STEERING

Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 12:42:59 GMT
From: bryanb@dove.net.au (Bryan Both)  

Darrell Rigby <mbi@1earth.net> wrote:  
My main concern is the front end. Are the clip ons steel or alloy and can I straighten it ?  

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all Guzzi clipons - early ones anyway - are steel. Mine certainly are.  

As well the front fork on the left hand side now touches the tank and on the right hand side it's about an inch & a half to two inches away.  

I doubt your frame is seriously bent. Guzzi frames are pretty robust. More likely the stop under the lower clamp is bent. This would account for the lopsided lock. You might be able to fix it with some judicious hammering - once it's all apart preferably. Proceed with caution tho. If it starts to crack, heat &/or welding will be needed.  

The clamps may also be twisted out of alignment. This should be obvious once all the crap is out of the way, and is easily straightened.  

Is there any tricks or things I should know before taking throttle off and blinker switches.

Lastly I need to drop the fork to get the clip on off, any info or special >tools needed?  

Dunno - my whole front end is non-standard. Anyone?  

Subject: Re: Virgin Le Mans trip

Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 08:41:47 +1100
From: Damian Carvolth <d.carvolth@cat.csiro.au>  

Agree to all Bryan said with the following additions:  

BB: Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all Guzzi clipons - early ones anyway - are steel. Mine certainly are.  

Yes chrome plated steel but you may not be able to straighten them without ripples, luckily they are still available, and of course you could take this opportunity to fit adjustables and make your bike much more comfy...  

BB:The clamps may also be twisted out of alignment. This should be obvious once all the crap is out of the way, and is easily straightened.   It's unlikely to be this. The stop almost certainly cos steering lock is directly between the lower clamp and the stop. So it can only be a bent clamp (extremely unlikely) or a bent stop.  

DR: Is there any tricks or things I should know before taking throttle off and blinker switches. Lastly I need to drop the fork to get the clip on off, any info or special tools needed?  

Hmmm. Basically proceed with caution. Its easy to scar the top clamp when unscrewing the top nut on the steering head assembly, remember to loosen everything off, there are three pinch bolts in the top clamp. WD40 and taps with a soft hammer are much better than brut force....you don't have to unscrew the top nuts in the fork tubes to remove the top clamp. If you choose to unscrew these do it carefully after loosening the pinch bolts. They have rounded corners and are made of aluminium or something else soft as I recall, and round easily.   Hope that helps, B careful.