Leaderboard

Buttoned up the Scura late last night and took it for a run - all working perfectly. Over the last couple of weeks I've managed to replace quite a few items, let me see if I can remember them all: 1. Replaced fuel petcock - old one was crusty, leaking and when I pulled it out of the tank had quite a bit of sediment accumulated about 1 cm high. I had this item on my bench for several years, finally decided to replace it. 2. With the tank off, it was obvious I needed to replace the fuel sending solenoid - prices had doubled on this just recently, but the wires on mine were broken and not repairable, it was crusty also, so a fresh one was installed. A bit tricky at first to install it so gas wasn't leaking, I put a little white grease in a thin layer on the threads...no more leak. 2a. Flushed tank out with extra gas to ensure no more sediment stuck anywhere else in the tank. Happy to report the tank went back on with no issues, just a slight push, and back in place, so no swelling to report. 2b. Fresh button hex head screws and washers on both the petcock and solenoid mounting brackets, as they were a mixed batch I believe from the prior owner. 3. Replaced all rubbers, fore and aft of the throttle bodies/airbox...snugged up easily. Replacement was quite easy. 3a. Thorough cleaning of the throttle bodies/butterfly valves, got a lot of crud removed from the walls of the throttle bodies and flaps closing snugly and completely. 4. Cleaned the airbox, small amount of oil at the bottom (normal), replaced air filter. 5. Installed new green shift lever that I had bought several years ago, love the feeling of the new shifter, feels a tad more precise. 6. On back order is the clutch extension line recommended by Scud to make clutch bleeding easier (like on my Norge/Griso) with a speed bleeder. 7. Changed spark plugs - right one had a bent electrode, how does that happen, both plugs looked quite decent, but fresh ones are always good. 8. Disconnected all electrical connectors, sprayed, cleaned and dried. Ensured plug wires properly and deeply connected in, rubber boots in good condition. 8a. Removed battery mounting bracket tray, scrubbed, sanded and painted it Black Cherry just to add some hidden color in the bike. Fresh rubber battery tray as well installed. 9. Have to put some Vaseline on the battery connectors and do a Carbtune TB synch now to fine tune it. 10. Late last night I saw that something is loose in my headlight, looks like a hexagonal piece of plastic, I assume it's the light deflector, but will see if that's possible to fix, or if I need a new headlight, I hope not. 11. Removed valve covers, replaced gaskets with the upgraded rubber REAL Gaskets from Tennessee, did a valve check, no adjustment was needed. Well, that's all I can remember, looking forward to more miles...always feels good to do the maintenance and get into the guts of the machine. I'd like to thank all of those who have helped contribute to the Tank Off Checklist, maintaining it, and also for those inventors on the site who make good replacement parts that are better than OEM (Upgraded Fuel line, green shifter, bleeder line). Much appreciated.

Right on the money. Best I saw on my 10k was ~40, riding 55-65mph. Worst was crossing New Mexico at 85mph, ~30. My fuel light comes on right at about 100 miles with 60 to go. Barely less than half. Annoying and easy to forget after a while.

All true. A 10 min warmup!! thats not good for fuel economy. Remember as I've mentioned before and most now know stopping and starting the engine especially from cold chews fuel in a major way due to the cold enrichment mapping. So 10 cold starts commuting to work and back will see the fuel economy dip alarmingly on that alone never mind the suburban traffic. Also every time you shut it down and start it hot it also goes onto the rich 3986 revolutions start mapping. So a 10 cold start week commuting with a few hot starts thrown in there for buying milk or whatever and the economy is going to suffer big time. Ciao

In other news, I finally landed on a center tank pad to cover up PO's crookedly applied pad and subsequent discoloration. The new pad hasn't completely resolved the problem, but it's better than how it was. Another benefit is that we know for certain what gender this bike is now.

Right, tank volume is more an actual, usable volume of 5.1 US gallons. (Don't make me reveal my method of proving this . . . ). The rest is trapped as fuel is returned to the right side of tank the away from the fuel tap. Probably the most commonly reported fuel economy in US gallons is 33-38 mpg. Agreed that dragging along at 2500 rpm is ungood. As is idling for 5-10 minutes (!). Get on, start up, ride off. Just keep the rpm and hard throttle under control for 8-10 miles. And, yes, the odometer (and speedometer) are "optimistic."

Paging Mr. Scudder.. Mr. Scudder to the red courtesy phone, please.. there are lots.

If your V11 does not cough, it is because you have an updated injection map. The cough originates from the obligation to respect European emission rules; the so called EURO-X. Guzzi could have easily ignored these rules for USA exports V11; but why bother? just make them all compliant with the most stringent requirements. Unless of course, you are VW, and trick the test.

