al_roethlisberger

.... oh, I hear ya It actually doesn't bother me much. The V11s will continue to dribble out of dealerships for another 3-5 years, you watch. And regardless, I am happy with this bike, so I consider it good timing that I was in the market for it during the V11 LeMans' brief run of 3 years al

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that once I started using synthetic, my bike's stand sagged more too

I have no idea off-hand what "part" that would be, but I'm very interested to hear what happened as a "root cause". al

God... 2007.... it's hard to believe that year is even close, much less just around the corner. Where does the time go? al

David, I'm sorry to hear that you are going to sell the bike, but I have to say that based on your comments over time, it has seemed from the start that you've never really been happy with Sport... so maybe it's the best thing I know you had some poor experiences with your dealer early on, but maybe the bike just really isn't your style Everyone's taste and expectations are certainly different. The Guzzi is essentially a hand-built low volume vehicle, that incorporates all the idiosychrocies embodied as such. I'm sure that is a much different experience than what you find with your BMW. But as far as the headshake goes, I too am surprised to hear about this, especially on an 02+ bike with the longer wheelbase. But even the best sport-bikes out there can get a "surprise" headshake if the situation is just right(well, "wrong" ) That being said, I would check all the standard things.... tire pressure, tight head bearings, tight front/rear wheel, and also make sure your steering damper is working. Good to hear you didn't get hurt, but if there isn't a mechanical issue to be found, I bet it's just "one of those things" that can happen on any bike at speed, as 95mph on "uneven" roads is a pretty good clip. Good luck, and again, glad to hear you didn't go down I hope you give selling the bike some thought before pulling the trigger though, as from what I hear... they are about to become "collectors items" al

Sounds about right from what I've heard rumoured, although I thought the Griso was coming as well(maybe as on '06?) .... end of an era I guess though But I guess it is kinda neat to have a "collectible" bike now Hey Jaap, you're not going to shut down the forum now are ya? al

I just made sure to request from MG Cycle that they check their stock for the "straightest" Stucchi they had, by placing on a flat surface.... before sending me one. The one I received was pretty darned good al

Sorry, but no. If you are somehow lucky enough to have one that never bubbles up.... count your blessings. But I have no idea how any preventative measures could be taken. al

I guess both issues, the crack and the stripped hole, are "fixable"(certainly the stripped hole is), but I would wonder if it would be worth doing. I would check on eBay or someone like Rebootguzzispares.com for a salvage unit. But regardless, I would get it fixed or replaced before the boss cracks off entirely. al

I got everything from Mike Rich: http://www.mikerichmotorsports.com I don't recall what I paid for the cam, but his pricing on Megacycle cams is $417 according to the website. I think he gave me a bit of a discount though, since I ordered several things at once. Yes, since it was a new cam, Mike recommended new lifters. I think they were a whopping $50 though Gosh, I have no idea. In the rush of finally getting the bike back, I forgot to ask. I'm not even sure that after 6 months ago(when it got balanced), anyone would even know anymore I'll ask them if they have any data when I talk to them next week. Mike's pistons. Although there have been various photos posted, I can't really comment on a comparison between the FBF and Mike's, but I can say that Mike's seem to be exceptionally well crafted. Nope, that's about it. - 800-620x9 Megacycle Cam, - Street Grind. 258° Duration, . 400" Lift - Mike Rich "Performance" Spring Kit (Springs, Titanium Retainers, Lower Platforms), required for the cam - Mike Rich "high compression" pistons, also lighter than stock(although I forget the specifics). They are 10.25:1 "true" but mine should be somewhere between that and 10.5:1 due to his previous head work. - Engine balanced, and crank cleaned up, as there was some minor scoring on one of the bearing faces. Unrelated to engine mods, I also picked up some new Pirelli Diablo tires, and new CRG levers, which the former really helping with the comfort of the stock bars. I may not entertain riser now, they seem to help so much. I thought about the Carillo rods, but the expense just seemed extreme. Plus, although they certainly would contribute to a quicker rev'ing engine, as they are significantly lighter than the OEM con-rods, Mike really talked me out of them and suggested that: 1 - The stock rods are nearly bullet-proof, and although heavier than the Carillos, aren't exceptionally heavy 2 - Mike made a case that the V11 Sport's rotating mass is already pretty light compared to old Guzzis, and for a street bike, a little mass is reallly a "good thing" for a smooth idle, acceleration, and running. Of course, he was more than happy to sell me anything I wanted, but I really appreciated his honesty in this and a few other performance options I asked about.... again in the context of this being a "street bike", where my goal was good consistent power, but with a focus on keeping the bike a good all-around street performer. I certainly didn't want something that wouldn't idle, or was tempermental. Hopefully, that is what has been achieved, but only time will tell. I seems like it has so far, but again, I've only had limited time on the bike. I've thought about dropping in some of his titanium pushrods as well, but can always do that at a later date, as it's just a drop-in job. Right now I don't need them, and am trying to save $$ and time. I'll probably do it next year once it's time to check the torque on the heads. I'll definitely provide a full report once I have some more time on the bike, and especially once I have more data, via Dyno testing, etc... I also have to decide whether I like my old Corbin, or "new"(used) Rich Maund seat. I've tried Rich's seat briefly, and it is "different" but don't have enough "seat time" in it to draw a conclusion I do know that I slide around a lot more on Rich's, but that's probably more due to the material the original owner of the seat chose. al

