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Now that the V11/Daytona assembly is all but finished I decided to take a break and re group my thoughts and have a good tidy up before I get onto running it and figuring out the EFI. The process unearthed some old friends that engendered some memories and reflection. Principle among these was my grandfathers mechanical tachometer, such a lovely piece in its velvet lined box replete with various drive adaptors. I guess he used it for setting engine idle RPM on cars, dont know but it makes me think of him and holding in my hand something he used and valued is a nice feeling. I also came across this I made about 30 years ago to remove Ohlins fork caps. I am slightly impressed with myself as I remember machining this piece up including filing the 1/2 inch drive section by hand at my friends workshop The actual memories of that day and the people present come back to me as a pleasant time indeed. More than just tools........old friends and valued memories. And here's my next project, a tool to remove the oil pressure switch on the Daytona engine. A long socket is too long and a short socket is too short so I'll make my own extended short tool. Just need to weld it together. Ciao

Even on a Vespa it would have been more epic:) Ciao

That magnificent "grandfather's mechanical tachometer", in a velvet lined box, is a hard act to follow! I had some good fun digging around through funky, old kit smelling of ancient oils and burnished wood handles ( I already said my people were carpenters). I selected a smattering of inherited, acquired, or otherwise brought to hand, hand-tools put to use over my un(mis?)guided course of wrenching (and beating upon) on various mechanical nemeses, Sirens, and pure delights.

Thank you, Signore Marabese and Moto Guzzi! Went for a nice run today. What a fun motorcycle!

Stunning reverence, to treasure the memories of these "things" . . .

Dont even think about adjusting this on the bike,its a bench job. Docc is correct of course about the simple stuff but it may be a shifter plate off for a look see for you. Ciao

I remember calling Moto Guzzi North America in early summer 2000 when a Cycle World ad showed a brilliant green RedFrame, leaned over in action, and saying $9,999(US). I couldn't believe they could be available after seeing an image of a black V1l Sport from EICMA 1997 (three years earlier!). The nice lady on the phone (yeah, yeah, we used phones then. Mine had a coiled wire fastened to the wall. ) said, "Oh, yes, they are available in the US. Your dealer has one (er, 125 miles away . . .). But they're not $9,999. $11,999." That one was already sold, but the silver Sport was under my skin a few weeks later, $11,700US, all up and delivered to my driveway. As I recall, prices for V11 really did not seem to change much over the production run, even with the special models (ie:Öhlins). I feel sure my Sport will be worth that again, someday. Like when it gets dug up by archeologists. From another planet.

Yes its a wrench to repaint perfectly good paint just for a colour change. Ciao

Thank you to all. I bought one on eBay. Hope it is as advertised.

Dang! I have all of that stuff, including the mechanical tachometer, although it's considerably simplified. I can't believe it's all antique..

Hi Guys I have a 2004 V11 Sport Ballabio, Red. ZGUKTC0274M111224. Mine seems to be a little different in that rather than the straight handlebars it has clip-ons and the top triple tree does not have the holes to mount the straight bars. Looking in the MG parts catalog it should have the handlebars and mounts for bars in the triple tree. All other Ballabios I have seen have the bars rather than clip-ons. Other than that everything else is per the MG pars catalog. Has anyone seen this before. It seems it may have the lemans top triple tree and bar set up? I have had almost since new and believe this is as delivered by MG. For long distance rides I was thinking I would prefer the bars to be about two inches higher and one inch aft. I am about 6 '0 tall and find it a little crampled, but still love it and put lots of miles on it in the summer.

Some beautiful pieces there docc,esp the old style dividers and screw driver. I love the repair to the file handle,worth taking the time to repair skilfully. Ciao

I bought mine from Harpers a few years ago, he refered to it as a Scura bikini fairing . Give him a call & see if he's got one

Imagine if Prince rode a CX100 Lemans.. Purple Rain would of been even more epic.

Thanks Docc, I am working on a special project, and I know for sure that the fairing on the Rosso Mandello in the picture will work. I have seen pictures of 2004 03-05 Moto Guzzi V11 Cafe Sport that look the same as the Rosso Mandello but there can of course be differences. Fingers crossed that i find one. Thanks.

Ah! The missing link: mis-using pre-load to compensate for the wrong spring rates. I tried that and it did not end well . . .

That is the right order. If your springs are too soft, you will have to crank in the preload to get the sag right with the rider on board. This excessive preload will cause the free sag, how much it sags under just the weight of the bike, to be too little. Where as if the springs are too stiff you will have a minimum of preload resulting in too much free sag under just the weight of the bike. It can seem backwards, but it is right. It is all based on you adding the required amount of preload to get the race sag, the amount of sag with the rider on the bike, correct to start with. The amount of preload required will affect the free sag, and thus show you if your springs are too soft, too stiff, or just right.

Here are the Copy Image Locations on the two images Rox Lemans posted, but not yet hotlinked;

That’s pretty funny, Lucky Phil. I reckon that bike was as much of a prop for Prince’s character in that movie as anything else. He made some great records; I have no idea if he really rode bikes. Too busy riding faders. I love street murals. I think I need to visit Tucson!

Safe way for three to be together in a close space . . .

Too cool! Welcome Randy!! And living striking distance to the S'xteenth South'n SpineRaid (or, at leas, a lunch rendezvous on that Saturday at The Tapoco Lodge)!

My attention was drawn in that image to the wall art of "Prince" from the movie Purple Rain. Anyone that thought he was stylish or cool had their bubble burst when he appeared riding that atrocious abomination of a motorcycle. All the cool and style instantly evaporated, like gasoline spilled on a hot engine and he is revealed for what he was, a scrawny, weird little dude in high heals. If you want to know how cool someone really is ask them what sort of motorcycle they own or aspire to own. PS great song writer though. Ciao

A little off topic from "that" suspension.. but Guzzi Bob (RIP) and I were leading the pack on a less than perfect central California road when he motioned for me to pass. At the next rest stop, he said.. "I was going as fast as I wanted, but you were pushing me for the first time." I said, "let's face it, Ohlins wins out over your 1000S suspension on a rough road. It has nothing to do with who is the best rider." It's true. That's the difference, really.