Is motorcycling allowed?

[Andymann]

Did the final work on the XTZ this weekend for the Rally - new spark plug, bled the brakes and the big job fitting a rally box.  I'm actually beginning to get quite excited now - looking forward to giving the bike a nice long run!

[The Ouzo]

Hairy's post about open face helmets and an incident in the car on saturday had me wondering.

 

i was traveling down the highway when something was flung up by another vehicle and smacked my cars windscreen. The indentations make be think it was a bolt of some sorts.

Has anyone had something like this happen whilst out on the bike ? it must certain hurt like hell if it hits you.

[Hairy]

9 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

Hairy's post about open face helmets and an incident in the car on saturday had me wondering.

 

i was traveling down the highway when something was flung up by another vehicle and smacked my cars windscreen. The indentations make be think it was a bolt of some sorts.

Has anyone had something like this happen whilst out on the bike ? it must certain hurt like hell if it hits you.

Only had stones hit my legs or helmet ... more aggregate type stone.

But then again I live in CT and we have roads that are not strewn with rubble over here

 

[Gnarly]

14 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

Hairy's post about open face helmets and an incident in the car on saturday had me wondering.

 

i was traveling down the highway when something was flung up by another vehicle and smacked my cars windscreen. The indentations make be think it was a bolt of some sorts.

Has anyone had something like this happen whilst out on the bike ? it must certain hurt like hell if it hits you.

Raced behind a CR 500 a few times..... that thing throws boulders at you. Eina 

[RocknRolla]

Been hit by a lot of flying objects over the course of 23 years of riding.

Bat (flying rodent type - not cricket or baseball)

lots of bugs, some harder than others.

aggregate from roadworks. was at about 100km/h on the way to nelspruit, hit me half on the shoulderpad, was farking sore. Just glad it wasnt my face, as I was visor open at the time.

Hadeda on the knee.

3 bee stings in the face.

1 bee sting int the upper thigh.

 

[RocknRolla]

Ride a bike they say, be one with nature they say....

[Andymann]

My Dad is 86 and has been a biker since he was 15.  As he got into his late 70's the three Sons have kept an eye on him because he still wants to ride like he is 15.  He finally got to a point where he felt he couldn't ride anymore as the old Velocettes were getting to heavy and difficult to start.  We all breathed a sigh of relief as it looked like the he had made the decision himself, rather than us having to make it for him.

On Wednesday he arrived home with this on the trailer.  It's a classic and it has electric start he proudly proclaimed.....

Here we go again....

 

[Hairy]

6 minutes ago, Andymann said:

My Dad is 86 and has been a biker since he was 15.  As he got into his late 70's the three Sons have kept an eye on him because he still wants to ride like he is 15.  He finally got to a point where he felt he couldn't ride anymore as the old Velocettes were getting to heavy and difficult to start.  We all breathed a sigh of relief as it looked like the he had made the decision himself, rather than us having to make it for him.

On Wednesday he arrived home with this on the trailer.  It's a classic and it has electric start he proudly proclaimed.....

Here we go again....

 

I like your dad

I like your dads taste in bikes

I like that red bikes are faster

[Hairy]

8 minutes ago, Andymann said:

My Dad is 86 and has been a biker since he was 15.  As he got into his late 70's the three Sons have kept an eye on him because he still wants to ride like he is 15.  He finally got to a point where he felt he couldn't ride anymore as the old Velocettes were getting to heavy and difficult to start.  We all breathed a sigh of relief as it looked like the he had made the decision himself, rather than us having to make it for him.

On Wednesday he arrived home with this on the trailer.  It's a classic and it has electric start he proudly proclaimed.....

Here we go again....

 

FYI I saw this recently

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-motorcycles-scooters/bellville/1979-moto-guzzi-v50-mkii-fully-restored/10012430921261010164840709

[sawystertrance]

Beaut. Old Bikers never die...

<add your line here> 

Mine is "They only hit neutral more often."

[Hairy]

53 minutes ago, sawystertrance said:

Beaut. Old Bikers never die...

<add your line here> 

Mine is "They only hit neutral more often."

"They still faster than me"

[IceCreamMan]

2 hours ago, sawystertrance said:

Beaut. Old Bikers never die...

