202( V7 Sport Shift Linkage

[Rons]

Finally got the 900 miles on my new V7 Sport.
Loving the bike so far, great mechanical feel, tons of character.
Around 50MPG and the 5 gallon tank means less fill ups.
Coming home last Friday, the shifter went dead. I pulled over and inspected the “Rube Goldberg “ shift linkage.
The second heim joint that goes between the two “bell cranks” came out of its hole and shed the retaining nut.
I got the threaded connector back in the hole, put it in second and went home slowwwwwly.

Once I got it in the garage, I was able to get a lock washer, lock title, and an M6 nut onto the threaded connector.

I bought some steel locknuts with the nylon inserts. Do you think I should switch it out? I’m reading that lock washers are not good at holding and locktite fails under heat.

Anyone with a V7 can see that the connector is a PIA to get to. Canister vacuum lines restrict space.

On a positive note, I have done the engine oil and filter, as well as gearbox and rear. Used a syringe to measure the gearbox and rear oil. Plenty of swarf on the gearbox magnetic plug, so I’m happy that I didn’t wait until 18k miles like the manual calls for.

[DoubleGuzzi]

I bought a small assortment of stainless nylon lock nuts, so I'm in favour of switching 'em out. I had one rose joint nut come loose on either the Breva or V50, fortunately spotted in my garage.
The paranoid might add a split washer, though I like to fit a plain one.

[Rons]

I’m going to clean the threads and use one of the locknuts. It appears that is what MG used on the remaining heim connectors.

As I said, I’m reading that locktite doesn’t do well under high heat. That catalytic converter generates a lot of heat.

Is shift linkage failure a common thing among Guzzis? I put 8K miles on my Griso and no issues. Did I get lucky?

Can I trust the linkage once I install the locknut?

[ridingron]

If you're that concerned about the heat affecting the nut, use high temperature loctite. I think it is 272 but I might be wrong. I know there is a loctite that can handle higher heat but I can't think of it's number. Be forewarned, you probably won't be able to get the nut off without destroying the heim connectors if you use more than a very small drop amount. If there is room to correctly install a nyloc nut there is probably room to use 2 half nuts, one as a nut to hold the linkage and the second as jam nut. From what I understand,  6mm threads are on the edge of the blue loctite being stronger than the 6mm screw threads.

[Rons]

Tasks for this week are getting the locknut on the shift linkage and checking the valve clearances.

Thank you to all who posted about valve adjustment, very helpful!

Once I’m done, I’ll have the dealer check it over and reset the service (wrench) light.

I’m really liking this motorcycle so far.

[malik]

In more than 300,000km on 2 V7's I don't think I've ever had a nut come off a studded rod end. Do the nut up tight it should stay there. I have broken & bent tie rids though - letting the swingarm fall without the wheel smashes the bottom edge of the swingarm against the middle of the gear linkage tie rod.

The Racer rear sets have a short outer linkage & I have sheared the stud on the rearmost rod end 3 times now - a different animal under different stresses than the main linkage connected to the selector shaft.

That being said, the standard guzzi rod ends are not the best of their type & are often swapped out for better versions. The advantage of the OEM ones are that they are serviceable - you can take them apart, clean & lube them quite easily.