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So my buddy Mike has been filming a series of interviews at his Cul De Sac. It's a way to socially distance and still get a motorcycle fix during this wee pandemic. It's mostly British bikes because, well, that's what his channel is about but that doesn't mean there can't be some diversity. Some of his viewers have been clamoring for some Guzzis so I rounded up my friend Terry and gave them a double dose. The channel is at http://themightygarage.com and if you like great motorcycle videos then consider subscribing. New videos are released at least once a week and this time of year even more often.

Hello All, New to the forum. I've kept my eye open for a clean V11 since selling a Thruxton R a few months back. Well I got lucky and found this beauty in Phoenix. It just arrived to my home in Central Oregon and I couldn't be happier. She parks right next to her Griso brother in the garage:). A few questions: 1.) Any idea who makes this rack? Guzzi? 2.) Any suggestions for a tasteful tail bag to attach to the rack? 3.) Any tricks to fix the tripmeter (it's way off, maybe tracks 1/3rd of the mileage I ride)? I'm looking forward to being part of the community. I got the Guzzi obsession in 2010 when I purchased my first Guzzi from AF1 in Austin - a 2007 Griso. I regretfully sold it a few years later only to purchase a newer 8v Griso with a V7 in between. I have learned my lesson and will never be Guzzi-less again. I currently have a Griso, Vstrom and now this V11 in the garage. Thanks, Chris

Anyone have any experience with these? https://www.twistedthrottle.com/mfw-vario-footpeg-mounts-for-moto-guzzi-v11-models-rider-black-or-silver I’m looking to lower the foot pegs of my 03 LeMans.

All this 100k+ spark plug service BS will bite you in the butt . I've seen them so tight I thought they would twist off when removing them .

Good advice! I made sure this got added to the Wheels Off Maintenance Checklist! What are the currently available shock replacements for the V11? Is the Öhlins unit available once again?

No! Replace at all costs. Had this happen my v11. Grease the new pivot bolt well.

Yes docc lubrication on any threads alters the torque by a significant margin. Thats why angle torquing is more accurate than torquing and stretch the best of all. Carrillo rod bolts have both a torque and stretch figure so you can apply a torque and check the stretch is within limits. Stretch is independent of lubrication unlike torque. NGK doesn't recommend anti seize on plugs. They say their plug plating is designed to be an anti seize/corrosion coating. Ciao

I'm 61, I've had severe neck issues in the past, a good chiro got me back on track, and I now do my own stretching, cracking etc that I need to do, to stay relatively pain free. I learned too late the perils of ignoring core exercises, so now I'm playing catch up managing a hernia with exercise. Simple stretching, walking and boxsteps have a huge impact on my day to day fitness level. It was with some trepidation, that I jumped into my 2003 Lemans, but I'm doing what I can to make it a comfortable ride. Picked up a Rich Maund seat, got the touring MRA windscreen and for the price of a used bike,lol, got a set of MPH Risers. The MPH risers were extremely expensive to bring into Canada, but they are nice kit, loosening up the wire bundles in the loom and rerouting some items was crucial for a good install, but I was very disappointed in the brake/clutch lines in the kit. Rather than OEM style 90 degree fittings the lines are supplied with straight inline fittings pointing directly at the speedo & tach, virtually eliminating a complete range of motion and adjustability, fwiw, jmho. Life being what it is, I haven't got the bike altogether and on the road, but I'm thinking the comfort level should be quite a bit better, if I really get on with the bike and it needs it, I might look at lowering the pegs. The V11 series offers a very unique slice of guzzi design and ownership experience, if I have to mod the bike ,to make it work for me, so be it. Kelly

Not at all . There is a reality we cannot escape . being able to run with children ALL day long in the hills of Giant City State Park , hauling hay or cutting tobacco , going from a 6 shooter to a single shot , etc. I had a friend that was on the back of a boat at Green Turtle Bay with some friends late one afternoon . He remarked to all the men standing around the stern , "do you realize we used to talk about all the drugs we were taking , and now 40 yrs later we're doing the same thing but for a different reason" !

Good morning from the MGGG MMXX battlefield in Cross Junction, Virginia, where the National Park Service is already putting up historical markers. So, a group of Guzzisti friends and I got together for a “Guy-Only Slumber Party, Motorcycle Riding, Eating, Drinking, & Lie-Telling” weekend in the middle of July. It was grand. The CDC would not have approved, but while hardly keeping each other at arms’ length, everyone was mindful and courteous. We’ll know how that part goes within two weeks. Naturally, I took photos. Lots of them. As in nudging 500! But, lucky you, "only" 129 made the final cut. Best, the Smugmug gallery opens in “Landscape Collage” view, meaning you don’t have to look at every pic. You can hover your cursor over pix that interest you — assuming any do, of course! — and the captions should appear. OTOH, if you have the time and inclination to see the whole story, just light up the first photo after the banner pic and run through them in larger sizes. Here they are: MGGG MMXX Pix To those of you seeing this who were part of this, thanks for making my — gasp! — 73d birthday great fun. Bill

Here's my little spark plug collection I keep in a glass display case in the family room along with some of my "engineering" pieces, tragic I know but it's the way I roll. Left to right......... aircraft, aircraft, aircraft, old lodge automotive with a knurled nut for the HT lead, automotive later Lodge, a Bosch and a KLG. Ciao

not cheap but here's a contact for speedo repair https://joellevinecompany.com/Speedo-Tach-Repair

I figure I wouldn’t get much push back with that comment.

