Paul LeClair new project and 1982 Mirage 1200 TS Series 2 FOR SALE

RGSteve said:
On a serious note, I wonder if your Centauro might be a flood survivor?
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I know a guy who bought a nice looking Triumph 750 at the Mecam auction in Las Vegas a few years back. Got it home, quickly found salt water in the forks, and inside the frame tube lowers. While doing a full on restoration, research found out it was involved in the New Orleans dam/berm breach which completely flooded the city. You just never know.
 
Steve G. said:
I know a guy who bought a nice looking Triumph 750 at the Mecam auction in Las Vegas a few years back. Got it home, quickly found salt water in the forks, and inside the frame tube lowers. While doing a full on restoration, research found out it was involved in the New Orleans dam/berm breach which completely flooded the city. You just never know.
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I had a Ducati 750 GT like that back in the early 90s. 1 fork leg empty, and water in the other. But then I bought it for peanuts along with a mongrel 350 desmo.

Paul
 
My jet washer is retired. Used to help turn the swinging arm bearings and linkages to dust on the KTM exc no matter how much grease I lavished on it.
 
the next generation of "rightie tightie, leftie loosie...... Youngest granddaughter, August, age 6, helping with the Moto Guzzi in the garage today.

Not afraid to get her hands dirty, packed the steering head bearings for me. Takes directions surprisingly seriously. Picked up loosening and tightening directions quickly with both a Philips screwdriver and a selection of allan keys, stripped the handlebar for me, tackled a few other tasks, then found a motorcycle helmet and wandered off.....
 

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upside down White Power forks. Supposed to use various special tools to dis assemble and re assemble, none of which tools I have, so gently improvised. No problems. Fork seals are a truly odd size, 40 mm x 50 mm x 10.5 mm

Two fork bushings per leg. I did not think to order bushings when I ordered fork seals. Now on the hunt for somewhere to buy replacement bushings for the worn fork bushings, might as well do this right "while I am at it....."
 

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After putting the forks back together is when you will need to seat the seals. That's where the special tool pays for itself. Might be easier to run them over to your local dealer/shop for assistance seating the seal.
 
Hi Wayne

with upside down forks like these that have a snap ring holding the seal in place, what I have done in the past is push the seal in with my fingers, then place the snap ring on top of the seal and use a slim brass punch and brass hammer to "walk" my way around the seal a bit at a time until the seal is seated enough that the snap ring then just pops into place. Similarly, to get the seal on to the fork leg over the hard ridge, I use a slim plastic probe inserted under the lip of the seal on to the fork leg, then "walk" the seal on gently while rotating the plastic probe.

I do know the "special tool", they come in various sizes for different fork diameters, I will see if I can scare one up in the correct size to borrow

Ringer Fork Seal Drivers - Motion Pro

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After checking several possible suppliers who do not have stock, I found the two pairs of fork bushings listed on the Harper Moto Guzzi site, going to call them tomorrow to make sure they actually have stock, and if they do, also order the cam belt tensioning tool as well
 
Paul,

When I was a racer on a budget, I have done similar using a short section of PVC pipe sliced length wise and hand filed to create a lip that would only press on the outside of the seal. Then tap seal in place using a plastic mallet. PIA and time consuming, much easier with the proper tool.
 
Wayne

yes, I know, much easier with the proper tool, as many other things are. I have a garage full of one time used proper tools most of which will likely never be used again...... I will make do for this pair of fork legs. I used a modified PVC pipe to rebuild the fork legs on my ZX 14, worked OK.

My problem now is that today after calling Harpers Moto Guzzi and then half a dozen other Moto Guzzi parts suppliers, all say the fork bushings I need are "discontinued" and no longer available.

Now going to post of the Centauro Owners Group Forum and at least one other Guzzi forum to see if anyone knows of a source for the required fork bushings, I would hate to put the forks back together with worn bushings.
 
Paul,
Give Matt Wiley a call He does all Race Tech vintage stuff. He did a pair of M1r's for me. He should be able to help. Very knowledgeable and a nice guy. He's in Arizona. 951-279-6655. Good luck!!
Steve M
 
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Replaced the seals in the USD forks on my Monster, tried to improvise seating the bushes but common sense kicked in and ordered the proper tool. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and get the proper gear.
 
Paul,

Have you tried allballs? (careful how you google that...) They have listings by size for various things like steering head head bearings (very handy) but not fork bushings as far as I can see however they do sell them. If you mail them with your required sizes they might have something that suits.

Also, those forks look much the same as used by Laverda on the early Zanes (650 / Formula). You may get a hit through Wolfgang / OCT / 3C Moto.

Cheers
SteveB
 
H Steve M

not exactly on the back burner, just waiting on various parts, have had to ask for the loan of the cam belt tensioning tool as I couldn't find one to buy anywhere, and still have not found the fork bushings

was back at it today, putting the rear of the bike together, the entire rear of the bike unbolts from the rear of the engine and from the spine frame above the engine. Was interesting lining it all back up, all new fasteners, new swing arm bearings, new wheel bearings in freshly powder-coated wheels. I stripped the drive shaft and u joints and repacked them with grease and new grease nipples, stripped the rear drive, thought about powder-coating the rear drive to match the freshly pewter powder-coated wheels but decided against it, fileld with fresh gear oil, greased everything up and started re assembly. New cush rubbers in the rear wheel, etc.

had a bit of excitement today in the garage, nearly lost the bike off the bike lift, was muscling the rear sub frame into alignment and the bike slipped off the flat center lift I had under the engine....... was a bunch of scurrying and grunting and strapping. Saved it before it hit the floor.

This bike is completely foreign to me, I have the manual on the work bench together with a bunch of photos I took of dis-assembly, am taking my time to get each step of re-assembly correct


some progress photos.
 

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