Tom M

Measurements for the Bitubo and the Shindy are in this thread: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...5&hl=Shindy

A bunch of us here with the wider rims have downsized from the stock 180 to a 170. I don't think I've seen anyone post that they liked the 180 better than the 170. The change helps the bike turn in easier but I don't think it will help you get more mileage before the tire squares off from highway riding.

Welcome tom3! If the controls are turning your handlebar is rotating in the clamp. Tighten the clamp. The trick to getting the stock end weights off is to unscrew the socket screw on the end of the weight while holding the weight to prevent it from rotating too. A strap wrench might be the best tool for this. Vice grips or pliers will work if you can prevent them from scratching and gouging the weight. I wrapped my end weights in duct tape and used big pliers to hold them and luckily did no harm to the weights. Then I bought a strap wrench for next time. Once the end screw is out the weight will pull off the end of the bar. Watch out for the little dowel pin behind the weight, it's easy to lose. Next unscrew the large hex fitting from the end of the bar and the rest of the assembly will pull out of the bar. Done!

I've had the same damper on my bike since the Spring and I have no problems with it. I think you will find that the Shindy doesn't provide as much damping as the Bitubo did at the stiffest setting. That's not an issue for me, but it might be for someone who uses a lot of damping.

A couple years ago I posted some pictures from the vintage car races at Limerock Park. I went to the practice and qualifying session this year because the tickets are cheap and the crowd is thin, but the cars are still awesome. If you like old race cars feel free to check out my pics at http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z179/To...mview=slideshow If you're in the area, go to the races on Monday or the car show on Sunday. You won't regret it. There are no grandstands and no pit passes required. You can sit on a grassy hill with your blanket or beach chair, a cooler full of lunch and a few beers, and watch the cool old cars go at it. Then go wander the paddock and drool on million dollar plus historic racecars. Even though it's supposed to be gentleman's racing there's some pretty aggressive stuff going on out there. We saw more than a few accidents at the races a few years ago. Details at http://www.limerock.com/ A few samples from yesterday: Does this Lotus make my ass look big? Now I know how Shaq feels when he stands next to a Miata.

Same here. I have Ballabio bars and risers with a rerouted stock clutch line behind the top clamp. I have non stock brake lines and master cylinder so I can't help you there.

No rack in those pictures but I do have the MG rack now. In those pics the bags are slung over the seat cowl to keep them off of the exhaust cans. I don't think you could use them without a rack if you were carrying a passenger, but I could be wrong about that. The Cortech bags have very good padding to protect the paint. They haven't left a mark on my bike, but I've only used them a few times. You can see details on the bags including the padding here: http://www.newenoughhp.com/browse/view_product_images/158

Another Cortech Sport user here. I tried them on my bike at a local dealer to make sure they cleared my high-mount exhaust cans before I bought them. If not for the high pipes I might have gone for larger panniers, or even one of those U-shaped duffels like RevPack makes. Cortech Sport bags on my bike:

I thought I checked it to ground but I'm apparently wrong about that. Sorry for the memory lapse!

You probably already know this Doc but I'll throw it out there anyway. Since it's not charging the next step is to figure out if the alternator or the regulator is the problem. Disconnect the yellow wires between the alternator and regulator, fire up the bike and look for 15 volts AC at 1000rpm, 40VAC at 3000rpm, 80 VAC at 6000rpm. The meter goes between a yellow wire and ground. My digital meter worked OK for this when I had went through this a couple years ago. If the alternator is working the problem is usually in the regulator.

Oops. That was supposed to say STARTER bike, not started bike. I completely understand where you're coming from on the kids & motorcycles Foto. I'm both a little disappointed and a little relieved that neither of my kids have any real interest in bikes or cars. Neither one has been to the emergency room yet and I'd like that streak to continue. Jaap, how old were you when you had the 400? That's a big bike for a teen to learn on.

That's a great started bike Foto. How does he like riding? My kids have no interest in motorcycles

I knew me & Fred couldn't be the only victims of that era around here Keith. A buddy of mine had a later silver 185 like yours. It had better forks than the earlier bikes did. If you come across any old pics please post them. I've never seen a TS185 cafe racer! I'm glad my brother and I weren't the only teenagers who messed with our trail bikes because we couldn't afford anything better. I bought the Full Bores used from the kid across the street from me who was a pretty serious racer. He had a string of CZs, Maicos, Huskys, and an Elsinore or two. He's still racing at age 53, as are a few other guys I was friends with back then. I sent the old Suzi pic to my former Hodaka owning little brother reminded me that Roger Decoster did NOT have buddy pegs on his Suzuki, and Joel Robert's factory Suzuki didn't have a kickstand. So I had to point out the MASKING TAPE holding the front brake cable to the fork leg on his Hodaka Super Pursang, and the REAR TIRE that was mounted on his front rim. I complemented him on his cut-my-head-off photography skills too. It went down hill from there...

