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Finally, an update. It has been about 3 hours since I got to actually ride the V11, and I haven't come down yet. Oh my word, what a machine. She's a bit unrefined, but still...dignified and graceful. I confirmed before setting off all the lights, horn, brakes, etc. all were functional. No smoke on startup again, no terrifying and expensive noises within the sump telling me to replace bottom end bearings...just the normal V11 noises I'm told to expect. Again, hold the clutch in...rattle, rattle, rattle...Love it. There were a few idle surges while things warmed up for 5 mins or so before I set off. While riding, I confirmed the speedo and odo BOTH work...simultaneously...on the same V11...and the ODO reset knob is still present and works. One less thing, right? I arrived on a 900SS, a stark contrast to the V11. I don't have to address the elephant in the room, the style of the V11. She is sexy and elegant. Enough said. The ergos on the V11 are more standard than sport, in spite of the clip-ons. Lots of vibration through the grips at nearly all RPM (hands got numb after 20 mins. I have to address this), I got zero vibration through the stock footpegs, which is exactly opposite of what I was told to expect. Strange. The saddle was very wide but firm and comfy. I expected to be punished with the stock saddle, but I was pleasantly surprised! AF1 Racing in Austin, Tx. got me a NOS black seat cowl and all the fasteners and washers (still waiting to be shipped to me when the fasteners arrive). I am waiting on the cowl "moon" pad from a gent in Italy. No rush, as I won't ride her again until Spring of 2022. The gearbox was BUTTER! Click-click-click...effortless shifting, just effortless. I was beside myself in the refinement of the gearbox. Better than even my 900SS...blasphemy! No false neutrals, no matter how many times I tried---and I tried to upset the gearbox. But, firm, deliberate shifts are what worked best as many wise members of this forum informed me. I stopped, clicked up, never popped out of gear under any scenario. Just a sweet gearbox. Great work, Guzzi! I wasn't on bad roads, but the suspension felt firm and slightly bouncy over undulating pavement. About what I expected, but it wasn't bad. Steering was pretty average, or more, of the wide turning radius type. One thing I will need to get used to, is that super forward kickstand. Wow! I know it is for clearance issues, but it is going to take me a LONG time to get used to the kickstand location when I want to park the bike or set off at first. Guzzi does everything differently. The brakes were adequate. They just did the job, but a lot of lever input was required to get the machine stopped effectively. The tires were hardly used but old Dunlop SportMaxes, and I wasn't going to dump my baby and grind the side of a cylinder head pretending I was qualifying for the Isle of Mann TT, so I kept the leans to a casual tempo. Turn in was still excellent and composed. Tracing a line and cliping apexes was so smooth and effortless, belying the weight of this bigger lady. As many told me about the torque-effect of the shaft drive, and the V11 didn't disappoint. At a stop, a few blips of the throttle leaned the bike slightly to the right repeatedly giving me a chuckle. The stock cans as I understand are a bit muted, so thankfully the previous owner had great taste and donated a set of Mistral conical upswept cans for my listening pleasure. They are boomy, baritone, but perhaps 7/10ths the sound put out by my 900SS's carbon Termis. It's not fair for me to say which I prefer, they are just both their own personality. That said, the Mistrals are NOT quiet. They just boom along as the engine hums underneath you. They fit the more laid back/standard ergos and personality of the V11. What a machine! You hit the wall of torque at 2k and it just keeps pulling and pulling. You have to rev this engine to get the most out of it, but it spins up pretty fast. The engine is eager to deliver a smooth helping of carmel-like torque. She really is industrial in her own way. Rear weight bias is evident once underway...wow. Truly, more of the weight is on that back wheel, and you feel it when you go WOT, the front suspension lets up, and you feel the front end starting to rise two or more inches. It is a very different balance than I am used to. On the plus side, the weight feels so much lower than I would have thought! You just have these two giant aluminum cylinders sticking out in front of your knees in the airstream. I feel like I am riding a wingless WWI biplane. Ha ha!!! I stopped by a gas station after legally touching an indicated 80mph on the highway, impressed. I topped the plastic/nylon acerbis tank with sta-bil to at least minimize the damage of the ethanol while it is stored until I get her back in April '22...and I was sad to end the ride. I wanted to keep on going, and the big Guzzi certainly felt obliged to please me. FINAL THOUGHT: These machines are like flying a WWI wingless biplane. The V11 is still an underappreciated jewel in the motorcycle world, and I am fortunate to have gotten (a NICE one, lots of junker V11s out there!!!) before too many people discover them and make them cost new bike money. Physically small, yet feeling big and agricultural in some ways, nevertheless, this sultry Italian lady has class, curves, style and is full of brio. Bellissima! What a damned fine motorcycle. I only regret not getting one a LOT sooner! I finally got to officially drink the kool-aid and join the cult! Now, where are the cookies?

