Leaderboard

My brother, who got me into motorcycling, performed this valuable life-learning experience for my eternal benefit . . .

Wasn’t the spark plug experience mandatory growing up all over . Some things just need 1experience to be remembered. Cheers Tom.

Two of mine also, one in Norway one in Panzertruppe on the Eastern Front. Both were POWs eventually, of US and RUS respectively. The latter had some stories. His wife, my great-aunt, lived thru the firebombing of Berlin, sweetest woman. He taught me how to fix a lawn mower engine when I was 10, had me confirm there was spark by having me hold the spark plug wire while he pulled the cord.

I was perusing some archives of the South'nSpineRaid and ran across this post [edited] from SSR XII/ 2016 and thought it lends some perspective: Posted March 15, 2016 As spring is performing its springing here, and the Sport rolled over 98,000 miles today, I'm motivated to revisit the raison d'etre of Spine Raids, and Spine Raiders. The inaugural South'n Spine Raid was all about getting a few V11 together in order to get some 'semblance of understanding of their traits, transitions , and taming. This was 2004, about a year after Jaap launched this forum. It was massively revealing to put the four V11 side by side and pore over them. Along with my 2000 Sport was the 2002 LeMans of TheProfessorHisOwnSelf @andy york (now with something like 120,000+ miles), @Bill Hagan on a 2003 Ballabio whose absence in his life haunts him to this day, and a beautiful black 2004 LeMans. Since no photographic evidence exists of that event, we need say no more . . . With no SSR in 2005, we've gathered every year since in the TN/NC/GA mountains. The collective experience is beyond words. So many great folks, so many interesting bikes (not all V11 or even Guzzi), so many Tech Sessions (some rather impromptu!) After moving the meeting place around for several years, we've settled on TheLodgeatTellico for so many reasons, not the least of which are [the] garage and [the]breakfast! I am reminded to repeat the disclaimer: This is not an event, rally, or official gathering of any kind. It has nothing to do with V11LeMans.com, its owner, administrators, moderators, members, posters, spouses, offspring, or pets. There is no fee, no insurance, no sponsors, no map, no plan, no organization, no support. No , no T-shirt, sticker, patch, pin, or swag. There is no release to sign because there so no one to release any more than the last time you took your bike somewhere or showed up to talk with some fun folk. It's like Burning Man. Without the smells. So, let's say some V11 are likely to be in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Some at [the] LodgeatTellico, but often folks stay all around. This year, a little nuance: the theme of the Slimey Crud Run, up in Wisconsin, seems à propos, especially for Saturday: "Show up. Plan your own route." ____________________________________________________________________________________ [edit: The "Slimey Crud Run" motto was the inspiration for the SSR motto, with our own V11 twist]: Get There. Bring tools.

What is it about that generation...of Germans? My Grandfather taught me in precisely that way. He was a WWI AAC mechanic. His 'right hand man' was a former POW Luftwaffe mechanic. Our family comes primarily from Frankfurt and Gdansk, though both in the 1800s. Learning was always interactive with them. One Great-Uncle drove a heavy truck through WWII, another was tail gunner in a B-17 and after surviving 10 missions with a dozen kills, they brought him to Pensacola to be a gunnery instructor.

I had to look up that “Burning Man” reference. I then saw that "smells" at one had nothing to do with the other. A noncombatant in the sexual and other revolutions of the '60's and '70's, I have never been into druidical gatherings of the Burning Man sort, tho my parents, both closet bohemians and hippies, would have loved to attend the early ones at least. For me, however, the term evoked another “burning man,” and I was puzzled by the connection until I did the wikipedia thing and learned about about the one @docc mentioned. The "Dead Man’s Corner” in my head was this: I visited that spot in May 2018 with five other Old Flatulent paratroopers like me who, at least in our fading memories, “were soldiers once … and young.” We toured several battlefields and cemeteries where, in particular, our “alma mater,” the 82d Airborne Division, the 101st, and other airborne formations had fought in WWII. Many are still there. As I started my Army life as a tanker, and my father was an armored crewman in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy in that unpleasant international event of ’39 - ‘45, I was especially drawn to the affair at Dead Man's Corner. By now, if still reading, here’s that story: Dead Man's Corner God bless all those brave folks. Feeling (somewhat) apologetic for thread drift, Joe & others, I did do some Guzzi-sightseeing, too. Met these folks at a rest area at a rest area: And stopped here to kick tires: Jaap was, regrettably, vacationing in the UK when I was near his home Nijmegen/Arnhem, of “A Bridge Too Far” fame, so we couldn’t link up. Ciao, Bill

