 |
 |
 |
|
E.P&F's "Thrasher Gets Squared"
|
||
 WHAT
is it about Moto Guzzi that inspires such radical devotion? How can
ownership into this storied marquee, which often begins with just
a simple acknowledgment to the straightforward design, all so often
end with the Guzzi aficionado forgetting everything he ever knew about
any other machine? Call Moto Guzzi motorcycling's equivalent to the
Bermuda Triangle; You might enter innocently, but you'll soon be lost
to anything else. Many motorcycle owners enjoy a little involvement
with the hardware...wanting, sometimes needing to be more than just
someone who sits atop and operates the controls. Guzzi owners thrive
in knowing exactly what's going on, mentally going though a checklist
before each ride. 1500 miles on the last tune means you're good for
the East Coast if you're leaving from LA, and a veteran big twin pilot
can tell from the amount of vibration in the right footpeg how many
miles are left in the u-joint. He can feel it. Such is the bond between
man and device.
Although Moto
Guzzi is probably best known for producing long range, high capacity
tourers, that wasn't always the case. Starting early in its history,
Moto Guzzi was soon a real force in Grand Prix, TT, and Pukka events
gaining countless small track victories and several world championships.
Carlo Guzzi, along with several brilliant designers like Giulio
Carcano, saw to it that Guzzi was viewed by the motorcycling world
as the company you could count on to introduce cutting edge racing
models that had the competition scurrying to catch up. Names like
Albatros, Bicilindrica, Dondolino and Gambalunga were It was the "T" series of Moto Guzzi twins that gave Jim Knaup of Encore Performance & Fabrication the idea for his "Thrasher" concept bike. "The T is a solid, reliable machine in all respects" explains Jim; "The only
problem is they aren't as sexy as the Le Mans' or Sports." The T
really has proven to be the ultimate standard in Guzzi's line-up.
Shipped bare bones, the T is an excellent platform on which to express
your personal tastes or particular fetishes. In my files Phoenix anesthesiologist Dave Thrope fell in love with the brutal, no nonsense philosophy of the Thrasher too, and approached Jim with the proposal of building him one of his own. "Dave showed up here a few weeks later with a battered, 1983 850 Le Mans III and gave me a simple set of directions; 'Do this one.' Normally, I'd advise against cutting up a Le Mans, but this example was really beaten down; lots of hard miles, cracked bodywork, and the usual signs of suspicious wrenching. The motor was tired, the suspension sagged, even the electrics were crunchy. It was a good choice, even in its sad condition it still ran and gave a pretty decent showing for itself. It was -afterall- a Le Mans, and you always save those. No matter what." The 850 was rolled out back and completely stripped, with Jim making careful notes on what could be re-used, and what was destined for the scrap heap. Dave wanted premium sportbike parts, high-end chassis and motor components equivalent to what was fitted on the round head prototype. With the chassis bare, the frame was sanded and smoothed, saved for a few of the stock mounts Dave wanted kept in the event some future owner would want to return the machine to stock specifications. After prepping the frame, swingarm, and centerstand, they were sent out for a coat of cobalt blue powdercoating, with the wheels finished in a silver-grey closely matching the paint sprayed on them originally. When the frame returned, the steering head was fitted with a new set of bearings before a complete 38mm Marzocchi fork and triple tree assembly was carefully set-up and slid into place. Until the release of
 serves
as the breather on modern Guzzi models. I've ridden several of Jim's
rebuilds, and they all have one thing in common; torque, torque and
more torque. Useable power that is available to the rider without
having to wring the nuts offa' it. Many engine builders lose sight
of reliability and longevity by building in excessive amounts of cam
lift and duration, too much bore size and by not doing their homework
on proper jetting. Jim however, puts his years of experience into
building a useable motor that literally screams with the throttle
pinned, yet stays together like a proper Moto Guzzi should. When a
factory performance part is available he'll use it, citing a dramatic
difference is quality resulting in a sweeter finished product. Except
for the Dyna III electronic ignition and BUB "Hyper" exhaust
system, the T2 uses all factory Moto Guzzi high performance parts.
