al_roethlisberger

Hmmm, well I dunno. Personally I'm reserving my judgement until I see some photos of them installed on a LeMans/Sport. It might not be too bad to have the cables, TPS, etc... covered neatly. I'm not buying any today , but if anyone installs them, please post some photos. I'd be curious to see how they turn out al

I guess it just depends on one's stature/build... as I've heard and personally seen this complaint on any number of bikes, while with others it was just fine. In the case of the LeMans, it's not really a problem for me. But I'm sure everyone is built a bit different, different riding position/style, etc.. and that makes a big difference. ...however I will say that in the few cases where I did ride a bike where mirror & elbows correlated... I was always able just to "dip" my elbow down a fraction of an inch when I'd glance in the mirror, and I'd see fine. Pretty soon it became an automatic habit that I didn't even have to think about any longer So, before investing time and money on aftermarket mirrors... unless you're just hankerin' for some cool accessories .... you might see if a slight shift in riding position or just learning to move your elbow when checking your mirrors might be enough of a solution.... who knows? Good luck al

Hi Russ, Thanks for the photos. Any chance we can get a few photos from a couple different angles, especially the sides? Also, for anyone that has aftermarket clip-ons/bars installed, if you could take 3 to 4 good multi-angle shots: top, L/R side, "other" ... and mail them to me, that would be great. When I put together the "ergos" FAQ later, I'd like to be able to link to these photos because getting an idea of what they look like installed makes a big difference to many folks. It's often too hard to tell from the manufacturer's website/catalog. Also a quick note on if they required new cables would be helpful. thx! al

From the MGCL:

Whoo hoo... Mike's got my heads "in-hand" according to UPS! So let the work begin ...can't wait. Now just need to figure out this coil thing, and we're almost there! al

...other than the dealer's physical catalog linked above, does anyone have a URL to more information on this manufacturer so I can update the FAQ? I've "googled" to my heart's content and can't find any info online for Shark Exhaust Systems. thx! al

Yep, I've got the Kisan, which is just a plug-in affair... mostly(I had to do a little trimming of it's heat-shield and some plastic to make it fit all the way). It's a halogen bulb with the electronics built-in. It flashes in a decayed rate, then goes solid, in just a second or two. Very bright, and very eye-catching.... and since it's just a bulb, it's completely stock looking. al

...no worries, I know for my part, I was just having a little fun! al

..ok, since you asked nice Well, the x-over, cross-over, collector, or balance-pipe.... all the same... different name, is indeed *one* that you show in the photo of the 2003 LeMans above. However, that is a x-over just added by Guzzi to the V11 to the front of the exhaust to boost mid-range, and the Stucci, et al... x-over we are referring to is a replacement for the stock x-over under the transmission/swingarm where the exhaust meets before splitting back out to the exhausts again. This x-over has been on all V11/1100 variants for years. Check out the x-over at MG Cycle's online catalog below: Stucci X-Over at MG Cycle I think it'll be more clear now Hope that helps. al

....awww, now now Jaap, be nice al P.S. These guys have some pretty nice integrated front signal lights and mirror combinations for Ducs. Stealth Signals Pricey, but kinda neat

Ok, just got off the phone with Dyna: - They say there aren't any extra cooling issues with their coils - He asked some questions I can't answer without my bike in front of me... that matter. Do we have a single-fire or dual-fire ignition? - Single-Fire = Two coils, each coil/spark only fires under compression or - Dual-Fire = One coil, both plugs fire at the same time, regardless And yes, he said that based on our .7Ohm requirement, the DC9-1 or DC9-2 would be appropriate... depending on our answer to the question above. Anyone know? Single or Dual-fire for our bikes? Do we have 1 or 2 coils? al

Yikes, those things are e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e Dyna Ignition Coils ...ah well, the price we pay for screwing with a perfectly good working bike Jason, Per your emails on MGCL, I think that any requirement to ground the coils locally won't be a big deal. And you mentioned that you thought there might be some cooling(overheating) issues to take into account, as well as a different mounting design. I'm sure we can address the grounding and mounting pretty easily with some home-grown fabrication. But I'll be very interested in any cooling issues. If there are any, we'll have to look into making certain they get adequate ventilation and/or shielding I guess. ...maybe any new bracket could incorporate a shield?? hrmmm Thanks for the research, and I'm going to do some specifically on these as well. If the Ducati folks like them, and their ECU is at least similar... this seems like a good candidate Thanks again! al P.S. Congrats! ...now I'm curious what's going to happen when I reach 500 posts. Only about 60 to go

Well, here are the sorta "Eng-talian" translations of the pages: EPROMS Part 1 EPROMS Part 2 I'm guessing that this is just a general "chipping" article. It seems very high-level, and even talks about liability issues. It doesn't seem very technical. ...bottom line, I'm not 100% sure about these articles. But AFAIK we can't "chip" our ECUs. There is software out there, and software coming, to re-flash the flash on our ECU for new maps, and in the future... timing as well(hoo-ray!). But I don't think we have socketed flash or EPROMs on in our V11 ECUs. I could be mistaken though. al

...hey Iowa is pretty close. We rode up there last year, by way of Las Vegas

Is there any way to verify specs like this? Seems pretty critical, so I would think someone somewhere would know the parameters within which to "shop" for a suitable replacement coil?? thx for the tip! al

...what exactly are these, and where do they go?? ...on the throttle bodies somehow? A photo of them on another application might help al

Just got this from a helpful fellow MGCL member:

