Leaderboard

All very true esp the bit about the grinder. When I told the espresso sales guy for the ECM what machine and grinder I currently use (I have two 20 year old semi commercial doser units) he to his credit advised I'd be better off with regards to better coffee by upgrading the grinders first then spend the cash on the ECM machine later on. In many ways the grinder is more important than the machine for making a great shot. So in addition to the machine I bought a new grinder. Anyone that wants a working grinder for free you have a choice of two, a Rancilio Rocky or a Bregant junior. Both are quite weighty so overseas postage wouldn't be worth the money. The Amish only manage to survive because they pretty much isolate themselves from the rest of society and making a coffee on a modern machine is still a ritual believe me. Nobody loves old stuff more than me, hell I even keep my old espresso machines as ornaments but there no way on earth the old machines can make a perfect, reliably consistent shot of coffee for 1 or 20 people like a modern machine and grinder. I have family members that would rather drink instant coffee than a espresso machine made coffee even if it's for free or I'm paying. Thats how mad some people are these days. Phil

perfectly describes why I sold the DRZ, even though it was the DR 650 that threw me down, jumped on me, and broke my leg. The one I didn't sell. I'll never learn.

WelL I'm probably being overly cautious, but I'm not feeling it for this particular bike. I'll wait and see what comes up. I passed on a mint Anniversario while trying to decide on this one, but something will turn up. Thanks for the advice.

My StreetFighter outside Black Raven Brewing here in Seattle. One of the hundreds of extremely good breweries in the Pacific North West.

Whatever the format they fancy, how they promote it, nothing will ever equal the Grand-Prix held in the 70's. There, you had the pilots and the public mixed together. I literally remember talking to Barry Sheene as he was working on his Suzuki 500 before the Trophée du Million. There were no hospitality trucks, sleeping RVs. The only guy who was not easily accessible was Giacomo Agostini. But he was the big star of the pack. Today's races have lost that spirit of bonne humeur that you always found when you attended a race. The locals would often invite you into their home when they found out you had travelled all the way from your country just to see some guys running in circle. Today's races atmosphere are very different. I am told it is because I don't get it. I think it is because I can make the difference between then and now. The newer crowd can't. Simple.

That was kinda my point, the pleasure is not in utility. Sometimes, pleasure is in overcoming shortcomings. I don't know if you're familiar with the American Amish; Christian fundamentalists who to lesser or greater degree, depending on their sect, reject technology. To wit, John Deere manufactured steel tractor tires until about 1985 to accommodate the Amish. Many still use horses, build magnificent barns with A-frames and ropes, run sawmills with overhead belts a century old. The Conundrum comes when asking, 'how can you have a modern tractor but insist it have tires given up as inefficient before 1940? How can you use a hay baler with a gas engine mounted on it, but not one that uses the tractor PTO? None of it made sense until an old Amish man told me, 'it's not about rejecting or accepting technology. It's about never doing it the easiest way; the easy way is a road that leads to fast results and low quality, in product and life'. There's a fundamental truth to that, that in my mind extends to such simple things an making coffee.

Two Australians. For those not in the know, the coffee culture in Melbourne has got to be one of the most refined in the world, I reckon. It started around the early '80s, I think, and has been developing and refining itself ever since. Driven by the large Italian immigrant population, but no doubt also influenced by the equally large Greek community. Anyway, to put it into perspective... My experience over the last couple of visits "back home" is that if you have really bad luck, and make a really bad choice of cafe in Melbourne, you might get served with a coffee that is only just better than mediocre. In comparision, here in Germany, if you get really lucky, on a good day, in a cafe that is an inside tip from someone, and the person making the coffee is having a good day, you might get a coffee that is nearly good. The term "Flat white" is starting to turn up here. Probably introduced by people who where on holidays in Australia, and saw it there. Every time I see it on a menu, I give it a go. Mostly it turns out to be a half a cup of foam, made with UHT skimmed milk, with about a thimble full of something liquid underneath it that may have seen a coffe bean at a distance. I love my Bialettis. PS: as far as the grinder goes, I was informed that the grind for a Bialetti should not be so fine, so the old hand grinder is ok. Seems to work well, at least.

Yes mate

Can you explain the theory of operation and the procedure ?

I submit, once again, there is nowhere else in the world a group of friends could have this much fun with Valve Clearances. Reminds me of this girl I dated in college that was kind of a walking, talking feeler gauge.

Absolutely not easy Cheers Tom.

So, like we say a "buck" for a dollar?

