docc

Four weeks out. Some may have found other accommodations nearby. Nonetheless, the Friday and Saturday evenings on the tarmac perusing these V11s is priceless. I'm thinking we should take temp readings on the rear drive and the main regulator fuse. And perhaps earlobes and neighboring dwellers. It would probably be bad form to check temps on the bomb squad that showed up last year . . .

Valve specs are like women . . . loose is good . . . Paradoxical though: loose women are "hot" and loose valves are "not."

Before I had had my Sport long, the dealer sent me a 'bigger' Siemens for the starter slot. Then the word was out to upgrade to the Bosch through Dan Pruneske. This was real good stuff and good on Dan. Later, the GEI became the 'thing' and I had to have them. I was struck and surprised when two of the failed and the Bosch saved me. (Sure, perhaps my connections and regulator are to blame). While I wired my headlamps hot from the battery to two separate 30 amp relays (thinking this was infallible), I was shocked when one of the relays failed leaving my lo-beam cold. I thought it was the PIAA bulb , but lit it again with the OMRON relay. Now I'm running OMRON on all but but horn circuits (which are Bosch). I plan to swap those to OMRON when the tank is off next. I really do trust the work RYLAND has done to determine what really is best. The tale of many relays . . .

I wouldn't let anybody else say that about you. I was thinking this would be a good diagnostic to watch as an indication that the tensioner is due for replacement. Otherwise I could fall into replacing it every time someone posts a new improved version. Like I've done with my collection of relays.

Ratch, I cannot believe you have not had the timing light hooked back up for confirmation! I would think you would get great satisfaction seeing those marks hold tight.

And this is easy to fix: loosen the clamp, push the boot on, tighten the clamp. The tune-up will keep it from happening again. Look down at the throttle body to see if one has pulled back off the head.

Pete, do you think copper anti-seize would work just as well? I guess I should have one of those nifty brass fittings on hand when I try this . . .

After 10-15 miles I found the fuse at 150 degrees F while most of the the other fuses and relays were 93-103. It occurred to me the fuse holder had its rubber cap on and I'll check the temp with it off to see how much that may dissipate the heat. 13.4v seems to be a good charging rate for a battery at 99%.

I would think if there were voltage spikes all the bulbs would be victimized first. No, the GEI are suspect in their own right. I have that IR temp reader that I intend to use on rear drives on the South'n Spine Raid. Looks like it's time to spray regulator fuses also. I'll open the connectors for the regulator and exchange dielectric grease for copper antiseize and hope for good electro-karma . . .

AArrgghh!! I thought I had this solved! My 30 amp use had got so hot as to fail without blowing. I replaced the holder out of the fuse block and thought it all good. Today, my 'battery' light came on full and bright making me think the 30 amp fuse had gone up. Sure enough, the fuse had burned off at its tips without 'blowing.' The holder was surely 'loose' and I tightened it and applied copper anti-seize-Guzzi-make-it-go-stuff. It was 12,000 miles/18 months ago splicing in the regulator fuse holder. The battery voltage is 12.71 and the charging is 13.41 at 4000 rpm. What gives? Why so much heat?

Over tightened ? It even has a twisted look to it . . .

Last year at the South'n Spine Raid, Nose2wind pointed out that my Sport only had one spring. After replacing the missing part and the rubber sleeve I found it's true purpose: it helps you sleep better!

The light had been on about ten miles. It sputtered out as in limp to the side of the road and do the tip-slosh-reserve drill. The 4.6 gets me too. It's done this before although it typically runs out at 5.1 or 5.2. With the manual petcock this phenomenon remains a mystery. If it was evaporative loss, the tank would still take the 5.2 gallons. The Sport does get 4 or 5 mpg lower in the cold temps; presumably as the ECU feeds more fuel to the denser air. Runs better too! I've got the temp sensor mod on my list of more-things-to-do.

Today the Sport sputtered out at 153.7 miles and took only 4.6 gallons to fill up. I haven't ridden much over the last few months and wonder if 'winter-gas' does evaporate more readily?

I promise we'll keep our tool rolls away this time. We'll use those stanchions like they do at the opera. Pinkerton Men, even. No really, you're safe bringing it. The police hardly ever haul anyone away from these events. . .

The PIAA lives! After buying a new Silver Star ($25 US), then finding I didn't have an 8mm box to release the Stucchi flyscreen ($5 US), I installed the Omron back-up relays I had for my horns (each of my FIAMMs are on separate circuits). Testing to be sure I had them hooked up right, the low beam came on! It was the relay, and NOT the bulb. I'm so glad I had RYLAND's OMRONs to install. Otherwise I would have thrown away a fifty dollar bulb. Here's the relay I thought was good (4 years, 28,000 miles):

I always use the torque wrench and the 120 NM is perhaps a bit tighter than I would have gone by feel. The 'housing side' business has always concerned me. There is a hex drive on that side (21mm nut on the other) and I've never tried to apply that much torque to the hex drive. (?)

I had some ear plugs made by an audiologist (who otherwise makes hearing aids) for about 100USD. They fit perfectly, have lasted years and years and is the best money I've spent on a motorcycle 'accessory.'

The outboard lamp reportedly rotates outward into the curve. I'm not sure how much. It did make my mind busy thinking of all that could go wrong with that system. Right after the end of the warranty. Some riders, with GS BMWs and the like, have taken to aiming their aux lights up and out so as to catch the curve while leaned over. Going straight down the road they refer to them as 'squirrel chasers' as they tend to shine off up into the trees.

I'm reading that as: a sequence of 'flashes' is not good for the bulb. Certainly, this one burned out when I did that. The bucket relays do press against the back of the reflector. I suppose they could be contributing to higher temperatures at the bulb. Of course, they could just as easily form a heat sink and lower the emps. Or the temps at the bulb may be so high it makes no difference. The 30 amp circuits do melt fuses and I have changed mine to a better rated fuse holder. Thanks all the input. BTW, the new BMW 335i rotates the outer lamp in a curve. Tucker lives on!

I wonder if the Omron micro relays would be better than the dimensionally larger units I have in the headlamp bucket. I recall they are 30 amp. And, yes, I'm running hi-beam at all times until it darkens enough to become agitating to oncoming drivers. Passing yesterday, I used the bright-dim switch to flash to pass. That may have been a mistake as it switches the dim on and off. The flash-to-pass switch only flashes the hi-beam and leaves the dim (dipped) on.

And if she was a beautiful woman you have married, you wouldn't touch her? Savin' her for the next guy?

How long ago was that interview?

The GEI I had trouble with were in the FI and ECU functions. I have the lamps wired with a separate circuit and separate relays for lo and hi. I tried fixing mine the way Jaap fixed his, but no dice.

This is apparently true. Although, I don't think we would bee riding spineys if DeTomaso hadn't hooked Dr. John and used Maserati money to lift the design and put it into production. It is also notable that the V11 Sport is reminiscent of the mid-70s V7 Sport whichwas a fine example of the good handling and poer of the finer sportbikes of that era.