Moto Guzzi V50 Mk III (1981) Restoration

[Cafe_Joe]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for welcoming me to your forum. I've just purchased a 1981 V50 mkIII - she's not running, but has sat idle in a garage for 20 or so years. I'm looking to restore her to working order, then work on customising her to full cafe racer capabilities. Never done a bike restoration before, so looking forward to learning by doing. No doubt I'll be regularly on the forum asking questions and looking to tap your vast guzzi knowledge (I'll try and make sure not all the questions are stupid ones...) and I'll also try and post updates on my progress throughout the build. Looking forward to getting to know you all a bit better, and seeing how my build develops.

Cheers,

Joe

London, UK

[Kiwi_Roy]

Congratulations, the bike looks to be in great shape, I don't think they had chrome bores, someone who knows more than I will answer that.

Welcome to the forum, there's no such thing as a stupid question on here.

[boatdetective]

Welcome to the forum, there's no such thing as a stupid question on here.

...only stupid people asking questions

Seriously, touch base with me and I can give you all the gory details of what you should be pulling apart.  Some people here will tell you "just change the fluids and ride the wheels off it". That's baloney.  The small blocks have a list of known things that should be done to make them reliable.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Welcome to WG, Joe. Nice project you have there. The Mark III is the best of the V50s, a little more mouse power than the previous versions, and points ignition instead of the IIs ill fated electronic. They're pretty reliable little boogers.. just a few niggles. For whatever reason, the points need fooled with all the time, and replacing them with a Dyna S is the preferred setup. The rear drive has a couple of things that need to be done to it. I did a tutorial here (somewhere) I'll look for it. Do the Hayes Mod on the starter wiring (basically adding a relay). Speaking of relays.. the switch gear is a known issue. Guzzi powers everything including the ignition through the switch gear.  It has small wiring and contacts. Put relays on everything that has any kind of load on it, and the switches will last forever.
If you search for Lario Rehab on this board, there is probably more small block stuff than you want to know..
Edit:
Ok, here's the rear drive mod..
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=68540.0
In this thread, I also mentioned a Yahoo small block group hosted by Patrick Hayes. Lots of small block info there. Oh. Forgot. You need to mod the breather on the transmission, and keep a *full* liter of lube in it to keep from starving fifth gear.

[Perazzimx14]

No chrome bores on the V50's

[pehayes]

You should also consider joining the "small_block_guzzi" forum over on yahoogroups.com.  Plenty of specific expertise there.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Cafe_Joe]

Hi gents,

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, and already lots for me to look up. Luckily, she's been kept dry in a garage all that time, so in good condition, but still not been able to take a full look at what needs to be done to get her up and running yet. It's actually my girlfriend's dad's bike (he's had it since 1987) so I'd love to get it up and running so he can finally go for a ride on it.

Thanks for the offer @boatdetective - I've PM'd you to get the list.

@Chuck in Indiana - Thank you very much for finding the rear drive link, I'll take a look at it now. I was thinking of sorting the ignition, so will look up the Hayes mod and the Dyna S. I think electrics may be my main bug bear, and want to build something reliable, so I'll be sure to search the Lario Rehab work and take a look.

I've sent my request to the small_block_guzzi group now, thanks for the pointer.

Thanks again, and I'll be in touch with any updates/follow on questions.

Joe,

London, UK

[wrbix]

Welcome.

They do make a nice simple light-weight cafe project:

[Cafe_Joe]

@wrbix - that's beautiful, exactly the cleaned up (if not needed, throw it out) look I'm going to try and achieve!

On the chrome bores note; @Kiwi_Roy and @Perazzimx14 I believe that the Mark 1 had chrome bores? Does that mean I have the bores off of a Mark 1 or a different model?

[Chuck in Indiana]

@wrbix - that's beautiful, exactly the cleaned up (if not needed, throw it out) look I'm going to try and achieve!

On the chrome bores note; @Kiwi_Roy and @Perazzimx14 I believe that the Mark 1 had chrome bores? Does that mean I have the bores off of a Mark 1 or a different model?

The Mark III are Nikasil.. not to worry.

[sdcr]

This may be too far away for the original poster, but here is a CL post for a project  bike.

http://toledo.craigslist.org/mcy/5350548032.html


John

1983 Le Mans III

[Tom]

Randy in NH is running a V50 flattrack bike.  Make sure of the oil level in the engine.  Easy to kill with a low oil level.  Consider losing weight to get the best out of the bike when riding.