Oh my, did we really get into an espresso thread with an Australian on V11lemans.com? It’s about damn time! phil clearly likes finer and/or vintage things (he has a V11!), and he’s Australian, a land full of wonderfully finicky espresso drinkers, so it’s probably safe to say he has no problem with model T’s, but that if you really love to drink espresso, then the model T is going to produce a whole different product than a what a proper modern machine & grinder will do. Less-so for the espresso machine, which is an easier target to hit than a good grinder. (Almost) no matter how skilled you are, pulling a perfect shot using a “model T” grinder is damn near impossible, and at the least requires a lot of work, and some luck. of course it all depends on what you consider the perfect shot, the question which overwhelmingly colors the whole conversation. I’ve owned and used wonderful vintage espresso machines, which looked the part, and with considerable effort could produce a fantastic shot, but never without the right (modern, bloody expensive) grinder. The temp control, plus pressure & flow control of Phil’s new machine is very difficult or impossible to replicate on an old machine. if you like drip, or have taste for old-world coffee, then no big deal….. life is much easier for you! for those who like both old world simplicity and the benefits of modern geek-driven (beautiful) madness, are not worried about budget, the Weber HG-2 is spot-on. And it's not made from wood, for those inclined that way :-> No room in my kitchen for that (lovely) monstrosity, plus for espresso I prefer a flat burr. For the flat burr fans, spend double the already large price and get the EG-1, a fantastic unit, that I’ve only used at a friends house. Fantastic, and consistent. Just imagine, for only $4000 you can get a nice grinder for your counter that your friends will think is a NASA telescope! sad that in Italy, where I learned to love espresso so many years ago (as an eye opener compared the Folgers at home back then), where even the little hole-in-wall places did decent espresso, is now largely overrun with the disgusting automatic machines. Undrinkable, except for medicinal purposes…

I was getting to know my K1200rs on my first spirited ride with it and fellow vacationers on the beautiful stream-side roads in North Carolina one fall day. Flat, but pretty twisty, 60ish mph +/- and I was at the tail of a 6 rider line. I thought I was doing pretty well keeping up with more seasoned sport riders. I was surprised when out of nowhere I was passed (with extreme prejudice) by 3 loud single cyl motards with riders standing on the pegs as they swept and in and out and passed us all. I recall thinking "I should re-evaluate my priorities maybe"

The thing that strikes me about this video, and so many others, is that the notion of 100 horsepower being something less than fast, is ridiculous to the point of being absurd. My '87 Suzuki GSXR 750 had probably 90 horsepower, and ridden to it's limit *on track* was terrifying. So the remaining 110 horsepower of todays superbikes is simply wishful thinking and posturing under the pants-covered ego of anyone riding them on public roads. It's not so much about downsizing your bike, it's about downsizing your presentation and focusing on your personal reward from riding. My Aermacchi 350, at ...um... maybe 35 horsepower, is the most fun to ride in my entire garage. No, it won't go cross-country comfortably. No, it won't handle 90mph sweepers like a locomotive. (yet) No, it won't power wheelie, it has no brakes, and no, it isn't reliable enough that I take it any farther than I want to Uber back to my motorcycle trailer. (Yet) But it is the most smiles per mile, because it *never* cuts into my fun by being too heavy, or too thirsty, or too pretty with impossible to find parts to worry about crashing off of it. This is why it's on my keepers list. There's a huge fun reward in driving a motorcycle to it's limits, and when those limits are attainable (and exceedable, be careful) on public roads without breaking many if any laws those rewards come with little or no consequences.

And a bit further to the east (50km) is Herberg Hutterscheid (similar name but that is a coincident). Also the possibility to pitch your tent or sleep in the Bunkhouse. https://www.herberghutterscheiderhof.com/

Oh NO ! That is why I could NOT post @#$$#! Cavett's name the other day ! I thought I was having keyboard problems ?

Nah, I’m fully aware that Piaggio/Guzzi aren’t going to be making bikes for me. I pretty much lost interest, apart from a morbid technical interest, after the CARC series. That’s fine. I’m also a heretic because I think they should bulldoze the shitty, rat infested factory and move to a green-field site. Everyone hates me for that as well. Below there is a picture of the precise number of shits I have to give….

