docc

The OEM tire on the 2000 Sport was Pirelli Dragon Corsa. For me, too soft ( 2500 mile rear) and very nervous at speed ( 90 on Interstate). I then ran a series of Dunlop 205 and Bridgestone BT 020 finally downsizing the rear to 160/60-17. Usually I'll get 4500 miles from a rear as I like to accelerate through the gears and engine brake aggressively. At 2000 miles the Pilot Roads let go in a line change in a corner. There were lots of other factors ( rear weight bias, high tire pressure, off-camber, up hill, decreasing radius, rider error) But, upon inspecting the tires I expected them to show some substantial wear. But, no, they look really good. This impressed me as their being much too hard for my liking. I'll go with the Dunlop 220 ( the follow on of the 205). They appear to be good compromise on traction and tire wear. I found the 020 Bridgestone to be predictable as well. Probably a little less sticky than the Dunlop and more stable at highway speeds.

It's the size of your flagon.

Carl, Do the Marchesini and Brembo wheels weigh the same?

Seems like crocus cloth would take forever. Probably better to start with 400 grit then 600 , 1500, semichrome then wax. Or stop at some point and take them to your powder coater. ( They were polished aluminum in the beginning, yes?)

Or see 'crabbing the spine frame' on this forum. You're looking at removing the tank and airbox then slinging the frame from above. The swingarm can then be removed and the side plates are easy access. Be sure to use the proper size flagon.

Yeah, my Pilot Roads have 2000 miles on them and look great. I'll be taking them off the rims soon to give them to someone who never corners deep . I have no doubt that a softer, grippier tire would have kept my head guard off the street. docc, The Asphalt Rub-Club

I added 16 mm to the front preload to set my sag (I'm 160pounds) but feel that it shifted even more weight to the rear, unloading the front leading to traction loss. I did drop the triple tree 10 mm but should have gone further. The real answer is to follow Lex's advice: get the right springs.

Softer tyres will tolerate higher pressures before significant traction loss. But adding a few pounds to extend tire life is a lousy trade if you lose traction. I think I was running 39 psi front on the Michelin Pilot Roads when the traction went away. I'm now determined to run softer tyres and Guzzi pressures ( 34 fr/37 rr).

Ok, sorry about all the Schlitz. But, hey, it's an oil thread so it's open seaon, right?

It seems with the kind of wear implied in just a couple thousand miles these motors would be blowing significant smoke on start - up.

You could always thin it with a little Schlitz.

Pretty sure V11 Sport/LM has different valves than the 1100 Sport/Spot 1100. Smaller for one thing. Have there been problems with the V11 or just the Sport 1100 motors? Also is this one shop the only one in the world who's seeing soft valves?

If the bike low sided on the right (?) and bent the right bar, what's the chance the lever has rammed the master cylinder giving the drag? On the estimate I think you ought to let the shop put all the parts it can justify on the estimate. Then source parts through the board and wrench it yourself, ( it's working for me). The Asphalt Rub-Club

nothing worse than bringing up the Schlitz

Agreed on the throttle body balancing. Also to balance "off idle" like 2500-3000 rpm. Dave Richardson's Guzziology has agood TB balancing procedure . Also, he recommends a 'jam nut' on the thumb wheel to keep the linkage in place. You would think that particular shop would be using those procedures. Nuthin' happier than a Guzzi twin with perfect sync.

good news!

Good news or bad news? It will be good news if you look at the linkage and find something rattled loose. Good then! Just put it back together! After all, these things do vibrate a bit and you may have been vibrating yours more than most. The bad news is the shift springs are made of glass. ( OK, well, they're not, but maybe they'd be happier if we shifted them like they were.) The side case is very accessible and the springs are inexpensive. Not uncommon for the return spring to break ( maybe more on the '02?) just like on the early 5-speed Eldorado (850GT).

