Ryland3210

The first time I used the Widder vest, it was about 30 degrees, wearing an insulated jacket on top of that. Within 15 minutes, I was sweating, so I bought a temperature controller. I find it does the job at the lowest setting, which I suppose also must cut power consumption. I have not seen the need for heated grips, but that is something to think about if you are going to take rides of more than 30 minutes in really cold weather. I just don't know if heated gloves will be enough, they probably will. My rule of thumb, based on experience riding for many years before anyone had thought of heated clothing, is that I could stand almost anything for about 25 minutes. On trips longer than that in the winter I used to wear ski mittens. Widder recommends thin clothing under the vest, because the closer it is to the body, the more effective. They have done a good job of avoiding hot spots to make that practical. Insulation goes outside the vest. On battery capacity, some have solved battery clearance concerns with smaller, but lower capacity batteries. That is not something I would consider, even without heating clothing. More capacity means more reserve, faster absorption of current when the alternator is pump amps, more starting amps in cold weather, and generally longer life.

The Widders have leather fingers and palms. The back of the forefingers is covered with suede. That is very handy for wiping raindrops, etc. off a face shield or goggles. The fabric balance is claimed to be waterproof. I find them very comfortable without hot spots. The gauntlets are bulky, but I like that because it is insulation against the cold. They slip over my jacket just fine. Good insulation on the backs of the hands and fingers as well. The collar around the next extends up under the helmet as well. There seems to be plenty of power available from my Cafe Sport to run them, and I cruise at typically 3,000 RPM. I have no experience with the Gerbings. Both companies have good reputations. Widder claims to have been making this type product longer than anyone else. I have been thoroughly satisfied. Here is a picture of the connection to the battery. The Widder's cable came with the in-line fuse. I didn't have to buy anything. I also included a picture of the seat mod before I filled the hole with black silicon rubber. You can see the white foam within the triangular shaped cuttout. The Battery bracket picture shows how I bent it in the same places as the original, changing a pair of 90 degree bends into about 120 degrees to lower the battery's bottom about 1/2 inch to clear the seat.

Hi Greg, My notes show part number 01760481 for Cafe Sport and Ballabio, and 01760492 for LeMans, Nero Corsa and Rosso Corsa. Are these correct for the upgraded version? Do these include the housing and internal cable as an assembly? It's the housing with the sharp bend on the earlier units that caused the premature failures. Do you have this is stock? Please send me a personal message with price. Thanks, John

My experience is different from O2 V11's on the filter. When I went to remove my factory installed oil filter for the first time, it came off far too easily. Greg Field is the originator of the hose clamp on the filter preventive measure. If you feel that is necessary, consider the possibility of damaging the sump gasket, and have one at the ready, just in case. The final drive oil spec'd by Guzzi includes a molybdenum disulphide additive. The oil will come out opaque gray. That does not necessarily mean that metal particles are being ground up to slug. I had a heck of a time finding the additive, as I was a newcomer to this forum. I finally found a way to get some. I probably have a lifetime supply, so if you're desparate, let me know and I'll ship you enough gratis. If you go to synthetic oil, I'm not sure whether the Moly additive applies, or perhaps interferes. I didn't do any research on that, since I use conventional oil in mine. Check your owner's manual for the first service. Mine says to check and adjust the valves and torque the head bolts. In my case, some of the screws were at about 15 foot pounds. There was a general discussion on this, which arrived at about 21.5 foot pounds. However, the Guzziology says 30 - 35. You have to remove the rocker arms to get to the screws under them. The clearances are tight, so be spotlessly clean when putting them back on. The head bolts should be torqued first, then adjust the valve clearance. It's pretty tricky getting the washers and springs all concentric in order to re insert the rocker shafts. Give yourself an hour or two this first time, and be prepared with a lot of patience. Adjusting the valves later on without having to torque the head bolts will be a breeze. I have the Widder gloves and vest. The two prong connector is wired through an in-line fuse directly to the battery. I have it coming out between the seat and the tank, between my legs. I find it a convenient way to check battery voltage and charge if necessary. The output of the alternator should be sufficient to run both vest and gloves and everything else as well, according to the alternator's rating and all the loads on the bike. My understanding is that the Siemens relays were unreliable for a number of riders. The Omron sample I ordered is expected tomorrow. My bike came with the Tyco relays made in Portugal, so they might be fine, for all I know. They do have arc suppression resistors on the coil. I have about 5000 miles on my bike over the past 18 months without a failure. Perhaps the Siemens versions did not. This could account for some bikes having no problem, and some having early failures. Another recent purchaser of an '04 has already had a problem, but he hasn't said what brand they are. I'm going ahead with the substitute of the Omron's if they fit, and keeping a couple of the Tyco's handy as spares. It's in the category of what I call "cheap insurance". Another comment on the seat/battery interference: I didn't notice it when putting the seat on. The sheet metal tongue on the front of the seat is flexible enough that I didn't think anything of its resistance as I reinstalled the seat. I recall it was a little difficult to force the back of the seat down into the latch, but I put that off to a normal condition. Later, I realized the plastic base of the seat is also flexible, and since I was standing on the side of the bike, I believe the base was simply deforming as I forced the back of the seat down until it latched. I hear what you're saying about buying Chinese. Sad, but true. Fortunately, the Japanese, if not Americans, are still automated and efficient enough to export electronic and electromechanical components.

