motowfo

So last weekend I sealed the moisture detection device on the Guzzi and took it for a ride directly into the eye of a full down pour. I am happy to say the it failed to detect any extra moisture and all my instrumentation stayed active the full time!! I'm also still engineering the proper carry packaging to be able to accommodate at least 3 liters of Rancho Loco Brewery's finest HIGH TEST BEST including: Slap Me In The Face Behotch Belgian Ale California Cameltoe (Cali Ale) Pussy Galore (named after a James Bond Character, right?) Imperial Stout and lastly (Maybe) What Catherine Really Thought of Gregori Russian Imperial Stout. While it won't be truly Eye-talian like the fine Grappa that Bill will provide, at least my Brewery is located on Taliaferro Rd (Taliaferro is Eye-Talian for Iron Bender). Oh yeah, I guess I still have to prepare room for some clothing. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and to meeting the new faces that will be participating!! (Docc, I think I can retrofit the drive shaft out of my Eldo to make it work for your bike!!) Rick (aka Farmer Rick)

Gottem new drive shaft?

Unlike past years, I'm planning on being there on a Guzzi!! (I know, shock of shocks). While I'd love to ride over on the Eldo, based on my current reassembly rate, I may have one or two test rides in by the departure time of SSR VII. While I love the thrill that occurs every time I press the starter button on an EYE-talian bike (Please start, please start) and the ride experience (please get me to where I'm going, please get me to where I'm going), I will, instead, show up on a modern Stelvio. The good news is the luggage compartment is large enough for a couple of liters of home brew... I'll have to see what I can have ready in a month. Looking forward to it! Rick

Great ride up on Friday, great dinner, fantastic breakfast.. hey wait a minute.. Do I sound like a Goldwing/Harley "Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride" guy? Anyway, thanks to Docc and Bill for another great event. Next year I'll be there either still drinking the orange Koolaid or maybe on a Guzzi? Rick

Well, it looks like there will be at least one Austrian bike along on the Friday trip settling into room 20X for a nice soak and sleep before the Saturday trek to B'ham... Rick

So if I put a big bore kit on my Centauro can I re-badge it as a V-12?

I had a great time too... Sorry I had to cut out early Saturday but I paid the price on the way home during a sampler hail/lightening/HEAVY rain storm just south of Crossville AND in all that weather my bike rebadged itself... (For you younger folks... Wikipedia Norge... )

I think I'm gonna be in trouble this year with the color coordination.....oops!!

Just a note... there may be another Norge (I think I'll nickname it the Maytag) at Spine Raid this year. More news to follow... I'm hopping on a silver bird in the am to head to places unknown, people unknown and, of course, things unknown. I do know I'll be riding back on a silver maytag down skyline drive, blueridge, etc., making my way towards the Burkesville rally. I'm hoping to get the longest distance award!! Later, taters!!

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Quick note to Bill (and Kathy)... Thanks so much for posting your pictures!! (although I was expecting to see an LT/GoldWing chase down). Great picts!! Rick

Next time I want to wear out a set of perfectly fine tires... I know the guys to do it with! Great time! Thanks Docc for inspiring us to attend the officially unofficial non event/gathering! Hope to do it again in the near future! (New shoes should be in on Tuesday, so anytime after that is good with me!) It was a great pleasure meeting everyone and I felt right at home even though I had a V11 - 1! Rick

Just got done destabilizing my ride... the test run will be the raid!! Rick PS... at least the Sporties have more than 1.5" of rear suspension travel!!

Geez... he beat me to it... I was going to offer up the KTM or a complete front end off of the Eldo or Ambo (that would make such an interesting FrankenBike!!)

Arrrrr... what a motley crew....

Docc.... Gonna bring your back board for "Bike with no rear suspension" rider?

