al_roethlisberger

Just as a minor clarification, yours is the 2002 red/GRAY color scheme, whereas one like mine is the 2002 Champagne color. Take a look here to see the 02 Champagne color: http://www.pashnit.com/bikes/V11-Lemans.htm (Really bad, old image. ...need to update this page.) Sorry about the "nit", but I thought I'd just point it out BTW, as an alternative(and cheap one at that) the Buell peg conversion really is nice looking IMHO If interested, do a search for "buell" and you should come up with plenty of info. al

1) Check your valve-lash, and make sure it is at Raceco or "world" specs, that will help across the board 2) Balance your Throttle Bodies 3) If possible, have a custom map made for the bike at a certified DynoJet center THEN send the map to Todd Eagan for one last bit of tweaking. After that, it should run fine! al

Good news, but question: How does one optimally tune the bike without a gas-analyzer and/or dyno? al

Ignore the blue fitting seen inside the filler hole(as this was part of a project in the fuel pump relocation thread) but here you can see a portion of the indentation and mounting brackets for the normal foam chin pad. The only difference for the CF version is that it bolts on through the piece instead of using the rubber grommet mounting system. http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...ype=post&id=583

I gave up trying to source the correct paint code, not that anyone in the USA would have been able to probably make heads/tails of it anyway So I just went to a pro motorcycle/auto paint shop, and they custom computer matched it perfectly when they painted my 2003 tank.... which I promptly chipped! al

Yeah, I think they made about 10 or so on special order a few years ago when they introduced it at the auto shows. ...not real useful though. But it is an interesting engineering excercise. It would have been fun to work on al

See the following threads for more info on this topic: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...6&hl=2003++tank http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2153 http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...9&hl=2003++tank Loose references scattered throughout: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=462 http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...5&hl=vapor+lock

...and there is the "core" question, which almost answers itself It really depends on one's riding style and goals. I am sure any of the Michelin, Avon, and Pirellis mentioned will work very well. I installed the Diablos and found them to be quite nice, although have very little mileage on them prior to the move. Mike Stewart put the Diablo Corsas on his 2003 and found them to be excellent, and even though soft-compound tires, lasted a few thousand miles. Our bikes, although relatively heavy, just don't have the power required to chew up most modern tires like other makes/models might. So you are probably going to get good mileage out of most. Try any of the above, ride it until it wears out, then try another. I don't think you'd go wrong with any of those recommended. al

Yes, they came with both seats. al

One clarification.... keep in mind that there is something of a hybrid solution if you like. You can put the pod filters over the stock intake-runners/stacks that protrude into the OEM airbox. It takes some work to stretch them over the bell end of the runners, but this may(or may not) be of some benefit over just putting the pods directly on the throttle body ends, even with the K&Ns like mine that have something of a "runner" or "throat" built-in But this is just speculation on my part. al

I have to admit that it is growing on me .... certainly more than the Breva I kinda like that blue, and I don't really normally care for that color al

Indeed, that looks much better than the mini-faired version with that paint scheme IMHO. The raised bars would be a welcome enhancement to many as well al

Well, there are certainly other alternatives that depending on taste, one might consider. Some like the "throttle rocker" are only about $10 on eBay or your local shop. But I had what I believe were one of the first installations of the heavy TM(as they had no idea what to sell me ), and have loved them ever since. They work relatively well as a "cruise control" although they do take some getting used to. But they are exceptionally well made, and I recommend them. al

I just rewired the headlight directly to the battery with appropriate relays, and the stock bulb miraculously was plenty bright enough There are a couple loose power leads here and there, but most are underpowered for lights or have not been clearly identified as a good/reliable power source. One is the lead one might find on a few bikes for the old electric petcock, and there is a pair of loose bullet connectors up under the rear tail-piece near the tail-light that might be useful. But for lighting, well anything really, I'd just use one of these sourced(if switched power) to control a relay to power these items directly from the battery. This is what I did for louder horns, headlight, and heated grips. al

I second checking the Bitubo steering damper. These have a relatively high leak/failure rate. I've gone through two(one leaked all oil out, one felt like it had "gravel" in it), and just gave up finally. al

Please don't interpret this in a negative way, but a vast majority of LP products really are of low quality.... "bling for the masses". This is often especially true of their various lighting options(from personal experience). If you are interested in noticeably better lighting, I would recommend investigating rewiring the power supply to the headlight as discussed a few times here(search headlight or similar), or look at bulbs from mainstream manufacturers. Good luck with your selection though al

They are indeed trying to emulate that look, but the design as you point out.... mounted outside the rear subframe, using extensions for the exhaust-hangars/footpeg-brackets, has always looked like a poor design aesthetically to me ... but to each their own

And just to clarify two points(one already made): 1) The V11 6-speed does not have the plastic(nylon?) bearing cage that was problematic on some previous models. 2) Many issues with leaking transmissions are directly due to overfilling, so always check this point first. al

