Recent Posts

1

General Discussion / Re: Quickshifter for V85?

« Last post by Ncdan on Today at 09:19:33 AM »

I’m not going to attempt to address the technical aspects of this conversation, just add my existing experience with “no clutch shifts”.
I have a 1983 Honda CB1000C and this transmission can be smoothly shifted in any gear, including 1st to 2nd gear which can be iffy without experience.
I simply back off the throttle for an instant and quickly and firmly pull up of the shifter. There is no grinding or jerking, just a smooth shift. I think it’s simply the design of a superior designed transmission as my prior CB900s could also be clutchless shifted easily and smoothly.
I think the question that would need addressing is what are we, who do this, are actually accomplishing by making gear shifts eliminating the clutch???
The only thing I can say I do it for is to possibly lengthen the life of the clutch and cable and I’m not about to say that this practice significantly accomplishes this.
I would say that if there is even a slight chance off destroying a transmission, then it ain’t worth the effort.

2

General Discussion / Re: Arcing Dyna Coils

« Last post by Moparnut72 on Today at 09:11:52 AM »

Always ground an unused plug lead while cranking or running an engine. A very likely way to destroy a coil. The energy will do whatever it has to do to find its way to ground quite often destroying anything in its way.
kk

3

General Discussion / Re: Quickshifter for V85?

« Last post by michaell32 on Today at 09:09:34 AM »

I understand what you are saying, but a good clutchless shift is very smooth, so I am thinking that in practice a lot of the difference between input and output rpm is made up during the brief moment that neither the previous gear nor the next one is engaged.  That situation has to exist for some amount of time during every shift or else the whole thing would lock up.  I don't think you are accounting for this potential for rev matching during the "false neutral" period in the way your are thinking about it.

And the proof is in the pudding.  I have regularly clutchless upshifted all of my bikes over 40 years of riding (three Suzukis, two Ducatis, one Royal Enfield and now a V7 850) and have never had a transmission malfunction of any type over several hundred thousands of km.  I have less experience with the downshifting and honestly I have my doubts that it is quite as benign.

I think the biggest contributing factor is how close the gear ratios are. I wouldn't try it on my California but on my gsxr I never had an issue with a quickshifter or rolling the throttle. The guys that needed the dogs recut were spraying 100 shot and shifting at 14k rpm with a carpenter head/cam package. Cutting the power to the coils did drop the rpm quick enough for a seamless shift however bikes like the gsxr have a very lightweight motor designed for racing.  Those motors could rev up or down very quickly.  The v85 is making about a 1/3 of their power and probably shifting around half the rpm. As long as the gear ratios are close enough and the rotating assembly with the clutch is light enough I wouldn't have any worries. I don't have a v85 though so it's all speculation. 

4

General Discussion / Re: Arcing Dyna Coils

« Last post by michaell32 on Today at 08:56:39 AM »

I always used one of these if I needed a plug out while cranking. You can use an alligator clip to hold it to the engine or frame.  https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/ignition-tester/p/duralast-in-line-ignition-tester/1267200_0_0?searchText=Spark+plug+tester

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General Discussion / Re: Quickshifter for V85?

« Last post by YellowDuck on Today at 08:52:32 AM »

Again, all good stuff.
But it’s the almost instant reduction of flywheel rpm that occurs in a fraction of a second with clutchless changes that has to be achieved by an uncushioned engagement of the gear dogs.
The much more gradual re engagement of the clutch following a regular shift, allows the dogs to engage with zero torque and the engine can spin up/down as the friction plate contacts.

I understand what you are saying, but a good clutchless shift is very smooth, so I am thinking that in practice a lot of the difference between input and output rpm is made up during the brief moment that neither the previous gear nor the next one is engaged.  That situation has to exist for some amount of time during every shift or else the whole thing would lock up.  I don't think you are accounting for this potential for rev matching during the "false neutral" period in the way your are thinking about it.

And the proof is in the pudding.  I have regularly clutchless upshifted all of my bikes over 40 years of riding (three Suzukis, two Ducatis, one Royal Enfield and now a V7 850) and have never had a transmission malfunction of any type over several hundred thousands of km.  I have less experience with the downshifting and honestly I have my doubts that it is quite as benign. 