...good point regarding "value," plus to tell you the truth, I really like my black anodized/ribbed fork legs. I'm not too sure I want gold ones I'll be checking into it myself later in the year(maybe not till next Winter... funds permitting), especially since LE is just down the street from me, it'd be crazy not to! I'll be very interested to hear yours and Lex's feedback after the work is complete, especially since you both have had experience with many other suspensions and bikes to compare it with. al

OKAY... well even with all my chatting with Mike, et al... about the "minimal" benefits of dual-plugging... I couldn't resist. So, my heads are in UPS's good hands, on their way to Mike Rich right now to get flowed/ported and dual-plugged. I'm going to go the route Jason and I chatted about where I'll have the work done, plug the second hole for now... and when I can get software to modify the timing, find the correct coils, and get it on a dyno to get it all mapped out... then I'll "enable" it. With Ken down at Evoluzione saying he'll have the Marelli software by Spring, that might work out perfectly for me to ride down to L.A. and get it mapped. BTW, did anyone notice in Cycle World the review of the Aprilia Tuono, and they mentioned several accessories from Evoluzione? So, to the nitty gritty... the next issue I'll need to solve is which coils will be a good replacement for the OEM coils for enabling the dual-plugging? Anyone know from previous experience with this sort of thing? I know HD has some coils on their Sportster "Sports" from the late 90's that were dual-plugged from the factory. So maybe that's a good place to start? I also *think* that the Aprilia Falco is dual-plugged from the factory?? Is this correct? If so, perhaps the coils from this bike could be a drop-in replacment?? Big question: what specifications and parameters should I be looking for to match the current coils? Although I know this is new territory for the V11 Sport, I also know that a lot of folks have dual-plugged various bikes over the years. So I'd like to not have to do too much trial-and-error here. So any advice and recommendations are very much appreciated. thx! al P.S. BTW, Mike has some nice Titanium pushrods with ChroMo end-caps(no galling) that are significantly lighter and stiffer than the OEM rods, for $175.

Sounds good Lex.. Suspension is next on my list, but probably won't be doing it for a while pending finances after the engine work But please let us know what you end up having done, how much it ends up costing, and the results... and LE's thoughts on the suspension results after the work was complete. ...yes, a complete "report" al

Regarding megaphones, I've got Joe at Motostrano here in Redwood City, CA looking into whether Sil will be making their current megaphones available for the V11. They have a very attractive looking, and sounding, set for the Ducati Monsters. So it's feasible that either they could make a product, or someone could modify the Monster cans to fit. Motostrano - Sil Exhausts on a Ducati Monster al

Yes, it is quite gay ...sorry I couldn't resist.. heh heh But seriously , you asked... so... *personally* I don't think it looks that great in combination with the general styling of our bikes. The exposed engine, oil-pan and all... is part of "the look" in my humble opinion. But then again, I think chin-spoilers can look good on a variety of bikes though, for instance the OEM chin on my FJ-1200 looked quite good. But it's just a matter of personal taste, and if you think it looks snazzy... hey, go for it al

Moto Guzzi V11 Sport/LeMans Aftermarket Exhaust FAQ ********************************************** Introduction: ---------------- Several vendors are now producing aftermarket exhaust options for the V11 Sport family of motorcycles, which included the LeMans, Scura, etc. The options include replacement exhausts, cross-overs, and varied mounting geometries. Additionally, there have been several discussons regarding "coring" or "drilling" the OEM LaFranconi exhausts to potentially improve flow, and increase sound. Listed below are URLs and contact information for several of the best-known vendors providing these kits, along with some general information and links to online discussions. One additional consideration is that with the 2002+ V11 Sport varieties, Moto Guzzi widened the rear rim from 4.5 to 5.5 inch, and correspondingly widened the swingarm, and moved the *right* exhaust/passenger-peg hanger out about 1cm to accomodate this widened rear equipment(the left hangar seems unmodified). However, many aftermarket manufacturers of exhausts and cross-overs do not take this change into account, and treat all V11 Sport varieties, from 2000+ as a single model. Thus, some exhausts may require modification of their mounting hardware to acheive an even, aligned, and good fit. Additionally, a combination of aftermarket cross-over and exhausts may exacerbate alignment and sealing issues. Information: --------------- Forum Aftermarket and Exhaust Modification Thread Forum Discussion Regarding "drilling out" OEM Exhaust Moto Guzzi Factory V11 Sport "race kit" as seen on the V11 EE Mistral Exhausts and X-Over Lameroni Exhausts at Teo Lamers (Download their catalog for details) Lameroni Exhausts at Moto International - Teo Lamers' North American Dealer M4 Exhausts avaliable at Harper's Moto Guzzi Fast by Ferracci Leo Vince Exhausts Leo Vince America Exhausts Raceco Exhausts Gianelli Exhausts Galassetti Exhausts Ghezzi Brian Staintune Exhausts Renegade Exhausts BOS Exhausts BOS Exhausts at Daes Mototec Shark Exhausts D&D Exhaust (Product in R&D, not available yet) Stucci X-Over A comparison of performance data between the Mistral and Stucci crossovers can be found here: http://moto-one.com.au/performance/v11sport.html FAQ Administrative Contact: ---------------------------------- Please feel free to contact this FAQ's administrator via email or a Forum Private Message to submit new information or suggest corrections. Al Roethlisberger

...similarly to Lex's points, when I talked to Lindeman engineering about suspension modifications in the "other suspension thread" ... he echoed the same conclusions. He said that while the assymetrical rebound/compression damping is certainly unusual, in general it shouldn't really make any difference mechanically or noticeable subjectively as long as it was tuned appropriately. al

Photos please Russ al