docc

Point well taken.

Oh, yes, and the subtle difference in tense between "skeered" and "askeered" is in fact more than just the varied inflection imparted. No, in fact, the Appalachian and Highland Rim dialects are highly developed. Admittedly, this may not translate well and, further, my "people" were from West-By-God-Virginia and not originally from Lower Middle Tennessee (hence, that other local phrase, "Ya ain't from 'round here, are ya?"). In short, "skeered" (scared), is a state of being. Something that might drive you blindly to fit a damper (or not), or run a particular tire, or give up riding altogether. "NO FEAR" was the clever marketing slogan, no? "Ain't skeered" they said here just to be sure no one thought this was California. "A'skeered" , on the other hand, is a far more transient tense. I might make you askeered (sic) as you might be set alight; that your relays (God forbid) could be found afire. It's a much more dynamic and transient state. You would not be a'skeered for long. Again, I ain't skeered of my Guzzi. But, there was that one instance up on South Harpeth Road on that uphill-right-hand-off-camber-decreasing-radius-nightmare-turn that the Guzzi broke away, that I was, briefly, a'skeered, as she and I horizontally slid our way into the oncoming BMW E36 sedan. You could live your whole life skeered. To be a'skeered will be followed by some fairly immediate consequence: in my case - just disappointment. But, don't come 'round the back of my house at night - I or my Rottweiller could make you so a'skeered that things could not ever be the same. It's a difference that you may have to wet your pants to truly grasp. (Don't , though, if you don't really have to).

There 's a difference? I'm in the dark here. The V11 is my only road bike (of "not many") to have a damper. The only 'damper' on my dirtbike ended up fitted to me leg . . .

With this high overlap cam and the rather big valves, the V11 motor has a sweet spot at 5000 rpm. It'll "run" lower, but it ain't happy. 2800 is closer to "idle" than "sweet." With fresh plugs, "loose" valve adjustment (006/008), and throttle body balance (and with the air screws open a full turn and a fresh air filter with the TPS spot on), she'll tolerate lower revs (below 5000), but she still ain't happy. I don't know of any shop that can take the time a dedicated "enthusiast" will. When I was a kid, a friend of my Mom would bring his Triumph TR6 (car) for me to tune. I would put in new points and condenser and set the points with a dwell meter at the bottom of the range. He would drive it and I'd move the point gap in the dwell range until it ran as one would hope. Either the cap or rotor or a plug wire would always break in the process, but "Ira" had a great spirit about it. We'd head up to the dealer and he'd buy the broken parts. In the end, he knew: no one will take this kind of time outside of an "enthusiast." You can't pay for it. After tuning my Sport every 4000 miles for the first 100,000 km (62,000 miles), I can now go the full 6000 mile interval between tune-ups. But, that doesn't mean she's happy about it.

Or, as I hear in the colloquial vernacular: "Lak ah sed, ah ain't skeered."

A "complete" tune with plugs, valve adjustment, TPS and throttle body synch may do wonders. Also check that the ignition wires plugging into the coils are free of corrosion.

Some have said the Redline solved the problem (I run "lightweight", but probably more guys use the "heavyweight." Others have had success just taking the switch out and cleaning it (it's under the starter). I had to replace mine at 54,000 miles. The change interval on the fluid is 6,000 miles, although I just ran my Redline twice that far. Surely (Shirley?), your 'box doesn't have the original fish oil? [i hesitate to even mention that you should avoid all manner of Australian Yak Fat, even if it 'claims' to be organic/synthetic/or an aphrodisiac. Do not rub it on any of your parts, or even your bike.]

Some have said the Redline solved the problem (I run "lightweight", but probably more guys use the "heavyweight." Others have had success just taking the switch out and cleaning it (it's under the starter). I had to replace mine at 54,000 miles. The change interval on the fluid is 6,000 miles, although I just ran my Redline twice that far. Surely (Shirley?), your 'box doesn't have the original fish oil? [i hesitate to even mention that you should avoid all manner of Australian Yak Fat, even if it 'claims' to be organic/synthetic/or an aphrodisiac. Do not rub it on any of your parts, or even your bike.]

While fear may certainly trigger, or at least, contribute to, physical disorders, intellectual pursuit is known to create similar manifestations. I recall late nights studying pathology or neurophysiology when a frantic call would come from a fellow student, "I think I've got Chapter Four!" Regarded as "Medical Student Syndrome" , would-be mechanics can induce some of the same effects. Indeed, not only have I probably given my Guzzi some of its electrical problems, but attempting to fettle the suspension (to better it, of course) actually impaired it and contributed to a crash. But the VooDoo wasn't begun out of fear, merely intellectual pursuit. "No coward soul is mine No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere: I see Heaven's glories shine, And faith shines equal, arming me from fear." -Emily Bronte

I guess I should be clear saying that my Sport isn't touchy or twitchy either. Never has been (again, there was that high speed weave "as delivered"). I was talking more generally about motorcycles and the 45mph harmonic.

