docc

No, the 2002 and newer frames have a 'strut' from the lower subframe just inside the porkchop traversing the gearbox to attach to the lower rear of the engine case. The frame support plate is on top of the engine-gearbox junction and fastens above to the frame.

I know the shift drum on the 5-speed can be shimmed to tighten up the shifting but I've never heard of shimming the 6-speed. I wonder what they shimmed? Any chance of a link? Thanks, docc

david-s, which year-model V11 are you riding? My 2000 Sport developed increased driveline lash until the gearbox was replaced. I thought it miraculous upon riding the bike again to find it had tightened up so much. Part of the gearbox recall is apparently to address the 'flexible couplings" on the transmission shaft internal to the gearbox. This is not to be confused with the 'cush drive" which is a component of the rear bevel box.

Yes, the 2000 Sport has the frame bracket, but, no not the 'plate.' It does show in the parts drawing and the shop manual for the 2000-2001 sport and the parts drawing for the 1100 sport-i and Spot 1100 ( carb). (Carl, does your 1100 Sport have the plate??) The plate is part number 01 20 28 30. At the dealer today we could not find drawings for the Centauro or Daytona. The frames for the 2002 and 2003 do not have the bracket at all. These are the more 'relaxed' frame and have the lower brace from the swingarm side plates the the engine case. I ordered a plate . We'll see what now. I hope I can save the corner of my gearbox. Plus I am confident it will add the chassis rigidity to corner like an R1 . ( BTW, my 2000 V11 Sport is a ninth digit "2")

Here in the South we have 'squares.' These are entered like roudabouts , surround the county courthouse ( a place you don't want to be invited back to) and are generally clogged with America's #1 road obstruction - the Ford F150.

Indeed, my shop manual shows that part as well. But it is not on the Sport. It appears the lower aspect of the bracket would bolt to the upper two fasteners for the junction of the gearbox and engine. It certainly appears to be structurally well placed to support the point at which the gearbox looks prone to fracture. I wants wun! Is there an actual part number?

The entire driveline is mounted 12 mm to the right. That along with the driveshaft and bevel box being mounted so low on the right, I would think a discerning rider could feel the asymmetry.

I'm surprised the two filaments together ( passing switch) didn't fry my 7.5 amp fuse. Maybe a 10 amp fuse would be better and still safe?

Ok, my brain feels better already ( earlier my wife looks over and says. " why do have your physics book out?" Er, trying to get more confused . . . Emry, I wonder how much the amperage goes up as voltage rises? I noticed my Sport will usually run 13 - 14 volts at 2000 rpm.

Leafman, that is a good plan. Also, check out this thread :relay failures. I thought all you Scura guys went with the euro switch so you can cut the headlamp off for that really dark look.

David, Since the beams are on a dedicated circuit the only draw on the 5 amp ( original 15 amp hi-lo beam ) fuse is the brake light, tach , three warning lights ,the regulator reference voltage amd , now, the relays for the main beams. 89 miles today and the 5 amp fuse held. I put a 7.5 amp fuse in the hot wire to the hi-lo beam. You got me on that draw since both beams together ( passing switch) would theoretically draw about 9 amps ( 55 watt lo and 60 watt hi together). I just switched on and held the pass switch 10 seconds without a pop or hiss. Not even any smoke .

Dave, WOW! Those lights are bright! And the horns are loud , too. Of course doing this in the garage kind of skews the impressions. The actual voltage drop at the headlight connector is half . But since the original voltage drop was 0.7 % this should add up to a whopping 1/2 watt increase in the lamp. I really don't think the light's any brighter. But I did put a 5 amp fuse in the main block for the headlamp circuit ( it was a 15 amp) so I'm still hoping to save any relay or switch failure in the long run. So far no smoke to try and get back in the wires.

