Hitchcocks Forum

Have owned my 2003 65 for a few years now and only had minor problems and loads of fun. Went out for ride Thursday and after a great days ride, nearing home called at friends. When came to start bike. Horrible series of noises and although not repeated briefly tried starting but clearly wasn't going to start and I thought better of persisiting. Have only just brought home not had chance to look at it yet, will tomorrow. But a few initial symptoms and thoughts welcome. No oil leaks. Basically just using kick start to turn over by hand seems easier than it would have been (have left electric start alone) and occasional new mechanical ping (not quite a clunk). Also just discovered that goes in and out of gear easily enough by hand BUT (and cable is fine) clutch cable is having no effect. As in put in gear, clutch pulled in, still can't turn rear wheel by hand. Is any of this symptomatic of the dreaded sprag clutch I always read about (as happened when starter motor being operated) or is this more likely a clutch problem? Will take primary chain case off tomorrow. Any thoughts/heads up welcomed.

oh dear, does sound like r.i.p sprag.May be a piece of shapnel wedged in the clutch basket. remove primary case bolt and take a deep breath. our thoughts are with you comrade.

Hi matey---Falcone ? Not the dear old red bacon slicer by Moto Guzzi? Ahh--our Strada 1000 and California 1100i gave Joyce and myself 1,000's of "memorable" miles, especially the gearbox-----just like the Enfield in operation. If it does turn out to be the spragg-----------------------------would you like to do a straight swap for my 2005 Classic 500 4-speed ?? (Black / Gold) I've ridden nothing but L/H chabge bikes all these 40 years and I just can't get to grips with it. I'm looking for a Bullet Sixty-Five purely for it's left change. My E-mail [email protected] ------------- This is a genuine request---not a scam etc. I would be happy to take the bike and do any work needed myself.

---Cometh the dawn, doth awake my brain !!!  (after a fashion) ----- I keep forgetting this is an International site so Falcone, if you are not UK based then not to bother, eh ? Anyone want to swap a Sity-Five for a 4-speeder Classic ?    Thanks-------------- 

Falcone?


Absolutely I have a 1955
Tourismo Bacon Slicer as well as a modern V7 Classic and nearing
completion a 1975 T3 I'm building as a bit of a non standard, single
seat version. Guzzi man through and through, always had at least one
in the garage for the last 30 years. BUT love my Enfield too. My 65
is the single seat Trials/Trail (never know which is correct)
version.


As to potential swap, Alan, absolutely no
offence taken. Took me some time to get a 65 when I started looking
back in 2007. Sorry, but regardless of problem she's a keeper and I suspect not what you would want anyway.


Have just been able to spare an hour in
the garage and I don't think it is the sprag clutch – famous last
words! I actually think I managed to get two separate issues at the
same time!


When I had the problem I think bike was
in gear – am usually very careful and pull clutch lever in anyway
but think there was a bit of a lurch, but hidden by the horrible
noises. I initially thought with the noise, that the header pipe had
blown out of the head (usual sealing problems) – it hadn't. After that initial onslaught the
noises disappeared.


Took the primary cover off everything
looks normal no bits laying around. Battery is flat so have only
briefly used the starter motor, and only wanted to try sparingly
anyway at moment, and that 'seemed' fine! The intermittent metallic
ping is coming, when I turn the engine over using the kick start, I
think from the head and I'm thinking valve/valve train, but I'm not
bright!


The second issue that has presumably occured at
basically the same time is, as mentioned, that the clutch won't
disengage the gears. The cable is fine and the clutch plates moving
in and out in the basket – but I wonder if not enough.


Will have more time tomorrow.

Hello Falcone ----------- Yes, that's ok about the swap. I had a Bullet Sixty-Five a few years ago but sold it after 2 years---BIG MISTAKE !! Best iron barrelled version I think. You do appear to have a problem (or two??), don't you ? Can you put a video on you-tube for us to look at ?? That would save a lot of typing. Have fun ----------- Alan R 

As described i would think two problems, first check the main nut holding the clutch centre, may have come loose and reduce clutch lift. 2nd remove inspection cover and check push rods for proper seating and movement,have been known to jump off follower. Then rocker cover and check for broken spring or rocker assy breakage or fixing problem. Last for now would be head off for loose valve seat or sticking valve check. Any of these would cause hell of a noise, poor compression, non starter.  Let us know what you find. gwilly

Update - only been able to fit in a little time to look at the bike in-between other things. Looked at clutch first and to my untrained eye could really find a fault. Stripped and checked nut tightnesses, push-rods etc and seemed fine. I am suspecting that the cable (although I also tried a spare) simply doesn't have enough adjustment. There's some sort of none standard cable mechanism inside the gearbox and it has never given musch in the way of adjustment. Even a new cable, when fitted is at the extremes of it's adjustment. So, am going to order some parts today including a standard cable end and see. 


As to noise. have to go out again but have just had a quick 10 mins in garage investigating that side of the problem. Absolutely fantastic literal illustrationof what is wrong. Had suspected something to do with the exhaust valve side from the very start. Took the tappet adjust cover off and turned the engine over with the kick start. At the point of the ping the exhaust tappet does an, almost amusing, little trick. It jumps and then spins round. Think my problem might be somewhere down that line, don't you?


Hopefully have time to get back in garage this afternoon. 

Managed to grab another 10 mins and took the rocker covers off to find a seized exhaust valve - not had time to explore any further.

Hi matey---- looks like it's a head-off job then. Whilst you're at it check with Watsonians to see if it's had an exchange cyl. head fitted. They will need your Eng. No. for this. There was a batch of bikes back in the early 2000's that came into europe with Indian home market heads ( Not hard valve seats ) fitted by mistake. This gave rise to valve seat recession.  There was a general re-call and new heads supplied on exchange but not everybody knew about it. Remember the 65 I had ??  Yep, had all that bother. Now then---seized or bent valve stem??Ask yourself "What has caused this to happen" and rectify the fault.  Plus }---- check the pushrods by rolling them on a flat surface. If bent will soon show up. Try not to break a top fin (Don't ask !!), you'll need a de-coke gasket set--I reccomend the American composite gasket--no glue required----don't take the barrel off unless you really have to. When replacing the downpipe into the head use bathroom silicone sealant----works a treat. Check the de-compressor is working properly and the handle has plenty of slack. Hope this helps?-----Good Luck.