Leaderboard

Well boys, it looks like I’ve started a relationship with a beautiful Italian green goddess beasty. Right now I’m heading into the kitchen to make a nice dinner for Mrs. Kane so she’s not too jealous when she comes home after working all day. More pics, impressions, and head scratching is sure to follow. For now, Thar She Blows!:

Congrats! They are like no other motorcycle. An acquired taste some say, but torque suits every palate. The only thing I see that needs immediate attention is BNP. Badly Needs Pipes.

But also, Mark Etheridge at Moto Guzzi Classics is a classic himself.. a real genuine guy.

Sean Fader is the best mechanic in SoCal. He had his own shop, RTL Moto.. but I *think* he's been hired by O.C. If so, there's your guy. Tell him I sent you.

I prefer the fly screen over the LeMans fairing. Mostly.

Thanks Chuck, I have two pairs of suspenders, but don’t wear them much anymore, I’ve switched to sweat pants and shorts with elastic waist bands. Reason being, besides completing my old fart look, a left turn car totaled my previous FJR and busted up my pelvis. Two plates, ten screws and a very good ortho surgeon left me with an aversion to belts. Found one brand of jeans (Duluth)that ride high enough that I can wear comfortably, but I’ll never look as good as the young lady above, even if I wear heels. Anyway, I was dialing out a boatload of compression damping up front, the rest will wait for another day. It sure was good to ride the mg at a sporting pace through some twisty roads.

From an ad for a 2001 Rosso Mandello #261... " This bike’s black engine paint, like all early production V11s, exhibits the unintended original factory “crinkle coat” finish (see pic) " Here ...https://raresportbikesforsale.com/tag/rosso-mandello/ also, I seem to recall Adam's stunning RM (at SSR15) having the bubble paint. I suspect Guzzi bodged the black paint from the start.. till sometime in '02. Unless one is certain of the bikes history, how does one tell if if it's a warranty replacement? I have seen bikes advertised stating such. Also, a bike that's had any motor work done would surely have the paint seen to at that time.

Congrats.. and tell her to clean up the mess you made making dinner..

This whole "suspender" thing has gotten a bad rap . . . Yet, I'm pretty sure Bob Maynard may have been sorting "other" suspenders. The kind with preload and damping adjustments . . .

As you say, on a parallel twin maybe it helps. Have you ever contributed to a thread then after a few turns kind of lose interest in continuing the story.

Took my new to me Sport on it’s first semi sporting ride into central Ohio. Tired my old body out, but gelled better with the bike by the time I got home. Sorting out the suspenders along the way. 😀

If you properly balanced the cylinders with the ports blocked off, how does connecting the ports "balance" the two cylinders? I would say that if you properly balance the two cylinders, no additional "balancing" is needed. I also doubt that little hose could flow enough air fast enough to actually balance the two cylinders. It is too small and too long. By the time a differential is detected and pressure starts to flow from high to low the differential is gone and likely now it is trying to flow in the other direction. Maybe on a parallel twin where the distance is much less.

I thought the idea of connecting the manifolds was to help keep the carbs/fuel injector bodies balanced at closed or almost closed throttle, once you open the throttle it makes little difference. We used to blank the balance pipe off while setting up and synching the carbs then reconnect. Probably a 360° parallel twin thing.

Depending on the model of V11, most of us have made a custom bent nozzle (usually with some material on the tip ground off to make it narrower/smaller) that will do the trick, with the swingarm and wheel in place. I think I removed the rear shock to drop the rear wheel as far as possible, but I'm not sure. Maybe just used my shop stand. Be careful that the zerk fitting isn't set too tight, as it could break off the zerk nipple when removing, as pulling it straight off might be difficult). That would be a bad day in the garage. Better to keep it loose and hold it in place when pumping the grease trigger.

Like I said, don't worry, be happy. I've done all those roads over the years. I *love* mountains..especially the Rockies.

Thx all- did a half assed job of capping/unplugging the lines. Will need to get her home to dig in and do it right, to assure I have properly cleared or capped lines, but think we’re good for now. But no issues running today, other than crappy idling, after 8.5 hrs in the saddle, including some very spirited riding, several hours of freeway droning, and then capped with some lovely stop and go traffic in Salt Lake City when my ass had already had about all it could take. She purrs like a proper italian now at mid range rpm, where she’s living most of the time on this ride. man, the million dollar highway (hwy 550) with only a handful of midweek, off season cars was moto-heaven. When I die, bury me right there. And the run from Ouray over to Moab.... almost as good, and basically no cars for 2 hrs, so that’s pretty much a full house right there. Thank u motorcycle gods for your plentiful bounty...

In Durango, bike running sweet, and many happy smiles/curves behind me. Route 64 between Taos and Chama is not to be missed if in the area, myself only getting to it by accident after missing a turn and not noticing for too long, causing that excellent re-route. still not good idling, and that 3000-ish rpm stumble, and worse than it was a week ago, but as of a week ago she had been mostly sitting for a long time, so thinking the use/miles are getting things stretched and worked, which is good, but likely means a handful of adjustments later.