Here's my 2021 patch and rocker, and I have enrolled again for 2022; hopefully, I will be able to do the 50 stops this year. If you check the 2022 tour stops, you will find that the organizer used one of my photo submission to mark the location. Stop #4; If the fancy was to take you, the tour portal is here! there is collection of photos video made from the 2021 tour participants. If you watch until the end, there is a majority of touring bikes; I did not see any other Moto Guzzi. Anyway, I will bore you with my reports when the tour starts in March. See you then?

Thanks very much for the update.

G'day Doc Yep the commute is 70-80kays one way mostly country and open road with 15 ish of suburban traffic included, so yeah reasonably smooth. It's probably less on the return ( longer ) leg when hitting the 35 kays of GOOD twisties especially if Mr Plod isn't looking... We have rather DRACONIAN attitudes to speed here in the Socialist Republic of Dan ( aka Victoria ) so need to be vigilant.... Cheers Guzzler

Manufacturer was doing a race in Vegas and very busy. I'll try to touch base with him this week. I left sample parts with him, so I thought I'd go back through Gettysburg and see him in the shop, take pics of carbon cloth options to post here. May not happen until I have a reason to go through there or a really nice day without responsibilities for a two hour ride each way. Still going to be a couple months... Planning on a batch of 12 to 15, with requested variants. Cheers, Frey

G'day fella's I seem to be only able to squeeze 17 litres into mine. With this I consistently get 270 kilometres before the low fuel light comes on and if pushed could get 300 but don't for fear of having to literally push it! This is on my commute so a mixture of conditions. On a ride/trip would be a wee bit less if ENJOYING the ride and would normally look for gas after about 220 ish kays. My mate Dave with the MV has a small tank and has smaller range so I don't have to think about it too much just refuel when he does, consequently not sure about mileage when out and about but would be less than the the commute. Cheers Guzzler Ps I look at gas as being a small price to pay for the pleasure of exercising these fair maidens.....

Important to note @Pressureangle is not on a V11, but an earlier Sport with a different tank.

Thanks Chuck & Docc, I have messaged Scud and hope to be able to join the super spring club in the near future. Ta

@VtwinStorm I have been recording my refuels since I got the bike, last year in April 2021. Below is a screen shot of the application I use to track all my trips and refuels. The two last refuels on April 18th shows the following: 32 miles per gallon is more or less what I do when I run errands in the city. 40.7 miles per gallon is a run from H'town to Navasota, with Ethanol free gas refueling at Buc-ee's Waller. The 37.1 average miles per gallon is current. I usually do 150 miles and I refuel. Although I have pushed it to 200 miles with the reserve warning lit.

One difference with my super cold-blooded carbed Ducatis, they need a few minutes to warm up. Will start and go with the Guzzi going forward...

Do you plan your trips according to Ethanol Free Gas availability? At least as long as you remain in Texas, it is not impossible. Still a challenge with a 150 miles safe autonomy motorcycle.

Luckily I have had good luck at Bucees no matter which location I hit. No issues with gas quality so far. The bikes and cars seem to enjoy the ethanol free fuel.

New to the forum having picked up a very nice '03 LeMans a couple of weeks back. Loving the bike but of course a week into ownership and having done just a couple of hundred km the dreaded shift return spring broke. Stuck in first gear but luckily only about 1km from my house so able to ride home. Unfortunately having this happen just a very short while into ownership does not exactly inspire confidence in riding this bike more than a few miles from my house. The previous owner did give me a spare spring but after reading through most of this forum I'm inclined to fit one of the super springs developed by you guys (and grab a spare as well). I'm so impressed by the effort and work that you put into figuring out a solution. Are there any still available? Cheers

Fuel selection matters. The V11 combustion is not ideally efficient and is influenced by numerous contributors. You get what you pay for. Seriously: try this current Shell V-power. It made a difference for mySport, even with the ethanol content.

I can share a couple of possible reasons. I had my Sport on a Dynojet chassis dyno. The torque curve on my bike craters at about 1800-2000 and then pops right back up. Just enough to give an "oh-shit" moment taking off on an intersection leaned over for a turn.. The other thing, putting in new plugs seems to help as well as a healthy move with the right wrist. I'm not saying this is a universal issue, just my experience. As they say, your mileage might very (especially if you fill up at Buck-ee's )

Our V11 are not the only Moto Guzzi that are not happy to idle or run at low rpm . . .

