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I bought the bike that started this thread. It was REALLY heavy to move around when I got it but adding a little air to the 6 psi tires fixed that up. Oil change got done right away. A new battery was installed with purchase. There are oil drips (not up to leaks yet) from the bottom pan and the front pan (I'm not sure what's behind it yet) gaskets. I started with cleaning the old oil off just to see what was there. I added a Puig universal wind screen for good wind protection. I'm part way through painting covers red to match the tank. New paint is red with silver sparkle underneath. By the time it's done I expect it will look great (to me any ways). There is no stuttering or anything suggesting air getting into the fuel delivery system. Noises are typical for a tractor ;-). The speedo works well. I haven't owned a bike with a Veglia since the '71 Ducati Desmo 450 single I had. The glitter silver was tempting for the Guzzi paint. I thought glitter purple would be too much. In the end I stayed with the deep red. I rode a Yami 600 last year which redlines at 14k. It was always spinning at high revs. The Goose doesn't need to rev at all but likes 5 grand better than 4. 90 miles an hour isn't work for this bike. Suspension is stiff but the bike settles down right away after bumps and feels glued to the road. Tires are from '21 but only have a couple hundred miles on them. They aren't sliding at the speeds I ride at. Plans this year include finishing paint more, checking valves, and changing most oils. A gasket or 2 might get replaced as well. Within 10 minutes I get to some of the nicest riding roads in my area. There is a 60 mile loop that has almost no straight road in it. Bush all around. Gravel on the road at times because of people that go off the pavement so isn't for knee draggers but always entertaining. A ride earlier in the year had deer making me slow down in 2 places. Keep the rubber side down. Grant.

My daughter came up for a visit yesterday and as I was checking out her car...oil level, tire pressure, etc I saw she had a nail in one of her tires. I took the wheel off and threw it in the truck and headed over to Discount Tire for a free fix. About four miles from home there were two bikers pulled off in a bad spot. I parked nearby and asked what the problem was. He said he picked up a nail and couldn't ride because it was hitting the frame. I don't know how or why that tire picked this thing up but it was in the tire to the bend. I asked him what he was planning to do. He said he would take his wife's bike home and get the trailer. I told him to sit tight, I'll go home and get my stuff to fix it. Came back with my plug kit and Airmoto and got him good to go. They were an older couple on two well traveled '17 GSA's and were very appreciative. I felt good about getting them going again and I got on my way to get my tire fixed. Also I think he will be carrying the right tools when going for a ride. It's not like those bikes don't have any storage space. 8

The snow has cleared and a recent rain has removed the tons of salt left on the road. The V11 was rolled out of its warm bed to make this video commemorating the start of a new season. Remember to like and subscribe. Bwahaa! 2004 V11S

I don't expect there will be many takers for this here, but I've just written something on the subject somewhere else, and I thought I might as well put it here too. As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have a V35 Imola. About the only thing that annoyed me about it was that the clutch was so heavy. In the German forum that I am active in, a couple of bright sparks figured out that the clutch from a V85 will fit in any of the small block models. The only restriction is that the V35 and V50 have a different input shaft on the gearbox to the V65 and later models, including the V85. This means that the clutch plate for the V85 clutch wont fit on those early models. However, the V85 produces close to 80 PS, the V50 only 49, and the V35 a bit more than 30, maybe. So it is a safe bet to just use the smaller clutch plate in the newer clutch. Long story short: I bought a brand new clutch in e-Bay for about 150 Euros (price for a new V85 clutch from a dealer about 250 Euro). It turned out to be a V9 clutch, but is obviously effectively the same as the one in the V85. The original clutch in the V35 required a full hand, and a lot of effort. Now I can operate it with one finger. Need I say more? And.... the newer clutch is lighter than the old one, so blipping the throttle at the traffic light is much more effective. So... if anyone has a small-block Guzzi and a bit of spare cash, and a bit of time, think seriously about doing the mod. It is worth the effort. If anyone is interested and needs more details, let me know and I will elaborate.

You won't. Someone will stop to help you. It is in the human nature. In all that madness that seem to surround us nowadays, you can still find good people aplenty!

Elegant. Sensible airbox Phil

Yes, it is a Sport of course, but It will always be a Lemans to me. HA! It keeps my 77 (and my 73) company, and the Sport is the only bike that rivals the Lemans aurally

I carry kits in the cars, but I have gotten silly with too many bikes, and do not have a kit for each one. So I don't do a good job of swapping the kits between the bikes - and am therefore unlikely to have the kit when I need it. And as I write this, I realize how dumb/cheap I am. If I can afford multiple bikes, I can afford multiple repair kits. I really like the airmoto pump. Just went to Amazon and it is on sale (28% discount) today. Add to cart...

