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We spoke about it before, but when it comes to automotive paradise, it seems the Netherlands have it all. Whatever I am looking for, vintage on four or two wheels, invariably, there will be a shop somewhere there that has it. However there is a dimension that I only found in dealerships in the USA. The "gathering and get together" idea of a go to place, even if you don't need to purchase anything. This is a concept that I never experienced before. Perhaps because the law does not stipulate that you need to close on Sundays? Many dealerships here organize events during the week-ends. The dealership becomes some sort of a clubhouse, and motorcyclists regroup there to spend time together. You can watch the MotoGP races at the Austin Ducati store, while sampling on Texas BBQ and being among fellow enthusiasts. I have never found that concept in dealerships in the European countries I visited. Also, and this is not strictly related to Motorcycle dealerships, sales' people tend to salute you and offer to provide assistance if you needed it. In Paris, you could spend hours in the Ducati store without anyone acknowledging you are even there. If you dare "disturbing" someone, you will get the appraising stare; you know what I mean.... the guy will gauge how much effort he should spare based on how you look and what probability his involvement could yield in terms of purchase. Not that you don't have this here, but there, it is the norm; here, more like the exception. Back to the Ducati store, a few years back when I had a deposit on a Panigale, they had a female sales assistant which last name was "Champion" and looking like one too; I found her more intimidating than enticing. Anybody from the Netherlands with an insight on TLM?

From Motul Oils: Oil base Groups explained; There are five different groups of base stocks used in engine oils. Groups I and II are mineral oils (i.e. conventional petroleum oil), while Group III, IV and V are synthetics. A Group III synthetic is more refined than mineral oil and typically hydro-cracked (higher pressure and heat) to achieve a purer base oil. Group IV (PAO) is refined mineral oil that undergoes a special process called “synthesizing.” Generally speaking, Group IV performs better than Group III oils in handling heat, oxidation, low temperature start ups, and has a higher film strength and viscosity index (ability to flow). However, with today’s technology, some Group III oils perform as well as a Group IV. Synthetic Group V (Esters) oils are mostly made from vegetables, minerals and animal fatty acids. Esters are much more expensive because the ingredients are collected from nature, then get synthesized (which is a very expensive process). Group V Esters have all the advantages of a Group IV PAO, plus they can handle even higher temperatures. When Esters are burned, they leave far less coking deposits and are attracted to metal parts with an electro-chemical bond five times stronger than mineral oil.

As I am looking to get the necessary tools to work on my bike, rather than purchasing sets with a bunch of sockets and wrenches that I will never use, I would prefer to buy only those tools that are necessary. Since I only am going to work on the V11, I don't need to set myself a full workshop. To go about it, I was going to go through the V11 2002 spare parts catalog, but maybe someone has done that already, or for those of you who have a functional workshop, maybe you want to give me the low down? I am looking at doing: -Oil changes, engine, gearbox, final drive -Filter changes, oil, air, gas -Valves adjustment -Spark plugs -Brake pads -Wheels front / back removal to change tires -TPS adjustments. I have purchased and received the Becker-technik central lifter. the 18mm sockets 1/2 drive are already on my list. I have purchased the tools to access are remove the oil filters. I have purchased the interface and TPS cables to work with Guzzi diagnostics I have the 2003 V11 sport Workshop manual with the torques, I suppose the workshop manual 2003 is identical to 2004? as far as I read, I only need to go up to 120 N.m for the rear wheel. All the other torques are below 120 N.m for my use.

@footgoose Their website, the current one too, is a "dog's dinner". Hopefully, they will give it the uplift it needs so you can actually search it properly. I tried yesterday, and it was really cumbersome. Nowadays, making one's own website is no longer an ordeal with the tools that exist. And if you don't want to bother, it is cheap to have it done by someone else. The biggest issue with a website, is maintenance and sustaining, as he describes it in his narrative. I know that "old school" people often neglect that aspect, but it is really important since most of the business is now happening online.

@footgoose In my former job, you could never do anything without first having a design package that met approved standards, and said package reviewed by third party authorities; once the equipment would be built and certified according to that approved design, you would still need to get an approval to use it in a specific application. e.g. verified operating envelope. Therefore, oils that met the API and JASO standards have most likely been tested before getting the seal. By the way, API has developed a seal that will be printed on oil meeting their latest standard. I feel that we are hammering this oil topic into oblivion, since I believe most of the modern oils follow very precise guidelines and recipe. Generally speaking, each oil brand is telling us their oil is perfect for our engine, and we probably feel that we are using the best oil for our engine too. Personally, I am going to give points to Liqui Moly for two reasons: Number 1; they replied to my query. So far, they are the only ones that did. Not that it proves anything, but at least, we are now better educated. Or at least, I think I am. It makes sense to me, that ZDDP is no longer the sole magic molecule. Number 2; Liqui Moly is involved in current MotoGP racing. So they have people actively working on perfecting their products. I am not saying that other brands do not. But we can agree that motorcycle racing and automobile racing have different requirements. I want to wait longer, to see if I get replies from other oil manufacturers. I believe the frantic years we went through have disrupted customer service for a lot of companies, and most likely will continue for the near future. In the meantime, my workshop of choice rolls with Liqui Moly, and they have it available for purchase. While I could also acquire the SAE 5W-40 on line, I want MGS Cycle to benefit from my patronage.

