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Lulu looks suitably pissed off about the whole thing . . .

Looking at the assembly diagram they do what I typically do with rod end bearing and use an appropriately sized oring to stop the component flapping about in use. The oring of course deflects when needed but helps prevent unwanted movement. I use an oring on my aftermarket reaction rod so the spherical bearing isn't wearing itself out unduely.Try assembling the part in question without the orings and see the result and if there's the bolt tilting. The orings will probably partially mask or make more difficult to see what we are looking for. I've seen images of the Bitubo damper and it also looks nice but I think all of the "name" dampers including the Ohlins seem way overpriced for what they really are. Even the dampers alone are approaching the cost of a decent rear shock. EDIT....I came across this image I had saved on my computer when doing my own Ohlins damper conversion of the Standard V11 Sport Ohlins damper instillation and body bracket. Note how the Ohlins body bracket is a simple lug with a threaded hole and no spherical bearing. I couldn't buy one of these and the clamping bracket was too complex a shape for me to machine and it look decent so I bought the Ducabike one with the spherical bearing and then machined a triple clamp lug I could do half decently instead. Phil

I watched the race and don't remember seeing anything I thought was questionable with regards to bike performance between the Ducati boys. Guzzimoto is correct in that speed on the straight is a combination of many things including the drive you get onto it at some tracks like Phillip Island and Portimao for example. Add to that fuel saving strategies and aero these days and it's even more complex. I always laughed back in the 500 days about the "big advantage" the Hondas had in top speed over the Yamahas which was true but the problem was they made it all at the end of the straight which was a problem. The Yamaha would accelerate out of the corner onto the straight and pull a gap on a Honda only to get passed again with ease esp with the draft. Problem was this all happened just before the braking point so now the Honda guys were carrying more speed and needed to pull it up at which point the Yamaha guys would be up the inside with less speed to wash off. Top speed is as much about where you attain it as the actual number. In WSB this year the Yamahas are the slowest bikes and have a big issue with that as the last race demonstrated with a very long straight. I was hoping Remy would be able to negate that as he's shown in the past he's very very good at getting drive onto the straight at Portimao but he didn't have an advantage on the R1 this time. Fuel consumption dictates power these days and if one rider goes to a fuel saving/tyre conservation map a lap before the other rider then you'll probably see a disparity on the straight. Didn't Pecco run out of fuel on the warm down lap? or was that in warm-up/qualifying?

Indeed, can’t blame the cat being pissed off over such a charade. Our Hamish would have your hand shredded if anyone tried to bundle him into such a daft outfit. Here he is doing what cats do, he’s very focused on being a cat

Luigi must have been out of Ohlins steering dampers for the run of Nero Corsas My bike and other Nero’s I’ve seen all have Bitubo dampers

SO sorry, I didn't know what your experience was. I was only trying to draw Phil in the discussion.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2024/august/long-way-home-charley-boorman-ewan-mcgregor/?fbclid=IwY2xjawExszRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSqHS7WvV2zN2Mq8rlh_oj55lMBA4RVUzcLb2wCtsWO2TfAiRPBCP2nf3w_aem_GRAhuo-8c4xQF35l3QQkYQ

Series of voltage readings under various "states" . . . KOEO = Key On/ Engine Off KOER = Key On/ Engine Running (at idle, at 1500 rpm, at 2500 rpm. I would also take one more voltage reading before turning the key on, after the battery has sat quiet for some hours (perhaps six hours or more). . . .

Before the advent of F.I. , computer controls & outer space technology : you could disconnect one battery post and if the vehicle continued running the charging system was working. Please do not do this with anything now . Bad stuff can happen . You do need a voltmeter connected to the battery to test KOEO battery voltage , KOER battery voltage at idle , 1500 rpm and 2500 rpm. IDK what the #s should be but test and give us these #s . Someone can give a good opinion. Can you give us a work history and a parts install history so we can look this stuff over and give an opinion ? The maxim "you put enuf parts on it and it will work" doesn't always work . There is something overlooked or bad parts or all the above !

Unless it is just for the photo shoot, in which case there is already too much wardrobe involved...