<add your line here> 

Mine is "They only hit neutral more often."

They end up buying Harley’s

[i24]

7 hours ago, Andymann said:

My Dad is 86 and has been a biker since he was 15.  As he got into his late 70's the three Sons have kept an eye on him because he still wants to ride like he is 15.  He finally got to a point where he felt he couldn't ride anymore as the old Velocettes were getting to heavy and difficult to start.  We all breathed a sigh of relief as it looked like the he had made the decision himself, rather than us having to make it for him.

On Wednesday he arrived home with this on the trailer.  It's a classic and it has electric start he proudly proclaimed.....

Here we go again....

 

Wow, that is the same as my Guzzi! I hope I can keep riding mine when I am 86+

Is it that the original red paintwork? Mine is blue but it needs a respray. I always liked the red ones and am considering getting a change of colour. But I have seen many shades of red on re-furbished Guzzi's and I would like to find out which was originally used on the V50 Mk II. I think the some of the Le Man's might have been a different shade. If it is let me know.

Your fairing and tail piece don't look original for a '79 V50 Mk II, maybe they are off a later bike.

If you need help with stuff, give me a shout. I have been tinkering on mine for nearly 40 years and I have learned some things the hard way. There is lots of documentation available on line, including full workshop and spares manuals.

There is a local guy, Charlie, near me in Cape Town who has working on Guzzi's for decades. He is a useful contact and has accumulated a garage full of spares. I can pass on his contact details if you like.

Finally you probably want to follow http://www.guzziriders.org/.  That has mainly UK contributors. There are many V50's in the UK but they never made it to the USA, so it is a more useful resource than some of the other forums.

I have been buying spares from https://www.stein-dinse.com/en/. They have a very comprehensive catalogue although some parts are no longer available. You have to persuade them to courier, not post via SA Post Office, or make another plan for delivery.

Have fun!

PS: This is obviously not the one advertised on Gumtree, anybody know if that was sold?

PPS: Don't trust the side stand if it is original. They are spring loaded to retract automatically and not very stable. Basically guaranteed to drop the bike sooner or later! Your Dad will have to master using the centre stand.

 

[i24]

Looking at your photos. The master cylinder on the handle bar is not from a Mk II, maybe it is off a MkIII. Mine front brake has a cable going to a master cylinder under the tank. My front brake is very heavy and not very powerful, but the foot brake is coupled to the 2nd disk on the front as well as the one on the rear and it is dangerously effective.

Does yours have electronic ignition? That was only on the Mk II, they went back to a distributor with points etc on the Mk III.

[Andymann]

On 10/27/2023 at 5:36 PM, i24 said:

Looking at your photos. The master cylinder on the handle bar is not from a Mk II, maybe it is off a MkIII. Mine front brake has a cable going to a master cylinder under the tank. My front brake is very heavy and not very powerful, but the foot brake is coupled to the 2nd disk on the front as well as the one on the rear and it is dangerously effective.

Does yours have electronic ignition? That was only on the Mk II, they went back to a distributor with points etc on the Mk III.

Thanks for all the info!  I haven't see the bike physically yet, but there are a few things I have spotted off the pics - the tailpiece is definitely not right - something odd going on there because there is that gap at the back of the seat.  From what I can see from online pics, the rear mudguard and light on a V50 look to be very similar to what was fitted to my 850 LM3 so I'm guessing those will need to be found.  I also see the light switches are from a Yamaha.  I remember the side stand on my LM3 was very sketchy - what I did was I took it off and then filed the stop on the frame slightly so the stand went past the 180deg mark - that helped a bit, but if I had a choice I would always use the center stand.  Finally the one side cover has been modified - apparently it's cracked and the guy repaired it with a piece of Aluminum.  I'll need to source a side cover too I guess.

As far as I know, the bike was brought in from Italy to SA by an Italian who then sold it here.  It's never been registers on the NATIS system so we have a small issue there - but luckily not as bad as something which has been archived on NATIS.  That's a nightmare.  I'll have a close look for you so see if there is overspray, but from what I understand, that red is the original colour.

I'll check on the ignition for you.

 

 

 

[Hairy]

Any other tyre fitment center in CT other than Tracmac?