callison

Well, the Guzzi ones are round but the BMW ones ought to be functionally the same. Thanks for the tip Lex! The Sport 1100i instrument panel is mounted (and usually unmounted because they separate) with these rubber thingamabobs. Super glue is a valid re-attachement procedure (says he with 5 years of gluing the dang things back together), but now that I know where to get replacements, it's time to ignore the Scotch in me and buy some new ones.

It's amazing how easy it is to just unbolt the rear of the tank, lift it up some, and reach up there to put the hose back on too. Other than that, just remove the silly valves and use some air hose doohickeys (bibs?) to join the hose ends together, or even the plastic ones that you find on the vacuum lines. You don't even need hose clamps. While you're at it, remove the canisters and plumbing from under the seat and stow them away somewhere for an Orwellian future where bikes get smog checked.

Two options here - one of which I've done (super glue). Super glue the rubber back onto the metal parts - reassemble. That works and works pretty well, is cheap and can be renewed when it eventually parts again. Alternatively, subsititute a small chunk of fuel line for the rubber mounts and find a way to hold them in place such as a long screw and nut installed loose enough to allow the mount to counter vibration. The mount isn't there for electrical purposes, just to counter vibration damage to the coils.

Mike, do a web search for a Sigma BC 700 (or higher number) bicycle speedometer. They run about $25 max most places. It's pretty simple to put on a bike, highly accurate, useful in the extreme and unfortunately, not lit. There's a number of web sites with instructions on how to put one on a bike, but if you can't make it work, let me know and we'll get together on it.

I cruise in that range all of the time. 35-38 mpg w/wo PCIII.

The Guzzi FI bikes universally get poor gas mileage when it's cold outside. Typically below 70˚F. Last night, it was 41˚ and I got 38 mpg. Mostly at a constant 65 or 75 mph in sixth. Too low of an rpm to keep the battey charged when wearing a heated vest and grips I might add. Now I'll just have to go faster!!! Whaddya mean - fifth gear???

There is no "cheap" battery that will suffice for these bikes. The gel cell batteries have a very good lifetime and their small package size belies their cranking power. That plus they mount lying down precludes using a standard vented lead acid battery to replace them. If you want to corrode your purty new bike, go ahead, just don't say you didn't know. Really, the gel cell batteries actually are a superior design and a tad expensive, but they are worth it. So much so, that I use the same small size gel cell battery that the V11 Sport uses in all four of my Guzzis. You're right that the heated garb is a bit too much, I've been noticing that myself the last few days when commuting home at midnight with the vest and grips on as well as the running lights. It's a little more noticeable now that I've slowed down some to save gas and the running rpm's are falling under the 4000 mark, which is about break even for the puny alternator when supplying that much power. Best advice I can give here is to shut off the heated stuff when you get within 15 minutes of home, keep it above 3000 rpm at that point and just endure the cold knowing that you'll be home safe and warm shortly.

Yeah. For the 2003 models they've gone with another manufactuer. I don't remember who it is or if it's all models of Guzzi's or not. Your warrantee, if still in effect, will probably require the replacement using the Vaguelia (Veglia) variety. I have taken the tach on my 97 Sport and California apart to JB Weld the case mounting studs back into the case to repair a faulty ground path. Why Veglia uses the case for the ground return path and requires a ground wire that doesn't provide the requisite ground return for the electronics is beyond me. A truly a inferior design.

Ouch! Two years ago I had a similar experience. I had one of the rug protectors for desk chairs that kept curling up and sliding. As a desk addition it was a nuisance so I thought it might make a good garage floor protector for when I inevitably dripped oil during an oil change etc. So I put it in the garage and pulled in my Sport 1100i with the front wheel resting on it. The next day, at 5:30 A.M., I got ready to go to work and went out to the garage. I on the bike, kicked up the sidestand and that's when things got interesting. The front wheel started to slide sideways because the mat was slippery. Now I had a fully gassed 548 lb beast starting to tip over. It was halfway to the floor and I couldn't get it further upright because the front wheel would just slide when I tried. I laid the bike down gently, but I still couldn't get it upright because of the mat. I had to wake up my son to give me a hand. The mat is gone. The bike has remained.

There's 20 or 30 less horsepower in the California. That should equate quite nicely to a lower fuel consumption. FWIW, on a long haul at around 80 mph, the V11 Sport and a California 1100i pull nearly the same gas mileage, somewhere in the high 40's if the weather isn't cold. Mike Stewart and I verified that last year on the trip to Prescott. When I rode back from Ramona last October, I got 194 miles on one tank of gas on the V11 Sport and still had about 3/10's of a gallon left, so that would have been real close to 50 mpg. That was slab miles when the throttle position is constant - and the ride is boring.

Uh huh. And is all of the current to run the horns going through the horn switch? If so, I predict an eventual failure (been there - done that). The 138db Fiamm's cost $13 each and can even wake up SUV drivers - a severe necessity here in Kalifornia. Believe it or not, I'm considereing adding a second set for road use. Relays I have tons of from my old BMW 630csi. What a piece of junk, the relays were all that were worth saving.

