How Light Can a Flywheel Go ???

[Vecchio Lupo]

OK fellas, funny story,...been into Guzzi since my first Loop frame in 1986, had so many over the years, but recently got my first Convert, it was an accident, but now Im into it.

So, Im in the midst of putting her back, its going well, normal, brakes shot, fuel/carbs shot, electrics only slightly butchered. Im learning and unscrewing a previous owner who obviously wanted a Harley instead. It runs pretty good, I notice it has a stamped steel flywheel and make a note to keep an eye out for a cast one for when the day comes.

I live in Charleston SC now but grew up and lived in New Orleans most of my life, big Guzzi community in New Orleans oddly enough. I see on eBay a convert cast flywheel and location is New Orleans. Fella wants a lot of dosh, uses all the buzz words. NOS, No longer available, etc etc. I message him too much money but in the back and forth he says his Dad had Convert and made stabilizer legs for Goldwings. I say " shit Son, I know your Dad, he was friends with Dutch P, and Fred S, I been to your house on Memphis St.....

He says his Dad passed and he is selling his stash but most had been given away to his friends (as it should have been) he just found this flywheel inn the original box in the garage. He is selling a reverse trike convert with a steering wheel on eBay , but its not a good deal.

Now my Question, I want to lighten this thing a bit, I know with a regular 5 speed flywheel what to do, but with the torque converter, how much should I remove ? Or should I just leave it be and keep the weight?

[Vecchio Lupo]

this is the blurb he sent me about the trike for sale

So I’m also selling this rare, one of a kind 1977 Guzzi convert trike with motorized reverse. It was designed and made by my late father who was an engineer and inventor. He sold hydraulically controlled retractable up and down “landing gear “ for the Honda Goldwing 1500. This trike convert is fully drivable with the steering wheel. It was painted with automotive Imron paint. He even made the fairing from fiberglass and modeled it to look like a B52 fighter jet nose

his eBay seller name is Limetime14




upload image

[fotoguzzi]

That looks like the good flywheel to me,  Or are you saying that’s the one for sale? Has it been painted?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

He used to post on here, username "gearman".
https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=2289

[Vecchio Lupo]

that is the one I purchased. Once it was established I knew all about this flywheel , when his Dad bought it 25 years ago , he dropped his price, I still paid more than I wanted but it is NOS and not all chewed up. but I still want to know how much to tell the machine shop to shave or drill off of it, if any.

Super cool, he was a member here. We weren't real good friends, more like knew a lot of the same people. I had some friends that were good friends of his. He was very knowledgable and I was a hack back then. But the NewOrleans Guzzi/Norton/Ducati/Laverda/BMW world was real tight.

[Kiwi_Roy]

This thread is just too funny

[guzzisteve]

Weird, I was just thinking of this bike yesterday and wondering what happened to it. Thanks

[fotoguzzi]

I can’t find any pics right now but I’ve seen one with big holes cut out and the edge trimmed back where I put the arrow. Maybe it was Rodekyll who did that?

[AJ Huff]

Man, I always liked Gearmans posts. Pretty cool "degrees" of.separation thing

-AJ

[MMRanch]

Vecchio Lupo

If you want a light flywheel type motor then you should get a GSX-R Suzuki 1000 or 750 cc bike.   

You ever thought about adding weight to you Guzzi flywheel ?     It never will be what you seem to be searching for ?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Now my Question, I want to lighten this thing a bit, I know with a regular 5 speed flywheel what to do, but with the torque converter, how much should I remove ? Or should I just leave it be and keep the weight?

I've ridden Converts with the early stamped steel "bowl" and with the machined flywheel back-to-back, and to tell you the truth I couldn't really feel much difference except there was slightly more engine braking with the lighter "flywheel". Not enough to worry about IMO. My personal Convert has the heavy flywheel.

[TOMB]

The picture you're showing is exactly the same flywheel that I have in my convert what I liked about it was the starter ring was machine directly to it so when you mount the torque converter to center it correctly you didn't have to also fight with the starter ring that was loose on the other ones I'm satisfied with mine I don't feel as any lack of acceleration you might enjoy it I don't think you'll upset the balance with either because the torque converter tends to be sort of a fluid balancer coupler anyway but that's one of the later flywheels the Gucci made all one piece with the starter ring physically machined into the flywheel you'll like it

TOMB

[Vecchio Lupo]

Vecchio Lupo

If you want a light flywheel type motor then you should get a GSX-R Suzuki 1000 or 750 cc bike.   

You ever thought about adding weight to you Guzzi flywheel ?     It never will be what you seem to be searching for ?

Interesting , I have had lightened flywheel El Dorado 850, and California III bikes, I really liked the improved throttle response, or quicker spin up and easer engine braking, there was a trade off in smoothness, everything is. I probably won't go to the trouble but since it is out and before it goes in.... can't leave well enough alone mentality. I had a couple of Hinckly Triumph Sprints (liter class triples) and yes, I really like that, if some low life hadn't stolen my ST from me, Id still have that one without a doubt.

Just thinking I could get the machine work done, put it back in the box and wait till I do some major work where its worth splitting the frame and changing the FW, cuz Im only doing it once.

I wish I could ride a GSXR again, Im way too old and fat for that set of ergos, but I digest.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

A lightened/lighter flywheel makes a difference on manual transmission Guzzis, but they don't have 15 pounds of torque converter attached to it.  The few pounds removed from the heavy flywheel will be barely noticeable in real life IMO.

[Moparnut72]

Unless the converter has a really low stall speed probably won't notice much of a difference.
kk

[Vecchio Lupo]

great info, just what I was looking for. Thank you all.