So the exhaust started blowing from the header on my 2006 Breva 750 in November last.
OK, I will replace the exhaust header gasket. Outer nut is seized but the stud comes out instead no issue. The inner nut is also seized, but “dinck” the stud breaks off. Ok that is a head off job, too chilly to get into that over winter. Fill the tank and leave.
Come Easter, having given it some thought, I decide the other cylinder is probably going to be about to do the same trick, so go to remove the other side also. Outer comes off with the stud and the inner snaps also. Decide to walk away.
This bank holiday weekend I thinks, “I have a few hours. I get those heads off, Just got to remove the throttle body inlets, the rocker cover and the heads should then come away with the four head nuts.”
Go to remove the inlet manifold and the inlet tract rubbers are in the way.
Go to undo the circlips on the inlet tract and realise the side panels have to come off.
Panels off, they have only gone and screwed the circlips in place behind the throttle body. To get to them the tank has to come off. To take the tank off, the tank grill has to come off.
So off with the tank grill.
Unbolt the tank and watch the tank instantly extend due to ethanol poisoning.
Drain the tank.
Disconnect the fuel pipe and breathers and fuel pump wiring.
Tank off.
Still can’t get to the inlet rubber circlip screws.
Off with the slave end throttle cable sheath support bracket.
Finally access one rubber.
Still can’t get to the second.
Slacken the fuel injector and easy to one side and finally I get to the second circlip.
Then slip the rubber back to access the inlet manifold bolts.
Off they pop.
Having used the time I allotted to get the heads off to get to a place where I now can, I reached for a cold one and locked the garage up.
How ill thought through to orientate the circlips is a place that can’t be accessed without out all the above shenanigans. No wonder some labour bills look so extortionate.
It won’t go back the same stupid way for sure.
If its any consolation, I often run out of time doing jobs in the garage.
In my case it’s because (a) I’m slow, (b) the dog wants to play ball and (c) on partial disassembly for a specific easy-to-finish job, I have the optimism to say “Whilst I’m here, I might as well…”
Get the picture? 
Jon
Oh, I have a few, “whilst I am here and gone so far in”.
I don’t know if the plastic fuel filter has been changed out for instance.
And just 20 minutes to lift a head on the older bikes. There’s progress.
Yes it’s the OLD Guzzi’s that are easier to maintain. As was at the time compared to e.g. a Jap multi.
Unfortunately Joe Public don’t want to buy old style simple bikes, though the Norton 961 Anniversary is simply gorgeous and worth the £15.5k.
I loved my 750 Breva but it did seem like a triumph of form over function compared to the 750 Strada I owned a few years ago and the V50 my ex missus owned even more years ago.
Again I agree, but it is what people are buying today. Guzzi do have to make a profit.
I wonder how often it is neccessary to lift a cylinder head off a motorcycle in 20 minutes?
The new Guzzis may have the odd design quirk that goes against this rule but in general, they are still very much owner-maintainable. They even have a handy hole on the side of the clutch housing to pour in lemonade. How many other bikes have that?
Jon