Best looking Centy I've ever seen!! Good luck with your project!

Aha, I found the aftermarket rear set topic. I just bought a rear set from Probrake. Only 25mm lower, but it really feels quite a bit more relaxed. https://www.probrake.de/fussrasten-street-moto-guzzi-v11-sport-99-03-ks-kr

The first point is the Ti mufflers have large volume and the crossover style makes a difference. Contis were the original Ducati Supersport performance mufflers. They had a louvered inner straight pipe and no packing material. They would sound like a Ducati on your Guzzi but with a softer sound (less sharp crack) due to the softer cam timing of a BB Guzzi compared to the Desmo cams.

This is a bit of an in-joke. Maybe most of the people here wont get it. I don't really care. I found the link just now whilst searching through the links in my browser for something completely unrelated, and felt the need to share it. I have to admit, though, that I have no idea what he meant with "girt" in the first point. So maybe I have been away from Australia for too long. The rest of it is, for me, very amusing. https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/bunnings-snags-and-the-meaning-of-girt-42-ways-to-tell-if-you-re-australian-20200121-p53tam.html PS: I'd be particularly interested in hearing (reading) what the rest of the world makes out of Point 19 And the rest of it, actually.

No , these are not worth inspection , RELPLACE the bolts on both ends .

Front torque rod bolt. Worth inspecting . . .

@Pressureangle @docc, thanks for posting those blasts from my past. Back in the '60s when I was listing to Cream and the Animals, my Mom was into Herb and also the Four Seasons. She bought quite a few of their albums. I always enjoyed listening to them back then and still do now. Oh, and that album cover!

Something got lost in the translation. Phil

This came up on Ebay as I was searching for something else, hens teeth and it looks like it was never installed - hardware still in plastic bags! I thought someone here might be interested . . . No personal affiliation with the seller! Motratech Footrest Kit - Ebay

Texas Sidecar Company Open House on March 29th, 2025; Watch the video showing what they do. They also export if you were ever interested in getting a sidecar for your Guzzi. They ship out everywhere.

There is scanning apparatus and there is scanning apparatus $$$. Cheers Tom.

So many Norwegians! Love it. I’ve had mixed luck with the modern computer match options, but if you’ll paint the whole part then that’s easy, as the computer is definitely close enough for that. It’s just for juxtaposing stock with painted panels, or (god forbid) blending, where it’s risky.

I have been sorting metric/standard bolts/nuts/washers for about 6 weeks (to keep my sanity also) now and I am still sorting things out. I have tried keeping all the MG stuff together just wanting to keep them together. Those bolt thread sort tools have been a savior !

I am currently in the process of sorting out all the fasteners I've kept over the past 45 years, and those my Father and Grandfather kept as well. I expect the scrap weight of those discarded will buy coffee and donuts for at least a week.

I remember in 69 and 70 While still in high school I worked at a Standard Oil service station I thought I was the cats meow with my own uniform and Embroidered name on the shirt. We would always hurry out and pump the gas clean the windshield Check the oil Yes those were the days of yore.

FWIW , remove the spark plug and inspect it . it is probably damaged from the crash. Also, check the spark plug cap . Remove the (unscrew) cap from the wire and check the resistance ( I think it should be 5k) , and look for a tear in the boot.

Shoud be someone in Trondheim with one of those fancy new machines scanning your paint. Had a house call a few months ago, scanning my yellow 1100 Sport, ++. Cheers Tom.

Sorry to see the damage that happened to your bike It looks like Stein-Dinse has some, half the price than TLM, albeit special order, but I trust them to be able to fulfill as I have ordered many time from them and had nothing but positive experiences. https://www.stein-dinse.com/en/moto-guzzi-cylinder-protection-guard-silver-big-models/item-1-1431755.html

But then they made a V11 Sport naked with no fairing, IIRC. "Heya Luigi, thosa fairings come in? OK, werea puttin them onna da bikes today!"

And, this, a fork mounted "flyscreen" rather than the frame mounted "fairing" of the LeMans variants, or even the other frame mounted screens of the Ballabio/Café Sport/ Coppa Italia or 2005 Scura R. This is a true "Sport" . . . and a fine one, indeed! A Sport-is-a-Sport-is-a-Sport . . .

So Bill does this mean you wouldn't be doing your Mutton Run this year? Thought I might try the Spine Raid this year so hope to see you there. Meet a few of the other inmates.

I guess I should do this while it's still March. (The Promise of Spring) Another blast from the past

Yes, yes. I dated a girl in college whose "moment of inertia [was] centered around her shoulders " . . .

