Author Topic: Bought a Quota ! (Read 2824 times)

usedtobefast · « **on:** August 06, 2019, 08:05:15 PM »

I saw my first Quota last year. Was in the local craigslist and a sad example, many issues, so passed on that one. So I've been lightly Quota shopping ever since.

Came across a pretty nice one and ended up buying it!!

Has nice rims (replacements ones, no cracks), 19" in front. Mistral cross pipe and no cracks in the exhaust. 20K miles. Looks like it has never been in the dirt.
Oh, and the fueling is perfect! Runs great. I have put about 500 miles on it and been getting between 34 - 40 mpg. Seems if they run well and get that kind of mileage you call the fueling done.

I still need to check on the "rust in the frame that can get into the engine" issue, but I think one of the previous owners rerouting hoses so that doesn't happen, not sure yet.

Has a bit of an oil drip, which is more after a long day. So a 40 mile ride and after parking over night I see like ~10 drops of oil ... a 250 mile hot ride and I saw about 1/2 a teaspoon of oil on the floor the next day. Been reading about possible leak points, got look into that more.

Oh, the trip meter reset ... how does that work (or supposed to work)? Do you turn the knob on the dash and it zeros out the trip meter? I think it is kind of stuck/broken.

Bike is very fun to ride and I'm actually surprised how well it works.

yogidozer · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2019, 08:25:23 PM »

Looks great! Wash it clean, and see if you can find the source of the leak.
They sell a spray on powder to help trace where the oil is coming from.
Have fun, sure looks sweet.

Lannis · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2019, 08:52:09 PM »

Pretty bike, and in the fastest color, too. You sure won't see yourself coming the other way very often.

Lots of help here, as you know, for finding that oil leak. Hope it's just a loose something or a cracked rubber something that's easy to get to. It IS 20 years old after all ....

Lannis

Turin · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2019, 09:14:12 PM »

Congrats! I'm convinced it's the greatest bike Guzzi has ever built. You got the best color too!

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2019, 09:14:12 PM »

bigbikerrick · « **Reply #4 on:** August 06, 2019, 09:29:25 PM »

very nice looking Quota. I also would like to get one some day, and put some type of basic off road hack on it, so I can use it for exploring desert trails. Your looks almost too pretty to take off road!
Rick.

usedtobefast · « **Reply #5 on:** August 06, 2019, 09:42:58 PM »

Quote from: bigbikerrick on August 06, 2019, 09:29:25 PM

very nice looking Quota. I also would like to get one some day, and put some type of basic off road hack on it, so I can use it for exploring desert trails. Your looks almost too pretty to take off road!
Rick.

I know! There is no dirt anywhere on it. I was planning on some easy dirt road exploring, but now, not sure I can do that to the bike.

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #6 on:** August 06, 2019, 10:10:42 PM »

Oil from the weep hole in bell housing.. ? give it a smell test, it could be gear lube from the transmission. The cone shape seals on the clutch push rod are known leakers.

rschrum · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2019, 10:27:24 PM »

I, like it!

TDF · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2019, 10:33:11 PM »

Great looker. Get it dirty though. It wont hurt it any. I just got mine a year ago and really like it. Mines black though. Guzzi had a real winner with the Quota just poor timing, and a few initial headaches soured it.

TDF

80CX100 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2019, 11:23:10 PM »

I love it.

You decide what you're looking for, hold out, and find a sweet, cherry looking ride like that; Congratulations, well bought!

Wishing you many miles and smiles with her.

Kelly

normzone · « **Reply #10 on:** August 06, 2019, 11:28:33 PM »

It's a lemon - that oil leak will lead to the entire bike seizing all at once, from wheels to stator.

I'll give you $500 for it purely as a safety measure.

hauto · « **Reply #11 on:** August 07, 2019, 11:15:40 AM »

Welcome to the club.Except for unexpected battery failure,mine has been bullet proof.I believe the speedo resets by turning the knob CCW. If it feels stiff unbolt the instrument panel and lube the cable. You will be surprised how well it does in the twisties.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2019, 11:32:37 AM »

Quote

Do you turn the knob on the dash and it zeros out the trip meter?

Yeah, it's just a cable to the standard odo screw. I'd still have Darth Quota if my legs were about 6" longer.

They are a really comfortable touring bike that handles much better than you would think by looking at it. Dr. John's dirt bike..

scottydogg · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2019, 02:29:44 PM »

I've had mine for about a year. Really enjoy it. Only major problem was with the voltage regulator. An easy replacement.

Huzo · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2019, 03:03:31 PM »

Could we have some more shots please ?

yogidozer · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2019, 03:53:56 PM »

Quote from: Huzo on August 07, 2019, 03:03:31 PM

Could we have some more shots please ?

Here, and don't be riding, ok?

usedtobefast · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2019, 04:59:46 PM »

Oh man, leak seems to be getting worse. Put about 50 miles on it yesterday, put a fresh piece of cardboard under it when home, this morning had about 2 teaspoons of oil on the cardboard.

Need to dig into that.

Yes, handling is surprisingly nice! Doesn't make sense ... skinny-ish tires, tall-ish bike, heavy-ish bike and handles great.

