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Heh, my lotto car is a Montreal Green Giulia Quadrifoglio with tan leather interior.

Yet, you have an Aermacchi (and an 1100 Sport-i), already? A.L.F.A. syndrome . . . "Always Looking For Another" . . .

Look for the brand "Leinbrock". I hadn't done any research, but a quick look just now reveals that it is (was) a German manufacturer in eastern Germany, which means it was in the DDR after WW II. The one in the photo further up is a Leinbrock that my girlfriend brought into the relationship. She had actually only bought it as a decoration object. I decided it needed to be used, and screwed it onto the wall the first time nearly 25 years ago. I suspect that all the neighbours in the building can hear when we grind the coffee, but I don't care. The grinder is great. On a whim, I went looking for grinders at a very big flea market here in Leipzig. The idea was to have more than one grinder at home, in order to be able to grind my own blends. That hasn't really panned out yet, but the very nice "table-top" grinder that I found at the time is the same brand. Shortly after I bought it, I found a stand on the flea market with a whole table full of grinders. They were all, or at least nearly all, "Leinbrock". I have the impression that this brand was a market leader in times when hand grinders were the normal thing.

@Lucky Phil I really hope the machine delivers all it promises. I've gone down a different path. Coffee is a luxury that gets shipped halfway around the world before I get to see it. I want it to be a ritual. This is what I have at home. I know how many times I have to turn the handle on the grinder for each Bialetti pot, so the beans are ground fresh every time. A Bialetti pot for every occasion, a metal pot to warm the milk for my flat white. Amazing how in-depth one can get with even the simplest of equipment.

So that would be the Philosopher's Stone then, right?

Yes, definitely. The tyres on my Breva 750 had done 800 km when I bought it, after having been mounted ten years previously. They looked, predictably, brand new. Last winter and during the summer I got by with them, albeit aware that they were not really all that good. As this winter started, it was obvious that it was time. Still lots of tread on them, but they were just too old and were not providing any grip in the cooler, damper conditions. At least I got about 2,500 km out of them. With the new tyres on it, it is not like a new bike, but like the same bike with usable tyres on it.

Well, not actually...*looking*... just sayin'. If'n.

My Olympia Express is almost 40 years old. I bought it for $400 at Zabars in NYC as a birthday present for my girlfriend. We parted many years later and remained friends. She was moving and had a garage sale and invited me to come down a day early to see if I was interested in anything. When I arrived I saw she had this unit for sale along with her leather motorcycle jacket I also bought for her. Long story short, I had to buy them both back. The jacket got used by other women over time and the espresso maker is still working fine. My kids used it for years for frothing up their cocoa. It blows me away to see what they are selling for today. I only had to pay $100 to get it back.

Here is another resource for bikers in Oregon. I've heard good things about this guy and plan on getting my Stelvio seat improved or remade by him and a worn V11 seat recovered. www.mredsmoto.com

Oh geez, you might have me started on something else...

Reminds me that if I come across a nice Bultaco Streaker or Metralla GTS, I'd have it.

The V11 is a very different animal compared to the vertical twins "a la Briton". If you are looking for an easy going motorcycle, a 20+ years Guzzi that has not been run for an undisclosed amount of time will take some effort to restore to that careless status. I am saying this because the two Guzzi I purchased had most likely been ignored for some time. My V11 took some looking after before it became reliable. But once I ironed out the typical issues every V11 are known to have, it just works like clockworks. I went from 8k miles to 40k miles. I purchased the bike in December 2020, but only took possession of it in April 2021. The major part of 2021 was used to fix the odometer, the starter motor circuit. Thereafter, it is now a Swiss army knife.

Incidentally, they got the quote wrong in the Video. It should be "better, stronger, faster"... My goodness, that is 50 years old.

