After servicing my “new” Cali EV back to a known “ground zero”, I had some weeks of smooth running. I decided to come down to the big smoke for a club meeting. It would be easier if I overnighted somewhere so I hit on Noddy and Trish for overnight digs. No probs. Plan was to arrive at Yarck late afternoon for the run with the Treasurer down to and from Collingwood.
My Cali EV on a run to the RAAF Wagga museum.
I loaded my toothbrush, razor and kimbies into the panniers and set off. I motored along; a beautiful day! I always feel like I’m going to a party when I’m on the Cali. I love the whole look and feel of her.
Occasionally, I sensed a slight hesitation. Imagination. Until I turned onto the Snow Road. There was definitely a hesitation in the EV’s engine. Things ran through my mind – plugs, leads, TPS, electric fuel petcock…? About the limit of my knowledge. The road was bit rough and one bump lifted me out of my seat and the engine paused momentarily. Ah ha!
I experimented by lifting off the seat and each time I did, the engine stopped. At Milawa, I chucked a U-ey. As I stood up waiting for traffic, the engine stopped. I pressed the starter. Nothing. I sat down and pressed the starter and she fired straight up. Well, at least I knew where to start looking!
At home, I lifted the seat and tool tray and examined the battery. There were several leads attached to each of the negative and positive battery posts. One of the positive leads had broken at the eyelet. I started the bike and could reproduce the symptoms by just touching the lead. I’d been fortunate that my weight on the seat had pressed the broken parts together and allowed me to get home. I followed the wire to the fuel pump which explained the hesitation I’d felt. My Cali is now 15 years old and the copper wires definitely have a “brittle” feel to them.
At my local “What-a-Load-of-Crap” auto store, I bought the requisite electrical gear and repaired the wire. I also adjusted the wire arrangement on the battery posts to reduce their contact with the tool tray when I was sitting down.
Moto Guzzi – making mechanics of riders since 1921. That’s often said in jest but it also implies that nimrods, like me, find Guzzis easy to problem-solve and work on.
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