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I call this pic "Fat bottomed girls"

I think this advertisement would have gone over better...

Welcome, @WDGUZZI! As you can see already, you are in the right place to sort a V11 LeMans! Could you post images of the electrical menagerie under the seat? Sometimes, a look at that will reveal modifications and monkey business . . .

Back about '99 I got to tune and test drive a kitted '53 XK 120 with the triple Weber carburetors. I put about a hundred miles on it, and would have liked to put a hundred thousand. The only car I've ever driven that was a more rapt experience was a '72 Ferarri Dino GT.

What it could'a, should'a, been without the forerunners of the green weenies stepping on it's neck. This with a 6 speed TT sequential gearbox, blackout coating, Heads-up FLIR and active LIDAR jamming.

Don't care, mate. The XJS was, and remains, a thing of beauty. And I got to drive an XJ40 once with the V12 in it. Sensational. Given that a V11 is absolutely reliable, with no maintenance issues or recurring problems, I can see why you might be concerned about the reliability of another vehicle. I try not to worry too much about that. If I like it, I like it.

These can be vastly improved upon . . . Might as well get yourself a set (5) of High Current relays: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/picker-components/PC782-1C-12S-R-X/12352866

Have you seen that TWR is bringing the XJS back in limited numbers? Super Cat https://twrperformance.co.uk/global-dubut-for-twrs-v12-super-gt-supercat/

Without a doubt, the most beautiful Ferrari ever made....the Dino! Saw one last year at the Ferrari festival in Arkansas...easily must have been a million dollar collector car. Just gorgeous!

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/picker-components/PC782-1C-12S-R-X/12352866

Love my Guzzi's and Honda V4s, but it is a mental adjustment going back and forth between them. People who think HP=fast just need to go ride an NSR250 or similar bike. Riding my buddy's on good mountain roads, I kept going into corners thinking I was fast, but upon exiting them, thinking to myself, heck, I could have carried another 10-15 mph.

Ok but I'm using just a substitute battery for now as the one that came with the bike is dead. The bike was supposed to have been running within the last 3 months. The gas smells ok but I'll be flushing the tank and lines anyway

While waiting for the High Current relays, investigate the battery: See if you can find a date code on it (I can't see what brand it is). With a good voltmeter, record the voltages after it's been off any charger six hours: >Static voltage (key off) >Key on/ headlight on >Attempt to start voltage edit: That battery is not oriented correctly relative to the OEM application. It makes me wonder about how the wiring and terminal connections had to be modified.

I agree that maybe the zip tied battery cables should be bolted and so I'll do that. I'll look for those relays as well. Thanks for the tips!

"order up a can of Caig DeOxit from Amazon because you'll need it"... This.......

The situation seems to be serious... they are going to stop the complete production on January and February and furlough the employees. I understand they are, they have taken steps to prevent Pieirer mobility to be run by an external administrator during the recovery. They have apparently refused financial help from Red Bull for the same reason. They have also said that MotoGP would not be impacted, but I have a hard time believing that. KTM needs to start developing the next generation bike for 2027. Potentially, it is going to be a big financial effort because they need a new engine, and new chassis, and compose with the new aerodynamic rules. I don't know if this year's debacle had anything to do with the cost-cutting. As for the video, it seems to be clear they improvised it without any help from the usual advice companies. It is aimed at reassuring people they can continue purchasing KTM motorcycles. On some of the forums I follow, I read about several issues that should have been taken care under warranty, where warranty was denied. Obviously, Internet is not the most reliable source. They have been in financial trouble since 2023 now, and it seems they have a lot of debt and creditors; hence the reason why they are trying to stop the vultures to break the company.

Hell Phil, all King Chas wanted was a convertible that would actually start and go when he wanted to go to the store for a qt of milk and a loaf of bread. He got rid of the Lucas and went all the way

Reminds me to feel good about what Piaggio has done with Moto Guzzi.

Virtue signaling is more important than reality for many. I've heard that in the UK critical comments on social media can get one in trouble. Not just "hate speech" from the reprehensible morons that spew it, but also one of the oldest English traditions: sarcastic humor! Oh well, sunshine and lollipops; we all end up loving Big Brother in the end. Enough of my silly rant.

This may need to go to the Introductions thread, but I have the issue of getting it started and also looking for a seat, so I thought I'd put it here and move it if needed. I bought this LeMans on Friday at an estate sale auction. I now have 10 Moto Guzzi's, 6 purchased as a package, and hope to par down the herd as I get to know them better. I think this one will definitely be a keeper! My 7 year old daughter and number 1 co-pilot Haley agrees! I am trying to get it started, but am getting nothing other than lights, horn, etc. When I turn the ignition to on, I get a red light, no neutral light, and no fuel pump prime. I've tried with the kickstand up and down, clutch in, verified 'run' switch is on etc., but still nothing. I see there are some very good threads here regarding no-start issues, and I'll be following them, but wanted to throw this out there in case I'm overlooking something. Also, I understand there is a 'startus interruptus' mod that I assume is some sort of kill switch? If someone is familiar with that I'd like to know more so that I can verify whether this bike has it. Also, as the pictures show, I need a replacement seat or source for a cover and will be posting a wanted ad for this shortly. And finally, I bought the bike in Albuquerque, NM. If anyone is familiar with this machine or its former owner I'd love to hear from them. Thanks!

