Author Topic: MK3 Lemans upgrades  (Read 6316 times)

Offline Matteo

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #30 on: August 08, 2019, 11:20:11 PM »
If the kickstand is anything like the one on my MK IV LeMans, That would be the first thing I get rid of, and replace with a "Brown's" kickstand. The stock ,self retracting stand is a worthless contraption, and should not be trusted .
Rick.
I was shocked when my LeMans 3 and my CX stayed upright on their stock kickstands during our 7.2 earthquake while my big roll around toolbox fell over and most of my shelves were emptied. Go figure.
66 Stornello Scrambler,77 Lemans,80 CX100,16 V7II,21 V85TT Centenario
Gone to new homes: 84 LM3, 82 1000SP, 00 V11Sport, 84 V50III, 84V65, 00 Jackal, 07 Norge

Offline jas67

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #31 on: August 10, 2019, 07:51:53 AM »
If the kickstand is anything like the one on my MK IV LeMans, That would be the first thing I get rid of, and replace with a "Brown's" kickstand. The stock ,self retracting stand is a worthless contraption, and should not be trusted .
Rick.

+1 on the Brown.   I have one on my Mk1 Le Mans.  That thing is very well built, easy to reach to deploy, and very stable when deployed.

I'm not sure where/if you can buy them for Guzzi though.   Nate at Boxerworks in GA put it on for me before selling me the bike.  Now I want them for both my Airheads.
2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

Offline Stevex

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #32 on: August 10, 2019, 08:04:42 AM »
There is a Triumph side stand that will fit the Tonti Guzzis with some modification of the mounting bracket.
I bought one of these side stands a couple of years ago and am finally getting around to modifying the bracket which will entail cutting and re welding.
Found this pic of one fitted to a Le Mans.




Offline jas67

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #33 on: August 10, 2019, 08:14:33 AM »
I find the oem linked brakes on the MKIII surprisingly good once you get used to the feel. The front end dive as stock for me was unacceptable , and the

air damping units pretty useless. Suspension dollars will be your best money spent IMO.   :gotpics:

Showa fork dampers out of a '96 VFR made my Mk1 LeMans an entirely new bike, handling-wise.

2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #33 on: August 10, 2019, 08:14:33 AM »

Offline jas67

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #34 on: August 10, 2019, 08:18:05 AM »
My sentiments as well.




Looks great in white!   :thumb:
2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

Offline sdcr

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #35 on: August 10, 2019, 08:51:54 AM »
Thanks Jay.

Just had this out yesterday, put about 150 miles exploring the roads in western NJ?

John
John
2000 BMW R1100 RS
1983 BMW R100
2009 Jaguar XK

Offline blackcat

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #36 on: August 10, 2019, 09:37:02 AM »
Showa fork dampers out of a '96 VFR made my Mk1 LeMans an entirely new bike, handling-wise.

Where did you source the dampers?
1968 Norton Fastback
1976 Lemans
1981 CX-100
1993 1000S
1997 Daytona RS
2007 Red Norge

Offline lucian

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #37 on: August 10, 2019, 10:28:08 AM »
I agree, the stock dampers are terrible. I put in a set of Bitubo's from Harpers and what a difference.  I had to do seals and dust covers anyway and when I pulled the old dampers the oil had leaked out long ago and there was o damping going on.  To do it again I would leave the fork tubes in the trees as they were a son bitch to get out. 

Offline Kiwi_Roy

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #38 on: August 10, 2019, 11:23:54 AM »
Nip Startus Interrupts in the bud
Add a direct feed from the battery to the start relay contact.
72 Eldorado
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76 Convert
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Offline Stevex

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #39 on: August 11, 2019, 04:59:38 AM »
Where did you source the dampers?

I've done this mod too, I bought a pair of used RC36 forks off ebay and took the dampers out of them.
Be aware, there is a fair amount of machining needed to do this mod, including turning down and cutting a new thread onto the Showa's fork caps to fit the Guzzi stanchions. Also make sure you keep the Showa cartridge lower attachment bolts, they're a smaller diameter than the Guzzi items, from what I remember.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2019, 05:02:51 AM by Stevex »

Offline jas67

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #40 on: August 11, 2019, 06:33:07 AM »
Where did you source the dampers?

I ended up buying a complete fork off eBay.    One of these days, I'll get around to listing the left overs, including the triple clamps.
I had a friend who is a machinist turn them down on his lathe so they'd fit.
He also turned and re-threaded the VFR fork caps/adjusters so they'd fit the Guzzi fork tubes.

The only externally visual difference form stock is the adjusters sticking out the top of the tubes.

They work brilliantly!
2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

Offline jas67

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #41 on: August 11, 2019, 06:35:19 AM »
I've done this mod too, I bought a pair of used RC36 forks off ebay and took the dampers out of them.
Be aware, there is a fair amount of machining needed to do this mod, including turning down and cutting a new thread onto the Showa's fork caps to fit the Guzzi stanchions. Also make sure you keep the Showa cartridge lower attachment bolts, they're a smaller diameter than the Guzzi items, from what I remember.

