Moto Guzzi Club of Queensland Forum

The venerable beast is a stock 1973 with 25500 miles on the odometer when I bought it. it is now hovering around forty thousand but the headlight switch ( high Low beam) keeps following in the fine tradition of Lucas and all things evil that live in darkness.

I would LOVE to replace just the innards of the switch with a modern micro switch while keeping the stock chrome 'snuff box' housing. Any suggestions? I am toying with the idea of dissecting a japanese bike switch and getting that to fit in there but I would prefer to use something funky and generic and keep the Asian stuff off the bike at least in visible places. Keep in mind that I am half a planet away from 'Down Under'. I did catch military flights to NSW once in 1980 if that counts? Larry

Hi Larry,
When I was a student at Richmond NSW, in the late 60s early 70s, there was a "military flight" from the
RAAF base every Friday night at 11pm. The noise it made taking off was horrendous and a damn nuisance, because we were in bed prior to getting up at 4am to milk cows. I had occasion to be at the base one day and was rewarded by the sight of the culprit itself, a Starlifter, with wings so long they DROOPED. Well, I was impressed. They were transporting stuff to Pine Gap, a place that did not exist, according to the irrelevant Minister of the day.
Speaking of relevance, you may wonder what this post has to do with your topic.And rightly so, Larry. In fact, it has nothing to do with the topic at all. Your question dredged up some old memories, that's all and I succumbed to the temptation to relate, aided and abetted by the consumption of some cardboard Merlot.
Good luck to you, you poor man.
Bill

I worked at Pine Gap in the early '70's......amusing stories abounded back then, about what was being transported and why.
Coincidentally, I see swagzz is presently building a road west of Alice Springs somewhere.
Pine Gap had a very nice bitumen road in to A S, when everything turned to dirt elsewhere, very quickly, except of course for the narrow strip of bitumen north to Darwin, built by our American cousins during WWII.
Yes, memories, but still no help to Larry!
Maybe this should be in the "Questions" section, and somebody with "the knowledge" will see it.

Larry,
There is a shop in the US called Cycle Garden, now I have had no specific dealings with these guys, so I can't/won't comment about prices, but they seem to specialise in doing resto's on early Guzzi's, they may be the best to approach about either another switch or info about subbing in different internals.

[quote="Hairee"]I worked at Pine Gap in the early '70's.....

When my partner and I were touring darwin some years ago, a motorcycle cruised past past and turned off, in to a Military establishment. His rego plate read, "SPOOK". That was you eh, Hairee?
Bill

I have bugger all knowledge of Eldorado headlight wiring, or of the mysterious Pine Gap. I also am not up to speed on the scheduling of military transport flights in this country in the early 80s. Mind you the 1980s are my favorite decade for music, heres an example of some classic Aussie music from before new "artists" made their name on some crappy reality TV show. Click here to go back in time with me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbf5gD6S2W8

Of course this doesn't help with your electrical woes, however this might. I have heard that Harpers Moto Guzzi in the US of A has shirt loads of bits for bikes such as yours http://www.harpermotoguzzi.com/ Might be worth checking them out.

1. Visited, but never worked in or near Darwin, Bill.
2. Re my activities at PG......they taught us to say "No comment" if asked what we did, whether someone was spot on in their questions or way off target. Don't think of myself as "Spooky" tho'.
3. Only ever went bush-bashing on a trail-bike while working there.
4. Good video clip Mark.....whatever became of those hair-styles? And old cars? Agree with your comments on so-called reality tv shows.
5. I hope Larry solves his problem.....let us know, won't you Larry?

SPOOKY HAIREE!!!!!