Until you step down the power ladder you don't realise just how unimportant big power really is. I've said for the last 30 years (after I spent 2 days blasting around the streets of Rome Italy on a hired scooter having and absolute ball) that more than 100hp on a road bike is a total waste and in all probability a handicap to most and a burden to some. The Honda CBR600 was just a perfect road sports bike. Plenty fast enough, reliable, light, but a bit characterless and bland I'll admit. I remember the 80's and 90's when manufacturers were driven by the American obsession with 1/4 mile times and I was riding an 85hp Bevel drive Ducati. The 1/4 mile times and HP figures interested me not a jot and thankfully the 1/4 mile time focus has shifted as has ignoring making a bike light weight. The scooter memories and education fades over the years but the Enfield 650 has brought the "HP perspective" back again. Phil

Yes please. I would also be most interested in having that explained.

@p6x : regarding having chose the wrong brand, listen (again) carefully at around 5:03 where he says "or my Moto Guzzi Griso"... As far as the philosophy goes, yes, he hit the nail on the head. I too have experienced the value of a bike with "no power". My V35 Imola. The handling is good for its age. The motor claims to make about 30 h.p., but probably doesn't really do even that. That bike fits perfectly to what he said about "thrashing the bike without getting too far into illegal". Fantastic. And it is beautiful into the bargain. I don't need to tell anyone here about the joys of the V11, I expect. Still, it is "too fast" for public roads, actually. It seems to be happy about 140 km/h, and that is 40 more than legal, and definitely fast enough to get into trouble a bit too quickly. Still, even though it has lots of issues to be fixed, I'll be keeping it. The one that surprised me is the Breva 750 i.e. . I'm still not quite sure about the looks. The seating position is too upright for my taste, and it will get some clip-ons at some point because of that. Despite that, the thing is really good fun to ride. Moderate in all things, but just nice.

I think so...but those Webers are just beautiful, especially the eg1. I'm sure the law of diminishing returns applies here, and idk if my palate is that refined to taste the differences between flat burr and conical. I am going to search out an espresso bar that knows their stuff and has the equipment to see how it compares to my cup of mud.

Matter o fact I have a Nescafe blend 43 in hand as we speak.... Don't mind a good espresso now and again but don't get too fired up about it all.

My thoughts exactly when I took the photo Docc!

That machine so looks like it belongs at The Black Raven.

Notice that with KOEO, Neutral Light on -> remove Neutral (#3/middle/"sidestand") Relay -> Neutral Light stays on.

A quick test of the relays. If relay (start) #1 works= the engine will crank . If relay (headlight) #2 works the headlight will work. If the relay (side stand) #3 works the N light will work. If relay (ECU) #4 works the relay (injection ) #5 will work and the fuel pump will energize . These actions will all work IF everything else is in order.

YEs . Cheers Tom

love the lever machine activepop! a good lever machine along with an HG-2 Weber grinder would seem the ultimate combo for someone who wanted the enjoyable work and "ritual" but also wanted excellent espresso. just requires real committment. love it.

I'm leaning towards the relays too as had similar issue a while back. Starts fine runs for a bit then dies when given some throttle,hard to restart then runs for a bit longer.... I swapped relays round and cleaned / blew out any dust from the base and so far not happened since but of course now I've mentioned it.. Good luck with it mate.

Pleasant video. I couldn't tell if he is thinking of downsizing from or to the Zed. Or if his concern is physical size or power. Maybe both.? I've been downsizing ever since a gust of wind blew over my precariously parked 600lb K1200RS. The Guzzi is now my only remaining weighty vice. Only 450lb or (much) less weight bikes are my future. The new Triumph Scrambler 400 X has my attention. I like the Enfields. My most insanely fun bike was a DRZ 400SM. I thought it might kill me so I sold it.

There are clues in the improvement after removing the side stand switch; that it went 1000 miles but returned to failure, and the low measured voltage, says that the sss circuit has some failure back to the source. Something common to the sss and the ECU/fuel pump has a poor connection, most likely. Everything on the bike is either 12v or 5v, if it has any low-voltage engine sensors. The sss is 12v and there is no way it can see less unless you have a circuit failure upstream. Run switch, ignition switch, relay, fuse holder, battery terminal. The easiest way to identify the failure is to measure voltage across each connection until you find the one that has 12v on the battery side and 7.5 (or whatever less, .5v is maximum allowable drop) and the drops can stack across multiple connections. A secondary possibility, and easier to test, is that the sss circuit is shorted to ground, pinched somewhere so contact is light, intermittent or increased by heat and vibration. Again, testing voltage at the sss point and the source point of that wire will guide you.

