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Hi. I'm new to this forum. Well, actually the past several months I've been lurking and learning after purchasing a 2001 Green V11 Sport. I knew it was a bit of a project, but a friend @swooshdave, frequent V11lemans poster, told me if I could read...ahem...:)...that all I needed to know to get the bike on the road was documented here. I'm in pretty deep, but just want to say a real THANK YOU to all of you who've worked through and shared the how-tos. Especially those with photos. So far, and there's more I forget, with your help I've done - wheel bearings, bevel box needle and other bearing, drive shaft removal and lubrication, speedo cable, all the fluids, fuel pump and filter, fuel lines, relays, under tank and under seat wiring management, Penske shock, bodywork stress crack repairs, LED headlight, brake pads, valve adjust, steering bearing lube, breather tube, swingarm debris/spray protector, choke spring, and lots of misc lubrication and fastener replacement. Still to come include fork oil + internals and final reassembly of the rear wheel/drive, plus chasing whatever oil leaks I haven't become aware of yet :). TBD whether the injectors need official cleaning or just a couple tanks of fresh gas and some mysterious additive. I'm in line for the next run of Roper plates. The bike does have a couple nice bits I'm hoping make it really sound like a Guzzi and run properly. The Ferracci pipes and Power Commander it came with are cause for optimism. Will post when complete, including some minor successes and additional details in the appropriate technical topic areas if it feels like anything I did worked especially well or is a minor deviation from the already extensive documentation. Anyway, serious thanks again. Without the forum I'd have been less confident and slower about it all for sure and would have had more hard-way lessons - even with a manual, which I do have. But you all know that. Appreciated! Chris

The motor tells one whether it is happy or not. I listen to it. It's not hard. Most of the vehicles I have known for any length of time were happy above about halfway up the rev range, changing gears so they can spin up easily, getting revved out periodically, and never, ever being lugged. The control under the right hand (right foot in a car...) is where the music starts. Give it heaps....

As a general rule I don't fly in anything that weighs less than I do. Phil

I got one done yesterday, had to cut one joint side with a cutting wheel. Then the other half of it cut easily because nothing was in the way. The first cut needs to be precise otherwise you can nick the joint body. It certainly was no fun. 106°today, too hot to work in the shop. The other one needs to get done in the AM tomorrow before it heats up. Wish I had a Norwegian shop.

I took out a uni joint on mine the other day. The project wasn't a success as a whole for a couple of reasons, but getting the joint out was. I looked at a couple of videos on you tube for hints. There are about 750,927 videos there in various languages about changing uni joints. Yes, the ones on the V11 are a bit tight. One tip I found from a bloke doing the joints on a Ural shaft was to get them as far out as you can, and then catch the end of the pin on the rim of the cap from the inside and hit it a couple of times more to get a bit more room. As it turned out, I didn't have to do that. The pins are just long enough to get just enough room to get the cross out. What gets in the way are the rollers. They start moving around in the cap, and get jammed between the end of the pin and the rim of the cap. I had to get in there with a pointed object and push them out of the way. One got in to the hole in the end of the pin (the "grease gallery") to about half its length, and the sticking out end was quite in the way. Anyway, I won. You just have to stick at it, look at what is happening and think about what your are doing, and don't give up.

G'day mate I'm now at C4 and R 12 and think Rebound is pretty good. If anything I may go to C 6 and try that as just feel it needs a wee bit more comp damping.... But I'm bloody close. Cheers Ps good advice re springs and also counting clicks back from fully closed!

