Greg Field

If any of you PacNWers (that includes you loopy Canadians, eh) want to join in on a great vintage bike event, it's coming up on August 27th. I help run it, so I won't be much for company that day, but if you need a place to stay while in town, let me know. I've got a gay-raj, gated yard, and limited places to crash. It's not really a TT at all, just a gathering of 2,500-5,000 folks who like old bikes, on a beautiful rural island that's a short ferry ride west of Seattle. The main event is a nice ride and poker run (not from bar to bar) that culminates in a great bike show and field events. I'll be on the Eldo or V700, but V11s are always welcome . . .

So, on advice from some here, I bought a NEPcc3 cruise control. It doesn't seem to clear between the grip and throttle. Is it necessary to fit new grips to make it work?

Rod: In a few weeks, the last of the V11s will have been sold. With no more new cheap ones available, your trade-in may be worth more. Stand by . . . If you want to increase comfort of your LeMans, get a set of MPH bar risers or the Ballabio bars and a Motobits foot-control kit. I put on 1,688 miles in 4 days with zero leg or knee discomfort. The longest day was 634 miles. If I had had a throttle lock, I'd've had no pain whatsoever.

I can confirm that Rocketman's bike is as nice as they come—clean, well-cared-for, and with none but tasteful and useful modifications/additions. I would already have it, if I didn't have Billy Bob. Still, it's tempting, just because it's so beautiful, and because I believe I would be happier on a V11 that offers more wind protection than Billy's wee shield does. I've got a beautiful 1967 V700 to trade, Rocketman. Or, I've got all the stuff to make another disc-brake, footboard-model Super Eldo to trade. Now that's a machine that's comfortable and can eat the miles. It can also be ridden very fast, if the pilot knows how to make it do his bidding. Or call Dave at Moto I. We have one EV left. LeMans models sell readily enough, so he'd probably be interested in the trade . . .

I do not lack for riding partners. In fact, more people have approached me since I had the guts to leave you, as you deserved. You were abandoned because of your behavior, not any of your views. Your Narcissistic Personality Disorder caused the problem and prevents you from seeing the truth of the matter, but that's something only a skilled psychiatrist can solve for you. I wish you luck in finding the courage to seek the help you need . . .

He buys his Guzzi parts at Home Depot. He just loves them yaller plastic wire nuts. His whole bike's wired with Romex, and them tacky Cobra pipes're made of galvanized gutter pipe and sprayed with rattle-can Hammerite. Ain't you fellers been payin' 'tention? Don't let him fool you about riding within his eyes, either. He rides like a complete maniac where it's totally inappropriate, like when chasing the Rev. Peas and Corn or "The Rickster" on Green Valley Rd.—which is a heavily traveled road in a semi-rural area and chock full of farm traffic, driveways that are frequently used, and completely blind corners—yet at a sedate pace when it's actually safe out in BFE around Mt. St. Helens. He has no "road sense," and just uses "eyes" as an excuse about why he can't even keep a lowly Eldo in sight at its natural sport-touring pace. Here's the really sad part: When riding with him and staying ahead of him, I haven't ever touched any parts down on my Eldo, let alone on Billy Bob. When riding with others, I routinely leave long curving arcs of sparks around corneers from my Eldo's footboards and undercarriage. That's a bike I can ride to the absolute full maximum of its cornering performance. In all the rides with him, I doubt I've topped 70 percent. If the exchange above hasn't convinced you he's a complete poser idiot, maybe y'all'd be fine riding partners? You, too, could be Rolling Blows and discuss endlessly why its the Jews who're behind all the world's ills. (He has endless excuses for himself and for everything else). And you could feel the fury of the mighty Cobra pipes as he passes you, too! Bleh. I'm done with this thread, and that poser.

Are all the relays you swapped around the 5-pin type? If you have a 4-pin where a 5-pin needs to be, this can happen.

I just finished assembling a V50III engine a few minutes ago. Tomorrow morning at 0400 it goes in the frame. I would avoid them. Some folks love the V50s, however. If ya gotta have one, the IIIs are better than the earlier ones. Once sorted, they are light and fun to ride. They run hot, so use good oil. If Pete can't satisfy your curiosity, I'll give you the number for my buddy Kevin in Michigan. He is a V50 specialist.

Hey, Dumas, I was riding a Stone on that leg, remember? Vance's Stone. A borrowed bike with outrigger-width forward footpegs. And I took off about fourth in the group. You did not pass me. Funny, I remember peeing last year, waiting for you, after Reen and I took off on that road. I was on my Eldo then. And there's plenty of good sightlines between here and Ione. Hundreds of miles of them, in fact. You could go very fast then. But you know you'd lose anyway, so you will stay in the "Cobra Replica" rocking chair and fantasize that your silly "Monster Garage Replica" pipes will make you fast, while my Eldo chuckles knowingly.

