audiomick

I can't, because I haven't ever made any videos on the motorcycle. Doesn't mean I don't know how to do it, though. I have been involved in sound professionally for nearly 40 years. This is now the third attempt to write this post. The first two attempts failed due to bloody-mindedness on the part of the forum software, so this might be a bit terse.... The bloke in the video is right about the wind noise, and right about keeping the mic out of the wind and using a wind shield. Where he goes wrong is ignoring the fact that it is a stereo recorder (he refers to his "microphone", but the device in question, a Zoom something or other, is a recorder, not just a microphone...). If one listens carefull to his recordings with headphones, the sound is not "in the middle", and in fact matches what one can see in the videos, i.e. how he has the recorder mounted. The microphone capsules are easily visible on the front of the device, and they are installed in an X-Y configuration, like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microphone_practice#X-Y_technique This implies strongly, that the recorder is also directional, i.e. is intended to be "pointed" at the source of the sound being recorded. That would be, in the case of a motorcycle, the ends of the exhaust (assuming only the one stereo recorder is being used). That is to say, the device should be mounted with its long axis parallel to the long axis of the motor cycle, and with the "front" end pointed between the outlets of the exhausts. If I were to make a recording of a motorcycle without any limits on resources, I would most likey use 8 high quality lavalier microphones (miniature mics...). There would be two between the heads (we're assuming a Guzzi here...) two at the inlets of the airbox to get the induction noise, two down near the outlets of the exhausts, and two on the seat behind the rider. That should allow capturing all the relevant components of the sound of the motorcycle, which would then be mixed to the best balance in post-production. The gear needed for that would cost about $10,000,-, which is why I haven't had a go at it yet... @docc if this goes on, it might be time to split it off into its own thread....

Nice.

That's interesting. Thanks for link. I'm about half way through there already. I'll read the rest tonight...

Hmmm, that's not what fender amps were made for. Never mind, if it works....

I'm no graphic artist, but I reckon that is a combination of no side covers and an "optically smaller" seat and tailpiece combination, which "leaves more room"* for the motor. * Considering I hate that kind of marketing speech, it's a bit depressing that it comes so easily to hand...

I must assume a harmonica, or do you prefer "blues harp".

Thanks Joe. Given that the bloke obviously has more or less no idea about how the technology works, he is doing a surprising amount of stuff right. The "dead cat" and protection from the wind is where he is most correct. His "worst mistake" is absolutely ignoring the stereo image of the stereo microphone he is using. Not knowing, or at least not being sure, what a low cut filter does is a bit like not knowing why there is a choke on your motorbike. Basic knowledge.... Edit: ok, here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-pass_filter "Low-cut" and "high-pass" are two names for the same thing. Yes, they filter off low frequencies. Given that wind noise is to a large extent low-frequency, yes, the low-cut/high-pass filter is absolutely the first thing you activate to reduce wind noise. Automatic gain control is for lazy, ignorant amateurs. Find out what the right manual setting is for the installation and the bike, and use it. Take the time, if neccessary, to do the post-production. Learn what the "normalise" function in a digital audio workstation does, and what it is good for. End of tirade... Another Edit: one more thing. There are a lot of things in this world that don't always get better in a linear relationship to the purchase price. Microphones do not fall amongst them. Of course, one has to decide what one is willing to spend, and be happy with the result that the price provides. Nevertheless.... $100,- for a microphone is cheap. No if's or but's. Cheap. Proper microphones start at more like $500,-, and if you want really, really good, it's definitely at least four figures.

Far too much money, even for that mileage.

Ok, if it is officially "just posing", I guess I can live with that. I get a bit annoyed when I see people not taking the tools of my trade seriously. As if doing sound were something that doesn't require any specialist knowledge. Ha f---ing ha.

Well, yes. But the microphone is "listening", approximately, to the right hand mirror going by the direction it is pointing.

It has nothing to do with the screen for the oil cooler, but I just have to ask: docc, what on earth is that microphone supposed to be achieving with that orientation in that position? It really makes absolutely no sense at all....

And here: https://woodburymotomedia.com/moto-guzzi-timing-gears-by-joe-caruso/ write the man an e-Mail.

Well, they kind of have to don't they? All that weight...

Things like isolation blocks (the Germans universally refer to "silent blocks"...) are most likely going to be standard parts, aren't they? I can't imagine Guzzi would have invented the wheel new for a part like that.

That rings a bell. My V35 Imola has the "Integrale" system. The hand lever operates the right hand disc on the front. The other one is on the foot pedal with the rear brake. The wheel cylinders are P08, I think. If I remember rightly, the foot brake master cylinder is PS15 or PS16, and the hand master cylinder is PS13. The hand brake has the feel of a house brick. The reccomendations that I have seen are, I believe, for a PS11 to provide a front brake that actually has some feel.

I always knew that Harleys were really farm machinery in disguise...

The police here (Germany...) are generally on BMWs. The Berlin Police had a batch of Breva 850s for a while. If you keep an eye on the second hand market, they turn up occasionally. A quick search indicates that the Police in Melbourne, Australia are using BMW. I was on Mauritius a few years back. They had an interesting collection. The President, I believe it was, a ranking Politician at least, turned up for an official Event associated with the project I was there for. The honour gaurd was on some new Yamaha modell. On the street (there were quite a lot of mounted Police...) a couple of MG Breva 750, some Enduro thingies (maybe Honda...) and even a couple of larger scooters (Korean, I believe...), and I think I saw a couple of asian soft choppers. The country is not one of the richest in the world, and I dare say that just take whatever they can get a good deal on.

As far as I understand it (which may not be 100%...) a smaller bore master cylinder should result in a lighter lever, but more travel in the lever.

Not only on the V11. In my experience, getting the bit out that sticks into the cush drive is nearly always a bit of a pain.

I've seen photos of that series of MZ before. "Unique" is a nice way to describe it....

I'm convinced they didn't. And as far as the mice go, the bloke with the glasses "took a bet" that there were mice in the airbox before the even wheeled it away from the shed they took it out of. And then he didn't have a look to see if that was true before the tried to start it. I think the boys aren't really all that bright. Edit: It looks like it had a happy ending for the bike: https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=adbcbd72268411ad01138e8e29437c64&topic=116045.msg1829928#msg1829928 In my opinion, Californias of that generation are pig ugly, but one doesn't like to see a Guzzi die a sad death. It's tragic that a bike with less than 7,000 miles on the clock was just left to rot in a shed.

That's it. Less rotating mass can make the motor snappier, more can make it easier to deal with in day-to-day riding conditions. I like "snappy", but that is just a personal choice. Reciprocationg mass is another kettle of fish, but that is not what we are talking about here.

I'm sure it could be saved. If I understood them correctly, there are less than 7.000 miles on the clock. Sure, a lot of work. But possible. And yes, I believe getting fork legs re-chromed is not at all difficult. One thing I know for sure: I wouldn't have pulled it out of the shed and tried to start it without even having had a close look at it. For instance, if there is any oil in the motor....

I didn't actively do anything to the bike, but I bought something. An apparently new set of valves, valve guides still in the plastic packaging, and valve springs, probably also new. The vendor is a well known Guzzi tuner from Austria who has been in retirement for the last couple of years and is obviously clearing out his workshop. An absolutely reliable source. I thought €150,- was ok, especially considering some of the bits are apparently no longer available.

That has come up a number of times in the German forum. I believe a vector graphic is the format of choice, but ask the service provider to be sure.