Greg Field

If you are of the school that believes one size of spring does not fit all, there're Racetech springs that drop right in the late forks and can be ordered by spring rate.

TM: I have instrumentation on my V11 to monitor all this stuff. Use synth oil. Real synth oil. I saw 130 C-plus temps for many hours this past weekend, and you live in hotter territory than I do. At the minimum, use Motorex 5100 semi-synth. Oil is CHEAP compared to parts and labor. Really cheap. Also, monitor your steering damper. Mine shit the bed this weekend. I have always had the feeling of somewhat heavy steering and felt like the front tire was low on pressure. It was the Ohlins damper. It isn't leaking, just really high in resistance. I felt the same one day on the bike you got. Monitor this.

Interesting topic. Personally, I have never felt RLSH wear out. I have long used it in both my uber-Eldo and the V11 thingie I ride. Maybe I'm a philisitine who bangs shifts and just doesn't care? Prob'ly so. I just flogged the shit out of the Coppa Ductapio this weekend down along Mt. St. Helens and up a bunch of gravel goat paths that all ended in deep snowbanks, after an Italian friend had ben riding it for a month and taken it to the Malibu Guzi National. I love my Eldo, but it's readily apparent that they were made in different centuries. I do watch my oil pressure and take note of what I get at what temps. The 10w-60 Motorex is starting to show signs of decreased viscosity at 8,000 miles. Pity. I expected more, but the gauge does not lie. Time for a change.

I saw the bike at the Guzzi National. That's one uncommonly impressive machine. Bill has outdone himself in creating it. More records will surely follow, I predict.

If you need something to do next weekend, here's a great option: It's held just outside of Randle, WA, which is on Highway 12, mid-state. It's a great event, set amid some great twisties in a very beautiful campground right on the bank of the Cispus River. FOr those who want to sample the roads around Mt. St. Helens, a group of us usually leaves Saturday morning for a ride to Trout Lake for a breakfast of huckleberry pancakes before continuing the ride and returning to camp for dinner, which is King Salmon roasted indian-style around an alder campfire. If anyone needs directions or any information, let me know. I'm still not sure I get to go, but if Moto I gives me the time off, I'll be leaving there with a group of riders around 1:00 to take a bunch of small twisties to the campsite.

In the old days, given matched tires front and rear, front tires were half gone when it was time for a new rear. Nowadays, given the same matching, the front is 3/4 to all the way gone when the rear is worn out. If you just change out the front, too, you've wasted quite a bit of life, but if you don't, you lose some of the bike's good handling because one of your tires is always significantly worn. Instead, I prefer to change both at the same time but go for a stickier front tire, which allows more margin of error for trail-braking and emergency maneuvers. Stockish V11s have enough power to be fun but not enough that you need top-shelf rear rubber to keep the rear end from stepping out under power. They can get by with a less-sticky but longer lasting rear. This rear will usually wear out at the same time as the stickier front. So, I really like the Pilot Power front. It has a really nice profile, sticks well, even in the wet, and lasts in the 7,000-mile range. I didn't like the PP rear. It's carcass doesn't seem stiff enough for a porker like the V11. The Strada seems stiffer and it is reputed to last in the 7,000-mile range. We'll see. I'll be right at 7,000 miles when the V11 returns from the National rally in a few weeks.

FWIW: I use a Pilot Power front with a D. Strada rear. They wear out at the same time and give a margin of error when trail-braking hard into a corner.

We have them in stock at Moto Intl.

Yes, they're available. I work at one shop (Moto Intl.) that sells them.

I work in an extremely overstuffed Guzzi shop, which means we push in and out 20-30 bikes a day to allow room for customers to enter. Many of them have CARCS. I can tell you from direct experience that anything with a CARC is an absolute pig to push around when the gear oil is cold and not much easier when the oil is warm. I would be surprised to find that CARCS didn't run 20 degrees C hotter.

Mal: What you see on the flywheel flywheel splines is deformation of the metal as much as wear. Note the raised ridge of metal at the peak of each spline. This deformation happens to some degree no matter what, but it happens most severely when a bike's cush drive becomes inoperable (due to rust, usually) and to those bikes whose riders are enthusiastic users of compression braking. This type of wear creates backlash that then contributes to an acceleration of additional wear and deformation. Consider servicing the cush drive. Consider also drilling the rubber pucks and/or removing every other pair, so the cush drive is more effective. Finally, if you are an enthusiastic compression braker, consider modifying your riding style to make more use of the brakes for slowing the vehicle.

Docc: WHile it's hot, run a finger along the run of wire to find out where it's hot, and where it's not. THat'll help you determine if there's a localized resistance and where it is.

Have you looked for an air leak? It's possible this is a new problem, rather than a return of an old problem caused by relays.

I rode through Houston last year on a V11 on the way to Hyder. Lovely country all the way through.

Yes. Centerstands're still available.

Belfastguzzi: A GIVI A760 makes a big difference, looks goos, and is easy to mount to a Greaser.

Steve: We are closed on Saturday. Unfortunate for you, but not so for me (US Holiday). They're in the $38 range. Gord might have them. He's a hell of a good guy . . .

The manual petcock is still available if anyone needs one.

This is just my opinion, but it is not based on nothing . . . Yes, you will pick up some power with the lidless conversion and guaze (K&n or other) filter. For now. What will you be left with 10,000 miles later, when all the dirt that gauze filter let through degrades your ring seal? My bet is less than if you had stuck with a paper filter. For no money, you can cut some holes in your airbox, per Phil A.'s pattern, keeping the paper filter, and net slightly more peak hp than with the lidless guaze thing. Initially, however, the lidless gauze thing will have meaningfully more midrange, for the short term, at least. FWIW, I'd advise cutting your airbox and fitting a paper filter for the long-haul . . .

Could also be the plug for the short inner stud is leaking.

Look; it just isn't that simple. If you think you can get top-tier oil for under $12 US per quart, you just aren't paying attention. Times have changed.

Motul 5100 is SG rated. It's the "standard" oil we use in V11s. Motorex 10-60 is SG rated. It's what we use in the Breva/Nevada 750 and all big blocks from the B1100 on. We used to use Castrol R4 in the hydro engines. It was recently reformulated and is no longer SG. We switched to Maxima 5-40. Based on the analysis of what's in it and its awesome VI, I'm putting it in my V11 next oil change. We also keep Redline 20-50 on hand for folks who want it.

Belfastguzzi: The latest AGIP 10-60 no longer meets SG. THe Motorex (Swiss, I think) 10-60 still is SG.

It's far easier if you leave the trans in situ, and instead pull the engine from it. Remove the headers and any fairing bits. Block under the engine. Remove the bolts holding the front subframe to the engine, loosen the bolts holding hte subframe tothe spine frame, and rotate the subframe forward toward the forks. Unbolt the trans. Pull the engine forward a couple inches on its blos, so it is free of the trans. Turn the engine sideways. Replace the clutch. About 3 hours in and out.