The idea was to investigate the common lore (I would say "myth") that the valves have to be "stone cold" to adjust, hence the infrared temperature reader and the stone. More on that here:

My real first contact with a Moto Guzzi was with the V7 Sport in the 70's. I remember very well, and I have a photo somewhere in a box. Edit: watch the video about the Norton Commando! in my opinion, they did a better job, adding a café racer to the classic! According to you, did Moto Guzzi/Piaggio miss the mark on this iconic reissue? My gripes and kudos: -That single digital instrument is an offence to the spirit of the bike. They have a dual clock arrangement on some other V7s. Why not on this one? -Not a big fan of the rearview mirrors at the end of the handlebars, but that is an easy sorting. -Electronically, they have the ride by wire, the ABS that works in curves, I read somewhere they have a cruise control, with the usual ECU maping modes which I don't think are necessary on a bike with so little watts. -Dual rotors, radial calipers, inverted forks with additional settings; ok. -A removable seat cowl and a front fairing would have been nice. -I like the reduced length mufflers, but maybe some Akrapovǐk like on other V7 would have given a better tone. Price is undecided, but the Guzzi representative says it will be attractive. What do you think? would you make room for this one?

Works for me, 6 cups waking up. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

Drink a pot every morning. $20 Ham Beach. Throw in 3 scoops plus 1 hazelnut. Let her rip. 10 minutes and pour. Don't overthink morning.

I find that mileage number to be believable. The stator cover, behind the front wheel, shows very little stone damage. I'd also check the date code on the tires - if they were made many years ago, it supports a low-mileage claim. It's likely that you will want to replace the tires due to age and sitting outside - even if there still appears to be good tread. If you just want a fun ride, I think getting this bike at a deep discount could be it. But as others have said, it will take some work, starting with a thorough degreasing to see what you've really got to work with/on. So if this is what you want, I agree with the cash-lowball offer suggestions that other have made. But if you are hoping to make it a real looker, you will be soon frustrated with the crinkle paint on the engine, transmission, and final drive. It is a large and labor-intensive process to strip that off and repaint it. I've done it twice, and I will not get another model with that paint on it (unless it is an otherwise spotless 2002 V11 LeMans-Tenni for a good price). The community here is also part of the joy (and occasional shared misery) in the ownership experience.

Sorry... The one in the film must habe been similar to this when new. I got mine at a flea market, for around €20.- I think. Works fine.

A few points. People are getting way to obsessed with the definition of a "cold" engine and running clearances too loose causes valve train damage eventually as the lifters no longer correctly utilise the opening ramps on the cams. Considering steel has an expansion profile of .0000072" per degree F of temp shift then a 40 degree difference in a "cold" engine will be .000288 or less than 3 tenths of a thou. Of course considering the aluminium pushrods at around twice the expansion rate of steel it would be around .0005" or 1/2 thou. If you can comfortably hold your hand on the cylinder head then the temp is around 40C ish and fine to do the clearances. Phil

Yeah, the Norton is cool, but it is in a different league than the V7 Guzzi. And while I like the Norton a lot, I don't think they will sell that many of them as there probably is not that big a market for a retro bike that expensive. I could be wrong, but I would bet a donut that Guzzi sells more V7 Sports then Norton sells those. And if you are in the market for a V7, the V7 Sport doesn't seem to have much wrong with it. I wonder if some people want it to be something other then what it is. There is "Sport" in the name, but it is not a sportbike or even a cafe racer. I picture the use of "Sport" here more like the way Tommy Lee Jones's character would call Will Smith's character "Sport" in the Men in Black movies.

The "Sport" badge can be used in two different ways. Sometimes it is used for a faster, more performance oriented version of something. But other times it is used as a budget friendly package, designed to look more exciting but not actually be faster. This "Sport" looks to be a combination of the two. Some things like the forks and brakes appear to be an upgrade. But then, perhaps to offset the cost of the forks and brakes, they cut corners on other items and give you just a single gauge (It looks like it squeezes a speedo and tach into that single gauge, that is fine by me). On the bright side, I would assume that things like the seat with cowl and pegs / bars from other models could be interchanged with this one if desired. But only you can decide if it belongs in your garage. It does not belong in mine, but honestly Moto Guzzi does not currently sell a motorcycle that belongs in mine. The V100 is close, but I would want either a naked version of it or an MGS version of it. I know, two extremes on either side of the current V100, but the V100 needs either less or more to be one I would want. As is it is right in that middle ground that just doesn't do it for me. As for small blocks, we have one and that is enough. And ours is way cooler to me.

