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100 Mile Impressions / Questions

Landscraper

Landscraper

Tuned and Synch'ed
Joined
Oct 6, 2015
Messages
39
Location
Cambridge MA
Alright, first off, great first 100 miles on the V7II.

It's a lot different than trying to force a vintage machine (square peg) into being your daily driver (round hole). Never did I wake up and think "better check in time to catch the bus" ... the Guzzi, with one notable exception after a rain storm, started within 3 seconds of hitting the starter every single morning and evening without question.

Impression 1:
Seems like the bike LOVES 3-5k rpm (although I haven't been exceeding 5 for break-in purposes).
I really like the roll on power at this range ... seemingly no traffic light I can't make.

Impression 2:
If this "new" gearbox is a vast improvement from the old ones I'm glad I joined the Guzzi crowd when I did. Even coming from 70's UJMs the gearbox (lever) has almost no feeling in it, like it's just a smooth wheel with a few small (soft) notches in it. Lever is spongy getting into 1st, almost no feeling getting into neutral, and sometimes a clunk sometimes a snick sometimes nothing when shifting at lower speeds. Maybe I just need to get used to the way the Guzzi wants it: at medium speed.

Impression 3:
Fueling ... stalled it one morning after not warming it up, seems like that's a persistent Guzzi V7 fueling issue. Maybe a remap in the future after the 1250mi service.

All in all I'm thrilled with the bike. Super stoked on it, beautiful, appropriate for my riding, very solid finish to components, super confidence inspiring brakes (coming from drums) and I am thrilled when I get on it every morning and evening. People make a lot of fuss about vibrations, I find that the Guzzi is almost silky compared to the CB450 ... Loving that one turn on my way home where I can actually dip the bike into it.

Question 1:
How did you break in your Guzzi ... can I rev yet? Please?

Question 2:
Anyone have any similar experiences with the gearbox? Am I missing something? Needs more clicks.

Question 3:
Can I rev yet? Please?

-M
 
There are lots of opinions on engine break in, everyone has one.
Me, I don't completely ignore the manufacturers recommendations but I do try to apply some serious throttle on a regular basis and I like to vary the revs. I don't thrash it like some do, but if you baby it too much I think that can be worse than thrashing it.
After the first 100 miles or so the moving parts have mostly bed in to each other. If you don't use full throttle you won't seat the rings. If the rings don't seat early in the engines life they never will. If the rings don't seat the motor will probably burn oil.

For shifting, I find the key is using the right amount of clutch. That does not mean using the full stroke of the clutch, rather it means using just enough clutch to make the shift. Using more clutch does not always make for a better shift. Typically I only pull the clutch in maybe a 1/4 of the way. That, coupled with closing and opening the throttle, gives me the best shift. The actual amount of clutch required varies depending on load and revs, but it is seldom a matter of pulling the clutch all the way in to shift.
 
Yes. Rev. Rev is good. I agree with GuzziMoto: Don't baby it but don't thrash it either, try not to hit rev limiter for a bit.

Not sure on the V7 small blocks but I have experienced the 1100 & 1400 big blocks & it seems to me that it can take as long as 20,000 miles for them to be fully broken in.

The first 5000 is the tweak period that is getting past all the little things & especially for first time owners getting used to the trans & Guzzi's in general.

The next 5000 is real fun with very little issues & the machine getting used to your style of riding & you forgetting what riding other bikes was like.

After 10000 miles you realize that other bikes just don't do it anymore.
 
GuzziMoto said:
There are lots of opinions on engine break in, everyone has one.
Me, I don't completely ignore the manufacturers recommendations but I do try to apply some serious throttle on a regular basis and I like to vary the revs. I don't thrash it like some do, but if you baby it too much I think that can be worse than thrashing it.
After the first 100 miles or so the moving parts have mostly bed in to each other. If you don't use full throttle you won't seat the rings. If the rings don't seat early in the engines life they never will. If the rings don't seat the motor will probably burn oil.

For shifting, I find the key is using the right amount of clutch. That does not mean using the full stroke of the clutch, rather it means using just enough clutch to make the shift. Using more clutch does not always make for a better shift. Typically I only pull the clutch in maybe a 1/4 of the way. That, coupled with closing and opening the throttle, gives me the best shift. The actual amount of clutch required varies depending on load and revs, but it is seldom a matter of pulling the clutch all the way in to shift.
Click to expand...

AAAH. Perhaps a long ride with some 7k revs is in order ... I got used to the ON/OFF action of the honda clutch I never thought to just use the gradient of engagement instead of a binary operation.

I'll take some twisties home ... even on my city commute I try and pick a gear where I can pulse between 2.5K and 4K kind of a steady build up and then engine break and then build up and then engine break, trying to load the pistons as much as possible without running into a bus.

Anyone got a clue as to where the rev limiter is?
 
