Sorting Stuff Out

Nov 2016 - what's next for this Moto Guzzi?

So, with the bike reassembled and the project goal accomplished, I've had the opportunity to put about 250 miles on the 850T.  A few things quickly became apparent, as one might imagine; nothing unusual or troubling, just the routine experiences and observations which come from daily living with such a mechanical entity.  While I can live with it just fine as is, a little attention to the following will enhance the reliability and rideability.  The forks are quite undersprung and the front disc brake is very poor, like a block of wood against steel.  I also found a small leak at the base of the right cylinder and the rear drive leaks as well (minor leaks are a major reason for maintaining a clean bike so, first, you are aware of a potential problem very early and, second, you can more quickly pinpoint the source).  Minor issues are par for the course on a 40 year old bike - note, I do not expect it to handle like any of the other decades-newer bikes in my stable.  Nonetheless, these are correctable, and things that I'd like to sort out.

The first thing is getting the cylinder leaks taken care of (leaving tiny, misted droplets on my boots after a 30 mile ride).  Some brief research implies that this is normal for big block Guzzi's, and should be rectified by re-torquing the cylinder heads.  After sorting through various forum exchanges I determined that the torque needs to be at least 32 lb/ft and no more than 34.  Unfortunately I only have a torque wrench in inch pounds, which tops out at only 3/4 of this range.  Oh well.  Pictured below are the rockers under the valve cover over the left side cylinder.  Another 'unfortunately', the rockers have to come off for access to two of the six bolts holding the cylinder head down.  It was not difficult or all that time-consuming, but I had put it off for a few weeks as the first time doing anything carries with it a little trepidation.  I could feel that the six bolts loosened fairly easily (not easy, just easily enough) - judging that they needed more torque and not having a torque wrench, I simply marked each bolt with a tiny scratch so I could confirm that it had been snugged a tad (technical unit of measure) more than before.  All buttoned up again, the left side is ok but the right still has a little pool of oil collecting on the lower inside.  I've since borrowed a larger torque wrench to get to this job again shortly.  Ugh.

The next thing to warrant attention are the fork springs, since I'd like to correct the saggy feel and dive before addressing the disc brake.  I'd removed and serviced the forks during the rebuild, and put the stock springs back in; whether they ever were in the first place, they are not quite up to the task now.  I called Progressive earlier in 2016 looking for springs with a heavier spring rate for this bike.   I purchased the recommended springs (0.68 kg/mm) but they were 60mm too long.  Or at least they were 60mm longer than the stock springs and I was sure that they could not be compressed enough to fit.  Past 90 days from purchase I could not return them, but the tech told me they could be cut down a few inches.  Consulting Guzziology, it was noted that a spring should generally not be much more than 1.5 inches above the top of the damper shaft at full extension (or spacer length if setting preload).  The stock springs sit at exactly the top of the shaft when not compressed.  Feeling that the Progressive springs would be stiffer than stock, I elected to cut the Progressives down leaving about 1.5 inches.  This was a mistake!  Whether they are stiffer than stock or not, I still cannot really say.  The sag is better and they are compliant and not springy, they still sag several inches under bike and rider weight and then bottom out under heavy braking.
To Resolve - the cut piece can actually be used as a spacer; either with the stock spring or the Progressive.  Although the total length of the Progressive spring may be prohibitively long.....  I just hate to take these on and off in a trial-and-error fashion.  But I cannot identify what the spring rate of the stock spring is.... Ideally, for a bike weighing about 500lbs and a rider (me) weighing about 200lbs, a spring rate of 0.95kg/mm is called for.

above = stock spring (420mm); below = Progressive after cut (total 480mm)

And last, the seat.  I somehow knew that this saga would end with me actually fabricating a seat for myself.  After the shop which made the first cafe seat (too low and interferes with rear fender) promised to replace it, and then waiting another 2+ months, they won't do it.  Options include buying a stock seat just for the pan, or using the cafe pan I have.  I can't use the seat that came on my project as it is not original and was fabricated from aluminum, thus it doesn't hold its shape well and presents problems for attaching the seat cover.  So cannibalizing my new cafe seat for the pan will be my approach.  I also think I can cut off the top of the foam to retain the shape of the cafe seat, as they did quite a good job of this (and it requires patience and skill, two things I have only in limited supply).
Two dense foam pads from Home Depot (gardening kneelers) will serve as the base on top of the pan.  Then the cafe padding, then I bought a roll of 1/2" foam to cover and smooth the underlying layers.  From eBay, I found a Moto Guzzi V7 replica seat cover that has the words 'MOTO GUZZI' in block letters across the back.  The hump is not the same, but close enough that I'm confident that it will fit (and still look "cafe") with a little tuck here and there and extra foam if necessary.