With the finished
motor and lower frame rails waiting on a lift, Jim guides the main
frame of the T2 over the mass with a special, ceiling mounted crane
of his own design, then bolts the halves together. Next on the chassis
is the swingarm, replete with a new driveshaft, carrier bearing,
u-joint hooked to the rebuilt rear box. With the wheels fitted,
the project can now be rolled around the shop for the remainder
of the assembly. The next step is EP&F's special wiring harness,
based on the factory V7 Sport loom (still available at press time
from Moto Guzzi) but modified with a generic automotive fuse block
located under the fuel tank. A small but powerful Westco Prescott, Arizona based metal-bender Evan Wilcox is nothing short of an artist. Evan's work, featured in many motorcycle magazines (including a recent cover of Cycle World with supermodel Leeann Tweeden and one very lucky Norton) simply has to be seen in person to be believed, and appreciated. Over the years I've inspected several alloy bits available to Euro bike owners, and the Wilcox parts are the only ones as beautiful underneath as they are on top. Starting with flat sheets of aluminum alloy, the rough shape is cut from a template, then skillfully hammered and rolled on a "English Wheel" before the halves are welded together. Hours of sanding, grinding and polishing are required before the part can be delivered. If you have an application that Evan hasn't designed or built yet, a donor motorcycle will have to be supplied for fitment. Check Evan's website for availability and contact information and remember; Real art doesn't come cheap, nor is it ever hurried. For the owner desiring to adorn his/her European classic with the finest quality bodywork available, Evan is the person to contact. A fine, humble gentleman with an extraordinary talent, these products are truly the illustration of old world craftsmanship in a world where such attributes are increasingly difficult to find. Owner: Dave
Thrope Engine: Chassis: Performance: Evan Wilcox
Hand Formed Metal
|
synonymous
with on-track domination, power and speed. Guzzi even unveiled a
500cc. V8, and while that machine never saw competitive duty after
Moto Guzzi dropped the factory racing program after the 1957 season,
it's still talked about in revered tones today. If you saw it, you
would understand. With the introduction of the legendary V7 Sport
in 1972, Guzzi again was in the thick of the sportbike scene. The
all new 748cc V-twin, housed in Lino Tonti's brilliant low slung
frame again shocked the motorcycling world with its utter simplicity,
yet stunningly effective layout of cycle parts that accomplished
nothing more than vastly decreasing the line from hard tarmac to
the rider's senses. Combine the fact that the Sport was an astonishingly
beautiful motorcycle, and Moto Guzzi had one more classic design
added to its already impressive ledger. Following on the heels of
the Sport was the famous Le Mans line, personified with various
850 and 1000cc models available from 1976 to 1991. All versions
are desirable, although the stunning first issue 850 Le Mans with
its classically styled round-cylinder lump and minimalist build
the most collectable. When that mad Spaniard, Alejandro De Tomaso
acquired Moto Guzzi in 1973, sweeping changes followed close behind.
The "loop frame" models so successful and popular (due in large
part to Mike Berliner and his import team The Berliner Corp.) with
police forces and civilian buyers were discontinued, and in their
place the standard-issue 850T and triple disk brake T3 models based
on the Tonti frame. Although the Eldorado and Ambassador, with their
fat steel fenders and lazy motors were solid and stately, the Tonti
frame models offered superior power and handling, and sold well.
there
are café, touring, even drag racing versions, and some lovingly
restored stockers. Not a motorcycle for the collector looking to
turn a buck in a year or two, the basic T is instead the wallflower
you knew in high school; the one that wore baggy clothes over a
pretty nice chassis, and like that plain, yet strangely attractive
late-bloomer the T has a wild side under its dowdy garments...just
waiting for the right person to uncover it. "Over the last few years
I noticed the prices for Le Mans sportbikes reaching pretty lofty
levels, that is, when you could find one. Another thing is when
you do finally snag that nice, low mileage Sport or Le Mans it would
be a pretty stupid move to start hacking it up with different wheels,
performance parts and cut-up bodywork. Most of these lucky owners
are searching for the stock pieces, trying to find a mint set of
battery covers or the original factory performance kit that was
available as an option or the first series Le Mans. The T's on the
other hand, and pretty easy to locate and still affordable. Most
came with lovely alloy Boranni spoke rims, and all of the factory
performance parts like cams, heads, and bigger carbs fit right in.
