Need your help convincing myself! PLEASE HELP!

[Kiwi_Roy]

Congratulations on the new bike, how about a nice picture?
You should plug the hole with something to keep the vermin out, a bottle top or whatever fits. A few years back someone pulled the gearbox off his bike and found half a dozen of the plugs floating around inside.
If you can't avoid parking outside at least buy a proper m/c cover that will breath (not plastic, that would be worse than nothing). It will keep preying eyes and fingers away allowing the bike to dry off after riding in the rain.

[JProdun]

Thanks a lot everyone!

I'm missing the plug, so was worried an oil could be getting out of there.

I have a good cover and a lock for it, plus kryptonite chain with lock. Also, parking right in front of my window.

Thanks again!

[Kiwi_Roy]

I used to ride past a nice looking yellow HD sportster sitting in a driveway covered in plastic. I stopped one day to have a word with the owner about getting a cover, I figured he might be a new owner, while waiting for him to come out I took a look it was in really rough shape with corrosion. I shouldn't have bothered, he was pissed that I disturbed him and threated to punch me out.

I can't wait till he tries to sell it on Craigslist  ;D

[Testarossa]

The timing-port plug is also important to keep rain out. It's a dry clutch and the bell housing does have a drain but if mud or insects get in there the drain can get plugged up with unhappy consequences for rust in the clutch plates and springs.

[Kev m]

Cover it up as soon as you can, but it's to keep crap out, not keep crap in.

[twhitaker]

http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=1467

Under 2 bucks.

[JProdun]

Got the plug from the dealer right away

[JProdun]

Maybe will post a video later if i'll get the time to upload

[JProdun]

I came to a conclusion that the reason i was heavily modifying my previous bike is because i wanted to have a certain feel when i ride. For some reason, the V7 just got it. Only mirrors and exhaust have to go. Everything else stays.

[Kev m]

Sweet... Enjoy

[Winder]

That is one gorgeous bike.... congrats!

kinda new here... but thought i would chime in

personally, i would be rolling out the sleeping bag, and sleeping beside it ... although i am the paranoid type : )

btw, i have heard that a motorcycle cover will actualy detour unwanted attention when parking overnight...

all the best with the new addition to the family

winder

[JProdun]

Thanks all!

Got bad news today. I was parking the bike in front of my window (live on the ground floor) and apparently the management didn't like it, so they want me to move it on the street or elsewhere...

Don't feel like a street would be an option. Mainly to the way people park and not the theft problem...

Gotta find a solution now...

Other than that, went out for an early Sunday ride and had lots of fun!

[JProdun]

This may out of place and i feel like i'm posting to myself, but i've been trying to figure out how to creat a new post via phone app and did not succeed.

So my question:

Does anyone have any V7 Stone related aftermarket parts for sale? (Mufflers, crash bars, mirrors, anything else?)

Thanks

Joe

[JProdun]

Hi All,

Been hard to log in since WildGuzzi stopped using Tapatalk, but here I am.

Switched jobs and now commuting on the bike almost every day. No parking where I work and bike makes a lot of difference. Not a fan of public transportation.

Anyhow, I've been hearing these noises coming from the engine (being the paranoid type when it comes to noises and considering that it's still a new bike to me) and when stopped by the dealer, they told me that it's a normal noise because it's a dry clutch and that's how it sounds. Now, I'm not a mechanic, but it's still hard to believe that the loud tapping noise is the way it should sound. It mostly makes the noise when the bike is warmed up and is in neutral, but could also be heard when in gear with clutch out. Almost can't hear while in gear and clutch in or at high rpms...

I'm posting two videos. One of cold start and the other one after a ride. Please let me know what you think. I'm thinking that the clutch cable is loose, but again, I'm not a mechanic and also have no knowledge of how to tighten it.

Cold start:
https://youtu.be/jaa02GEfjwo

After a ride:
https://youtu.be/N8aCpcLV9NM

Another thing, sometimes, during a ride, usually low speed, low rpm and usually in lower gears, I could fel and hear as if the gears are grinding... I will try to capture the saound, but it's kinda difficult since it only happens when in gear and I gotta be riding and recording at the same time which I don't like to be doing. But is it a normal thing? Do any of you get the grinding feel through your foot pegs?

Thinking of having all the fluids changed. Wonder if that could be a good help... Most likely myself since it's not much of work.

Thank a lot! Really appreciate your input!

[Graham UK]

Hi there.  I ride a Breva 1100 and a Cali, so I'm no expert on V7s and stand to be corrected.  However:
1) the sound taken at the front of the engine seems right to me; all I can hear is the Guzzi valve gear rattling - you should worry if it wasn't rattling, as that would mean the tappets were set too tight.
2) I assume that the extra noise I can hear when you record from the back of the bike is simply part of the exhaust note, otherwise it would be audible from the front too; so no worries there.
3) Guzzi clutches rattle when you pull the lever in, i.e. when you disengage the clutch.  When you release the lever, i.e. when you engage the clutch, that noise should disappear.  Perhaps this is what you are referring to?
4) I recently read there's another kind of rattle that can happen when releasing the clutch lever, which again is no problem, but I've never noticed that myself.
5) If you hear a new rattle, check for loose nuts and bolts; one time I thought my engine was falling apart, and it turned out that it was simply a loose rattling heat guard on one of the silencers!
With the engine sticking out both sides, you'll hear a lot of noises that are disguised in other engines.  Don't let that spoil your enjoyment!

[Graham UK]

I thought I'd listen to your videos again this morning and, having done so, I'm even more convinced that your bike sounds great - just like a real Guzzi should.  Put some ear plugs in and go enjoy the ride.

