Rocker59's V7 Special Thread

[rocker59]

Hey Rocker, am I right that your bike originally came with a chrome handlebar, not black?

Yes.  Chrome handlebar and chrome mirrors on The Special, from the factory.  That's why I went with the chrome Norman Hyde bar:  To keep it sort of OEM looking.

[Kev m]

Yes.  Chrome handlebar and chrome mirrors on The Special, from the factory.  That's why I went with the chrome Norman Hyde bar:  To keep it sort of OEM looking.

Bummer...thought I'd located a nice set of black take-offs to replace my stock chrome ones. 

[rocker59]

Bummer...thought I'd located a nice set of black take-offs to replace my stock chrome ones. 

I "think" the black bars showed up on the '14 and '15 Stones.  Those are the only bikes I've seen with them.

[gerryp]

I "think" the black bars showed up on the '14 and '15 Stones.  Those are the only bikes I've seen with them.

Yup, blacks on my 2015 Stone.

Gerry

[Kev m]

yeah, I was just hoping it was the Special too since I've not seen anyone else change out bars yet... oh well... maybe I'll just have to buy new or aftermarket eventually.

[jas67]

yeah, I was just hoping it was the Special too since I've not seen anyone else change out bars yet... oh well... maybe I'll just have to buy new or aftermarket eventually.

Plasti-dip in the meantime?

[ritratto]

Yeah.  I have a soft spot for Agostini stuff, and like the idea of supporting a small Mandello Guzzi vendor.

I second that! And just the nicest folks too!

[Kev m]

Plasti-dip in the meantime?

 

Plasti-Dip may be good enough for my 8 y/o Harley that's ridden in the winter... but NO, it's NOT good enough for my 2 y/o Guzzi!   

[rocker59]

Took the bike out for a 70 mile back roads ramble this afternoon.  Mostly county roads, but a few State highways.  Speeds 45-75 mph, and the V7 was a gem.  The bike is really fun at a more relaxed "sight-seeing" pace, something my Sport 1100 doesn't really care for.

The DART flyscreen is pretty nice.  It puts a surprisingly large area of calm air on my torso with only a slight increase in turbulence and noise at the bottom of the helmet.  I didn't think it would be very functional, but I was wrong.  It knocks just enough air off the torso at highway speeds without being in my vision or causing lots of noise/turbulence.

The 1TB engine on these V7 Classics is really nice for "motoring".  With peak torque so low, and with such a flat torque curve, riding the bike is effortless.  Low gearing means you will use all five cogs at legal speeds, unlike many Guzzis or Ducatis.

"Motoring" is the word.  There are horses for courses, and just like there are times when a Miata is more enjoyable than a Corvette, there are times when this V7 Special is a better choice than my Sport 1100.  Narrow curvy slow-speed county roads are lots of fun on a bike like this. 

It has all the essence of bikes like the 1970s Bonneville, Commando, and V7 Sport, but polished shined and refined with the smooth Guzzi engine and modern amenities...

[dl.allen]

your bike is looking sharp
next time you ride still need  a side shot to see the reach to those M bars

[kingoffleece]

I think I mentioned this before but you  better check your fuel filter.  I know of several 2014 and 2015 bikes, including mine, that came with the half metal/half plastic filter.  Every one was ready to burst by 4000 miles.  When it goes belly up from the ethanol it's game over.  Replace with an all metal housing filter.  Don't forget to order a new gasket as you'll need that also.

Now, that said, it's off for a 100 mile ride to meet a few other Guzzi friends for breakfast!

[Cam3512]

I think I mentioned this before but you  better check your fuel filter.  I know of several 2014 and 2015 bikes, including mine, that came with the half metal/half plastic filter.  Every one was ready to burst by 4000 miles.  When it goes belly up from the ethanol it's game over.  Replace with an all metal housing filter.  Don't forget to order a new gasket as you'll need that also.

Now, that said, it's off for a 100 mile ride to meet a few other Guzzi friends for breakfast!

Are you saying the tank pump gasket is not reusable?  My Calvin had a thick soft one that was.

Doesn't mean the filter will burst.  My '14 has 7K miles, and I know of others that have higher mileage on the original filter.  I'll change mine this winter.

[Kev m]

I'm sure the half plastic filter is a risk at some level.

But like my Breva 1100 before my V7 is approaching 3 years with the original.

I may replace it this summer.

I've never heard of one bursting on a V7 and certainly not in such little time or mileage. Add a matter of fact I think we only have one or two reports of one failing on a CARC.

So although I think it's a good idea to replace, it's hardly an emergency.

[biking sailor]

Seriously, if you think it may be the half plastic, change it out. If it splits on the road, it can be expensive and very inconvenient (if not dangerous as the bike just dies without warning)!

[Kev m]

This is the one on my 2012 Racer after 3,000 miles.  I don't think mileage makes much difference.  This was about one year into ownership.



I've got a new one sitting on the shelf for my new V7.  As soon as I burn off some fuel, it's going in.

That looks a lot like the one I pulled from my Breva 1100 after about 3 years of ownership.

[kingoffleece]

Mine was soft and spongy.  Failure looked close at hand to me.  Glad it's out.  I think if I pushed with a bit of force it would have burst.
As for the gasket, I didn't see the need to reuse it.  I ordered one with the filter and replaced it with new.

