Guzzi technical documentation musings

[Hydrolastic]

I'm sure all of the more experienced guys here have run into similar situations already, but the holes in the Guzzi documentation often result in non-trivial extra steps.

For example, nowhere have I found it documented that the shift lever socket on the Cal EV series is threaded left handed. Of course, I found out after snapping the rod. Thankfully new ones are still available.

Another example involves removing the fairing for the Cal Titanium, which is required to change bulbs in the rest of the dash. As is shown, it just says "Remove the screws and remove the fairing". It should have the additional step stating "be sure and set the headlight assembly aside to avoid damage", like when it tips forward and falls on the fender mount because two of the screws are also for the headlight! For re-assembly, it should state to re-aim the headlight, because of course that is all out of sorts thanks to the omitted step in removal.

Unrelated to documentation, I also found someone along the way lost all of the isolation hardware for the fairing to the headlight screws. Luckily they are all still available inexpensively, and nothing happened in the meantime, like the fairing cracking under the additional stress (standoffs missing) or the headlight working loose.

Anyway, just thought I'd post those findings here, maybe someone in the future can avoid having to do similar discovery when doing simple repairs.

Dave

 

[john zibell]

Dave,

Not uncommon in Commercial manuals. If you think Guzzi manuals are lacking, try the factory manuals for a Ducati, even worse. I wrote technical manuals on missile systems for the Army as a Department of the Army civilian and cringe at what I see in these commercial documents. Luckily I have enough experience to not be hindered too much by them and use them for specifications mainly.

 

[Hydrolastic]

Right - I am finding that many factory manuals seem to be written more to remind you of factory training, not necessarily a complete step-by-step process. Triumph still does a fairly good job, although they have you skip around a lot for some complete procedures. My vintage MG manuals also are fairly good, once you get used to all of the British terms thrown around. They had to be in the BL years, since you were consulting them frequently .

Dave

 

[scottmastrocinque]

Manuals are a two-edged sword for sure.

I reference them almost daily for the motorcycles I work on in my workshop, and every time I find some discrepancy.

I just remind myself to use my eyes, ears, nose, fingers, and reasoning skills FIRST, then I look at the manual and evaluate what it says in relation to what I have deduced from my initial physical inspection and evaluation.

This is especially true for torque values where when I read something like 48 ft/lbs on a 5mm nut, my internal alarm goes off wildly!

I always trust myself first, manuals second.

Just yesterday, a manual gave me a distance value of 1.5cm on a part who’s alignment was +\- 1.5mm. Order of magnitude errors like that, drive me more crazy than anything! Then I remind myself that the person who wrote the manual, probably never spun a wrench.

On a liner note, Harbor Freight Tools furniture pads are my best friend. For a couple dollars, I have several in my workshop. Nothing gets pulled off the upper part of a motorcycle that there isn’t one of those pads wrapped around the parts underneath, nor a part set on the shop floor that isn’t sitting in one of these pads. They are so inexpensive it’s ridiculous.

Saved many a fairing panel and engine case finish from scratches this way!

harborfreight.com/40-in-x-50-in-moving-blanket-63959.html

 

[slobyk750]

Unfortunately, most manuals are only "guides" and the MG manuals are just as sketchy.