Combo response here: I won't be sure of stock and prices until I return to work tomorrow (I'm playing hooky to piece together a long-overdue V50). We were getting pretty low on stock of V11 stuff, purposely, because we are down to two new Ballabios and one Cafe Sport for sale. After that, we are outta the V11 series, and a great era will end. We started the year with maybe 30 V11s. I wish we had 30 more to sell. Crossovers are in the $250-380 range, depending on which ones. Aluminum Gianellis are in the $550 range if I remember right. The Guzzi Ti pipes now list for over $1,500. List on them in the past has ranged form just over $1,000 to $1,200 or so, depending on phase of the moon and whatever else determines Guzzi pricing. I was gonna order a set for stock but probably won't at this price. I do not know if Tekno bags will work with the high pipes. The Mistral cans do not mount farther to the side than others. In fact, the cans tuck in nicely and look and work just great. It is the inlet pipes to the cans that bow out wider than on the other muffler options. It looks to me like they will be the first thing to touch down, but I haven't touched anything down yet on Billy Bob.

Yes, when Enzo falls behind, it's the road's fault. How dare the trees and moss to grow where he will ride, and how dare the sun put shadows in his path? But, in the mythical land of perfect roads, where there are no shadows but endless sight lines around every curve, he can pass anyone at will on the mighty Cobra. Oh, yes, don't doubt it. Dr. Field prescribes for you a nice set of slippers and an "Enzo replica" rocking chair, so you can enjoy endless re-runs of American Chopper, American Idol, and NASCAR races (soon to feature Valentino "Bubba" Rossi in the Tampax-sponsored #69 Ford) on your "Enzo replica" plazmatic TV; secure in this idealized Enzo-world, you definitely can pass me at will.

For high mounting, use the brackets that come wiht the Guzzi titanium system. For low mounting, use the stock brackets. The inlet pipes on the Guzzi ti systelm are separate from the mufflers, so you can rotate them to get the mufflers at the right angle either way. It's a really nice system. At Moto Intl., we've mounted maybe a dozen Guzzi ti systems with FBF crossovers. I ordered a set for stock today. If you want a set, I can get them, as can Todd at MPH or any other dealer.

On a CBX? That's impressive. Kinda like the guy here who roadraces an early Gold Wing and wins. "More with less" always impresses more than "less with more."

I just checked on ordering a Guzzi titanium system to replace the one sold from stock last week. The price has risen to $1,529. Aprilia/Piaggio has lost their mind. Who's gonna pay that? They can keep it.

Yes, Antonio, the sphincter-operated remote is the most popular option for the PCIII in the US.

One last time. You said you never out-ride your eyes. You have just one set of eyes, yes? And if my Eldo can manage a certain cornering speed, your Cobra can, and by extension the Krypto can, yes? So, if your eyes are what limit your speed to less than what you consider my "unsafe" riding speed on the Eldo, then those very same eyes would limit your speed on the Krypto to less than that same "unsafe" speed I can very easily manage on my Eldo. Follow? Therefore, you would still be slower on the Krypto than I am on the Eldo. Yes? Or maybe your eyes really aren't what limits your speed? As for the SoCal boys, yes, you could keep up on a wide-open road where you could see for miles and miles and miles. So could any dope on a fast bike. They ride twisty, real-life canyon roads where you can't see for miles and miles and miles. They ride fast in the corners, not on the straights. On that same Eldo, I would be full-on sliding both ends at near twice my sport-touring velocity to keep up with RacerX and Rich R and company. If you're puckering up at my Eldo's sport touring speed, you'd have a coronary following those boys. Seriously, you'd be humbled, even more so on the Krypto than on the Cobra because you'd have to acknowledge that the differences in speeds is due only to differences in skill. If your eyes really are the problem, see a better optometrist. If I twist his arm (and I do), mine will spend the time with me to correct my vision to 20/10. Then, get good lenses. That is time and money well-spent. You can recognize cop cars at great distances, and pick out a deer's ear or nose from the foliage or more instantly recognize rocks and potholes on the road. See Dr. Louie at Eyes on Fremont. He is very good. Not everyone's eyes can be corrected to 20/10, but it is worth the effort to try. 20/10 vision is as much an advantage to a street rider as it is to a fighter pilot. Hell, it helps everyday in many regards, even when driving a car or sightseeing or hunting or whatever.

