Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: DoubleGuzzi on March 26, 2026, 06:21:14 PM
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Another one arrived today, in my cramped (again) garage. :shocked:
It's a sad looking thing with some rusty chrome and has been generally neglected over the years. I've already identified a few things that need sorted out, the simplest being that I had a suitably sized grommet to replace a missing sidepanel one. Fast idle lever is stuck, Monza fuel cap seal has disintegrated, throttle has zero play (top adjusters at minimum) and possibly there's something funky going on with swingarm/rear wheel bearings. I was given a centre stand in a box, so that'll be a priority to fit, so that I can better check what the story is.
Once the flat battery was topped up & charged, I got the bike fired up. I thought the exhausts looked a bit smokey, though it was kinda cold today and the bike has been sitting around for a while, possibly outside. I should've done a hand/nose test but didn't. :embarrassed:
After about 3.5 hours cleaning, it's looking better than arrived but not as good as it does in the pic. Hey, it was relatively cheap, especially for a V7, even with getting close to 30,000 miles showing.
:bike-037:
(https://i.ibb.co/r20WXwQC/20260326-170816.jpg) (https://ibb.co/r20WXwQC)
I guess I'm gonna be a bit busy for a few months, in between polishing the Shiney and tidying up the V50.
[Edit] Came with H/B panniers, in case someone wonders about the rack & rails.
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They multiply, so, you must have a female in the bunch!
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Nice!
Doesn't look sad anymore.
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Nice!
Doesn't look sad anymore.
The pic flatters it a good amount.
A heap of rusty bolt heads and the silencers need a good scrub up. The lower engine has loads of missing black paint. The chrome of the wheel rims is nasty looking especially in the corners. Look closely at the front mudguard stays, to see corrosion on the forks. The exhaust headers have the typical (car owner) neglect and had black gunge melted to the left hand pipe: I'm working on it. You can't see it here but the rear drive is a mess with about 15-20% of the black paint flaked off. All alloy needs some Mother's attention.
Bike looks fine from 15ft away. :wink:
I'll remove the pannier rails and perhaps the rack, until required, plus the large (for my tastes) screen, to better show off the chromed headlamp. If I decide I like the bike enough, then I'll probably replace the Oxford heated grips for my usual cheapo Chinese ones that have an integrated heat controller - much cleaner look. I may even treat it to the original style chrome mirrors.. time will tell. All depends on many pounds (bucks) I need to use, to get the bike up to a decent standard.
[Looking forward to your progress, Charlie.]
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Yesterday a quick check of electrical functions revealed the front brake switch not to be working; interesting in that it had the same problem a few years ago, noted during a MOT test. That's a wee task for another day.
Got the centre stand fitted - I'm getting too knackered to be lying on the garage floor, these days! Fortunately, as the stand had previously been fitted, the standard frame crossmember bolt wasn't factory tight, so that saved some grief. The silencers got removed and exhaust headers loosened off without any drama. The centre stand was a later purchase, rather than supplied from new - I suspect Hepco & Becker though didn't notice any markings. It's a shorty! Though easy to put up on the stand, the rear wheel hasn't been raised off the ground, so I'll need a block of wood to remove the back wheel etc..
I've discovered what the 'funky' feeling at the rear end is. It has to be the worst worn wheel bearings that I've ever come across! The wheel wobbles that much that there's about a 1-1.5mm gap opening up between the hub and drive unit. How the seller didn't notice seems impossible to me, as handling must be all over the place. I haven't got the wheel off yet but ordered up replacement bearings anyway.
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Here's a short clip of the rear wheel wobble, for anyone interested.
https://youtu.be/AhmZeT7zuCQ
Doesn't look sad anymore.
The video clip will change your mind? :shocked:
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WOW, that’s a tattered old bike. The video shows the abuse. Was it left out side or….. my old bikes I buy to fix up don’t look that bad. Anyway not dissing on your bike just shocked at the state of affairs with a bike that new. I’m sure you’ll have it running good and looking nice 👍🏼
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Here's a short clip of the rear wheel wobble, for anyone interested.
https://youtu.be/AhmZeT7zuCQ
The video clip will change your mind? :shocked:
OUCH! That's looking more like a major project all the time.
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Here's a short clip of the rear wheel wobble, for anyone interested.
https://youtu.be/AhmZeT7zuCQ
The video clip will change your mind? :shocked:
Are you even sure there ARE bearings in there!? Good thing it wasn’t a Fly n’ Ride! Also, I’m lol’ing at that final drive—looks like someone enjoyed washing their bike with brake cleaner every week. Come to think of it, I’ve been considering options for stripping the paint off my engines. Reach back out to the PO and ask them for the secret.
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The joys of buying on the 'net! :violent1:
Yup, last owner was using it for commuting but quite obviously didn't care for it, even on a weekly basis. Was stored outside under a tarpaulin, AFAIK.
Very sad. What's weird, is that PO must've spent a hefty sum getting the rack,rails and screen fitted. Too many folks throw money at things without a care, IMHumbleO.
In my late teens and 20s, I needed to store bikes outside, some uncovered - the Z200 in rain/snow and commuted on daily. Never looked as bad as this.
It had been loved in the past, having had the plastic tank replaced by a steel one and a Monza cap added. The main stand had been purchased aftermarket, along with Oxford grips, an USB port and some kinda holder for a phone/satnav.
