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Bellagio front end feel.

getdecent

Just got it firing!
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Portugal
Hi guys! Recently i got myself a Bellagio and i love the bike.

The only thing i am having trouble to adapt to is the front end feel of it. It seems "twitchy" at slow speeds and falls to the curb with no effort at all, dare i say...too easily. I got the bike with Bridgestone Battlax bt023 tyres and i know they are not the Metzeller recommended ones.

So my question is, is this the natural feeling of the bike and i will have to get used to it; or is it possible to change this handling caracteristics with different rubber? I even thought about a different tyre size. Has anyone felt this and experimented with different types of tyres?

Thank you in advance for your help guys,
Have fun!
 
It all depends on what you are used to. Guzzi's handle pretty good. Every tire type will feel different. Width of tire does make a difference. Yours should have a 120/70 on it. If it has a 110 on it, it'll be quicker. Make sure the triple trees haven't been dropped down on the forks too much. Fork cap should be just up from the top tree(what the manual shows).
Welcome to the forum.
 
Sounds like the profile has worn off the tyres.

The front typically 'V's to a point and wants to fall into corners whereas the rear flattens off resisting the same.
Get new rubber and marvel at the difference!
I use GT Pirelli Angels for their robust construction as a Bellagio is no sports bike.

Had the same issue as you, hard, old and worn tyres are no fun.
 
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Also play with tire pressure it's amazing what a difference a few pounds of pressure can make.
 
Yeah, there are a number of things that can cause that, including too much air pressure in the tires. A pound or two of air pressure difference can make a big difference in feel. Make sure the tire is the correct size. Make sure the forks are where they should be to start, some people drop the front forks, causing the tops of the fork tubes to stick out above the triple clamp. SOme really don't even know why they do it, they just think it is what you do. Finally, different tires can feel differently. And some tires work better than others on any given ride.
 
Agree with above and want to add that the pressure gauge on most service stations can be woefully inaccurate.
Best advice is to over inflate and deflate to the correct pressure value using a known quality gauge, such as your own.
My local garage typically gives 4 psi down on reality probably due to it being dropped dozens of times every day and left out in the weather to rot.

Chris.
 
I actually keep and use TWO quality gauges. That way you can be sure that your gauge is reading right. Every now and then I use both on the same tire and make sure they agree. If one starts to read differently than the other I know something is wrong. Then I need a third opinion to figure out which is right.

But I agree with you. Many gauges are inaccurate. And some are pretty far out. A gauge that reads a pound or two high or low I can work with as long as I know and it is consistent. But I would rather have gauges that read accurately to begin with. I own three good quality gauges at the moment. One of them is part of a four tire airing rig I use for the Jeep and cars / trucks.
 
As an aside here, I have a tubeless spoked wheel on the rear and a tubed spiked wheel on the front.
The rear, despite having dozens of possibilities of leakage at every spoke nipple holds air far better than the tubed front!
And yes, I have replaced the tube with a best quality thick walled French one and changed the schrader valve.
 
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