@docc, @Lucky Phil Out of all the brands I wrote to, Liqui Moly is the only one that provided feed-back:

I saw him here, but on a Yamaha....

Have you noticed the big absent here? or more accurately, the brand that we don't seem to see in those images? Remember Aermacchi? (pronounced AermaKi) Well I do, personally. Michel Rougerie used to race on them, and in some interviews, he hinted that Walter Villa was favored by Aermacchi to win the 1975 250cc World championship. Anyway, back to Aermacchi-Harley Davidson, an unusual two stroke engine... And the famous Aermacchi "Ala d'Oro"

I was still at school when Citroën came to present the GS Birotor, if you follow the link, less than 1000 were ever built, and of those who drove one, they had to get a full engine rebuilt around the 20,000 km mark. Anybody here remember the Suzuki RE5? if you follow the link, apparently this guy own and operate one still today.

@Lucky Phil Unfortunately, Penrite MC-4ST 10W-60 is not available in the USA. I spoke to the only Penrite stockist in the USA, www.RestorationStuff.com, and they do not carry the motorcycle oil.

@Lucky Phil The complete disclosure of their lubricant recipe is to be commanded. One wonders why this is the exception and not the rule. So far, none of the companies I contacted have responded. At least, we know the Motul 7100 5W-40 has 1100 ppm zinc contents, compared to the 1800 ppm of the Penrite MC-4ST 10W-60.

@Lucky Phil I found a Motul 7100 5W-40 analysis done by a laboratory and published on the S1000RR BMW Forum; The lab report the oil contains 1121 ppm of Zinc, and 1005 ppm of phosphorus. Would that meet the required needs for the V11 tappets? https://www.s1000rrforum.com/threads/motul-7100-5w40-blackstone-oil-analysis-report.245663/

I have been sifting thru many data sheets, but I was never concerned about metallurgy until that tappet came around. Phosphor, Sulfur zinc would be part of the so-called additives, but they are not always disclosed to the public. Do you have any example of a brand that disclose the full recipe of their lubricant?

Interesting point; As I started to collect data, I was looking at Shell Advance; They distinguish between the V11 Le Mans 2003 and 2004 with recommended SAE 10W-40, and the V11 Le Mans 2001-2002 for which they recommend SAE 15W-50. It seems to corroborate Guzzi's specs. So far, Shell seems to be the sole brand to propose a different oil based on the V11 year.

Here it is: For our V11 engine, Motul recommends the SAE 5W-40; data sheet with the kinematic viscosity and VI on page 2 https://azupim01.motul.com/media/motulData/DO/base/7100_4t_5w-40_en_fr_motul_20210305.pdf When you compare the ASTM D445 viscosity tests with the 10W-60, https://azupim01.motul.com/media/motulData/DO/base/7100_4t_10w-60_en_fr_motul_20210305.pdf , you can't help but notice the huge result difference of the 40 deg C test (160.1 mm2/s versus 79.6 mm2/s , which ultimately influences the VI 181 versus 175. However they are not providing the HTHS test results. I will attempt to make a spreadsheet with all the V11 recommended fully synthetic oils from all the brands.

There are several lubricants which make the cut in this thread. However, what would be really useful is an understanding of what the data sheets really tell us. If I am correct, one of the parameter that indicates the oil quality is its Viscosity Index. Although, only looking at the highest number can be deceptive, since the VI is computed using kinematic viscosity results at two reference temperatures. You may have better performance at one or the other temperature. Synthetic oils benefits: (From the Elf Lubricant Website) Why use synthetic oil? Benefits of synthetic oil are numerous: Better low- and high-temperature viscosity performance at extreme service temperatures. Better viscosity index (VI). Better chemical and shear stability. Decreased evaporation loss. Resistance to oxidation, thermal breakdown, and oil sludge problems. Possibility to extended drain intervals, with the environmental benefit of less used oil waste generated. Improved fuel economy in certain engine configurations. Better lubrication during extreme cold weather starts. Possibly a longer engine life. Superior protection against "ash" and other deposit formation in engine hot spots (in particular in turbochargers and superchargers) for less oil burnoff and reduced chances of damaging oil passageway clogging. Increased horsepower and torque due to less initial drag on engine. Last benefit among the advantages of synthetic oil : Improved Fuel Economy (FE). Synthetic oil vs regular oil : is synthetic oil better than regular oil? (from the Elf Lubricant Website: You’ll discover below the different types of oils: Mineral oil is most commonly called as regular oil. These oils are produced by untreated mineral refining (Group I) Semi-synthetic oils or synthetic-based oils are a blend of oils produced by untreated mineral refining (Group I) and composed of oils produced by mineral refining with chemical treatment (Group III) Using “synthetic oil” terminology can be sometimes confusing as it might concern 2 different categories. Synthetic technology oils are oils produced by mineral refining with chemical treatment (Group III) 100% synthetic oils are oils with 100% synthetic molecules (Group IV and V) without any mineral refining

I found funny their "European Engine" category.... I did not know engines had nationality, lol! More seriously, when I was going to school, the US engine was the high capacity, multi cylinders, while the European engine was low capacity and less cylinders. The writing on the wall was European design got the same power with less. The US engines were more robust though. Like a lot of these assertions, I always thought it was a myth.

