The $300 motorcycle is coming back to life!

[Marshall]

So, about 3 years ago, I found a 1975 850T that had it's last inspection in 1986.  About 20K miles, it was found in the back of a storage unit by a craigslister, and he wanted $800.  After some heated negotiations, mainly focused around the fact that the bike was in a severe state of neglect, and it was WAY more project than I had the skills or knowledge to deal with, I got it for $300.

Rebuilt the top end, spent way too much time in wiring hell, then got a garage so I could start spending some quality time with my girl out there to dig myself out of wiring hell.  Points cleaned up and adjusted properly, all's well with the world except the carbs and I can handle that bit!  Ran some starter fluid through her today...

The roar of that engine through the straight pipes had me grinning ear-to-ear, and probably had my neighbors shaking their fists at me!

Fingers crossed that I get my new carb off of ebay at a good price... one of them had a crack in it, and it fell apart as I was giving it a closer look. 

Not much else to report, the bike will be ugly as sin and fun to ride! 

Glad you guys are out here, I've been lurking for a while and have found so much good information over the years.  Couldn't have gotten to where I am without you.  Maybe my next post will be a pic of my goose out in the mountains somewhere far away!

[NCAmother]

Bummer, which carb cracked? A dellorto or aftermarket?

[fotoguzzi]

Ah the memories.. my first Guzzi was a T..



rode it all over the mountains.. lucky it was reliable cause I was a stupid kid livin on wanderlust. we didn't have ATM's then or a save me list, we didn't even have copy machines in those days..

remember carbon paper?

[Marshall]

It was a Dellorto carb that cracked.  They're both glazed over with old gas and gunked up really bad, but I think I can salvage the other one.

[56Pan]

Had my first MG, an 850T3 in Saudi Arabia in the '70's.  '75 model like yours, I believe.  Solid and reliable machine.  No problems with it all in that miserable heat and I didn't baby it.  Except for the aggravation of changing the air filter.  No excuse for that to be such a PITA.

[Marshall]

Foto, I love the pic!  I've got an 87 Goldwing that I'm building a seat for, to put my dog on the back (a 70lb German Shepherd... but he loves going places with me and I suspect he'll ride quite nicely).  Not quite as spartan as your ride, but it'll do for the long hauls.  I'm not sure if I'll be ready to go more than a few hundred miles from home on my T for a while, just because I don't trust my mechanical aptitude.

[fotoguzzi]

my Dog is envious.. I won't let her ride 2 wheelers.

sadly I had to sell the Miata,

[fotoguzzi]

[Tobit]

No matter the bike, I have many fond recollections of travelling like that.  Perfectly orderly disorder, I knew where everything was and nothing every fell off.  Half the tonnage was tools and spares, some just in case someone else needed help.  Jeans, cowboy boots a denim jacket and Bell Star and those lousy Olympia gloves that dyed hands black in the rain.  Cup of coffee at the next station, a pay phone and two dimes.  One to see if she was sorry yet and the other to see if she was waiting.

I made up the last part. 

Tobit

[jbell]

Good for you, Marshall.  That first awakening after a long dormancy is always a thrill, and relief.  Nothing like it.  A testament to your skills and perseverance.  Attaboy!  Now, back to my taxes.............. .....

[Lannis]

No matter the bike, I have many fond recollections of travelling like that.  Perfectly orderly disorder, I knew where everything was and nothing every fell off.  Half the tonnage was tools and spares, some just in case someone else needed help.  Jeans, cowboy boots a denim jacket and Bell Star and those lousy Olympia gloves that dyed hands black in the rain.  Cup of coffee at the next station, a pay phone and two dimes.  One to see if she was sorry yet and the other to see if she was waiting.

I made up the last part. 

Tobit

Yep.   Bungee it on and take off.   I was riding either my R5 Yamaha, my BSA Lightning, or my '54 FLE Panhead in those days.

No credit cards.   No phone.  No GPS.   No breakdown service.   None of the teddy bears that people clutch so firmly today before they can venture out of the yard.   

You ran out of money on the trip ... well, you depended on charm and persuasion to find a way home or find gas for the tank.   

And all good memories!

Lannis

[Marshall]

Perseverence more than skill, but I did nab a pair of carbs off of fleabay that arrived yesterday.  Cleaned, rebuilt, installed, and the engine is running quite nicely! 

Some odds and ends to finish up and I'll get pics out to you guys soon.

I think my next big purchase will have to be a motorcycle lift... I'm spending too much time kneeling/sitting/laying on the garage floor.

[normzone]

Yeah, my wife says to plan for one - she's tired of hearing " I can't do that, I'd have to raise the bike up ".

I got my first Guzzi for $350 - I'm rooting for you.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Those older Italian ladies have a way of coaxing the money out of your wallet.
I recently added up all the bits I bought from MG Cycle for my $200 Eldo, right around $2k
I keep telling myself it will be a $5k bike when complete.

[rboe]

my Dog is envious.. I won't let her ride 2 wheelers.

sadly I had to sell the Miata,

Ah! Old times! The High Bridge (never did get used to the new name) heading northwest coming into Minnesota. Scary as all get out in the spring with the winds.

