audiomick

Thanks for the tip, but... it is not just leaking a bit. I went for a ride, about an hour and a half, and all was good. When I came out the next day, or the day after, I discover the entire oil content of the left fork on the ground under the bike. It is definitely not just a bit of grit under the seal. The seal has, for whatever reason, shat its pants and given up. On top of that, the bike has about 70,000 km on the clock, and I have no evidence that anyone has ever had a look at the innards of the fork. Given that I can't be sure that this has been done in the recent past, it is about time to have someone who knows what he is looking at do that. The forks will be going to a professional. I'm just not sure yet if that will be the workshop that I take my "too hard or I don't want to do it myself" things to, or if they will go to a suspension specialist.

I agree with that principially, but in the specific case of KTM, I'm pretty sure that the brand will endure at least for a while. As @p6x already wrote, it seems that the company administration is determined that the brand will endure, and I think they will manage to acheive this.

And they all look like orange Transformers.

Nothing on the V11. It's sitting in the garage waiting for me to start in on the leaking fork seal, the farting between 2 - 3,000 RPM, the Roper Plate installation, the gear shift spring, the lucky phil extender and "blueprinting" the shift mechanism. Today I looked underneath the V35. I had it apart to change the seals that face the clutch, and install a V9 clutch (brilliant, much lighter...). Now it's back together, and the more than a year overdue Roadworthyness Certificate has been renewed. But it is still dropping some oil. I think it is just the seal on the big oil drain plug at the front of the motor. Maybe not tight enough, maybe I should have changed the seal after all. Here's hoping it is just not tight enough. The good thing is, the look underneath it today confirmed that it is just dripping a bit, not pouring out.

So that's what he looks like.... Merry christmas everybody.

Ah, ok. Again, I don't think so. Not that I have ridden all that many different models here, but none of the bikes I've had here had one.

@docc you've said (writen) it before. It's amazing where and how this (motorcycle) forum brings things to ones attention and opens ones horizons.

Ok, so the young lady has discovered Cuban music at some point, and has got most of it right. I had the very good luck to spend a couple of evenings with a cuban band. Brilliant. Compared to what the young lady in the video is doing, it is like, I imagine, a group from Boston trying to play delta blues or something. Whatever, this was very commercial, but the music was authentic, I think, and this is what the young lady was trying for. I reckon. https://youtu.be/zEjTNTJsIf4?feature=shared&t=261

I don't think so. As far as I know, amongst other sources from here, the CX was a US only model. https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/moto guzzi/moto_guzzi_cx100.html Apart from that, 55 mph translates to 88.51425 kmh, anything other than a round figure and not relevant to any speed limit that I can think of that might have applied at any time in Europe. What I have seen here is 70, rarely 80, 90 in the Czech Rebuplic, 100, 120, 130 (all not only in Germany) and in Germany unlimited. 88 and a bit doesn't rhyme.

Sounds like a good buy to me. I'd have it if a) I had the money and b) I wouldn't have to ship it half way around the world to get it home.

Yes, "Gummikuh". Refers to things like the R80 and R90. Softish suspension, but still surprisingly fast.

Indeed it is.

First up, I've seen a nine T "in the flesh", and thought it was not a bad try for BMW. Secondly, BMW's have the nickname "HTG" in the German Guzzi world. Look here: https://www.deepl.com/de/translator#de/en-us/hängetitten guzzi Says it all, I reckon. Keep the V11. You'll find room for it, and in a couple of months you'll ride it and think "what was I thinking of?" In the meantime, have fun with the HTG.

Same here in Germany.

Sounds like a bloke I could get on with.

Indeed, and that this thing "Z" is a "Zed", and not a "Zee". On top of that, how is it that someone who is convinced that his opinion is worth making a Video for posterity (in as much as one can consider You Tube as such...) doesn't take the time to read the instruction manual of his microphone and find out where the front is, i.e. which side should be pointing at his mouth. That bloke got it wrong. Fail on all counts.

Good move.

France: as far as I know, your gloves have to have an intact CE tag in them as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking bloody annoying, actually, because they are usually sewed in just inside the cuff of the glove, and get in the way. I always used to cut them out until I learned of that ruling. Not that I am likely to go to France on the motorcycle, but you never know.

The pool and a Sauv Blanc sounds good to me.

No, never mind. He annoyed me with his quick and unexplained reference to "3dB". What most people seem to not understand is that a decibel is not a defined quantity of something, but rather expresses a ratio related to a reference. If you want to, look here. It might well make your brain hurt. I only retain enough of it to give sensible instructions to my colleagues (make it 3 dB louder...). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_pressure#Sound_pressure_level https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_energy_density https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel

Indeed. The parallels are surprising. I don't really like Honda bikes. Too sterile. But I started on a Honda CT 90 on the farm when I was about 15. You meet the nicest people on a Honda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CT_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CT90

What the man said is correct, but he strikes me as an idiot who hasn't really understood what he is talking about. PS: I've earned my living as a sound engineer for the last 40 odd years.

Going by the photos here, the fairing is original. https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Laverda/laverda_rgs1000 82.htm https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Laverda/laverda_rgs1000_84.html

Long, but very interesting. I read "Zen and the art..." a couple of decades ago, and now I think I should perhaps have another look at it. What I remember most is his questioning of how someone can work in a concentrated manned on an engine with the radio going in the background. That stuck in my head, as I ask the same question myself. The concept of a "Gumption Trap" is fascinating. I'd never heard of that, but having consulted the Wiki on the subject, I realise that I am very susceptible to those. Hmmm... EDIT: thinking about it, I reckon the more one is a perfectionist, the more likely one is to be susceptible.

Yes, but... I remember reading a test of the RGS 1000 back in the day, and thinking "I want one of those". For someone who wants one of those, that one looks pretty good. EDIT: a closer look at the naked orange Laverda picture posted by P6X further up makes me think that the bolt was that long originally.