The V11 bug has bit you hard. Gentlemen... place your wagers for date he buys a second V11. I'm putting a dollar down on February 14, 2022.

Hmm, I don’t know about that. Seems like the map would still index to the start point?

Even if the narrative is in french, the models presented never really got old, even today!

Hi Jim, Unfortunately if you run a direct feed to the start relay of this bike it results in the lights coming On with the key off as you describe because 87A is alive with the key Off. Most other Guzzi models use a 4 pin start relay or leave the 5th pin un-used. There are a couple of ways around this 1) Restoring the original 30 feed from the ignition switch and adding an extra relay triggered by the existing trigger wire to the solenoid, this seems to be the way you are leaning at the moment. I would put that relay down by the starter and feed it's 30 contact with a 20 Amp fuse from the large solenoid hot terminal. The nice thing about this method is you don't really need to alter the original loom, the wimpy feed and tiny wires are perfectly adequate to supply the new relay coil. 2) Supply a direct feed to 30 (as you did) but clip the wire off the Start relay 87A contact and re-direct it to the wire you clipped off the Start relay 30 so now the ignition switch turns on the headlight relay directly (but now the headlight doesn't switch off while cranking). To get around this cut the ground off the Headlight relay coil and extend it down to the large terminal of the starter solenoid, not the live one but the one that goes to the starter motor. Now while the motor is cranking both coil terminals of the headlight relay are at 12 Volts so the relay drops out, when not cranking the relay coil is grounded through the starter motor. I'm not sure why you cannot get the ignition switch apart, First of all you only remove the two Phillips screws underneath the steering head to let just the contact block drop off leaving the lock in place. Tilt out the white contact plate by releasing the odd clip of the switch barrel. Drop off the battery Negative to make it safe or unplug it at the headstock. Putting it back, fasten the switch wires to the rear cover so the wires don't bend and snap where they are soldered to the switch plate. BTW A dirty ignition switch is often the prime reason for "Startus Interuptus", the Starter solenoid can draw up to 50 Amps for the split second while the gear is engaging, there are two coils in the solenoid not just the one the factory show, the Guzzi wiring and weak ignition switch chokes the solenoid through wimpy wiring to less than 30 Amps so it performs badly. With a direct feed the starter will engage 2-3 x faster.

Just contact Hyperpro directly. They will take all the info about the bike, your weight, riding style, etc. and build you a shock. Penske and Wilbers will do the same. I had them build it to the Ohlins spec. It's been a while, but if memory serves, part of the reason for the better handling on the Ohlins bikes is the taller rear spring (as compared to the Sachs unit).

..... and the process has begun! My money's on Dec. 24th. Nice bike VtStorm. Black is rare and beautiful

Heads up, in case nobody has mentioned it. The original Sachs shock (which it looks like your bike still has) is prone to failure at the rear mount. It's worth taking a close look where it connects to the swingarm for the tell-tale hairline cracks that precede failure.

Nope, the TPS provides a voltage to the ECU that depends on throttle position. The ECU interprets that voltage as throttle open angle, no matter what map you use. If you have a later model, eg Griso, things are different

It strikes me that throttle plate position/TPS setting are the one constant in the process. All other alterations to fuel flow relate to the position of the throttle plates and consequent airflow. Unless...