[Guido Valvole]

Everything you really need to know has been covered above. The generic left-side (headlights/horn/turn signal) switch available from pretty much everyone is a huge improvement -- even with a headlight relay kit my light was noticeably brighter after then original switch on the V50II self-destructed. *Tiny* wires, Guzzi must have saved a bundle on less copper... III part is the same.

Updated transmission breather is a necessity as otherwise the oil is just pumped out until it's too low and too late. Filling the gearbox is a little tricky -- don't do that on the center stand, put it on the side stand. Full is above the fill opening when vertical.

Rear-drive mod(s) are another necessity. At around 25k miles I drained that oil in my Monza and was not particularly surprised by shiny magnetic flakes. $$$$ but now better than new. Need to take the one on the V50 apart at some point for PM.

Airbox is a PITA as it obstructs everything. There is little wasted space in a Guzzi. Pods require a little carburetion adjustment and and an oil collector tank. Loopframe item is the most common iirc. I don't think there's any performance enhancement just more room to get to other things.

Exhaust valves are something to be watched. Just before the reardrive problem clearances on the Monza were going from a happy .008 to a not-happy .004 in 500 miles. (I had a VW Bug #3 exhaust go from lack of maintenance long ago and learned that lesson) Out for replacement with improved ones not made of rubber. And helicoil/timesert for both spark plug holes and various others. Ever wonder where that old Moka Express coffee pot went when you recycled it ages ago? Now you know...

Sump extender may or may not be necessary. 2 quarts of oil in an engine that gets run pretty hard seems minimal, 3 is better. Or maybe I just got spoiled by the 5-liter wet sump in the old bevel Ducatis.

Sorted and put together right, an old smallblock is a lot of fun. It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than it is to ride a fast bike slow.
cr

[Steph]

Hey, welcome to the forum! I'm in North West London.  Feel free to PM me if you need help, I've had 3 V50...

[Cafe_Joe]

Pleased to report the project is complete, I added some customisation too, so took a bit longer than expected as I'm sure they all do.

[Gliderjohn]

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Looks good. Now. What happened to

and I'll also try and post updates on my progress throughout the build. Looking forward to getting to know you all a bit better, and seeing how my build develops.

We like build threads..

[Cafe_Joe]

Looks good. Now. What happened to 
We like build threads..

Yes, spent too long in the garage, and not enough time reporting. I'm planning to do a full step by step report with plenty of photos, don't worry. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Yeah, I've found that it takes longer to document something when you're doing it than it does to do it, sometimes. 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Great Job, who knew that was hidden under all that plastic.

[Matteo]

Beauty! Tell me about the exhaust system.
Here’s mine.

[Diploman]

Nice job, Joe - bike looks great!  Did you keep the linked brake system?  The V50 series bikes are outstanding candidates for conversion to lightweight cafe configuration.

I recently finished a resto/mod on my 1980 V50II.  The bike is running excellently and I am thoroughly enjoying the much-refreshed little cafe.  Linked brakes are super, and the right front brake now runs off a Frando radial MC.

This is Stage I of my restoration.  More mods (including cosmetic) planned.  Write-up to come.










upload from web

[Dukedesmo]

Looks good   


Where's the battery?

[Guzzistajohn]

Man, nice work :thumb:now all you need is a big block

[gentlemanjim]

Café_Joe very nice work..  I like the brown seat and grips

[voncrump]

Ohhh,  my first Guzzi was a well sorted silver V50111. It was a fabulous bike. Speedo was wildly optimistic but it was fast enough to create a vivid memory in the minds of many sport bike riders and Harley riders on the curvy roads of Marlborough NZ in 1986 to 88. Watch the valve clearances and when they start to close up replace the valves. They stretch the stem under the head of the valve and if you don't watch it they will drop the head off the valve. Otherwise rev the shit out of it and enjoy the superb handing of an unrecognised Guzzi gem. Normal maintainance other than the valves. Fiddlly points but mine had an optical system. Keep the advance and retard lubed. The check on the rear drive and gearbox breather had been done on my V50. I should have KEPT this bike.
Cheers, voncrump

[gentlemanjim]

What's the story about the rear drive breather?

[Chuck in Indiana]

What's the story about the rear drive breather?

Yeah, there is an upgrade that needs to be done to the box, but as far as I know, the rear drive breather is ok. I documented a better transmission breather on the "Monza annual inspection" thread.