[Cam3512]

Sounds normal to me.  Just ride it.

[Kev m]

I haven't listened to the videos since others did, but one point of difference:

Hi there.  I ride a Breva 1100 and a Cali, so I'm no expert on V7s and stand to be corrected.  However:

3) Guzzi clutches rattle when you pull the lever in, i.e. when you disengage the clutch.  When you release the lever, i.e. when you engage the clutch, that noise should disappear.  Perhaps this is what you are referring to?

The smallblock clutch makes noise in the opposite manner of my old big blocks (like my old B11). Late-model smallblocks make noise in neutral with the clutch engaged (lever released) and it goes away when you hold the lever/disengaging the clutch.

I have not cared enough to investigate why (EDIT - I should add that being used to Guzzi big blocks, this did take me by surprise when someone first pointed it out to me).

[JProdun]

Thank you guys a lot! One less thing for me to worry about! Todays ride was a lot less stressful since I know it's normal :)

Graham UK, I was going to say that by me it happens the opposite way, but then Kev chimed in and he is right on point about when the noise happens!

What do you guys think about the grinding gears noise/feel i experience? Am i overreacting here as well? It does come on pretty strong at times...

Also get occasional surging at low rpms... At around 3000/2500 and below...

Thanks a lot!

[Kev m]

I'm not good a judging sound from a video over the internet.

That said, what I DID HEAR sounded normal to me.

Now as for gear GRINDING that shouldn't happen UNLESS you blow a shift, and even then only in the middle of the blown shift before the gear in question engages or disengages.

If you're in gear, riding down the road under power and you hear/feel something like that when you're not shifting you're most likely hearing/feeling something ELSE. WHAT? I dunno, could be a brakes (pads lightly, or heavily, hanging up), or something in a wheel bearing etc. If it's intermittent I'd expect it to be brakes not bearing. But I really can't say.

I think you simply need someone more experienced to give it a listen, maybe a ride, and tell you what they hear/feel.

Surging, I've occasionally felt it a little bit at very low speeds, probably lower rpm than that but can't say for sure because it's low enough speed that I'm probably in first gear and not really looking at the tach. For me there was an updated map from the factory which seems to have had a bigger effect on low speed running than it did on cold starts (and ironically the later was the only reason I pursued it). Either way, if it's rare and not really bothering you I probably wouldn't give it much thought. Mild surging is going to occur sometimes on a bike like this. If it's only a such low rpms that you shouldn't be riding at them anyway (like 2500 to almost 3k) then don't worry about it.

IF you ARE trying to ride down the road at the mid 2k rpm range, then you're probably lugging the motor (which can lead to shaking and shuddering and other things that don't feel right), don't do that, downshift until your rpms are at least in the 3's.

[Graham UK]

I agree with Kev m on all of this; I'd try keeping the revs a little higher than you are - that might well address both that odd sensation you've described and also the surging.  You may also find that at the next Guzzi dealer service there might be a map update that makes things even smoother.  And thanks Ken m for confirming that on small-blocks the clutch rattle happens when the lever is out, rather than when it's pulled in.  That V7 is a lovely bike.  Enjoy the ride.

[SmithSwede]

Yes, don't lug the engine.   Let it spin.  I'm typically running my 13 Stone somewhere between 4,000 and 5,500 rpm.   Will not infrequently hit 6,000 when passing or on interstate.  That's where this engine wants to be. 

I'll go down to 3,500 rpm when I'm basically coasting down in speed when entering a town, or I'm just puttering along at 25 to 30 mph.  But that's trailing throttle, or just off idle--not really asking the engine to do anything.

If in doubt, I say let it spin more, rather than not enough.  Letting it rev does no harm, and I believe that keeping the revs up is  easier on the con rod bearings, and will deliver a smoother, less "shocky" engine impulse through the transmission and out the final drive.  Oil pressure is where it needs to be.   And it's also safer--if you need to scoot away from a traffic threat, you want the engine to git up and go, not bog down and force you to fumble a downshift. 

If the engine seems too "eager" at higher revs/lower speeds, put the index finger of your throttle hand on the front brake lever.  That braces your throttle hand in place, and let's you give fine modulation to the throttle. 

[MGPilot]

Especially on smaller displacement engines, higher rpm's are your friend. I bet your engine feels smoother at 4,000 than at 3,500.

[JProdun]

Thank you all for great advice! All checks out!

The grinding noise I'm experiencing is gotta be something loose. Will go over that part when the pipes arrive.

In regards to pipes, I've ordered mistrals and have seen on this forum that shouldn't really bother reflashing the ecu just for the slip-ons. Now, does it mean both, if I'm running with or without the db killers?

Also, should I get the crossover pipe or it won't do much?

And last, but not least, I was looking to find the connectors for turn signals, both fronts and rears, on the bike. But couldn't find them so far with the time I had.

Thank you all so much!

P.S. Since I started commuting, I've started adding a few bits, so I promise to post a few pictures in a week or two when the last few things arrive.

[Jurgen]

JProdun; my ex - wife had a Breva 750 (basically the same bike, but with different bodywork), and she rode it all over the country. One year, we took a 5,000 mile trip to Colorado from Massachusetts. Another time we rode out to Wisconsin then up to the Great Lakes. It's a strong and pretty durable machine. Maintenance is very easy. The chances of your bike getting stolen if parked on the street are no better than any other bike. Just be forewarned; your cheeks will be very sore from the perpetual grin you'll be wearing.

I'm with Crusty, my Breva 750 has been one of the best bikes I've had since I'm inseam challenged.  The only thing I'd change would be a larger tank, I barely go 200 miles before I get uncomfortable.  Jurgen