slightly photoshopped to show where it would sit higher after modification

Shifter Fix

Oct 2016
Which brings me finally to the shifter.  Since last February, I'd spent hours deciding how the shifter and brake levers were going to work using the Tarozzi rearsets* (and levers) I'd purchased for the project.  In brief, the stock foot peg bracket on the right of the project I'd purchased was bent, and the foot peg itself had been cut off, replaced with a threaded hole.  Replacement either on eBay or new would be costly, and the aftermarket rearsets suited the cafe-style project better anyway, so I went this route.  But the 1975 frame and drum rear complicated matters.  I thought I had both figured out, but putting the solutions into practice turned out to be easier said than done.

Tarozzi brand aftermarket rearsets & levers

This issue has hung over the project since the beginning, and it took on a more urgent nature once the bike was actually finished and ready to ride.  A few short test rides quickly revealed just how much torque and force is going through the shift lever.  My prior solution (see earlier posts) became more and more sloppy, and the hole I'd drilled in the stock left block plate was actually cracking.  This plate is composed of some composite alloy and would not weld.  My neighbor Jerry suggested fabricating a plate with a spline shaft from scratch, and although I dreaded such a drastic approach I ended up concluding that this was indeed the way to go.  The alternative was to buy an $80 replacement stock block plate and return to the stock shifter (by cutting it down and adding the toe piece from the Tarozzi).

So it was, I sourced a steel plate and 5/8" ID steel bushing and drew out the required measurements.   Then drilled and cut until I had a rough bracket (as below, shown with stock bracket)

Jerry provided welding expertise and after a few hours we had a finished bracket incorporating a very snug-fitting bushing for the spline shaft.  All holes lined up and a test ride revealed positive shifting up and down through all the gears.  Success!  So now just have to dismantle, clean it up a bit more and paint before re-installing.

*footnote: the folding pegs stick out more than an inch wider than the non-folding pegs.  these were far too wide for the bike, and Jim at FFTP graciously agreed to swap my pegs for a new set they'd made which were shorter.  installation proved these to be a much better way to go.

Finishing Touches

Quick Update - Oct 2016.
Following completion of this project over a month ago, there remained several aspects to still address; some for running and driveability purposes and others for aesthetics.  I'd not been sure if I'd add signal lights to this bike, preferring to keep it closer to the stripped-down 'cafe' look.  And it had no signals when bought.  But the wiring harness has signal leads already included, and the left bar switch accommodates turn signal operation; and its a safer way to ride.  So a lot of searching and thinking arrived at a set of mini-stalk marker lights from BikeMaster, which were fairly cheap and actually look pretty good.  The round (closer to oval) lens and flat black housing do not look out of place on this bike.  And at 23W each, they put out a lot of light.  One of the four arrived not working, so I bought a few spare bulbs for the inevitable next time.

Also, a mirror was in order, and I'd looked exclusively at bar-end mirrors.  The left grip had already been chewed away at the end by something or someone, so cleaning up the hole for a mirror on the left did not damage anything further, assuming it did not work out.  Good thing, as it has not quite worked out.  The mirror I bought (BikeMaster again) looks the part, but includes a chunky mounting point which interferes with the clutch lever at full disengagement.  So to rotate the mirror to where it does not contact the clutch lever makes actually viewing traffic behind pretty difficult.  Oh well, I'll keep it for looks for now as I can no longer return it.  I may get another style or go with a bar-mounted mirror.
EDIT: I replaced this with another bar-end mirror which is much smaller yet fits well, looks good, and does not interfere with the clutch lever.

For the brake lever, I ended up tossing the Tarozzi lever and cut down the stock lever instead.  It already fit on the brake spline shaft with no modification or linkages (which were getting somewhat cumbersome to assemble).  Just past the curve I cut, ground and smoothed the end of the lever.  A hole drilled in the end accommodates the Tarozzi toe piece so it still has an integrated look.  Note gray PVC spacer between bracket and folding part of foot peg to take up the space that the Tarozzi lever occupied.
Also, the shorter lever reduces leverage on the rear brake shoes meaning less ability to lock up the rear.

