Great Stuff mate!  Really like the fork oil change bit as that is a real saver to avoid inflated dealer cost.

I'm really enjoying your running account of Nobby's rebuild, but can you explain a bit more about those new blue tint l.e.d's? are they still used as your indicators? 

Today i had bit of a shock.i had the handlebars explode on me.
Never expected that.all will be explained later with photos of course.fitted the new mudguard.dont know if i like it.
So all might be changed again.

how can you blow up handle bars. i know as kids we used to but bangers in the handle bars!

I just started doing maintenance on the bike in a leaky block garage, no elec and home to the Triumph and years of junk!

Yestrday I had no tail light and no side light. Traced the sidelight to the connector in the headlamp, one of the pins was not seated properly and the tail light to a crudded up connection in the bulb holder.

next project to try some exhaust clamps on the forks in order to move indicators to the fork legs. still not done that! will change the fork oil at the same time

MOT Friday!

If the bike was my only means of transport then i would have the bike serviced at a shop, but would probably go for a jap bike for the reliability and easier places to get it serviced


Edited by Almost - 07 May 2012 at 09:38

Thanks Dave need 45mm for the forks was thinking of these but do no know what width they are: http://www.metriccruisers.co.uk/acatalog/exhaust_clamps.html

....This is the way i dropped mine to clear the bikini fairing:



The top original indicator fixing point has a 'blank' s/s bolt + dome head nut with the extender bracket fixed through the square apperture.

The indie fits in the other end of the 12mm x 4mm  flat polished s/s bracket. This way the fork legs stay uncluttered and could be an atlernative for you to consider. (loike)

Ok the case of the exploding handle bars



Picture of my handlebars just before i hit themwith the tig gun.
Guzzi in there wisdom have brazed the bosses into the bottom of the bars.
As you know Brazing melts at 450c i hit it with 3000c right on the braze.
It exploded out took the end of my gun out and splattered over my gloves.Anyway its ruined the end of the bars.so the cunning plan is to cut the plug part off and weld some more tube on, at the longer length

Not sure about that mudguard tone.

It would suit my convert better.

Wow! Looks like you're on the last lap of the rebuild tone.
I note the little bits of red detailing going in and those choinese levers really do look the bizz.

Fo' Sho' that deeply valanced front guard will stop any spray but you could still use the original with an inner patch of fi/glass and a repaint....it works for me.

Originally posted by Almost Thought about that Dave but i wanted the ability to remove the screen for summer riding.

Ha! I see you' lol' around @ 'summer' riding....Well, today i took a feather outta Robynne Slayers hat and 'stole' a weekday out in the breeze on my worthy steed.

The sky's were blue and other than the occasional cross headwinds, i was basking for a couple o' hundred miles in fantastic warm sunshine (approx 17c deg ambient!)...Minimal traffic, no hidden cams or enforcement agencies, just wide open ribbons of road; me and the bike; Complete sublime togetherness... just like loife as she should be smoked....Ahhhh.

I met a few stray characters along the way, i garnered a freebie bekkon+egg bap and a mug o'char from the new 'biker' owner of the pit stop on the crest of fromes hill in hrfs, i had a meaningful discourse with a .*note:..Rob..Hey...( genuine bedouine greybeard)...who was doing some landscape photography along the hill range who turned out to be an ol' iron butt beemer exponent (still) who's lad is totally into the Guzz way of loife, so i allowed him to take a few shots of the black bolide to show to him what a proper guzzi would look like with a bit more imagination....

To quote Wallace 'n Grommit, it were a grand day out. I was seeing 45-52 mpg, i didn't drop a valve in and smash my motor, i had hardly any fly squash...And my cup over floweth...Well it certainly does at the moment! ....Happy daze...Summers already here...go out 'n grab it!

That Alum solder seems like a really handy item tone. 

So. Nobby is surely at the up 'n running stage now and no doubt you are planning a good ride out for a post build shake down. That week day run taking in four or five midland counties i went on earlier this week was really enjoyable and i'm sure you would find the same as i did with the low volumes of traffic and some excellent roads en route.

I had a pleasant surprise in my email this morning, Rob Lam who is/was "Grant" or a.k.a. "Tnarg" on here... (depending which password he had forgotten)...Popped up out of the blue to announce that he is back in the UK/Channel islands after a v. long mission in outback China.

You may remember he must be a closet 'millionaire bruce wayne' living in Jersey with a noice London pad to flit between, but more so for his contributions to the early BB thread exchanges where he entertained us with a plethora of blogged conversations about livin' with a Bella and more than a few flashes of high intellect and wierd musical tastes.

....Yes, that's him....And tha bugger still owes me for a set of anodized DTF's Too!

I'll see if i can 'tice him back on here now he's home, as his Bella now sports C.I. numberplates and being one of our 'original crew' perhaps he'll pick up where he left off around a couple of years back.

Originally posted by jmee54 Green with envy! I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike.

....Probably around now is the best time to get out there down in the Cornish Riveara 'J'...Y'knaaa, before you get invaded by  them caravan totin' 'grockles' and beachbums in rusty ol' v dub pickups as summer get's 'properly' underway

....Speaking of which, dunno what Amlost is thinking about... taking off the screen for the summer season when that's where their second purpose becomes more apparent as a collector of mashed insects etc.

How are you getting on with the new tailpiece for the Bella? ...or has the Convert taken over as the central feature in your stable.


<--edit--> Grockles and melon smugglers are plentiful in the south west, whereas around here we have yokels and E.europen pea pickers in trabants (or similar) thoughout this period.


Edited by 940V - 10 May 2012 at 14:46

Failed on my quest to fit the front indicators onto the fork legs. could someone measure the for leg diameter between the yokes for me. the 45mm p clip idea seems to have gone out the window at the moment as it seems to big, however it fits the Triumph fork legs which are 45mm too, so I am confused

45mm x 3.142 =141.4
38mm x 3.142 =119.4

Hi Tone,

Been watching your efforts bring Noddy back, nice job!

I got a set of Hepco and Becker Junior panniers which I want to fit but only when I need them! Not a fan of solid panniers but want to be able to leave Bella and luggage secure while I'm touring.

Originally posted by daveysailing Hi Tone, Been watching your efforts bring Noddy back, nice job! I got a set of Hepco and Becker Junior panniers which I want to fit but only when I need them! Not a fan of solid panniers but want to be able to leave Bella and luggage secure while I'm touring. I'm going to sort out a quick fit/release system and I'm interested in what you've come up with. I also want a rear hand bar/rack. I got some idea's and will start on it when I get off my ship next week.   Look forward to seeing you riding out again.

The H and B rack is very poor design you will not put a big top box on it.But its ok as a hand hold.
But it does hold on with four bolts so that might be a option.