al_roethlisberger

No, I think he's talking about the bolts through the plastic/CF chin-pad alternative like what was found on the Tenni. The bolts through this cap bolt into the same holes that the bracketry holding the two rubber grommets for the normal pad are bolted into. And for those looking for a photo, here is one from my "wasted fuel" thread: tank It doesn't show the entire cavity where the pad sits, but you get the idea. al

Although noting Mike's response above... it isn't quite as simple as saying "only year/model so-and-so came with an Ohlins" ... because with a used bike, you never know what someone installed aftermarket So that being said, yes, from the factory the 2002 Scura was the first model with the Ohlins rear(and shocks too), but with a used bike you should just look a bit closer. An Ohlins, or other, brand shock should be prominently labelled somewhere on the shock or nitrogen reservoir. Just give it a close look. al

That would be the same Mike Stewart above He went "round and round" with Penske and Ohlins until he helped them(Penske) figure out the right stroke/piston length, etc.... for the V11. al

ewww, very niiiiiiiice Maybe next year once we get/build the new house, and I have a real garage again. al

Yeah, actually this is why I kept an old polaroid camera in my garage for years

Yeah a good "yank" is all it takes... as previously mentioned, the pad is only held on with a couple pins that snap into rubber grommets. However, I tend to agree with Jaap... in that, just to be safe, sometimes the "ring" of padding around the cap can be pinched and might either tear the pad or stick to the paint. The cap is only held on with three bolts from what I recall(the others don't go all the way through), so it comes off in 5 min. I think that is quick and easy "insurance", plus with the cap off, it is SUPER easy to now grab the pad where the cap used to be, and pull it up and off. ...or the expensive and really easy solution, is... get a 2003+ tank al

Yep to all above .... it will come off, just have patience, and no you don't have to drop the engine I know it all seems daunting, but think of it as a "rite of passage" in that, once you do a couple of these relatively minor, but seemingly intimidating, maintenance tasks on the bike.... your skills and confidence in this regard will increase(making subsequent similar tasks less daunting) ... and your nervousness about not having a local dealer will decrease .... all good things Plus, at least it is now Winter, so even if you are a hard-core rider, it was likely you'd be riding as much this time of year anyway. So it's good timing ...still very sorry to see all the trouble you've gone through over the last 18 months with "Napkins of Death", dying Triumphs, and your odyssey of Guzzi purchasing. But I think it will all work out, and by next Spring you will be better for it all, as you'll really feel more confident about the Guzzi, etc. Good luck! Al

I too would be interested in a more durable SET of brake and shifter foot levers. I know that a brake lever like this is already available, but the "mate" was never brought to production as far as I know. I think it was about $50, I forget. Joe told me that he planned to develop the pair, but I don't know if he ever go to it. Here is the thread discussing it, made my Joe Kenny, unfortunately no photo: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...c=4066&hl=lever Anyway, put me on the "list" as long as it is relatively affordable. I have put the Buell pegs on my bike, so the levers need to have the ability to either: 1) Bolt on longer peg extensions(via longer M6 bolts and a heater hose rubber spacer, what I did with the OEM arms) or 2) Some other method to adjust/lengthen(reliably) the pegs like in option#1 to extend/push them out by about 3/4 inch. Just let me know, as this is one of the potential problem areas I worry about out on the road, where a simple tip-over could really ruin your day if the shifter or brake(less so) lever breaks off. Al

Yeah, I'd estimate that a good half of all the "accessory" wiring on my bike has been redone by yours truly at some point... horns... lighting... instrument grounding.... al

Everyone's tastes are certainly different, and that's a good thing .... however, for ME, one of the primary aesthetic reasons I like the Guzzi was because it was half/semi faired and the engine was still out-there, exposed, for all to see... like my old FJ-1200. I grew up with motorcycles having their engines prominently displayed, so that's the "look" I associate with motorcycles. I never have been a fan of fully-faired bikes for that reason. They don't look "mechanical" enough and are too sanitary for my tastes. But, again, to each their own, and I'd be very interested to see what you come up with. I know that Carl was looking at a couple different faired options for his Franken-V11, but don't know where that finally went. Al

