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Author Topic: The other GUZZI.....  (Read 1019 times)

mhsilverw

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The other GUZZI.....
« on: November 06, 2014, 02:10:52 pm »
Just got back from an 85mile ride on the Guzzi 1000 SP NT, over a mix of roads and traffic conditions. Not just any 85miles, but the first few!

Initial reaction was the front feels funny; then remembered it was a brand new front tyre. Seemed to get better once I guess the 'newness' rode off.

It's quite rural, so to get used to it, tried some 'B' and unclassified roads, some with grass growing down the middle. Took a few miles to work out or find a comfy position on the saddle; the clutch seemed heavy and the throttle 'stiff'.....seem to recall Guzzi's were renowned for a'stiff' throttle...(by end of ride seemed ok, I expect it will take some miles to get used to that!). The front brake lever is obviously suited to someone with bigger hands too - but ok.

Initially thought the front brakes were poor; then remembered the linked set-up and tried to get used to using the foot and sometimes a little r/h brake sometimes. That's better!

Rode through some urban areas/towns that were a bit busy; surprised I could get in and out of the gears and even find neutral at a standstill (or thereabouts). Had expected a gearbox like the Guzzi NF single; but maybe that was just different and the flywheel effect on that. Once found one false neutral the whole ride! At low speeds and ambling it seems the SP will cope ok and not be a torture. Riding position quite nice (once adjusted to the seat a bit) and seems comfy; can get feet down and manageable in a good way.

The fairing is (surprisingly) really very good; I must be a the right height for it; no buffeting; nothing nasty when going a bit faster....expect on a very hot day (today wasn't bad) it might even be too warm. Still wont have to worry about that for a while.

After escaping a fuel stop, and negotiating the myriad of roundabouts; back into the country on a B road than an A road. Upto and around town I can see (possibly) where the 'agricultural' references in test talk about; not in a bad way just not a modern 'knife-thru-butter' way. Once around 50-55-60-65-70mph (all managed easily and no stress on bike or rider) the bike assumed an amazing smoothness....whereas the K75 was/is smooth everywhere...this  is comparable in that range. Lovely and torquey too. Does seem to take a wee while for the signals from the (stiff) throttle to the road but creamy smooth and 'majestic'. Gather the tourers differed in the 'go dept' from the Le Mans types - at this showing, in a word NICE.

Once bimbling along country A and B roads the bike came into its own, and was a great companion. Suspension fine (not rock hard like some Italian bikes). Less fussy and nowhere near as vibey as the T140 I had a while back; that was the same age; and seems more solid and planted, and far less vibey all round.

Overall a great ride on what I think will be a good companion; once I adjust to the seat, clutch and throttle!



I will (do) miss the NF (& triple K) - but my knee and back doesn't.

As far as I can tell (but hell, I am no expert) the only deviations from std are: Think the burgundy colour non-std (might have been standard on a 850 T4); assume non-std/replica/replacement silencers; a bra!; (PO) Previous owner fitted some fog/spot-lamps on the crash-bars; the seat looks as if it has been lowered (may see if I can alter that a bit...); the lower faring lowers have been 'shortened' to little wings below the tank; assume PO may have banged his knees on them. Seems to be ok to me, quite like it as it is. Not turned into a café-racer as seems the norm!

M
« Last Edit: November 06, 2014, 02:19:02 pm by mhsilverw »

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banquo

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2014, 03:01:13 pm »
Nice. Much the same as my Cali III but not as fugly.
The incredibly stiff throttle takes some getting used to, and is a 'feature' on carburetted models. I'm told it went when they moved to EFI in '94.
There are softer springs available for the carbs, but I've been warned off them, as likely to fail to return the slides just as you enter a bend at full speed.
I find the gearbox fine, although it sometimes doesn't want to select 1st from standstill, and I discovered that the sidestand safety switch works on the ignition only, so you can crank away quite happily, filling everything with fuel, before you realise what's gone wrong, and get a HUGE explosion and sheet of flame out of the pipes when it does fire with the stand up....  :-[

Consistency: 10/10
Diversity: 2/10
Commitment: 8/10
NF factor: 66.67% (you get a sympathy vote due to injury!)

Jacks the lad

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2015, 02:36:21 pm »
My other Guzzi ? It's a v50 MkII ex police machine. It's in bits just at the moment in order to do something about it's gearing. talk about low geared, 50mph at 5000 rpm. I guess it's like that for use in the city traffic where acceleration was more important that high sped. Need of course to split the gear box away from the clutch housing  to get a the input gears, so it wont be a five minute job.

banquo

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2015, 08:36:07 am »
Daft question; you can't change the final drive ratio with a different bevel box? (you can tell I know nothing about this... :-[)

Jacks the lad

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2015, 09:40:04 am »
Daft question; you can't change the final drive ratio with a different bevel box?
   Yes, I thought that as well. However it seems the the rear bevel was common right across the range including the V35 as well. Makes sense I suppose when you think about it, two small spur gears are going to be cheaper to produce that a crown and pinion. Easily fitted during the first  assembly of the machine  as required. On the V50's the input (Main) gear box shaft is not in line with the engine, hence the need for the two small gears. that make it an easy and cheep place for the Manufactures  to change the ratio as they see fit.    MG probably  never thought anyone would want to change them, and even if they did, they didn't worry about it .

banquo

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2015, 01:28:42 pm »
That's my something new learned for today then! 8)
I wonder where the speedo drive comes from, and how that will or won't be effected by changing the spur gears?

Jacks the lad

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2015, 03:28:30 pm »
Speedo drives off the front wheel, so no problem
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banquo

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2015, 05:54:35 pm »
That's handy!
I should know all this, having bought and not yet read a copy of Guzziology....   :-[

OldeGoat

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2017, 12:26:02 pm »
My other Guzzi is a 1992 750T - a nice little bike which is, in reality, a bit small for me.  I quite fancy a Spada, like Dave's.  I likes that, especially in that colour scheme.
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banquo

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2017, 10:54:49 am »
The Cali works fine for those over six foot. I'm quite comfy on mine with 34" I/S leg, and despite being a 'custom' it still goes and corners like any other Tonti.

OldeGoat

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2017, 06:18:14 pm »
A while ago I bought a lovely Cali EV but I couldn't get on with the foot boards, and also, the seat was too low, creating uncomfortable knee/ leg angles.  What I SHOULD have done was sent the seat to Wells near Leics., and had it built up, then I might have been ok, but I didn't and sold it.  I'm ALWAYS drawn to the Cali, but know it's not for me. :'(
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banquo

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Re: The other GUZZI.....
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2017, 06:42:59 pm »
I didn't like the boards at first, but have got used to them. On the test ride, I ended up going about half a mile in 1st, before I realised I couldn';t get my toe under the lever, and had to use the heel.... Slow learner. I had my NF lever set high at that time, and only used my toe, but have reverted to heel and toe, and prefer that now.