"It Takes a Lot of Medicine to Go This Fast " . . . . So, @MacMcMacmac, can you get the Sport out for a ride? That Tango might just seal the deal . . . [edit: oh, yes, yes, we are a "technical" forum. Once we get past the passion and unbridled enthusiasm. "Let's ask the other inmates on the ward if I should bring this orphan V11 Sport home " . . . ]

Anybody who rode a SX650 for more than a couple seasons is probably the right guy to own a V11. For a lot of reasons...no wait, for *all* the reasons.

I've been looking for a very nice vintage coffee grinder for a *long* time. The only ones that aren't rodent-infested nesting boxes are the huge ones that came from some General Store. I suppose few people outside the New England area had the wherewithal to own a nice one. Bialetti Stainless is the best, though I have one I bought in Uruguay that's ceramic coated inside and out I like best- but my son pilfered it because it's smaller than a 2 cup Bialetti but uses as much coffee. It travels well.

Y'all know "It Takes a Lot of Medicine to Go This Fast " . . . (skip to 2:14 for the horn solo)

True. I managed to watch 52 seconds of that video, and that was an effort. Wont be watching the rest...

All I can do is reiterate what others have said. It’s a seemingly low mileage machine that has likely spent a lot of time parked. This is more likely to be a curse than a blessing. If you do go ahead do not expect it to be a simple, ‘Turnkey’ proposition. On any machine like this I’d be taking the back end apart and checking stuff like the driveshaft alignment and the state of the outrigger bearing in the bevelbox which are notorious for getting water in and rusting out. The timing chest weep will need fixing but that is a simple gasket swap and most of the breather hoses will likely need replacement. Then it will need a full service and tune to make sure it runs correctly. That includes brake and particularly clutch fluid as V11’s, (And the CARC bikes.) are absolute murder on clutch fluid. I haven’t owned a V11 in a long while and never owned one here in Oz but I’ve ridden and worked on many and if I wasn’t ageing out of larger bikes would still dearly like to own one. They are comparatively rare here though and command higher prices than in the US/Canada. Put very simply, if you are just looking for a cheap and cheerful ‘Everyday ride’ that you don’t have to put any effort in to? I’d look elsewhere. If you are really drawn to the V11? Fill yer boots!

Love this expression!

Still boxed up until Christmas day. It's my wife and I's Christmas present to each other. Phil

20 years old is a pretty new bike by my standards. My previous bike was an 83 XS650 I rocked as an only bike since 2018, and owned since 2008. Believe me, I am no stranger to repairs or maintenance. I'd still be riding it if we both hadn't been squashed under an Ecosport back in June. I have been riding mostly non-stop since 94. The price is right on a very desirable model. I was looking at a V9 Roamer, a W800 or maybe a Bonneville to replace the XS, as it had given me a deep affection for twins and classic bikes. The XS showed me there is a lot more to riding than droning around at 1/8 throttle on a litre bike. The V11 promises an extra bit of performance and handling than those other bikes, while still being fun at sane speeds. I have a 1200 Bandit I'll be selling on in the spring, sporting carbs and pipes worth more than the bike unfortunately!

Leave the tire and oil threads to the amateurs. Here at V11LM.com, we take The Valve Adjustment from a maintenance task to the level of Philosophical Ritual.

The Guzzi vs the Ducati, yah?

Ok, so he noticed the qualities of the bike, and gave it a good report. Mostly. The bashing continues: he says at the start that he never was interested in adventure bikes, but for the test he miracuolasly has a retro enduro helmet to wear. Further: as in the last video, brand new spiffy clothing appropriate to the bike in question, and meticulously aged boots. And he is constanly striking poses. I'm pleased that he liked the bike, but I still reckon he is a bit of a twat. And Monica is a shit camera operator.