Frenchbob

These are good stories. Reminds me of the time I bounced off a Landrover in the UK with my old Triumph Daytona. Picked the bike up [after a small but significant exchange with the Landrover driver], kicked it straight, rode it home. Next day, went to the hospital for a check and came back covered in plaster. Sorry: whenever I see someone suffering, I have to suffer, too, if only in retrospect!

ditto, once my 2002 had had some proper maintenance. Mind you, I haven't started it for a couple of weeks! Safe winter riding, all.

Thanks, Orangeoakie. We need this from time to time. We all know why we ride, and we all should know the risks, and accept them. You have to be able to look at this and say, "I do the best I can to avoid this happening to me and other people" and then go out and ride in the knowledge that this can happen to the best, as well as the least careful. Anyone want motorcycling with speed limiters and outrigger wheels? No, I don't either.

Agreed! I would buy that Breva.

With my Brit clunkers, it's no problem: those who know how to start them know how to ride them, and I always respond to requests to ride them with "Yes, if you can start it". They get the message. Really, none of my friends would ask the question. If they're offered a ride, that's different, and then they're close enough friends to be unworried about them honouring the old "You bend it - you mend it" agreement. So, no, I wouldn't if asked the question, but there are people I would offer a ride on it before they need ask! It works better than it sounds.

One of many, I fear!

Personally, I think that MG have been taken over by aliens. It would explain a lot, including the Greaso.

All good advice, this, Dr Gil. Please, please don't feel bad about about crashing your Guzzi: it's what they're made for, I've found, and we're all entitled to play the prat once in a while. We Guzzisti are the hardest prats, of course. It's just possible you have a casting crack of some sort, but I think it's more likely you have simply unsettled everything, including where the oil drains to. If it sounds good, and doesn't continue to gush, run it gently for a bit, keep wiping it to see where exactly the leak comes from, and don't do anything drastic until it's settled down....is my advice. If a small leak continues, follow the advice you've been given here to fix it. I'm sure you've checked the whole bike over really carefully as well, after a spill. You say you used to be a Triumph man. I once fell off my Trident standing stock still - takes some doing! And I was sober. Happily it landed on my wife, who was sitting on the pillion at the time, with little damage done. Bon courage.

It's OK. All it needs now is an 1100 Sport carb motor.

You people use the clutch?

Yes he did, and he was riding a V-twin mounted in line with the frame, not across it [ie transverse]. The terms in line and across the frame V twins are commonly used, and don't cause confusion. I had a 900ss engined Darmah when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, and anyone who considers that V11s are ponderous should try wrestling one of these in a fast, tightening corner!

Jesus! Sorry, Andre. I'm an idiot with computers and can't work out how to get my photo the right size so that it will be accepted, here. I'll work on it. Your bike is a real beauty. I'm envious! If you're keen to see my photos I could mail them to you. Bob

I'm sure this won't be of too much interest, compared to some of these beauties, but here, if the buttons work, is my more or less standard 750S3, much loved and much used, usually at near V11 pace!

Lovely bike. Welcome.

Agree with all the above. All the bikes with dampers I've ever had, new and ancient, just left 'em off. I once rode a mate's Vincent with the damper on a bit and the damn thing nearly killed me at the first corner: how he coped with it I don't know. I think they're unnecessary except for third-wheel merchants, etc.

My V11 seems to be heavy on rear pads, too, Martin. Mind you, if you usually ride your bike loaded as per the picture, I'm surprised they last as long as they do! When I had my Trident, I used a French make of sintered pad [bought in England, but can't remember the make offhand], which nearly doubled the pad life.

OK, let's see: flat-four engine, is it, and pressed steel frame? The reading lamp attachment looks handy, as do the fire-belows either side of the forks. The rider is clearly an expert since the outrigger wheels have been folded up at the back. Hey, forget the bike, if I can find riding gear like that I'll swap my V11 for a Californian! Sorry.

Right. And my Limoges dealer has clearly been told he won't be getting any more, so will they be released to selected dealers only, I wonder? [This isn't of pressing interest to me since I already have one I'm happy with]

It's very confusing: I read a report in a French comic which reviewed next season's models that at the Mandello show this month there were V11 models, Lemans and Sports, basic and Coppa and Corsa versions.

I'm usually the last person in the navigable universe to get news of anything. My dealer in Limoges told me today that Guzzi have now stopped producing V11 models: there will be none in the 2006 range and no more are available, unless in dealers' stocks in Europe. Can anyone confirm? Does everyone know this already? Does my bum look big in this?

The advice to buy a Breva 750 is sound. It'll do everything you expected of a motorcycle and more, but you might survive! But I would actually suggest beginning on a trail bike: you can find satisfying 500-ish trail bikes at reasonable prices [at least you can in Europe] and you are less likely to accelerate or brake yourself into trouble, and when you do fall off [you will], it'll probably not bend much and repair cheaply. Come back in two or three years and buy a V11. Take care.

Yes. Assuming you're talking about a one-year old bike, you'll need an air filter, gearbox oil changed and drivebox oil changed - both good quality 80W90 [don't forget to add the correct amount of moly additive to the drivebox: 2cc] and if I were you I should change the plugs and balance the fuel injection throttle bodies [see this site]. When I gave my Guzzi its first service, I found the injection mal-adjusted and the valve clearances completely out. Finally, be careful when undoing and doing up the sump drain plug: the thread is fragile and I've had to helicoil mine already. Use a new gasket on the pan if you take it off to clean the gauze filter or because you don't have the spin-off filter tool. I prefer fully synthetic oil for the motor, too, but a 15/50? Bon courage!

Exactly as Martin said. When you put the tank back down or on, make sure that the fuel lines aren't rubbing against or resting on the rocker covers: use cable ties to tidy everything away from hot engine bits: the factory seems to have been sloppy in this area when assembling bikes [but then I do have a 2002 model!]