Absolutely!! Ever since changing the relays, I've not had any of the "relay associated problems" most have experienced. CAVEAT: The only "relay issue" I have experienced after replacing the relays was that the sockets themselves had gotten loose and made poor contact with the relay spades. This seems to be from bad-luck or repeated relay removal. One can also push the relay receptacles down out of the block if not careful. So, when updating your releys to Bosch or GEI from Dan, be sure to check that the socket is tight, and they are seated well. And yes, my MG sourced battery died in about a year, and I replaced it with the Odyssey. This battery is great. The bike sat for MONTHS at the dealer, and then after shipping to NC, and the bike still started. It also just generally starts better, and the electrics seem more stable And also, I too really dig ORANGE al

...sorry to see you "leave the fold" Joe, but I hear ya after all you went through with the bike toward the end. My bike even shared it's company for a few months in San Jose I think you'll like the Multi, and hopefully Guzzi will have a bike in the future that will bring you back. But even if they don't, hope you'll still check-in every so often, and we'll look back fondly on the short-lived Nor-Cal Alices Guzzi Night dinners a couple years ago. BTW, from what I remember following your projects, you ought to have a load of spare V11 parts, wheels, etc.... you better get eBay'ing And hey, you never did provide a "proper" follow up to your Cycle Cat bar installation... at least from what I recall. You're not getting off that easy! al

I have let several people ride my bike, including a good friend of mine the day I brought it home. I even shipped my bike out here to NC a month before moving, and told my buddy who was storing it for me to "feel free" Look, I love the bike, and would hate for it to get mashed... but it's a bike, and I trusted these guys not to wreck it out of negligence. If it got wrecked, I know insurance would cover most of the costs. al

Not really any help for your situation.... which you seem to now have well in-hand, but my tail-light socket on my 2002 was miswired(backwards) from the factory. al

I agree about the "personal challenge" aspect, and maybe my point wasn't clear. What I don't get is the need to have it "certified", especially when the "certification" itself is somewhat of little value really. Anyone can ride one-time for 1000+ miles just to prove they can, but the most "hard core" riders probably put that kind of mileage on regularly(not me BTW) and could care less about a license plate frame al

I heard he died later making one of these crazy runs ..... crashed I have no confirmation of that though, just what I've often heard referenced when someone has sent one of these videos. al

Please no offense intended... but I think the whole Iron Butt thing is silly... I've done very close to their basic certs, and even talked about certifying the distance and riding an hour longer to meet them, but in the end decided I didn't need to impress anyone else or meet someone elses standards. ...so we just kept on riding. A lot of these guys, especially for the higher certs, have specially outfitted bikes, etc... so it becomes just another "gear driven hobby", and there's nothing really wrong with that of course .... but I dunno, something about the whole certification process irks me. Maybe it's all the goofy worthless certs that have floated around the computer industry since Novell's first Netware certs. I think if it seems like fun or important to you, go for it But the certs don't really impress me much... especially since many folks just identify the most efficient super-slab route, go one way half the distance, and ride back to make the distance/time. That sounds pretty silly/boring to me al

This is an argument that will never be "won" because it seems that those with opposing opinions on the topic view the "technical" definition of "what" is transverse/inline relative to "what" axis on the bike differs.... and that is the fundamental issue I personally suscribe to automotive engineering standards that define the crank of the engine relative to the long-axis of the vehicle, which makes our engine "inline" with regard to installation. So for example, much like a "transverse" engined auto, most 4 cylinder inline motorcycles are actually "transverse". It is true however that if one is talking about cylinder arrangement, that we do not have an "inline" or "parallel" engine though, and I often find that people sometimes get these terminologies intermixed and confuse themselves. The example above of the 4 cylinder engine would be an: "inline 4 cylinder engine mounted transversly" Our engine would be a: 'v twin engine mounted longitudinally(inline)" NOW, here is the kicker... and again, the case I mentioned first off where the terminology gets twisted depending on perspective. For some people, they are defining this strictly in a "V" engine scenario, and they are looking at how the "V" is aligned with the long axis of the bike. From that perspective, our "V" is "spanning", "straddling", or "transverse" to the long axis of the bike versus something like a HD. So... I stay it is longitudinal though.... "inline" YMMV al

