BrianG

I was hoping that you were asleep and would not see this thread and make this suggestion... it is indeed what I suspect as well. I have now got 20,ooo miles on the donk and guess that this is not totally unexpected. My question in this regard is..... With an upcoming 2000 mile trip coming up in September, is this something that is critical to attend to before such a venture, or is this still a winter project? PS... I am having some trouble checking the timing because I can't find the timing marks. Apparently some donut clocked the flywheel when he did the clutch R&R last winter....

My experience with valve sealing issues is that the "miss" is most pronounced as the lowest RPM (at idle) and that the miss is pretty rythmical due to the consistency of the problem's repetition cycle. In this current situation, idle is rock steady. Are you taking about the rubber boot between the throttle body and the head spigot? .....or the tubing section between the airbox and the throttle body? The reason I ask is that I'm not all that impressed with the interface between the tubing section and the airbox.

OK... I'm stumped. I have recently acquired a part throttle hiccup that is pretty pronounced and VERY annoying. It almost feels like a backfire, and it is ruining the quality of the MG ride! It occurs while at very low throttle opening and is most pronounced between 2000-3000 RPM. This, together with a very poor idle quality, motivated me to do a "tune-up" last week-end, where I found the valve lash way too tight (0.0015/0.002). Rectifying that smoothed the idle out fine, and elevated the idle speed to about 1500+ RPM. I set the idle speed down to 1000+ RPM and sync'd the throttle bodies. That looked good. I did not set the TPS, or ign. timing, figuring that these items would be unlikely to have changed since the last setting a year ago. I'll check those 2 items this coming week-end, but I'm canvasing the Guzzisti here to see if there is any consensus on the origin of this irritating hiccup thing that I've never experienced before. Any ideas?

There is nothing better or easier than electronic fuel injection, in terms of accuracy, power, and efficiency. A well tuned carb is OK but tuning a carb to a modified engine is the biggest PITA! I, for one, am not sad to see that pile of jets and needles and slides and other crap find its way out to the dust bin! With the electronic tools available now, you can tune a new map for almost any change you make to the power plant and know that it is accurate and specific. The days of jet swapping and spark plug reading are greatfully dead! As for the fuel delivery system on the Guzzi....... you are right...... the fuel tank design is not far from downright stupid....... but that's not a EFI issue..... it's an Italian engineer issue!

This air bypass thing has me (and apparently a number of others here) confused. What is it really for? Is this device an idle mixture compensator, or something else? If it is simply an idle mixture compensator why are some people using it to adjust idle speed? Improper mixture will vary idle speed all right, but because of a very wrong reason! also..... To my way of thinking, matching vacuum readings at about 3000RPM matches TB flow where it matters, at mid range. Subsequent matching of idle vacuum should be a secondary consideration for performance, but may be important for idle quality. My thought on setting idle vacuum would be to set idle speed with the left TB idle stop and then bring the right side idle stop to the vacuum balance point, just so that the right side throttle spring load isn't resting on the throttle cross linkage at idle. All things being equal, balance attained at 3000RPM should translate down to idle speed fairly well, and trimming would ideally unload the throttle linkege. What say you??

So, we don't want a balance tube? Why not? Ryland, my Norton had it as well.

OK.. I found the blanking plugs that the PO put in there. Of course nobody up here has metric threaded hose barb fittings and the Guzzi dealer has no parts in stock! So I had to spin some 1/4" pipe thread units down on the lathe and thread them myself. Seemed to work out OK. Now I can use the carb-stik Now.... what is supposed to happen with them when I'm done? Are they supposed to be joined together as some kind of balance tube?

Alright guys...... Here I sit with a borrowed carb-stick and I cannot find a vacuum tap in the throttle bodies, to attach it to. There are many posts here about carb-stick sync-ing...... so, what's the trick????

Minne was starting to run poorly below 3000 RPM along with the occasional tip-in or light throttle back-fire. Notably worse when hot. I didn't tune it this last winter, I guess because I got distracted with the clutch replacement and the transmission reseal projects. Anyway, the long and the short of this story is....... I pulled the valve covers today and gaged the valve clearances... both exhausts were very tight 0.002" and the intakes were 0.003 (lt) and 0.004 (rt). I wonder why it ran the craps at low RPM???

This is an idea that I've been researching for this winter's project. Finding/building a Hall-effect transducer to bolt onto the current speedo-drive should be doable. Installing a magnet onto the driveshaft should be doable. Next thing we need to find is a transplantable electronic head unit for the V-11 pod. I have a jewler friend that will transplant the Vegalia guage face. Callibration will be a breeze with a "Speedo-healer" type unit.

I take it you lubed the speedo cable with a good quality moly grease.

No problem... issues shared are issues solved. Just wait 'til you get to 3X the legal drinking age! I have 2X on motorcycles....

I have replaced all of the dash lights with plug-wired LED units. The MG bulb sockets are known to disintegrate and short out the power supply fuse spoken about above, and those little bulbs have frail elements when pitted against the V-11's vibrations. LEDs also are pretty much a live-forever, vibration-proof unit. I'm having the same oil-pressure sender unit issue, and trying to determine the proper replacement.