I too would like to see the results of the test motoguzznix requested. I also wonder whether simply cutting the top off the airbox and using the paper filter would get the same or better results than the bellmouthing and three teardrop shaped holes do.

Aside from the Purolator filter costing about 1/4 of the UFI, the important difference is that the O-Ring groove design is consistent with known good industry practice and has less chance of coming unscrewed than the UFI. Considerable research was done on analyzing the causes of the UFI's coming loose and causing bottom end damage. The O-Ring design and unconventional tightening instructions on the UFI are both contributing factors. Shell Rotella T is definitely available in 15W40. I recently purchased a couple of gallons. I'm not sure about the range of Valvoline or Havoline grades. They are available in 10W40 and 20W50, but I don't recall 5W40 in conventional (non-synthetic) oil. Personally use 20W50 Valvoline if I run out of the Rotella. Some members feel that the 50 is too viscous. That is not my personal opinion for this application. It's even one of the options in my VW Jetta's water cooled engine. I also believe 5Wanything is too low for a conventional oil. I only weigh 143, and did the battery in. I think not all models have this issue, but you and I have the same model and year. I strongly recommend modifying the seat and battery holder if it touches the battery. There is no way that is an acceptable condition. The battery housing is only plastic. What brand of battery is it? If it is a conventional sealed lead-acid type, maximum charge current is 1/10 its amp-hour rating, probably around 1.4 amps. You can check it's state of charge after it's been sitting for a couple hours with the engine off, of course, by measuring its voltage. Depending on the brand, the range from 0 to 100% charge at 70 degrees is approximately 11.6 to 12.6 volts. For example, if it is rated at 14 amp-hours, and the voltage is 12.2, it is 60% charged. The remaining 40% times 14 is 5.6 amp hours. Therefore, with a 1 amp charger, it should be charged for 5.6 hours. To find out if it is fully charged, you have to let the battery sit for a couple hours before measuring. If you're in a hurry to find out, turn on the headlights (do not start the engine) for 2 minutes, shut them off, wait 5 minutes, and then check the voltage. If I need to recharge a battery, I usually let it sit overnight after charging and check it in the morning. Here is a link to a thread on the subject, with loads of information. There are some false ideas in the middle, so my suggestion is to read through to the end, or start from the end and work backwards. Let me know if you would like pictures of the mod's I did by sending me a personal message. The bank of relays are clearly visible if you take the seat off. The Tyco brand are marked with the same 23073 part number. Personally, I'm less confident in Chinese imports. I haven't found any sources made in the U.S. If you prefer a Japanese import, I am in the process of evaluating Omron plug in substitutes which also have higher contact ratings. I expect to have a sample to try this coming week. They will cost around $8 each. My plan is to replace all the OEM relays with these and keep the Tyco's as spares. If your speedo cable fails, make sure the dealer replaces it with the upgraded version. Guzzi issued a service note on this, so he should have no problem getting the right one. However, I'm still waiting for mine after several weeks. I purchased a Sigma bicycle speedometer in the mean time, and I love it. It's going to stay, even when I get the OEM cable replaced. It has a clock, it's accurate (my OEM speedometer was high by 8%), trip odo, total odo, average speed, maximum speed, trip time, etc. Battery powered so there is no need to wire it into the bike's electrical system, and takes only about an hour to install. I'm told its maximum speed is 300 (kph or mph, don't know, doesn't matter). I have gone as fast as 89 MPH, and can verify it works at least that fast.

