docc

Interesting, Martin, that this was a topic of conversation. Forums are so much about 'glitches and bitches.' Yet here we rode some (hard) 3000 collective miles without a burp. OK, in spite of the big tool spread around Bill's bike. Guzzi guys are like any other guys . . . just looking for a chance to pull out their tools.

Well, at least we know where the weather came from. As it turned out, Scott, I think you were the only one to end up riding in it. You should have just stayed with us in lovely Sweetwater while we ate pizza, drank beer and watched the lightning. From Sott's sacrifice to the weather gods we ended up we nice weather for a 300 mile loop into North Carolina on Saturday and absolutely magnificent weather for the ride home Sunday. It appears Sunday was state Law Enforcement Day so I hope every one slipped home undetected. Seven riders showed from Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. The North Carolina contingent was notably absent . Ascending the Cherohala was a little messy after the passing storms but the mountains are full of energetic people just waiting to use that chain saw in the back of the pick-up, so by our return the roads were dry, cool and clear. Overall, we ate well, drank well, rode well and by the time the city patrol car rolled throught the motel parking lot the second time that night, philosophies of life and the subtle shape of beautiful women artfully crafted into the design of the V11 were revealing themselves to our keen insights. Thanks to The Perfesser ( Andy York) for showing us you can get 40.54 mpg while running far enough off the front to have a smoke and take some photos while the group catches up. Repeatedly. And we weren't loafing. As always, Bill Hagan adds an air of sophistication to our enclave and is a mighty good sport to put up with our ribbing. But, really Bill, catching trout in the mountains is an art. And while fishing in a dashing navy blazer is an enduring image, you'll have to start casting somewhere outside the parking lot to reel in the big ones. There is encouraging talk of 'next year' and already one more Guzzi to be there since David's (99d12) Cafe Sport will be delivered next week. The Daytona certainly wasn't out of place and got nice style points next to Josh's prisitne Sport 1100. While it's always fascinating to park the bikes all together and go over them making comparisons and observations and trying to figure out what luigi was thinking . . . it's the scintillating line of bikes singing through those curves with pipes pointed up into the crisp mountain air that is the real event. Mountain music indeed!

Valves are checked cold. Some often say 'stone cold.' I'll have to post a photo of the bypass screw when I get back. It's late now and I'm off to the South'n Spine Raid on the NC-TN border starting out early in the morning. You can see the screws by looking up from the bottom of the throttle bodies. There is one on each side. I've never let my valves run that loose. What says Pete and Greg on the valve spec?

Is it pretty hot where you are? In the 90s here. I just did the whole sh'bang tune up on the Sport right up to the proper 1/2 turn on the air screws. I couldn't ride it 20 miles without idle aggravations. Back to the full turn. Try it, if you don't like it it's the easiest thing to change in the whole set-up.

Thanks, I've got a lot of work to do on this suspension.

I was actually looking at the dirt on the unused portion of the fork tube. I do realize there is more travel in the fork than that but was assessing the 'effective range' if you will. It may be a good indication that I don't have my forks set up very well. I have only lightened the oil and set the preload. Unfortunately the soft springs ( even at my street weight of 165#) required increasing the preload length more than desirable. I've read the threads and deliberations on air gap vs fluid volume. Having always used fluid volume, I wonder: with the air gap you are running have you compared the fluid volume used to the specification? Are you running significantly less oil than the spec?

As OV says, the 006/008 valve setting is the best first step . I always check valves as the first step in throttle body synch. Step two is to recheck the TPS. I find running more reliable with the TPS set higher in the range. Spec is 150mV +/- 15. I have found mine best at 160-165. Last go around I lowered it to 150 to save fuel. Didn't get better, bike ran a little worse. At 42,000 miles I've tuned the Sport every 4000-5000. Two findings are worth highlighting. First the tach may be a bit optimistic. Mine is 300 rpm high. This means when I was setting my idle for what I thought was 1050 it was 750. Setting the idle to an indicated 1300rpm smooths things out noticably. Second, the procedure calls for the air bypasss screws to be out 1/2turn. It's the last setting to make in the procedure. I know this may be heretical but running them out a full turn , especially when the ambient temperature is above 85 degrees F, really enhances the idle stability. It is not unusual ( or incorrect) for tuners to use the air bypass screws to balance the throttle bodies at idle and delete the right TB idle stop screw. Your results may improve by setting the right idle stop to 525 mV after having set the TPS to 160-165 at the full closed postition, then using the left idle stop screw to balance the TBs at idle. Finally, opening the Air Bypass screws up enough to indicate a correct idle ( again this may be 1300 on the bike's tach). Try the full turn.

Oh, and to add oil to the pie, does the suspension really travel 120mm or is that but theoretical? Looking at the tell tale markings on my forks ( just changed the tire) the travel measures more like 90 mm. How would that change the sag optimums?

Scott, How's the local weather looking for the weekend?? Looks like saturday we'll be looping the Cherohala to Almond and back. Something like 225 miles.

You've cut the 'dash' out and consider this to be okey-dokey? Sounds like an electrical nightmare. An aftenoon of VOM investigation and isolation might turn the culprit(s) up but the price of micro -beer alone could be cost prohibitive. Has Ebay become the digital junk-yard?

