Baldini

If it were me, I'd take it apart & just check everything is present & correct. As Pete says Guzzi isn't mainstream. The axle can be a bit of a pig to get in & out, which might lead to something going awry, there's a short spacer in there which could go astray ...check shaft alignment & just look over everything else, cos it sounds like something is amiss since it's been apart. Have you got a parts diagram? KB

I think it's just the way the market works: V7Sports become recognised classic, prices rocket, so buyers later to the market move on to next model along, hence S3 prices rocket...etc etc KB

The Tenni came with a single plate clutch. A single plate clutch was fitted to the Scura & the Rosso Mandello also, though wether of the same type is unknown! All other V11's came with twin plate clutch. The single plate clutch comes with an aluminium flywheel, the twin plate with steel flywheel. A small number of failures of the aluminium flywheels in Scuras have been reported reported here. KB

Well not quite 80 years.... ...but most of my adult life: I found something that does it for me - I can't see that changing now. I love em. KB

That something has different factory colour or a ltd edition plaque or an owners certificate - it's all just marketing. I love the looks of my Scura, but I don't get excited cos it's rarer than another type of V11. It's arguable what may be regarded in future as the most desirable of the V11 series. What will be the LM1 to the LM11 or 111? Hard to be objective, but my guess is that the first series bikes & one of the Ohlins models may come to epitomise the line? It's interesting to watch recent developments in values of earlier Tonti sports bigblocks. I'm surprised particularly how S3 value have gone thru the roof. Less surprised at big money being paid for LM1. KB

err...I thought those Guzzi posters were quite funny Not so much Guzzi bashing as celebrating the quirky orientation of the marque...? Guess everyone's sense of humour is a little different. KB

Come on Hubert, a little self deprecation is no bad thing. That you can laugh at your own religion whilst still holding it dear indicates a healthy belief. IMV the ones you need to watch are those who will brook no criticism or humour around whatever fantasy they hold dear - extremists of any faith,marque purists etc. KB

Thanks Jaap. Did a bit of hunting around, couldn't find much on VA10 motor just these scraps: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4xsaf_moto-guzzi-va10-tg2-motori-il-motor_auto & a V4 prototype... There's some spec detail on the VA10 in Ian Falloons book - if anyone's interestd, but maybe someone knows where same stuff can be found on net -I'm not sure if I can post Falloons words & pics as a scan cos of copyrighht - Jaap? Was the VA10 ever put in a bike? & anyone know about that V4 - I never seen it before? KB

thanks! Can you, Paul - or Jaap - change title of thread - "VA10motor" to "MAS 12"? ! I can't access it.

I once saw a photo of one of these (painted yellow as I recall) that was supposedly outside the factory. KB

I bet you don't have much time for Don Quixote either? These things only race with other oddities anyhow, we're not talking MotoGP - it's the gesture: sometimes it's not what you do, it's how you do it. Oh well, it takes all sorts! KB

Dunno what they're gonna do with it but it seems MAS12 has been brought into UK by a company called Slipstream Tuning down South. I think I'm in love. Crank up the volume & enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOZm9Osiu0k KB EDIT: Just noticed ebay listing was on here before. What price did it go for? Apologies if it's been covered before but...Anyone know the relationship of this Mandello Racing motor to the Guzzi DOHC - VA10? Was it a precursor? What connection between Mandello Racing & factory? Thanks.

Hi BFG, lovely country, some great roads there. I remember the Healy Pass. I've had in my mind one day I'd put together all the great stretches of road I know & ride them as a route. But life intrudes on dreams. Those passes look a great excuse for a ride. Take it easy. KB

Blimey! California? Looks just like where I live in Wales.

By my thinking ... In this context these would do more harm than good. They are for 1st series V11 & designed to brace front frame assembly (02> bikes have stronger front frame section). The aim is to improve frame stiffness for fast road handling, not crash resistance of bike. Off road has different parameters. Stiffened front frame section would have greater resistance to flex. Energy has to be absorbed in a crash & the weakest spot in the line will break. On V11's, in some impacts that seems to be front casing at motor mounts. IMV, stiffening the frame above them will only increase the likelihood of breaking cases. You need to disperse any energy from impact. As BFG points out, a full cradle would be stronger as it spreads loadings. There is no point in fitting something that simply transfers the impact & breaks something else. Interesting tho, to know wether late V11's are more likely to break cases here than early ones? To me it seems just another example of Guzzis haphazard, stop-gap approach to engineering on the V11's - just shift the problem along the line. This is how it looks to me, but I'm no engineer. ScuRoo, just try not to hit anything! KB