Remind me to tell the story of a friend, a Kawasaki 500 triple, and being able to run on two cylinders... (Spine Raid content)

Yes, quite the place. BTDT ... but, thankfully, not in June of '44. Our entire 10-day tour of airborne battlefields in France, Holland, Belgium, and Grmanywas inspiring. Touring cemeteries was sobering. The latter visits included German ones; two of my uncles were in the Wehrmacht and my mom a physical therapist at a German military hospital in Rottweil! As a retired career U.S. Army guy that amazes even me. Stories, if you care, in May in Kentucky. Bill

319 miles from me, I’m in on the bid for that greenie.. just sayin, you may be able to outbid me since I’m kind of a bottom feeder right now, just dropped a lot of cash on a new car today.

I can only think that @Pressureangle could make this happen. As much trouble as these crossovers caused early on, I can't imagine how "floppy" they might be now. And the (outdated) opinion that they get loose, but won't fall out? Uh, yeah, the crossover can actually fall out and go bounding zither&tither as following bikes deal with the event (SSR X/ 2014) . . .

Probably not from the original folks involved since they haven't been active for a loooooong time, and the thread is almost 20 years old That might be a record for a thread resurrection! That being said, there is a dimensional drawing in the first posts of the thread, and if that is accurate you could possibly take that to a machine shop and have them made. Or... I just discovered that MPH cycles makes these! So you may just be in luck https://mphcycles.com/v11-spine-frame-exhaust-crossover-gaskets/

Love the bike. My first new bike purchase was a '77 xs650. $1999. Learned all about carbon brushes on the side of I-8 around 3AM. Packing for road trips was......creative.

Just bought a Royal Enfield Scram 411 today. Picking it up Saturday.

They are not. We did a few to start, but the stainless material and our engraving machine didn't like each other very much. To send them for laser engraving would have added to the cost.

I have, always A OK by me.

Bill, thank you for your service and the lesson in history. I started up the OL' Google machine and found this.... https://dday-experience.com/en/

I think everyone may have missed my edit to my post above which was: So it appears that MPH already makes them

While I'll accept the flat tappet fiasco was a disaster in many ways I don't know what he's gibbering about about electrics or lubrication? As for dealerships? Well, yes. And roadside assistance? If you get sucked in by that shit you deserve everything you get! No idea

“It’s like Burning Man. Without the smells” Classic Doc, what a great “idea”

I spoke to the owner, who is very nice, and now too elderly and ill to ride anymore. So although I don't think he wants to sell the bike, he has decided it is time to let it go. The bike has been sitting for about 5 years, and hasn't run since then. As you can see, there are only a few lower resolution photos in the FB Marketplace ad, and he's not able to move the bike around to get better photos. He says it is in very good shape, but does have some minor rash on the left hand engine and pannier guards, and a chip in the paint of the left bag from a stationary gentle drop some time ago. One of the side covers is cracked, but he says he has a NOS replacement. It is interesting that it doesn't have the "skunk stripe" seat, which would have been normal for the black CalVin. The all black seat typically came with the white CalVin. I forgot to ask him about why his black CalVin seems to have the white CalVin seat. It wouldn't surprise me if it came from the factory that way, as we've seen other inconsistencies with MG products. It currently doesn't have a battery, drained of fuel (good), but some wiring is chewed through by a rodent in the battery compartment. So currently it doesn't run, and he isn't in a position to get it running. Given that I'm nowhere close to give it a close in-person inspection, and he can't verify that it will run, I told him it probably isn't for me, at least not for $5000-5500. He wondered what I would then offer, but I told him that I really couldn't offer anything that he would find reasonable for what is currently a non-running bike with unknown issues. I told him that just about any prospective buyer would likely have similar concerns unless he can get it to at least run. And he agreed that he'll probably need to get it running to get any serious buyers interested. So I just asked him to reach out to me if and when he gets it running, and then maybe if I can find someone from the Guzzi community that is local and willing, perhaps they can go by and inspect the bike and get better photos, etc... then see if we want to go from there. So we'll see. If there isn't anyone from here in the Colorado Springs area, maybe I'll see if someone from MGNOC or Wildguzzi is in the area.