Whew! That was alot to read. Funny, really , how the trends in motorcycles and firearms parallel. Keep it box-stock? Mod it to the max? It is after all my bike (rifle). I was right proud to finally find a replacement for my Dad's '03A3. It's an early example but built in the last year of the '03 ( 1939) then arsenal rebuilt in'44 and apparently sent to Turkey on Lend-Lease. The sights are hard for my sorry-ass eyes to see but , trust me, you don't want me shootin' at you with at. At any range. My CMP ( DCM) Garand turned out to be a real shitter. As you may know, you can go to an affiliated rifle range and shoot a high powered military rifle to qualify for application to buy a US rifle from the US Army arsenals. It took me 2 years to finally get my Garand. So often club guys would bring by their impeccable examples to show off. Mine came with mismatched wood and a mighty greasy stock. But the first time I shot it, under very poor conditions, made me respect the ol' horse. 2 MOA? Well, a lot depends on the (medium) old eyes. But I did refinish it, and , while not box-stock-linseed -oil mil-spec, it is a beauty, and it is MY Garand. And you don't want me shootin' at you. From any range.

It's looking like the departure from the Cracker Barrel in Columbia will move up 2 hours: meet at 0630 and leave when enough coffee has been imbibed, like an hour later. This way we'll hope to beat the heat and the threat of the Tropical Storm off the coast of South Carolina.

Now, Skeeve, I'm pretty sure most of the riders on this board have kept their V11 rides box-stock. They're collectible , don't ya know?

Hmmmm, I might happen to know that the envelope is open . . . and why would a guy with a sport-touring Trumpet need a Nor-gay anyway? Let the Sports rumble! or: "Honey, when I get back from the mountains we'll take the Trumpet for a whorl . . ."

Chatting with my learned neighbor ( lotus Super 7) the topic somehow turned to Playboy and the origin of its name from the Jordan type M Playboy Roadster and a 1923 Saturday Evening Post ad which turned the tide of auto marketing to the emphasis on image. Reading the copy made me think of the Sport: " . . . a cross between greased lightning and the place where it hits . . ." indeed. "SOMEWHERE west of Laramie there's a bronco-busting girl who knows what I’m talking about. "She can tell what a sassy pony, that’s a cross between greased lighting and the place where it hits, can do with eleven hundred pounds of steel and action when he's going high, wide and handsome. "The truth is-the Playboy was built for her. "Built for the lass whose, face is brown with the sun when the day is done of revel and romp and race. "She loves the cross of the wild and the tame. "There's a savor of links about that car-of laughter and lilt and light-a hint of old loves-and saddle and quirt. It’s a brawny thing - yet a graceful thing for the sweep o' the Avenue. "Step into the Playboy when the hour grows dull with things gone dead and stale. "Then start for the land of real living with the spirit of the lass who rides, lean and rangy, into the red horizon of a Wyoming twilight."

Ok!Ok! Enough arm twisting. Where's the link to get the pefect fitting .90 rate springs for the Marz forks. And, again (sorry) what's the peload length for a strapping 190# armoured rider?

Win Mod 70 occurred to me. Also Remington Mod 700. I've never been much of a bolt guy preferring the gas rifles. I thought that Win mag round was .358?

Also have a look at Crabbing the Spine Frame.

Seems like my regulator was about $400. Ouch to burn up a second one even at $145. Definately worth unwrapping every splice. Voltage drop tests may be helpful as well. Here in Lower Middle Tennessee , we're specialists in faulty wiring. Can be handy for insurance purposes.

Ride to Work Day is brought to you by good people in Minnesota where there are two seasons: winter and July19.

mostly shotguns in that crowd. The scoped bolt rifle at the far right looks to be a Brownong A-bolt or such which could be in some .30 caliber or other high power rifle cartridge. The second chick from the right appears to be the retriever - not armed yet dangerous. The Socom is the more modern iteration of the M1A (M14). It was adopted ny the US Army in 1957 and replaced by the M16 6 years later about the time Carcano and Todero were penning the Guzzi V-twin. The blast will lay the grass back 10 feet around the shooter. Feels kinda like getting passed by Andy York's LeMans with its beastly pipes.

Bill, I thought you had a spare spring to act as a talisman hung to dangle like a karma bell to keep the spring gremlin away.

Fed, Do a search for GEI relays from Dan Prunuske. This is about 60 % sure to solve your trouble. Changing the battery ( Orangeokie will be along in a moment to help you"know the rules") increases your solution chances to 75%. After that there are a simple series of fixes and tweaks that will likely run the nasty gremlin off. Stick with us and let us know how it goes. Good luck!

The usual approach is to spray it with carb cleaner or throttle body cleaner. A change in idle quality is positive for a leak. Several wraps of good electrical tape may be expedient while the global Guzzi parts supply stabilizes.

Dlaing's voltage test is critical to assess the charging. As much as the Cobra has been 'tinkered' with it might be time for a thorough look at the wiring harness and connectors . Some bare wire against the frame would 'splain it all, yes?