I only wish to comment on the following where I'm confident in the advice given. You will get plenty of help from experts on the others. 3. I found a useful tool for removing the oil filter access cover with a 1-1/16 socket at Home Depot in the plumbing section at $2.59 U.S. It the Watts 5/8" Short Forged Flare Nut. I used a piece of masking tape inside the socket to prevent the nut from falling all the way in. The tape is put in like a saddle to set the amount the nut protrudes to just what it needed to engage the filter access cover. Because of the limited engagement in the cover (any any other job where this is an issue), I used a 2 foot length of plastic plumbing pipe as a ratchet arm extension to reduce the tendency to twist out of the cover. The UFI filter has 16 flats at 74mm across flats. A 14 flat socket wrench can be obtained at Advance Auto and similar stores. I found I can get that on the UFI with gentle persuasion. I personally use the Purolator equivalent, L10241, which has 14 flats and 74 mm across. See also the oil filter tightening thread in the FAQ section. 4. Pete Roper makes any sloppage plates for the sump to help prevent pump starvation under hard acceleration. I recently purchased one from MPH Cycle. Some dipsticks have been found to have full marks which are 0.69 inches low when fully screwed in. Refilling with 4 US quarts (3.85 liters) is a tad above the manual's 3.5 liter capacity, and safely 0.23 inches below the sump gasket. Under hard acceleration in first gear, my '04 Cafe Sport starves the pump, so I will avoid that until I put in the Roper Plate. 5. There are almost as many opinions on the best oil as there are members of this forum. I use Shell Rotella 15W40 based on expert oil industry recommendations. Valvoline and Havoline are my alternatives if the Rotella is not available. Here are some early failures to look for if the dealer has not already taken care of them: Low fuel sensor, Speedo cable upgrade to replace obsolete original Seat transfers weight of rider to battery, causing possible leakage. ( I have a fix for this if you need it.) Stale battery with low reserve capacity. Relays. Siemens brand reported to have reliability issues. Superceded by Tyco.

Here's how I did it: I found a useful tool for removing the oil filter access cover with a 1-1/16 socket at Home Depot in the plumbing section at $2.59 U.S. It's the Watts 5/8" Short Forged Flare Nut. I used a piece of masking tape inside the socket to prevent the nut from falling all the way in. The tape is put in like a saddle to set the amount the nut protrudes to just what is needed to engage the filter access cover. Because of the limited engagement in the cover (any any other job where this is an issue), I used a 2 foot length of plastic plumbing pipe as a ratchet arm extension to reduce the tendency to twist out of the cover.

1-1/16" is close enough. I use a cheap plumping fitting I found at home depot, with a 1-1/16 socket or box wrench. Later, I read that one of the stamped steel socket wrenches supplied in the Guzzi tool kit fits the cover. Who would have thought to look there? Check that out if you have one. The correct size filter socket is available for the Purolator L10241 equivalent at the likes of autozone, advance auto, etc. It has 14 flats at 74mm across flats. The UFI has 16 flats. To each his own. I forced the filter socket onto the UFI. It came unscrewed easily. Too easy for my taste, as it came from the factory. See also the oil filter tightening thread in the FAQ section.

On the subject of whose names to include, the guideline I suggest including only those who added accurate factual data or insights which turned out to be valid. Others which asked questions or posed alternatives which turned out not to be valid should be left out. However, all comments should be retained in this thread with a link to it in the How To section. The less references to other procedures, the better, especially if they have not been subjected to a thorough, non-biased analysis. They should be addressed the same way this one was. Case in point: Taking your own comment on valve adjustment as an example, which one should be used? If there is any doubt, a thorough analysis like the one we have done here should be the subject of a separate thread. If a good procedure is the outcome, then post it in its own thread in How To section. These are the reasons why I was not in favor of posting a link on valve adjustment or any other procedure in this thread. I was OK with raising the possibility of doing a valve adjustment. Actually the TPS procedure has value whether or not a valve adjustment is done, but I got a little tired and chose not to argue the point. I regret that now. Bottom line is, given the question of which valve adjustment should be referenced in the TPS procedure, I would like to see the link deleted. Then, let's go to work on the valve adjustment analysis and head bolt torqueing procedure. We may be reinventing the wheel, but it's worth it if there is no already existing thread in the How To section that is truly accurate and credible.

