82 Guzzi V50 Mk3

This is my first project and I'm pretty excited about it. I traded a Genuine Stella scooter that I'd built to the hilt but ignored after I finally got another motorcycle, Ducati M900. After riding a bike with 17" wheels and brakes (not to mention horsepower), the scooter wasn't as inticing anymore. After trying to get the scooter sold, I straight traded it for this Guzzi.

It was rebuilt last year and only has 500 miles on the build. It also has a new electronic ignition system installed, so that's some money I don't need to spend.

It wasn't running so it was trucked to my buddy Drew's house Saturday night (9/28/13). Sunday afternoon he had it running in about an hour after finding a loose wire on the ignition. After it started it just sat there and idled like a dream. Took it up and down the road a few times and knocked my socks off with the loud, torquey goodness. Then we tore it all down.

Steps right now are to get rid of the brake bridge set up, new switches for the handlebars and search for some parts at Barber Vintage Racedays in a couple of weeks. I posted this here because I'm not sure what it's going to be when I'm done, most likely just a cool assed bike that really doesn't fit into a defined category. I read through zachattach's build on a V50 here and that's got me inspired. So as this thing goes, I'll be posting here. Don't know when it'll be done, I would really like it if it were done before the holidays, but we'll see.



Rolled it out of the garage to try and get it running.
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Drew digging around to find out why I won't start.
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Loose wire found and it's running.
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Then we took it apart.
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This is where the canvas starts.
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The Guzzi purist are already planning your demise... I love the lines of that bike, and the wheels are pretty bitchin....
 
Sitting around work today, bored and playing in photoshop. My manager suggested cream with gold wheels. So I put this together and I have to say I love this. I'm thinking the MOTO GUZZI will be masked on the tank and painted gold to match the wheels. Plan for the side covers is to have some small bag made to the shape and mounted in place. Just big enough to put in gloves, smokes and a flask done in waxed canvas. Also thinking a brown leather saddle may be in order.

I just got a front fender in yesterday off of a '75 V50. It has a small ding it that should be able to be hammered out. Barber next Saturday to hit the swap meet and see about getting a metal rear fender, look for a smaller headlight, headlight mounts, blinkers, rear brake light, fork gators and see what else I can come across.

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Finally got to spend some time working on this thing over the weekend. Put on Woodcraft clip-ons. Removed the whole brake system. I've decided that I'm going to remove the bridged brakes from the bike. I ordered universal left and right handlebar switches. We got the right side done properly. All the wires were sliced and soldered into the original connector. Every line was shrink wrapped after soldering then all the wires were shrink wrapped together to keep things tidy. No pictures because we were too busy to slow down.
 
Was this the scooter that you wanted to trade for my blue/white cb350? This Guzzi is so awesome! Way cooler than a cb350. I hope you keep it pretty stock. It looks really clean
-Hunter
 
hunterkey said:
Was this the scooter that you wanted to trade for my blue/white cb350? This Guzzi is so awesome! Way cooler than a cb350. I hope you keep it pretty stock. It looks really clean
-Hunter

It was for the same scooter. I'm going to change it up a bit. It'll be good. Right now I'm needing to order a new speedo and get a plate made to hold it and the ignition.
 
looks so good already man! I cant wait to see what you do with it. I am working on an sr500 now.
 
hunterkey said:
looks so good already man! I cant wait to see what you do with it. I am working on an sr500 now.

The pictures really help it look better. The paint was sprayed on top of the old without any prep so it's coming off in sheets. The fuel lines are leaky. The cups over the carbs were cracked and have been replaced. The rubber brake lines are getting upgraded to stainless. So I'm just going to make a bike I've always wanted. I'm not a purist when it comes to the 80s stuff. I lived thru it once already and I won't go back to it in this case.
 
So I've been digging around on this thing and gathering up parts. Hopefully Sunday will be spent working on it and really making a lot of progress to get it to running and stopping.

List of things acquired:
Brake rebuild kits for all 3 calipers

Speigler braided brake lines

New regulator/rectifier

MotoGadget M-Unit with wiring kit. Whole electrical is being replaced.

MotoGadget Tiny Speedometer. This thing is small and I have a cool idea for a location

Posh Billet signals from revivalcycles.com. The plan is to mount the rear ones as running/blinkers then use an LED strip as a brake light that activates only when the brakes are applied. Picked up the blinkers at Barber this year.

V50 Monza side covers.

Universal Left & Right Handlebar switches

Woodcraft clip-ons

Tomaselli throttle tube


This thing is small but easy to read
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This is how I think I'm going to get the blinkers/running lights on the back. Going to have to drill through the back of the stud plate to make this work. So when I'm getting the hoop welded on the back I'll see about getting a reenforcement plate put on to make sure everything is strong.
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Spent Sunday working on the Guzzi's electrical. In reality I spent the afternoon soldering and shrink wrapping connections. A couple of much smarter friends were poring over wiring diagrams and sorting out wiring from 30 years to keeping this thing running.

When it's all said and done, it's going to have much simpler wiring set up with the aid of a Moto Gadget M-Unit to handle most of the electrical. It's a pretty amazing little device that's going to make this thing more reliable than it would be hoping 30 year old resistors and connectors don't fail or come loose.

Two of the brake calipers have been taken apart, cleaned and rebuilt. One has to be replaced because of a broken bleed nipple. Speigler brake lines came but were to short so replacement lines have come in and fit perfectly.

Wiring Harness Removed
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Wiring cleaned up and ready for final connection
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Regulator located to the front of the frame to keep it cool
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Brake cleaning and rebuilding
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Movement, finally. My tail section came in yesterday, it was ordered well before Thanksgiving. Next, it's off to metal guy to have a hoop made, tabs cut off and a few other things. Wiring is mostly done. Once the metal work is complete, the M-Unit will be mounted and the wires all trimmed and connected.

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Wow, it has been a while since I've had anything to update, until now. Electrical is almost done, some backtracking had to be done when bar end blinkers were decided on. Once it's running, going to mask off around the frame and just hit it with some black. A lot of the black paint has been removed and all the aluminum will be brush finished. Headlight bucket, tank and tail will be painted at home for now. Once winter rolls back in, it'll all be stripped down with some more frame work, hoping to put a lithium battery under the tank and open up the triangle.


This is the overall profile. It's going to have V50 Monza side covers.

Leather seat done locally.

Tank holes for the badge have been welded up.

Ignition key is under the cover on the gas tank. Key hole on the gas tank cover has been filled in.

Exhaust mounts have been shortened by a few inches and Cone Engineering pipes mounted up.

Top triple has been cleaned up and holes welded up. The mount will have a Moto Gadget tiny gauge with the idiot lights all integrated.

Wood Craft clip-ons

The tail hoop has the brake light mount and license plate bracket all integrated.


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Get or borrow a copy of "Guzziology" and go through each section on your bike. Guzzis have been around so long, if there's a problem waiting to happen, it'll be in that book. Once their all in line, they are as reliable as a Toyota. I'm not a "purist" for any bike--- if there's a better way to do it, do it that way. I do all my restos using that rule. Looks and mods? It's yours, so do whatever you want. "Small blocks" are a blast to ride! Have fun.
 
Sorry I haven't been more active on here. Life's just been busy but this thing is done for now and thought I'd share. Pretty damned happy with it.

All new electrical. Paint. Seat. Exhaust pipes. Just a good engine cleaning.

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