I've been thinking those bulbs are worth a try. The higher wattage certainly should make them a bit brighter without going to 80/100 which I have found increases heat and draw too much. I guess it will be easy enough to upgrade my 16 guage power wire to 14 if the voltage drop is significant. ( See the thread on Relay Failures) BTW, Al, where can you get those "AMP Superseal water tight connectors?" I found one source but realy don't need 3500 of them. That would definately be the best connector for the hot wire to the headlamp. (Remember the hardest thing about electrical changes is getting the smoke back in the wires! )

I've often wondered if this is why the lower subframe of the '02 and newer bikes have that strut that fastens the frame side plates (pork chops) across the gearbox to the engine case.

This is where my original gearbox cracked. Perhaps a site of future finning? The dealer said it's the kind of stress introduced by wheel stands. ( I reminded him tht his mechanic was the only bunger to ever wheelie my Sport). Sometimes the Sports will 'jump' into gear, slamming pretty hard. I have always wondered if that may have contributed to the crack. The oil tends to show up on the left side of the case toward the back. And, Carl, why couldn't the case be welded with the gears in it?

The two yellow wires from the alternator to the regulator look to be 12 guage. The alternator output peaks at just over 27 amps.

On the left side of the bike are the connectors for the clutch switch. The tank might have to be removed to access them. If they , or the clutch switch, fail the starter will not activate reliably. Pull the male with needle nose pliers. Clean well with electrical cleaner, brass bore brush, Q-tips - whatever. Fill the female side with petroleum jelly (like "Vaseline") liberally and reconnect firmly with the pliers. Seal with heat shrink and groom into the harness along the frame away from the weather.

Most of the connectors on these bikes are water tight and well located. A couple are suspect and require some attention. :luigi: The connection between the alternator and regulator is through two ' bullet connectors' located behind the oil cooler. To avoid corrosion and current spikes, apply petroleum jelly and seal over the junction with heat shrink:

And the changes under the seat : ( all soldered connections , heat shrink and a b'zillion zip-ties):

The only meaningful measure I could think to use is ' voltage drop.' I guess I could point the thing at the garage door and do a 'before and after' like the link we saw. i'm not expecting a brighter light(would be nice though) just hoping to enhance reliability and preserve my switches. Spaghetti in a bucket:

The AMP connnector for the headlamp can be opened and the individual connectors fastened to the relays ( these are 30 amp), one each for the hi and low beam. They will fit in the headlamp shell but I padded them with a thin sheet of closed cell foam to avoid damaging the back of the reflector. Now to run a 16 guage hot from the battery. I'm working on a junction block to get that stack of terminals off the battery. More on that tlater. Here's a photo of the harness modification :

The easiest feature to differentaite : the rebound damping adjuster on the WP is 'toothed' while the Sachs is 'knurled.'

Hey, this guy is so cool he doesn't even use brake lines.

This is what my tranny started doing after 16,500. ( Long story, most of you 've heard it). Then it was the downshift, too. Then any shift going into or out of third gear. Made riding a real tirg. I found that when it missed a gear i would have to go back for it. As if it had passed the detent for the gear. David, is this what you find? That ' gear passing' behavior is what led me to believe the springs on the early boxes are made of coat hanger wire. While the pawl spring can break, I believe the detent spring just gets weak. As the old air head B M U-know-what mechanics say, " if you can see a spring, change it." ( Those gearboxes have the same type shift mechanism as the 6-speed Guzzi).

I used a pair of the original Siemans relays for the Fiamms strapping them along the right side of the spine and routing the stock horn wires to them. Pretty clean really. biggest trouble is adding more terminals to the stack on the battery and tucking in another fuse holder. Does anyone make a relay that the headlamp connector would plug directly to? EDIT: November 2006: After a few years the Seimens relays began to crap out and I replaced them with the Bosch which I pulled out of the block to make room for the GEI set. Back to LOUD horns. EDIT: February 2014: Still using those two Bosch relays for my FIAMM horns. GEI in the relay block have given way to OMRON relays which are the absolute best of the best.