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Recycled. Not much good for anything. Almost all plates are sent. Once all payments are in, I'll do the donation and let Pete know it's done.... The one that was left over is available for Dragonknee and I emailed him. Will send payment details to the overseas guys this weekend. US Mail will likely take a couple weeks.... but was by far the cheapest option. As an example, UPS to Victoria, Australia was something like $260 USD. Mail was $39 USD.... SO ..... this means Guzzler really can live up to his name and guzzle the saving... $221 USD of beer! Please send a photo of a row of beers Guzzler! Cheers.

Just to add to Pete, from my travails with the HiCam @Lucky Phil should get most if not all of the credit in helping me to at least have an understanding of the issues. The 'C' kit cams are the reason that my bike runs hot, this isn't a problem above 40mph where sump temps are stable around 100C and oil pressure doesn't drop below 60psi. However at slow speed, in traffic or extended idling will lead to high oil temps and decaying pressures as the oil thins, once above 110C it goes downhill fast (that's running a 10/60 oil). Did @Paul Minnaert not also have cooling issues? I think he went to a Vee sump and then also added a cooler, but I don't know if he had 'C' kit cams nor what other mods were completed to that engine Very few bikes have the 'C' cams, only the Daytona RS engines and due to US emission regs the RS models supplied to America didn't get the 'C' cams either. All the Centis have the standard cams. As far as deleting the cooler, I'd agree that it certainly wouldn't be something I'd consider even on a Centi or 'B' kitted Daytona (that said the Dr John's were 'B' kitted and didn't have a cooler). The Guzzi design for the oil cooler on the Daytona broadsumps, Centis and Sportis isn't particularly good IMHO. The hoses to and from the cooler use banjos both at the engine and cooler and on both inlet and return, this incurs a pressure drop penalty and lower flow through the cooler. I installed a considerably smaller cooler onto the Australia (it was all I could find that would fit) than the OEM, but used full flow fittings and when I tested it and the OEM back to back the smaller cooler performed better by 3-4 degC. I've got a slightly larger one to install this year, space is the biggest problem with installing a different cooler to the Australia. Apologies for drfting off topic, might help Centi or Daytona owners I know nothing of the V11 4v/v engines John

Have you checked the web for Italian labor union strikes? There may be some sympathy programmed in somewhere. Couple of months ago, My V11 would not activate the starter on one particular day. Key off and on numerous times, pump priming, clutch in and out. Finally had to pop a vein and bump start it. Cleaned the micro-plunger in the clutch safety micro switch, the micro switch clicked in and out as it should. Was fine for a couple of weeks, then did it again, but has not ever since. I do now tend to park with a grade to bump start it though. We hear a lot about "AI" these days. I am much more concerned with "IE" - Italian Electrics.

All plates are now spoken for.

The early Hi-cams tend to run very hot. John has had a long, ongoing battle with his Magni overheating but it does have the cantankerous 'C' kit cams in it. If I had one I think I'd be loath to delete the cooler even on a Centi. Not so much because of the oil overheating per-se but because of pressure loss from all the leak points and the seemingly questionable ability of the pump to deliver sufficient oil when things get toasty.

G'day mate Is it from the oil cooler? I just had the infamous breather hose replaced on my V11 Sport which did the same thing and it's whereabouts and where it bursts would lead you to think it was something disastrous... Just asking... Cheers Guzzler

By God I enjoyed the ride home from the mechanics on Friday! Back giving me a wee bit o gyp standing round waiting till we got her out of the shed but once under way...... Bloody Marvelous and it did wonders for the back win win! Cheers Hmmm.... Hon the lawns need mowing, sorry just heading out for some back therapy!

Mate If it happens again try flicking the Kill switch a few times.... I had this issue twice last year when the bike wasn't ridden for 4-6 weeks.....I know the shame! Anyways worked a treat till I rode her more frequently! Cheers Ps I think it was her way of telling me she don't like to be left alone!

Thanks! yes I was looking at ratios and thought a new master cylinder would be required for the front brakes. I am sure I can e use something from another model in the piaggio line up. The rear brake might be more tricky to sort out. I guess I should ride the bike for a few miles to see if I like it as is..

I haven't actually done a conversion, but read a lot about it. My V35 Imola has the Integral Braking Sytem, so it interests me. The collected wisdom seems to indicate that you may be able to use the existing hand lever /master cyclinder for both front disks, but will need a smaller master cylinder for the foot brake. The same hand master cylinder for two disks should give you a system with more travel in the lever but less effort for the same braking force. Where it can go wrong is that there might not be enough travel in the master cylinder to pump enough fluid to operate both slave cylinders adequately. If you were to use the existing foot master cylinder for only one disk instead of two, you would have a system with very little travel at the lever which requires a very large effort to achieve adequate braking force. The solution, as indicated above, is to change to a smaller master cylinder here. I'm sure there is someone here who can go into more detail about specific sizes of master cylinder / slave cylinder and so on. Incidentally, the Imola still has the integral system. I like it. The only thing I am seriously thinking about changing is the master cylinder for the hand brake. A slightly smaller one would provide a system with more feel and more braking power for less effort, at the cost of more travel at the lever.

Thank you for all of the replies, comrades Aussie Guzzisti will likely know who I'm talking about when I say I placed a call to Mario @ Thunderbikes yesterday, re parts, &, I guess in some ways reassuring, also asked if I was sure it was the cooler, as he'd never heard of anybody having an issue with one before. So I will delve further, & find out if the breather hose is indeed the culprit. You are right though - it looks like somebody has slit the throat of something that has oil for blood! Excellent timing too, as I was going to look at it either today or tomorrow. Thanks again, everybody

That is really good advice, @innesa. Unfortunately, the image in the original post is not visible in that format. Oil leak at the upper front of the V11 motor is so much more likely from the ratty breather hose than the oil cooler, itself . . .

coppa Italia is in for full service, suspension rebuild and a lot of other stuff. Hopefully I'll be set of a summer of twisty roads and smiles...

The Breva. I've got the day off tomorrow, and it looks like it will be mostly dry. I'll be out on the V11 for sure.

I have always thought the California Vintage the finest iteration of that Tonti framed "cruiser" Guzzi. I am partial to the black, but they are both very handsome, IMO. Which is yours, @Bingbong?

It all depends on the color. Early Legnano Green Sports have all been thrashed to within a millimeter of their useful lives. Black RedFrame Sports have been kept in jewelry boxes with little more than an occasional dusting. Silver Sports, now, are the Queens of the Realm and command a substantial premium (Mille Lire!/ five bucks).