No, Sir. The TPS is set with a quality voltmeter to 157 mV with the throttle plate completely closed (linkage released, high idle cam released, right idle stop screw backed all the way off, clean bore and plate edge, and perhaps even lightly zip tied closed). This effectively indexes the map to the throttle angle. It is a fiddly operation as the TPS is so very sensitive. You will get a feel for how much it changes with the tightening of the fasteners and take this into account until repeated attempts finally produce the desired value. Changing the fasteners from the factory Torx/star to hex drive and obtaining a Casper's Breakout Harness (or equivalent) are helpful.

I found this little gem! unfortunately in french, so not accessible to everybody. Still, some scenes don't require translation. For those of you who were not around during those years, 1968, here's a very truthful piece about a girl riding a 450 Honda, and the early days of motorcycle fraternity in France. Her name is Arlette. Note the way dealership's mechanics interacted with their customers back then. The guy explains how the stroboscopic lamp is used to adjust the ignition. She also explains how being in a motorcycle group works, being a girl with her own motorcycle. The café were they meet is right in front the Alesia Church in Paris, 14th borough. They talk about the "Elephants" rally, that takes place in Winter in Germany. Back then, participating was like being in a special hall of fame for motorcyclist.

I vote for an upgrade to a Sport1100i. ;p No seriously - more oomph, even better looks, and if the V11 is like riding a biplane, the Sporti is like riding a steam locomotive. I'm still as in love as I was in 1997.

probably because I can't have it ... but.. I want it

As much as that sounds like something I would do...unless I came across a minty LeMans with low miles for an insane give it away price I couldn't ignore ($4k or less), I'm done buying bikes. I have 5 now, an MG, and two daily cars (one is a winter beater). So, 8 vehicles total...and in the Spring, I will sell my Monster 696 because I've had it 7 years, and I don't really ride her as much compared to my other bikes. ...And yes, the V11 bug has bitten me bad. I knew I'd enjoy a V11, but now that I actually got seat time, I "get it". I understand why Guzzis are a cult, especially the V11 Sport/LeMans, which I view as one of Moto Guzzi's watermark machines. I'm in love with mine. It's just simultaneously a rumbly, burbly, torquey, hairy-chested machine, but it is also svelt in some ways, elegant, almost feminine in others. My Ducati 900s have heavier clutches and brakes, though. You get a real workout working the gears and brakes with gusto on one of those. I can see you get a workout on a V11 just trying to hustle it through turns with the extra heft and torque effect of the shaft which I felt when moving along switchbacks. Both bikes demand physical exertion, just in different ways. A V11 really is a man's motorcycle.

This bike, the V11 Sport, is milled out of a solid chunk of motorcycle dreams. It ticks so many boxes the Japan Inc. machines still don't even know exist. It is the stuff of which dreams are made. I took a gamble, a leap of faith (not even riding a V11, buying a bike 1900 miles away without seeing it in person first), and I was handsomely rewarded. I am also relieved and grateful. Spring can't get here fast enough, Docc!!!

Sweeeeet, buddy! It actually had occurred to me how distraught I would be with so much enthusiasm for a bike, then dropping it at a shop not to be experienced until after a looooooong winter. I was feeling for you, there. So, glad you got a good ride in! A really insightful report. The actual weight bias is 45/55, so not as extreme as you would think. Most of the weight transfer is down to getting your springs and sags set for your weight and preferences. That can be dialed in. and I paraphrase: " . . . smooth . . . eager . . . carmel-like . . . . wingless bi-plane . . ."

"You check in...but you don't check out of the Guzzi family."

