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Mindis V7-850 Mods

Flyscreen, windshield, windscreen, bugscreen, headlight cowl, whatever ya call it... My girlfriend called it giant toenail and got me triggered LOL
Mainly it's for visual for me to hide excess cables in front of my speedo but as I found out later it somewhat works as windshield as well. Now, to some it might look that my DYI'ing methods and processes are a bit scabby and unprofessional. To me it's the end result that matters and as I build only one-offs just for myself I don't want to waste time and money on making proper molds. My engineer/mechanic neighbor calls me innovative and resourceful but according to BS Translate it's cheapskate:)
So I opened a beer, stole sm popsicle sticks from my kids and went crafting with hot glue gun:



I sculpted with sticks coz I wanted to be as tight and small as I can get. After that I took contraption off, sprayed expandable foam, shaped and put fiberglass layer on for rigidity for next step of bodywork:



I call it "bondo camo", it's like an artwork for me, some things I'd just hang on my walls...LOL



2 layers of carbon fiber cloth on the inside and carbon chop strands of the looks on the outside:



When shaping it I wanted my front line to flow together with tank's front line, that's why I pushed bottom of flyscreen a bit forward, few mm overlapping on top of my headlight:



I also made it's mounting bracket so I can tilt it forward for steeper angle for longer highway rides for better wind shelter:



Shortly after I went for a rip to test it. Without flyscreen main wind stream was in my chin area at 140kmh. Up to 110kmh makes no difference. Now with this flyscreen main wind stream at 140kmh goes to my visor/top helmet area. Also it created some sort of "less wind tunnel" to the sides of my helmet. My noisy Scorpion Exo Evo became not as noisy :) As I mentioned wind protection wasn't my intentions but I'll take that extra win:clap:
Few more pics in sunshine:)



 
kildareman said:
EXCELLENT. Now change the exhausts. Please.
Click to expand...
That was my first thought after like 5 miles of riding from spanking new LOL I'll be welding my Baak style exhaust but I'll have to do fuel mapping and want SAS delete at the same time. I won't stinge enough $$$ for Upmap and won't have enough time to finish exhaust till the end of this riding season so I'll leave that as a winter project. My priority would be to upgrade front forks before exhaust anyway:) I'm riding as much as I can and if I start exhaust bike would be grounded so for this season I'm working on cosmetic mods that takes only an evening (depending on amount of beers) to put them on once they're done.
 
I find your solution, ingenious. Bravo.

Function is function.
 
Bar end weights.
I believe there's no better material for vibration absorption then lead due it's mass and density, and lack of resonance. My clip-on tubes are carbon fiber, thicker walls, 15mm ID. It makes it easier coz I can epoxy my weights inside and they'll stay forever without a chance of vibrating loose.
So like any other of my tinkerings, it started with opening a beer... I made a couple of very fancy lead molds using a tinfoil wrapped on a tube, melted sm lead and poured:



A little shaping with rasp file, sanded inside handlebar tubes to roughen the surface and epoxy'ed them in:





Next day I went to test it. I was using nailgun all day framing and usually on days like this my fingers pay the price when I go for a ride after. And with them bar end weights it wasn't as bad anymore. In half an hour trip I had to shake my tingly fingers only once. Handlebars are still vibrating like my girlfriend's toys with fresh batteries, but I'm guessing at different frequency that doesn't make my fingers as numb anymore. I was expecting, or should I say hoped for more of a miracle but gained not that much. It's still a win so I'll keep them in, every little helps.... (from Tesco (Walmart) advertisement) LOL
Since bar end weights are staying I made sm end caps. My lathe doesn't fit in my tent so I had to shape them oldscool way with a drill:)





 
Mindis said:
Handlebars are still vibrating like…
Click to expand...
Funny guy. Ha.
So I’ve said this dozens of times here on the Forum, but once you get rid of those plug of mufflers off and fix the fueling, you’ll be amazed on how smooth things get. At least as smooth as a vibey V-Twin can be any way.
Keep doing you though. It’s fun to see.
 
Side covers. I wanted them more flush mount and make my own🤷‍♂️ LOL
Made parts from MDF, boxed them:



After pouring sm concrete I got two molds:



A layer of chop strands and 2 layers of cloth, sand, prep, scrubbed my personal logo, few coats of satin clearcoat:



I cut original tabs off where rubber grommets sit, drilled and tapped M5 holes for new bolts. Bottom bolt utilized original M5 mount. I used carbon fiber tubes as standoffs and sunken bolts in for flush looks. I wanted to sink in seat lock as well but didn't have enough space inside due to airbox.





They came out roughly half the weight of original plastic ones. Not aiming for MotoGP to shed every gram, just sayin... :D

 
About time to clean the cluster under my tank:)
Did my SAS block kit, pump now is living on top wiring tray, info on this is here: https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/th...ly-sas-block-off-kit.18018/page-5#post-190050
While having my morning coffee and starring at my bike I suddenly decided that ABS bracket is too bulky and takes a lot of space. I know, my brains are wired weirdly and sometimes I say to myself "dude, tf ya thinking..." :D So I managed to fish out original bracket without disconnecting brake lines from ABS unit and made my own bracket:



Lifted ABS unit as far up as I could, and pushed as far forward as brake lines let me without bending them. Ziptied to the frame. ABS unit originally was mounted through rubber grommets to reduce vibration to it so I made sure it's not mounted solid to the frame, yet still not floppy:



I had plans to put crankcase breather filter somewhere behind steering stem under the tank but skipped that plan. It's because I didn't want to get rid of one way valve and it didn't fit where I wanted, and breather filter didn't fit where I wanted either. On top of that, I guess some oil would still be going there (even when it's ~10cm higher then original highest point) and it would be very inconvenient to take the tank off every time I want to syphon that oil out. Since I had left tons of leftover hoses from SAS delete with various angles, I routed crankcase breather straight to the top and over wiring tray:



Found a space for one way valve...



