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If you have the 4.5" wide rear wheel I would recommend the 160/60 rear tire. It will fit the narrower wheel better. The wider tire is a bit pinched on that size wheel. That leads to a poor profile shape and a less than optimal contact patch. Later V11's have a 5.5" wide rear wheel and it fits the wider tire fine. Still not my favorite, but it is what it is.

Haha, well, I am the V11 Poster Child for factory map, original injectors, timing chain/tensioner, original valves, valve guides, valve cover gaskets (pretty sure I should change those pretty soon . . . ).

Back from DMV...guy looked it up on his screen and confirmed it is a 2004. I mentioned the tenth digit on the VIN...he said that isn't always right. Alrighty then...new title will have 2004 also. Can't fight city hall. It is all legal and registered to me now.

G'day again folk's Well managed to get out for a wee 250 k jaunt Sunday to try latest settings.... I'm quite happy ( bloody rapt actually!) with the Comp on + 2 and rebound on + 4 so think I'll leave it there for the time being. It seems to be a good compromise for our goat tracks! Couldn't agree more about getting spring rate right and now I understand what all those road tests were on about under sprung and overdamped ha ha. My set up now is .95kg straight rate springs ( I'm a kick in the pants off 90 kilos ) and forks as above with them up through the triples by 8mm and a Hyperpro 460 emulsion shock at the rear with a Hyperpro steering damper set at +4 . One particular corner stands out that rams home the difference before /after suspension work. It was a tightish but sweeping downhill right hander taken at 110 kays, road was wet and had a trace of mud / muck on it that was unavoidable. The feel from the front was brilliant and I knew exactly what was going on all the way through it. The old set up was vague through here even in the dry! Thanks again folk's. Ps funny thing happened at the servo filling up before setting out. I pull in and lo and behold there's another Green V11 Sport at the pumps! I nearly fell off the bloody thing in shock and matey was just as stunned! Ha ha we had a laugh about you don't see two of these in the same spot.... Actually you just don't see two of these full stop ha ha ! Geez these things sound good eh! Guzzler

Definitely IW-031. Now to the refit!

Hey Activpop, FWIW, American Motorcycle Tire is showing inventory on 170/60 zr17: https://www.americanmototire.com/bridgestone-battlax-sport-touring-t32-170-60zr-17-72w-rear-motorcycle-12675/ Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32 & GT Michelin Road 6 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart 4 Conti Road Attack 2 Several Pirelli & Shinkos My '03 Lemans has the 5.5" width rim, 170/60 r17 v-rating rear tire and it is old too. I wonder if there is any difference in price or availability of the V rated versus the Z rated tires. I'm kinda thinking v rated replacement tires will be ok, I don't think my Lemans will do anywhere near 149mph+ but I've been wrong before. Good luck! Art

Lots of us with the earlier Sport's 4.5" rim have been running 160/60-17. Currently, I have a Bridgestone T32.

A car enthusiast in the family passed along several magazines published by the Hagerty Classic Car Insurance Company. (They insure classic motorcycles as well.) I've been really enjoying the articles and features (Jay Leno writes for them and I've always enjoyed his motor-headed perspective). In the Nov/Dec 2018 issue, I ran across a piece by journalist, Aaron Robinson, referencing the "Waddington Effect" which discovered WWII British bombers suffered increased reliability problems after their scheduled inspection/maintenance. While I have observed this in motorcycling and other road vehicles, I felt reassured that others have also found this to be real. More support for my reluctance to take anything else apart on the Sport before the South'n Spine Raid in six weeks. ( I want to earn my " " back! ) Those of you in aviation, marine, and other fleet maintenance may have heard of Waddington, but this is my first exposure and his findings ring true with my experience, especially that of my recent wheel bearing failure. A couple summary quotes to kick off the discussion: “The rate of failure or repair is highest just after an inspection and thereafter falls, becoming constant after about 40-50 flying hours.” - CH Waddington “But the fact is that the inspection tends to increase breakdowns, and this can only be because it is doing positive harm by disturbing a reasonably satisfactory state of affairs.” - CH Waddington “It was as if the old parts were jealous of the new parts and chose to ruin it for everyone.” - Peter Darragh, Mariner-USA

Haha, well our US State Governments will never be the most reliable source of critical information of some 20+ year old Italian motorcycle. As long as you know what to order parts for, the "2004" thing is just something to disclose if you ever sell her on. Seems you are making some excellent progress on your V11 journey!

Ok, found some 170's...some distributors were out of stock, found one that had them. I will consider the 160...need to do some more research.

No, my guess is about 1 o clock, if looking at the left cylinder from the side of bike. I'm still not certain if it is leaking. I hosed it down after the initial road side oil blow, and was surprised to see any oil at all remaining. Granted this was the first time i started it after replacing the vent line. I'm being optimistic though, it's probably another leak, not sure where. Like I said, once I get the new dipstick screwed-in, we'll start it and see.

if it ain't broke…

…still tinkering. Since buying this bike, I've ridden about 150 miles. All the while addressing any needs that are obvious, or suddenly pop up. I just replaced the oil vent line with success. However I still see some oil on top of the engine, almost looks like the left cylinder base gasket. I'll hose it off, take it for a ride and see if it continues, maybe is residuals as it's very little. I can't yet do that because my ape of a friend, cross threaded my dip stick! My used ebay stick is to arrive this week. Once received, I'll screw it in, go for a ride, and see where I stand.

Thanks, All!

I like to keep of list of good BBQ when I travel or get the urge at home. Somebody should start a list. As folks try the recommendations, then edit the list or give *** STAR ratings. I've never tried the white sauce chicken BBQ in Alabama. Driven by the place on may way to Daytona or Barber but didn't eat there. Tried some BBQ downtown B'ham, not rendered or smoked, so no stars. I'm a BBQ snob for sure.

Scrapple - everything but the oink.

Congratulations! And considering our spine frame's rarity and low production numbers, we're lucky to have folks with the passion to carry on.

Never. The Murphys already had emigrated to Italy those days

Mr Waddington must have had a sister that married a Murphy.

I realized the other day, I still have an elk heart in the freezer, which I like to cut into thin strips, soak in whiskey and make jerky.