What did you do with your GRiSO today?

beetle wrote:

Wait...I want to see a helicopter too!

Ron?

Helicopter would help with engine heat in traffic lights too..

Real one or pants down.. whatever you prefer ..

Somebody say helicopter?

The other week, I solved a handling issue. I thought there was something wrong at the back end on a certain bit of road coming down the mountain to my place. There is a series of sweepers, and with my new-found handling with the PR4 GTs, I now explore uncharted territory (for me), there was an offputting (kinda) lurch as I came out of a tight L/H sweeper and tipped it the other way into a R/H sweeper.

Mind you if you get this wrong, you play intimately with a small cutting on the right, or drop into a creek (around 5 metres) on the left, and there is no runoff either side of the tarmac.

Anyway, as I transition to the R/H sweeper, Black Betty did a kind of lurch right on the apex. It felt like one of a few things: loose wheel bolts, suspension rooted, swing arm bearings shot, dodgy tyre.

Anally, I checked of each of these and could not find anything wrong. Damn!

The other evening I was a bit later home than usual, and it was dusk. Found it! There is a slight ripple, and I mean slight, in the middle of the apex. The light was just right to see it as I started cranking over. If measured, it would only be a few millimetres, but cranked over and with a little bit of speed, it felt wrong. Indeed it was. Can't see it in daylight, and at night there be critters drawing my eye to the peripheral vision, including wombats. Amazing the difference in handling when the tyres are unloaded and loaded rapidly while cranked over - in my case it was almost scary.

Now I know what is there and that the road is "not quite right" (like a lot us here), I can put my anal tendencies to rest and enjoy the ride. Winner!

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Helicoil inserted.

See, I told you Tony, Mr Roper is rarely wrong...

(my tool box is complete!!)

service of GRiSO all fluids,filters,brake pads,new front brake line good to go [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I have to report that deep in the middle of winter here in the Northern Rivers NSW, the weather is relentless.

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went for a lazy 200km round trip... just to check that my handiwork in the garage yesterday was up to par.
- replaced a few o-rings here and there, ran the wrench across a few things, and slipped in new exhaust gaskets.. all good.

By relentless, do you mean warm & sunny?

It was a sunny 17 here, finally. I took GRiSO for a short run to test the new injectors. New throttle (installed for new geegaw, which required other new geegaws...long story and to be not spoken of just now) locked up, which was interesting. Not. Limped home to find a grub screw had gummed up the works (which wasn't part of the new throttle, but I put it in anyway because it seemed like a good idea..no, wait, I'm not talking about it).

Rain here, in the middle of Indiana, today.

But, yesterday I went for a quick 150 mile trip to get a Guinness and steak sandwich.
Was a humid 91F, if you stopped moving you started sweating a lot. GRiSO ran fine except one stop light it was running 2K rpm instead of idle for a few seconds. I suppose I should look into this.

When I arrived back home the the sidecar brake parts I had been waiting on for the Dnepr were here.
So I grabbed a cold one and headed to the shop. Brakes are now good, I just need to fine tune the clutch adjustment.

Nice to have the sidecar for running around town and the GRiSO for heading down the highway.

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Went for a ride over Chinook Pass (WA highway 410).

Put a Beetle in it!

Before that I tightened the valve lash ( it was generally exhaust .009" and Inlet .006") to the recommended .006" and .004".  Took it for a spin to warm it up for the TB sync and she ran nicely with a noticeable decrease in surging at low speeds.  I was happy with that but then...  

Remapped it and surging is a non issue,  off idle "get go" improved, hole around 3200 rpm was gone.  What I really liked was I felt an increase in torque around 4000 rpm giving the engine more "range".

I also really like that I can be more relaxed at slow speeds. I'll be more at ease on the dirt roads I sometimes wonder on to.

Mark.  You nailed it.  Thanks

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Finally got my Norge off the lift -- after weeks of lethargy and sloth (and fear ) in installing rebuilt shock ... and got the GRiSO on it today.

I had thought I might be able to pull both wheels at same time while it was on the H-B stand with its provided front prop or a scissors jack, but just couldn't get the rear wheel high enough.

So, took the cowardly route and am doing one wheel at a time.

Taking the rear to the dealer tomorrow for them to put on a new MPR4 GT; front to follow when that gets done.

Of course I have pix.  


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So ... is that rust something to worry about?  Do something about?  Just fuggitaboutit and ride?  


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Oh, and while I am asking dumb questions, what is that cable ending at the square thingamabob above the top?

Grazie mille.

Bedtime here for us old folks.  

Bill

Bill, if you have the time, take it. Avoids unnecessary recovery operations.

Many live's ago I had a BMW, took it to a store to get new booties on it, had it on the centre stand. All good until I bumped it, and the bloody great thing came off the centre stand. Bike is now sitting on its sump. How embarassment!

The blokes that worked there thought it was funny too. I do now I look back on it. Wasn't at the time. Some of them helped right the battleship. I only went a little bit red, and that was not from embarrassment, but from exertion - those things can be a heavy as

The square thing is the speedo sensor Bill. Rust? Yeah, you get that.

Pete

First annual service I've completed myself

- Checked valve gaps (no adjustment required)
- New oils
- New filters
- Replaced factory spark plug caps with NGK
- Replaced old breather hoses
- Made & installed a plug & play Startus Interruptus mod
- Dealt with the leak at the exhaust-pretzel join
- Checked brake pads

All ready for The Fringe & beyond  

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Ooh, just thought...we'd better start collecting plastic straws before they disappear here in Oz.

Way ahead of you. The other day I ordered 500 cocktail straws and 400 bendy drinking straws.

Born in NYC I learned to remove wheels on the street from tourist's cars.  VA plates were always good for a nice set of rims as no one down there parallel parks.  Becker technik centerstand and some wood blocks. I put the front axle back in 'cause I have kids...[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Proof that lessons learnt in childhood come in handy life long

Here's my solution. The jack is only there to stabilize the hanging GRiSO and to keep it from spinning. Of course, not everybody has an overhead hoist.

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More Ragged Fringe readiness.
Angel GT's for the 9000km round trip.
Service incl new timing belt (50,000k's).
Fitted Onur's tank ring and a Givi tank bag.

Took the left hand side plate off and tightened the gear lever and the nuts holding the gear rod in place. Still a tad sloppy but much better.
Changed the oil and used the Penrite 10/60 full syn as suggested.
One thing of note, the engine is now showing 13.9/14.0 volts c/w 13.7/13.8 prior to the change.
I was using 10/40 previously, would have thought the heavier viscosity would have had the opposite effect?

The oil won't have any effect at all on the charge rate.

I rode the GRiSO to work 3 times this week, 300 miles of thuggery..... and envy. I work at FT Meade, and we are loaded with young Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Civilians in Uniform... urm I mean Airmen...

TONS of bikes, and NO Guzzi's not to mention GRiSO's. I park the bike in sight of my office window and watch the parade of dudes riding and driving by to look at it. I know that envy is a sin and I feel bad for provoking it, but then I remember that these knuckleheads look at the spec sheets and wave off Guzzi so no mercy for the unwashed..............        Then again, I was once one of those so I should have mercy...... Then I realize I found the truth on my own and so will they... Maybe my small actions will move them to the undarkside.....    

Oh, lest I forget, I also changed my suspension settings to check out Sid rats. Bottom Line, MUCH better than what I had (see suspension setting thread)  I went with a little less damping on compression, but reset set the rebounds to Sids settings and compression to 2. I LIKE!

Well done, Sir; well done ... on the display.

May have you reset mine now when next this way.

Bill