https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaB40TLQE8M

Hitler loved his 1100cc Rebel engine because the long long cam chain had this long long travel cam chain adjuster system and, being water cooled, the head didn't move upwards nearly as much as the old air cooled Savage engine did.

The cam, cam chain and the rest of the engine was carefully engineered by Honda to run off of modern, wimpy oils suitable to a fully modern catalytic converter equipped engine ........

The Honda Africa Twin made up a really good proving ground for the engine, as transcontinental fast dirt riding requires total reliability of the engine and the drive train as there ARE no bike shops along the way.

And yes, other versions with bigger 6.5 gallon gas tanks already exist in the Africa Twin line, so look to see the Honda 1100cc Rebel get that and the more powerful Africa Twin engine  or else the same tuning retrofitted into a Commander style aftermarket computer tuning system.

No, not issues inside normal bike mileage numbers, but Hondas did put wear on their cam chains over time.

As in all of their premium engines, Honda DESIGNED a cam chain adjustment system that gave them goodly amounts of miles built in from the beginning.     I don't think Honda ever made a system like the Suzuki growth ratchet system. most were self-adjusted with a known small amount of spring tension when the engine was in the cold part of its contraction expansion swing span.

All Honda big bike engines can go over 50,000 miles with normal maintenance.   100,000 miles is not unusual, but Honda requires routine maintenance to do those sorts of miles.

I did check the Africa Twin forums and the first generation 1000 cc Africa Twins had  spring loaded cam tension adjusters that were completely self adjusting.   Forum cam chains and guides did require some replacement though, mentions a site in Europe that has a guy that can do it all (new curved guide and chain) with the engine sitting in the frame inside of two hours.

Looking at it, pulling a bolt or two and then the curved side chain guide slides in and out from the side cover opening.   The straight guide (which is retained by the head) likely gets little wear, so replacing that would likely not be needed until full head removing tear downs were needed.

Honda users do like to complain about their pre-warm up cam chain noises, though.  So a cold cam chain can make a discernible sound I would think.

I think it would live and run about like a Honda, which is fairly quiet and bullet proof generally speaking.







Aftermarket sells this sort of 100% manual adjuster system for "performance Honda Africa Twin engines".    The few who used them seem to like them.   Ebay has them listed for like $39 so they aren't that expensive.   Full price is $69 so they are still fairly inexpensive items.




Rebel 500 has a dry weight of 408 pounds  (50 hp)

Rebel 1100 (manual trans model) weighs 487 pounds.   (88 hp)

if you want the fancy double clutch automatic transmission, weight goes up to 508 pounds.


I think it is all sort of esoteric over in Mike land, as your Guzzi makes about the same hp as the Rebel 500 and weights about the same.   It just needs fixing.

Dave has offered help and a heated garage to work in, you could make the trip to Dave's or else do it in your own somewhat heated bike fix it space as you have one you can work in.


Remember, the Rebel 1100 is intentionally detuned ~ 20 hp removed ~ with purpose added anti-wheelie control features added to the throttle by wire control system, likely because these anti-wheelie tricks were actually needed items at the automatic transmission 88 hp level with the short wheel base of the Rebel.

An abrupt whacked open hand full of throttle at a stop light might jest give you a real good look at them fluffy white clouds ......





Personally, I can't handle a 400+ pound bike at all (or any bike, for that matter) so I should just sit over here quietly, I think .......  My bike riding days are over although I don't like it any at all.



 

Oldfeller, you're making me feel good about the Rebel 1100. Mind you I am quite happy with the Shadow Spirit 1100 at around 600 lbs and 60 hp, but like I said, let's see what is available used in 5 years or so.

I used the "This er fit her" method when picking a new spring .   It has enough pressure to take up the slack but not enough to make any slack of its own !    Easily collapsed  between the thumb and index finger.  
One click in 30,000 miles , no pressure at all !     Just take the slack up !!  It can't go backwards by itself anyway .  

I like the adjuster on Kate just as much !    

It occurred to me that :  There ain't no point in that spring being anything but enough to take the slack up.   The ratchet will do the rest.  

Yes, Mike.  If you can't measure something about your Guzzi clutch lever actuation force, how will you know if you fixed anything?

As to how the Guzzi clutch operates against its spring finger pressure plate, you got me.    

Never owned a Guzzi, don't have any sort of knowledge apart from general knowledge from old car clutches that used spring finger pressure plates ......

I take it your finger force driven handlebar actuator is a hydraulic cylinder acting on another hydraulic cylinder in the clutch plate bell housing?   And there is a fluid  reservoir and a bleed station and a hydraulic line involved?

Have you ever bled this system or changed out the hydraulic fluid?

Plates

I do not completely understand how it works

But

Its nothing I can't figure out once I see it in the open.