Available via auction, ending April 15th, 2023. Current bid: $170 USD 2000 Moto Guzzi V11 Sport, Green, 12894 miles https://auctions.yodersold.com/auctions/8151/lot/10699-Motorcycle-2000-MOTO-GUZZI-V11-SPORT

Available via auction, ending April 15th, 2023. Current bid: $225 USD 2002 Moto Guzzi V11 Lemans, Champagne, 11756 miles https://auctions.yodersold.com/auctions/8151/lot/10622-Motorcycle-2002-MOTO-GUZZI-V11-LEmans

And this... yep, if I even were to consider this, I'd wait 2-3 years to see what bugs get worked out, and what other models show up.

Very much so docc. I love the style of the classic standard. So many iterations to choose from. When I'm tempted with something new, I look back at mine and wonder what's the point in chasing what I already have. Early concept pic, some things have changed. it has mufflers now

+1 . . . Many of you know what a champion I have been on the HIGH Current OMRON (and now the High Current CIT). I am currently on my 7th generation of relays. (Yep, I got to say "Current" and "currently" in the same post. ) Ironically, my only relay failures have been the High Current OMRON G8HE. I traced this to a faulty regulator combined with probable voltage spikes from a failing Yellow Wire connection from the stator.

I'd fully serviced my relay connections with DeOxit, tightened spades and installed genuine (?) Omron relays per much discussion. I was in Daytona this weekend (not preferred, but old friends in town) and after a half hour of stop-n-go traffic in hot sun, 88*, just as I approaching a parking lot I began losing power, eventually barely moving, then only idling, then sputtering to a stop. Fortunately I drifted into a parking spot. I immediately removed the rear seat and felt the relays (1100 sport has 4) 3 were hot, #2, fuel pump, was too hot. I restarted twice, both times with sputtering and dying. I installed one of the spare relays we all carry and it seemed all was right again. Obviously, the air, pavement, and engine temps were very high, with no air movement under the seat. Also, my bike only holds 12.4 volts at idle, so current through the relay was higher than at RPM. It's rare that I enter any sort of traffic, but I thought a simple enough solution is to mount a computer fan to blow across them. There's plenty of room outboard in the tailpiece, so I'll be doing some discovery on that pretty soon. I'll see if I can't engineer some test scenarios with heat gun and pictures.

