po18guy

Lubrication, heat dispersal and detergent action of combustion by-products?

Studebaker, of all companies, had good luck with alloy cam driven gears in their Avanti R-2,3,4 etc. We installed one on dad's '63 Lark Wagonaire. Mind you, they were helical cut. They replaced the FIBRE OEM cam gears, which were also not known for failure. However, a V8 has considerably less fluctuation in crank/cam rotational velocity than a 270º V.

Although.....the hand crank starter protruding through the "radiator" is certainly based on experience.

Well, as grandad used to say, "To each his groan..."

An operating slogan in China: 可以的话作弊 (Cheat if you can).

I still follow the British (Triumph?) owner's manual advice from the 60s: every 30 minutes of cruising, accelerate a bit and then allow the bike to slow on the overrun in top, or a lower gear. Pulls a bit of lube down the intake guides and up the cylinder walls.

I think crappy coils might be part of it, ancient aircraft style combustion chambers are part of it and a cranky F.I. system is probably part of it. As to plugs, I replaced my OEMs with Iridium plugs. I had to know: Iridium is in the platinum spectrum, and is the most erosion resistant of all known metals. Curiously, it is deposited around the earth's crust in two distinct layers. Meteor strikes are suspected. Yet, it's here for a reason, so on my spark plugs it is.

Ah, Ballabio, the red-headed step-child! Guzzi has more of a family trunk than a family tree. Whole lotta inbreedin' going on among V11s.

Did they come with the LeMans upper?

Is that a Rosso LeMansDello?

Guy on a Kawi forum is lamenting the high temps in Cali. I suggested a Marsee jacket, But, what about a hydration pack with ice water which feeds hoses that can drip on chest or back, or across the shoulders? Or a frozen back-sized gel pack in the back armor pocket? Chiropractors and physical therapists sell them. Short term, but that may be all you need. A plus is that ice for a hydration pack you can get along the road. How about an A/C helmet? https://feherhelmets.com/ C'mon! someone in Oz must know! It's bleeding hot in summer there!

Poor imitation can be the sincerest form of flatulence. The noise is Ducati snobbery.

I'm always the last to find out, but Canadian Sue Foley tears up the blues.

Well, I think its a sin to muffle V-twins - except Harleys. The afterfire only emulates Ducati singles which had the Brevetti "Silentium" mufflers and Del'lorto carbys. "I" would have chosen different cans myself. Re-pop Dunstall "Decibel Silencers" would certainly fit the café theme. Still loud, but less obnoxious. The Euro CXs had a better frame, but I see he used the Yank style. Still, it came out far better than most of the flat seat, monster front tire hack-jobs I see. And the CX650 has some real steam. Not as quick as a V11, but not far behind, either.

Docc, here's a 650 V-twin "Tourist Trophy" Go to about 2:50 in the vid to se the morph.

The Katana 650 always looked "just right" to my eyes. Colors and shapes that flowed together. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_650_Katana

Choose the right road, you can do all three at once.

Protection is hot. Kevlar vests are hot. In the law enforcement world the expression is: "I'd rather be hot than shot." Cannot fault that.

You will soon know its effectiveness! Apparently, we have a much better relationship with the Royal Mail than with others. I have received fasteners from England to the west coast USA in 7 days. That is quicker than some domestic service.

D'oh! I have a Cortech back protector, which is great, but also insulates, Wicked. hot in the heat. Remember those old evaporative burlap bags that car drivers used in the 50s? I know there is evap clothing, but it quickly dries and then there you are, hot again.

Crazy, isn't it? We have had from 9ºF to 85ºF in the NE USA. Record rainfall with local flood warnings. About 20 years ago or so, DW bought me a Marsee mesh jacket at CycleGear. They can still be found on eBay. Full mesh, it is about as warm as riding with a long-sleeved T-shirt. I judiciously ventilated the back pad and it does help with airflow. Do you remember the air conditioned helmet back in the 80s? I forget the brand, but it was short-lived. I see that AGV offered one in '87-'88. https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/would-you-buy-an-air-conditioned-helmet However, I now see this new helmet out: https://feherhelmets.com/

Coffee...a few years back, DW and son bought me a GeneCafe coffee roaster. I had roasted years before that using Melitta hot air roasters and then a Nesco catalytic roaster. You do not save all that much when buying green beans, but you have your choice of 50+ varieties of beans and infinite roast levels. Can do a half-pound every half hour. As the green bean seller states: "Life is too short for bad coffee"

Excellent idea, as they can gall.

I am another who dislikes the flat/matte black "invisible" look. You risk adding red to the black - your blood. If my Chinese no-name bicycle helmet has a programmable rear LED, shouldn't all M/C helmets? You can get a wireless bicycle computer for less than $20. Is it so difficult to do a wireless brake light using the same technology? Riding the freeway/Interstate in urban traffic, I swapped on an LED taillight and an accessory LED brake light under it. On my Kwacker, I have flash 5 times then steady brakelight bulbs. The V11 got Amazon "iBrightstar" signal bulbs. I like that they use both the OEM reflector as well as a projector beam lense aimed straight forward and back. Nary a problem with any of them.

I wish the MGS-01 body kit was still available.