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Not sure which of the 3+1 options, above, fits my situation, and possibly some combo. So, when Kathi and I got home last night from a few days away in Wellsboro, Pa. -- more at the Tellico pavilion about her attempts to cash in on my LI policy by killing me on Bataan Death March hikes! -- I found these on our front porch ... New shoes for my V7 III, the likely -- just now, anyway -- candidate for the run down to Tennessee. I had hoped -- never a method -- to R&R both front and rear and convert rims to tubeless, but time, always the least available resource, especially when as disorganized as I am, is kicking my gluteus maximus. So, even if I find the time to R&R the needy rear, it'll be tubes again. Moreover, while I'd like to replace both at the same time, only the rear is problematic. Still, did I mention time? I am retired; this is shameful and inexplicable. Trailering, the safest and most sissy option, is too sad to contemplate, but I'm not ruling it out (just yet). Other mounts? Sold the Norge. The Stornello is more my local machine, and its tires are needy, too. The Griso is hors de combat on account of my ham-fisted wrenching. While mounting its new tire -- my first No Mar victory, by the way -- I managed to muck up the speed sensor cable. My "fixes" have been both unsightly and unsuccessful. I'll spare you the graphic pix of those. The part is, as a practical mater, at least in any sort of "in time" sens, unobtanium. I just called a friend in Italy a few minutes ago who will try to find there and send to me. That leaves my "old shoe," the venerable EV. It has 107K miles but is -- knock on Mandello maple -- reliable ... AND has new tires front and back. Apologies for babbling on. Time to go down to the Moto Grappa, ponder my options, and, most importantly, execute, execute, execute. Kathi just looked over my shoulder, saw what I was doing, and said, "Bill, don't forget mowing, yard work, blah, blah, blah." At least she is a sweet-tempered supervisor. Bill

I'm seeing three tire strategies (and maybe a fourth, if you play your cards right) . . . 1) Calculate the tire life, strategize the lead-up riding, and make it home with at least a couple hundred miles to spare ( sketchy-me, again, The Gambler/ Jack of Spades ). ♠️ 2) Use up the existing tire with the lead-up riding and arrive at the SpineRaid with a 100% tire. (Randy, The Jack of Diamonds ). ♦️ 3) Wear out truck and trailer tires, but preserve motorcycle tires. "Get There. / Bring Tools." (A known, valid, strategy. Our most mature, and most calculated, element, The Jack(s) of Clubs ) : ♣️♣️ 4) Discover a tire fail and enjoin in the solution. Pray for divine intervention. (The Jack of Hearts. ) ♥️

Docc, does a Triumph Daytona Super III "With a Spine Frame" qualify for a Spine Raid Rally?

They'll fit any squarefin motor John. They might even work with roundfins but the fit will be a bit sketchy. Bolt pattern is the same though.

Since my body has been exhibiting "patina" for quite a few years, I don't seem to mind it on my motorcycles....

Especially if it's yellow!

Because the plug leads for the later valve covers come over the top of the valve cover under the black plastic cover/crash pad and the original ones come around the back of the head. Phil

I can guarantee you they fit docc. Same as 1100 Griso valve covers fit a V11. Phil

The general consensus on this and other MG boards has been that these are the best valve cover gaskets available for your V11 ➔ Valpolini. Here: https://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4634:18fc72d8b8aba03a4d84f66efabce82e Or for any other square head 2V big blocks for that matter..

Hi Docc, The bike is Champagne color. Tried loading picks to the site but could not. Bike pics are on Boston area Face Book Market and also Boston Craigslist.

Haha: " 5. I still might be confused. " Thanks for the clarifications. Yours weren't the only posts that had me confused. But, that's on me. I looked in my pile and see my replacement valve cover gaskets, for my thinning originals, are the green OEM "whatever-the-hell-they're-made-of " type. I did get the metal type for my eventual timing chest gasket change (also still original). The RealGasket silicone jobs go with me to places like the SpineRaid where a sudden need might arise. ( Thank you, @HRC_V4 ! )

Docc, 1. I mentioned that the silicone valve cover gaskets curled up after I removed them. They're squirmy to install and I've had a couple of them break the ears off. At one time, I had one silicone and one paper gasket on one of my bikes. 2 . I've found the green paper ones install best when glued on the head with grease and then aligning the valve cover. 3. Donnie at the Guzzi Tulsa shop mentioned that the later sandwich gaskets worked better. I misunderstood him and thought the didn't fit my V11 series. Lucky Phil and Pete corrected that for me and confirmed that they would fit. 4. In the future I'll look for the newer style valve cover gaskets. 5. I still might be confused.

I count three different gaskets in the discussion. The originally posted silicon gaskets ("Real Gasket"), the highly recommended metal gasket with self bonding surfaces, as well as references to the OEM "paper" (actually composite) gaskets. Frankly, I've found the thread hard to follow.

Pretty sure that is a NoMar with a hitch mount. I can ask. Or you can talk it up with Josh at the SpineRaid . . . Only if it's yellow! Or some other color . . . Won't be the first Trumpet at a South'n SpineRaid. South'n SpineRaid #2, 2006

I tried a set of the silicon realgaskets and went back to stock paper after getting leaks from squeeze issues. There seems to be a narrow window of correct torque for the cover hold down bolts and I never found it.

"And find they're difficult to reuse once they get a little bent." You must be speaking of something else. Impossible, these cannot bend.