"IF" You're in the market for that type of bike,I'd be on that like a fat kid on a smartie The story & history sounds legit. He's got a major headache on his hands right now, I'd be inclined to offer 3.5-4K,as is,where is, and have a shipper get it to you for $500? It's too bad it's not closer to you. The rodent damage should be relatively easy to solve,it should be very apparent what needs repairing,and the wiring on the CalVins is much easier to work on compared to the V11s once the seat,covers,plastics are removed etc. If the rodents chewed through 1 or 2 wires,not that big a deal,,,if they had their family over for a buffet on the whole harness,,,that may be different I'll share some of the details on my CalVin, it may help you decide yeh or nay. I always kept tabs on local guzzis for sale,my CalVin 15k kms was first listed at $9500 about 6 yrs ago,it was over priced and there's not much market for guzzis here,so it never sold. Every 6 mths the seller would drop his price by $500,and after a while,he finally got down to $6500, about the same time my DL1000 VStrom let me down for the final time. My CalVin had already had the dissolving in tank fuel line replaced,so that headache was taken care of. They usually go within the first few years and are replaced then;it would be nice if that job has been done on the bike you're looking at. I offered my seller 6K,loaded it on the trailer and took the headache off his hands. I thought California Vintage, meant "vintage" wiring,so when I only got one key with the bike,I thought it would be simple to have a copy made. Wrong! Because the engine management system is from the Breva 1100,there is a chip hidden in the plastic part of the key,I was luckily able to get the 2nd key from a previous owner. If you buy the bike,make sure you get 2 keys,if you don't, it's a pita to get a 2nd one married up to the ignition system/ECU. When I bought the CalVin I had read about it being the last of the Tonti Frame bikes, and due to the racing heritage,it was reviewed as being a very good handling cruiser. So I threw it around back roads with that mindset and was extremely disappointed,it's too heavy,it wallowed like a whale. All I changed was my mind set,and learned to ride it like the fine leather Italian couch that it is;over time it's become my favorite,steady dependable ride. I was initially very hesitant,about the heel/toe shifter floor board set up,but grew to like it so much, I picked up a set of floor boards to put on my G5. Everybody's back is different,mine does best with a curve leaning forward helping to absorb road shock,the sitting straight up cruiser position on my CalVin would jar my back every now and then;I added an AirHawk & rolled the bars as far forward as possible,it's very close to perfect for me now. The seat on the bike you're looking at looks like it's been reworked or it's a custom;the foam seems thicker & the vinyl panels & stitching don't match my skunk seat. idk The values on the CalVin were dropping,but it seems like they've bottomed out and are starting to rise,all of the older Tonti cruisers,seem to be holding their value & rising. That bike looks like it's missing the lower leg shield plastics (they're fragile af) it should have new tires,battery,wiring repair,possibly the fuel tank line repair(which is a pita),but it could be a very good bike for you "IF" that's what you're looking for. fwiw ymmv good luck

"While I'll accept the flat tappet fiasco was a disaster in many ways I don't know what he's gibbering about about electrics or lubrication?" I guess: No grease on shock linkage + startus interruptus

This is a timely topic. With the low euro exchange rate, I ordered a crossover & muffler from Mistral last year,it worked out very well;regrettably I wasn't aware of the floppy crossover issue or I would've ordered a set of their non crossover header pipes at the same time. I've been preoccupied with other matters so I haven't done it yet,but I was intending on picking up a set of Mistral Header pipes,but then you end up going down the rabbit hole requiring new exhaust collars from MGCycle,or cutting the oem pipes because the oem collars are captured on the headers,gaskets,etc. My front header crossover & gaskets are fine,sealed well, working perfect,but I'm sure that's only because the bike has never had serious miles put on it,only 6K. From researching it,I'm certain that I'll have the floppy crossovers sooner rather than later;Murphy tells me it will be right in the middle of riding season,I'd love to take preemptive action or have a solution in hand to address the problem. Tks Al for posting that link,first I've heard of it,has anyone used the MPH solution,yeh or nay on it?

The oil in the sump can "slosh" and uncover the pick-up, especially if the oil level is low. Check that first and report how far down the stick it is. Otherwise, this is the reason there are "Roper Plates", or in today's parlance, "The Rusty Star Picket Project" . . .

I think I have this headlight and while it’s not the original look it’s not bad. The bike now is less sport-naked and quite a bit more street-fighter. I was going to say sport-naked/street-fighter but that makes it sound like an erotic Jean Claude Van Damme movie.

I had a look at the part, it's certainly something we could make. We're in expansion mode right now and alternating between 'buried' and 'catching up'. I haven't even been able to get the plastic balance rod knobs made yet.