Awaiting the wheel bearings, I've got the touring equipment removed, replacing bolts as required. I've scooshed some ACF-50 on the underseat area and given the chrome its first wipe of chrome cleaner in quite some time. I'll loosely hang the silencers back on, to roll the bike outta the garage, to admire (or otherwise) my daily efforts.
:cheesy:
P.S. I'm really glad that I didn't take the tempted 5 mile test drive option, when the bike arrived!
P.P.S. It was pretty cheap being well under $3000, undercutting significantly on typical V7 UK prices.
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Yeah, now I see the sad parts.
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Back wheel nearly off (need to remove disc rotor with 2 stuck bolts, for clearance - grr.)
The larger RHS bearing seems OK (will replace anyway), the small LHS wheel bearing is toast - wiggles about more than a belly dancer!
The wheel spindle looks to be fine on a brief inspection - phew.
Rear pads wearing a bit thin, not urgent but I'll see what I have surplus in the garage.
The replacement bearings arrived today - awesome price for the pair at under £13 (~$17) delivered. Oh no, they're not Italian, nor All Balls but USA intruders - PFI (2RS). :tongue:
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Back wheel nearly off (need to remove disc rotor with 2 stuck bolts, for clearance - grr.)
The larger RHS bearing seems OK (will replace anyway), the small LHS wheel bearing is toast - wiggles about more than a belly dancer!
The wheel spindle looks to be fine on a brief inspection - phew.
Rear pads wearing a bit thin, not urgent but I'll see what I have surplus in the garage.
You have to remove a brake rotor to get the wheel out? Why? Deflating the tire and jacking the rear up enough usually does the trick, no? I say that with the confession that I haven’t dealt with that stock V7 plastic mudguard in 8 years.
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You have to remove a brake rotor to get the wheel out? Why? Deflating the tire and jacking the rear up enough usually does the trick, no? I say that with the confession that I haven’t dealt with that stock V7 plastic mudguard in 8 years.
The aftermarket stand is too short and I've already placed a block underneath it. The Classic mudguard is kinda long at the back and convoluted to remove but may end up doing that. Not sure if I can get a trolley jack in, to raise the rear beyond the current height and don't want it tipping into the missus' Speed 400 whilst doing so! :thewife:
[Edit] Got missus to pull out wheel whilst I tipped the bike over to the right. Risky but job done in a jiffy. :smiley:
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I removed the front wheel with the bike on the center stand. Then lowered the forks onto a towel.
That made removing the rear wheel quite easy. Always on a big block since I’ve never owned a small block.
Never an issue with the OEM center stand either.
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Never an issue with the OEM center stand either.
Yeah, and with the same block under it the clearance would be good.
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.. some time later.
Household paint stripper, P60 sandpaper (that I had lying around), small wire brushes (which I also had), a Brillo pad (soap impregnated coarse wire wool) and brake cleaner were brought into action. I began with the rear drive and didn't go mad for perfection, particularly on the rougher cast swingarm.
(https://i.ibb.co/nsVpZQ2V/20260504-141728.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nsVpZQ2V) (https://i.ibb.co/ZRQHPTq9/20260504-141739.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZRQHPTq9)
(https://i.ibb.co/9HYWKjwM/20260504-163602.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9HYWKjwM) (https://i.ibb.co/XdN76MN/20260504-170329.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XdN76MN)
The undercoat is U-Pol Etch Primer and I might just have time to put the first coat of Hammerite Smooth on the swingarm.
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Unsurprisingly, the clutch arm pivot pin was seized in place and this was the second time that I've needed to cut the arm off with a Dremel. A tiresome process when lying on one's back. Needed to buy a gearbox (bike unknown but V35/V50) from Gutsibits, in order to get a clutch arm and pivot, at a semi-sensible price. :rolleyes:
As with the Breva, I replaced the split pin with an R-clip, for easier maintenance.
(https://i.ibb.co/vxpPz40b/20260514-151432.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vxpPz40b)
I stripped down the gearshift and flushed out the old grease, with rust, from the ball joints. I've also added a spacer to the lever rod, to take up the slack/float to some degree. Note the weld(?) repair to the link rod, not done by me - how the heck can that snap?! :shocked: Stomping into 1st? The mind boggles.
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Got out for a very short spin and can immediately tell this is very close to the 750 Breva experience. I feel that compared to my V7III, it is lighter, more flickable, and footpegs in much better positions. The engine on this one seems OK so far though the throttle balancing is likely the cause of some fluttering at idle - it settled once warm, so will perhaps improve with use.
I've still got a few jobs to do on the bike, especially in the rust removal process. Fork lowers need a respray, for example.
Here's the rear wheel/final drive looking somewhat better than what I started with..
(https://i.ibb.co/Z17zKn8Q/s-l1600-1b.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Z17zKn8Q) (https://i.ibb.co/Kzrjn8d3/20260518-173230.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Kzrjn8d3)
Some finishing work to do on spoke nipples and rims, plus I haven't washed the bike yet, since doing the "refurb".
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If anyone is interested, slow progress but a few changes since the last full 'bike image.
(https://i.ibb.co/jSgncKX/20260522-182737.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jSgncKX)
Rear end back together, though I have a set of shocks to fit. A cheap light smoke flyscreen added, along with similarly cheap OEM-style mirrors.
I've been spending a bit more time removing crud & corrosion from the exhaust.
Both the frame and engine require touch-up paint, just to smarten things up a bit.