Morris Sod

Any of you fellow v11 site members wanting to join up with the nevilles on their annual pilgrimage north to neville neville land most welcome. We head off Friday from midnorth coast and pick alternate routes each year, this year will probably be via Waterfall Way, Nymboida, to Bruxner and into Tenterfield. We have a B Double with us to carry the grog, interested, drop us a line, or see you there.

Casey's still young is true, but has been on the GP stage since he was 14. Started on 125's and followed the circus with his parents home schooled in their motorhome all those years. One year spent $27,000 in toll road fees alone. Thats parental dedication. He really wanted to get there. He's a really nice guy, met him in Phillip Island in 2003 signed my son's T shirt and had a great chat with him. Lucio Checinello obviously had faith in him and really gave him a leg up. I hope he can make make it. Still "one swallow does not a summer make" It will be interesting how the tighter circuits affects the Ducs straight line speed. Should be a great season with 4 different manufacturers all vying for top spot, no longer the Honda cup.

First 8 on grid from final qualifying on 1m55's. Has it always been this close. If the 800'scc make for this close at the start of the season gonna be a very interesting year. From an Aussie point of view I hope Stoner creams Pedrosa. I'm really pleased Edwards is producing such a good showing, he's an old fighter from way back. Bring it on

Yeah but Gilmore is so busy tearing up the road and scarying the pants off little old ladies in Barinas he wouldn't notice any vibrations from his bars. I must say I too love the riding position on the Mandello Rosso just as it is, comfortable for most fast twisty work but does start to get me in the knees when in city traffic and long highway hauls. Handle bars used to make right hand a bit numb until I replaced the grips with thicker foam rubber ones, don't look as pretty but seem to help.

Regarding the bugle, this comes from the mad supporters of the Pom cricket team called the Barmy Army, slavishly following their heroes around the globe, lead by their bugler, apparently the bugle upset the sensitive ears of the aussie crowds and the powers removed said bugle and also banned the mexican wave, the only other form of boredom relief available to the crowd. I can only guess that these 2 acts thoroughly demoralised the pom supporters so much that the team literally dropped the ball.

As wildfires flash across 3 Australian states, a pile of ASHES sit in their urn waiting to be taken to a new home. What happened guys, team out to catch a few rays in sunny Oz and to crack a few waves at Bondi, sorry guess they felt a loss of direction since the bugle was so unceremoniously confiscated. I guess if the Mexican Wave had been called the Ozzie Wave we would have been allowed to keep it. I didn't realise it would have such a profound affect on the trim and razor sharp team that was sent out to protect Cricket's Holy Grail. Never mind lads, you have 2 more chances at least to save some face.

Well done, Jim Nothing like a nice pair of bristols to get the juices flowing.

This sounds familiar. When G Forrest made the first post on GW back in February, the southern hemisphere was suffering hottest summer in centuries. All we got were righteous comments about trumped up "facts" about phony GW claims from you nothern antipodeans. Now with 2 consecutive summers in 2 hemis, being scorchers is anyone out there taking any notice. Sorry maybe I should have added this to the GW post

Pete, Just to confuse the issue and bringing it all back home to Oz abit. 3 of us now in Kempsey have put on Michelin Pilots at a similar time, 2x MG's V11 and a Cagiva Raptor and we are all pretty happy with grip and wear in Ozzie conditions. So far the Scura has about 7K and my Rosso Mandello much the same and still have more than adequate tread left. We are using Pilot Road rear and Pilot Sport front and seems to be a good combo. More than happy and the price is not too bad.

Thanks guys, My old T5 had 130x16 and they hung on alright, so I guess going down to a 160 wont affect too much and might even be a bit cheepa. I have managed footpegs down on some hot mix a few times so I don't think getting it over far enough is the problem. But I will continue trying to knock off little Michelin man. For all of their modular parts manufacture, why would they alter rim size between the v11 models? Morris

Would like some feed back on optimum tyre pressures used on V11's. Have been running 34psi front and 38psi rear but feel the comfort factor suffers to compensate for good wear patterns and handling. Any ideas on just how much pound variation can affect handling and wear. Do the Euros measure in lbs/kgs/ or Bar? I have a 2000 Rosso Mandello and comparing rear rim sizes with a Scura it appears that the RM rim size looks to be about 1/2 an inch smaller in width than the Scura. This seems to have the effect of pulling my 170 Pilot around more, slightly reducing the contact patch to the road, plus it leaves "chicken strips" and I can't seem to wear the little "Michelin Man" off the tyre, no matter how hard I try. Is there variation in wheel size widths coming out of the factory? :

I have been carrying twisted sticky rope plugs in combo with neoprene plugs together with CO2 x4 cartridges and a compact manual tyre pump/CO2 applicator, all neatly contained in a cloth pouch that sits under the tail section plus a plug spike. All very neat and useful. Managed to get a MuZ back on the road with just one plug and a CO2 cartridge, would have been better with 2x Co2 cartridges, but only had 1 on me at the time. That was before now I carry 4 cartridges and haven't needed them since.