Will get some more pics posted up.

One of the first sensations I had on the initial test ride ... the gauges are way far away from you! Long-ish tank, the bars and then the dash sticking far away from the rider. Kind of odd.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2019, 06:48:02 PM »

Quote

Kind of odd.

Odd is not necessarily bad.

We are Guzzisti here..
Better find out if it's engine or transmission oil. Stick your finger in it, have a sniff.. oh, you know.

Report back..

usedtobefast · « **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2019, 10:07:40 PM »

Couple of more pics ...

Huzo · « **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2019, 10:15:09 PM »

Quote from: Chuck in Indiana on August 07, 2019, 06:48:02 PM

Odd is not necessarily bad. We are Guzzisti here..
Better find out if it's engine or transmission oil. Stick your finger in it, have a sniff.. oh, you know. Report back..

Funny...

Huzo · « **Reply #20 on:** August 07, 2019, 10:16:48 PM »

Quote from: usedtobefast on August 07, 2019, 10:07:40 PM

Couple of more pics ...

The lines of the exhaust routing let it down just a little bit, but it’s really nice.
I hope you get the leak sorted...
Did you say what year of manufacture it is ?

usedtobefast · « **Reply #21 on:** August 08, 2019, 12:48:12 AM »

Quote from: Huzo on August 07, 2019, 10:16:48 PM

Did you say what year of manufacture it is ?

I believe in the US they were only available in 2000. Mine was made Nov 1999, sold as a 2000 model.

Huzo · « **Reply #22 on:** August 08, 2019, 12:54:28 AM »

Quote from: usedtobefast on August 08, 2019, 12:48:12 AM

I believe in the US they were only available in 2000. Mine was made Nov 1999, sold as a 2000 model.

I’m sorta’ wondering why I never took more notice of them..

usedtobefast · « **Reply #23 on:** August 18, 2019, 02:06:34 PM »

So ... the oil leak is coming from the weep hole.

So I have to pull the engine to do all those leak fix things I've read about.

Would it be ok to put ~1500 miles on it as-is? I would like to ride it some between now and say Nov, then when the rain (our winter here in CA) hits, pull the motor and work on it then.

Current leak rate is ... ride it 1 hour, let it sit overnight, see maybe 1/4 teaspoon of oil on the cardboard I put under it.

Such a bummer, this was going to be my Fall trip bike (like putting 5000 miles on it). Now it might turn into my "bike shoved in the back corner of the garage" bike.

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #24 on:** August 18, 2019, 02:24:45 PM »

That's a very small leak, you could probably ride it for years like that.. are you sure it's not just a cracked breather hose at top rear of motor? That leak can drip down thru the bell housing and look like a rear mail seal leak. And you did the smell test right? A more common leak is gear lube migrating up the clutch push rod .

yogidozer · « **Reply #25 on:** August 18, 2019, 02:39:06 PM »

LEAK TRACING POWDER 12 fl.oz. aerosol spray cannet content 7.5 oz
https://wurthusa.com/Chemical-Product/Leak-Detection/LEAK-TRACING-POWDER-12-fl-oz-aerosol-spray-cannet-content-7-5-oz-%28213g%29-/p/886102712

nick949 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 18, 2019, 03:12:23 PM »

Great bikes. Did an easy 100 miles on mine today including about 20 on a small, twisty, hard-packed gravel road. Super comfortable and all that torque is a delight on tight loose corners. Even when the revs drop below 2000 you can just chug out. I think of it as a big rangy greyhound. Keep it.

Nick

usedtobefast · « **Reply #27 on:** August 18, 2019, 04:35:02 PM »

Smell and color test, 100% engine oil. Hose on top is good, no cracking no leaks.

My final test was ... rode the bike ~45 minutes, back in garage, wiped up everything underneath, put perfect cut piece of cardboard up into the weep hole, went away for 1.5 hrs. Came back, no oil underneath, no drips, stump dry, pulled the cardboard piece out and it was soaked with oil.

So my fear is oil flinging around in there and getting on the dry clutch ... not something to worry about?

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #28 on:** August 18, 2019, 09:00:31 PM »

Look in the inspection hole on right side of bell housing, if wet in there yes it could but contaminating the clutch is usually from the gear lube. The flywheel is between the rear mail seal and clutch so leaks there shouldn't get to the clutch unless severe. Sounds like your isn't. I ran a bike with a diaper under that weep hole for a long time and never saw the loss on a dip stick. I'd keep riding it but that's just me. I'm no expert by the way.

rocker59 · « **Reply #29 on:** August 19, 2019, 01:02:41 PM »

Quote from: usedtobefast on August 07, 2019, 04:59:46 PM

Oh man, leak seems to be getting worse. Put about 50 miles on it yesterday, put a fresh piece of cardboard under it when home, this morning had about 2 teaspoons of oil on the cardboard.

Need to dig into that.

2000 model Guzzis were known for bad rear main seals. 99% chance that's what you have, a leaky rear main seal.

Instead of cardboard, put down some plastic. Something the oil can't soak into. Cardboard has a way of making a drip look way worse than it is.

News:

Author Topic: Bought a Quota ! (Read 2824 times)

Wildguzzi.com