From the customer standpoint, the more dealers the better. Harley sells $billion/year. Plenty of business to go around. Not quite that level for Guzzi. Too much competition and the dealers all starve, unless they take on competing lines. Then there is the risk that they become demotivated to sell Guzzi's if there is any problem, such as reliability of newly sold bikes. The dealer closest to me had none on his showroom floor last time I was there, and rendered such poor warrantee coverage that I travel 100 miles to another dealer to get service. In some respects, I can understand his business decision to fill the floor with Triumphs. My guess is that handling all three might even be a Piaggio requirement for a new dealer franchise, and probably a good thing for the success of a new dealer.

You misinterpreted my comment. The 10 mv I referred to is the difference between 160 and 150 mv. The point I was making was that even though that degree of error might not seem so much, the TPS should be replaced because the sensor was against its internal stop at that point. For example, suppose it stayed at 160 mv for another 3 degrees of opening before finally entering the proportional range of the sensor: not an acceptable situation.

Thanks, Tom. I thought maybe it had something to do with taking a load off a switch, but then I looked at my schematic, and the lights are already switched by a relay. I think the Siemens relays were superceded somewhere along the way by Tyco's, so later models may be more reliable. I wonder what type failed in cycdude6's?

My apologies. I missed your point. It definitely looks like you have a defective TPS. Even though 10mv isn't much, there may also be to large a deadzone where the wiper contact is rubbing on the end of the resistor's span. It was me that argued that the variation between the Harley and Guzzi part could be normal production variation. However, subsequent data from the manufacturers provided in the thread proved otherwise, and I realize now there is a real difference. That's also the basis for my 3% comment.

I need clarification. If 20W50 is too thick, why is 15W50 OK? Are you saying that on a cold start, the 20 is sufficiently thicker than the 15 to cause lubrication problems? I would like to hear what your concept of the other ways to win are. Clandestine methods, such as covert assassination, which some believe are practiced by Putin, and which are obviously practiced by other regimes, are not politically acceptable anymore in the U.S. For example, the former CIA director during the Clinton administration, after 9/11, said that there were three separate times when they called the Whitehouse with Osama bin Laden in their gunsites for permission to fire. We were not at war at the time. Clinton declined all three times, citing concern about collateral damage.

That's a great price for the relays from GEI, and the coil suppression resistor is a help. However, they are made in China, whereas the slightly more expensive Omrons are made in Japan, also have the suppression resistor, and have a higher contact rating. What's the deal on the headlight relay kit? How is the headlight supplied as standard?

I'm against deleting it, as tempting as that may be, and here's why. First, my observation is that no one in the forum, and that includes me, has reached such a pinnacle of credibility and wisdom to be beyond challenge. Were we to present the procedure without the background, many would be reluctance to trust it, just because we say so. Personally, I enjoy technical challenges, and have no problem with being proved wrong. However, once something is understood and explained, I prefer to move on. The challenges will likely ensue, and we could quickly get bogged down with responding and re-educating. So how can we avoid that? We can't completely, but we can handle the vast majority. This thread has a lot of useful discussion, challenges, suggestions, questions, and research data within. That will be handy in the future, when those who have not participated in or followed its development challenge the method, make suggestions already considered, or raise questions already dealt with in the study. Hopefully, we won't have to respond to the same things over and over, and can simply refer them to the original thread. My suggestion on that is to include a note to that effect in the How To and FAQ sections along with the link. Then we can be more productive by working on yet unsolved mysteries. Oh, and by the way, we didn't forget to provide pictures, we just remembered late!

