This is a 1979 Moto Guzzi Convert project bike that I purchased on February 18, 2008 from a gentleman in Phoenix, Arizona. It is mostly complete and is in good, solid condition. It does not run. During conversations with the previous owner, I learned that the oil filter came loose in the sump and destroyed the main bearings, etc. This happened to - perhaps - the first owner. The second owner had intentions of fixing the bike up, but never did anything to it. Then the previous owner purchased the bike in 1997 and proceeded to go through the engine. After repairing the damage and replacing numerous parts, the previous owner rode the bike for about 15 miles. The bike started running rough (perhaps due to rust in the tank), and he parked it. It sat untouched until I purchased it. That makes me the fourth owner (maybe).
Before starting any disassembly, I believed:
the main and big end bearings have been replaced
the original 1000 cc pistons and cylinders were replaced with 850 Le Mans nikisil pistons and cylinders
the wheel bearings were replaced
the brakes were rebuilt
the rear drive and transmission have not been touched
the u-joint has been replaced
It is tempting to clean the tank, replace the fluids, shove in a battery and see if the bike will run. However, experience has taught me that sitting bikes learn to leak. I'd rather fix these bits preemptively rather than deal with it afterward. My goal is to perform what I call a mechanical rejuvenation. This will include:
Evaluating all mechanical bits to ensure they are in satisfactory condition.
Replacing all gaskets, seals, and O-rings in the engine, transmission, and rear drive.
Rebuilding the carburetors.
Sealing the fuel tank.
Flushing the brake fluid.
Rebuilding the forks with new seals.
Replace the stock airbox with a larger, more efficient unit.
Fit pod filters instead of the stock airbox.
Converting the tires to tubeless (if they are not already).
Replacing the battery.
Fitting a 7 inch headlight bucket.
Replacing the handlebars with something having a different shape.
Replacing worn cables.
etc.
I'll probably end up cleaning up some of the larger cosmetic bits along the way (chrome, frame paint) and I absolutely have to do something with the seat. But, I certainly do not want to perform complete, fully polished, cosmetic restoration. The idea is to turn this bike into a solid, dependable runner that doesn't puke oil all over the place.
What will it look like when I'm done? Well, I'm not certain yet. Right now I'm leaning toward leaving off all the crash bars, rack, bags, fairing, etc and keeping it slimmer and trimmer. But, we'll see how my desires evolve.
I plan to keep a very careful tally of the hours I spend working on this project (along with detailed descriptions of what I did with that time). Although there will be desk time involved (reading instructions, ordering parts, etc), I'll only keep track of actual garage time.