Now you're toast. You posted it and bragged, Murphy's gonna get you for sure.

Well, I was getting 33mpg last week, but set my valves (left side was off a tad on both inlet and exhaust - right side was spot on) and changed the plugs. Mileage jumped to 37.5 mpg - and this is with a newly added but not optimized PCIII. I have never even touched the TPS or balanced the throttle bodies on this bike either, although those are actions that are definitely due as it idles too low. I would have to say, try a tune up first and if you have a PCIII, take it out of the circuit for a while and see if that helps.

Hey Mike, if you're going to Prescott again this year, I can bring along the vice-grips you swore were un-needed. You know, the ones that held together your bag mount from Wikieup to Prescott. At least you didn't lose the bag. I lost my left one 4 weeks ago. MGNA doesn't stock replacement parts, but I was lucky they had a set that they had scavenged hardware from, so were willing to overcharge me for a new left side bag. When it showed up today, it was a right hand bag. MGNA is staffed by idiots. No wonder Guzzi does so badly on this continent.

Joe, this happens to me every time I change oil. I've never pre-filled the filter, just let the bike idle easy when starting up for a few seconds until the light goes out. These engines are pretty tough, I wouldn't worry about the very short period of time when the system is not up to full pressure.

The hot setup is to install a Sigma BC800 bicycle speedometer and just do a careful calibration using the wheel diameter that has the magnet on it.

Weird. My brake pads have outlasted the rear master cylinder. I always do seem to get everything bass ackwards

I was bleeding the rear brakes on my V11TT because they were starting to go soft. Then I discovered that the rear brake wouldn't even bleed and was bubbling at the shaft seals. Definitely bad with only 12,000 mile on the bike. I yanked the one off of my Sport 1100i (which isn't in running mode at the moment) and put that on the V11TT. What I found though, was kind of disturbing. The rubber cover for the stoplight switch was completely full of rusty water! I suspect that water eventually migrated into the rear brake cylinder causing it to fail. Or not. Either way, if you're going to ride in the wet, or wash your bike a lot, it would probably serve you well to pack these covers with silicon grease or something. The photo shows the assembly after cleaning.

Here's a link to the Scura Ohlins manual. I probably got it from this site somewhere, but this will save you from searching for it. http://ryuv11.free.fr/v11/scuraohlins/scuraohlins.htm

That might also might result in a quest for ignition changes. I have the #3 Cliff Jeffries My16M ECU in my Sport 1100i right now. I have to admit that there are absolutely no stumbles or anything else evil. Should you decide to run that experiment as well, I'll be glad to help. Too bad my bike has something basically wrong and will not idle with either computer that I have for it. After replacing the clutch in my California, it gets back into first place in the queue.

Cool story on the WP Suspension name. Thanks.

You could try a Dremel tool with a speed control. You'd have to be careful though, you could wind up with the first Veglia to hit 300mph just before the guts poked through the case

I think Dave is pulling your leg on the "Whitepower" complaint... I have met exactly one black Moto Guzzi rider. Nice guy. I don't remember where or when though.

The Sport 1100i's had WP components exclusively. Too bad MG didn't see fit to remain with them, but they probably had to go for a less expensive production line component. I would say that the WP used on the Sport 1100i would be a perfect match for the V11, and why not? - the chassis are very nearly identical.

The Metzelers were gone at 5400 miles. I went to M1's because there were some on the shelf at the local BMW shop. The front one is still okay, the back one retired at - 5400 miles. Now there is a definite mismatch now between tire types as well as rear size, but since I'm primarily commuting, I could probably get away with riding on fat rubber bands... I'm hoping that a full set of new Pirelli MTR23/24's will be less susceptible to bumps, which really may be just the result of the current tire type mismatch. I do know that the MTR's feel just a tad less tractive then the Sportecs when leaned over, but my riding style is not at all extreme so I can live quite handlily with them. The likelyhood of getting 7500 miles plus better gas mileage and having commonality among two bikes is a plus as well. I did like the Sportecs though. These bikes are not that awesomely powerful, can anyone really prove that a wider rear tire is an advantage on the V11 Sports? I know that it's the style, but I think that some people place too much in visual attributes than actual performance. Although the Sport 1100i is noted for it's slow steering, it is at least as much fun to ride as the V11 (because it's a Guzzi - what else?) and is absolutley rock stable. The only time you can get a wiggle out of it is when you're accelerating, leaned over in a curve and hit a good bump and your body mass is not on the center of the centrifugal force vector. It'll shake it's head a tad there and then keep charging. The V11 Sport does exactly the same thing, but shakes a tad harder and noticeably longer. What I think I may be saying here, is that I think that the Guzzis respond better to the Hailwood style of riding - tucked in and stable - rather than the Roberts style of hanging off. There's a lot to be said for stability - it keeps your confidence level higher.