Mistrals are easy to dismantle but difficult to "re-mantle." I sell this stuff at Moto I—aluminum, carbon, stainless, and titanium, high and low. Here's my take on the advantages and disadvantages of each: Carbon: The hardest to scratch or dent noticably. Look good. Does not stand up to UV exposure very well. The nicest low ones I have sold are FBF. Todd Haven prefers the M4 mufflers. I trust his opinion, but have never personally seen a pair of them. Mistral makes the only high versions that I know of, and also a low version. One thing I do not like about the Mistrals is that the attached inlet pipe for the mufflers bows out much farther to the side than do the pipes for all the other options. I think that mine will touch down, though they haven't yet. Generally, carbon mufflers are a few ounces heavier because the carbon is wrapped over a metal sheath. If you need mufflers that will stand up to tough use get carbon. But keep in mind that you must not park in the sun all day with any frequency. Aluminum: Finish stands up to UV and weather and is easily renewed. They are also the least-expensive option. Unfortunately, they dent very easily. The best ones I have seen are Gianelli, which are a "medium high" mounting. The Gianellis mount easily and perfectly parallel and symmetrically. They look like they were designed by Germans they are so rigidly parallel and symmetrical. If you like that sort of buttoned-down look, they are the best option. Mistrals are nice, too, and are available in low or high mounting. Titanium: Finish stands up to UV and weather and is easily renewed. Unfortunately, they dent extremely easily. I have Mistrals, for example, and if I even get near them with a tool, I'll spot a dent or crease later. If you demand dent-free mufflers, stay away from titanium. Of the ti systems, I judge the Guzzi system by far the best. Why? Fit and finish and sound, mostly, but also because it can be mounted as a high system or as a low system and looks good either way. I currently have low Mistral titaniums on my Billy Bob ('cause I got them cheaply used) but think I am going to get a set of Guzzi titaniums because I can mount them low when I have my H&B luggage on and then high when I do not have the luggage attached. The Guzzi system tucks in nicely, too, and has an "organic" not-entirely symmetrical Italian look. If you like symmetry, the Gianellis are best. Mistral has nice ones, in high or low versions, but keep in mind the inlet-pipe issue. Stainless: I think Staintune is the only option. These are beautifully made and tougher than the rest of the bike. They resist denting and are impervious to UV and the finish can easily be renewed. As for round or oval, in my opinion, the oval complements the styling of the bike more.

Look, you can't be faster on the Krypto because if you never out-ride your eyes, the top speed on any corner will be the same on either bike , unless you have different eyes you pop in when riding the Krypto. As for staying with the so-cal boys, the guys on the Jackals and Calis would leave you for dead, even on the Krypto. No wagon here. I was sipping a beer as I finished smoking 40lbs. of pork butts over alder wood. Both were daaaaaammmmmmmmnnnnnn goooooooddddd!!! If you want this to end, stop besmirching my name. Pretend I do not exist, and I will extend you the same courtesy.

I know it's not much in the way of consolation, but your bike looks stunning with the pork chops, wheels, et al painted gold.

What I do on MSH is "sport-touring" pace, not in any way racing. I can keep that same pace on a 30-year-old bagger like the Eldo. It doesn't even raise the pulse. And I am not a fast rider. You should ride with the SoCal Guzzi boys sometime if you want to see fast. As for the dyno, the account I heard from someone who was also there differs from yours. Knowing what I know about you and about him, I believe his. As for the "what use . . ." I don't know. You'll have to look inward for that answer. As for the logos, do you assume everyone with "Repsol" on his jacket is Nicky Hayden?

Lardenzo races all the time on the road, as he has repeatedly said here ad nauseum. Remember the CBR guy who "was in full leathers and sponsored" (who in actuality was in sneakers and jeans) on the way to his "abandonment" at the Deep Forest? It's just me who he will not race. So, Baldini, you needn't make excuses for the mighty Enzo and his Cobra; he is the Valentino Rossi of making excuses and of blaming others for his own shortcomings as a man and as a rider. I am tired of his continual "shots across the bow" and then "bravely turned his tail and ran" tactics. It's time to force the inevitable . . .

Is this a gauntlet throwdown, Cobra Boy? Seattle to Ione and back via the North Cascades highway, as set up earlier. You've chickened out on this for what three years now? I'll even take the Eldorado, so your humiliation will be utter and unequivocable and completely impervious to your usual weaseling words afterward. Or I'll take Billy Bob if you think the Super Eldo's anti-gravity pod gives me an unfair advantage. Pick a date. I'll even take off work. After all dyno charts mean nothing on the open road. Plus, I know all the dyno guys in this town. Every one of them will "swing" and "smooth" a dyno chart if a paying customer asks. And I have it on unimpeachable authority that you did just this on one of the past dyno charts you trotted out here. I'll find out if you did it this time, too . . .

As usual, Enzo's folly can be valuable as a lesson to know-it-all blowhards everywhere: 1) Do not re-wire your whole bike using cheap switches and plastic wire nuts from Home Depot and expect it to be reliable. 2) Do not remove the fender that keeps all that Seattle rain out of your fuse box and other sensitive underseat electrics. Or be be the fool he is, and then blame your troubles on others.

I installed mine early this morning and had some problems. There was no way to make them fit if I followed the instructions and put the long side toward the crossover because there was insufficient flex in the system, such that I would've had to bend the pipes to get them back in the exhaust ports, putting stress that I think would have led to cracking. SO, I turned the shims around. This gave more lattitude in positioning the joint between header pipe and crossover. Still, it was very tough to get the headers seated in the exhaust ports without putting undue stress on the headers. They're on, now, and my lefty leaks a little, too. I'll have to look at it again tomorrow. Overall, nice parts. My difficulties I attribute more to production variation from Aprilia-Guzzi, rather than a fault with the shims.

Righthand cylinder head, inboard, on the side toward the spine.