Apparently on page 8 of "Cycle News"

Heh Heh... you know, I was almost hoping no one would notice my brief comment about getting the bike back, so I could avoid this question right away Why? ....well, I just picked up the bike last night, and only had a chance to ride it around for about 30min, for a good heat cycle. And with the new cam/rings break-in to be accomplished, I didn't get onto it really hard yet, as it's only got about 30 miles on it since the rebuild. I plan to try to get another brief ride in tonight, but we are just so busy with remodeling the bathroom and packing, well.... So, in combination with the brief ride last night.... the truth is, I haven't ridden this or any bike for literally 6 months... and so... I really can't honestly say if I can tell a difference yet Now, that being said, the bike is waaaay smooth, and runs up very quickly. That much is very noticeable. Again, noting the "6 month issue" ... I does seem better in that regard. The idle is great, and it really accelerates like hot stink(at least as far as I can push it right now). So, I'll have to report later as I get some more miles on the bike and really can open it up. I also will run it by Hare Racing after said miles and get the map updated, but I have to say it runs great as is, so there may not be much room for improvement, but we'll see. But even with all the delays, and little pitfalls, it looks like Moto Italiano finally got the bike back together well, and took care of everything. The bike looks and runs great, and they went out of their way to make things right We all just wish it hadn't taken so long of course. I can say I really like my new CRG levers, and the new Diablos are very nice as well BTW, what pressure are you running in your Diablos Mike? al

http://www.guzzitech.com/Relays.html

Just change 'em out to newer high quality units like Dan sells, and you can indeed "check that problem from your list". Although it is true it might be a good idea to swap them out every couple/three years just for good measure, but what does that cost, maybe $5? Keep in mind that the "relay problem" is not always with the relays. It has been found that excessive relay "wiggling" and "swapping" can also loosen the sockets such that poor connections can appear as relay problems. So take care to keep them tight and clean as well. al

Ran across this post on another forum: Has anyone seen this article yet? al

.... heh, no kidding I just spent $1000 getting mine out of the shop, but it was for multiple things(engine rebuilt, balance, tires, CRG levers, etc), not just one gear That is an odd break for sure though, so I can only imagine it must have been marginally defective I would definitely see if it can be covered under warantee(if still covered). It seems like a freak failure. But I also agree that welding is out of the question for parts of this type. The heating from welding would probably destroy the heat treament of the gear alone, not to mention all sorts of other issues with tolerances, etc... As Carl mentioned, check out Reboot Spares. They are a great bunch, and if they can get it for you, they will. Good luck al

Moto-Euro thinks the Nero Corsa has a "completely new engine" eh? While I appreciate a good honest review, that article sounds like "the other end of the spectrum" as compared to the Motorrad article... and is complete fluff, if not simply misrepresentative Oh, and they don't even have the right photo with the articlel. It's not a Nero Corsa, just a black LeMans

heh, I'm glad someone said it ....good lord guys. No wonder you want more HP and lighter wheels. You've got a whole Snap-On truck under your seat

They speak Latin in Italy? That's news to me No wonder no one there knew what I was babbling about in "Italian"

Interesting, so MG is now replacing the bevel drive models with a "bent tube" version also? Well, if so, make sure they sent you the right one, as again... the gearing is different. Even if you have an 03 bike, if it is an 03 V11 Naked(has the fuzzy black paint, tank pad, white gauges)... it is really an 02 spec bike, and you'll need the cable for the 00-02 bikes, not for 03+ al

Ahh, that would explain it too

Rich Maund makes the perfect tool pouch for the V11. He sometimes has red ones, but they are usually black marine grade leather, fasteners, etc.... and about twice as big as the stock bag. It fits *perfectly* in the tool tray. Drop him a note. The last I heard, he posted last month that he had a couple of the black ones still in stock. al

I saw Bush... and was unimpressed. They had to do an "extended set" becasue No Doubt was a no-show. ...and yeah, Frank Zappa is dead, some years ago of Cancer. A friend of mine owned Zappa.com at one time, and ended up giving it back to the family, and has been friends with them since. ".... Catholic Girls .... Catholic Girls" . al

Well, many of these magazines offer themselves up to the Gods of ultimate speed and HP ratings, as that is what many main-stream MC customers are looking for.... Go read the RATM lyrics I posted on the "Americanize" thread, to this very point with regard to people's taste and fashion being driven by the markets themselves... as opposed to what people really need/want. Anyway, no current Guzzi is going to stand up well if measured against these criteria and another more "modern" bike of similar displacement like the ones you listed, but we all know that owner of bikes like a Guzzi didn't buy them with those criteria in mind. ...the reviewer simply missed the point, or doesn't consider our criteria relevant. Don't sweat it I personally don't mind having a bike that most people: 1 - don't know exists 2 - don't like, and won't buy = unique al