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Re: Bellagio mods

Got to go for a ride both Sat & Sun nights. Nothing adventurous, just around Brisbane/freeways etc.
Rear Matris is much more compliant, According to Scott a very sophisticated but complicated piece of equipment, with so many variable oil circuits and adjustments internally, alternatively it is VERY tuneable to individual needs.

Compliance is very similar to front end now, much smoother and actually using its travel at the rear.
Before it firmed up way to quick, close to hydraulic lock with hardly any travel, constant chatter over surface irregularities.
Now it feels like a giant air cushion on the biggest bumps, as in more travel very progressive and smooth action.
Still has constant patter with shock at top of stroke, but is now more of a rumble compared to the jack hammering under my bum.

Contacted Matris RE: shaft jet sizes and needle tapers.

Hopefully Mt Lindsey visit this weekend.
 
You can never reach perfection, just a better kind of normal except nobody knows what normal is.

However I am getting closer to nirvana, that place where I am totally satisfied and happy with my Bella, that is, until I ride something better.

Moral of the story, don't ride anybody else's bike!
 
BST wheels not looking good currently, when converted to AUD a few months ago it was very tempting at $3000 plus shipping. Now with the 30% price rise from BST plus a 15% drop in the exchange rate its looking like a $5000 plus purchase this side of the big water.

Researching other options
 
Finally got out last weekend to test the latest suspension adjustments in ernest.
Before I got to the tight & twisties Bella did a wee on my right boot ................................. bloody tappet cover gasket.
 
Cold morning, touch of the flu but the sun was shining and I was free from work, made it to the border and back on Mt Lindsey H'way. Every trip we hit the border and find wet roads .................

However, we had a play in the corners and with the suspension.
Originally it felt like a jack hammer under the seat was trying to break through to my backside.
Had reduced it to a heavy rattle gun but more compliance was required, last time out -2 clicks of Lo-Speed compression proved to be heading in the right direction. Oil leak stopped that ride.

Tried different things thru the corners, had lots of fun. On the boring transport stage back home I finally reduced the pre-load by 1mm, added 1 click of rebound and reduced Lo-Speed compression by 1 more click. WOW!

Compliance is now comparative to the front, you can feel the bumps and minor surface irregularities, but no harshness or jarring etc. Just need to test it in bumpy corners again but for the rest of the trip the "rattle gun" has now given way to a soft rumble of distant thunder.

:D :D :D
 
Ambient air temps deeply effect the oil viscosity, as well as seals, etc. It's a racer's tuning frustration. Welcome to my World.
 
Gee Todd, I didn't think I was that pedantic?

I've just been searching for the compliance I need on our rough roads, so I can ride some distance without losing my glass eye and wooden leg.

Now I am close to a base setting which I would call, firm ..... but compliant.
If I need to +/- a click here and there to get better stability, I will do so and then leave it alone.
For now though, it is leave it and ride it lots, if a fault (instability) can be detected I will contemplate my options.

Nearing NIRVANA!
 
GT-Rx said:
Ambient air temps deeply effect the oil viscosity, as well as seals, etc. It's a racer's tuning frustration. Welcome to my World.

:? Could that be the reason for the proximity of exhaust can to rear shock on older Buells?
 
Mi_ka said:
GT-Rx said:
Ambient air temps deeply effect the oil viscosity, as well as seals, etc. It's a racer's tuning frustration. Welcome to my World.

:? Could that be the reason for the proximity of exhaust can to rear shock on older Buells?
Well, it is more the reason for some of the issues with the rear shocks on tube frame Buells, not the reason it was done that way.
The shock and exhaust can where put down there for mass centralization, and it worked very well. but the location of the shock brought with it issues, some of them heat related and others because of the shock working backwards (when the rear wheel went up the shock actually extended).
But when my Buell ran right it was the best street bike I have ever owned. It went away because it did not run right often enough. But I would love to have one again, just not as an only bike as mine was at the time.
 
Long time ... no post.
Just added a JWSpeaker LED headlight at $650.

Matris R shock had developed an oil leak in the Hydraulic pre load adjuster. New seals on the way.
Since last post we have increased the shock shaft jet from 2.5mm to 3mm, allowing faster oil flow in conjunction with re shimming of the high speed comp damp.

