Building a Benelli 650 Tornado

[Rick4003]

Looks good.
That Benelli engine looks even more agricultural than the Guzzis! Just look at those gears!
Do they have any downfalls reliability vise? From the look of the parts it should go on forever! Unless it shakes itself to death

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[canuck750]

Looks good.
That Benelli engine looks even more agricultural than the Guzzis! Just look at those gears!
Do they have any downfalls reliability vise? From the look of the parts it should go on forever! Unless it shakes itself to death

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

I have not read of any known major faults with the 650 other than the rear /side engine to frame mounts cracking, mine had one steel tab fractured. They supposedly shake a bit, don't know if the rubber porcupine foot rests dissipate the vibration, looking forward to getting it running. Its one solid built motor.

[canuck750]

Back to our regular programming, the engine is back together and on to next tasks,

Getting ready to install the rear wheel, I had not taken the bearings out of the sprocket carrier, to say they were stuck is an understatement, several liberal heating's of the bearing inner race with oxy /acet where it meets the removable spindle sleeve and then a quenching in water, repeat again and again then strike the sleeve until it breaks free of the bearings and then the bearings knocked out. 30+ years of rust seeping into the bearing to sleeve gap. need to clean up the parts and install new bearings.






I got the speedo drive fitted but the large gear that fits into the front hub is AWOL, maybe it was missing all along, can't recall. Looks to be the same speedo drive that is a Moto Guzzi gear box

Checked my own photo records the speedo drive gear is fixed to the hub

[Turin]

 
Good stuff !

[canuck750]

Rear sprocket carrier assembled with new bearings and a new rubber damper, sprocket and bolt lock tabs

On to the front wheel, Benelli uses some 7mm bolts on this bike like on the chain tensioner and the brake arm pinch bolts, a trip to the bolt shop for Monday


Zinc plated axle needs some plating skimmed off, emery cloth on a spinning axle

Wheel in position, I had to let the air out of the tire to clear the fender support nuts, the Pirelli is a bit too wide for the bike but it does fit, just

One of the chain tensioner bolts was seized and snapped off, a new 7mm bolt with the threads tapped to the head and the tip machined back

In the vice and the tip of the bolt peended over

Rear axle and carrier in position

Bosch starter more needs reassembling, I need to find some brushes, two are cracked

Starting to look like a motorcycle again

[Rick4003]

Fantastic work!

Also love that brake assembly, it is a stunning piece of cast aluminium!



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[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Unsurprisingly, the front brake is very similar to the one on the '74 Morini 3 1/2 Sport. Morini used a few M7 bolts in various locations as well.

[canuck750]

Unsurprisingly, the front brake is very similar to the one on the '74 Morini 3 1/2 Sport. Morini used a few M7 bolts in various locations as well.

The Benelli Tornado brakes were reportedly made by Grimeca, no stampings crediting Grimeca on the castings. I think the brake back plates are beautiful!

The original Laverda 750 twins were also fitted with Grimeca brakes but Laverda deemed them to be not up to the task and subsequently designed their own Super Feni (super brakes) hence the 'SF' prefix to the Laverda 750 badge. The Laverda drum brake mechanism is quite interesting.

Not sure if the 75 Sport Morini drum brake is supplied by Grimeca, the later Morini disc brake caliper and master cylinder is a Grimeca product.

[canuck750]

Picked up a new seal today


Fitting the rear wheel

Had the rear brake shoes relined and arced



The Benelli uses twin torque arms for the rear brake plate

Its always a milestone moment in my mind when the bike is back on its own two wheels



Installed the Bosch starter motor, scratched my head for an hour trying to get the starter drive shaft spline to fit into the engine chain case, the cap on the motor can go on either side of course I had the cap on reversed, flip it over and in went the starter

And this horseshoe bracket is not symmetrical, and it too was on backwards





Fitted the front exhaust brackets



Dug put another parts box with the hand controls, chain etc.... for another day.

[Rick4003]

Great work! 

[Green1000S]

This is one lucky bike. 

[canuck750]

Yep she's one lucky Benelli, was destined to be parted out but was definitely worth saving.