This reminded me of the good old days, when I started riding. Whatever happened to you, you were NEVER alone. Other motorcyclists would ALWAYS stop to check on you if you were on the side of the road. This was some kind of frat devotion that you would carry forward yourself. Fortunately, here in Texas, it still happens. I have had people pulling up to check on me many times now. Not motorcyclists, but pickup trucks. The last experience was in Lafayette, a guy had a workshop in his truck, and helped to put the Quota back in running mode. Thank god for these road saviors...

Back in December I bought a yellow 1997 Centauro basket case with 21,000 miles (all the fairings are off it) but I saw a video of it running. Today I purchased a 1998 yellow Centauro with 18,000 miles and a cracked head. Both owners were not Guzzi guys and I got them dirt cheap . My hope is that I have one good engine that I will put belts on. I also am pulling the bad head to see what collateral damage took place when the right head got cracked. Is the piston still good ? If so should I put the good head on the damaged engine and replace belts and see if it will run ? I will pull the bad head soon and do an inspection.If the results are positive, I might be in need of a used V10 right side head if anyone has one laying around. I have already begun sourcing Daytona parts to convert one Centauro into a Daytona RS. PS - I made a phone call to discuss the bad engine and was told to totally tear down the engine to inspect the crank .🤔hmm

I saw Herb Alpert in Munich in the late '90s. I don't really remember exactly what I was doing. We put the sound system in, for sure, and I was probably looking after the front-of-house desk, preparing it for the bloke who mixed the show. Anyway, the band was fairly big, lots of brass of course, and about 6 percussionists. A really good show, if one likes that sort of music (I do, but not so much that I would buy all his records...). Unfortunately, the room, the old Gasteig in Munich, a large concert hall built for orchestra concerts, isn't good for loud music. Even the drummer for Oscar Peterson who I saw in there a couple of times was almost too much for the room, with his big cymbals and "cymbal heavy" style. So Herb Alpert fires up, and people started leaving. Too loud for them. At one point an entire row stood up and left all at once. A pity, really, because it was a good show otherwise.

How cool is that? Herb Alpert definitely contributed a depth and class to our 70s music.

I gather the package, motor, suspension, brakes, is very good, even verging on excellent. The few times I've seen one in the flesh, my reaction ranged all the way from "what the fark is that?" to "hmm, actually not bad". But if I had one, it would have to be modified. A German company made a thing that they named "Scandalo". A Centauro with (I think) a Sport 1100 tank and a seat and tailpiece that they made themselves. Looks a lot like the photo that @Lucky Phil posted further up. If I had one, it would have to go a long way in that direction to make me happy, but of course with clip-ons instead of that silly chook-chaser handlebar. Here, a picture of a Scandalo stolen out of the internet

Not as many as you. Phil

Cable. Entirely different (better) clutch than the big block.

I'd be interested to know how much you paid for yours. Was it used or new? This unit is brand new!

I have not installed them yet. Still in unopened package. Still unsure if I will use them. Got them for a lot less than that Ebay offering.

Let's hope he doesn't crash out inadvertently!

The things you learn along the way. Herb Alpert is the 'A' in A&M Records.

TLDR lol I always use the phone upright, and my Win7 edit program displays them in whatever orientation it feels like. Then I have to rotate to upright, save, and re-open to verify that it's what I want to post. Sometimes it's not important, as with these. I decided early on to be a lazy computer user rather than an adept or a programmer. I still lament WIN XP.

Oh that's excellent, I've ordered it right away! Now my only worry is fixing the scratch, and it will be like nothing ever happened. Thanks!

SD has the choice of 3 different finishes, at that price I would order a pair if you worry about matching the good one on your bike.

There are a variety of companies that offer those. Given where you are you may want to try local companies, like https://en.tlm.nl/moto-guzzi-triumph/039410009000-klepdekselbeugel-vierkant Sadly they are currently out of stock. Try googling guzzi head guard. This company makes their own versions, not as pretty but arguably more robust. https://guzzipower.com/store/Headguard.html You still have one good one, I assume. Any decent machinist should be able to make you a matching pair using the good one as a template. My wife made hers. Of course, she had access to a CNC routing table.

. The Mutton Run is a "go." Thought I'd posted about that here, but will soon if not. Thanks for the reminder. Bill

Got her back yesterday - definitely feels more compliant and supple with the Belray 5w High Performance fork oil. Adjusted the compression and rebound a just half-turn stiffer to compensate for the new oil, and seems very good for now. Kept the stock Marzocchi springs, and still seems fine for my 190lbs. I set up the sag and pre-load 5 years ago when i got the bike and have not changed it. Thanks for all the help and input everyone. Incidentally, had a great time talking with Roland at The Spare Parts Co in Philly about everything Guzzi. They've been open since '81, and knew Dr. John Wittner well.

All that automation and someone still needs to fret the bass . . .