Next, the shifter and seat are all that remain.

Lessons in Restoration

During the course of this project, I definitely came to points in the build where I'd regretted a timing or decision from an earlier junction, or after making the same mistake for the fifth time, wished for a more efficient approach.  For example, I purchased several parts very early on which should have been no-brainers, but found out too late to return them that they would not work or were not right (fork springs and m/c rebuild kit for two).  All in all, however, the timing and cost were not too far off my estimates.  The effort required was maybe a little more than I'd hoped for.  But even after much detailed planning, nothing is ever exactly what you think it will be.

Your project may be more or less involved, or may require more sophisticated design and fabrication.  This 850T project called for significant disassembly and cleaning, polishing or de-rusting and painting of almost every component.  Minor brackets were fabricated and solutions required for a host of aesthetic and functional elements.  These are some thoughts I've had on the project as it unfolded, where I frequent uttered the words "next time", before I even knew what I was saying.  Then glanced around to check that my wife was not over-hearing me, as for this one there is no such thing as a next time.  I'm thinking there may be, however....!

So here is my list of lessons following this build.  Not necessarily in any order of importance:

• be able to summarize your project goal in one or two sentences (there are many decisions to make and this enables a more clear focus on the path forward)
• have a plan before you pull the trigger on parts, etc
• know exactly what you are looking for before buying the project base motorcycle (between barn-find, basket-case, survivor, or already partly/mostly restored); your time and effort and final cost will vary significantly.  it can be better to pay more up front for a better starting point
• do your research in advance; then do some more
• decide early on what direction you plan to take, between how stock, period, historical vs new, custom, unique, etc
• start with the most functional, well-sorted bike possible; if it is not functional and well-sorted, get it that way before tackling the major project elements (esp cosmetic such as blasting, painting, etc)
• ensure all engineering and fabrication are thought-out, executed, and working on the bike before final/complete disassembly for paint, etc
• new parts - check fit and function on the bike as early as possible after purchase/arrival (if it's wrong you can save time and money in getting it right or exchanging/returning it before 3-4 more months have passed)
• don't assume because a part is made for the bike it will fit or connect or work as expected; put it on and try it early on
•  expect the project to take 3 times as long as you first predict, and cost twice as much (in my case, paint alone was over half the entire project build cost, after purchase of the bike itself)
• use many bins and boxes, with good labels, for parts as they are removed; organization and ensuring parts don't get lost is key
• cluster similar components together
• use egg cartons or similar small compartment container to label and track nuts and bolts
• write down sizes, pitch and length of all bolts (sounds like over-kill, but many times when fitting a new bracket or tossing an old part, a new length bolt or washer or nylock will be needed and this makes it easier to obtain from your local hardware store quickly, with less guessing or trial-and-error)
• identify parts (esp many nuts and bolts) for de-rusting, de-greasing, cleaning, etc in batches when possible.  this is dirty work and requires chemicals to which you can minimize exposure if you tackle this job fewer times
• if you're already in there, go ahead and do it now (ie, replacing bearings, seals, o-rings, washers, filters, etc)
• avoid leaving 'easy' things to the end; they aren't always as easy as you expect them to be
• buy the right tool for the job and use it; even if one time, chances are that you will need it again
• wear proper eye and hand protection when doing any task that calls for it
• don't simply trust any 'expert', 'professional' or other tradesperson with your project outcome or expectations because they've done it before; when specialized work is required, micro-manage every aspect of it.  I had an issue (mostly minor, some not) with every single bit of outside work that I had done (except for paint).  
• there is a first time for every technical job or task; check the forums, YouTube, etc and try something yourself; trust your past, however, and don't bite off more than you can chew (or be prepared for the cost of replacement)
• have lots of shop towels and a well-stocked, well-organized tool cabinet; keep it that way by returning any tool as soon as you have used it
• spread a sheet of paper (such as the rolls painters use) on your work bench; it helps for dirty parts and to have a place to write down sizes and measurements as you go along.  periodically replace it with a new sheet to keep work area clean

Worst/Hardest things:

• degreasing is much harder than it first seems; it takes longer and more effort than you think
• derusting is actually much easier and quicker than you might expect; use the right products
• repeatedly getting hands full of grease and/or chemicals, requiring washing over and over
• going back to the same store for the third or fourth time in a week (or a day!) for something you forgot, or did not fit as you had expected
• putting your faith in a part or fitting and finding it does not work, so you have to go back to the drawing board (and/or you wasted time and money on a thing which you'll never get back)
• waiting
• waiting
• waiting
• spending stupid money on the one thing you can't do without

One final bit of advice - don't be too anxious to finish the project, or move on to the next step.  It can consume you and alienate those around you.  Have faith that it will eventually be complete, and resist the urge to rush the process.

