Well, that sucks! (Sport 1100 rear wheel)

[Howard R]

Riding back from breakfast a couple of weeks ago, I was a couple of miles from home when I heard/felt one medium-size "skrunch" which seemed to come from the transmission area.  There were no unusual sounds or vibrations before or after, so I convinced myself that I had just tender-footed an upshift so that the trans didn't properly engage, and a change of throttle allowed it to go the rest of the way in.  Plus, it felt like I might have touched the shift lever with my toe, further allowing me to convince myself, so I just kept riding.  Then I got home, to see this.



It doesn't get any prettier with the wheel out. 



It seems that the two mounting bolts for the torque reaction arm bracket (which do double duty as two of the rear drive cover bolts) had loosened, one of them working out to the point of contacting the wheel.  That accomplished two things: one, breaking the bolt and two, machining down the parts of the cast aluminum wheel hub/flange where the broken off bolt piece made its escape.  There is almost no clearance between the wheel and the bracket, so the end result is a perfect "footpint" of the socket head cap screw into the wheel, as circled in red. 



This is the broken stub (which easily backed right out) lying next to the other, intact bolt for reference so you can get an idea what it was that came out through the wheel.



I'm particularly concerned about the damage to the internal "spokes" sipraling down to the drive flange bolts, visible in the top photo.  They all look pretty much like the red circle.  This is a 1996 Sport 1100, the early carb version with no cush drive in the rear wheel.  I believe all from 1994-1996 are the same.  I've tried calling around and sending some emails, but so far no one can point me towards a good used wheel. 

I guess my next question is, is this fatal damage or just cosmetic, break out the JB Weld and/or some black paint and ride it.  And, does anyone happen to have a wheel you would be willing to part with, and for how much?

Thanks for playing.

Howard

[Devildog]

How many miles on your Sport?

[Howard R]

13-some-odd thousand, plus the other 100,000 that already turned over.

[Turin]

Teo Lamers has a few http://www.tlm.nl/webshop/en/rear-wheel-sport-1100-black-306306010000-moto-guzzi

[apex1397]

I have a rear wheel and final drive off a 2002 sport. I do not know if they could be adapted to your bike. I am sure someone on this list knows and will chime in. PM me for info if needed.

[Blueboarhound]

Howard,

If you can't find anything state side try Pete at Reboot Guzzi Spares. I've purchased parts for my Daytona and Sport 1100 from him.

http://www.rebootguzzispares.com/index.html

[dxhall]

That's a lot of euros.  My '96 suffered a similar mishap in its time with a previous owner, although my damage is much less serious than yours.  I haven't had any trouble with mine.

If no reasonable replacement appears, I would clean all of the paint from the areas around the damage and keep riding, checking often (at least at first) for fatigue cracks.  I wouldn't paint or do anything that would make any cracks hard to see.

[Chuck in Indiana]

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/magnaflux.php?clickkey=3017744

[Howard R]

blueboar, I've dealt with Reboot before, they came up dry this time.

Turin & dx, I contacted TLM.  There are a lot fewer Euros required to land one on these shores, that will be the backup plan.

Chuck, that's very interesting.  I didn't know Maganaflux had any "consumer grade" stuff, or anything for non-ferrous metals for that matter.  Got a kit on order, will see what develops. (pun intended)

Thanks, guys!

Howard

[Turin]

Have you considered finding a centauro/sporti/daytonaRS rear wheel? a 17" rim will give you more tire choices.

[Howard R]

I actually have a Centauro for comparison, but I don't believe any spine frame wheel other than the early carb Sport will work.  There is no cush drive in the rear wheel, it only has the cam-thing on the transmission output shaft so any later wheel won't mate up.  I haven't had any problems finding an 18" tire so far, I have been running Bridgestones and like them very well.

[Blueboarhound]

It can be done. I think Pro Italia did some 17" conversations back in the day with the Sport-I three spoke wheels. 

[Tom]

Bummer!  Watching for an answer.