Exhaust crossover/linked brakes

[Tranquilo]

Last summer I bought a low mileage '01 Cali 1100 Special Sport. Naturally, since purchasing, I have worked to improve the comfort of bike and fix a couple of issues.
1. comfortable seat (original was built for looks, not comfort). I am currently waiting for it to come back from an upholsterer.
2. replaced footpegs with footboards. It was a bigger job that I anticipated, but it has improved the comfort level. (Photos of the job to follow)

But the takedown required to replacing the footpegs introduced some questions:

3. There is a stock exhaust crossover that may be a catalytic converter. If I replace it with 2 short straight pipes connecting exhaust pipe to muffler, will it improve performance and/or gas mileage?
4. Which front brake disk is linked to the rear? I suspect the right disk but am not positive and couldn't find any info in the manual. I may want to modify it. I am used to older bikes without linked brakes.

Thanks for any advice that you can pass on.

[jrt]

On my '04, it is the left side front brake that is linked to the rear.  You should be able to follow the line from the front master cylinder to the caliper.  So, the linked one is the other one (line disappears under the tank).

Yes, the crossover is a cat.  I don't think you will gain any performance, but it will make it a bit noisier (which sounds like more performance). 

[rtbickel]

An H-pipe to replace the cat should still be available in the aftermarket, it still needs a crossover.  Take some time to get used to the linked brakes, a pretty cool setup and you won't even notice it after a while.

[BMCMOTO]

Having cut several of those "cats" into pieces I can tell you they have no catalyst material in them! They are simply a center muffler for noise control and add nothing but about 8 useless pounds to the bike. An h-pipe substitute is appropriate. We had so many at the shop we would have been quite wealthy had they been cats with their platinum media. Believe me we looked. The first bike I am positive came with a cat is the Breva 750 which had cats in each muffler. I think the later big blocks eventually may have come with cats in each muffler as well. That center piece connects to both pipes and is really just a chamber with some baffling. For a cat to work the gassesmust be forced to go through it. The way those were built they just allowed passive flow through.
YMMV as always!

Brian

[n3303j]

My '98 V11EV had an "H" pipe.
It was easy to change transmission oil.
It added a bit of high frequency crack to the exhaust note.
I found it very annoying on long trips.
I bought a used "tumor" to replace the "H" pipe.
It must be removed to pull the transmission drain plug.
That's a PITA.
But the sound has lost the annoying crack and become more mellow.
I don't mind pulling the "tumor" once every 10,000 quieter miles.
Your choice.

PS All Guzzi linked I've seen are Port side. Rear disk is already left side as a necessity. So Left Front is the short path even though coupled master cylinder is on the Right side.

[Wayne Orwig]

A 2001 in the US it does not have a cat. It is a third muffler. In Europe, maybe, they introduced cat converters earlier so I'm not sure about them. If it is open loop fuel injection (no O2 sensor) it is very unlikely to have a cat.

You can see the brake hose from the front lever down to the right caliper. The left caliper is linked to the rear. Try it for a while like it is. It is mostly a good thing IMHO.

[Mike Tashjian]

My 02 Stone has 2 drain plugs for the transmission. One on the bottom and one on the back.  I just use the back and it  makes for easy draining without touching the crossover.  Not sure about other years or models.

[wirespokes]

I know a lot of guys like the linked brakes, but me, I always de link. Guzzi, back in the 60s, found that riders tended to use the rear brake primarily, so developed linked brakes as a safety measure. If you already know how to use the brakes and primarily use the front, then linked won't gain you anything. De-linking is pretty easy. Just remove the cross over line and plug the exit at the rear. Join the two fronts and you're done. No need to change master cylinders - the front will actually work better with two calipers.

[Vagrant]

The 01 should have 2 drain plugs on the transmission.
You will lose torque and mid range with the H crossover and gain more noise transmitted into your helmet.

[moto]

I know a lot of guys like the linked brakes, but me, I always de link. Guzzi, back in the 60s, found that riders tended to use the rear brake primarily, so developed linked brakes as a safety measure. If you already know how to use the brakes and primarily use the front, then linked won't gain you anything. De-linking is pretty easy. Just remove the cross over line and plug the exit at the rear. Join the two fronts and you're done. No need to change master cylinders - the front will actually work better with two calipers.

According to a July 1975 article in Motociclismo the integral braking system was developed after Lino Tonti was involved in a 1971 crash on a main Italian motorway while riding a prototype of the V7 750 Sport that he had designed and developed. Tonti was no slouch of a rider. The idea was for motorcyclists to stop wasting precious time in emergencies trying to balance the front and rear braking forces. Tests reported in that magazine article bear out the advantage. I translated the article into English here:

http://thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_more_topics_article_-_motociclismo_-1975-07-_moto_guzzi_850_with_the_new_integral_braking_system.html

Moto