Blimey, that looks clean! Never seen salt for sure. KB

Fair point BFG. Guess I had really thought too much about it - but I see what you're getting at - yes, I'd rather take a cradle frame Tonti off road than the V11. The big bore Tontis are a very solidly engineered motorcycle. I never really got why people remove bottom rails from the Tontis - I can see the attraction, & for track use I guess it's not really too much of an issue, but I've always thought it will greatly weaken the bikes. Only real benefit I can see is easier routing of the exhaust to help ground clearance. Any wt saving is unlikely to be hugely beneficial in in the context they are used. Note also tho, that the GS1200 is not a cradle design, gets extensive off road abuse & doesn't have a reputation for breaking frame or casings that I know of. To further muddy the water...I have a R80GS (the original GS) which is sitting in the shed cos I clouted the cylinder head against something very solid & it bent the frame - it has a cradle design. Guess the lesson is a bike does well what it is designed to do. Occasionally, an exceptional design will do all things. The GS1200 was most likely designed ground up, with engine cases designed & built for the job they are asked to do, in conjunction with a frame designed to incorporate the engine as a stressed member. The V11 was an half-arsed, half-way, make-do-&-mend design using mismatched existing & new components. The engine cases particularly, an integral part of the frame design, appear not to be strong enough to withstand any serious impact imparted to them through the other parts of that frame. So I agree with you: tackling any serious off roading with a V11 is asking for trouble! To make a V11 strong enough to withstand any likely knocks is probably way beyond what is required here, so I guess the whole thing becomes fairly academic! But - go for it ScuRoo, just take it easy! KB

I like the new Nortons & to some extent the recent retro Ducatis have something about them - updating an older style but fresh - that V7 Racer just looks like something that fell out of a Christmas cracker... Do you know that Tonti cafe racer Guy? Interesting extra bracing tube behind carb look like it runs to top of gbox? any other photos? KB

Dunno. I just thought it was an interesting topic for it's own thread - taking a V11 offroading with a bunch of GS's, Morocco & one day even overland to Oz. Hope ScuRoo keeps us posted how he gets on...w/pix? I don't reckon dedicated off road tyres, but maybe a set of dual purpose road/trail. I would think give the bike a thorough service before going. Carry spares: basic tools, multi meter, levers, puncture kit/emergency foam, relays, plugs, plug caps, bulbs, insulating tape, zipties, etc. Then, maybe crash protection for cylinders/heads - hard panniers & front crash bars ? - protection for stanchions & seals & pos shock, more protective front mudguard. If making a sump shield, perhaps extend front to protect oil lines. When thinking about luggage: IME, it's much easier controlling inappropriate bikes off road if they have a low centre of gravity. Also, offroad could be hard on the trans particularly UJ's - dirt etc & the transmission shocks - ride it easy. I smashed UJ on a Tonti messing around in the woods. Morocco in May should be fairly straight forward. There's loads of people doing long distance travel by bike all over the place nowadays - on all sorts of machinery. There's a Dutch couple travelling in Bolivia on an old V7 Loop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3t-EHtCoC4 & ...Ted Simon did round the world on an old Triumph, & there was a bloke years back went overland UK to Oz (inc Sahara) on an early Tonti LeMans - bog stock as I recall - he ended up with lengths of rope for damping forks after riding miles of railway sleepers - & all them on road tyres. Anyone know of Martin Harvey (Aussie,1980's, Guzzi Overland, Leytonstone) - think he rode his old Tonti Oz-UK? And if you're worried how a V11 will get on...check these Harley riders http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?s&threadid=29723 This is a site for bike travellers: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ KB

the difference? top one's the real thing, bottom one's a fake.

Presume you've checked all other exhaust, frame, engine, trans, stands etc mounting bolts/clamps are tight? Centre or side stand etc touching metal to metal?

'kin hell great shots of the feet - man at work!

How you getting to Morocco - Santander thru Spain to Gibralter, France/Spain? Have any of you been before? We took ferry to Santander, rode thru Spain to Gibralter then ferry to Ceuta. Rode S to Fes - Er-Rachidia & Erfoud, W to Ouarzazate & S to Zagora, then back through Marrakech/Casablanca & back up to Santander in (I think) around 3 weeks. N has a bit of hassle - avoid contact with drugs, or following strangers up blind alleys... I'd recommend getting down to the South if you can - S of the High Atlas - it's where the desert starts; the colours, the people, you get a sense of being on the edge of Africa. S of Erfoud you can find dunes (Erg Chebbi). Marrakech is quite a place. Todra Gorges worth visiting. In May I guess there may be some water running in the mountains, we went later in the year & had none. KB Built for looks - wouldn't go near sand or loose stuff with those open intakes....& you'd be on the cords before you got half way...

oh. So that's what happened to ....

"Push" start is push or push & jump - in gear & dumping clutch .... "Jump" start is stationary, using leads from remote battery... Crazy video Hubert, what country? KB