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I saw the same thing at the company I retired from. We had this one old time engineer that knew almost everything about one of the businesses I worked for. I enjoyed working with him, learned a lot from him. He could tell you what it would take to fix a line and how much it would cost from the top of his head. I watched all the MBA managers stab him in the back and go over his head because he kept disagreeing with them and proving them wrong. They finally forced him out in a RIF (reduction in force). I retired not long after that. Also, the CEO is a one trick pony, every time the company was going to miss numbers, he would announce another RIF and a bigger stock repurchase, his only concern is Earnings per Share, a total BS measurement...

I like the way the front of the building looks (similar to j-u-s-t like the factory in Mandello del Lario !

they are lovely. Just received new (Agostini) exhaust for my 2022 V85tt, to go on bike this winter.

Here's a thought. Modern CEO's and boards are focused on value to the shareholder and fight the employees over every 2 cents and benefits to reduce costs. When times and business gets tough as it inevitable will for long term companies the first group to jump ship and leave are the shareholders and who's needed the most in those times? The Employees that's who. There's zero loyalty from 99% of shareholders. Value your people for it's them the business will need in the long term to ride out the peaks and troughs should be the mantra for modern executive management.

If the problem is that the battery is not charging (and you can see this most easily by looking at battery voltage increasing as the engine goes above about 2000rpm and the generator can start to charge the battery) then I would agree that the un-sealed connector that the connects the wires from the voltage regulator to the wiring loom that is tied to the frame just below the left-hand side of the fuel tank, is worth looking at, cleaning and protecting it with some protective grease. On my V11 two 15A wires are used to carry the +ve and two wires the -ve, back via a 30A fuse, to the battery. The Guzzi guys may be good mechanicals but from an electrical viewpoint they really don't realise the weakness this design introduces. If any of the connections to these wires introduces some unbalanced resistance, it will cause the other wire to take the majority of the current and overheat. This is particularly likely just after starting when the charging current can be over 20A. Before you do this have a good look at the 30A fuse AND particularly its fuse holder for any signs of overheating. I burnt out three 30A fuses because of resistance between the fuse blades and the fuse holder causing a loss of charging and the engine to stall when the battery voltage fell to about 9V. I've now had to fit a sealed, in-line Maxi fuse holder that can take up to 100A fuses, though (of course) I put in a 30A fuse. This just ensures that the fuse contacts are really robust as this seemed to be the weak link in both the original and a replacement fuse holder I fitted. I have not had a problem since.

Don't know about that, Pete -- and hope not -- but will say that the "factory door" is -- as @gstallions noted -- a grand enthusiast's touch. I am thinking that the Moto Grappa needs something of that sort. I may even call him and ask who and how they did that. Best, Bill

I bought my baby brother a 75 model CR125 w/2nd gear broken . Fixed it , added a DG up pipe , different swingarm , etc... After riding European dirt bikes , this thing looked like a toy ! Performance? if you have ever knocked the head off an oxygen bottle , this was the performance + you could ride it and steer it ! The CR125 came a year after the CR350 and the MX world was changed forever . Until Yamaha put a single shock suspension under a 250 YZ and put Pierre Karsmakers ( I can spell it w/o looking it up) as the first MX astronaut. Hmmm Roger DeCoster , the list can go on. You had to buy a new bike EVERY model year because what you were sitting on had just become obsolete !

Nothing wrong with the door Bill and as I said it may not be the same bloke. His faith is no concern of mine either, BUT! I am always deeply distrustful though of people who wield their religious beliefs like a cudgel and try to somehow imply they are ‘Better’ or more trustworthy/meritorious than others because of them. I don’t bang on about my beliefs or lack of them because they are of no relevance to anyone but me. I know you are deeply devout and my criticism was not aimed at people of faith, any faith, just those who seek kudos by wearing their proffered belief as a cloak of virtue.

That's it in a nutshell....

My general thoughts on rebound dampening is I want just enough to control the rebound action of the spring and no more. I tend to either start with too little and add it until it feels like it is under control, or you can go the other way and have too much and keep reducing it until you start to feel loose, then add a couple clicks back. You can even get a decent starting point by bouncing the suspension statically, for a starting point you can bounce the suspension and add or subtract rebound to where when you bounce down on the suspension it rebounds back fully but does not overshoot. If it overshoots on the up swing and then settles back to ride height I probably don't have enough rebound dampening. But I don't want much more then what is required to prevent that overshoot. If you do bounce it to see what you have, be sure to do so with you on the bike. You can even sit on the bike while someone else bounces it. My own tastes run to minimal compression and rebound dampening, just enough to control the springs, with springs on the firmer side. I prefer to let the springs support the weight, and I just want enough dampening to control the springs. I tend to prefer starting with too little dampening and add dampening until it is under control. But you can certainly start at the other end and reduce dampening until you find that sweet spot as well.

Any wall painter artist can do it with a photo. I am saying this, because a French bakery in my neighborhood had a mural done, representing Paris rooftop with a few of the Paris landmarks. He worked from photographs. He said he also does some inspirational art. During my Texas travel, I saw plenty of those murals just about everywhere.

Yes, the headlight goes out when cranking the starter motor.

