docc

I'm ready to make a proper proposal on this whole "frame side plate" business . . . Stand by, and please: vote early and often! http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19946&p=220887

Very interesting observation, Scud, that the stilettos on the "Titanium" custom are *retro* milled cast pieces in homage to the earliest CNC designs. Credit where credit is due!

At some point, a quorum will be declared . . .

Owing that *we*, of V11LeMans.com, are The World's Foremost Experts on the V11 series of Moto Guzzi, I hereby propose that the "frame side plates" that have been referred to by the ill-coined and disparaging moniker "porkchop" forever be designated *stilettos*. Exhibit A:

Are those Frame Stilettos titanium? I love my cast RedStilettos, but titanio would be oh-so-tempting!

I got the GPS back-up power ("Hot Start") wired into the headlamp constant 12V on one of the relays in the bucket (*not* factory wiring). I didn't like the way I shielded the factory speedometer illumination wires (green circle in the picture above) and re-purposed those to power the two individual (non-dimming) Speedhut inverters for face illumination. [above: individual, non-dimming face illumination inverters.]

Actually the heat output of a powerful LED is less than half the heat output of a halogen incandescent bulb. The heat is intense in a tiny localised spot on the LED, which would destroy it unless a heat sink or something similar can conduct the heat away. I didn't like the idea of relying on a tiny fan,so I fitted an LED with big copper braid loops. The steel headlight bucket barely gets warm enough to feel it. Seems a fan would actually work if there were some louvers in the bucket. I always wanted a hotrod with louvers. *Chopped, channeled, lowered, louvered. Twice pipes, candy apple red*

If these things need fans, but they're enclosed in the bucket, it seems the'll be running awfully hot. That can't be good for reliability and I don't want to cook my relays in the bucket. You guys know how I feel about my relays. . .

36.5 miles/US gal; About 5% less when the temperatures are low and up to 10% more cruising steady at highway speeds. Best ever: 42mpg.

Just to clarify my original post: I realize there are H4 LED units that have an inline "driver" or box that also has to fit in the bucket. While early Sport buckets have more room than the later LeMans plastic buckets, mine has extra wiring and relays already taking up space. I recall someone posting a photo of an LED H4 with a heatsink on the back of it, but can't find it now. I'm pretty sure we can all agree that the stock V11 headlight is pretty weedy . . .

I have seen a poorly functioning Relay#5 act exactly like this. Use a High Current Relay in this position. OMRON G8HE-1C7T-R-DC12 https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/omron-electronics-inc-emc-div/G8HE-1C7T-R-DC12/Z5645-ND/2755412 http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19241&hl=go_winkie

Rox, I tried to expand that link to show the "preview", but can't seem to show it. Please confirm the link is still what you intended to post: Soviet Soviet "Further"

Ditch those pesky relays . . .

Those are good questions. Interesting the "KR vs KS" frame. My early Sport is KR (4th and 5th VIN characters). Camn, are you saying Moto Guzzi changed to "KS" when the "LongFrame" was introduced with the additionally braced front subframe and lower rear subframe that connects forward to the bottom of the engine case?

+1 on all the best wishes for you!

You can bypass the Sidestand Switch by simply shifting into neutral.

The "bulb" one of our members posted was a "stand alone" with a heat sink on it, no separate "box." I still don;t see it and have been wondering how it worked out. My headlamp bucket is already crowded with an extra two micro relays in it. One of the "weaknesses" of the V11 electrics is the headlamp wiring goes through and Relay#2 NO contact, then the bright/dim switch before reaching the bulb.

350 watts @ 5000 RPM/ (14V - 25A)

@Cash, I can't get that to link. Could you give it a look?

I would like to upgrade my H4 without adding a separate driver or fan. Not long ago, a member here posted an H4 LED, but I can't find it. Something like this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-6000K-White-40W-4000LM-Hi-Lo-Motorcycle-Bike-LED-Headlight-H4-HB2-9003-/142078762956?hash=item21148ddfcc:g:i7MAAOSwX9FZGA6r&vxp=mtr Do they get too hot for the early Sport steel bucket?

Yep. You could probably fit a tap (petcock) in place of the regulator and use an inline regulator, "T" the lines together and find safe places to put everything being certain not to foul the throttle linkage. The V11 is actually pretty tightly packaged when trying to make changes in systems like electrical and fuel line routing. Having sputtered out of fuel on the V11 (too many times ), you can dismount, and very deeply slosh the fuel from right to left. I've had this get me up to 1/2 mile down the road. At this point, the more throttle you use, the less fuel is bypassed to the right side tank trap. GLH

I have decided to use the female spade connectors for the factory tachometer wiring and change all the Speedhut wiring to matching spade connectors. Early V11 Sport wiring for (white face) Veglia shown above. For the 2nd gen V11 wiring with (black face) ITI, see Scud's Post#13:http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19038&p=204147 [ NOTE: I found it convenient to power the gauges from the factory red/black wire from Relay#2/ Fuse#5, but as Kiwi_Roy has posted repeatedly, the gauges re-initialize after cranking. Using the yellow (illumination) wires for gauge power bypasses this. ]

Yessir, I found a constant hot feed in my headlamp bucket I have wired from the battery (my junction block) through a 10 amp circuit breaker. This way I can route the (GPS )"Hot Start" wire without crossing the steering head. [ Note: this is not factory wiring to the headlamp, but a live power feed from the battery to relays I have added in the headlamp bucket for the headlight. ]