Scroll down about halfway on the following thread post: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...20%20tank&st=15 ...includes a photo

That's really nice looking... good going Guzzi If it performs well, and is reliable, I think they'll have a hit on their hands. It looks a lot like a Yamaha FJR-1300 interestingly though:

heh... yeah, we'll see Coincidentall this week Volvo just issued a memo that will either: a: Fully reimburse owners who have spent their own funds to replace a defective ETM already b: All future failures will be covered for free This covers 99-01 models up to 10yr/200k miles for the part(Magnetti-Marelli). We can only hope that if the Bosch unit is similarly problematic(so far it is not) that they will extend similar coverage. al

I don't want to be a doubting-thomas and bring down the mood, but my experience with just about any MGNA sourced part has been horrendous. I waited over 6 months for a fairing half, several months for various other bits... and some just never showed up. Heck, I received a front fender I didn't need anymore almost a year later But I agree that making calls to multiple dealers that have a track record for being successful at sourcing parts, etc... is the right way to go. Don't single source yourself through one dealer, especially if that dealer isn't on the "list" of those recommended. I think you'll be fine now that you have a list of suppliers to call, and get them on the road to helping you look for these parts. And of course, always keep an eye out on eBay. Heck, I occassionally pick up "spare" bits here and there that are a particularly good deal, and I suspect would be the first to get damaged in a drop.... as you never know when those parts may show up again. OH, and in case it wasn't mentioned in the last few pages of replies, definitely check out: www.rebootguzzispares.com For example: http://www.rebootguzzispares.com/Bikes%20Breaking/v11.htm The owner there is very very helpful, and they are often breaking multiple Guzzis, even late models. This is where I sourced my 2003 tank. The only downside is that they are overseas, so shipping is very pricey for anything of a significant size. So I'd use them as a last resort, but I've found them to be excellent and have superior customer service. They'll even go dig through their "tons" of salvage stuff to potentially find a part for you. A lot of salvage operations will not do that. Good luck Gil! I hope you get the bike back together soon, as I know this whole adventure of obtaining your LeMans has been an ordeal al

Heh, get this... So before our move to NC, I sold my ancient Chevy Suburban, as it simply couldn't make(or was worth shipping) the trip from CA -> NC So, for the last couple months, our family of 5 has been using a single car, which has been "fun" Aaaanyway, how does this relate? Well, it seems that from 2000ish->2002ish, Volvo used an ETM(electronic throttle module) that although is supposed to last 100k+ miles, wears out in about 40k. Now, what is this thing you ask? Well, it is basically a potentiometer, with physical brushes dragged over a conductive disk to tell the ECU the throttle position. Sound familar.... TPS anyone? Oh, and guess who made the defective one? Magnetti-Marelli Oh, and guess who makes the 2003ish+ replacement? Bosch heh al

...it's true, we had a few die-hards in NorCal, but the attendance was always pretty light and spotty, even when we had a monthly Guzzi dinner at Alices a couple years ago. And of those "core" people, I think Mark and Mike(laid-up) are all that is left. Carl and I both fled the high cost of living in CA and now reside quite a haul away Joe Camarda isn't exactly local, and has had spotty bike problems, and John K, etc... well, it's just hard to get everyone together. But yes, John C has always welcomed Guzzi participation in the various Ducati events, especially the Ducati night. I assume one is still held in San Jose, but don't know for sure when/where. They used to be at Santana Row. al

....probably true No, I know how they go together, but I did want to make sure I had the instructions just in case. They are a relatively "critical" component to get right after all So, BTW, I don't think the torque values for the fasteners are in the directions. Can you provide them? Thanks al