Ha... I see the sails on the horizon, my ship is coming in Oh wait, it's the Flying Dutchman. I expect to see one locally in 2025.

I always thought the XJS was a Brit version of '70 T-Bird but with reliable engine and auto-tranny. here's one British Racing Green (sometimes called baby shit green) (lighten up, just joking)

I know that Ducati sponsors the "Ducati Experience" at Modena. There are also Grand Prix packages and touring groups. I looked into it a few years ago.

Well here she is in all her glory! About 99% there (apart from inevitably painful registration process). Just the alternator cover and one horn to repaint and later on, new dust seals for the Ohlins forks. I suspect the steering bearings will be dry (the ones in my greenie were toast after 2 years!). I had an illicit run round the block for a few hundred yards just to check everything works ok, which it does except for neutral light. Clutch and gearbox fine, ticks over and responds to (limited) throttle (new tyres, wet roads, not registered!) cleanly. Haven't touched the TB settings yet apart from the TPS. Pretty pleased with how she turned out cosmetically, looks pretty much the same in the photos before/after but huge difference close up with 17 years of crud removed. The wiring loom in particular was in a horrible mess, but fine underneath it all? I found a better glue residue remover (this one if you ever need it for UK forum members ). https://www.screwfix.com/p/scrubb-adhesive-remover-250ml/513ve It turned out to be paint friendly (I think, see later comments) and didn't remove the existing tailpiece decals, but not before I'd already damaged both sides in a couple of places with early attempts, despite being very careful and literally spending 3-4 days just on this with the original glue remover and fingernails. Will attempt a silver paint touch up remedy as decals not available anymore (though could probably get custom made ones). So far no oil leaks from bell housing but very early days and I did add some "seal doctor" type additive in the engine oil? Biggest concern is, despite drying the tank out (stored all those years I suspect with about 3 pints of horrible stale fuel the colour of tea) for over a fortnight with the filler cap open and pump plate removed, it now has 3 tiny bubbles on the top surface which definitely weren't there before?? MIGHT be the glue remover but I doubt it somehow, and could spell bad news in the future? Will have to wait and see but the tank hasn't swollen like on my old green one (I serviced that etc a year ago and had to redrill the frame mount), same as my friends early multistrada. Once I have it registered (will need an MoT) I'll drain the tank again for the winter and see if it helps. It would be a crying shame as the paint, apart from a couple of obvious scars, is in lovely condition. But why would it bubble now, it has only had a few pints of E5 (UK 5% max ethanol but actually 0% I put in fresh? Ho hum.

BTW . "starter interruptus" has 300 variations , so ........

ALL the wires need to be connected to the battery before you start . Get a good battery. AZ (I think) sells Odyssey along w/a military discount . The only battery to buy. You can hop it around to other bikes if needed.

Yes, but you don't need to get it from Amazon. There are reputable suppliers who sell it too...

hope you can rent a Guzzi or Ducati and have a good one.

I remember when the XJS came out and they opened the hood on that V12...all the mess of vacuum hoses and rats nest of wires. Given Jag's "stellar" reputation for reliability, looking back, I can understand why Lane killed himself. TWICE.

So you've apparently jury-rigged a battery to try and get it started. Are you absolutely sure you connected all the cables that need to be connected to the battery? "Stupid" question, I know. Just for the sake of completeness.

Yes, happy to post more pictures! I think the previous owner was a caring one. There is battery tender wiring and not shown is a very complete tool kit I removed to check things out. The janky-est thing I can see of the wiring is my makeshift jumping of the battery cables while I wait for the correct size battery.

No. A number of Guzzi models, including the V11 series, were (are) prone to becoming reluctant to start with time. Some of them (not the V11, I believe, later models) had a function in the engine management that prevented starting if the system thought the voltage was too low. Others (including the V11 and my Breva 750) just don't get enough volts to the starter solenoid to pull it in properly and activate the starter motor. The solution for the V11 and my Breva is to provide power, switched by a relay, directly from the battery to the starter solenoid (with an in-line fuse). Easy on the Breva, but on the V11 it requires an additional relay. Never mind that for now, though. Going by your description, that is not your problem, or at least not your first problem. That is a topic that you can get into later, I reckon.

all good, and thanks. i see the online tickets on the official motogp website, as well as the Misano track web site, and thats what i'm planning to do at this point, but i haven't seen that venue in person and will be picking seat section just based on the online map. and will look for a nearby town thats smaller and quieter where i could stay and tour around a bit, then make the drive into the crowds for the race day.