Not that I'm nationalistic, but []GO THE ROOS[/[/color]SIZE] Talk about the Mouse that Roared - would love to see the Italians winning streak stopped by the green and gold underdog or should that be the BOXING KANGAROO once again. Tenacious, talented, totally committed and tremendously terrific are the names of Kewell, Viduka, Cahill, Aloisi, Bresciano and Swartzer, or ( however you spell his name) and all the others. Hard physical players, never say die attitude, come back kings, we're in there with a good chance. Just need that striker to break through the Italian defence.. Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie, Oye Oye Oye

Indeed it was a rather wet raptor going nowhere. However I have the video of the Buell rider doing the best slow motion somersault get off you've ever seen. I sent it to the Qld Club website for inclusion, don't know if they have it posted yet. I really enjoyed the rally again this year, especially the ride to and fro with about 10 fellow Nevilles, all guzzis bar 3. Extended ride back home resulted in loops across to Kyogle, M'Bah, Mullumbimby to Maclean, the old pathetic hiway at Burringbar is a real blast with perfect smooth hot mix and free flowing tight trafficless corners, just brilliant. Just need to put a bag over the speed cameras. Our master UFO builder, short cut the wire supply in his need to keep his light weight raptor under weight limits, otherwise the night sky might have been full of them. Next year Morris Neville.

Yeah a major ditto on that one. Flagstaff to Sedona, a road not to be missed. I lived on the Oak Creek canyon for 6 months, motorcyling nirvana that is if you don't crash rubber necking the scenery. For an Aussie lost in the wilderness that was one place I wished I'd had my v11. Go and do it.

Wot time is it. Time for the apocalypse. The Diablo numero rides tonite after midnight. 6.6.06 I can hear the seven riders warming up their steeds now, what will lead them. Will it be scura, a tenni, a rosso or just the humble v11 sport. One things for sure its time to make our peace with our our maker. Please mr piaggio make some more pieces like they used to and call them v11 lemans. You have been warned, repent now all ye sinners

Don't tell me you're contemplating going again this year, Muzz, will this be on the new Griso or will the leaky raptor still be flying, let me know as I might be able to arrange that house again. Who knows might even be able to link up with the Bundaberg boys.

Mange tak, RM. I have a quote to repaint my tappet covers, lamb chops and wheels. Considered doing the inside spokes of the wheels and inner rim in silver and the outer edge in RM red. Having just seen your all RM red wheels I think I have changed my mind. My engine block has already been changed to a flat black paint. Comes the old problem. How is the best way to suport rear end if both lamb chops are removed for painting??? :

The Ventura system is a good bit of gear, works well on my V11 Mandello Rosso. When not carrying bags, I put the little grab rail on and it almost complements the pillion seat cover. Have just returned from 5 days touring to a Guzzi rally over some pretty bouncy roads and the bike felt great. It seems to like a bit of weight, with Oxford Tank bag, Dry Rider throwover saddle bags and Gearsack on ventura frame, all worked a treat. Even managed a deep creek crossing with no mishap, compared to a much lighter packed Buell which ended up throwing its rider in a deep hole in the most perfect somersault dismount I've ever seen. However, at speed from rollons against a '81 Lemans, over 185km/h it started to feel a little bit unstable, but at normal touring speeds around 140-160km/h it felt quite stable. I tried to send photo but can't seem to get file size small enough, any clues?

Local rider here, very experienced off roader traded a Dakar BM 650 on a KTM 640 Adventurer and first gear disintergrate one month out of warranty and had a huge s*^# fight with local dealer to get them to honour the breakage under warranty. Eventually contacted the factory and they reluctantly agreed to have it fixed. Kost Too Much is pretty much spot on.

As long as I look at it, they never quite peep thru

Great ideas guys thanks, any comments on the heated hand grip wiring?

I am about to replace my hand grip rubbers for slightly thicker ones to possibly help reduce pins and needles in my right hand. Will probably add some heated hand grips at the same time. Any suggestions as to the easiest way to do this and best way to wire in heated heated grips.

Oh dear, is that the image we have been labelled with, I used to think that we were only labelled as the the slightly lunatic fringe who wanted to remain outside the mainstream motorcycling public but also to enjoy good motorcycling on a much maligned and little understood marque. If I wanted the old fogey tag I'd buy a beemer or a Virago, bugger I might have to look at downgrading to a Cagiva X Raptor or something Buellish