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Decided yesterday that I'm pulling the pin. As of 21st of Feb this year I'll be handing off Motomoda, the company I've been running for 30+ years to Michael, my offsider. He's spent the last five years absorbing Guzzi knowledge and is more than up to speed on everything built this millenium. Most of our work in the last fifteen years has been V11 and CARC bike related and that will likely continue, although it'll be his business to do with as he chooses. Im 67 in February, I don't have the time or the strength to learn another whole generation of bikes and my health has been declining rapidly. I have no desire to die in harness as it were. I'll still be around as Michael can't ride or move the bikes around but the roles will be reversed. He's the boss and I'll just be the hired help! Please patronise him for parts and service. He knows his shit and will need customers and your support to keep the wheels turning. Cheers guys. Pete

That six sylinder Benelli woud be the correct bike to get back on, just lissen Cheers Tom.

I actually did a first and last ride. Last ride of the year yesterday with some of our local RoSPA group members as one of our regular Sunday runs, covering around 150 miles in total. Twelve of us in total on a variety of hardware. Today, just a spin around locally of around 60 ish miles to play with suspension settings a little. Saw quite a few bikes out and loads of dog walkers, plus a fair few horses and riders around the lanes. Slightly chilly, but a fun couple of days.

Additional motorcycle riding course is indeed very important. I do think this is most effective if you have just the experience to automatically control your bike and you have the basic feeling for brakes and leaning into an average corner. The small block Guzzi's imho are easy to control, have a low seating position, ABS and nicely made. They have acceptable maintenance. For new riders and restarted, I would wish they don't have worries about the reliability and little things that bother the concentration. Anyway, I wish him a lot of pleasure.

I agree with getting re-educated first, and properly licensed. The way to try a lot of bikes is to sign up for Riders Share, and rent from private owners. That way, he can go on extended test rides and really see what he likes.

Never seen a Rosso Corsa with higher bars, you know sellers. Beautiful bike, I prefer black rear fender and grayish wheels. Cheers Tom.

Newbie Rosso Corsa owner here in Idaho. Has handlebars, Full Mistral Exhaust etc. Previous owner bought out of a collection in Fla several yrs ago and there was mention of the handlebar conversion being done at the factory as a special order in order to qualify it for some specific racing class? Not sure about the legitimacy of this but maybe one of the experts on this site have more knowledge of such things. Regardless, it’s a really nice bike to ride. That said, I might like to convert back to either stock clip ons or quality aftermarket units since the handlebars do limit the range of the steering circumference due to mirrors interfering. Also not sure about the gold wheels and red rear hugger? Might like to convert both back as well.

Congratulations, Pete! A well deserved "retirement" with a great plan to stay involved. Michael is a lucky fellow to have your trust, support, and acquaintance! Best regards from all of V11LeMans.com and, by all means, keep us on your To Do List!

There are some traditions around the world about the 1st day of the next year; for example, some seaside cities have the 1st sea swim of the year. I think we should have ours; the first Moto Guzzi ride of the year, to celebrate. Mine will have to wait, unfortunately, I am far from the damzelle. So instead, I registered for the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas 2024. Let's see what flag number I get this year.

No cold butt ride here. Too cold, only 40 today but I did test ride my new Napoleon grill. Smoking a couple of racks of ST Louis ribs.

So resale is probably not a crucial point, I expect. I'd go straight for Guzzi, if that's what he wants. But not straight to a V11. As has already been suggested, a small-block V7 would be a good way to ease back into it. Or a Breva 750. I've got one of those. A bit ugly, but cheap. I always advise beginners to not buy the dream bike straight away, but rather to ride something that doesn't mean so much to them for a while first, on the assumption the the first bike is almost certainly going to fall over somewhere along the way. For a bloke getting back into it who is interested in a Guzzi and doesn't need to count the pennies, a 750 small-block would be an easy to handle bike to get back into the routine. If it does happen to fall over, it would not be so tragic as chucking away a nice V11. If it doesn't, it could be re-sold, or retained as a run-around to spare the dream bike from the run to the supermarket. PS: the Breva, and even the V35 Imola, feel just like a big guzzi to ride, just lighter and a bit easier to handle. And less power...

Now, yer just pissin' me off . . . How about some of those "Pics from down under?"

Beautiful home Tom. I'm reminded of an architectural factoid I once heard that Scandinavian residences have entry doors opening outward. I take it that it is the norm? It seems to make more sense than inward, as is the norm for USA. Better security. Better to seal closing. No awkward positioning of the door when opened into the home, walls, furnishings, rugs, floor mats. No need for the 'storm door.' I imagine the US way of opening inward may have something to do with our 'front porch, screen door' lifestyle. Not so typical these days for people to leave the front door open for circulation.

