Tom M

" One Ducati stronghold—despite its flat, curveless, traffic-choked grid—is Miami, where looks mean everything. “Our bikes are the weapon of choice at the local Starbucks,” says Michael Lock, C.E.O. of Ducati North America. " http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle...ucati-Comeback#

You have 40mm forks Jim. I don't know if the HyperPro progressive spring will be adequate for your weight since most people here who have them and are happy with them are at least 100 lbs lighter than you, so you may need straight-rate springs. I had good luck with Traction Dynamics springs but I'd try Sonic if I was buying today. Here's a link to their spring rate calculator: http://www.sonicsprings.com/catalog/calcul...35a46880b121ae7 Once you go with firmer fork springs you'll probably find that you need to go to a stiffer rear shock spring too. FWIW I have 1.05kg/mm up front and a 1.0 rear spring, I think a 1.05 kg/mm rear spring would balance the suspension better.

Welcome RoMoMoto, I don't see any reason that you couldn't use the V11 LeMans for your purpose IF the ergo's suit you. It's definitely not going to feel like your weestrom. Many here are fine with the stock ergo's while many others add bar risers, lower pegs and modified seats. It all depends on what you're comfortable with. You should try and get a ride on a V11 and see what you think. Good luck!

Amen

I saw a bit of the season finale race at Daytona on Speed TV yesterday. A Suzuki SV1000 won the SST race but an Aprilia won the class for the season as Dr K predicted. It was great seeing all those twins dicing out there. Nothing beats the sound of WFO sport twins to my ear. I would have really loved to see a Guzzi competing. Hopefully someone will enter one next season. Here's the main website with race pics: http://www.moto-st.com/ Here's a link to the 2007 rules and eligible bikes for all three classes: http://www.moto-st.com/Rules/ Some cool bikes including the class champion #6 Aprilia:

Wouldn't a pedal bike make more sense for an 8 mile commute, assuming you can avoid highways? They're better for the environment and your health!

The two rotation points are at the handlebar (if using standard bar) and at the triple clamp. The grey risers in the main picture are quite different than the ones shown mounted on the Honda. I wonder what they really look like? Excluding the caps the grey ones look be cast or forged with possibly a pressed in stub, while the silver ones look to be 1 piece machined items. I don't know if pressed stubs would be strong enough when used with a clipon bar. It's hard to tell much from the pictures. The text says CNC machined from billet so I'd guess that the ones shown on the Honda are what you'd get? I posted those because it looks like it might work on for V11s, but since they seem to be designed for a standard bar I wonder if they are sturdy enough to survive even a soft tipover when used with a clipon? The MPH risers have a lot more material between the triple clamp and bar...

You have to remove the shifter plate on the left side of the tranny. To do that you remove the starter, the shifter & linkage, and maybe the rear shock reservoir. The hardest part of the operation for me was getting the shifter plate back on correctly. I know how to do it now. I got all the info I needed to do the job by searching this forum. Search is your friend I haven't been to Euro night at Moto Market, but I know a few guys who do go. The only euro bike event I try to attend is IMOC in Sturbridge.

I asked about the Montessas because a buddy of mine has a VR250 back about '74. It was a very fast bike in it's day. I don't think I've seen one since then. I'd love to visit that museum some day. I'm a geek for the dirtbikes from my early teens. FWIW here's the 1973 ISDT results: http://rokonron.50megs.com/isdt/1973.html ISDT trivia: Steve McQueen rode a Triumph 650 in the 1964 ISDT in East Germany. DNF

The tranny spring is not hard to change, you don't have to pull the tranny, but personally I wouldn't want to do it on the road. Mine broke this past summer about 20 miles from home so I got a ride home from a coworker, got my trailer, hauled it home and fixed it (I already had the replacement). If you're real worried about the spring just replace it. The instructions with pictures are on the forum somewhere. edit: here's one thread that I bookmarked; http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...ic=2905&hl= Jackboots, I used to live in Chelmsford and still commute through there every day. I'm no expert but I'd be happy to help you out with your spring replacement . PS How happy am I with my Lemans? Very happy!

WOW. That's a stunner Art. Great story behind it too. You're a lucky man! I don't know much about bikes of that era. What's the extra lever on the left bar for? Compression release? Have you dared to try and ride it yet?

That's very cool Ouiji. I love those old Ossas. It looks like Jim has cornered the market on MAR trials bikes. Some very nice Pioneers there too. Does he have any old Montessas in his collection? IIRC that ISDT was in Dalton MA and I think king Richard (Burleson) won?

Here's a riser that's similar to the MPH one that might work: http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/3746/218/

As Phil said, oil weight will only effect damping rate and oil height will have no effect on sag. How satisfied are you with the damping in the fork currently, and what are your present compression and rebound settings? If you're set at near max on either compression or rebound you may want to go with a heavier oil, and if you're near the minimum settings a lighter oil may work better for you.

If you buy a PCIII from Todd E at Guzzitech I believe he will install a library map for your particular model year/exhaust/intake setup. http://www.guzzitech.com/PCIII-15M.html

You cannot adjust timing on the V11 with a PCIII.

If you do cut the airbox cover it's easy to plug the holes if you decide you don't like the mod. Just attach a piece of flat stock over the holes that you add.

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/200...o-8v-68608.html Yossef always writes good things about Guzzis, but it sounds like he really loves the new motor.

It seems that this is an old Stelvio rendition from Raptor & Rockets. Good. Now we can hope for a nicer Monza. http://www.raptorsandrockets.com/News/2008..._Moto_Guzzi.htm

I grabbed this from a website was referenced in a thread on the new V7 over on WG: http://www.insidebikes.com/ I guess it's the new Monza? If I click on it it sends me to a site that is blocked by my corporate firewall. If any of you can find any more details pics of this bike could you please post them here? It looks to me like they put a half fairing, undertail exhaust and cast bars on an 8v Griso. I really like the concept but the styling certainly doesn't do anything for me based on this picture. It looks like a more angular FZ1 to my eye.

From the article "Equipped with a classic 750 cc engine". I'd expect Nevada like performance numbers. I wonder if this will replace the Nevada in '08?

http://www.motorcyclists-online.com/o1_755...V7-Classic.html

I use a small independent shop too. When I brought in a set of tires that I bought from swmototires.com a few years back the owner politely asked me to check his pricing before ordering from the internet the next time I need tires. A couple years later I did just that and he came very close to the internet price. I'm happy to always give him my tire business now, and I try to buy other moto stuff from him too. If you have a good local shop try to support them, even if they cost a little more, if you want them to stay in business.

Glad to hear that you got your problem fixed Jim. Here's a spring calculator from the Sonic Springs website that can help you pick a spring rate. http://www.sonicsprings.com/catalog/calcul...35a46880b121ae7 . Sonic seems to carry a good array of springs for a very good price as discussed here: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12273 This company has springs for the V11 Marzocchi fork even though they aren't listed on their application chart: http://www.traxxion.com/ I'm using their springs with no complaints. They were very good people to work with . At my request they sent me a single 1.0 spring to try at no charge when I decided the pair of 1.1's were a little too firm for me after riding on them for a week. I ended up sending one of the 1.1's back to them about 10 days later. Guzzitech has progressively wound springs that many here really like, but I don't know what rider weight range they are suitable for. http://www.guzzitech.com/store/HyperPro-FS.html