I guess I started this thread with the aim of collecting anyone's experiences in playing about with the suspension damping. Before the weather and winter set in here in the UK (it is now dark at 16.00hrs, it is often frosty at night so salt is being spread on the roads and they often remain wet most of the day - not a good combination for a m/c!) Anyway, before this set in I did have on late afternoon ride. I reduced front rebound damping by 2-clicks and there was a slight improvement cornering around slightly bumpy "S" bends. I therefore softened the front by a further 2-clicks anti-clockwise (Ohlins say you shouldn't adjust by more than 2-clicks at a time) and the rear by 2-clicks. The result was a definite improvement without any perception that the ride was any softer or would be any worse on smooth, bends. Perhaps because I had not softened the compression damping. The bike felt more "planted" on the road and whereas I took the bends at 52mph on the original setting it gave me more confidence to take them at about 64 on the 3rd run. I do feel there is some more adjustment to go, but I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by its affect so far.

Surely none of us were in the room, but it sounds like he quit. As I understand it, Tavares main stick was cost cutting. Cost cutting can be needed, but often it hurts more then it helps. This could be a good thing for Stellantis in the long run. Tavares was driving Stellantis into a ditch.

Stellantis is jettisoning its CEO Carlos Tavares. In case you did not know, Stellantis owns all the following brands: -Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram Trucks, and Vauxhall. Some of these brands are not exported from Europe. Things are not going too well in the mobility departments in Europe. The EEC leaders have maybe contributed to the crisis in enforcing laws to make ICE cars obsolete, when the customers are not ready to move on. NorthVolt, the Suedish company Europe's was betting on to move away from Chinese made batteries has declared bankrupcy, and will also go through a restructuration program. It seems like the entire mobility industry, 2 wheels, 4 wheels is going through changes with unpredictable future. Meanwhile, our V11s are still going strong!

With the awesome assistance of the folks in this site, I seem to have the bike sorted out. A working substitute fuel pump and new relays did the trick Thank you!!

I have a "theory" on this sort of thing. The original manufacturer contracts to Chinese/Indian/south east Asian company to make X amount of product and they supply X amount of items then keep the production line rolling and make some for "mother" and sell them themselves. You know 10 for you and 1 for us. Either that or they don't discard the "seconds and out of spec items" and do the same. Zero proof of this just something "I feel in my water" so to speak. An educated person would refer to it as Intuition I think. Phil

I worked with him filming "ON ANY SUNDAY" and had the pleasure of riding with him at Bruce Browns Ranch ...Great guy! RIP https://www.cyclenews.com/2024/11/article/godspeed-malcolm-smith-1941-2024/

You know when I started my aviation career the managers were all people that worked their way up in the organisation, knew the detail of everything and when they got to management level they managed to avoid chaos and catastrophes. Then came along "professional manager" you know people with MBA's and business degrees and it all went to hell as they made short term decisions aimed at looking good on their resume. They often had a "throw the deck of cards into the air and see what lands" philosophy because then they could all get together in their MBA club and "crisis manage" the situation they had in fact created. It was truly pathetic to observe. My original managers managed to AVOID a crisis and the new ones managed to help create them so they could look like the guy that rides in and takes charge and "sorts it out". KTM is a classic example of modern management. Covid hits and the market goes on a buying spree and instead of pausing and thinking "this is a blip" lets make hay while the sun shines but not lose sight it's short term, no they react like a "blue sky thinking" muppet and go gang busters ramping up everything on a a short term "bubble" The Aussie wine industry did the same with the Chinese market. They all got on the Chinese gravy train as it pulled out of the station and neglected the other markets because the Chinese market was "going to last forever" but it didn't for political reasons and then they all fell on their arses and wanted the government to help bail them out. It's a very old story and if you want to see a classic version of it read "on a clear day you can see General motors" by John De Loreon. GM used to do similar to their smaller suppliers then swallow them up. I read that book 40 years ago and the lessons are still valid today. Phil

True docc. When the parent company fell on it's sword the Indian branch kept on keeping on. Phil

And South Korean too... What I have noticed, and I am not the only one, Chinese companies have either purchased notorious brands on the verge of extinction, or extincts, and have resurrected them. I am thinking about Moto Morini, Benelli for example. I am almost certain KTM will not accept to go under Chinese control. But during my Parisian walkways, I have noticed the CF Moto on display that did not use to be there before. There are other Chinese brands too, but not well known. (Voge) Also, look at the Dakar starting 2025... you have KTM, Honda, Sherco (French!), Fantic(Italy), Huskvarna (KTM), Yamaha, Rieju (Spain), Hero (India), Kove (China), GasGas (KTM), Hoto (???). Of course, almost everybody is racing on a KTM or a derivative of KTM. But we have also Kove, which commercialize their dual sports here in the USA. They do not have any dealerships, but you can order online: https://www.kovemotousa.com/models-2024 I think the Dakar is the reason why there are so many 450 Dual Sports/Adventure/Trail bikes in the market.

Otherwise, like something out of Through the Looking Glass : Attorneys are eventually going to own everything and rule the world. If you don't like the way things are going , hire China . . .

Haven’t watched the vid but isn’t that bloke the same spiv who did some YouTube’s spruiking CARC bikes a few years ago and then posted one last one lachrymosely talking about how his business had gone down the tubes and he was having to sell all his precious treasures, woe was him and it was all horribly unfair? He also banged on endlessly about how he was a wonderful and devout ‘Christian’ which made me want to drag him out the back for a good kicking! If it isn’t the same bloke I apologise but he sure as shit looks like him……