1974 Vintage Moto Guzzi 1000cc Custom Cafe Racer Roadster

Description: What is being offered here is a custom Moto Guzzi 1000cc roadster. It is my personal motorcycle, which I have owned for 43 years. The bike showed 26,000 miles on it when I bought it in 1981 (although I suspect actual mileage was closer to 75k.) It showed around 100,000 miles when I rebuilt it in 1991. It currently shows 192,000 miles. It has been garaged nearly the entire time I have owned it. This amazing motorcycle began life as a 1974 Moto Guzzi 850T, immediate successor to the fabled V7 Sport. Since I bought it in October of 1981, it has undergone numerous modifications and performance upgrades, including: 1000cc cast-iron-lined bores and stock 1000cc pistons Third generation RAM clutch Le Mans I camshaft 36mm Dell Orto round-slide carburetors Dyna-3 electronic ignition including Dyna coils Dual Brembo front disk brakes Lockhart oil cooler Vintage Brake high friction coefficient rear drum shoes V7 Sport gear set in rear drive Custom transmission V7 Sport frame Tommaselli Clip-on handlebars Corbin Solo Gunfighter seat OEM Le Mans I fuel tank OEM Le Mans I tail Light Original Veglia Borletti gauges in custom dash LED turn signals front and rear Aftermarket air horns Sculpted Frame This has been my personal motorcycle for most of my adult life. As such it has been well-ridden, but always meticulously maintained. It is in seriously good working order, in fact it is running as well as, or better than, it ever has in the entire time I have owned it. Every system on it is fully functional. Engine The engine was converted to 1000cc in 1991, using stock Guzzi cast-iron-lined cylinder bores and stock Guzzi 88mm pistons. At that the point bike had around 100,000 miles on it. I went through and inspected every part of the engine including crankshaft, connecting rods, camshaft, oil pump, and cylinder head, and replaced anything that was out of spec, including con-rod bushings and oil pump, and also installed a new Le Mans I camshaft. A few years later I installed the Dyna ignition. About 2010 I sent the cylinder heads to GuzziTech for full renovation. Around 2015 I checked the cylinder bores and found that they showed no appreciable wear after nearly 100,000 miles. I honed the cylinders and replaced the rings. The cylinders currently show 150psi on a compression test. This engine is good for another 100,000 miles, at least. Carburation The carburetors are Dell Orto 36mm round-slide carbs, added in 1991. The intakes, gaskets, and intake ports on the heads have been ground and polished to give the maximum airflow with the least turbulence. Transmission The installed transmission is a custom version I built about ten years ago. It is in a 1978 850T3 housing. The internals, i.e. the shafts and gears, however, are from a 1974 850T, which means they have a slightly taller gear ratio than any of the later T-frames including the Le Mans, although shorter than the V7 Sport. I think it is the perfect combination for this bike. The extra horsepower from the camshaft and carbs is spread across a taller speed range, giving great acceleration and higher top end, and yet allowing the engine to breathe easier at highway speeds. Clutch/Flywheel The clutch is the third generation RAM clutch with the sintered MIBA plate, and the aluminum flywheel weighs something like seven pounds, down from the original 13 pounds. Coupled with the carbs and camshaft, this engine is positively snappy (for a Guzzi!) Frame When I bought the bike in 1981 it had evidently been in an accident which resulted a slight tweaking of the rear end of the frame. A few years later I came across a V7 Sport frame. I purchased it, and when I rebuilt the bike in 1991, I built it on that frame. Wiring I personally rewired the bike about a decade ago with 12 and 14 gauge wire and modern connectors. The right and left handlebar switches are modern high-quality replacements. The headlight is an LED headlight intended to go with a vintage look. The turn signals are modern LED equipment, and the tail light is fitted with LED bulbs. Rear Drive This is the original 850T rear drive with the deep sump. About 15 years ago I replaced the original gear set with the taller V7 Sport gear set, resulting in a higher top end and lower RPM’s at highway speed. With the more powerful engine this is a great set up. Brakes The bike came with a single disk up front and a drum brake in the rear. I long ago added a second disk and caliper up front. The Brembo F08 calipers have been recently rebuilt, and the disks only have about 20,000 miles on them. The pads are the latest Brembo Carbon Ceramic. The rear drum brake is a twin leading shoe brake which makes it very powerful and tractable, especially with the high friction coefficient brake shoes from Vintage Brake. Suspension The front forks are stock, although the internals are aftermarket including progressive springs and Bitubo dampers. The rear shocks are Koni, recently rebuilt, with adjustable dampers. Exhaust The exhaust is by Mistral. It is all stainless steel, including the headers, crossover, and mufflers, and clamps. It has a really sweet sound, a low rumble at idle, and deep growl when you crack the throttle. The light flywheel means it rev’s up fast, for a Guzz, and it makes a sweet roar around 6000 rpm! Wheels and Tires The wheels are the original Borranni spoked aluminum wheels. They are very well made wheels, like no one makes any more. The spokes are stainless steel, and are not bent where they go into the hub. The nipples are bronze and are adjustable. The rims are as true as I can make them, which is very close. The tires are Michelin Pilot Activ, 110/90 18 in front, 120/90 18 in the rear. They have about 1000 miles on them. I generally get about 5-6000 miles out of a pair. The wheel bearings were all replaced about 20,000 miles ago. Cosmetics The bike was last painted about ten years ago, so it shows some wear and some inevitable nicks and dings. The Corbin Solo Gunfighter seat was recently recovered and is in great shape. Overall, the bike looks nice and presents well, but it’s definitely not showroom. This bike is meant to be ridden and enjoyed, not kept in a museum. However, if you wish to do a full cosmetic restoration on this superb roadster, this would be a wonderful choice since it is already mechanically very nice. Finally This bike has been my personal companion for 43 years. I’m not letting it go because I don’t want it, or because there’s something wrong with it. There’s not, it is as nice as I can make it. It’s just that I’m about to turn 68 and I’m at the point where I have to honestly ask myself whether I can continue to ride safely in this world of distracted drivers. I wish I could. The bike is being sold as is, with no warranty. Shipping or pick-up costs are the responsibility of the buyer. I will only accept returns if the bike can be shown to be substantially other than how I have represented it. Please feel free to call or text me if you have any questions about the bike. 336-269-0332

Price: 3000 USD

Location: Snow Camp, North Carolina

End Time: 2025-01-01T21:00:09.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD