Cafe for touring and looking for wheels

[Jules Ballore]

Hey all, I'm new to owning a Guzzi. I've only owned Jap bikes previously, specifically Yamaha's. So i was hit head on by a cager in Sept. I'm fine and healing well. But i got antsy not having a bike around during my down time. I always wanted a cafe but i like to do so decent trips every so often no more then 500 miles in a day. But i came across an 850 T3 for sale and i bought it and started stripping it down. It didn't have a battery i bought it but i was guaranteed it would work if i flushed the fluids. It came from Florida and was ridden most recently in 2012 but hadn't been started since 2013-2014. I'm new to Guzzi's and I've never built a bike before so this will be interesting. But the guy i bought it from does his own fab work and custom builds Duc's and Guzzi's so he said i could get help from him. I'm hoping to have it finished or at least and rideable by January. I got it last week on Friday and I'm damn near close to having everything off the frame. I got the engine on a block and I'm currently taking a break from trying to remove the forks. Im hoping to take a trip to Cali on it next year.

Here's what it looked like when i picked it up.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/137785096@N03/shares/WW382n

[Aaron D.]

Looks pretty clean, nice bike!

Of course you will soon hear about chrome bores and such, but still it is a very cool bike.

[Xlratr]

I really enjoy my T3. Riding it is something like meditation! :-). Very relaxing and very different to any other bike I've owned, including the other Guzzis.
Hope you enjoy yours too.
John

[fotoguzzi]

Yes, the oil filter is in the sump and you have to drop the pan for access.

[oldbike54]

 What part of Texas Jules ? Welcome to WG , and good luck with the T3 .

  Dusty

[Jules Ballore]

Well i've drained the oil but i haven't removed that pan yet to see what it looks like. I'm still tearing her apart. I'm trying to get down to the frame so i can't send the frame to get painted and so i can clean and paint the engine. I already read about the chrome bores and talked with the guy who i bought it off. I pretty much asked him if i should go ahead and do it now since I'm tearing the whole thing apart. He said tear it down and run her as is. If its a problem after i put her together again than it will be easy to do while the engine is in the frame. I am gonna probably start selling off all the things i don't want or need like the panniers, rear luggage/crash bars, floorboards, etc... I'm thinking of selling the tank too and ordering one of the Le mans style tanks from MGCYCLE. Does anyone know if they hold the same amount of gas?

Here's what she looks like in my kitchen currently



https://www.flickr.com/photos/137785096@N03/shares/yso9H1

[Jules Ballore]

I'm in the DFW

What part of Texas Jules ? Welcome to WG , and good luck with the T3 .

  Dusty

[Xlratr]

... I'm thinking of selling the tank too and ordering one of the Le mans style tanks from MGCYCLE.?

I may be in the minority here, but I think the original T3 tank is a wonderful design!
John

[oldbike54]

I'm ih DFW

 We are almost (well sort of) neighbors . I live SE from Tulsa . Oh , the chrome bore thing is gonna generate several responses , get ready .

  Dusty

[Jules Ballore]

I may be in the minority here, but I think the original T3 tank is a wonderful design!
John

Well I'm currently torn between keeping it as is and repainting it. Selling it and using that money towards a Le Mans style or seeing about finding someone to reshape it to be concave and put custom knee dents in it. Initially i bought this bike because i had found a V7 Stone for cheap but the guy was in a hurry to sell to leave the country and I was still in my cast from the accident and unable to travel 800 miles to get it. When he sold it i realized i wanted it so bad, but i sat on a new 2016 at a dealer and thought I wanted more power. I started wishing for a 850 to come out and then researched and found out they made them back in the day. Lucky enough i happened across a guy selling a few he had the next day. I want my friend who's a talented artist to paint a logo/name on the tank and thought it would look good painted above the muscle bumps of the side of a Le mans style tank. But my priority currently is getting down to the frame so i can clean and degrease it and send it for powder coating and hopefully paint engine if i can find someone to help me carry it outside to degrease and clean it to prep. (I'm still wearing my arm brace and my knee is still a little gimp.

 - Jules

[fotoguzzi]

I wouldn't dump a lot of money (like powder coating frame) until you know you have a good running bike. And take note of the cost of engine rebuild if you have the chrome bore troubles. Better off fixing the motor than painting and swapping tanks etc. you'll probably need new brake work too.

[Perazzimx14]

I have a really nice LeMans 3 gas tank I'll sell if you interested.

[Turin]

You are not going to get much for a stock T-3 style tank.

[not-fishing]

Four Decades ago I built a Jap Café.  Rearsets, intake-exhaust, low clip-ons, 1/2 Café fairing.  I remember my limit when I was young, strong, as thin as I'd ever be and a long distance cyclist was about 3 hours on the bike.  After that it was lots of Scotch & rest because I was shot.  and you're talking about a kid who put himself through school pouring/finishing concrete  

The T3 is a big heavy bike.  It would be a real beast to ride in a crouch.  I'd mod it maybe to European touring style with a low rise bar or go full "Sons of Anarchy" drag bar & small fairing.  The floorboards may be worth keeping....

Just my two cents.......

[oldbike54]

Snippety do dah . or go full "Sons of Anarchy" drag bar & small fairing.  The floorboards may be worth keeping....

Just my two cents.......

 He doesn't have to wear an SOA T shirt ... right ?
 

  Dusty

[Jules Ballore]

I have a really nice LeMans 3 gas tank I'll sell if you interested.

I am definitely interesed, can you message me pics?