[Marshall]

Shake down rides around the neighborhood have gone reasonably well tonight!  She's not exactly pretty, but a really fun ride.  The rear shocks are shot, but I don't have hundreds of dollars to throw at replacements... maybe I'll scrimp and save.  Running the velocity stacks without an air filter right now, and there's plenty of pep!

[steven c]

 Pick up a pair of Harley Road King air shocks off Ebay for $50 till you can get something better. The pair I bought where brand new. They work pretty good.

[Marshall]

Thanks for the tip, Steven.  I've got a friend who works in one of our local Harley shops, I'll probably start there and see if he can't snag me a pair.

Got a leaky valve cover gasket on the right side I just replaced tonight.  Not sure if it's going to seal nicely, though, and I'm hesitant to use gasket maker on it (without the oil filter, I'm concerned that a slightly sloppy job may result in a clogged oil line).  Thoughts?  I'm used to the goldwing engines, that just leak oil and that's life.  Is the 850T a particularly leaky bike? 

[Aaron D.]

Not a big leaker, a new gasket should do the trick if installed right.

You may get some engine oil dripping out of the area where the transmission and engine meet. Though many will say it's a main seal it likely isn't, and if it is it won't harm your clutch.

You also may get transmission oil out of the same place, that is more likely to cause clutch trouble but isn't hard to fix-usually.

Other than that, not normal to drip, really.

[steven c]

Got a leaky valve cover gasket on the right side I just replaced tonight.  Not sure if it's going to seal nicely, though, and I'm hesitant to use gasket maker on it (without the oil filter, I'm concerned that a slightly sloppy job may result in a clogged oil line).  Thoughts?  I'm used to the goldwing engines, that just leak oil and that's life.  Is the 850T a particularly leaky bike? 
[/quote]
 When I had my T the right valve cover some how developed  a tiny crack along the edge of the mating service. My friend riding behind me wasn't to happy since he got a light coating of oil!

[Marshall]

Good ride today!  About 30 miles and she ran reasonably well until I got about a block from home, when the return to idle went too low, heard a strange "spitting" sound once and cut off.  Started right back up, but I think I'll wait till things cool off enough to not burn myself and check the carb sync. 

Got some clutch slippage when I'm really killing it, if I accelerate conservatively it's not an issue, but at about 5K, throttle wide open it slips noticeably.  Looks like I'll be doing some research and will probably pull the clutch apart to give it a look.  I made double-sure that my clutch cable adjustment was right and that the clutch arm is moving freely. 

The really good news, my guy at the Harley shop is on the lookout for some 13" cast-off rear shocks, and I will probably get them for a few rounds of beers!

[Late to the party]

Hey Fotoguzzi,

Love the image of the fully-overloaded 850T with a cowboy hat on top. Those were the days, eh? Scrutinizing a bit, I was able to make out the license plate sticker, which says 1976.

I know that this is usually a "no math required" sort of forum, but I'd like to point out that it's been FORTY YEARS since you took that ride.

Hear me okay? Do I need to repeat that?

Lateness.

[Lannis]

Hey Fotoguzzi,

Love the image of the fully-overloaded 850T with a cowboy hat on top. Those were the days, eh? Scrutinizing a bit, I was able to make out the license plate sticker, which says 1976.

I know that this is usually a "no math required" sort of forum, but I'd like to point out that it's been FORTY YEARS since you took that ride.

Hear me okay? Do I need to repeat that?

Lateness.

Dear fellow Old Guy-

What, like you're implying that "FORTY YEARS" is some sort of long time?    Just yesterday, if my memory serves ... and it does, mostly!    ;-T   

Lannis

[Marshall]

Y'all are making me feel young again!

That clutch is definitely going to need a rebuild before long.  It looks like I can get the gearbox off without removing the engine... am I stupid for asking?  Trying to wrap my head around it. 

[Aaron D.]

At best you can leave the front motor mount bolt in. That will mean the forks will stay on the bike, so it is a plus.

It's called crabbing, I've done it way too many times now. Allow a full weekend if it's the first time. Or order the parts and get started-and you may want to get a u-joint and carrier bearing while you're in there.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Here ya go, Marshall..
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzitech.dk/pdf/access-gearbox-clutch-big-twin-en-2004-07-04.pdf

[Marshall]

Thanks for the tips, guys.  I'll definitely do the U-Joint and carrier bearing while I'm in there. 

Chuck, I was sure I had done a solid search of Greg Bender's site, but I missed this gem.  Glad I asked, I should be able to handle this with a couple of days dedicated. 

[Marshall]

70 mile ride the other night!  I'm gonna nurse this clutch until the weather gets bad.  People keep stopping me to ask about the bike, so at least I have that. 

Ran really nice, except the crankcase breather hose split midway through the ride and got oil... everywhere. 

So, one more question.  The plugs look good, maybe a touch lean, but I get occasional dieseling on the left side after I cut the bike off.  This would lead me to believe it's a rich condition... confused.

[Marshall]

And for good measure, my dog guarding the shop...

[Marshall]

Try that again...