This is not necessarily an easy documentary to watch, since the majority of the dialogs are in French, without any subtitles. There is some English, German, Italian too. It mainly revolves around the French pilots of the time, but not only. You can also catch a few glimpses of Ago, Sheene, Jack Findlay, and even a young Roberts. This documentary is particularly relevant to me, because I got my motorcycle license in 1973, purchased my first bike, a Suzuki T-350, and tried to go to as many of the tracks I could. I had the chance or the privilege to meet most the pilots in the film, especially Barry Sheene. The documentary explains the life of the Grand-Prix racers at the time; the struggles with finding the budget to race for the privateers which form the basis of the group. Few pilots were actually factory or importer hired. Agostini was one of lucky ones. Most of the others had to work during the week, and drive to the race track on the week-end. They had no support, and had to do everything themselves. Unlike today, the practice runs would determine if you could participate to the race. Therefore, their participation to the Grand-Prix was not even guaranteed for those obscure pilots. Kenny Roberts was the first who brought out the spartan financial awards in Europe compared to the USA, with a larger number of spectators in Europe, he said the money compensation should be increased. Many of the pilots in this documentary passed away in racing accidents later on. Michel Rougerie, Patrick Pons... fortunately, many others have survived and are still active today. By the way, Patrick Pons won the Daytona 200 in 1980; the same year he passed away at the British Grand Prix. (Ago and Jarno Saarinen did win the Daytona 200 too). Agostini being the obvious example of those still being active today. In any case, a very authentic and brutal testimony of what Grand-Prix racing was in the 70's.

It is easy enough to measure your sag. If your sag says you need springs to really get your sag numbers right, springs are a great first step. Odds are, you need springs. But, as mentioned, you can measure your sag and see if you need different springs. In a nutshell, if you set your sag with you on the bike and that leaves the bike sagging too little without you on the bike your springs are too soft. That means you have to add too much preload to get the sag where you want it, which results in not enough sag under the weight of just the bike. Too much sag with you off the bike is the other way, the spring is too stiff.

We'll, I believe I'm finished with my blind-test. After numerous adjustments being tested during repeated 25 mile one-way trips to work, I've arrived at C6/R13 (counter-clockwise). My last ride home, felt better, more stable through turns. I'll leave it here and put repeated trips on the clock to see if results repeat. Having arrived at nearly the same place, I guess this is it, unless I want to spend money. If I were to spend money, I'm not even clear where to spend it.

I have to say I'm generally low-rpm. I adjust RPM and throttle in a matrix of load and speed- if I'm drifting through 35mph traffic, I'm around 2500-3000rpm but at a very light throttle. As MPH goes up, RPM goes up. I loaf but I don't lug. On the other end, I don't think I've ever seen 8k on this engine, I have a psychological limit at 7k. I don't think that last thousand gives me anything extra anyway but stress.

Don't lug your engine. That doesn't mean you can't loaf your engine when coasting through town either. But if you want to gun it or encounter a hill, downshift it. I'm with Docc, that's the sweet spot but 3k with no load is no problem (not going there with high idle though). Yeah, I try to redline a warm engine at least once or twice per ride. Any rider should just "feel it". I thought he might make a point about using gears to control the bike in a turn. I like to keep the RPMs up and use mechanical braking and acceleration torque when I ride too.

my kind of Lamborghini Countach or Miura... Just as flashy, but much more reliable... runs on 87 Octanes too....

A couple pics from my recent roadtrip across the country. Even had dinner with some Guzzi guy... It was the entire month of June and I covered 9k miles.

Sitting here waiting for first leg of return trip back to Oregon. Copenhagen to Reykjavik. Icelandic Air does something I've never seen any other airline do...load a plane from back to front. What a simple concept that works. What's with these American airlines anyway? I'm anxious to get back. Right before I left I picked up this beauty. Been looking for a while for a low milage single owner Griso. This one popped up less than 200 miles from me. So much to do to get ready to leave had no time to register it. But Monday morning it will be real easy for me to get up real early to be first in line at DMV after spending time here.

Mick, wait and see . Just had to take care of the running good part, before tearing down in a few months, that is the plan. I have been doing some checking about the exhaustsystem, but no go. Anybody any idea ? Cheers Tom.

Nice, @ChrisPDX! Sweet Greenie, complete with a frame-color-matched Baxley Sport Chock!

Yep, she loves to cruise at 5k.... BUT down here you'll need plenty of cash a Teflon licence and a get outa jail free card for that sort of behavior! Cheers

Springs

I'm such a fan of F9, never missing any of their post. I've never feared from high RPMs on any bike. On most V11 trips, I cruise about 4000-4500, but have no problem when getting up to speed hitting 7000.

I do both of those things ^^^

Now that I have a working tach I have confirmed that I am a high RPM rider on the V11. I typically cruise around 5000 rpm, shift around 6000 when accelerating. I seem to ride my V7 similarly. I find both bikes respond best in the 5000 - 6000 RPM range.