When my home base was set in Paris (France), a member of my family worked for Euro Disneyland later Disneyland Paris since before the inauguration in 1992. I practically lived in the park and the Disney Village since I had unlimited free access. Disney also gave free access to children from a children only hospital, l'hopital Necker in Paris, with rare diseases, including cancer, most of those terminal. I saw many of these groups of kids, in the park as they were wearing a specific badge and were accompanied by nurses additionally to the usual Disney ushers. If you have never seen children in this state, this is heart tearing! you need not be told. One look... you get it right away. It makes you feel bad to be healthy! no kid should have his/her journey in this world complicated by medical situations so early in their lives. If you feel like you would like to contribute; I actually don't have anybody else to ask. I don't know anybody in the USA excepted from you guys. Here's the link: https://team.curethekids.org/team/600310

I smell H-D.

You're correct. Just ran out to see what was on my LeMans.. Bitubo..Cerebral flatulence.. I find the Bitubo to be better than the Öhlins on my Scura.

@Lucky Phil, Thanks for the edit and image of the Öhlins steering damper as supplied on the specific V11 SpineFrame models. If I understand correctly, the factory V11 Guzzi mounting brackets, both bitubo and Öhlins, have solid mounts to the damper body and the "bolt tilt"/dead spot is a non-issue. It is the aftermarket dampers and possibly dampers fitted from other applications that may have the problematic, duplicate bearing on the damper body mount.

@audiomick you must be correct, I disconnect the entire wire cluster from the positive battery terminal.

It varies depending on throttle; 40, 60, 80, etc.

You asked for it!

I will tell you the detail when I get the invoice today; To recap: -I purchased the bike in February 2024; I rode it from Arizona to here. -I got the State Inspection done right away, did the Texas registration. -I drove the bike to MPH Houston; the intention was to have a complete inspection and evaluation. I did the same with my V11 once it got here from Florida. Every time I gave away my motorcycle to MPH, it took no less than six weeks to get it back. Hence, one of the reason to have minimum two. I do not know why the output is so low, but I suspect I am not high on the priority list. Every time I go there to check, Davey is working on those vintage BMW. I actually see many more BMW than MGs. The Quota was promised to me for the beginning of July, but Davey went on vacation. Given that MPH is about the only shop that accepts to work on older motorcycles (except for Japanese), I am not going to make a big deal out of it. Life taught me to be patient. My V11 filled the void, and I cannot ride two bikes at once. I only use MPH for the major work. The one that requires equipment I do not have, and I also need to take into consideration that my garage is more a sauna than a place where a mechanic can accomplish great work. I do the routine maintenance, the one that I can complete quickly. I have been toying with the idea to sell my 911, and install a proper lift table, air supply, work bench... but this would not suffice; I need a full-blown AC to be able to do anything. It is not even a problem of being uncomfortable, but it is physically impossible. I perspire so much that my glasses fall off my nose each time I look down.

This is probably the wrong thread for this but @docc asked! It was at Halloween Eve Party 2023 at Vancouver’s Notorious and Famous 1960s “Peace House” where I was fortunate to capture a photo of a Chinese Police lady arresting a Nurse for allegedly forcing the famous Princess Lulu to dress up as a Witch, a great offence to her status as the matriarch to another famous Lulu entity. The Peace House is notorious and famous for many things including being a commune in the 60s, a movie star in 1968 and where all the after concert, all night parties for the Rock Bands playing Vancouver in the 60s took place. Some of those that were there were The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, and many, many others. https://evelazarus.com/vancouvers-peace-house/ Today there are more Motorcycles than people calling it their party place including some Moto Guzzi’s🙂 I was trying to get arrested or hurt enough to need medical treatment😂

Six months for what?

I am going to go get it tomorrow... It took six months!!! I am going to do a proper photo shoot with it.

Pretty sure I have never seen a Marzocchi steering damper. Forks, yes. Seems that all V11 SpineFrames were delivered with bitubo steering dampers except those sold with Öhlins forks/shock got the Öhlins steering damper (Scura ans Scura R, Café Sport, Coppa Italia [edit: but NOT Rosso/Nero Corsa]). [edit /August 21, 2024, having learned the Rosso/Nero Corsa have bitubo steering dampers.]

Yeah, that's the plan. It might take a few days, but I will report back. Going for the golden elephant stamp here.

