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"Sold the V11, bought a different bike". Really? Well sort off... I have always admired the look of the V11 with the higher mounted Titanium exhausts, and once came very close to buying a pair, however they were damaged and I liked the look of the original carbon-fiber ones on my Mandello Rosso better. So when a member on here offered a set of carbon high-mount Gianelli's for sale, I went for it. He also threw a Stucchi crossover into the deal (thanks Crazyhorse!). Mounted them last Tuesday. Oh my, what a sound! Not much louder, but a whole lot deeper. But, did I imagine it revving much quicker between 3000 and 5000 rpm? Went for a ride. I'm not sure how much is to contribute to the Gianelli cans or to the Stucchi crossover, but WHAT a difference in mid-range pull! From 3000rpms onwards she just goes and goes. Like I bought a different bike.

"Installed" a 2" Formotion analog clock on my '03 Le Mans. It's stuck on with industrial velcro down low out of site from would-be pirates, but still very readable while riding. Clears the steering damper rod by about a 1/4". Quality bit of kit, I must add. Battery is said to last for 3 years, and of course weatherproof. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

This is not the picture I get when I go to the website, but the Guzzi V11 totally deserve the fame. I also liked that picture because of the dark cast skies. I managed to get through the rain though! Thanks for the share!

I often get comments after the first stint like, "Is your brake light and brake light switches working?" Followed by "How do you ride that brisk without braking?" The best one was "I am not going to ticket you today, as your brake light tells me you're riding well within yourself, but slow down. Have a safe day."

Did mine at weekend (Thanks for the lend of the Manometer MartyNZ). Runs heaps better. I know now not to unscrew the knob on left hand side. Rod unhooks on right hand side

I have said it before, but I purchased a Alpinestars AirTech 5 airbag in 2021. I have worn it once only. Not because I don't want to, but the Texas weather makes it almost impossible to endure. Unfortunately, the TechAir 5 has to be worn under a jacket. I should have possibly purchased the Dainese Smart Jacket, because it can be worn under or over. But the TechAir 5 offers more protection than the Dainese, I made the choice to protect the shoulders and neck. The TechAir 5 is fine as long as the temperature is around 60 degF, and without too much humidity. Above that, it is really not comfortable. Enters Helite Airbags! This company specializes in Airbags, unlike Alpinestars and Dainese. Helite is a French company but they have a US distributor based in Reno. They do airbags for horseback riding, bicycle riding, and of course Guzzi riding. They have introduced an airbag self contained in a Backpack. I must tell you, it is not cheap! almost 1000 USD for the electronically activated version. They have a tethered version which is less expensive. Unlike my TechAir 5 that needs to be sent back to Alpinestars for inspection, Helite products can be self-maintained. I am going to try to convince them to let me try one here, in the Texas breeze. I usually never wear a backpack on a motorcycle, for safety reasons, and also because on long rides, the weight can be an issue. Anyway, I will try to get one for testing for free. Here's the narrative: A REAL INNOVATION.... Helite has developed an innovative airbag that ensures your safety on your motorcycle. Our engineers have put all their expertise into the design to bring this unique product to the market OPTIMAL PROTECTION As always, HELITE has focused on the quality of the airbag protection. Large volume of protection (18L) to absorb impacts and completely cover vital areas. Vital areas covered: Back, neck, chest, abdomen, sacrum. TURTLE Technology: Reinforced back protection (SAS-TEC level 1 back) and force distribution during impact. Ultra-fast inflation: The airbag is effective before impact COMFORT AND SAFETY Air circulation: A ventilated space between the bag and the back (3D mesh), through which humid air can freely escape. Waterproof: It can be used in the rain thanks to its water-repellent fabric and waterproof closures. Reflective elements day and night protection.. AVAILABLE IN TWO VERSIONS Mechanical system: The airbag is attached to the motorcycle with a tether. In the event of a fall, the tether disconnects from the airbag, triggering its inflation. Electronic system: The electronic board integrates several sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS) that monitor the situation in real time. An algorithm analyzes all the data and is able to detect a fall to trigger the inflation of the airbag. The H-Moov backpack airbag is reusable after inflation. Simply change the cartridge yourself.

FWIW, Greg Bender….https://www.thisoldtractor.com/for_sale_wiring_harness.html I got my "dovetail mount" relay recepticle from Greg so I could add a high current starter relay and piggy backed it on to the other existing relays. Art

Hey brother, as of now I'm not taking any work in and going forward I will go back into full customs only. We should go for a ride sometime tho.

