docc

It's not the guard that keeps me from the front UJ, it's the swingarm itself. This *might* be more difficult, for some reason(?) on the early frames.

This is the connector for the Timing Sensor (sensor on the left timing chest reads the cam position, connector on the right side of the frame): [Again, what kind of connector is this, with the metal retainer?]

Hm - well, it doesn't look like the more common AMP Super-seal, but is a really important connection on the V11. I groomed mine well back and away from the incoming weather.

Ok, so, this is the connector for the sidestand switch. This is how your V11 runs when in gear and underway. I moveed this connector back out of the incoming spray and carefully groomed the wire away from trouble (exhaust etc). What kind of connector is this?

Oh! And Vaseline®, can't forget the Vaseline®!

wow, that's some nice documentation! I'm not likely to get that far with the individual connectors. I am going to try and annotate/label those photos with the connectors that need special attention and post them in the Tank Off Maintenance Checklist. I am, basically, forcing myself to perform the Tank-off maintenance before putting the Sport back in service after being down six weeks for the clutch etc. Opened each connector, cleaned with CRC Electronics cleaner, treated with Caig DeOxit Gold and groomed along the frame with *gentle* Zip-tying.

Okay, so, I know the connectors with the ribbed seals are AMP, but what are the ones with the wire bail, and the others with the fussy push-tabs? Left side of the frame: Right side of the frame:

Nice! And check out the fork mounted fairing and clocks . . . double extra nice!!

So . . . I didn't make this "Naked" thing up, as it turns out. From the 2004 catalog: "V11 Naked Series":

@dangerous - yeah, I was *hoping* the slave would bring my clutch back (but it didn't). I actually put it in by only removing the rear wheel and exhaust. That was before peeking in past the back of the crank to see a glimpse of my connecting rods. @gstallons - So, that U-joint is correct? Perhaps the guard was designed for the Sport 1100 series and the access hole aligns with that driveshaft? I've about convinced myself to just pull the swingarm every third rear tire, dose the UNI joints and give the swingarm bearings a good spin.

I can see it's not right to refer to all of the "handlebar" versions as "Nakeds." A "V11 Naked" is a 2003-2004 with handlebars (no fairing), but without Öhlins (Café Sport) or painted red (Ballabio) or with Öhlins and Tri-colore paint (Coppa Italia). The latter three have frame mounted instruments/headlamp, unlike a "Sport" which has fork mounted kit and clip-ons.

Docc, you have described the three alternatives much more accurately than me. I don't want to split hairs, esp curly ones, but what makes the last four models "nakeds" when an original V11 Sport had no wind protection at all, not even the bikini fairing on my Rosso? The Cafe Sport has essentially the same fairing as on my RM. I can assure you, that when the weather gets foul, except for the folks on a LeMans, we are all riding naked. Yeah, at first I had "Naked" in quotes. It's what Moto Guzzi called the version of that series without the Öhlins or any special paint and trim. I left out any reference to the various fairings (or lack there-of) and the frame versus fork mounting in order to focus on the clip-ons and bars. I didn't want to call them V11-Handlebars . . .

I am absolutely and completely certain I got a good dose of RedLine grease in the "that B-F front UNI joint" this time! (swingarm out). A long-time '02 LeMans owner noticed that my Zerk faces backward and his faces forward (toward the access hole in the guard). Could it be that the insanely difficult early-V11 access is because it took a while to tell Luigi he was putting the U-joint in backward?

Seems there are three different ergonomics for the V11: Sports and Rosso Mandello with clip-ons from below the triple tree. LeMans series including the Rosso/NeroCorsa/Tenni/Scura with clip-ons above the triple. Nakeds (Café Sport/Balabio/Coppa Italia/V11 Naked/ScuraR) with handlebars.

"Skookum as frig!

That is a beautiful thing to behold!

I just reinstalled my upper SpineFrame brace (common to the earlier Sport 1100). It's quite a task. I can see why they dropped it with the fuel injected V11. Trying to photograph the operation was ridiculous (mounting plate barely visible at the top right below the Red Spine). I used a length of fuel line that member Callison sent me years ago to back the upper fasteners and get it all in place. It's a right-fussy piece of kit, but I'm trusting it will help protect that back left gearbox mounting boss. Worth the trouble!

Sweet! Eight leak sources in there: the two lower bolts. two flat gaskets, three shaft seals and the cam bung (I learned that term from a guy from "Bungendore", so I know it's for real! ). This is the best effort I could hope for. Thanks mightily to Andy York, Josh, and Goofman! (who all came over personally, but also to all the contributors making possible this basic tutorial on the leak sources in this area of the V11 Guzzi! )

You know, once the penetrating oils and heat and pounding had its effects, one of the bearings feels near perfect and the other is *not bad*. I think they suffer from not actually moving very much.

This one? https://www.wellindal.com/diy/kukko/p-155504?r=4021176010811&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz4_Kxvq41QIV20oNCh23OAXcEAQYBiABEgKmIfD_BwE Looks like it would work on the right side with the blind hole, not the left where there is nothing to push on.

For sure! I just wiped out all that loose paint. Odd that it is painted in there, but it was a all loose (I suppose from clutch fluid in front of the slave). Good eye, thanks!

Welcome to Wisconsin! Come Smell Our Dairy Air!

BTW, if one is fortunate enough to use the wonderful and proper Special Tools for this operation, be certain to use the correct Special Tool Fluid . . .

After spending some *quality time* with these assemblies, it makes more sense to me to refer to this entire assembly as the "throw-out bearing" and not just the thrust bearing alone. As such, if you are going to renew the "throw-out bearing," go ahead and get the O-ring [ 90 70 6170 ] that seals the "clutch control cylinder" since it is all that contains the gearoil ahead of the slave cylinder.

Interesting, Chuck posted his findings on weight distribution in another thread and I wanted to reference them here (once again: 46/54 with no rider): "First, the Lario. I filled the tanks so we would be at least have the same "ready to ride" weights. The Lario weighs 205 lbs on the Front wheel and 234 on the rear. All up weight 439 minus 29.7 lbs of fuel= 409.3 empty. I would have thought it was heavier. The Lario *does* have HB racks.. call it 5 lbs or so for a little over 400 lbs empty. The Monza. 186 front 210 rear=405 lbs all up. minus 26.4 lbs of fuel= 378.6 empty. Scura. 247 front 290 rear= 537 lbs all up. I ran out of fuel.. it was about 1 inch below the filler neck, so I'd say a gallon or less, but if it was full it carries 37.95 lbs of fuel for 499.05 empty. I'll say it was a gallon low and call it 505. I would have thought it was heavier. "