First Ride on my Ambo

[luthier]

Today I took her for the first spin just down the road and back for half a K each way.
I'm on a dirt road, very isolated from humanity and I'm waiting for historic plates so I can go for a proper ride.
But this is all the teething process.
I had not realized the way the gears went on these bikes.
I had not been able to get the neutral light to work but now discovered that it was because I was on a false neutral between 3rd and 4th.
So I had to change the position of the shifter as well with shifting the opposite direction of what I had thought.

Anyway she has ample grunt, a fabulous exhaust note and didn't seem to have suspension issues.


But I wanted to ask the loop guys how do you adjust the right side carby with the screws facing in towards the barrel ? It's that pesky mixture screw that may not end up being perfectly adjusted. ??????????????????

[Aaron D.]

Sounds like two left carbs..

[Groover]

Which way does the Ambo shift?

[luthier]

Which way does the Ambo shift?

Up for 1st so kick back on the shifter, then down for the rest.

Do they have left and right carbs?

[luthier]

I see you are quite right, I have two left feet/carbs. Damn. Has anyone got a right side carb body in VHB29 that they might sell me ??

[Motogogo]

Hope you have many miles of smiles on your new old bike.
 "Anyway she has ample grunt, a fabulous exhaust note" That is the magic.
 
 A phrase to remember ... Heal Down (shift).

 Have a Blast!

[webmost]

Up for 1st so kick back on the shifter, then down for the rest.

Do they have left and right carbs?

Holy Moly! That's better than a fork lock!

[Triple Jim]

Hey, one of the first things I do to a motorcycle when I buy it is reverse the pattern so 1st is at the top.  Stepping down to upshift (down to make the RPM go down) is much more natural to me, and it avoids missed gears if there was any tendency to do that.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

 
 A phrase to remember ... Heal Down (shift).

Or "toe to go, heel to slow".

[SmokyBC]

My shifting on my '73 Eldorado is upside down to my other bikes. Is there a way to reverse this? NEw linkage, or a kit or something?

[Triple Jim]

I believe the shift drum can be changed if you want to take the transmission apart.  For my Mille, I fabricated a new linkage and shift pedal.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

My shifting on my '73 Eldorado is upside down to my other bikes. Is there a way to reverse this? NEw linkage, or a kit or something?

Stephen Brenton sells an arm called the S.O.B. that clamps onto the shift shaft, you flip the arm on the back of the transmission 180*.

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_transmission_-_reverse_the_shift_pattern_by_using_a_shift_offset_bracket.html



Or a new shft shaft arm can be fabricated and welded on.

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_transmission_-_reverse_the_shift_pattern_by_relocating_the_shift_arm.html

[nick949]

My shifting on my '73 Eldorado is upside down to my other bikes. Is there a way to reverse this? NEw linkage, or a kit or something?

Train your mind. My four bikes all have different shifting patterns.  If you take the time to remember which bike you're riding, you shouldn't have any issues.


Nick

[Tom]

HD Reconstruct.  Suicide clutch.  Tank shift.
Ambo. '70.  left foot shift. 1 up & 3 down.  Heel toe shifter.
Eldo.  '75 left foot shift.  1 down 4 up.  Heel toe shifter.
Cali III and Cali 1100i.  Same as Eldo.
V7 Sport.  Right foot shift.  1 up & 4 down.
Convert.   No shift.
All the rest standard shift.  1 down & 4 up.

Loads of fun when you forget what you're riding.  Makes for some interesting rides. 

[leafman60]

Stephen Brenton sells an arm called the S.O.B. that clamps onto the shift shaft, you flip the arm on the back of the transmission 180*.

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_transmission_-_reverse_the_shift_pattern_by_using_a_shift_offset_bracket.html



Or a new shft shaft arm can be fabricated and welded on.

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_transmission_-_reverse_the_shift_pattern_by_relocating_the_shift_arm.html

Ditto

Works great.

Helluva lot easier than changing a shifter drum!

.

[luthier]

I'm not at all concerned by the shift pattern, I just found it funny that I discovered it on my first ride.
It's pretty clunky as expected but I haven't got out of second gear yet.
Just have to wait for the license plate which should take a week or two.
What I'm thrilled with is the suspension seems totally up to the dirt which my Cali never managed. In fact it feels as sure footed as the T3 with Zochis but I'm sure some speed will show that not to be the case.

[Aaron D.]

You may be surprised..

[SmokyBC]

I heard from Mr. Benten, the shifter arm is no longer available. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

What I'm thrilled with is the suspension seems totally up to the dirt which my Cali never managed. In fact it feels as sure footed as the T3 with Zochis but I'm sure some speed will show that not to be the case.

Loops handle very well on graded dirt and packed gravel roads, better than any other street bike I've ridden and better than some dual sport bikes.

[nick949]

Loops handle very well on graded dirt and packed gravel roads, better than any other street bike I've ridden and better than some dual sport bikes.

 

Nick

[jas67]

Loops handle very well on graded dirt and packed gravel roads, better than any other street bike I've ridden and better than some dual sport bikes.

Who'd thunk!    I haven't yet ridden my recently acquired loop, but, my V7 Special handles those types of roads just fine, as does my Ducati Monster.

[Tom H]

The descriptions of the shift pattern kinda confused me. Lotsa different shifters were on the oldies as well as left or right shift.

So I'll add a picture.

When I shift may Ambo and Eldo. I push the front of the lever down for first. For second through 4th or 5th, I push down on the back of the lever.


The picture shows the shifter I have.

Tom

[Cam3512]

My V7 Sport is 1 up, 4 down left shift.  No big deal,

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The descriptions of the shift pattern kinda confused me. Lotsa different shifters were on the oldies as well as left or right shift.

So I'll add a picture.

When I shift may Ambo and Eldo. I push the front of the lever down for first. For second through 4th or 5th, I push down on the back of the lever.


The picture shows the shifter I have.

Tom

Loops with footboards usually have a "normal" pattern, ones with footpegs usually have a "reverse/GP" pattern.

[jas67]

Loops with footboards usually have a "normal" pattern, ones with footpegs usually have a "reverse/GP" pattern.

Does that include all loops, up through the last Eldorados? 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Does that include all loops, up through the last Eldorados?

Yes. Yours should be toe/down for 1st, heal/up for 2nd - 5th. Easy enough to check to make sure.

[jas67]

Loops with footboards usually have a "normal" pattern, ones with footpegs usually have a "reverse/GP" pattern.

Yes. Yours should be toe/down for 1st, heal/up for 2nd - 5th. Easy enough to check to make sure.

My Eldo is a civilian model, with footpegs.    So, still toe down for 1st, heal/up for 2nd trough 5th?
fw

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Yes. Yours should be toe/down for 1st, heal/up for 2nd - 5th. Easy enough to check to make sure.


My Eldo is a civilian model, with footpegs.    So, still toe down for 1st, heal/up for 2nd trough 5th?
fw

Oops, no. Forgot yours is a footpeg Eldo. Should be a "backwards" pattern - heal/up for 1st, toe/down for 2nd - 5th. But, I'd still check to be sure - shift it through the gears on the centerstand and see whatcha' got.

[jas67]

Oops, no. Forgot yours is a footpeg Eldo. Should be a "backwards" pattern - heal/up for 1st, toe/down for 2nd - 5th. But, I'd still check to be sure - shift it through the gears on the centerstand and see whatcha' got.

I just checked, yes, it is toe to shift up, heal to shift down.

That shouldn't be too bad to get used to, as the only other bike that I have with heal/toe shift is my Ducati 250 Monza (although, that one is right foot shift).