The inline 4 engine is wider than a V4. Also, the intake and exhaust routing on an inline 4 is not as good as a V4. Finally, the V4 flywheel can be on the end of the crank, which can allow the team to change the mass of the flywheel with bolt on weights while the flywheel on an inline 4 is typically in the middle of the crank and thus the mass of the flywheel cannot be changed race to race as the rules do not allow for that kind of engine dis-assembly. The better intake and exhaust routing tends to mean a V4 can make more power. Being able to change the rotating mass of the engine with bolt on weights allows the team to fine tune how that power is delivered. A famous case of that was a few years ago Suzuki got the rotating mass wrong, the crank was too light. Being an inline 4 engine Suzuki were stuck with that all season. Had it been a V4 they could have changed the rotating mass, but as an inline 4 they were stuck with it the way it was. That meant it was too hard to control the rear tire when it started to spin. It would spin up faster, so it could accelerate faster. But as soon as the rear tire started spinning it quickly became a handful. One more advantage to the V4 is the engine can be easier to package into a MotoGP bike. But that one is more a shades of grey deal. It is more compact, but it can be harder to get as much weight on the front wheel as you can with an inline 4.

Yes, I used to work at that Moto Studio, I moved to Ohio now and I’m doing my own thing, hopefully it generates as much traction as Moto Studio did for me. I’ll keep you posted!!

As frustrating and maddening as the TPS setting (and even a GuzziDiag connection) can be, throttle body balance on a V11 is a satisfying delight. Right up with pulling the feeler gauge through for the perfect valve clearances.

The studded side is the exhaust, the intake side the spigot. Edit; rhetorical questions before coffee. Not fair.

There is another factor that needs to be accounted for; When I learned to drive in 70's, it was a big deal. I remember being always focused and determined and putting into good use all that I had learned at the driving school. In Europe, back then, you could only learn to drive with a dual command equipped vehicle, under supervision of someone trained to teach driving. In the 80's, I joined a company which defined driving as the most dangerous task of our job. They implemented specif programs to enhance our driving skills. I was lucky to participate to some of these early programs, teaching us to drive cars in the bush, in the desert; later on, they hired drivers to take us to jobs. But for everyone, they had a review system taking place every six months, no matter what. You would drive a car and your driving would be reviewed by a professional and rated. This included what they called a "commentary driving"; you would drive and describe all that you saw and did. Plus various online assessments. Let's be honest here. Driving is no longer anything people consider as something that requires skills. They do it matter of fact, just like they breath. Parents teach their kids to drive, qualified or not. As a result, the required amount of attention to execute the task has diminished. Nobody driving today puts in question their skills. Everyone is a good driver. Distracted driving always existed; starting with the radios, cassettes, 8 tracks, CD players. Today, we have reached the apex of reckless driving since post Covid it appears people no longer feel the posted speed limits should concern them. Even motorcyclists have communication systems now, that could deter them from being scanning danger. Today, nobody cares about driving. Possibly in the years to come, once auto-pilots equip every car, some of those accidents may not happen again. Until then, it is up to us to pay attention for those who don't.

The year was 1973. I was a hot young kid who had just got his first 'Sports Moped' , (Stop laughing up the back! I missed out on getting a real motorbike by about two weeks! Given where this story is going it's probably just as well!). Anyway, back in those days you could still ride around most of Cambridge, (Cambs, England, not Mass. US) so there was I riding my new *bike* up King's Parade, (In front of King's Chapel that you see on all the postcards.) and there on the footpath was Abigail Desmond! I was desperately in lust with Abigail Desmond. A shatteringly beautiful brunnete, (In fact she was probably just another horrid spotty teenage girl but to a horrible spotty teenage boy....???? ) with a pair of very comely udders. I gawked at her and waved, (She completely ignored me!) when I looked back towards the road it was just in time for me to relize that I was about to embed myself in the back of a Morris 1100 which I did with aplomb! I sailed up into the air using my gonads as a launch pad into the back of the tank. It was all very tawdry and dull, It was also the time of 'Loon' pants which had no pockets, and for three weeks I had to wander around with balls the size of grapefruit and the colour of plums with no way of holding the tight trews away from them. F@rk that hurt!!!!! The tank retained the two bollock shaped dents in the back until I sold it to buy my next rolling disaster. I eventually lost one of the bollocks to a surgeon's knife a few years later and I'm truly astonished I could ever sire children, (Actually looking at my revolting brood perhaps I should accuse Jude of adultery and wash my hands of the whole ghastly lot of 'em!). Making a complete c*nt of yourself is all part of growing up. Youth, as the old maxim says, is wasted on the young! The great thing is being able to look back and see exactly what a hopeless little dipsh!t you actually were and laugh at it. It also gives you a LOT more tollerance of your own loathsome offspring. Anything they can f*ck up! I could f*ck it up ten times better when I was their age Pete