I guess me & Fred are the only ones here who rode dirt bikes in the early seventies? The bike was a Suzuki TS185. I tried to turn it into a TM175. I stripped off the steel fenders and all the road-legal parts to lighten it up, then added the 175cc factory race kit, which made it legal to race in the 175 class. The kit included the cylinder, piston, head, bigger carb, and the expansion chamber. Fenders and plates were from Preston Petty. I don't remember if the CZ replica plastic coffin tank came from Petty or somewhere else. What it started out as:

If you have ever adjusted your TPS you are capable of doing a rudimentary test by hooking up the volt meter as shown in the TPS adjustment thread and see if it's around 525mV with the engine off and the throttle closed, then slowly crank the throttle open and see if the voltmeter sweeps smoothly upward to around 4.8V. The tank "thermal line" what you called reflective tape back in post #15. Are you sure there's nothing blocking your pod filters?

You're close on the Suzuki. I think Dan was going for the Bultaco look on the Hodie. Didn't every family have a station wagon with wood grain trim back then?

While digging through some old family pictures I came across a pic of my first bike, which I bought when I was 15 in 1973. It looked a lot different when I first bought it. Anybody care to guess what it was? Here I am next to it in my Sidi Full-Bores. My brother wasn't too good with the camera. Or maybe he was more interested in my bike than my mug? Here's my younger brother's bike from the same era. He hacked tweaked it too. This one is easy if you cheat. I couldn't find any pics of my other brothers's bike, which was either a Yamaha 100 or a Can-Am 175 around that time. FWIW we all worked and bought and maintained our own bikes. Our parents didn't like them and certainly wouldn't pay for them.

http://www.v11lemans.com/content/howto/adapting.htm

http://www.motoretroillustrated.com No Guzzis in the first issue, but Guzzi racer Alice Sexton is part of the publishing team so I'd be surprised if they don't do a Guzzi article soon.

It's probably the rear brake dragging. See if the rear caliper or disk are very warm or hot after a ride. Be careful, the disk can burn you if the brake is dragging. The fix is to pull the caliper and pads and give the caliper a good cleaning. You can do it without removing it from the brake line. Might as well bleed the rear brake while you're at it.

What Savage Henry said is true for the majority of riders who are thinking about buying a V11 but are worried about the ergos. Most find that the stock ergos are fine despite their initial impressions. If not, there are probably dozens of handlebar alternatives and 3 or 4 footpeg and foot control alternatives. If the numb hands are from vibration that can be fixed without changing the handlebars. A good tune up can help. Heavier bars ends work well on these bikes too. From memory there are adjustable clipons available from Convertibars and Verlicchi, then there's a tubular bar kit available from LSL. Forum member JRT did a writeup that's in the FAQ on how to drill the top clamp, which allows you install virtually and riser/bar combo that you want, including the Ballabio setup. edit: Forum sponsor MPH has a riser kit available here For lower footpegs you can install modified Buell footpegs, Centauro footpegs, or MG Argal footpegs. Just moving the pegs may put the foot controls in a less than ideal place for you depending on your foot size and personal preferences. Forum member Ryland3210 developed a set of foot controls including shifter and brake pedals that move your feet 5" forward and down, available at motratech.com or from MGcycle.com. Motobits also makes a full foot control kit that moves your feet down and just a little bit forward, available from moto International or straight from Motobits. All of these options and more have been discussed here over and over. These are just the ones that I can remember right now. The search feature will give you all the information that you need on these and other alternatives. The Nero one of the best V11s ever made. Don't let it get away if your only concern is the ergos.

I assumed that they used button heads because there wasn't enough clearance for socket heads. Are you sure the socket heads aren't rubbing on the the adjacent part?

Thanks for the reminder Mr Okie... Jaap, thanks for keeping the site going and putting up with all of our crap

Hey Doc, I replaced my Bitubo with a cheap Shindy and have no complaints, but I don't have one of those treacherous red frames . Traxxion Dynamics had a higher quality rebuildable damper available for the V11, but I don't see it on their website anymore. I'm sure a phone call would get you the info on it. FWIW here's my steering damper thread: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...5&hl=Shindy

Great pics Dimitris! I like those tricolor Italian wheel stripes. Very distinctive.