I had to Google them too, "How to destroy a brands value"

Maybe the idea is to put something out that is so bad that they can crowd-source better ideas. So here is mine... "Jaguar" (pronounced in the "proper" British way). Video: A big cat, moving stealthily behind leaves, hard to see in a poorly lit jungle scene. "Silent..." Video: Huge paw softly touches down on the dirt. "Powerful..." the cat hunches as if to pounce. "Electrifying..." the cat makes the leap, transforming into the logo Then show the electric car action shot. On the Jaguar website, they do have a nice slogan: "Still leading the charge. All Electric – All Jaguar"

I was seriously appalled a few years ago when I saw footage from one of the royal weddings, can't remember which of the inbred ones it was but they made a big deal of driving away from some palace or in other they frequented/inhabited in an E type jag that had been converted into an electric car. Showing the world how environmentally aware and supportive they were. I just thought, what total wankers. It's one thing to be all that stuff and another the totally shit on your countries automotive history. Phil

A proper British roadster with cut-down doors that one could dangle his arm over and get fingers run over by the rear tire. I learned this lesson as a youth in my brother's Triumph TR3. Drop-dead gorgeous, these roadsters.

As a general comment on society these days which relates to this topic in a high level kind of way is that we are all now prisoners of loony fringe dwellers. The LFD's have always been out there of course but modern instant communications technology has enabled them to all connect in real time and manufacture "influence" with the political establishment. There's a reason that in the past LFD's were LFD's and not politically or socially influential and that was because letting them have influence would drive society down the "Alice in Wonderland" loony rabbit hole. Now they are all interconnected via modern communications tech and have "influence" that's where we are heading. Strap in for the ride it's going to get worse before it gets better. As a student of 20th century history I was always fascinated how propaganda on a mass scale was used to influence the masses to follow seriously unhinged paths and often imagined the process. Well now I don't need to use my imagination because I'm living it every day more and more. The LFD's, political and social influence and propaganda are all connected by the same thread. Phil

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

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.

You might be right Docc about the bleed nipple on the clutch slave. I removed the rear subframe, which is a swing arm out job and checked over the slave cylinder. No leakage apparent and piston in immaculate condition. The thrust washer on the end of the clutch pushrod had tiny (and I mean tiny, no surface corrosion evident with a fingernail test) witness marks from the radial bearing it sits against - see pic. Presumably because it's been sat in that position for over a decade and the oil film broke down on the top half? Anyway, nothing to worry about. I flipped the hardened washer around so the clean side is against the bearing, changed the o ring that seals in the gearbox oil and replaced everything with A4 stainless fasteners (copper greased) after respraying the corroded paint with etch primer and the VHT case paint. Looks a lot better and a good match for the rest of the cases. THEN I decided to fit a remote bleeder setup (as Guzzi did with the Griso), what a pain that turned out to be! More later...

All that corrosion around the slave could simply be from the bleeder. Or from some prior attempt to bleed it. Might consider cleaning it up and using Teflon tape on the bleeder. After decades (literally now) of discussion over the front U-joint, best access looks to be from the front, coming across the U-joint guard through the shaft tunnel in the swingarm, and downward onto the Zerk (Zerk pointing upward, with the swingarm lowered) using an adjustable angle tip at 90º-ish . . . Otherwise, "You know. Snake Farm " . . .

OK, apologies for lack of updates as life took over, but have made a fair bit of progress. First off I dropped the sump and changed the filter and checked the screen, totally clean, and no signs of anything untoward (corrosion, emulsified oil). So decided NOT to wait for the Roper plate from Gutsibits and button it all back up with new stainless fasteners. Of course the roper plate arrived a few days after this decision . The rear bevel box was a right mess with flaking paint, so I took out the rear wheel and then the bevel, all pretty straightforward. Removed all the flaking paint and a couple of coats of etch primer followed by the VHT case paint (already established as a good match for the rest of the satin black on the bike) and looking a lot better (see pic before final sanding and top coat). With the wheel out I could take a better look around swing arm and gearbox area. Looking around the clutch slave cylinder there was some localised paint flaking underneath it (2nd pic). I reckoned this MIGHT be leaking seals and decided to take a closer look at the slave, given how difficult it is to get at (Caution: understatement alert!!) With the later frame with additional lower bracing there is NO WAY to get that cylinder out without removing aforementioned subframe. At the same time as all this I attempted two different methods of greasing the front UJ. Yes, the bit I'd been dreading. There's a joke in Norton Commando circles that the bike was built around the horn (behind gearbox, in front of rear mudguard). Well I have concluded the V11 assembly line in Mandello started with that front grease nipple! 1st attempt :- heat grease delivery tube on one of my 3!) grease guns and bend it. Result - one broken tube 2nd attempt :- try from underneath with a flexible hose. This required taking a small notch out of the grease gun head to latch onto the zerk. Result - grease all coming out of the notch, none in the zerk Anyhoo, given the rear subframe has to come out for the clutch slave cylinder access, and that means the swing arm too, I could do the UJ (etc) greasing with all that out of the way... More instalments later!

I have never seen anything good from a tow truck driver with a hammer!!