I set myself in Italy, and using a local search engine, I type key words in Italian. Then I follow the hit list, and I sometimes find old conversations, from back when the V11 was still in production. Using different search engines, and setting myself in different locations, I find pay. This is how I heard about the Playboy EE. But it is mostly a wild goose search. Search engines tend to always bring up the same threads that you have probably read several times already. There are some websites that invite owners to post their review of their bikes, following an established format. I also check what models are registered there. Just in case I get lucky. However that Playboy EE may be a case of the Mustang Bullit Fastback that was lost for many years, with the owner letting it rot in a barn, refusing any offer to turn it over.

I watched a few of his other videos, with other bikes, and he seems quite the guy. Of course, he has a completely equipped workshop, including lathe, milling machine, TIG and what not. I knew he was someone that could be trusted when he used torque wrenches. I felt the same as you. This is the kind of guy I would have no problem asking for tutoring.

Stop #15 to #24 of 50; Houston to Paris. Etapes 4, 16, 17, 20, 24, 25, 34, 35, 36. Summary: Started Friday 22nd Oct 21 at 09:10; Back home on Saturday at about 17:00. 1138 km for you the metric guys. Gladewater had three étapes, but I only did one. I took a picture of 17 (Derrick) without my bike in it;the rules allow for 10% of the pics without the bike. But the stop 18, Gladwater Museum I missed completely. Entirely my fault, as the organization stated the map may not be accurate, and riders should only use the stop list. Highlights: Spent the night in Paris in the city center for $55!!!! this is the cheapest night in Paris ever... Many admirers of the Moto Guzzi Le Mans, especially at the King's Inn Motel! Departing from Paris early in the morning, I had the road for myself. Lowlights: Missed two stops in Gladwater; Arrived in Paris after both South Main Iron and Paris Harley Davidson were closed. Lots of wind on the way back, it seems my neck resisted better... Etape 25: Visitor Center in Palestine; Palestine used to be a major train hub; you can see vestiges of its glorious past all over town. There is still plenty to do if you like trains and history. More to come at my next stop and in the video. Etape 24: Train depot at Rusk; They have a tourist train that runs from Palestine. I caught it on the video. Etape 16 and 17 at Gladewater: This is where I messed up. I only took a picture of 16, got an excerpt from the video for 17, and completely omitted 18. Gladewater seemed to be a nice place, I took a break from the ride and explored a little bit. Etape 20; South Dairy Museum Sulphur Springs. Another missed opportunity, I arrived at the Museum at the time they were closing. There was a football game taking place close by, and the place was absolutely swarming. You cannot miss the entrance of the Museum, as you can see in the pic. I am kind of sore to have not been able to visit as I am certain there were plenty to learn. Sulphur Springs, what an interesting name for a city... Etapes 34, 35, 36; Paris Texas. Everything was closed down when I got there. Fortunately, I met a lot of interesting people at the Motel where I stayed for the night. The cheapest I could find. 50 dollars + taxes. As I parked the Guzzi to get to the reception, people started to come out of their rooms, and congregated around the bike expressing awe. One guy went back in his room and came back with some beers, and we sat and spoke about Guzzi for a long time. Obviously a guy born in Paris and riding a Guzzi was intriguing. Lots of interesting stories in an unsuspecting place. In the wee hours of the morning, as I was doing my pre-departure checks, I found the Guzzi low on oil. I spent some time perusing the forum for advice on oil, and ended up purchasing a quart of Castrol Power! at O"Reilly. Etape 4; Texas Sidecar Company. This is completely out of anywhere, in a little village named Donnie. I did it on my way back from Paris. The sole stop of the way. The place seemed totally abandoned. I shall see you on my nest Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas 2021 trip. I am cutting it close, the hard stop is November 15th. Fortunately, you only need to have done 25 stops to be declared a tour finisher. But I had more ambition when I signed up.

what is even more surprising, or at least it is to me because I am discovering it, is the amount of people complimenting on the Guzzi.... I have guys rolling down their windows at traffic lights, to tell me how nice the bike looks! The best one was when I was in Paris. I parked the bike to register at the Hotel office, and when I came back, I had a bunch of admirers around the bike.

Here's the official presentation of the V4 Pikes' Peak by Ducati.... After watching the video, I would be tempted to try it, just to verify the truth of the statements. However, Ducati or not, the V11 will always rule!!!

Moto.it revealed a shot of a camouflaged V7 during trial tests, and they hypothesized it may probably be a new iteration of a V7 model. They don't really know what it could be. Here's the link: https://www.moto.it/news/moto-guzzi-una-nuova-v7-foto-spia.html