MyECU uses an Android app and bluetooth dongle to tune. It's a fundamentally simple system with complete ownership of the program. The only complaint I can make is that I need reading glasses and a magnifying glass to make adjustments to a small map area as the numbers are tiny. I believe you can export the .bin files into TunerPro, but I've not done it.

Yes they did seem to take it seriously. Kevin was either bored or genuinely interested. I wonder how many reviews of every new ICE bike will begin with "and it's not electric"

Guzzidiag? What's that do? I have a Jeffries MyECU. Yes, my idle speed on the tach is within ~50rpm of actual at idle. I keep it to 1150-ish.

I agree 100% with Giuseppe from the same article- Giuseppe Grisi 20 hours ago All that is well and good. Maybe. Fair question: Can Gooz execute? Fact is they prototyped this motor what 25 years ago? And the look, the vibe of the bike recalls an awkward take on the regrettably failed Terreblanche experiment. They'd be way better off today if they'd had the ball bearings to roll with it. It's all indicative of a company missing the backbone to lead. Yes, Guzzi is sometimes nice on design and dynamics, but just abysmal on execution. At the end of the day Gooz reliably fails and shows contempt for its customers by pumping out poorly assembled, poorly executed, not ready for prime-time bikes. Don't believe me? Three little words. Griso valve train. Look it up. And I'm going to beat on that drum and add: Griso electrics. Griso lubrication. This all applies to Stelvio as well. Don't get me started on dealerships, service, the Roadside Contempt Program. So until someone can persuade me that Mandello has implemented a well-funded and serious program to vet components, vendors, assembly line performance and invests in a serious way on building the dealer network, the answer is: non tra un milione di anni Hey, three time Gooz owner here. Just fired up a couple of them for the first time this year. So I've been there, rode that, got the toolbox to prove it.

Are there indications to simply replace with an OEM regulator? Does the 1100 Sport have same vulnerable yellow output wires that are prone to breaking off at her stator?

7800 miles….it’s not even broken in yet.

that looks nice!

No engine heat problem, to far away. Smells more like a Shindengen fix . Cheers Tom.

It's interesting how when something sits for years it begins to show its age, even if it is sheltered. Paint and other finishes oxidize, as of course do metallic parts, and plastics can do weird things too as they age, especially if they were cheaply made. If one hasn't checked on it for a couple+ years, it is always amazing to find something like corrosion or peeling paint and wonder "how did that happen?". ...time happened For example, my bike has been sitting covered for many many years in a garage, and cleaned and started at least a few times a year, but the garage is not climate controlled. So condensation, humidity, dust, "air" have still taken a small toll on some of the finishes, and in a few cases a more serious toll. One example is the front subframe. The left side where it bolts to the engine has rusted significantly and the paint on the subframe around that bolt has peeled away. I can only assume this is where condensation from humidity settled for years and got under a knick in the paint. It's not a big deal, I actually have a spare NOS subframe, or can just have this one repainted, but is interesting to see how things can deteriorate even when sheltered.

I'm not sure I read Luciano's response to say they would provide anything for free, but you certainly could ask them and discuss a possible quid-pro-quo situation I suppose

I have switched from my long-loved Pirelli to Battlax tires the last few changes and "like" the T32 very much. I say "like" because motorcycle tire preferences are so much like music and ladies. It's a good thing we don't all "like" the same thing!