You are right about our matching weights.... and I ride with a Corbin seat as well. although I find it sets me too far aft, as well.... Mine is the 2000 V-11 Sport, so I think it is the shorter/steeper steering head design compared to the CS? In any case, you are right also about the 1.1kg spring-set in the Traxxion Dynamics modified (revalved) Marz forks. I find them a bit weak in hard braking, actually, and have been contemplating a progressive spring-set, but I have not figured out how to specify (and actually get) a spring-set that that is progressive from 1.1 kg onward. If you recall setting your fork-oil, you will recall setting it with forks fully extended. In order to get increased progressive springing from the air-space compression, I tried setting the fork oil height with the fork collapsed, and eventually got to 15mm of airspace remaining. That still proved unsatisfactory. I also run A Penske shock with 500# spring, as set up by Mike Stewart. This may well indicate what you suspected, about me riding with weight further forward than you do. I'm 6'1 and do like to snuggle up to the tank. I also have the clip-ons set to the most-open position. I find this balances well and gets me the sag values I wanted........ although the numbers are not in easy reach, I'll try to find them in the manual in the garage for posting here. (I was shooting for 15/30%) The forks are now adjustable for rebound only with minimal compression damping. I set the rebound so there is one jounce cycle to settle, unladen. I run one click of compression damping at the Penske unless I have the 3-pce Givi luggage set loaded, in which case I run 2 clicks of compression damping. Again, I have the rebound set for 1 jounce cycle, unladen. It runs nicely in hard twisties, but it's no 600RR. It does keep up nicely with the son's 'busa if the straights are real short... At over 100 mph (indicated) it gets a very little bit head-shakey if the steering dampener is not dialed in 2 more clicks than I like in the city, but those 2 clicks let me ride all day at 100 - 120 mph. This setup works great for my riding style and preferences, since I'm old and slow and like my plushness...

Hahaha.... that's too funny! We've wasted all this time arguing the same side of the issue........... for the most part. I have never heard or read of this theory of asymmetrical fore/aft springing but I suppose that it makes sense to the degree that the man/machine unit is unbalanced fore/aft. The diversion into a discussion of progressive-rate springs and mechanical systems enters a realm of conjecture that is well past my experience and expertise. I think that the fact is that modern motorcycle suspensions are all rising-rate devices as a function of a number of design features, the sum of which pretty much defy my calculation capabilities.

Well, you were getting close until you got stupid with your example....... Basically........ ideal laden sag is 30% of suspension travel. That is the point at which the suspension can be the most compliant with 2/3 of travel available for bumps and 1/3 for depressions. The only thing that will affect the sag ratio for any ONE GIVEN WEIGHT is the spring rate. Adjusting preload for ONE GIVEN WEIGHT will do nothing more than shift the ride height along the shock/fork length. IF that were the only issue you could place the LADEN RIDE HEIGHT at 30% (or whatever) with any spring. To resort to your tactic of extreme example..... lets say that the shock had a 2kg spring mounted. IF you wound up the preload high enough on this coil-bound spring you could get to the 30% point, but how would it ride? No compression motion and a soft 30% rebound that would slam back to coil-bind. The suggested 15%/30% unladen/laden reflects the normal rider-to-machine weight ratio so that some asshat doesnt put in either a 2kg spring or a 2000kg spring....... wind it up to 30% laden ride height and end up with a poor suspension. The exact ratio of laden-to-unladen ride-height is a personal matter and depends upon a number of factors uncluding use (tour vs track) and personal preference, but the fact is that the more compliant a suspension is, the better the contact patch stays in contact with the road. Hence the 15%/30% ball park ratio. My point was.... for any given spring and any given weight on it, pushing it up from the bottom (preload) only lifts the top of it (ride height). It affects the spring's compressibility not at all. (until you reach the end of the suspension range and start to compress it....... but certainly you are smarter than that.... It's simple, and it's fact. The rest of your argument is superfluous... You have fallen into the classic trap of the word "preload".....

This is why Ratchet is tired of arguing with you...... If you can't figure out this basic issue, you can have no possible idea of the rest of suspension dynamics. I recommend that you fully investigate my statement and when you can discuss a REASON rather than just state an OPINION you could move forward. For the present you are just messing up other forum members with your drivel...

Wrong....... preload does nothing but determine ride height for any give weight (rider or not). ...........unless you wind it up so tight that the shock/fork tops out, which is just dumb.......

I had M1's before I switched to Pirelli Diablo's...... Loved the M1's on the V-11 Sport.

Thank Luigi for mail-order!!

No, but I didn't change anything. So, I pulled the pressure switch and grounded the wire.... light went on. Tested the switch........ open at atmosphere........ should be closed. My analysis......... switch knackered......

We have no MG dealer in the local area, so I was wondering if the Oil pressure switch on my 2000 V-11 Sport can be sourced in the automotive aftermarket.... Undoubtedly it can, but does anyone have identifier parameters?? manufacturer part no's alternate vehicle application?

I find that I prefer 15% unladen and 30% laden sag at both ends. I had tried the stiffer front idea mentioned but found that the bike didn't absorb bumps (when heeled over hard) symmetrically. I found that the mis-matched spring rates caused a pitch moment that I found disconcerting. If I find the front end bottoming I raise the oil level or add a little compression damping (if possible). You do have to be a bit cautious with raising the oil level. Too much will give you hydro-lock bottoming of the fork.

I had the boys in Georgia (Traxxion Dynamics) do the forks on my 2000 V-11 Sport 2 years ago. Mike was my contact. They converted the forks to rebound adjust only.... both sides, with the installation of their own valve and they added 110kg springs. The difference is like night and day....... FAR better front end control! Motivated me to add a Penske to the rear! Now THIS is a motorcycle!!

I polished my exhaust pipes.... resulted in a beautiful shiny gold color......