One last ride with oil leak, or don't chance it; what would YOU do?

[guzzimatic]

Why not just go to your local auto parts ,buy 2 ft of high pressure rubber oil line,4 mini stainless steel hose clamps and change them out. Did it on my Convert decades ago,never leaked...

[v7john]

Why not just go to your local auto parts ,buy 2 ft of high pressure rubber oil line,4 mini stainless steel hose clamps and change them out. Did it on my Convert decades ago,never leaked...

Yep. You can do that. After my experience with a failed hose I carry a length of reinforced fuel pipe and a couple of clamps just in case.

[Tom]

 :1: 

[brider]

...and now ask others for advice? Why? So if you do go for a ride and the hose fails catastrophically, (A quite likely scenario, as stated the original crimped hoses are shite and yours are now decades old.) you can blame someone else?

Wow, Mr. Roper, I have a huge amount of respect for your input here on this forum, but what part of my original question made you think I'd blame anyone if it failed?

I don't know why I gave the background info, I was just hoping for some good-natured ride-it-with-a-fill-hose-duct-taped-to-the-handlebars-with-a-quart-in-the-tankbag type funny responses. Of COURSE I knew I should fix it, of COURSE I knew it could fail...or not...seems like the consensus was tilted in favor of fixing it first.

But I found out about the ride opportunity with NO time to order a new part. I've been riding it so long with the leak because my rides are so short and my time is so otherwise-committed, it became low-priority.

So I did it, and the leak didn't get any worse, guess my luck held out! New part plus stainless brake line kit get ordered tomorrow.

You guys don't mess around! Next time I'll keep my silly wonderings to myself, too much other good stuff to read on this forum!

[Triple Jim]

Next time I'll keep my silly wonderings to myself, too much other good stuff to read on this forum!

Don't do that, you got a whole successful thread of guys giving advice and feeling needed going.

[Huzo]

Wow, Mr. Roper, I have a huge amount of respect for your input here on this forum, but what part of my original question made you think I'd blame anyone if it failed?

I don't know why I gave the background info, I was just hoping for some good-natured ride-it-with-a-fill-hose-duct-taped-to-the-handlebars-with-a-quart-in-the-tankbag type funny responses. Of COURSE I knew I should fix it, of COURSE I knew it could fail...or not...seems like the consensus was tilted in favor of fixing it first.

But I found out about the ride opportunity with NO time to order a new part. I've been riding it so long with the leak because my rides are so short and my time is so otherwise-committed, it became low-priority.

So I did it, and the leak didn't get any worse, guess my luck held out! New part plus stainless brake line kit get ordered tomorrow.

You guys don't mess around! Next time I'll keep my silly wonderings to myself, too much other good stuff to read on this forum!

No brider for heaven's sake don't do that. If I'd known your post was a bit tongue in cheek I would have understood your motives better. I can see what you're getting at. When you don't know a blokes personality it's easy to mis read something in text, so please let's know how the dear old Guzzi gets on, you're no sillier than anyone else here. Good on ya for having a go yourself. Huzo. BTW did you say what Guzzi you have ?

[Huzo]

Sorry birder, just read your original post again, a Cal 11

[v7john]

Someone said "there are no stupid questions but some stupid answers". I suppose this was the exception. If I'd known it was a wind-up I would have said to remove the hose and blank off the holes with bolts. That would have stopped the leak.

[OlDogface]

So, now that it is Monday morning, did you fix it or ride?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Chuck in Indiana]

So, now that it is Monday morning, did you fix it or ride?

Inquiring minds want to know!

So I did it, and the leak didn't get any worse, guess my luck held out! New part plus stainless brake line kit get ordered tomorrow.

[John A]

The main thing is you didn't get a $500 penalty for " oiling the track" 

[brider]

Yep, did the ride (always knew I would), thanks all for the practical and dope-slap advice.

Off-topic observation: A while back I raised the Califia fairing 1-inch because I was getting bad wind buffeting at the top of my helmet. Seemed to really work on my local highway-speed rides, but I noticed on the Mass Pike and 495 around Boston my head seemed to be getting beat to death.

Theory: On my local rides, the volume of traffic (2-lane "parkway", no semi's) does not create excessively turbulent air, so I don't get a lot of side-buffeting. On the Mass Pike or 495, the volume of traffic (including semi's, RV's, etc) create a lot more turbulence to ride thru. I'm trying to remember now if my old stock windshield worked better.

Also, I discovered after I got back home in my driveway that my left-side choke cable housing was hanging up in the actuator barrel, causing that cylinder to stop firing at idle. Crack the throttle a bit and it ran fine. All the way home I figured it was a fouled plug or dizzy issue (another note-to-self to investigate installing electronic ignition). Do these little nagging things go away with a newer, more modern model?

[PJPR01]

Ride pics and report...sounds like a good one!

[Tom]

Brider to answer your question.  No.  The problems just migrate to other areas.    An electronic ignition won't necessarily improve things either.  On my Strada & Cali III, I retrograded back to a points ignition.  My SP1000 came with a Dyna ignition installed by a PO.  So far it's been reliable but they did have a run of bad black boxes so I carry the parts to go back to the points set-up.    

[Huzo]

Yes mate, they become niggling big things! Also forget the dope thing...

[Chuck in Indiana]

Do these little nagging things go away with a newer, more modern model?

Yes, they do.
However, if a "module" dies, it's really expensive to fix. What if your "immobilizer" decides that it doesn't recognize your key in bumfark Utah? "Let's see, I'll just call the local dealer and"  Oh. No cell service. Or dealer. Maybe that easily fixed choke cable isn't so bad after all. 
As a reference, my '12 Ford Transit Connect had a sync module die. Only $650 to replace it. (!) I'll do without.