Thanks for bringing up this topic; UTAC used to based in Monthlery France, where I happened to do my High School. UTAC stands for Union Technique de l'Automobile et du Cycle. Monthlery has a racing track where Grand-Prix F1 and Motorcycle took place when I was a kid. While in Monthlery, we used to go to the track to watch cars while they were being tested, and spoke with the UTAC technicians. UTAC has grown and has an international footprint today. However, the headquarters are still based at the Monthlery racing track like they were in the 60's when I was there. The track is no longer certified for racing, but it is used for numerous events of all kinds for cars and motorcycles. UTAC is the company you would use to do all your testing including certification. They can be trusted for impartiality, even if the test was paid for by Bridgestone; UTAC is a private for profit company. Glossary: the report mentions "on the ring"; the "RING" is an oval with banked curves. The Monthlery circuit is not where they did the test in the report. The test was conducted at Bridgestone Italian tracks. As you can see in this very old diagram made by UTAC (look at the telephone numbers with only two and three digits), initially the track was long; 7.765 miles when you include what is described as "boucles des Biscornes (Biscornes Loop). Look at the two videos herewith: the one on motorbike is done on the Biscornes Loop. The second video is shot on the oval. As pointed out in the second video, during tests, they run the oval counterclockwise. For races, clockwise, and they omit the Biscornes loop. They take the short cut turn at "The two bridges". I have driven on the Biscornes loop, not with a motorcycle though. The track is very representative of all you find on road. The oval is also very bumpy, because with time, it has degraded. This is the reason why they have added so many chicanes to prevent drivers to go too fast.

I like my motorbikes to look like they came out of the assembly line yesterday. Independently of their millesime. I am not so much on time erosion. My V11 exhibits plenty of signs it has been here and there, and some of them make me cringe and unhappy. My right hand side initially immaculate exhaust has a small scratch, after I dropped the bike. Each time I wash the Le Mans, I try to ignore that it is there, but I can't, and it brings pain. I considered replacing that exhaust just for that, but Stay in Tune did not Stay in business. When I was young, a friend of mine had her nose broken playing sport. The patina rationale did not hold water. The nose job did.... There is also a great debate on artificially aged guitars. All my guitars look like new. I take great care of them. If you follow a little bit the guitar market, you will find out that people are willing to pay more to purchase a guitar that looks like it was used and abused for several years. So, I guess Patina makes sense. Not to me though. I like my glaciers to remain as they were before...

I too ran across the LEDPerf model that says it is "plug and play" for the Lemans, and wondered if anyone had actually tried to see if it indeed was a physical "plug and play" fit with the Lemans headlight setup. Anyone? It's not very expensive, relatively speaking, but then again that may or may not bode well for quality or accuracy of the product description. I agree that I don't really love the high-tech look, but then again I really do like being able to see the road well at night Round LED headlight for Moto-Guzzi V11 Le Mans - 5 year warranty (ledperf.us)

from my notes: MPH Cycles Starter Interruptus mod Parts at http://www.cycleterminal.com/ (except the 14 AWG blue, green and white wires). The MPH Cycles part comes with a 10amp fuse in the fuse link. The heat shrink tubing and the black protective tubing could be replaced by ordinary electrical tape. You need a crimping tool for the brass terminals, but a garden variety tool from the hardware store will do fine. The connectors from Cycle Terminal come with male and female spade terminals. The "eye" terminal on the fuse link has to be purchased separately.

Hi guys, anyone experienced this problem before? bike (2002/3 V11 Sport) was running strong until the oil light came on, I also have an analog gauge installed that shows me the pressure, this was also now at zero. Upon revving the engine up to about 4k the needle on the gauge would lift slightly and the oil light would go out. Otherwise needle at zero and red oil light on. Any ideas? Oil pump kaput maybe? I had a similar problem before when changing the oil filter, the rubber ring from the old filter was still stuck in the crankcase when I fitted the new filter, but when I found & removed it, all good, so it’s not that I guess… any input would be appreciated, thanks! Jake

Once upon a lifetime, I was working at a Texaco gas station in Belleville, Michigan, USA about 1985. A car full of people stopped for directions to the church up the street, for an extended family wedding. They were from Cork. They were flat hammered. Nobody cared and they apparently successfully navigated their way around. I've long since lost the contact information, but I did get a standing invitation to stay in Cork. It's on my long list of places to see.

You'll need 2 upper gaskets and one lower gasket, unless you can save the upper that's already in the bike. Swooshdave has made a super video on the installation. Swooshdave's awesome Roper Plate install video