I did that until the aluminum threads of the manifold came out with the bolt one time. I'm certain this had something to do with the shaved ape that was turned the wrenches . . . Then it was back to the brass fittings with caps.

The crimped stainless steel gasket with a pressure sensitive sealant coating is a leap forward in gasket sealing over the old style composite and it's variations in different materials. The "crimp" in the metal base acts like a spring to adapt to changes in the joint due to thermal expansion etc or in the case of an MLS head gasket variations in temps between say the bore bridge area and the outer circumference of the cylinder. They also adapt to the rigors of high stress engines that can sometimes suffer from "head lift" and still maintain a seal. The pressure sensitive coating function is self evident. Brilliant things and cheap to buy. A must fit to the BB front engine cover anytime you have it off.

It's ancient technology. These. https://www.valpolini.com/index.php/home-en/prodotto?&fID=1574 Phil

I've used them. Had them tear. And find they're difficult to reuse once they get a little bent. I advise anyone as ham fisted as me to always carry a couple of spares if they're going overnight or longer. I find it's easiest to glue paper ones with grease to the head and install the cover over it. The silicone gaskets like to squirm around. I know some riders that have never changed out the paper gasket and never had a problem. Man, they're good.

for realgaskets parts. Used...and re-used on my V11 without incident.

Hope everyone is well, I got nothing practical to add to the forum but just to say hi, guzzi running great, thanks for the info, i read alot and use it all.

I'm currently in "wear the rear tire out so I can put the new one on" mode lol.

Haha! "Two out of two doctors agree" . . .

Thanks all. Chuck, I was going to close the modular when I was on the highway. Man, the bike went down with no warning, scraped the pavement and threw me off. I really didn't know what happened until I got to the shop and remember pulling that crap out the fender and wrapped around the caliper. When you're 68 years old and roll on the pavement, well..... I had done a full gym in the morning, took a dive in the afternoon, rode the bike, still ticking now. Actually, feeling OK but my lower back is stiff but a little better than last night. Mechanically the bike seem good. Some of the trim and bars need to be replaced. So far as I could tell the paint and engine are OK. The only mark on the gas tank is rubber mark on the right side from one of my boots. I'm guessing it'll clean off. Don can fix it while he tries to take the pan off- I'm still pissed about that. Found that Cabella's has those earplug mold kits, gonna head there after breakfast. I don't want to look at the Shoei.

Bass solo 1:50-3:30! Just awesome!!

FWIW. I removed the evap can T-hoses and capped the manifold ports with high temp vacuum caps bought from McMaster-Carr. The problem with the caps is that every so often a cap would blow off during cold start cranking. To prevent the cap from blowing off I cinched the outside diameter of the cap with small gauge ss lock wire. Then over time I noticed the high temp caps discoloring from heat, I eventually removed the caps, manifold nipples and replaced nipples with screws & fiber sealing washers....it's been fine since.

There is no advantage to running a line between the two throttlebodies. The factory does that when they need to connect the two throttlebodies to the EVAP system. If the EVAP system "fell off" there is no longer a reason to connect the two throttlebodies. Nothing bad will happen if you do run a line between the two throttlebodies, but it doesn't help either. Do whichever is more convenient to you. I think directly capping off the ports at the throttlebodies is more convenient, but if you find a tube between the ports is more convenient do that.

I just posted it to WG, so it's the same screed. Well I binned my Moto Guzzi EV and scraped myself up pretty good. I was taking a left hand cloverleaf downhill to merge on to the expressway, lightly trail braking and the bike low-sided and scraped the pavement. I highsided and rolled over and kissed the pavement twice since my modular helmet was open. The bike was still running on the curb. All kinds of traffic was barreling down that blind cloverleaf behind me. A couple of good Samaritans helped me get the bike up and asked if I wanted an ambulance. I want to get the bike moved, my shop is couple miles away. Anyway, we got it up and it started. The windshield, running boards, crash bar and grab handled were buggered on the left side and handlebar bent. There was a big bunch of wadded plastic like packing material in the front fender it was wrapped around the caliper. I didn't consider it at the time but I'm pretty sure that was the culprit. I had my gear on but my old mesh jacket ripped and I've got road rash my forearm and elbow, my nose and chin are scraped as well a small spot on my right knee. Those riding jeans I wrote about aren't ripped. My Shoei is a little knacked on the chinbar since it was open. In the mess of getting it all together I lost one of my custom earplugs, this irks me the most. I call the wife and tell her to meet me at the shop. The cops come by and asks if I want an ambulance. I've got my gear on by then and just want to ride it to the shop. The clutch won't work, it's lost the pivot pin. We find a sheet metal screw on the pavement, good enough. I try to adjust the mirrors and fail. So I ask the cop to block traffic so I can ride it. For some reason he's screws around and I just take off down the expressway at the first break. I get off at the first exit and doubleback 3 miles to the shop. I finally get the mirrors adjusted half way there. I'm grateful to be moving to get some air riding back with the helmet still open. When I get there one of the techs wife is an EMT and they patch up my elbow. I wait and call my wife again, she misunderstood and is panicked and not left yet. I try to cool off, wash up and drink lots of water. Bev picks me up. I get home have a beer and take a Tylenol and a stashed muscles relaxer. Take a shower and have scotch and write this story. I'm going to have to get earplugs. I've got other helmets and jackets. My lower back is a little sore.