It's quite late in the evening here, so every chance that I may be dreaming, but... I just had a quick look at the circuit diagramme. A wire comes from the regulator, through a fuse, to the battery. Going away from the battery are a couple of wires that supply 12 V to parts of the electrical system, one of which goes to the ignition switch. So, when you "disconnect the battery", what precisely are you disconnecting? If the clamp on the plus terminal contains all those wires, and all connections are good, the electrical system should be getting volts directly from the regulator. The circuit diagramme indicates that alle three wires are (somehow) connected to each other. Are you sure this is the case? To put it another way, are you absolutely sure that when you disconnect the battery, you are not inadvertantly disconnecting the power supply to, for instance, the ignition switch? If the cables are all "in a bundle", do they all most certainly have good contacts to each other and so forth?

Whatstandwell Bridge again, this time on my silver V11

More gratuitous pics of me being snapped by the Moto Shoots photographer riding up and down the A6 to GuzziFest on Saturday. First on a Griso, then on V85 demo bike, I also passed for a 3rd time on my burgundy v11 but I’m yet to track down that photo

Riding in these temps is really crazy...I did a couple of 150 mile loops these past weekends and the blowtorch is real! You nailed it. I'm riding with a full face balaclava that I wet completely and then put the helmet on, I'm also wearing SPF50 arm sleeves that I wet also...both provide some levels of relief, but in these temps, in about 30 minutes both are bone dry again and need to be re-wetted. I can't imagine doing a 10 hour day though in these temps...I'd rather ride at night! Hopefully temps in Sep will be no more than 90s or less, the heat index of 115 to 120 is just too hot. By the way, I notice that Houston/Katy are generally 5-10 degrees hotter in real temp and heat index than up here on the north end of town...we're lucky to have more trees, less concrete...a very noticeable difference. Riding in the Sam Houston National Forest with beautiful pine trees makes it much more tolerable with lots more shade and less concrete around. How's the Quota...have you been able to ride it at all lately?

Closing in on two weeks out and I stopped wiping mySport down. I figure if Randy is bringing his "friends", the innkeeper, Ken, will likely lend us a hose and bucket . . . Looks like a spectator sport!

Took the latest V85 out for a test ride today. I was quite impressed. A modern Guzzi that did everything well, easy to ride, relaxed upright riding position. It’s not the fastest machine out there but it’s not pretending to be something it’s not. In a totally different category compared to a 1300GS. If I want to ride fast on the straights I’ve got a 1700 VMX for such

I remember that term from a j Geils Band LP !

Swingarm....satin black. It's an agricultural piece on a V11 you don't want to be highlighting it. Phil

I suppose I could buy @Tom in Virginia's V11 to bring a Spiner to the XX'th, but, even now with "only" three Guzzis, I can't keep up with DMV bureaucracy and maintenance, etc., much less ride them as much as these sweet beasts deserve. But I can at least get the V85 ready for the run down to Tennessee. And, you'll be seeing double as first-time-Raider @AJ Howard will be on his Oreo Guard, too. He and his on the left in this pic of a ferry ride across the Ohio River in May. We're taking two days, with an RON as usual at Princeton, W.V. Kathi will drive the "support van," which means she'll also get to control my road food. Sigh. Life's full of tradeoffs. In the meantime, my Guardia is on the lift for its conveniently timed 12.4K service. Best, Bill

I know its non alcoholic but at least the thermal image tells me its cold!

View of the front right hand side of the bike from a couple metres away. Really cool to see the heat in the tires.

Battery Positive terminal at the cross hairs. New Battery (odyssey) Battery is to the right of the cross hairs. ECU is bottom left corner of image.

View of the relays but from the left hand side of the bike.

Same view from RHS of the bike: Max temp reading I could get was 49 C (120 F) between the fuses (for some reason, I don't know, but the fuses were cooler than the underlying area... maybe its the input wiring temp????). Anyway thats hot, but not so bad I think. I could easily keep my fingers in the area without excessive heat. Image taken from the right hand side of the bike, same as the photo above shown for reference. Just adding that the dark areas are the fuses and the bright is the area beneath the fuses.

Those of you who listened to this song from a turntable, please holler!!

Don't overthink it, just clean it and grease it. You'll be in there again in a few thousand miles anyway. Burn that rubber!

MP3 grease from BMW is white. Staburags from Kluber is a v good grease for the splines. Clean EVERYTHING, and light coating. Cheers Tom.

Wow, that is cold. Pretty sure I have more motorcycle racing experience them Phil. But you do you. I'm out.