Since most Guzzi sportbike-types can't seem to leave well enough
alone, our solution was to keep what's beautiful, toss what isn't
and turn what is left into a really, totally, custom café racer
we call the Thrasher." The prototype, which has received world-wide
coverage is based on a 1977 T3 was finished by Jim 3 years ago and
was the first project Jim and Evan Wilcox (Evan Wilcox Hand Formed
Metal.) worked on together. "That bike serves as a rolling parts
catalog for the shop, and gives the potential customer some idea
what his bike would look like with one of Evan's Le Mans replica
fuel tanks or 1/4 farings." It's not for sale if you're wondering,
but if it ever does become available it will be in my garage before
anyone finds out. Hey, this job is a lot of work, but it does have
its perks....
20AH
sealed battery mounted on its side rides in a stainless box under
the transmission. This box is another EPF exclusive, allowing retention
of the centerstand. Tommaselli brackets are used to hold the 7"
generic headlight bucket and the Tarozzi polished-alloy clip-on's
are fully adjustable and adorned with Pingle "Double Billet" switches;
originally designed for use on drag bikes with Nitrous-oxide boost.
Now the rebuilt brake components can be installed, retaining the
stock Guzzi linked system with a frame mounted manifold that directs
fluid from the brake pedal to the rear caliper and the left front,
with the front system feeding the right. The rotors are cast iron
and Fren Tubo lines are used.
Thus,
the application of Evan's handiwork is the perfect finishing touch
to Thorpe's T2. The owner favored the "kick-up" spoiler on the stock
fiberglass tailpiece, so Evan incorporated that into the alloy seat
section, and the fuel tank mimics the shape of the tank found on
the early Le Mans. As a whole, the T2 differs from the original
Thrasher with slightly sharper, more angular lines that showcases
the squared-off motor. It looks just a bit more brutal and purposeful,
almost menacing. Squeezing the polished fuel taps to the "on" position,
a bit of choke and a flick of the key is all that is needed for
the T2 to light. Once running, the rumble emitting from the ceramic
coated BUB Hyper fills the street with the sort of glorious road
music that only a healthy Guzzi twin can produce. Once warm, the
T2 responds to a quick twist of the throttle with instant application
of horsepower to tarmac; shocking the unsuspecting with the sort
of acceleration not expected from a simple pushrod twin. Settling
into the wide, comfortable seat your feet are perfectly placed on
the trimmed (passenger pegs removed) Agostini rear-set's, while
your upper body is angled slightly forward in the classic cafe riding
position. Gear change-ups dip the powerband back into the center
of the torque curve, setting you back against the saddle's bump
stop. Handling is neither quick or slow, just predictable, with
plenty of cornering clearance and grunt from the alloy lump that
is dominating the experience. The T2 never feels breathless or burdened,
ostensibly
enjoying -encouraging- rowdy behavior. This was the essence of the
original Thrasher; that no holes barred tough guy. Built for heavy
duty riding and plenty of it, it didn't take me long to realize
Jim had built the same sort of personality into the T2. Its addicting...imagine
the loud, imposing roar of a dump truck banging down the path in
a Volkswagen-sized package. That's the Thrasher experience. Sadly,
my time on the T2 was brief, and seeing as how the motor was still
extremely tight and its owner hadn't even seen the finished product
yet- it was time to return the T2 to Jim, who is still not satisfied
with the idle or rear suspension action. Only when the bike has
passed his final inspection, will the owner be called. My problem?
Extreme covertness; I don't want to turn the machine over, I want
more time..much more. Where do I sign? Moto Guzzi ownership isn't
for everyone. There will be some who disdain the sort of relationship
between man and machine the Guzzi demands, and there areotherbikes
for them. The EP&F T2 is MotoGuzzipared down to its elemental
core; a machine with a singular purpose.Its often been said the
first five or ten miles on a Moto Guzzi are the worst miles of your
life, and the next 200K the very best. The big twin gets to you,
a place deep inside. Only those without soul can ignore it.
