Sadly enough, some bikes must die so others can keep on living......

[MedicAndy]

Bought me a 24k miles 1997 1100 Sport parts bike. The original owner abandoned this bike at a Moto Guzzi dealership over a decade ago. I assume that he didn’t have the money to pay for whatever the dealership did to the bike, but who knows..... I bought this bike sight unseen, since I was really only interested in the ECU and I always wanted a spare gearbox with helical cut gears, and $400.00 seemed a great price for just those two items by themselves, so the rest of the bike, even if it would had turned out crappy was just gravy anyway!
 
The West Virginia Moto Guzzi dealership closed its doors about six month ago, and a gentleman who knew the owner ended up buying the 1100 Sport and other items during the “Going out of business” sale. The gentleman who bought this bike decided that this 1100 was not worth spending the money needed to fix it, especially not knowing anything about this bikes history, besides that it had been in storage for over a decade, so he just wanted to get her gone.

I like projects, but I agree with the other gentleman, this bike is not worth spending probably $8k or better to get it restored.
Make a long story short, I came home from West Virginia with this bike in the back of my truck yesterday, and I didn’t waist any time debating on what I should do......

Sadly enough, some bikes must die so others can keep on living......

I am really happy that I bought this bike. I didn’t know that the original owner installed Termignoni exhaust pipes and a Stucchi (spelling?) crossover, but the header pipes are missing. I opened the tape sealed ECU, and it has the Creedon chip installed. I then noticed a nice throttle locking device, which I had never seen before, so I’m definitely installing it onto one of my other bikes. I didn't know that the 1100 Sport's helibars also come in a raised version, which this bike has installed. I will probably install those on one of my other bikes. The pork-chop’s aluminum is polished, so I’m definitely installing them onto one of my bikes. I also noticed a rear heavy duty carbon fiber tire hugger installed, which is something I haven’t seen yet.

I hooked up a battery, and the lights and instrument cluster fired up, so this bike gave me many really nice spare parts. I drained the gearbox oil, and no metal is on the magnet, and the clutch also functions properly.

I don’t know why the shop removed the cylinders from this bike? All I was told is that the bike was running when it was dropped of at the dealer. I received the cylinders with the purchase of the bike, and they look great. I don’t know yet on what I’m going to do with this engine. I may end up getting it rebuild and have the engine and gearbox painted in black...... But this is going to be a project for maybe next year.

But yes, forks, wheels, final drive, drive shaft...... everything was really dirty, but all of those parts will cleanup nicely. 🙂
 
I also wonder.... What in the word happened to the fuel tank? I have never seen a tank rusting away like this, especially since this bike was sitting inside of a heated warehouse?





































































With the brandades in place, the healing can begin! And yes, this tank is for sale, but no "lowball offers" please, I know what I got! :)

[Tom]

That gas tank is pretty bad.  Good parts buy!   

[john fish]

I'm curious.  Since I ride in WV all the time--  what dealership was it?

[MedicAndy]

I'm curious.  Since I ride in WV all the time--  what dealership was it?

I don't remember the name of the WV dealership that this bike came from. I only remember that it closed its doors about six month ago.

[Groover]

For that price, you got a lot of great spare parts. What's a rough idea on cost to get an engine rebuilt by a pro? I've always wondered.

[blackcat]

Man, you made out like a bandit. 

[sdcr]

MedicAndy,

Great buy, you should be able to recoup the $400, & gas money with the sale of a just half dozen of those parts. Lots of hard to find stuff that is also interchangeable to the Daytona RS.

 That black/blue/green shade, along with being a stunning color, is very rare. Nice to get a few body parts in the deal.

As to the gas tank, might make some kind of garage art. I would guess that a water/gas cocktail lived inside for some time.

[RinkRat II]

      Nice score Andy, If you really want that tank sold fast, include a new fuel filter and free Tetanus shot!

        Paul B

[MedicAndy]

For that price, you got a lot of great spare parts. What's a rough idea on cost to get an engine rebuilt by a pro? I've always wondered.

I don't know, my friend..... I assume that the sky is the limit, depending on what you would like to get done. I would think that the cost, if using performance parts (rod's, cam, pistons) during a complete rebuild could easily set you back maybe $4k

My plan for this engine and gear-box is to get them inspected and to replace whatever is needed. I will then have the engine and gear-box painted in black and install it on a custom bike that I'm planning on building one day. I hope that most of the engine's parts are fine, and that the gear box will only need new seals. This powertrain had 24.6k miles on it, so I will also plan on replacing the clutch while the engine is out of the bike. I hope that my total cost is going to be around $2k for the rebuild of the powertrain, and probably another $1.5k - $2k for getting everything painted.

