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Bloody hell. I really feel for those in the Northern climes who have to lay their bikes up for the savage winters! We're lucky in being able to ride year round down here and absolutely do so,I did grow up in Christchurch NZ where the winters are harder than Melbourne ( nothing like Europe & Nth America/Canada though ) and sure as hell don't miss the black ice etc and sliding down the road on my arse. Ha ha too old for that shit and thankfully don't see any of it where we are. I do get a bit toey after a couple of weeks if I can't get a ride in and with Covid lockdowns and a miserable wet winter it's been THREE WEEKS now! Still not as bad as the time we moved house, 3 x MONTHS !! If I had to do that every year I'd have myself measured up for a straight jacket and start padding the walls here in the house... Things are looking up though as we're half way through Spring and it will get better. For those of you laid up, hang in there eh, Cheers Guzzler

Consider it done! Glorious 133 mile day on hilly backroads, almost no traffic (I did pass that one Porsche. Because I could.) Perfectly clear, dry 60ºF/ 16ºC. Not the greatest view, but gives an idea of the roads here. This is the point that mySport posted an honest 200,000 kilometers. And ran sooooo great all day!

Seems that a V10 RedFrame should have a 9" rear. Oh, wait, that is something entirely different . . .

Pretty sure we all feel for ya, buddy. Personally, I surely don't have the patience or restraint to do what you have done and sit it out until spring to be riding a sweet RedFrame V11 Sport. Cold front passing tonight here. Tomorrow will be the most joyous, Mandello-like weather mySport will have breathed since the spring. She absolutely loves it! I can hardly wait for even just tomorrow! Cannot imagine waiting 'til spring . . .

Classy? Yes!! Tuxedo? I was thinking more black party dress with red pumps . . .

Also, a red frame V11 Sport in black with the silver engine, trans, bevel box, and wheels really looks classy. She's timeless, ageless, like a fitted tuxedo. The V11 is a criminally underrated machine.

I've just changed the fork oil on my V11 with the Ohlins suspension myself after having the forks professionally restored some 12000 miles ago. (They were giving me oil leak problems and the mechanic saw some minor corrosion/pitting that he thought might be responsible for new seals not curing the problem. Since getting them professionally recoated and nitrided I have had no problems. The company I used was Brookes Suspension in Leeds, UK) In looking for information prior to changing the fork oil I looked at various sources of information and in doing so I saw what appears to be a mistake in the Guzzi Owners manual or the Ohlins documentation. The Guzzi manual says that the Allen key adjustment at the top of the forks is for compression damping and the Allen key adjustment at the bottom is for rebound damping. However, I also found on the internet, an Ohlins PDF document for the FG43 fork for the Moto Guzzi Scura (that I'm assuming is the same as my 2005 Cafe Sport) that very clearly shows the top adjuster is for rebound and the bottom for compression damping. Which is right or have I picked up the wrong Ohlins documentation? Having partially dismantled the forks I am tempted to try experimenting with adjusting them and perhaps re-setting them up since I am on the "lighter than average" side and my Ghezi-Brian conversion took 30kgs off the weight; hence my interest in clearly understanding what does what before I start. Can anyone clear up this confusion?

You got it Phil............. Its all in those little details. Ciao

The bump stop. It's what prevents damage to the shock internals when it bottoms out. You need to remove the spring and the eye end to replace it and removing the eye end is no joke even for a "shock expert". It involves heating the eye end to get it hot enough to to release the thread locker then a shaft holding tool, sometimes even in a shop press to hold the shock shaft to undo the eye end. I would cut a shallow groove around the perimeter of a new bumper that will accommodate an electrical tie wrap then cut it so you can spread it and slip it over the shaft and use the tie wrap to clamp it in place again. Ciao

Docc, you are more useful than"Guzziology". Thank you, and congrats again. May you and your Red Frame have another 20 years and 124k miles of safe, comfortable riding joy.

The "wide sump" (regardless of which gearbox) was designed for the round access plate to access the filter without removing the entire sump as in all prior Guzzi Big Blocks. It's value and use is the matter of some differing opinions. It is removed with a 27mm hex drive. While I don't recall Moto Guzzi actually built a special tool for this, there have been several aftermarket. One of the 27mm axle nuts can be put to task, as necessary. Be diligent and mindful re-installing it so as not to cross thread into the sump! Eh, well, my speedo is in miles. I had been trying to figure out how to get my Speedhut to display kilometers, but have not gotten there. So, while "124,274.2 miles" doesn't really look very interesting, I did get this on the lead up:

Also again thanks to AF1 Racing and MGCycle, I was able to find the last parts I was looking for. Love these vendors!

No need to wait till spring time….throw the bike on a trailer and head south…ride some nice roads while there’s still no snow…and head back home!

It's about the "look" docc. That's the real reason mine has one. Ciao

I've got to find a way to get out of this communist country so we can share some stories and ride some miles ............

Ahhh Doc. I've done this before and it all worked out so well.

Well, you live in Tennessee... I'm stranded deep in New Hampshire. Late this week it will finally start dipping into the high 30s overnight. I hate the short riding season here. It is a kick in the teeth every Nov- April. Le Sigh. Carve some corners and scrub some tires for me, Docc.

Those fuel line connectors will take practice . after you get the hang of it , it will smoke you on how easy it is to disconnect . Push the hose toward the fitting , then push the quick release away from the fitting {you may have to rotate the sleeve portion} and allow the hose to slide away from the fitting .

Yes, you can damage the shock internally if it bottoms out. Ciao

LeMans are always red. Just like red frames are always green.

Thank you, Guzzimax. I bought a 100 year anniversary book on Guzzi, and no production numbers are listed. Unlike every Ian Falloon Ducati book I own... because I was also interested in production numbers for colors, years, etc. Black was not my first choice in color for the V11, but after finding nothing but clapped-out, high mileage, overpriced, abused examples of the breed locally...I expanded my search for the best V11 Sport I could find in the entire US. I found this one around 1200 miles away, and after a non smoking startup video...I paid over the phone and got her in 2 weeks. I would have loved a greenie V11 Sport, but I couldn't find one. That color really adds to the personality of the motorcycle. I think the Givi bikini fairing adds some balance to the front, really looks great and I'll be keeping it. Never could find production numbers anywhere...if anyone knows, I'd love to know. For the V11, with no actual sources, I hear around 5k bikes a year...but don't quote me on that, as it is hearsay. Love my burly V11. What a cracking motor!

A shock bumper. Intended to keep the shock shaft/spring collar etc. from damaging the shock body at full travel. They all seem to be made of a semi-porous polymer, the advantage of which is that the porosity allows them to crumble from the inside out. Here is a link to a site which seems to be bumper central. https://www.resuspension.com/bump-stops/ohlins.html That's the good news. The bad is that one must removed the spring, collar and anything else on the shaft in order to install it. If you live anywhere near a bike suspension shop (often dirt bikes), they do this all the time.