The steering damper is a simple friction device that compresses two plastic discs between metal plates, I never have understood how restricting the movement of the steering is a good or necessary thing but this style was used on a lot of Italian motorcycles







Rear brake pedal passes through the frame in the usual manner with this crank arm that connects a rod to the rear brake control arm plus the leg on the crank engages a pin activated brake light switch



Looking at the picture I posted the other day I saw I was missing a circlip 



New tach cable fitted to the front of the engine case that engages a gear on the cam shaft



Up through this metal cable guide and into the back of the tach



Original CEV push to start button weather beaten


Just needs freshening up


A liberal wipe down with laquer thinner restored the luster to the black plastic

Installed the timing gear over the end of the cam shaft

Polished the side cover, installed new oil seals for the various shafts and installed a new oil site glass


I still have to install the advance mechanism, points, condensers and wiring

New foot rubbers for the kick starter and shifter, the kick starter sits at a crazy angle

I opened the plastic bag with the new wire harness and am pleased to find it includes all the sub harness sections and he rubber boots as well! I need to use conductive epoxy glue the wires onto the switches and then start to install the wires.

I am looking for a pair of original carbs for this bike if anyone has some for sale, they are similar to the Guzzi VHB29 Delorto used on the Eldorado but they don't have accelerator pumps. I could use a set of extra VHB29's I have for a Guuzzi but would prefer to find original carbs for it.

[Huzo]

Is there any way you would consider leaving the kick starter off ?
I cannot believe how lovely those castings are and the fresh look of the gears and mechanical componentry. It's a beautiful bike the way you have brought it back from the brink..

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

On the two I've had here, the lever actually sits a bit lower yet, almost horizontal.



Brochure photo shows it the same way.
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/beneli/benelli_650_tornado.htm

[canuck750]

On the two I've had here, the lever actually sits a bit lower yet, almost horizontal.



Brochure photo shows it the same way.
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/beneli/benelli_650_tornado.htm

Thanks Charlie, that is one low position, I hope the electric starter is reliable, don't fancy kicking it with the short throw kick pedal.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thanks Charlie, that is one low position, I hope the electric starter is reliable, don't fancy kicking it with the short throw kick pedal.

The sprag starter clutch on the one I owned back in the early '90s worked perfectly...until one day when it didn't. Just started slipping one day. I sold the bike before I had a chance to find out why. On the customer's bike shown, it worked flawlessly.

The kickstarter works well too - since the stroke is so short, one kick really spins the engine over.

[canuck750]

The sprag starter clutch on the one I owned back in the early '90s worked perfectly...until one day when it didn't. Just started slipping one day. I sold the bike before I had a chance to find out why. On the customer's bike shown, it worked flawlessly.

The kickstarter works well too - since the stroke is so short, one kick really spins the engine over.

Good to know

I split the sprag clutch good thing I did, full of rust



Cleaned up and I think it works fine now, the sheet metal cover tabs broke off so I had to spot tack weld the cover to the steel out casting and then file down the little welds to just hold the cover on.

[canuck750]

right hand control perch, lever and start button fitted, I found some big fat grips on Ebay that looked right for the Tornado



Installing the new headers and cross over, they came as raw steel from Germany, new exhaust gasket and replated header crimp plates





Its a pretty rigid exhaust mounting

Muffler brackets carry the muffler with two silent blocks but the passenger foot rests I bought turn out to not be correct for the Tornado, I need to find another type of footrest





As I was taking the side view picture I got to thinking how is the centre stand flipped down?, and then the penny dropped, the tang has broken off the side stand

I need to get some steel rod, break out the oxy/acet form a tang and then grind off the remnant and weld it on.

[canuck750]

Silent blocks installed on the mufflers and support brackets


Spacers fitted to the front header to engine supports


Installed the front brake cables and cable splitter



I found another used seat on Ebay a couple years ago, not too bad but lots of surface rust



Will need to repair the cover, no reproductions available

Vapour blasted the seat base and I painted with POR-15 gloss black

A sneak peek at the gas tank on the bike, I need to polish the stainless steel tank trim

I like this bright green colour a lot more than the original gold / black colours

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

This is really fantastic... idk how you find the time to document these builds.. but it is much appreciated!

Just curious, is this one to keep or sell when it's completed?

[canuck750]

This is really fantastic... idk how you find the time to document these builds.. but it is much appreciated!