+1 to all this.   There was definitely a fair amount of machining to do, including on the bottoms of the forks for the different lower bolts.
Although the bottom  machining might have just been necessary, as the bottom bolts were very over torqued on my forks when I got them.
2017 V7III Special
1977 Le Mans
1974 Eldorado
2017 Triumph Thruxton R
2013 Ducati Monster 796, 2013 848 Evo Corse SE, 1974 750GT, 1970 Mk3d 450 Desmo, 1966 Monza 250
1975 Moto Morini 3 1/2
2007 Vespa GTS250
2016 BMW R1200RS, 80 R100S, 76 R90S ,73 R75/5
76 Honda CB400F, 67 305 Super Hawk, 68 CL175

Offline eightiesguzzis

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #42 on: August 12, 2019, 02:24:58 AM »
I have the FAC dampers in my forks and Tarozzi brace (which needs machining as once attached the forks dont move!). I am keen to get rid of the main stand and see guzzitech have machined spacers $75 to fill the gap, I will start looking for a Browns side stand here in North America before heading back to NZ.

Kiwi_roy always enjoy your electrical tips! What do you think of lithium batteries? I have installed a C5 electronic ignition with rotary switch, runs so much better with that mod alone.

I'm in need of new brake rotors front and back, adaptors are available to set up with gold brembo calipers (tasty and look so good on a white MK3 :) and of course easy to source floating front disks (MG Cycles) but only for the front and.....that means a new master cylinder on the handle bars and de-linking the brakes (according to one experienced source). I would like improved or "modernised" brakes, however I like the feel of the linked system....can I have my cake and eat it too?! I'm sure the gold brembo calipers will work on (new) original cast rotors just as well as floating???


Offline Old Jock

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #43 on: August 12, 2019, 03:43:20 AM »
I have the FAC dampers in my forks and Tarozzi brace (which needs machining as once attached the forks dont move!). I am keen to get rid of the main stand and see guzzitech have machined spacers $75 to fill the gap, I will start looking for a Browns side stand here in North America before heading back to NZ.

Kiwi_roy always enjoy your electrical tips! What do you think of lithium batteries? I have installed a C5 electronic ignition with rotary switch, runs so much better with that mod alone.

I'm in need of new brake rotors front and back, adaptors are available to set up with gold brembo calipers (tasty and look so good on a white MK3 :) and of course easy to source floating front disks (MG Cycles) but only for the front and.....that means a new master cylinder on the handle bars and de-linking the brakes (according to one experienced source). I would like improved or "modernised" brakes, however I like the feel of the linked system....can I have my cake and eat it too?! I'm sure the gold brembo calipers will work on (new) original cast rotors just as well as floating???

Not quite sure if you want to go floating on the front or not. Your choice, but I've had solid rotors on an LM 1000 and they warped in an incredibly short period of time.

I'm very conservative in using my brakes, no track use and I coast into bends, I hardly ever touch the brakes.

I also had a mate whose LM I which also used solid rotors, warp regularly

I'm sure the gold calipers will work (for a while) on solid rotors, but putting on a bigger caliper onto solid rotors is going to exaccerbate the rotors tendency to warp

Just my experience

Offline blackcat

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #44 on: August 12, 2019, 05:51:00 AM »
I've done this mod too, I bought a pair of used RC36 forks off ebay and took the dampers out of them.
Be aware, there is a fair amount of machining needed to do this mod, including turning down and cutting a new thread onto the Showa's fork caps to fit the Guzzi stanchions. Also make sure you keep the Showa cartridge lower attachment bolts, they're a smaller diameter than the Guzzi items, from what I remember.


Thanks guys, I wonder how this mod compares to the regular FAC replacements? My assumption is that this is a better modification.
1968 Norton Fastback
1976 Lemans
1981 CX-100
1993 1000S
1997 Daytona RS
2007 Red Norge

Offline Cam3512

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #45 on: August 12, 2019, 06:34:54 AM »
+1 on the Brown.   I have one on my Mk1 Le Mans.  That thing is very well built, easy to reach to deploy, and very stable when deployed.

I'm not sure where/if you can buy them for Guzzi though.   Nate at Boxerworks in GA put it on for me before selling me the bike.  Now I want them for both my Airheads.

Years ago I worked with Nate and Scott (Member here) to adapt a Brown side stand to bolt up to a Guzzi Tonti frame.  The prototype is still on my V7 Sport.  AFAIK, you can still buy them at Boxerworks.  Not cheap, but what is your bike and piece of mind worth to you?
Cam in NJ
'67 Stornello Scrambler
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Offline Stevex

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Re: MK3 Lemans upgrades
« Reply #46 on: August 16, 2019, 04:04:04 PM »
Re: discs; I replaced my original LM2s with stainless one piece from HMB-Guzzi. Original calipers and carbon ceramic pads.
Work brilliantly on a de linked system with a 15mm mc up front and a 12mm rear.

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