As I have another Western New York to New England run in a few weeks I wasn't up for a gamble on the filter.

That's just the way I maintain my stuff. As always, YMMV.  Like I said, just a heads up.

[kingoffleece]

According to a rider from the UK, as posted at GuzziTech, he contacted the manufacture of the filter in question and was told that it was specked for diesel fuel and not petrol.  You could check that site for details, but that's the jist of it.

[rocker59]

your bike is looking sharp
next time you ride still need  a side shot to see the reach to those M bars

OK.  Here you go...

A few shots of my 5'-10" 240-lbs 34" sleeeved 32" inseamed lard ass making passes in front of the house while Red fires off the Nikon...


Slight forward lean, but no real weight on the hands...


The Norman Hyde M bars are lower with hands in a more natural position, but the bike is so close-coupled that there isn't much reach to the bars.


Overall, I'd call it a neutral seating position.  Both the bars and the pegs.


Just as a frame of reference, this is how I look on my other bike, the 1996 Sport 1100... A little more committed...

[rocker59]

Mine was soft and spongy.  Failure looked close at hand to me.  Glad it's out.  I think if I pushed with a bit of force it would have burst.
As for the gasket, I didn't see the need to reuse it.  I ordered one with the filter and replaced it with new.

As I have another Western New York to New England run in a few weeks I wasn't up for a gamble on the filter.

That's just the way I maintain my stuff. As always, YMMV.  Like I said, just a heads up.

 

I may do mine at the first service...

[bad Chad]

Did you already muck up the right side cover?  In post 72, second pic, looks like something tore the paint off?

[rocker59]

Did you already muck up the right side cover?  In post 72, second pic, looks like something tore the paint off?

Shiny paint and a white building across the street.

Gotta love shiny paint...

[dl.allen]

Thanks!

looks comfy.  I have thought about buying those M bars many times.  I think I will try a set on my 850T

[bad Chad]

   Very, nice.

[Kev m]

Mine was soft and spongy.  Failure looked close at hand to me.  Glad it's out.  I think if I pushed with a bit of force it would have burst.

Obviously looks can be deceiving.

Mine looked like that too, but hadn't bursted in years of service, nor did it separate when I gave it a good squeeze.

Perhaps if I pull mine this winter after 3 years of service I'll plug one end and apply compressed air at higher and higher pressures till it fails and report back.

What's the fuel pressure on these things? 30 or 40 psi? I'd after there and go up in increments of 10-20#.

[kingoffleece]

Obviously.  As stated, YMMV.  As a former pro diver I take the position that I'll eliminate know problem areas when I'm made aware of them.  It's what works for me.

I do count on the insight(s) I get from forum boards.  THX for the insight.

[Kev m]

King,

I understand why you would want to eliminate the variable. As an amatuer diver my risk assessment is different from yours. Only time I ever had a problem with other's attitudes in diving was on a group dive in Jamaica without my usual partner (wife) who was trying to get pregnant at the time and we decided she shouldn't play with her blood gases just in case. So I hadn't planned on diving and didn't have all my usual equipment and the native dive masters were woefully causal about risk.

I stayed well within my comfort zone but wound up babysitting someone else's wife who was dangerously low on air and whose signals to the dive master were blown off. When we finally surfaced with our "dive master" at his planned ascension point we were no where near our boat, she had under 200# left and had only done a safety stop cause I'd grabbed her. I'd also shown her my regulator before that point to show that I had over 1000# and I was there for her.


Point for the non-divers.

Quick guess, maybe 5-10k Guzzis have been sold in the US in the decade plus since the introduction of the internal EFI fuel pumps and half plastic filters (Cal-Vins, CARCs, smallblock Brevas and V7s, Cali 1400s) all seemingly with half plastic fuel filters and susceptible to this failure.

In all that time I've only heard one, MAYBE two reports of one failing. (I've heard of MULTIPLE swollen Cal-Vin fuel line failures in the same timeframe).

I've not heard of any dealer who pulls them out at prep or break-in (though one may exist).

I've personally seen one swollen after YEARS of my own use, but it didn't seem like it was about to fail.

I ride predominantly on the east coast, mostly within hours of home these days, pretty much always with a cell signal our at least a manageable hike to one and ambient conditions that wouldn't make such an event life threatening.

So though a sudden failure would be inconvenient it would be extremely manageable.

YMMV, so if you want to replace it right away do that.

But if they were failing left and right we'd have heard about it by now even on a manufacturer as small as Guzzi. And like I said, the seeming greater risk of bad hoses in the Cal-vin seemed to make a much larger splash in the data stream despite being sold in FAR fewer numbers as compared to all the rest of the bikes. So I assess the risk small at best.

[rocker59]

Do we need to revive one of the fuel filter threads? LOL!

 :Beating_A_Dead_Hors e_by_liviu

[Kev m]

Do we need to revive one of the fuel filter threads? LOL!

 :Beating_A_Dead_Hors e_by_liviu

You probably have to because the ONE with the actual failure is ancient history by now. 

[jas67]

I'm sure the half plastic filter is a risk at some level.

But like my Breva 1100 before my V7 is approaching 3 years with the original.

My V7R is approaching 8k miles and 3 years -- still going strong on the original filter.

[jas67]

Gotta love shiny paint...

 :1:

I'm not a fan of the flat/satin finishes that are so in vogue right now.