[Jules Ballore]

Four Decades ago I built a Jap Caf�.  Rearsets, intake-exhaust, low clip-ons, 1/2 Caf� fairing.  I remember my limit when I was young, strong, as thin as I'd ever be and a long distance cyclist was about 3 hours on the bike.  After that it was lots of Scotch & rest because I was shot.  and you're talking about a kid who put himself through school pouring/finishing concrete  

The T3 is a big heavy bike.  It would be a real best to ride in a crouch.  I'd mod it maybe to European touring style with a low rise bar or go full "Sons of Anarchy" drag bar & small fairing.  The floorboards may be worth keeping....

Just my two cents.......

The bike i just recently wrecked was an old Yamaha 1100. I rode the hell out of that thing too, did just under 20k in the past year. I'm 29 going on 30 in 2 months. I already decided i don't want clip ons. I do want a low rise bar. I don't know how i will like drag bars. I removed the floor boards last night and i'm looking for rearsets. Although i had the guy i bought the bike from offer the rearsets from a T5 he's tearing down to build into a scrambler. I might take those. I really want some black rear sets though. i haven't really put a lot of thought into a fairing yet though. Initially i figure ill do without and look into one for long trips. But i am cutting weight off it. Gonna cut a bit of the frame and I'm replacing the front forks with some from a Buell or Yamaha. and replacing the discs with lighter ones then the stock iron ones. Thinking of getting alloy or carbon wheels if i can find some that fit.

[Rox]

You can easily caffe that out and still tour. By the looks of the photo you're half way there.
Keep those bags, ditch that seat...

[Guzzistajohn]

Just my opinion but I'd make the numero uno priority getting her running and start putting some miles on the old beast. Take care of all the mods as needed. It's a work in progress go squish some bugs!

[Jules Ballore]

When i hit the road i just use a roll bag and i might add a tank bag. But i travel really lite. I used to tour in a band so i know how to travel lite for extended amounts of time. I do plan on loosing the seat but I can't seem to find a seat i like. I had the idea of getting a long banana seat and having a cowl thats removable to cover the passenger side. So i can still carry a passenger if needed, by just popping it off. I plan on selling the hard bags since i don't need them. I have a friend coming over next week to help me make an eBay account so i can sell them.

[Jules Ballore]

Just my opinion but I'd make the numero uno priority getting her running and start putting some miles on the old beast. Take care of all the mods as needed. It's a work in progress go squish some bugs!

Believe me I'm desperate to ride, but i want to fully heal from my accident first. I go back to the Doc next month and I'm just starting Physical Therapy now. So i figured the perfect way to satiate my inability to ride currently is building a bike to what i want it to be. I'm sure I'll change some things as i go about it. But for the most part I know what my comfort level requires to start and its not extravagant I'm pretty basic. But believe me its taking me everything to not buy the first appealing running bike i see on craigslist everyday!

[Jules Ballore]

I've been looking for some alloy wheels solid and in black or at least good condition so i can paint them to put on my T3. I found a website selling V7 Stone wheels and looked up the specs online for the Stone and it said the front is an 18 and the rear is a 17.

Has anyone had any experience putting two of the Stone's front wheels on their T3 or similar bike?
Would I have trouble keeping putting a dual disc setup on the front (The V7 Stone only has a single disc on the front wheel)?

I do plan on getting a pair of new Pro-lite Discs for my front and a singe rear for my back.

Thanks in advance!

 - Jules

[Tom]

Good luck with the mods.  Looks like a good project.

[Turin]

You do realize those are borrani aluminum wheels on that bike, don't you?  They look fantastic with some mothers polish and some elbow grease. I put tommaselli condor bars on my 850-T. They are much more adjustable than clip-ons.

[Petrus Rocks]

I like the project.  Seeing as you have time healing on your hands, buy some seat foam and have someone cover it for you.  Lots of options to look at on the web.  Spray glue, an electric carving knife and you're good to go.  Cost me maybe $150 to do it myself including the cover.
Please continue to post your progress and welcome!   

[fotoguzzi]

You do realize those are borrani aluminum wheels on that bike, don't you?  They look fantastic with some mothers polish and some elbow grease. 

what he said.

I've been looking for some alloy wheels solid and in black or at least good condition so i can paint them to put on my T3. I found a website selling V7 Stone wheels and looked up the specs online for the Stone and it said the front is an 18 and the rear is a 17.

I highly doubt the small block wheels will bolt up to a near vintage big block.. keep the borrani's..

[fotoguzzi]

maybe you can save yourself some money buying this,

[Turin]

But only if you are 4 feet tall !

[Offcamber1]

Look around.  Every once in awhile a pair of Lester mags that will bolt right on come up for sale on Ebay.  Curtis Harper might have a set lying around as well.

Fix the jugs/slugs.  It isn't worth doing all the cool cosmetic stuff only to have the chrome end up sending shards through the entire oiling system. 

Hear me now, believe me later!

Best to you on both your recovery and your project.

Kip

[Jules Ballore]

Look around.  Every once in awhile a pair of Lester mags that will bolt right on come up for sale on Ebay.  Curtis Harper might have a set lying around as well.

Fix the jugs/slugs.  It isn't worth doing all the cool cosmetic stuff only to have the chrome end up sending shards through the entire oiling system. 

Hear me now, believe me later!

Best to you on both your recovery and your project.

Kip

I might have just found some wheels i can work with, but I'm keep a lookout for Lester Mags, thanks for the tip!

 - Jules