Just curious, is this one to keep or sell when it's completed?

I like to document the rebuild so when I sell them on I have a memory of them. I want to keep the Benelli but I have to make room and raise some cash for other builds, probably going to sell a couple of my restored bikes in the new year. I may sell my V7 Sport and Morini 500. Wish I could keep them all but money and space are limited.

Cheers

Jim

[bodine99]

WOW!!!!!  Great job so far. I clicked on this subject cause I was looking back through a copy the other day of Motorcycle Classics magazine. I was looking and reading about the 66 BSA Hornet story again. On the cover of the Nov./Dec. 2009 is a 1973 Tornado 650s. Header asks Better Than a Bonneville?? "The Best Italian Bike You Never Heard Of" !! Great story and bitchin bike!!

[canuck750]

I found a set of rear foot pegs on Ebay that look similar to the originals (I only have pictures from Google of what the rear foot pegs look like)m in any event they were listed as fitting Ducati so the price was in line with the Ducati label....

and they don't foul with the exhaust in the down position



Detlef Burian sent me a carburetor to match to match the one that came with the bike, its a VHB 29 without an accelerator pump, all parts there if a little gummed up

Cleaning each piece in the vapour blaster then into the ultrasonic cleaner and it all comes out nice and clean



carb kits fitted,


Replaced the hardware with new pieces

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I was just getting ready to PM you with a link to a pair of carbs a guy on the Guzziriders (UK) passed on to me. Glad you found one.

[canuck750]

I was just getting ready to PM you with a link to a pair of carbs a guy on the Guzziriders (UK) passed on to me. Glad you found one.

Thanks for thinking about me!

I got the carbs together today and back on the bike, these particular VHB's are hard to find, Detlef Bauer had the rubber intake boots in stock and supplied new cables for throttle and choke.



Typical Italian bike of the era with no air filtration, I am going to see if I can keep the rubber boots and fit some form of air filter at the mouths of the boot that will be hidden behind the side covers


The Benelli intake manifolds have a balance tube between them like the laverda SF1 I have, is this supposed to balance the intake pulses?

I got seat base painted with Por-15 epoxy paint, Por-15 sticks like powder coat once cured

The original foam is still solid and reusable

I found a local business that repairs vinyl and leather, last year I got into my car with a small flat blade screwdriver in my back pocket and promptly stabbed the seat of my car, the seats are perforated leather and the repair the mobile shop did was amazing. I had the same tech repair my Laverda SF seat, he fixed to rips and re-stained the black vinyl, it came out looking like new. I am taking the seat cover to them on Friday, hopefully they can restore the vinyl to like new. I am hoping they can restore the plastic chrome strip molded into the seat sides. The inside of the cover is in real good shape.

Rips at the front where the cover stretches over the sharp edges of the seat pan, the metal needs rubber sleeves installed over the edges before the cover is reattached

A couple small rips in the cover



I will post some 'after' pictures when I get the seat cover back

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Typical Italian bike of the era with no air filtration, I am going to see if I can keep the rubber boots and fit some form of air filter at the mouths of the boot that will be hidden behind the side covers

On my Tornado, I cut a 2" length of steel exhaust pipe that had an o.d. the same as or close to the i.d. of the rubber boot. Hose clamped that 1" into the opening of the boot, then installed UNI foam pod filters over the protruding 1".

[canuck750]

On my Tornado, I cut a 2" length of steel exhaust pipe that had an o.d. the same as or close to the i.d. of the rubber boot. Hose clamped that 1" into the opening of the boot, then installed UNI foam pod filters over the protruding 1".

I like that idea!  Thanks

[canuck750]

I finished installing the throttle and choke cables and freshened up the choke lever

Installed a new steering lock

And installed the reproduction side cover emblems and the side covers



and a locking gas cap

Now back to waiting on few last parts and the seat to  be restored. I found a side stand from a tip on the Benelli Forum, it was for sale on an Italian web site.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

 

[SED]

Beautiful work (even with the missed shift dog) and an inspiration.

BTW - a output shaft shim was lost when putting the GTV engine together and I compensated by adding a shim to the outside. Didn't find the problem 'til months later when cleaning under the stove!    The real fix is to tear it out of the frame and split the cases - but I've just not gotten there yet...