS carb off to have a look, and in doing so got fuel eveywhere. DOH! Float bowl, I hadn't emptied it... so whilst the fuel in the tank was nice and fresh, the fuel in the bowl was probably ~5 years old. I drain the bowl and put the carb back and tried again... RESULT - IT RUNS! And a quick run up and down the close confirms the first 3 gears work, the brakes work and the clutch works, although a bit sharp. The only issue found is the oil pressure light flickers, I am not overly bothered by this because the oil is years old and there is obviously electrical issues with that side of things anyway. With the speed it generated pressure when it was cranked, sorting the electrics and some fresh oil should cure that. Today saw the start of the strip. I removed the seat, tank, rear mudguard & light, grab handle, headlight bowl & bracket, instruments and exhausts. The only problem I found with it was the exhaust, in an attempt to remove the cans, the stub for the balance pipe broke. However, closer investigation revealed that these were on borrowed time anyway, so no real hard ship, and what follows means they were never going to come off without a battle... After removing the whole exhaust system as one unit I cut the cans off the headers and set to trying to seperate them from the cut stub off the headers. Holy hell, what a task... There seems to be some sort of baffle inside the end of the headers, and for some reason they had been left on, meaning there was 12", yes, twelve inches of header inside the can! b****r, what a b***h to remove. Still, they are off and with no apparent damage to the cans. Headers will need to be replaced though, obviously. So after the fun of stripping it, I dragged it outside today and set about it with the parafin gun attached to the compresor, the resultant pile of grime that came of it was quite a sight. A quick dose of SWMBO's bike cleaner, and a blast from the pressure washer has bought it up remarkable well. A little bit more to come off (electrics, brakes, controls) and then I can start on mocking up the clip ons, new instrument bracket, new headlight bracket, cut down rear mudguard, new tail light, etc. I'll take some pictures in the next day or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 looks like a nice project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blankczechbook Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 have currently at work a v65 lario.. which is stubbornly refusing to run leaner.. always fouls up the plugs.. always 10 - 15mins into a run. has a 10mm spark plug which makes it a pain for pressure checking or using a colourtune as we've got std 14mm bits here.. had to get a reducer turned up on a lathe... these have properly big starters.. on this one the solenoid often seized up.. needed a thwack from time to time until we finally got it stripped and fixed. the air filter access is a pain on the bike here, and no kick starter with an old dead battery means it can't stand too long before the charge is lost again... does all make it harder to fix :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 keep the pics coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vennscars Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 That looks a great project Being an old 60's cafe racer myself i love that style of bike, would like one again now but HHMBO says at 68 i have to stick to 4 wheels with the Westy Good luck with it, look forward to more pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asterix Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Nice , though needs a bit more than TLC I would think . My NDN rebuilt a Norton Commando to pristine , hope you do better than the 10 years he took . Mind it was concuers condition when he'd finished it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedditchJay Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 nice project........ should look the mutsnuts when its done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixermark Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 like that... cafe racers are very tasty, and much more suited to real road riding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You'll need to lower the seat And be *really* careful on the front brakes. I recognise the front tyre but can't for the life of me think of the make, but whatever, I remember them because they're made of teflon and it won't have gained any grip over the years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lippydave Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You'll need to lower the seat And be *really* careful on the front brakes. I recognise the front tyre but can't for the life of me think of the make, but whatever, I remember them because they're made of teflon and it won't have gained any grip over the years... Looks live an Avon TT100 tyre to me if my old memory is working properly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Yeah, I was thinking Roadrunners (but knowing they aren't), but Roadrunners are a rounder pattern on the treads. Just as lethal though, and *really* prone to squaring off after a few miles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markcoopers Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 cafe racer......Starbucks to Costa for you. Somehow i struggle to imagine you in leathers other than in a very German sense. Stil i am just jealous as i can not ride a bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4muf Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 This is my g/f's uncles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Keene Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 This is my g/f's uncles... SWMBO has had a bike for about 3 years now, another reason for the itch needing to be scratched, we went to the NEC bike show last here and had a sit on the new Norton Cafe Racer. Very nice bit of kit... Anyway, this is what it looks like at the minute: The pile of bits behind it is what needs refurbishing in some way shapre or form. It came with a spare pair of wheels which are straight, so they will get blasted and painted and new tyres put on them. Edit: Oh, and the other bike is the rev limiters SV650, enjoying being parked properly in the garage rather than wedged behind the Westfield... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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