[Guzzistajohn]

Looks like that one already filled out it's organ doner card and DNR order   

[malik]

A very nice score. Well done, that man. I know of a motor in a tonti frame, so that can be done, but I, for one, like the spine frame. The fairing is missing, too, but there are a couple of people around who make them. There was a cheap Bagster tank bra hanging around the market for ages, but that would be unlikely to save that tank.

Have lots of fun with this.

[MedicAndy]

A very nice score. Well done, that man. I know of a motor in a tonti frame, so that can be done, but I, for one, like the spine frame. The fairing is missing, too, but there are a couple of people around who make them. There was a cheap Bagster tank bra hanging around the market for ages, but that would be unlikely to save that tank.

Have lots of fun with this.

I actually have a yellow 1997, which was sitting under a tarp in the wood for about seven years. This bike was going to be my 1997 parts bike, since it needed a new ECU, Instrument cluster, tail light, handlebar grips, and other miscellaneous parts to get it going again, so this new parts bike will be the parts donor to get the other bike's restoration project going.

It took a lot of work getting this bike's engine running again, but I eventually finished servicing this bike. I needed to replace the fuel lines and the fuel pump, and the inside of the fuel tank was a mess...... But the engine fired up, and the gears shifted without any issues, so I now have everything needed to start building me a custom 1100 Sport. The biggest issue now will be to decide on what paint color and design I'm going to pick for this build. :)

[Perazzimx14]

I'm the guy who could  break an original Vincent Black Shadow into a 1000 pieces if it meant more cash. Lot of people think this is monstrous behavior but the reality is its an inanimate object and I've realized the older I get it isn't bringing anyone back . Friends, family, health and the love of a good dog are what is important. The rest is just fluff.

[rschrum]

So, does it have a helical box?

[BRG-BIRD]

Wow look at that tank

[john fish]

I don't remember the name of the WV dealership that this bike came from. I only remember that it closed its doors about six month ago.

No worries.  It's just that there has been no WV Guzzi dealer that's closed it's doors in the last 6 months.  Or 12 months.  Or 24. 

Enjoy your new bike.  Sounds like a good deal.

[malik]

Colour? I like the yellow. I've a mate in NZ who did his carbed 1100 in white - stunning. (Sorry, the photos have been archived).

[MedicAndy]

No worries.  It's just that there has been no WV Guzzi dealer that's closed it's doors in the last 6 months.  Or 12 months.  Or 24. 

Enjoy your new bike.  Sounds like a good deal.

I could be wrong with the dates too..... The gentleman that I bought this bike from told me the name of the dealership, and that he was friends with the owner of that dealership, and that he bought this bike from him about six month ago. He told me that this bike had been sitting in a warehouse for almost ten years. Maybe I misunderstood that the dealership closed its doors six month ago, and maybe the dealership closed its doors four, six, or eight years ago, and the back then owner stored many items after the shop closed in a warehouse back then and sold off the last items stored there six month ago???? Maybe it was not an official Moto Guzzi dealer but a dealer working on Moto Guzzi's???? I probably should had taken better notes...... :) I did make sure that the title was clear and that the bike was not reported stolen years ago, which it wasn't. 

[MedicAndy]

So, does it have a helical box?

Yes it does...... I'm trying to find out at what date / vin numbers that the changeover from straight cut to helical cut gears happened. I have two 1997 models, which were actually build in October of 1996. Both of those bikes have straight cut gears. The bike that I just bought has a March of 1997 assembly date listed on the DOT tag. I have one more bike sitting in the barn with an earlier vin number, but I don't know the manufacturing date or which gears they used. I'm going to look at that bike tomorrow, which should then narrow the changeover date hopefully down to maybe a month or less.  I will you know what I find out tomorrow.

[John Warner]

I know what I'd do with the Engine and Drivetrain . . .

[MedicAndy]

I know what I'd do with the Engine and Drivetrain . . .

Right on, my friend!

I have two complete 1997 1100 Sport spare complete powertrains. I'm going to use one setup for a custom 1100 Sport that I'm planning on building, so the second powertrain may end up in a Moto Guzzi trike bike one day.

[berniebee]

I know what I'd do with the Engine and Drivetrain . . .

Wow! What a cool vehicle!

[Groover]

Is that a kit car or just pure custom made?

[Tom]

Yes. 

[Denis]

I know what I'd do with the Engine and Drivetrain . . .

That's cool! Who makes it?