rocker59

sounds like fun! wish I could make it!

Looking good, Lee !!!

Yeah. There is a pretty good contingent of guys in the metro D.C./Northern Virginia/Maryland area. http://www.vaguzzi.com/

To give you an idea, USA imports for 2005 were 800 units. I think the current import number is supposed to be around 1,000. Total production in Mandelo for 2006 was 10,000 units. Bikes like the Rosso Corsa, Nero Corsa, and Coppa Italia were imported to the USA in quantities of 50 each. It's a rare occasion to bump into another Guzzi unless you're going to a Guzzi-specific event.

FWIW, the kit I bought from Chris at Eurotech had wiring extensions and all the proper hardware to complete the project. It took me two hours. The racks really ugly up the bike, but having the bags is nice. Girls especially like having a backrest.

The frame is supposedly specific to this model.

"Bimuzzi"

Sport 1100

I started out with a slot, but made it into a notch to be able to access the nuts to bolt the bracket up tight. Yes, the Guzzi logos are available. Eurotech Motorsports is the H+B importer and has them. I've seen them other places, too. As you mentioned, it is a good idea to test fit everything loosely before tightening everything down. Good luck!

There should be a longer bolt and nut to mount the upper front mount on the inside. The muffler mount also goes on the inside. Remember, you'll need to have the tail plastic off the bike to fully access the footpeg bracket bolts.

To install the brackets, the plastic tail section has to be removed. Reinstalling it is tight. Take care not to scuff the paint. Notching the inner mudguard was the only pain. I used a coping saw and then a file to shape it. Getting the central bracket bolted to the seat subframe was kind of tedious. Be sure and use antiseize on the bolts. It might be a good idea, too, to test fit the bolts prior to final assembly. A couple of the tapped holes were rought on my brackets and required some care to keep from cross threading the bolts. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

I'm not generally a betting man. I'm afraid that there may not be an acceptable answer available any time soon and don't want either of us to be dissatisfied with that. We are having a great discussion here with some divergent opinions. Hopefully we will be able to determine from Alpina or Rosso Puro what these wheels weigh. Time will tell.

Hey Lee, There simply is not enough room to leave the winkers in the OEM location. You'll have to mount them on the H+B brackets. Not the tidiest solution, but it works. The brackets kind of ugly up the looks of the V11, but it sure is nice having the luggage! Mounting the brackets is not that tough, but it does require some disassembly of the motorcycle and some time and patience on you part. I'll go out and take some pictures in a few minutes and add them to this thread.

Come on over!

...and rotational inertia. RoI. Reducing weight at the rim will improve/quicken steering. Something that the average Guzzi needs. I lost 20 pounds when I gave up cheeseburgers, fries, and regular soft drinks. You're right. Some of the biggest performance gains can be had by reducing the weight of the rider. Back in 1994, my cousin and I bought identical Harley Sportsters. I weighed 50 lbs more than he did, and although I had modified my bike a little, he was still faster than me in a drag race. Weight is important no matter from where you remove it. Rotating mass is very important in motorcycles. Anything rotating that can be lightened will improve performance in a tangible way. Some guys that are obsessed with RoI weigh the tires. It is my understanding that tires can vary a couple pounds between manufacturers. Michelin Pilots are supposed to be among the lightest.

First off, the rim section of a spoked rim is extruded aluminum. The three-spoke Brembos are cast and much thicker/heavier. Same for the hub section. The cast Brembos are going to be heavier. Forged aluminum or forged magnesium are the way to go for the lightest weight, but I guarantee you these Alpina wheels are several pounds lighter than the stock cast Brembos. Any weight that can be removed from a wheel on a motorcycle will help improve turning characteristics and suspension performance. I've not yet weighed the wheels on my Nero Corsa, but the OEM front wheel on my Sport 1100 weighs 14 lbs without the brake rotors. I'll bet the OEM V11 wheels aren't much lighter than that. Maybe 12-13 lbs. I wouldn't be surprised if the Alpina wheels weighed somewhere around 10-11 lbs.

Source ??? I have a hard time believing these Alpina wheels are heavier than the Brembos...

Great news !!! I wonder which color would look best on my Nero Corsa ?

Beautiful !!!

That's got to be the most beautiful Daytona/Sport 1100 tail section I've ever seen !!!

Mine could be bought (I'm getting itchy for something different), and it has some very sexy goodies on it.... Just sayin'

I'm selling a few things out of the garage. Click the links below: Marsee Tank Bag V11 Sport/LeMans aluminum rear rack

The "more road biased Adventure bike than the benchmark GS" leaves me cold. Basically, that means it's just another streetbike, probably another derivative of the Breva/Griso/Norge. :yawn

The 1098 is cheaper in the USA than the Norge !!! Can you believe that ??? Piaggio does need to find a way to get aggressive here in the USA. I know it's quite a different market from Europe, but there is lots of potential here if Piaggio/Guzzi can get it together. An MGS bike powered by the new 8v engine would be a no-brainer. It would sell out quickly if priced in the $15k to $16k range. Guzzi also need to get the new 8v motor into the Griso and Norge.

The 1200S is a stop-gap bike. I mean, really, it's just a bar kit and bikini fairing on a Breva... The US market is too small for both the Breva and 1200 Sport. It would be an either/or deal here.