If you are going to custom map with a Power Commander to compensate for TPS settings which are not calibrated to fully closed right throttle body, that's fine. That's because the custom map will compensate for the offset calibration of the TPS. For those with standard equipment, the procedure provided here should be followed. You should have no problem getting to 150mv, since that is 3% higher than the zero position of the TPS. First make sure the right idle screw is out far enough so it isn't holding the butterfly open. Check to see that your choke cam is fully retracted by its cable. It might be preventing full closure. My bike's choke cable interfered, and required adjusting the cable clamp to permit full retraction. If the throttle butterfly is fully closed, it should feel like it is sticking shut to a small degree when you try to open it by hand. Your TPS should be no problem to set to 150mv, unless it is defective, or if, for some mysterious reason, the oblong holes in it are just not long enough to permit the adjustment. The Harley part has been used successfully as a replacement. However, if you look earlier in this thread, you will find the chart that shows it has a different transfer function than the Magnetti Marelli standard TPS. It provides a different mixture and ignition advance curve. dlaing, The link to the valve adjustment does not work on my computer. It should either be fixed, if possible, or deleted. With that change, and your pictures, I think it's useful. I see nothing to lose in placing it in both How To and FAQ. Both of these make sense, and will be places people will look for this kind of guidance. I'd like to submit it to Guzzitech as well, with suitable credit to ourselves as authors and acknowledging contributions by others.

Yes, but time is of the essence. They are having an open house this coming Saturday, October, 6th. I understand the inventory is priced to sell. FYI, besides Marsh, there are two other dealers in CT, Canton, and Branchville, so there is relatively nearby competition. Recently, a new dealer was established in Harrisburg, PA. When I visited there, they had only a few Moto Guzzi's and some sports cars in the showroom, no other cycles, so the franchise requirements may not be so tough.

I have had no relay problems so far, but perhaps that's because my bike came with Tyco brand relays, made in Portugal. Nevertheless, I have just purchased a sample of an Omron substitute relay. It has a higher contact rating. I have not tried it yet, but I have a lot of good experience with this Japanese brand. I can buy these through my company with a quantity discount and supply them at discount prices to my pals on this forum. They are about $8 each. I expect they will come in on Wednesday or Thursday. I'll try it out and let you'all know what I find. If it looks and works good, I plan on pulling all the Tyco relays and keeping them as emergency spares. I consider it cheap insurance.

Here's some info. on oil additives: www.lnengineering.com Great Link for Oil info. Shell Rotella 15W40 has the zinc and phosphorous additives to prevent cam and other wear. Also they say 20W50 is good. API SJ rated oils have insufficient Zi and P additives I also have a pdf file on Zinc and Phosphorous contents for numerous oils and additives. I don't know how to post it here, but can send it via email if anyone is interested.

I think we are done. I've put it in my useful technotes file so it can be emailed to anyone who needs it in the future. I don't know what powers that be govern what goes into the How To section, but in my opinion, this is now ready to help anyone who needs it. What mystery to science conversion project can we work on next?

Previously considered. No special note required. It will be warm enough for this purpose at the point where the initial balancing is done. It will definitely be warmed up enough by the time steps A,B,and C. are completed. In any event, engine temperature is not critical for this purpose. Regarding Greg's comments: There are many sources of recommended degrees open at idle. I don't think it is appropriate to highlight one out of the many out there. Besides, it does not agree with the OEM sensor specs. I've made the other changes you suggested.

Sorry I missed you guys at Mt. Equinox. It was a tough choice, either get on the road at 6:00 AM to catch up with you at Great Barrington, or a couple hours later and head directly to the NEMG annual campout in Monson by the scenic route. The NEMG was a blast, with about 30-40 bikes and a beautiful campground. Great food, raffled off good stuff, 50-50 and door prizes, even singing and music by a blazing campfire! I got there late, and hadn't seen a motel for over an hour and a half on the route I took. Agnes and Joe were kind enough to put me up in their luxurious camper. A great time, great weather, and great people. Glad to hear Guzzi's took first and second. Congrats.

Here is the link. I can also supply pictures of the left side. http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...d+foot+position I'm not sure if I understand which direction you need to move your footrests. I think you want to not bend your knees as far. For that, I supply a kit, MGC-S10 to move the footrests and levers forward 14 cm and down 4 cm. If that will help you send me a personal message, and I will supply pictures, etc. You can also review the "forward foot position" thread in the Technical section for pictures and positive reports by other users. Hope you feel better soon.