High Chapparal in Heiderscheidergrund Luxemburg is a nice place to go in our area. You can pitch a tent, so no trouble having a nice Belgium beer. https://www.camping-moulin.eu/faciliteiten/high_chapparal

Do you hear the fuel pump prime when you try to restart? I'd suspect a relay getting hot since it's 20 minutes. One trick, move and reset the relays when restarting.

It appears to be. I didn't step in to phone anyone having no quid in hand to pay the call (I am, honestly, quite vague on what a "quid" is, but it is fun to say. ) A terrific gathering place in the unlikely place that is the town square of Gainesboro, Tennessee . . . https://www.bullandthistle.com/

Apples to oranges. I've been a simple carpenter for over 50 years with an affinity for things well built from wood, especially when they are old.

Truth be known, I really like that baby-blue "Sport" in rather the same way I would like some dancing girl in a blue dress. It ain't gonna happen and if the wife finds out, my body will never be found . . . So, yes, Moto Guzzi must appeal to the fine (young) folks coming around to the wonder that is riding and MotoGuzzi. "We" are no longer their audience. I am glad they know this.

Settle down, Pete. It works ok, and what "retro" model these days can afford to ignore the Hipsters?

There are other differences. I don’t think the V7-III and onwards have the semi-dry sump arrangement of the V85 although they all have the ‘Built in’ windage plate. From about 2021 the V7 series have a pressed up crank with one piece rods but they also adopted the roller tappets as used on the V85. From 2024/5 the V7 series also have variable cam timing. I have no idea of the details. Presumably some form of centrifugal advance mechanism. V100 is essentially a ‘Generic’ Piaggio big twin turned sideways with the gearbox on the side rather than underneath.

The only real difference tween the V85 motor and the V7 850 motor is the stupid TI valves isn’t it? I think this *New* Sport uses the big throttlebody as well? Personally I think TI valves are more of a negative than a positive and anyway the 80 HP figure is a drug-addled dream, even at the crank.

Agreed on the dual instrumentation being more desirable for a proper "Sport." I also find the off-center mounting distracting for riding. I regard that as some sort of flash done for onlookers when parked-up. A proper "Sport" is not about being looked at while parked like a dancing girl sitting on a couch. Improving the forks and adding a brake disc is a nice touch, but again, does not make it a "Sport", but a Sport badged V7. Applying the clip-ons and rear-sets of the V7 Racer would move it further to desirable, rather than handlebars and rubber footpegs. Rather like putting mag wheels with big tires on your mother's beige sedan and calling it a hotrod. A true Sport offering would come with the stronger V85TT 850 rather than the cooking 850 built up from the V7. Getting the proper elements together could qualify the outcome for a Red Frame . . . (At least they didn't pull that out of the bag for this model.)

Interesting place but I think it's sad we feel the need to have a bunch of disclaimers in a thread like this these days. Phil

Pretty sure we've been there, Shamrock Texas, but not with our bikes. We were there with our Jeep and RV trailer. There was a cool vinyl record shop across the way called Spinning Jenny's, sadly they are gone.

One of my favorite "water hole" in Brenham Texas. The Pioneer BBQ. This used to be a train depot.

Thanks for posting your seat, @ChrisPDX! I love the way it preserves the tail cowl. And that @RichMaund is still producing seats for our V11. He was a very early member here and a solid, good guy. [edit: @guzzigary helped me see that this seat maker in Portland is Rich O'Conner.]

It seems the proper term is " giallo " . . . (pronounced: JAHL-oh )

Hi Folks: Informed and inspired by this forum - and because I powdercoated the swingarm on my 2001 Greenie bright red - I removed my black plastic rear hugger and spent some time making a version of road-spray deflectors. Thought I'd post photos here for others to see. I made a version of the flat "lower triangle" very similar to what others have done, with a couple tweaks for fit and to protect the lower shock eye. And I made an "upper extension" that mounts to the existing under-seat plastic and extends a fork-shaped flap around the shock. That upper extension required a bit of heat gun forming because I worked its profile in steps around the battery basket. Attachment of the lower triangle is with zip ties and the upper extension is with plastic "Christmas Tree" style clips through the seat pan. The end result lets the swingarm and rear wheel/drive be fully visible. I sourced material for all the above from Home Depot in the form of one rectangular black plastic Rubbermaid trash can. It was what seemed to me the right thickness, cut pretty easily with an Xacto knife, will be durable for the application, and the price was certainly right. My process was to start with thin cardboard and scissors, then use what I came up with as the template for cutting out the plastic. Installed, these are basically invisible. And they do a much better job than the original hugger of keeping road spray and debris out of the shock and rear of the engine. Hope this helps!