Topic: New project- Guzzi NTX650

[Tim2005]

I've been looking for one of these for ages and finally got my hands on one this week, it's a rare 1987 Moto Guzzi NTX650. These were never imported to the UK at the time as their plastic tank wasn't legal then, but a handful have bee imported privately since then. This one looks rather rough but apparently mechanically is ok, it certainly needs a good clean which I'll hopefully get onto tomorrow. The rough plan for this project is to get it running & ride it a bit, to make sure it's ok and I like it, then sort out the cosmetics- full paint job etc., though I'm curious to try out wrapping so that may happen.

I'll try to update this one as I go. My last  2 projects were a BMW R100RS which I did a write up on it after I'd sorted it out, and a Kawa H1 which was never meant to be a project, the auction's claim of it being restored wasn't too true and I ended up discovering loads of work to do.

[Tim2005]

Here's what it would have looked like originally.

[Kelly E]

That's a cool bike. Moto Guzzi motors have a bunch of torque. Our 90' Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans tries to throw itself over on the right side if you blip the throttle at the stoplight.

[simon#42]

interesting bike cant say ive ever seen one before . im afraid you might find it heavy off road and a bit slow on the road . hope im wrong .

[MauiK3]

I've never seen that one!

[Stev-o]

Subscribed, always wanted a Guzzi! 

Can't find one for sale here in the States, guess it was not imported here?

[Tim2005]

A bit of progress to report. I cleaned it at the weekend twice, it seriously needed it, the amount of ingrained grime was amazing. I gave it a good go with various detergents on Saturday, then took it for a ride later, then cleaned it again with traffic film remover on Sunday. Looks better now, the wheel rims are particularly good, I didn't discover much else either, other than spotting that the speedo drive is  free moving & only stopped from spinning with the wheel by the cable anchoring it. Bit odd that.

I gave it a check over- all fluids ok, oil looks fairly fresh, front master cylinder lid hasn't been off for years, I was relieved when I got the 2 seized Philips screws undone without damage. All chassis bearings seem good. Fork tube chrome is really good. Calipers aren't seized, that makes a change for me. 
 
Riding. Ok it's a sod to start from cold. Sometimes. But I'm onto that, I think it is due to several problems with the choke cables, plungers & lever.  The engine sounds good, rides well and pulls up to 80+ swiftly, though doesn't feel very right at all low down, I suspect the throttle cables are miles out of sync. The clutch works aok too, and I was pleased to discover all gears are present, after my project BMW's test ride a couple of years ago discovered that it had a neutral instead of 5th.

 The handling felt dismal though, most unpleasant turning into corners, the tyres are pretty worn and a check of the date codes shows them as 2003 vintage. I work with people younger than that. So new ones are called for.

Also called for is some electrical attention- check out the battery terminals in the photo. If you look closely at the +ve one you may be able to see that extension/ busbar has 4 or 5 wires attached to it.  All the more exciting for there being no insulation and no fuses.

[BenelliSEI]

Nice find! There is a book written by a UK based fellow who travelled all over the world on one of those. I met him at a bike show and have a signed copy of his book. Probably +10 years ago. I’ll look for my copy….. Anyone else remember this?

[Tim2005]

I've not heard of that book at all, let me know if you find its name, that'd be great to read.

Simon, regarding weight etc, it's rated at 170kg dry and 48bhp so lighter than a CB400F and 10 more bhp, which is promising. It'll be road use mostly, I've a Beta 250 for offroading.  I was after a middleweight twin cylinder trailie as an all rounder bike and there aren't many old ones. I did consider a more modern Multistrada 620, even test rode one, they are loads of fun to ride but the finish quality and electronics are typical Ducati. Looking at older stuff I tried a mate's Transalp- that was ridiculously heavy (as per BMW), so figured on one of these Guzzis or one of the equally rare 650 Elefants.

Not much progress today, waiting for carb bits to arrive. One good thing about Dellortos is you can buy all the parts, or even whole new carbs, quite reasonably.

[BenelliSEI]

Here you go, I did find info on the book (still looking for my copy!). I suddenly am not sure he was on a Guzzi. Was there a similar Aprillia? Can you tell from the photo?

“It's 2008. The world enters economic meltdown. A global flu pandemic looms. An historical US presidential election is taking place and, somewhere in the Americas, a lone Irishman is coaxing his temperamental Italian motorcycle through another electrical breakdown...
Interspersed with anecdote, social observation and liberal doses of humour, this book follows writer and seasoned overland traveller Paddy Tyson, through his battle with bureaucracy, bike breaking road surfaces, illness, accident, gun toting police and a pasty Celtic complexion remarkably unsuited to the Central American sun.
Published as a collection for the first time, this witty and informative account is essential reading for travellers and would-be adventurers.”