6

General Discussion / Re: The joy of new mobile devices

« Last post by Moparnut72 on Today at 08:48:26 AM »

I ah a Motorola phone which worked well but due to a poor phone mount and a strong headwind it blew off my bike at 60 mph. I was able to recover it but despite a cracked screen it still worked. I went to Verizon to see what I had to do to get it repaired but found that doing it through them was such a major hassle I let them talk me into a free Samsung phone. I didn't like it at all after I got used to it. My bills were being sent to another address so I didn't see until a couple of months later that I had been billed $850 for the phone. All I got was an online notice that my credit card was being debited. Between this and the so called free phone I cancelled and went to T-Mobile and exchanged the Samsung for another Motorola a lesser model which I am happy with. The only downside is that in the sticks where I live the coverage isn't great. I was under the impression that they used the Verizon network but apparently not or it is restricted.
kk

7

General Discussion / Re: Two MG dealers close in Colorado

« Last post by CanonVanagon on Today at 08:44:53 AM »

Not familiar with "Colorado Powersports in Colorado Springs", but for good measure I called Sun Powersports' Colorado Springs location, listed on the Moto Guzzi dealer map, and they're still carrying Guzzis as well and have the new green V7 Sport on their sales floor.
https://www.motoguzzi.com/us_EN/dealer-locator/?f=all

So good news is that for the time being there will continue to be three official Moto Guzzi dealers operating in CO. Frederick, Denver, and Colorado Springs.

Sun Powersports is the new name of Colorado Powersports in Colorado Springs. I hope they don't stop selling and servicing Moto Guzzi. I try my best to give them business when I buy parts for my bike. I haven't needed them for anything major but its nice to have the option if something does happen.

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General Discussion / Re: Pre-E5 V7 Rear Spoked Wheel on V9

« Last post by Dirk_S on Today at 08:04:17 AM »

Admire your tenacity   Looking forward to follow the next steps.

Thanks. Who else is going to resolve this curiosity of mine? Sometimes it’s worth cutting up a $250 used final drive just to know what’s possible.

Button Head Cap Screws (BHCS) might also solve your clearance problem. 

Or you might be able to countersink the holes and use Flat Head Cap Screws (FHCS).

I would try grinding down some Hex Head Cap Screws (HHCS).  Of course measure some dimensions before starting.

Shallow Socket Head Cap Screws make me nervous, but of course, that is what a Button Head Cap Screw or a Flat Head Cap Screw is....

Yeah, I’m no fan of low-profile heads for higher torque applications. I actually just purchased some umbrella cap titanium bolts. Expensive, sure. But hey, shaves weight!

Make sure you know the offset of the rim so you can spoke the new one up the same.

…In time.

Also, how does the rear disc line up ?

See above. And stop jumping chapters!

But seriously, my next step might be looking at the bearings and spacer setup.

9

General Discussion / Re: Arcing Dyna Coils

« Last post by n3303j on Today at 07:32:19 AM »

Yup, when you pull a plug wire on a running engine the energy has to go somewhere. When it arcs across the insulating material it turns a bit of it into carbon. This makes the path easier to follow each subsequent time. Eventually you end up burning an alternate path into the insulating material.

Safe way to isolate cylinders for diagnosis is putting a bare metal extender on the plug top and connecting the plug wire to the top of the extender. When you want to disable a cylinder you touch the head with an INSULATED handle screwdriver and bring the shaft to rest on the plug extender. Spark shorts to case ground and energy sagely dissipated. I always made plug extenders with the plug screw on top terminal with a long metric screw (head removed) threaded halfway through it. That screws easily on top of plug and plug wire fits the metric screw.

Early sparking systems (R60/2, Ural) had two grounded and pointed tabs that were gapped near the coil outputd so that if a plug wire dropped off the spark would jump from the metal terminal to the point on the grounding tab. Insulation was not so good in the '50s.



Two ground points aimed at HV terminals visible in this photo.

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General Discussion / Re: Suggestions for disposing of used motorcycle gear

« Last post by DaGootz on Today at 07:21:39 AM »

A few friends of mine, Mark & Janine, have a wonderful motorcycle only campground here in the mountains of North Carolina, Mountainview Motorcycle Campground, Elk Park NC. Theyare primarily an ADV location but road riders are alway there too. They have a collection area where riders donate their used gear for someone else to ejoy juast as they did....it's a "pay forward" thing going on. I have oicked up things for free anf also have given to others too. It's just a cool way to reciprocate items. If it's something he's interested in, here's the contact info https://tdubclub.com/mountain-view-motorcycle-campground-elk-park-north-carolina/ Speak with Janine, she's a real peach, and she will be more than happen to help out.