See; http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm - As GuzziMoto states, don't abuse it, but do enjoy it.
Shifting: Pay VERY close attention to the clutch adjuster arm on the gearbox side. It should *always* have some slack there similar to that as noted in the manual at the lever/bar. From Guzzi, they are not adjusted correctly (don't count on your dealer to have done it). There have been a few horror stories as to entire motor replacement for some not watched or adjusted properly.
 
I got mine at the end of June, and have got 1,200 miles under my belt. It was serviced just short of 800 miles. I varied the revs and the roads. Some hills, some twisties and some straight, fast stretches. I've not had any gear/clutch issues.
Now she's going beautifully. I just wish I could remember to turn the damned indicators off. My last bike, a '54 Velocette MSS, didn't have any such modern fripperies.
 
Well at everyone's advice I went on a more spirited ride this evening getting up to 6.5k in a few spots ...

Todd,

I know of that guide, I believe it's true ... I also believe that there have been many successful break ins WITHOUT that exact precise procedure. I believe in loading up rings, varying revs, I've been doing as much of it as possible (climbing up to 5, engine breaking back down to 3, and repeating). I got a lot of good throttle time in tonight getting ALMOST to full throttle but, like I said, hard to do without hitting a bus :)

I checked the shifter arm, seems to be correct and similar to the play in the lever ... I trust my dealer, have had many good stories and experiences there ... Seacoast Sport in Derry NH.

I tried to feel the gradient of the clutch tonight, stalled twice :)
 
Moto_Max said:
7k

I ride my bike in the 5k range and shift between 6-6.5k
Click to expand...

Maybe I'll start mixing more high range work into my daily commute... If the limiter is at 7 I'm feeling pretty confident in my approach. Just need to get some more complete throttle rolls in the mix in lower gears to really seal the deal.

Loving the sage advice, thanks everyone.
 
The one problem I've found with mine is the seat. After about seventy miles my bum gets numb. I'm thinking of getting the gel seat, but maybe after a while either I'll get used to it or it'll get used to me. I did a one hundred and seventy mile run last week and in addition to a couple of comfort stops had to stop twice just to get comfortable.
 
Mr Pootle said:
The one problem I've found with mine is the seat. After about seventy miles my bum gets numb. I'm thinking of getting the gel seat, but maybe after a while either I'll get used to it or it'll get used to me. I did a one hundred and seventy mile run last week and in addition to a couple of comfort stops had to stop twice just to get comfortable.
Click to expand...
I haven't really done a long haul yet, maybe next weekend I'll make it out long enough to really put in some miles... Looking forward to a trip up to Maine in a few weeks
 
you are doing more harm running it below 3500 RPM than occasionally hitting 6000. 4000-6000 are where they need to run.
also it's a 600 mile service not 1250. oils changed with filter and the right oils and capacities used. heads need to be torqued and then set the valves. you should have tightened up the exhaust headers up by now and keep doing it for a while. then check every fastener for tightness including screws in the turn signals. don't ignore anything.
 
vagrant said:
you are doing more harm running it below 3500 RPM than occasionally hitting 6000. 4000-6000 are where they need to run.
also it's a 600 mile service not 1250. oils changed with filter and the right oils and capacities used. heads need to be torqued and then set the valves. you should have tightened up the exhaust headers up by now and keep doing it for a while. then check every fastener for tightness including screws in the turn signals. don't ignore anything.
Click to expand...
Right, I'm with you on the service mileage. I'll look over the bike this week and adjust my gear selection for city riding so I'm always in range ... What's the damage though? Surely the bike isn't so fragile that I've ruined anything.
 
vagrant said:
you are doing more harm running it below 3500 RPM than occasionally hitting 6000. 4000-6000 are where they need to run.
Click to expand...

Ehhhhhhhh, depending on ambient conditions, load, etc. my V7 Stone is perfectly happy as low as 3k. Sure I probably don't want to wack open the throttle in 4th or 5th at that speed, but it's hardly lugging it otherwise.

There's a big difference between the 2TB and 1TB motors in this regard.
 
I've read that the V7 11 Stone makes max torque at 3,000 revs so surely if Guzzi built the engine that way I should do no harm to use max torque and full throttle at 3,000 revs in any gear. Steve.
 
Last edited:
Mr Pootle said:
The one problem I've found with mine is the seat. After about seventy miles my bum gets numb. I'm thinking of getting the gel seat, but maybe after a while either I'll get used to it or it'll get used to me. I did a one hundred and seventy mile run last week and in addition to a couple of comfort stops had to stop twice just to get comfortable.
Click to expand...
I too have numb bum but thanks to the flat seat I move back as speed increase and move forward through town etc. this puts the pressure point in a different place. Steve.
 
Mr Pootle said:
The one problem I've found with mine is the seat. After about seventy miles my bum gets numb. I'm thinking of getting the gel seat, but maybe after a while either I'll get used to it or it'll get used to me. I did a one hundred and seventy mile run last week and in addition to a couple of comfort stops had to stop twice just to get comfortable.
Click to expand...

This pretty much fixed my seat problem:

 
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