Before and After

Now that the project has reached 'near final' status, its not too early for a before and after comparison.  A short test ride this week highlighted a few issues to chase down, however.  These include optimizing the shift linkages, sorting the rear brake, and working on the throttle response/fuel delivery.

right side, before

right side after

 

Final Checklist

These are the last items on my (hopefully!) last checklist before a first ride is possible.  Now that they're almost all checked off, I'll be riding the Moto Guzzi again soon!

Getting Closer !!

A test ride is just a few short steps away:

• When replacement pegs and linkages come in, fitment of fabricated shifter and brake required.....
• When clutch cable is cut down and a new end stop fabricated....
• When seat pan is cut and reshaped to allow for rear fender.....
• When carb float bowl o-rings come in......

In the meantime:

On Wheels Again

The project is finally back on its own two wheels again.  The engine stand is gone!

Shifter (&brake) Linkage

Since the start of this project, nothing has puzzled me more than how I was going to set up the brake and shift levers. 
I have spent hours in research and more hours in thought over the best method for achieving efficient shifts, drawing diagrams and mashing various possibilities together.  On a few forums there appeared to be little worry over the shifter side when replacing stock pegs with rearsets, but concern on how to set up the brake.  I felt the opposite problem, since the brake side has a spline shaft to which a shorter lever could be fit, or some other linkage arm attached.   There are no rearsets which accommodate the rear drum setup on the 850T; they all seem to pick up from later models (while almost identical have differences), leaving me with the task to engineer a linkage.  Part of the problem is in the frame plates designed to support both the brake rod as well as the shifter rod.  As I had to keep the brake rod (drum rear) I could not simply toss these frame plates, or come up with a way to also keep the shift rod (it is attached to the shift pedal).
I decided on the Tarozzi brand rearsets and picked up a set of pegs and shift levers from Fast From The Past (as shown below).  Jim substituted one linkage arm for the idea I had in mind.

Tarozzi brand rearsets and levers

For the shift side, I finally settled on running a spline shaft through the frame plate/bracket and connecting it to an arm to activate the transmission input shaft (but not without going back and forth dozens of times as to whether this was really the best path).  Part of my concern was in introducing any slop in the linkages, especially side to side or up/down movement when transferring a down foot movement into a forward linkage movement, then into a downward transmission shaft movement.  
First called for buying a drill large enough to accommodate the size of the spline shaft provided with the rearsets.  Unfortunately (which I still find hard to believe) 16mm is the smallest spline shaft size they make.  This meant finding a 5/8" drill bit to go through steel (grumble, grumble, $25 later - all in all I spent $100 more in tools and linkage parts in addition to the $300 original cost of the rearsets).

Taking the leap with any irreversible step is the hardest part; once started, you are committed and it gets easier to keep going.  I leveled and secured the plate for drilling the 16mm (5/8") hole.  It took a while but after roughly 30 min of drilling the hole was made.  I stopped just short of the end since I could see that the 16mm hole left very little steel remaining on either side of the cupped section (which was for the stock shifter rod).  I figured I was going to have cut off some of this cap anyway, to ensure the length of the spline shaft aligned with the transmission linkage.
So cap end cut off; and notice in the photo below the arm that had to be shortened as well (cut above where new hole marked with Sharpie).  Just a new hole still to drill in this to accept a linkage rod end.  And cutting of bushing for tight 16mm fit.

The final linkage set up (without rod ends yet) is below, along with an 'exploded' view.  I bought a bushing that I modified to fit snugly over the spline shaft, as well as butt against the bracket and the linkage arm to minimize sideways or up/down movement.  All fits very snug; as long as the leverage provided by the shortened arm is ok, will hopefully work great!  At this point, a few rod ends are on order to complete both brake and shift sides before they can be mounted on the bike, adjusted and tested.