Something special to offer to a Guzzi love.... and cheap too; 6.00 Eur taxes included. https://www.laquiberonnaise.fr/sardines-millesimees/235-sardines-a-l-huile-d-olive-sans-arete-millesimees.html

Just saying the V11 isn't going fast enough to benefit from more air. I do like the extra space with removing the snorkels. But when going she will get enough air from front. Wondering how fast or slow you have to go, before hot air from the engine will interfere ( ZX12R has proven a few extra ponnies after,, was it 250km or, with ram air. Test 304km ) Cheers Tom

You are a lucky guy, sunshine in Bergen AND a V11. When I picked up the bike in Bergen,, the gent told me they woud have another festival if they coud pass the old record with 110days of pissing rain. West coast a bit up, no thank you. Riding in that area involves 42 tunnels, H traffic and rain. About the kissing,,,, no kissing in the morning, and we all know olive oil makes things smoth Cheers Tom

No, and why are you getting the ECU "reflashed" when Guzzidiag is available. Ciao

I spoke to MPH yesterday; although they would have no qualm working on your motorbike, they are no longer affiliated with Moto Guzzi.

I was born too late to meet such a majestic woman. Le Sigh.

Actually, the weather was nice.... but eating fish in the morning takes some training. I only managed by putting it between two slices of buttered bread... Also, kissing your girl friend "have a good day" prior to leave for work presents some additional challenges after Sardines. If you have any tips about that, please share them...

They have so far not replied to my email; but I am not surprised. This is probably a very small company, and they have a prominent phone number. I will send another reminder, if failing that, I will phone.

Thanks gents. No one yelled, “Stop! Are you mad!”, so I feel this would suit me more than battling with uncooperative hardened plastics - or left with a congealed melted blowout! My primary mission was simply to find a shortcut - which I’m encouraged from the feedback is doable & probably worthwhile. Now I turn to Phil A ‘s elegantly described & qualified concept to increasing airflow which it was hypothesised the funnels were to still be a limiting factor in supplying the larger throttle bodies (50mm?) even with the additional beer bottle flaring flanges! So... in hacksawing off what is effectively the anterior portion of the Inlet Elbow and incorporating that extra volume into the existing funnel opening above - would then these two whopping forward facing Elbow Scoops supply an ample amount of airflow into the airbox enclosure proper? Or would a state of inadequate cfm airflow supply to the cylinders still be present? Ergo..., would Phil A ‘s tri-teardrop (3Drop?) lid mod be: • absolutely required • harmonically beneficial • probably superfluous • negatively impacted Should both be done - or the Elbow Scoops be adequate?? I’m conscious that enough is enough - any more is likely just adding turbulence.

Hyperpro is an affordable shock if you get one without the reservoir. I upgraded a 2003 LeMans Sachs unit with that. It was a big improvement. As I recall, the Ohlins has a slightly taller spring than the Sachs unit, and Hypro asked if I'd rather have the shock made to match the Sachs specs or the Ohlins specs. Easy decision. If you want to go next level, try Penske or Wilbers. And it's not going to be $800. It's will be more.

Please let us know what they say! I’m down for a few tins!What an interesting place. I bet those sardines are darn good.

1929-30 Sport 14 (the second series of Moto Guzzi Sport)

Sorry, no Guzzi on my sardines, my daily breakfast 90% of the time. Cheers Tom Sent fra min SM-A525F via Tapatalk

I had similar thoughts when thinking about bell-mouthing my lid inlets. The air gets scrunched back down as it goes into the lid a few inches back. So is there any advantage to opening these up?

And, of course, "Bring Tools." Two different SpineRaiders allowed as how they were ready to deploy guzzidiag, if desired or necessary. The Lodge guest with the needy Yamaha (not a SpineRaider) was suitably impressed when @HRC_V4 produced an air pig for his low tire. "Bring Tools."

Just imagine being an Italian Corvette enthusiast. That's how I feel right about now. "Sergio, go buy a Fiat Uno!" "No! I want a Corvette!" That's me right now. 😆

Docc - please do not use that 1" bit on the air-box ... Geese are allergic to anything imperial - please find something marked mm ... (eg 27 x 10 mm holes should do the trick ... mmm)