... and back to airbox:



And I chopped off all the brackets that were left from SAS pump and crankcase breather hose:

 
Finally I can start welding my exhaust:) Just passed road test for my full license so I don't have to be reverting bike to stock anymore, winter is coming and weather is turning crap. Upmap ordered, perfect time to start sm mods that takes time:)

Kickstand bracket wouldn't let me put my mufflers where I want them so I cut it off. As I'll be making my own center stand I won't need that kickstand anymore.



Only mocking up mufflers position for now:





Mufflers are Emgo 19in turnouts. Looks like there's not a lot going on inside for baffles:



After doing sm research it turns out that they're nearly like straight pipes. I love my neighbors and I don't want my pipes to be as loud and obnoxious as my ex so I'll add DB killers as well. They're gonna be short so they'll be loud anyway... I'm shooting from the hip here and in case I won't like the sound or noise level, I'll be prepared to cut it open and mess around with different DB killers and/or swapping turnouts for glasspacks
 
…and he’s off! Again…😆

I’m afraid what Mindis would do to his motorcycle if we got him really really drunk.

I smile wildly when my mind wanders and I envision him like Caratacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, when he’s working away madly in his workshop, only to have the great reveal of his craftsmanship!

If this video isn’t Mindis to a tee, I’m a monkey’s uncle!

I do so enjoy Mindis’ adventures. He has giant brass balls and super mad skills. I’m always impressed.


 
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scottmastrocinque said:
I’m afraid what Mindis would do to his motorcycle if we got him really really drunk.
Click to expand...
Nothing while I'm drunk. I'd talk to her, tell her how much I love her, maybe drop a tear or two, tell her how she's my next best thing in my life other then my kids and divorce... I'll be starring at my Rosseta for hours and then go to sleep with a smile on my face:)
Next morning I'd make a nuclear strength coffee, plug in my angle grinder, power on my TIG, and.....>:)

I kid you not, when took off my exhaust I was starring at my bike for a good hour and brainstorming should I start my big mods I'm planning since I got it from new. More likely I voided all the warranties already so... LOL I want to cut off all the rear after the tank, get rid of that triangle with airbox, monoshock conversion, have my rear completely naked and lightweight. One thing stopped me is that I love riding my V7 and I probably wouldn't have finished before spring. Quite often I work long hours and don't have that much time and most weekends I dedicate to my kids. If I start cutting and welding the frame then it will have to be powdercoated after, what means that the bike will have to be taken apart completely. I'll postpone that plan for 2 or so years, to the time when I'm planning to get another Guzzi:)
 
Took me nearly all day just to make 2 headers... Well, if I just get on with the program I can work faster but I'm getting these "squirrel" sidetrack moments when new idea hits me. Then I'm starting brainstorming new mods and now I have more then enough to do through the whole winter LOL
My MIG/TIG skills are not perfected yet but at least I'm good with angle grinder to "fix" that:wasntme:



Bolted them on and ziptied mufflers to the frame. I made spacers to make sure my mufflers are parallel to the frame:



Using plates and pots I'm figuring out my bends and radiuses for pie cuts:)



Even when it's gonna be wrapped, I still want my bend smoother so I'll be welding more pie cuts, I'm guessing around ~4 deg rings. More work but the end result will be better:) The bend at the headers is a bit sharper then original exhaust. I'm aware that gasses exiting should have the least resistance possible, as well as I'll have some extra heat at that bend due to the fact that it's sharper and pipes will not be double-wall like original. I could've used original pipes for headers but I'll need them to read mapping once I get my Upmap device, and I really don't like how they visually don't flow with the lines of the frame. Also it would be challenging to relocate "H" crossmember to the front as per my plan. So I'll keep original exhaust (for now) and making my own from scratch to be parallel with the front of the frame.
 
Mindis said:
Took me nearly all day just to make 2 headers... Well, if I just get on with the program I can work faster but I'm getting these "squirrel" sidetrack moments when new idea hits me. Then I'm starting brainstorming new mods and now I have more then enough to do through the whole winter LOL
My MIG/TIG skills are not perfected yet but at least I'm good with angle grinder to "fix" that:wasntme:



Bolted them on and ziptied mufflers to the frame. I made spacers to make sure my mufflers are parallel to the frame:



Using plates and pots I'm figuring out my bends and radiuses for pie cuts:)



Even when it's gonna be wrapped, I still want my bend smoother so I'll be welding more pie cuts, I'm guessing around ~4 deg rings. More work but the end result will be better:) The bend at the headers is a bit sharper then original exhaust. I'm aware that gasses exiting should have the least resistance possible, as well as I'll have some extra heat at that bend due to the fact that it's sharper and pipes will not be double-wall like original. I could've used original pipes for headers but I'll need them to read mapping once I get my Upmap device, and I really don't like how they visually don't flow with the lines of the frame. Also it would be challenging to relocate "H" crossmember to the front as per my plan. So I'll keep original exhaust (for now) and making my own from scratch to be parallel with the front of the frame.
Click to expand...
have you thought of doing carbon tips on your mufflers? i think it would be the cherry on top.
 
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