Either the bumps are getting bigger or my back is getting worse, we shall soldier on!
 

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I went for a ride today and started analysing the bumps and the Matris reaction.
Hitting a sharp rise in the road like a manhole cover where the road surface around it may have sunk 2". The modified front will ride it nice, the rear would give the impression of initial compliance with the Hi-speed comp giving way very quickly. However, the travel (compression) seemed to come to a screaming halt. As the shock would no longer compress I would get a very sharp jolt up the bum, then after air time the rear would make contact with the ground with another great thump.

I had been trying to deal with this by total reliance on, and backing off the Hi-speed comp. Then I had a brain wave. :idea:
Both Hi & Lo would have to be working in unison, and maybe my Hi-speed is too soft, and my Lo-speed too hard.
+2 clicks here and -2 clicks there. WOW! What a difference. And another tweak here and there .............. I have yet to experiment with re-bound.

My good shitty road was so enjoyable I ventured west of Woodenbong NSW onto Australia's roughest road. I call it Bitumen X, mates call it Bumpybong but the Mexican's call it the "Melon Patch". I kid you not! A motocross track with a hard black surface that now resembles a patch work quilt of repaired potholes. Sounds like a pain but when your suspenders are attached correctly, it is a big challenge and a lot of fun. Hi-light of the day was getting continually airborne, gripping the tank as hard as possible but feet and arse flailing in the breeze, and trying to brake and turn, oh, and the unseen gravel and big two wheel drift.

The upshot is I now have this thing closer to where it needs to be for our "wonderful" road system. :D :D
 
Ordered some carbon fibre today, they are round, and about 17" in dia.

Who said it can't be done. :twisted:
 
Its off to the ceramic coaters this week, hopefully back by next Friday. Meanwhile I ponder the next upgrade. :D
 
Well, I got a note a few weeks ago from my Guzzi factory friend, and he said the very last Bellagio's were being built. Sad day for those of us in the U.S. I'd still LOVE to own one here, but import laws keep them from coming unless someone is REALLY creative.
 
Without being smug and saying that's ok coz I've already got one, it's just another Guzzi.
Sweet engine can be easily duplicated by dropping a 66mm stroke crank into your Cali Beastiality, or bigger pistons in the 850 Breva.

On another note, I've ordered a set of BST wheels. When I have them in hand I will make them fit.
 
ghezzi said:
Without being smug and saying that's ok coz I've already got one, it's just another Guzzi.
Sweet engine can be easily duplicated by dropping a 66mm stroke crank into your Cali Beastiality, or bigger pistons in the 850 Breva. On another note, I've ordered a set of BST wheels. When I have them in hand I will make them fit.

Well, we don't get the 850 here either, so I'd need a lot of parts which would = big $ to do the hybrid.

I look forward to your results on the wheels... a bit frustrating when I supplied them all of the shop drawings to build the wheels, and because I few people wrote them direct, they ignored me/my order to sell direct. Lovely.
 
Todd, BST still don't make wheels for a Guzzi, it pissed me off that Gavin never answered any of my emails with regard to my following plans. Various retailers here and in the US were sceptical about my plans so I was forced to use skulduggery and pretence to obtain drawings.

I have an RS250 (Banshee 485cc) that I will use these wheels in also. BST only make a 3.75" front for it, great edge grip I'm told. Add a few disc and axle spacers and it will fit Bella as well. Basic front wheel weight saving for the Bellagio will be approx. 5kg.

Griso owners would find the Ducati SC1000 wheel a near fit but I cannot remember their disc spacings. But all four bikes share the same Brembo disc 10mm offset and 6 bolt 80mm PCD & 64mm centre hole.

For the rear I will get a 5.0"x17" rear to suit the Aprilia RS250. Upon delivery I will begin the design and adaption process. So far I have concocted 3 different methods that will work in theory. So now I get to pay development costs for design and fabrication to do something which, at least in my eyes will be better. If unsuccessful I will either have a spare rear wheel for my wee smoker project, or I will be dead! :huh:

Below is a photo of somebody else's design attempt. The hub is 700 Euro. Reversing a Ducati wheel with slanted spokes means they are now leading not trailing. :confused:
 

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