I washed the engine yesterday, took it for a 50 miles run today; I could not see any seepage. I am wondering if it only happens when I run it above 5k rpm. I am not certain I would do a 22 miles return trip just to fill up with Ethanol free gas. Unless it is on my way. I think John meant that we can use Ethanol mixed gas with our V11, but not in our Corvettes. At least not the vintage ones.

I don't have a Corvette. If I was to have one, it would probably be a C3, and out of the C3 line, most likely a 1976. Red of course.

So, as far as the start-up rich condition: four minutes at idle. Yet, I just start-up and leave-out keeping the rpm below 4000 for 6-8 miles. Looks like the "start-up enrichenment" would last a couple minutes once I am underway.

I could probably list a dozen reasons why the V11 can cough-sputter-stumble-hiccup-fart-or otherwise "mis-fire." When the contributors all combine to some extent, addressing the "source" can be very frustrating. As is the case with all "multi-causal" conditions.

4000 revolutions docc. Ciao

Yes. It appears the left throttle cable caught it, and disconnected it. I have since reconnected, and used zip ties to raise both connectors well above the throttle linkage. Just got off another 40 min ride...she runs a treat. Now that I'm here, my butt dyno feels more than 80hp under me. My 900SSs are 85hp, and the V11 feels like she pulls so much harder at highway speeds. Perhaps it is the torque? No matter. She's such a unique pleasure to ride. Wish I got on a Guzzi years ago, but no way in hell I'd ever own a small block Guzzi. The Big block 1100 has spoiled the hell out of me!

The left handlebar lever isn't a choke and doesn't change the mixture. Ciao

UPDATE: Took her for a run, a long run. She's running perfectly again. Slight hiccup, but what a machine. The V11 Sport is criminally undervalued. She's a bargain modern classic with such soul!

Fun day out yesterday, 3 days in a row of perfect weather to ride, and a nice rendezvous up in Navasota and surrounding areas...great to have lunch with P6X, look at the red LeMans, and enjoy a little run of the big blocks thru the back roads as well as pick up another tag on the Great Tour of Texas from a different angle than a day earlier.

Just so I clear up any confusion: like any quality long-term relationship, I'm willing to put in the work for my baby. She idled like she had two cylinders after I reattached both conectors...sounds amazing. I enjoy the Mistrals in sound and appearance. They so compliment this machine. I'm still obsessed and in love with the V11 Sport. Can't wait to really scrub in my Diablo IIs tomorrow!

Thankfully....no. Connectors are both totally different, even my stupid self can't screw it up as they won't match. I fired her up in the garage just now...on high enrich/choke...seems fine. It is very wet outside, so my road test will have to wait until tomorrow. I love this machine, and enjoy riding it so much.

Yes, doesn’t that fry the fuel level sensor?

Are they still using the same connectors that better not be reversed?

Not the pump, but the fuel level sensor and the electric petcock. That electric fuel tap was only fitted to the early V11 Sports and many of us decided to go to the manual option to eliminate that point of failure.

Think I found the offending parts responsible for my being left stranded. Appears the left throttle linkage caused two connectors, one for fuel (?), one for the left fuel pump (?) to BOTH come loose. After some fiddling (thankfully, didn't have to remove the tank), they are both connected again. I will use zip ties to add clearance from the linkage tomorrow and then, cautiously, ride her a few blocks several times. Glad it was obvious what it was, and why it was intermittent---because the connectors were both barely connected! Whew. My first Guzzi crisis cleared, if she runs well tomorrow...

Stop #27: Navasota Classic Rock Café; This is actually my third Texas Tour stop, but the other two were done in my 911, so I did not report them even if you are allowed 5 without your motorcycle. Today's ride was nice because it gave the opportunity to meet with @PJPR01, so we could hit the road with two Guzzi instead of one! Here's the detail of our trip today: 130 miles, with two Bluebonnet stops on farm to market 362, and an ethanol free gas fill at Buc-ee's Waller. A very pleasant excursion, in a incredibly nice Texas weather. Nice because we had a cooling wind tempering the heat. On a less positive note, there is oil on the right hand side of the sump. I was so happy to have the starting cured....

Had to stick the prop on it just for grins..

I was thinking about that too, Chuck. As far as these springs go, no news is good news. I have not heard of any failures yet either.

I'm cautiously optimistic. They've been in service long enough by now that if they were going to break, we'd have heard of at least one.. Unlike the OEM design, the spring calculator says they "shouldn't" break.

Reservoir lid turned out great, right? Actually, the above pic of the lid is from just the right angle that it doesn't look like someone spilled a jar of raspberry jelly on it. This is what it really looks like: This coating will be stripped.