Lonelec in UK has been, perhaps, the most reliable cable source over time. This link is for the set of two (including both the adapter cable and the FTDI chipped OBD->USB): https://www.lonelec.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=57_20&product_id=51 Regarding the comment on "smooth transition," this refers to checking resistance across the TPS while slowly opening and closing it. The values should transition smoothly with no jumps, skips, or opens (broken contact) that would indicate a faulty TPS.

*I don't know* but I'm betting if it's cracked it is hardened. In that case, no.

Lots of good information to digest and further research - thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts and info. My husband and I just took a 7-day ride to eastern Oregon (from NW Washington) - rode every day, mostly all day (to ensure social distancing, of course....) - he on his new Yamaha Tracer and me on the BMW, and I felt good when we got home - just a little fatigued in general, so I can hardly complain, actually!! Would be awfully greedy to be able to still do a trip like that on the Rosso..... LOL. Thanks again, everyone, and HAPPY RIDING!!!

This is what I learned of the Bosch plugs I use in the roadster. (Rather the hard way).

Peter Hughes ("Huzo") posted this on the US Wildguzzi forum - impressive:

I do think it would have been fine, if I had not used the loctite. And, yes, 45 ft-lbs seems a plenty for a 10mm bolt. But, that's what the manual said. They really should have used a nut instead of threading into cast aluminum. There's alot of things all manufacturers should have done, but didn't, lol.

There are a LOT of Youtube videos dealing with getting / keeping in shape for riding ( crotch rocket style ) bikes . Too many to single out one or two to post . You can go to a gym to be competitive , stay home and MacGyver it if you have a good imagination . There is one thing for certain , maintain a habit of exercises . You are going to have to go after specific areas to improve . I am starting in the morning !

When I was a young pup of 60 or so, my neck and wrist pain took me away from sport bikes. Tried a cruiser. Hated it. I *thought* I was in good shape physically, but a personal trainer disabused me of that notion. He said my core strength sucked, and would get me back on sport bikes and road bicycles in short order. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.. but he was right.

That's a big day for sure. I reflected once on my Euro trips and long haul rides in general and came to the conclusion that back then it was about a couple of things. One, "being different" and two the challenge of the journey facing the "elements" that those in cars and tour busses would shy away from. A bit like the guy in the wild west that crossed the country on a horse as opposed to a stage coach or a train I guess. Now days I'm indistinguishable from the hoard of middle to past middle age "born again" bikers and that depresses me. I weathered the storm of negative comments and attitudes from "sensible people" for 30 years that either gave up riding or didn't ride in the first place but at least I felt like a bit of a Maverick, someone that took his own path and stuff the rest of you. Now I'm just identified as some old guy that's having a delayed middle aged crisis with all the BMW, Harley and mega dollar Ducati Panagale posers at the coffee shop sipping lattes and discussing share portfolios, damn it. People like us should have something to identify us as "worriers for the cause" that sacrificed for years so all the relative new comers could enjoy respect and equality from polite society. Have i gotten off track? Ciao

Are we all card carrying members of the Old Farts Club ? I remember when thinking 60 yr olds were ready for the junkyard .

So I have to agree that if you've done all you can in a personal physical sense to keep ride fit then some mods might be in order, but seriously managing 6-8 hour rides at our kind of ages is pretty good with regards to the suitability of the bike ergo's. Just make it your short ride bike and the BMW the road trip bike. There's no law saying a bike needs to be ride-able for 8 hours per day for X days. If I used your criteria for my bikes I'd have none at all and I would never have bought my 1000ss and 1198. Short rides have been my preference for at least the last 20 years and back in the mid 80's I did two 3 month trips around Europe and Britain with my wife living off the bikes, each trip doing around 25,000 klms. My dream is to tour Europe again in a motor home with something like a BMW R1200GS in the back. Stop and find a place to base yourself for a week and then do day trips on the bike around the local area seeing the sights. 250 klms a day max. Anyway, back to the point. If you can manage 6-8 hours on the V11 over a day and feel decent after it you're doing ok. Save the Guzzi for the fun short day rides and the BMW for the multi day trips. Ciao