Lots of the tachs read optimistically relative to what the ECU is seeing from the crank sensor,; often as much as 300-500 rpm. That could be giving you an idle of 600-800. The only way to know for sure is to cpmpare your tach reading to a software "dashboard" like Axone or VDSTS. In the meantime, she would probably be "happier" at a higher idle. Not that this would account for your "problem with the tach and headlight. That certainly smacks of a connection problem under the relays. How old is the gear oil?

What's the status on your battery? And your tach indication at idle?

So, then. what is it? Maybe the difference between my 17" Guzzi and the 18" Honda is 1.234 mph? It certainly seems that 40-45 mph is *touchy*, if you know what I mean, *touchy.* More iterations of "gyroscopic progression?" Or are we goin' back to N'Orlins on this?

On another, related, note: Why is 45 mph ( about 72 kph) the point at which motorcycles are most unstable (wobble prone)? Seems like Kevin Cameron 'splained this once, but I don't recall; something about the harmonics of the front wheel size?

I honestly have no experience with that particular piece, but many have had results loosening all the fasteners in the exhaust from the head to the can hangers and fastening it all back up starting with your trouble area first.

It has been reported that the connectors under the relays can loosen up. At the very least, use a good contact cleaner on the relay blades and the connector blocks. Some have reported having to 'tighten up' some of the connections in the connector blocks. The seats of the early Sports tend to contact the relays and may affect their reliability. The under side of the seat can be relieved with a Dremel until no signs of contact remain. The neutral light stays on either because the neutral switch is stuck on or the wire to it is pinched. The switches can be cleaned and often function better in RedLine gear lube. Otherwise, thy are easy to replace. Having removed and replaced the starter or airbox could, potentially, trap the wire to the switch and short it.

Well, Mike, did you fix it or sell it off like an old lawnmower?

Jim, In the 'run' mode, power to these components flows through both the open Start Relay and the closed Headlight Relay as well as Fuse 5. In the 'start' mode, the Start Relay closes, simultaneously blocking power to the headlamp Relay and diverting 12V to the starter solenoid. No starting trouble ever? The starter never hesitates to engage?

I found the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart to go about 20% longer than the same size Strada, running about 40 psi. Harder compound center.

The Shindy is aftermarket, I believe) it came from Greg at Moto International, part number PUD17-001. Be sure to say you have a RedFrame as the fitment may be specialized.

I'm running the Shindy 2 clicks (of 6 total) in from soft. I had always left the Bitubo all the way out unless the front tire needed changing (then 3 clicks of 19 total) Perhaps the original had more adaptability. Though "6 clicks" makes a lot more sense to me than nineteen !

I'm always after the simplest thing first: it's not uncommon for the rubber grip to get pushed up so close to the throttle housing that it rubs.

After fitting a manual petcock to my Sport (thanks to TXRedneck, remember him?), I found it quite hard and very awkward to wind the thing all the way open or closed. It takes a lot of 1/8 turns. I've run dry on fuel too many embarrassing times. Getting off and deeply leaning the bike left and making several *slosh* maneuvers has always gotten a bit of the fuel trapped on the right side of the tank over to the petcock side for a shot further down the road. Early sports trap about 0.8 US gallon. I'm not sure this really changed when the pump moved inside the tank in 2003. It's an awkward, strenuous maneuver and could be hard to describe to your Chiropractor!

Interesting observation! I had been thinking this thread really rings of the old "Fun with Threads" approach to the forum. It ain't all bad, really. As long as we can each show some personal restraint and join the fray for what it is. I certainly believe that riding, especially riding hard, is an emotional state. Why else would it be so captivating? "Skeered?" Naw, I ain't skeered. Yet, I don't want her to bite me again. I want to get so close that she might think she can; almost taste it. It's about the control, the choice. But, in the end, what good is control if you don't let her get close. Even dangerously close.

I do keep the Sport in the garage. Unless I'm riding it. And then, anything goes and that damper in out in the wind, so to speak. I'll keep after its finish. Thanks for the heads up! I've done the final fitment and must say, this thing is much tighter than the Bitubo which always rattled about on its Heim joints. Clearance is tight, but the proper application of washers and spacers makes me confident of the installation.