Warmed up the V65C and grabbed a handfull of clutch early on Monday
morning - only to feel the clutch-wire break. I had to hike to work. A
more Monday kind of Monday than I care to experience again.
I started fixing the clutch when I got home. Unfortunately... it wasn't
the wire. It just felt like the wire the way the clutch-handle suddenly
caved in when I tried to put the bike into gear. The wire was in perfect
shape. The extra wire ready to be popped in place wasn't going to be any
help at all. Of course, it was still Monday.
I took off the swingarm and checked the clutch adjustment on the back
of the motor case. It moved loosly all the way to the housing. When I opened
it up and pulled the 4 month old throwout bearing out, it looked really
good. But the throwout shaft that pushes the clutch open should slide out
easily. It didn't. It was stuck. Very stuck. My biggest needle-nose plier
couldn't budge it. Time to take a break to think things over.
On Tuesday, I started stripping the bike. I didn't stop until I had
everything but the lower frame - engine - gearbox standing naked in my
garage. Only then did I begin to wonder seriously what I was getting myself
into. What ever possessed me. Will this ever become a motorcycle again?
On Wednesday, after some encouragement from the Moto Guzzi list on the internet, I continued removing parts on my way in to the clutch. Only the cheap 6 mm. Allen/umbraco wrench stopped my progress. The bolts on the bell housing wouldn't budge and the wrench has a weird, twisted shape. I'm not worried. It will come apart eventually.
Will it all fit together again? That question really makes me nervous.