For over three years, almost 30,000 miles, I've been searching for the world's foremost expert on the Guzzi 6-speed. I've found it and . . . it's us! A brief history of my 6- speed gearbox(es): 4000 miles, 2 month service for leaky front seal and complete clutch replacement. 16,500 miles , 3 month service for left side leak which turned out to be a cracked main case at the top frame mount ( box out of the bike three times and completely disassembled twice, once to reseal all the mating surfaces with Yamabond and once for the new set of cases). Tranny false neutralled intensely after that service and leaked from the left side shift plate shaft bosses which penetrate the left side case, one above the other behind the starter. Tried absolutely everything to correct the lost shifting. 27,000 miles every gearoil change shows metallic fuzz on the magnetic plug. False neutral becomes a way of life. I make final warranty claim and my dealer advises me he's out of the business. He handles my claim anyway and advises MG-US that a complete gearbox is the only satisfactory solution. Five months and over eighty e-mails later there is a fresh, new complete gearbox in my sport. Now, a couple observations right off the bat: if the bike weren't worth it I'd have quit a long time ago. So, this is no rant. "Just the facts, Ma'am." Second, I believe we will develop the 6-speed into an imminently servicable , reliable unit. Much like guzzisti have done for the shift-drum 5-speeder. Now, just a few observations : The box volume is tight. If your fluid volume is too high it will mist the vent on the back right of the box and, potentially, push the other seals. Get a volumetric cylinder and give it the exact fill capacity ( 850ml). Don't use the sight glass for this. Use a synthetic or semisynthetic. Not for the lubricity, as any seasoned oil threader will tell you 'dino goo' is just as good. No, it's because the synthetics have very limited heat lability. They don't 'cook off' like the dino oils. Less evaporative loss, if you will. Cleaner vent and lower case pressure when hot. Change the gear oil when you change the motor oil. ( maybe around 3000 miles instead of 6000 miles). Seal the bosses where the shift plate shafts penetrate the side left case behind the starter. Swab the bosses with a high flash point solvent and seal with high temperature RTV silicone. If you wheelstand the bike or it 'shift-slams' you may be in for case cracks. This is , perhaps, more likely on the red frame sports as ( I believe) '02 and later bikes have frame members from the rear lower subframe to the engine case. The new gearbox just installed on my sport has a different sealing agent. It is black , thick and rubbery. My original box was sealed with a brown, thin compound that I swear was olive oil based. I am hoping the new black sealant is as good as the Yamabond my dealer used as it formed a good tight bond. OK, even I'm dizzy now .

Ah, yes. Welcome to 'Murphy's Garage.' A sort of twilight zone place where you can drop a washer and it violates basic laws of thermodynamics by vanishing without a trace. A place where space and time are altered to an extent that your brandy new, late model Guzzi can become a restoration project. Repeat after me: wrench - ride - drink - -

David, I put a 7.5a fuse in line from the battery to my two separate Siemans relays on their way to the Fiamms. Horns mounted on the original brackets, relays along the right side of the spine connected to the original wires from the switch. I, too, started with a 5a in line but kept smokin' em

I found my y2k Sport runs fine with the Mistrals ( Guzzi 'off-road') cans and K&N. Be sure you have good synch, valve adjustment and the TPS is in range. Maybe on the high side, but in range. So many complaints of 'cough-n-die' syndrome. Try backing the air screws out to a full turn. Sure stabilizes the idle. I guess it could make the idle lean so maybe not a good idea if you're sitting in traffic all the time.

Al, Ive been running a pair of Fiamms through two ( one each to have redundant systems) of the siemens relays wired through to the battery. The 7.5 amp fuse has held up to some repeated and sustained use. The only thing that bothers me is the stack of terminals on the battery posts.

Guzzi racing . . . yes! DAYTONA?!? YES YES

Has anyone found a simple paint to match the matte silver of the early sports? The stuff seems pretty durable but with the sport all torn down, a little touch up would not be a bad idea.

Carl, That Ducati lever is just the 'hand lever' with none of the pivots or adjusting mechanism? Does it have the bronze looking finish and fit right? thanks , docc