Wow, I'm sure no one will have a subjective opinion on this topic... .... how about an oil thread while we are at it But seriously, there are many options, and except for the exact can you have referenced, most seem to think just about all the quality dual exhaust setups sound pretty good. They may sound a little different, but I honestly doubt it is a significant change. Probably more important to your decision will be cost and availability. Now, to the system you referenced, the photo link you attached actually shows the Quat-D exhaust which was originally made for the Ghezzi-Brian bikes, and some do have some definite opinions(both good and ill) on the sound of that unit since it is such a unique design. Although for the most part, many find that although different, it is a good sounding exhaust. The obvious advantage of the Quat-D system is that it relieves the rear end from a lot of clutter and reduces weight. If you do a search on "Quat" or "Quad", you'll find several threads on the subject, and should also come across a sound sample or two. You may find references to the welds cracking on this exhaust, but I believe this has been corrected with the current version. There is also a very good recent thread on the topic about the cost of the "full system" which was actually quite economical, and the excellent customer support the buyer received from the manufacturer when the headers arrived damaged. I am not aware that there is a titanium version(all I've seen are also SS) of this exhaust or that Rossopuro sells it, but they may as many vendors do resell it from Quat-D. I personally like my Ti Leo Vince cans, but I don't believe they are making them any longer al

I'm not keen on the look of the new bikes, although I am very happy to see them arrive for MG's sake and future health But that being said, if I had to make a choice again, I would have liked to have known about the 2003+ spec changes and waited a few months after buying my 2002 LeMans. Of course I've changed or added so many 2003+ features now, that I really have some frankenstein "near 2003 spec Champagne Corsa" Although I do like my "champagne" color quite a lot But all-in-all, I like the V11 derived models, and am not interested in any of the new MG bikes. al

Heeeeyyyyyyyy now, don't drag me into this! In fact, if I recall, it was a couple other more vocal folks that really mixed it up with Nemo/Enzo in the days of yore, some of whom aren't even here anymore themselves ..... interesting that your journey has finally brought you full-circle to that conclusion, as I believe that was a point many on "Wildguzzi" were trying to make with you over a year ago when you were first touting the [racing] potential of the V11 following your modificatoins, etc No big deal though, as I think the V11 "is what it is" ... which is a "sporting" bike, good for "spirited" riding and touring. Trying to compare it to something like even a 600cc race-replica is not going to produce meaningful results, other than to amplify the performance shortcomings of the V11 in comparison. However, if one is happy with ~80hp/64ftlb, and reasonably modern performance..... especially if not interested in the world-class-beating type..... the V11 should be satisfying. And one other way to look at it is to recognize that wringing a similar amount of performance from a V11 as compared to a more modern super-sport takes a better rider. So if one is able to hone their skills on a V11 to approach the average rider's skills on those other bikes, then your accomplishment is even more impressive. ....glass half full, and all that al

I love mine... Some pics here: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...6&hl=windshield Some discussion here: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...7&hl=windshield Remember, "search" is your friend al

... people's tastes and desires are always a moving target, and ever changing. This is not unique to or conversely unknown with regard to one's tastes in motorcycles I value anyone's honest and respectful opinion, and I think Enzo's treatise on his observation with regard to either bike has value.... especially for that one reader who may be very interested in this specific comparitive topic. I don't think Enzo is offering any disrespect to the V11, but even if he were, why should other owners care? It would be merely his opinion, one as valid as any other's. And after all .... when all is said and done, it is simply a machine. It's feelings aren't hurt, honestly, I promise The V11 is indeed anachronistic in many respects, and cannot be(and shouldn't be expected to) compared head-to-head via performance specs with bikes like the RC-51. But each bike, car, musical instrument, etc... does have its niche, and if that is the niche one is looking to fill, then those technical specs and 1/4 mile times don't matter much ....and just as an aside, my old Yamaha FJ1200, while no Italian "beauty"... had a character of its own. That character was indeed of a different "flavor" than the Guzzi, but character none-the-less. But most of that character was from the memories and experiences... the miles.... I had built with the bike over the years. And from that perspective, any bike can have character, and a close bond with its rider. al

.... gosh, everytime someone wrecks on the Forum, I miss the thread for days before responding But goodness Gil, I am so sorry to hear about your accident, but am relieved to hear that you are OK. I know this must be very disappointing for you given the journey you went through to get this bike Hopefully the core of the bike is fine, and things like plastics, valve covers, etc... can all be replaced economically via eBay or places like www.rebootguzzispares.com I have to keep this brief as I am in mid-move to NC and was just checking-in quickly, but one note on the tank. Look at this as an opportunity if the original tank is toast. Go out and find a salvage 03+ tank with the in-tank pump/filter, as this is a more reliable system that eliminates the vapor-lock scenario, is lighter and less complicated, and IMHO looks better. Do a search for "retrofit" in the title and check out my "2003 tank retrofit" thread for more details. Well, again, my heart goes out to you, and once I am settled in NC in the coming weeks, feel free to drop me a line for any tips or just moral support. Good luck! al

The exhaust is the Quat-D system, but the bike was likely never a Scura or other pre-03 spec bike for a variety of reasons. It was mostly likely a Cafe Sport, or less likely an upgraded Ballabio, as it is an 03+ bike due to the tank, front suspension, etc.. ... interesting conversion, but I don't think the end-result works well aesthetically with the overall look of the V11 al