Sorry I don't have a code for you but I wonder why people actually need a code for a basic colour. It looks like a non metallic black is that right? I'm no expert in colour matching and I guess for a complicated colour like the v11 green with metallic components and multiple base layers it's going to be a whole lot easier as a starting point but even then you cant just mix a colour to "code" and use it to do a repair. It will still need to be "colour matched" because of fade and the discrepancy between a bulk mixed colour at production level and a tiny amount of paint mixed at those quantities. The error factor is much greater at the tiny mix quantities from a paint shop compared to the hundreds of litres mixed in a batch at the factory. So essentially even with a code you still need to do the colour matching anyway and with a basic colour a paint specialist can colour match without any codes. Here is the paint on my bikes frame parts colour matched to original 20 year old frame paint. It was done by a guy at the local paint supplier for me and I applied the paint,2K. I thought he had a special Spectro analyser to do this but no, he grabbed a 250ml can of base stock and mixed it by eye and it's perfect. I'm as pedantic as hell and it's perfect. No codes or anything like that just experience and talent for such things. Compare the pork chop and front frame member to the original lower frame support. The only difference is the level of gloss on my sprayed part.

Winther project got new rotors and brakes serviced, Bridgestone 32T, cleaned up the extra exhaust system and got it properly mounted. Woud someone know the brand ? Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

12,720 miles, Runs great, had all fluids and bike gone through last year, new rear disc/caliper brake. I modified to have handle bars, ie street fighter style, uses Jackel Handlebar clamp as seen in photo, have all parts to revert back. Bar End weights. Airbox removed (still have) and has mistral pipes. Also have magni fairing (perfect condition) and all bits (two windshields for magni), including old clip on handle bars, signal extenders,mirrors, lower cowl. Includes guzzi luggage and tank bag. Was going to sell it last year but just couldn't let go at the time. Have decided my sport bike days are over (the abductors just can't handle it) and just bought a British Roadster so my wife and I can enjoy the open air together. Asking $6000 b/o Deal can be made with or without Magni. I am second owner, purchased in 2009 with just over 8K miles (correction). (bike is in NH) Title in hand

Luciano Marabese was quoted as saying the "Centauro was drawn from the Dondolino ." The design never made sense to me until learning this.

It *is* barbaric. But what's that quote, 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' - Sherlock Holmes

hahaha... video quote "you paid for the whole tachometer, so use the whole tachometer."

This guy was really daring to continue driving with that kind of unhealthy noise. Like with many Italian exotic cars, it is not the purchase price, but the amount of money required to keep them running. They are not very reliable. Thrilling to drive certainly, but not for too much time.

Came by this "Harley Auler" at the Brenham "Hot nights/cool tunes";

Wrong approach docc. That will accelerate overheating. The greater air/fuel burn and friction outstrips the increased oil flow which is of zero utility anyway because there is no way for the oil to shed the heat without airflow even at slightly elevated flow. So when you are not moving there is no airflow to extract the heat from the cooling fins, or over the crankcases OR via the oil cooler either. Elevating the rpm just exacerbates the issue. All you are doing is heating oil that has no way to shed the extra heat anyway. If you want a V11 to overheat another way ride it around at 3-5000rpm in first gear for a few miles in warm weather. That will do it as well. At those rpm in first gear there isn't enough airflow to keep it properly cool. If you ever watch Police escorts on old Harleys and Guzzis escorting a slow moving cavalcade it's always at the lowest rpm possible. If you want to keep a V11 engine cooler in those conditions you need fans on the oil cooler. I suggest a pair of 12V computer cooling fans. Compact light cheap and can be IPX rated as well. Phil

If our current Dictator and his minions have their way, it'll be sooner rather than later!

So, update: She's back on the road w/ a temp fix. I got her put back together with the OG spacer and shims, well shim actually (total length is 113.1 mm). I've done 200+ miles, hit triple digit mph at least once, so far. No issues. I'm waiting on delivery of parts and will update once completed. Again, thank you everyone that pitched in on this. all your suggestions and help was invaluable. Cheers

Well it’s all back together now and the play in the bevel box is gone. I wish id read about greasing the shaft splines before trying to get it together 🤬 Many thanks for the tips and advice though….always appreciated.