No 1jan ride here, have beer. -20c next week. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

Bingo. The shock length certainly affects ride height. So does the spring rate and corresponding preload of the spring, which sets sag. There is not one single factor that determines seat height. All the various factors contribute. You can change one factor, like a shorter or longer shock, and if everything else stays the same the change in ride height should be predictable. But often changes like a new shock that is longer or shorter accompany other changes like a new spring that is stiffer or softer and different preload to get a different sag amount. It is possible to run a longer shock (5mm longer) and simply have 10mm more sag because you are running a different spring and preload combination resulting in the same seat height you had with the shorter shock. That said, the generally positive improvements of running a longer shock, quicker steering, won't really be delivered if you don't also have a corresponding increase in rear ride height with the longer shock combination you switch to.Running a longer shock without the small increase in rear ride height it tends to deliver won't deliver the improvements in steering that a longer shock can. But you can get similar improvements without a longer shock simply by running a spring / preload combination that increase rear ride height by 10mm or so. It is a more complete improvement if you run the longer shock with the correct spring / preload combination. But a similar improvement can be achieved by swapping out the spring and setting preload to get the desired increase in rear ride height.

Found and utilised.

When you know, you know. Best of luck! It will really be a New Year for you.

Enjoy life Pete.!!..We will still be seeing you around the forums! Cheers..Or "Ta" as you sometimes say! :-)

@activpop What changed in 25 years? Before: After 25 years!

There is a follow-up article in the Washington Post today, about the software update deployed by Tesla to address the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concern with crashes while on autopilot. The journalist verified the upgrade after it was uploaded on his own vehicle. During his drive, he verified that he was still able to activate the autopilot in an urban environment where it was not conceived to operate in. While the update was supposed to force the driver to keep his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road, he was able to have the autopilot on while keeping his hands off for longer than one minute at a time, and obscuring the interior camera that checks that you are paying attention. The journalist's conclusion is: (snippet from the Washington Post dated 31-Dec-2024, author Geoffrey A. Fowler)

It would be easier to just go out and swap shocks docc, lol. My 2-3mm is clearly wrong as I halved the additional shock length instead of doubling it and subtracting a bit for the shock and swingarm angle. BTW the Penske suggestion is a good one. I've had one of these apart on the race bike and they are excellent quality and a step above the OEM Ohlins. People don't realise that Ohlins suspension comes in different grades and the OEM stuff while decent isn't the magic gold people thing it is. It's a marketing exercise by the manufacturers more than a massive upgrade in suspension quality. The Ohlins "benefit" has reduced as time has passed because the Japanese/Italian OEM suspension is so much better than it used to be. I say this not to denigrate the Ohlins stuff but to make people aware that there is many other superior options out there from aftermarket manufacturers that people seem to ignore in the "worship of the gold". The money asked for a second hand Ohlins shock for a V11 is ridiculous these days when you can buy a superior tailored shock of better quality new. Remember the original V11 Ohlins shock is now 25 year old tech and materials Phil

I see the Öhlins shock fitted to my short frame Sport is 286mm (relative to the factory Sachs 280.5). The change is ride height was notable, yet also affected (likely more so) by the stiffer spring and more aggressive sag settings.

Yes by maybe 2-3mm. Phil [edit: corrected by Phil in his post later in the day (six posts below): "My 2-3mm is clearly wrong as I halved the additional shock length instead of doubling it and subtracting a bit for the shock and swingarm angle. "

Wilbers 641-0519-00 Blackline on my 01 Greenie. Great schock worth the money. Cheers Tom.

@Speedfrog Bingo! the guy answered; it has 31,000 miles, one owner. The actual seller bought it from the owner's estate, so he does not know anything about the bike but he said it looked in good condition. I believe that he is some kind of liquidator? his wording led me to believe the owner passed away. I am planning to go to Arizona to check it out the first week of January. If I like it, I will drive it back to Houston.

Just buy the top of the range Wilbers shock. Adjustable everything. H/lo speed compression, hydraulic preload adjuster, low speed rebound and shock length. The preload adjuster and reservoir fit the std Sachs mount. Phil

G'day mate I have the Hyperpro 460 Emulsion shock on my 01 Sport and think it's same size as standard. I sometimes wish that I'd ordered it with the optional length adjustment ability to enable the rear to be raised by the 8mm of the Ohlins, but I'm pretty happy with how she handles as is with forks raised in triples by 8mm. .It's been a while since I did this so will leave it to wiser heads to prevail on that and fitment to your LeMans. Whichever way you go I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with the Hyperpro units... I know I am! Cheers

I must've had it 2014 after the dealer in Newcastle MOT'd it for me. I'm Warrington, yes. I searched high and low for one for years but then had some back surgery, putting biking to one side, when fit again I was determined to own one. If you can pm your number or email if thats allowed, I can fill in a few blanks. Lovely bike, enjoyed it but little time unfortunately. I'd love to see her again some time, I never saw another on the road.