Still, I kept blowing the fuse for the lights.  It was aggravating & unnerving.  I couldn't really ride it knowing my lights kept popping off and I couldn't find the short.  What would I do without friends.  Matt is an electrical engineer for the Boeing company and he offered to help diagnose the problem.  Less than an hour he found the culprit wires (I had looked at them 4-5 times before but couldn't see the bubbled wire on the bottom - Matt picked it out right away.), and basically rewired the light switch !  Thanks Matt.

Thereafter I rode to visit Bill and Cheryl in Idaho.  They own the local "Bovill Inn" and they let me park the EV in the Inn !  Cool, here's a dark but fun photo.  I gave Bill a 6 hour ride to Moto International in Seattle the next day for him to pick up a new EV for a buddy of his.  We did this on the Stock Seat - It was a Grueling ride that took us nearly 8 hours for all the Butt break stops we had to make.  Need I elaborate.

Parked inside the Boville Inn

To accomplish my goal for lowering the seat hight I had to Move the brain box.  A great tip from Pete Serrino off the MGCL list:  Replace the EV battery with a skinny one used in the Goldwing Hondas and the brain box slides in right beside it.  I added a battery gasses collector and wrapped the brain in pieces of an old tire tube.  Now, the seat pan laid right on the frame rails !

The seat construction was done in stages.  Between fittings and trials I got a Small blue tinted windshield.  It is small, just punches a hole in the windstream for the bike to slipstream through.  I like to feel the wind around me yet it deflects the airstream away from the chest and body.  The airflow will just begin to hit me above my visor.  I like that, cause that allows you to take advantage of the vent holes in these new helmets yet it does not buffet you in wind.    In addition to the seat, my significant other told me I had to redo the poor excuse for a buddy pad that came on the EV.  More challenges.

 
Skinny battery with brain box beside it wrapped in rubber.  

Custom Headlight, Fairing, Seat & Passenger backrest.

I worked with several different types of open and closed cell foams.  After switching around a bit I ended up with a bottom to top layered look consisting of:  metal pan, 1/4" original shaped foam, 3/4" gel pad, 1/4" closed cell foam, topped by 1/4" open cell foam.  

I have re-cut & stitched & glued the original seat cover  so many times now it looks like a Frankenstein seat.  I am looking for someone to re cover the whole affair - once I am sure the seat will be adequate.  I know my seat will never be as comfy and nice as one from Rich Maund, or Corbin, or any of the professionals, but if I can make it adequate I will be very happy.

I have also added some handlebar setbacks because my seat has moved the riding position down and back away further.  Even stock the bike had me reaching forward to grasp the bars. 

I also took off the stock crossover and put in a straight "H" crossover from an old Convert and drilled out the mufflers.  (Boy, I hated drilling out perfectly good mufflers ! )  However, the sound is now real throaty and I swear you can feel the power difference.  Well, drilling those mufflers also lead to the Air Box over the Carb filter.  This box is very restricted and I used a 7/8" wood drill to pop 5 holes in the box.  3 up front and 2 on the sides as I remember.  This butchery lead to obvious extra noise heard when you cranked on the throttle.  I can only "assume" the ventilated air box helped increase air flow.

I still want to do some things like fill the handle bars with some shot pellets and get some HiWay pegs mounted somehow.  (Another Expensive item I am trying to make up myself.  Boy, wish I knew how to weld stuff!)

The MGCL list has been extremely helpful in my efforts to resurrect this bike.  I have met and talked with, and made so many new and influential friends on the list that I can't imagine not having that resource available.  Another source of help was from my purchase of Guzziology from the Moto Guzzi Bookstore (linked into Amazon.com ). 

Version #4 of the seat reconstruction

 
Handlebar setbacks from a local cycle salvage yard.

If you have to disassemble a bike I highly recommend planning to take lots of time doing it.  Make a disassembly journal and list every step you take.  Yes, I know this really takes 3 times as long but the re assembly will be a piece of cake - if your notes are detailed.

Take Lots of pictures, Close up pictures and several angle shots at different points of disassembly.  You'll spend hours staring at them trying to determine just how that hose trail lays out. 

Ask some friends for help.  Although I did 90% of this project solo, I really enjoyed having a buddy help out now and again.  Plus, friends offer an abundance of ideas that will help you out.

If you change the seat/handlebars and such you will alter the way it fits you.  Great if that is what you're aiming for.  Me, well, I wanted to sit down lower, but I'm long in the leg and by lowering the seat and moving my seating position back my knees are now higher than my hips.  This makes for an uncomfortable riding position for us long legged types.  On the flip side, I had a 5' 6" female rider on it and she had her feet on the ground straddling the bike.  Very comfortable for shorter types - unusual trait for Guzzies.  

End results:  Well, I am pleased it is running So GREAT.  It sounds Great too.  But, it doesn't yet "Fit me" comfortably.  My Ambassador is a dream to ride - it Fits Me.  If I can't make the TwistedSister Fit Me, I'll have to sell it to someone it will fit.  I originally purchased this bike with the knowledge that I could not keep 2 Guzzi's and would eventually have to sell one of them.  Although this bike is Much more advanced in every way than my old Ambassador I don't know that I would be able to sell the Ambo.  I've had it for over 22 years.

I've put so much into it this EV that I'll never recover all my costs, but I will recover them in the experience and the fun and the challenge that comes with this type of project.  Besides, I've already put over 3,000 miles on it myself !  

See Ya,

Roy

Earlier picture of the EV, I'll update with a few finished shots later.

Done, see pic below with HiWay pegs - in blue of course.