It's a great rally... nice town, very moto-friendly!! Hope to see a lot of the "perky jugged" bikes there!! Rick

Perhaps it would be okay for an older tag along? (If I can figure how to equip the V10 with luggage?) Rick

How did you mount you convertibars? With the bars towards the front of the triple tree or towards the rider? I have set mine up both ways now and I am waiting for a set of longer brake lines in order to be able to extend the bars fully in the 4:00 position (towards the rider). When I mounted them in the forward position, I was able to extend the bars within about 1" of full extension in order to clear the fairing during full lock turns. As to the vibration. I have mounted my heavy Throttlemeister setup back on these bars (TM had all the necessary adapters to do that for ~25 bucks). The overall vibration feels about the same as the stock bars. I had thought of adding the lead shot to mine additionally, but I haven't found the vibes to be uncomfortable. Just my .02 worth... Richard Mathis Franklin, TN 2002 LeMans

So why are the cases being delayed??? Oops, they forgot that the cases have to be machine stamped with the corred ID number.... I was the fortunate recipient of an early replacement case thanks to the hard work of my dealer... but.. my block has not numbe stampe on it (yet)... This will eventually get resoved... Richard Mathis

Let's add a little heat to the fire. I had my block replaced by my dealer as we both wanted the bike to be right. Guess what MG forgot to think about? Numbering the block. Subsequently, I now have a 2002 LeMans with Block number (blank). Perhaps it's just me and my limited knowledge of bike registration but I don't believe my bike is now legal in several states. So, MG can't decide what to do, I am riding the bike with a great looking engine with no block number on it. While this may not be grounds for a class action suit, I will be persuing this with the State Lemon Law folks and may potentially have to persue this through private means directly with MG. As a brief aside... I love my dealer, Destination Motorsports in Knoxville. The bad thing about that is that by persuing Lemon Law violations the dealer is the one who takes the direct confrontation of the state legal folks. MG, through their dealers, has cushioned themselves very well. I hope this gets resolved quickly and correctly by MG with no suffering either by the dealer or by myself. PS.... I saw a 2003 Aluminum with bubbling paint on the engine... Maybe MG needs to rethink the whole black thing... Richard Mathis Franklin, TN

I just got my bike back after having it sit in shop (well sort of) at my dealer for 3 months. Dealer (in knoxville, TN, but I won't use any names) asked that I bring the bike in (180 mile trip for me) so they could verify my engine paint was flaking. I trailered the bike in January to them (it so pained me to see my bike on a trialer) and was told that MG would provide a fix or replacing the engine block and as soon as parts arrived ("could take up to a month") they would swap everything out and I would be on my merry way. Many phone calls later, I determined that the engine had been removed from my bike in anticipation of the arriving case... Many more phone calls later I called MGNA who told me parts were in... 2 more phone calls later I determined that MGNA did not know what they were talking about... the cases received were for 2001 not 2002 (my year) LeMans. Several more phone calls later my dealer said they would be glad to put the bike back together so I could at least ride it while I awaited parts... Another 360mile round trip and I picked up my bike only to find missing/different side cover screw, oxidation on the clutch lever adjustment, oxidation of the throttle bodies (which had already been replace once) and strange white paint or other foreign matter on a large black clamp on driver side of the engine. Gee, did they store my bike outside?? Well yes... Did they lose some screws? well yes... is the engine any better after 3 months of waiting? well no. Am I a happy camper that now after 12 months of ownership of my 2002 LeMans it has spent a total of 4 months in the shop (1 month for the throttle bodies, 3 months oxidizing outside waiting for engine cases)? Well NO! Thank goodness I have another dependable bike to ride like my 69 R60 so at least I can get out during our 12 month riding season... Will MGNA get there "shtuph" together and resolve this issue? Do I really want to take my bike back to a dealer who obviously has too much service work to allow for bikes to be stored indoors? I'm beginning to regret my decision to trade in my ST4 (a reallly nice bike) for the LeMans (a bike that I absolutely love to ride!!)... Okay, I'm frustrated and need to vent... Where is the cry for class action?? Rick Mathis Franklin, TN