I will post some pictures soon... The car is in the garage at the moment so I cant get a good shot... looks like it may be there for a while as Mercedes are currently quoting 8 weeks for the part, and its dealer only!! I needed to make some brackets out of alloy tube, but of you squash the ends in the vice it looks crap… so I made this little die that profiles the ends round which also make them stronger.
I made a speedo housing earlier in the build, but I was not happy with the result, so I tried again... this one is better... turning the dome took some doing! I have rubber mounted it as I always feel electronics need it…
I wanted to add some custom detail onto the bike, in particular on the valve covers... So I tried the technique of etching alloy... have to say it worked rather well! Oh, and although those indicators are small, they are amazingly bright!
Onto for me what is the most enjoyable part of a build... the wiring. I have a process for this I stick to. First I draw out the wiring diagram in Microsoft Visio, and colour code the wires. Then I order the wire in, which is quite cheap and any connectors I need. So often the standard of the electrics is what make a bike trouble free in the future. I then build the loom actually on the bike, circuit by circuit, wire by wire, which I hold temporarily in place with some Velcro cable ties. When its all in place I use that braided sheathing and close the ends with heat shrink tubing. it make a neat job. Rather than connect the main battery leads up, I use a fly lead with a 10 amp fuse just in case I make a mistake. I crimp, and if needed solder every joint. I have rubber mounted the coils and put them on an alloy heat sink. I also like to make my own HT leads out of solid copper lead, so I can get them to fit perfectly... I have also used up the last of the Tygon fuel tube I had in stock... Its 8mm ID and I am unable to source any more without buying a large quantity, which is really annoying.
its brilliant stuff... but it adds a lot of money to a build... Here is the finished wiring… and the final diagram of which I am always happy to share a full size version. Its one item that is always nice to pass onto the new owner when I eventually sell on... Imagine fault finding without it! I like to use the braided sheathing rather than the hard PVC stuff of old. I see that many cars and bikes now use it. Its a bit fiddly but if you touch the end on the soldering iron after you cut it, it stops it fraying. Another nice advantage is if you need to pull one or two wires out, you can do by just parting the strands.
the footrests/and levers are now finished… I pondered how to do the brake light switch and then came upon this neat hydraulic one which bolts onto the union…
I’m intrigued as where you’re going to mount the registration number plate, on the swingarm or the frame?
So its start-up time… I had a good spark, but I wasn’t sure if it was on the right cylinder as I hadn’t made a note on the coils… so it was a 50% chance it would start… It did! It quickly settled to a nice tick over, but I had to shut it down as I am missing the “0” rings off the sensors and they leaked oil. I have been waiting a week for them, bloody Royal Mail strikes! With any fresh engine build I have a routine I stick to that has served me well over the years… first thing I do is remove the oil switch and pump oil into the engine. I use a plastic pump up bottle for this. This primes all the oilways, fills the filter, fills the oil pump, and oozes out of all the bearings. I prefer this to engine building paste, which I am not a fan of… I do use a smear of it on the cams and followers though… The other thing I do is screw in a pressure gauge. I was pleased to see that it immediately shot up, which is always a relief. This has saved me a couple of times in the past… Once when the pressure relief valve in a new oil pump was stuck, and the gauge went off the scale… the other time was my fault when I put an oil pickup pipe joint on wrong, and the joint itself covered the pipe hole… started it up and initial pressure then nothing… that gauge is a lifesaver!
well how annoying is that [bang] [bang] I noticed the section of one pipe was going blue... checked it and its magnetic! looks like the supplier mixed in a piece of Mild Steel in with the stainless! Oh well, new piece is on its way
well this build comes almost to an end, I am sure there will be some snagging to do, but that can be done in Spring when I can ride it! I will post a video of it running as soon as we have a nice day. Here is is with the last couple of builds I have kept as I liked how these ride! Its time to start the next Build… I have another Multistrada at the back of the garage which I will wheel out soon and make a start on that… this has some nice parts on it and should make a great bike, not sure on the style of this one yet, I guess it will evolve over the coming months.. Have to say I have really enjoyed the Guzzi build, a refreshing change to Ducati’s as the next one will be Ducati number 10 build! So apart from a video at some point its goodbye from me on this thread and I hope you have all enjoyed my ramblings
The front under the headlight didn’t look right, so I made a plate and etched a Guzzi badge on it, I am still amazed how well the etching works! Here is the video of it running, followed by some photos that tell the story of its build… Its -5 this afternoon on the drive, so It wont be up the road for a while!
