savagehenry

I haven't contributed here in a while, haven't been able to ride for the last couple seasons, so I live my life vicariously through you guys. Had to sell my bike due to $$$ needs for wife's health followed by me pulling my right bicep off the elbow. Luckily, during pre-operative testing they found a bigger issue, beginning for me what will hopefully be the worst week of my life. Monday- I am diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal blood cancer, in 3rd stage. I have no noticeable symptoms...THIS CANNOT BE RIGHT...Average life expectancy 2-7 more years IF FOUND IN THE FIRST STAGE. Now THAT'S a kick in the balls... Tuesday- My company's founder died. Now his kids, who aren't 1st hand knowledgeable about our work, own it. Thursday- My Dad dies unexpectedly....WTF!?! And of course, he heard my diagnosis, that still kills me. Saturday-Sunday- wife's continuing health issues put her in hospital, it will turn into surgery. I just turned 53 this December. I have 14 and 11 year old kids with needs, graduations, weddings, etc...Everyone around me is moving to floorboard effin' cruisers, I want clip ons, pegs, screw your 700 lb land yacht! I can still camp weekends with a tank bag, sleep wherever, I'm too young for this shit... BUT, we live in an amazing time. Well into our last century, simple infections killed many commonly. NOW, The DNA/genome project has led to me getting drugs, specific to MY cancer, for the first time in mankind's history. Two weeks from today, I "bubble boy it" for the second time for an autologous (I provide my own) stem cell transplant. My wife continues to deal with her issues/recuperation, like a real trooper. I'd rather have what I have then to deal w/ her day to day struggles. SO...It seems obvious. It is said so often it almost becomes perfunctory, blasé. And every tragedy has it's own unique obstacles... Stay strong, ask for and accept help, Pray, and NEVER QUIT FIGHTING. Best of luck for you, and everyone of us who prove daily that getting old ain't for sissies. Me, I don't count on luck, I pray a lot, and try to live by this mantra, "I never heard of Multiple Myeloma before, but it never met ME, either. We go in a room for a few weeks together. I walk out, ALONE." Hope to meet any and all of you out riding sometime in the foreseeable future, S.H.

Ever look into a Centaro? Still got that 4 valve lump, and a lot less money. They're damn ugly IMHO, but that doesn't matter when you're riding it.

On eBay: Ohlins forks and triple trees 43mm Moto Guzzi v11 LeMans Sport Rosso Corsa

I experienced drags as a kid, my parents would take me when I was probably 6-7. Your description made this a genuine Deja Vu moment. As I write this I can feel the hair on my neck and arms standing on end. . That it was over 40 years ago takes nothing away from the memories. The cars were undoubtedly less powerful and slower, but they were still some of the fastest things on earth at that time, creating indelible impressions on this future motorhead. No doubt, this has something to do with my love of heavy metal music, the power waves don't just hit you, they pound THROUGH you.

To anyone interested, I have a Ohlins rear shock off a V11 for sale, as well as a few other parts on eBay. There will be more highly sought after bits to come in the near future if you are interested.

I have used a needle tip valve with great results, as long as the old grease isn't rock hard.

Yeah, wot he sed...

According to the "MMMMM, Beer" thread, at least a few of us will be less than pleased with this particular logo!

Homebrewer for about 14 years now, so yeah, I likes me some beers. Like alot of hops. I don't mind cellar temps, even for a lager. Only kinds I'm not wild about are light yellow and fizzy (the crap so many of my countrymen actually believe to be BEER), those flavored with fruit, or rauchbiers and radlers. Beer, literally the most important discovery in the development of civilization. Without beer, we'd probably all be dead, or at least bored to death. Water can be deadly and look fine. Beer is always safe, and if it's spoiled you'll know it. It's why mankind stopped being a nomadic people, and became farmers and settled land owners. It's the very reason the original colonists to the "new world" pulled their ships over to the shore. According the the ship's captain's log, they needed to make more beer! Refrigeration? All originally funded, invented and perfected to chill commercially produced beer! Bottling, and commercial food storage? All envisioned originally with beer transportation as the goal! It has medicinal properties, and is packed with nutrients. The list of contributions to our civilization that are directly attributable to beer is astounding, so pay your respect to this most wonderful, life-giving elixir! Crack one open, relax, and have a beer! "Beer, the cause of, and answer to all of life's problems..." Homer Simpson

I know this doesn't help you now, but here's a little story from northern Minnesota. My best friend hit a deer on his bike way up in the north woods. He came off, slid down the road on his ass and hands. Some road rash, but not to bad considering what might have been. The deer came apart in three pieces. The head, neck, front legs, and spine to the hip joint was one part. The entire gut sack, fully intact with organs still inside was #2, and the third was just the rear legs and hips. A Minn.State Trooper had come along, checked my friend out, and asked him to honestly answer one question. There would be no ticket, just be honest. Then he asked him if he was doing above 80 miles an hour. My friend answered, "NO tickets if I tell you honest? I was doing probably 90-100 mph." The cop said he knew, because below 80 or so, the crashes tend to hurt or kill both the rider and deer. His vast experience with this sort of accident had taught him that you stand a much better chance of living if you are above 80 mph since you tend to go through the deer more than just slamming it and going down. So I figure, when you see those road rats, SPEED UP! P.S. in all seriousness, glad you're ok, play up the pain to keep those tasty meals comin'! Also, base jumping tends to be way safer than motorcycles, I used to go jumping and people would see my bike and say, "I would never ride one of those, they are too dangerous!"

My Grandmother, and Grandfather, on my father's side were both from Holland, but met here in the U.S. I still don't understand all of that video. I couldn't ask my Grandparents to clear this up, for a few reasons. One, they are both now deceased, and my Grandma's accent was so heavy I'm not sure if she could clear that up if she even wished to do so...but Man oh man, would she twist your ear if you sassed back, or said you didn't see any reason for going to church!

Just for fun, check the rubber between the throttlebodies and the airbox for slight cracking/leaks. I have been known to spritz LIGHTLY around other machines with a can of ether. If you've got an air leak, it'll start revving. There are alternative SAFER choices that will drag the motor down when you shoot the leaking area, but you gotta face this fact. That's no fun. That, plus everyone here is addicted to a air cooled twin when she comes off idle to that roarty bellow, with AUTHORITY!!

First, let's start off with the fact that I am highly biased toward the Corsa models, so... The clutch issue I believe you are refering to applies only to the single plate models, and all Corsas came stock with the two plate, so good to go there. I have found mine to be absolutely the most favorite bike I've owned to date. These are the only issues I've had so far, the rest being simple upkeep as opposed to break downs: 1. the front exhaust cross over gets loose. I tried several fixes, the best was I just took it out, made plugs for the openings and feel no difference from when it was in. I'm not real anal about it, and one day will have the nipples cut off and welded over. 2. The speedometers go to shit unless you open it up and grease the drive gears. Mine went at 25,000 miles. Many here and at WildGuzzi.com report that Palo Alto gauge repair ( many seem to hold them in high regard, I don't know them) says they can't get the gears that strip and so don't do a repair. I simply have not replaced mine, I just use the tachometer and feel for road speed. Many use an Sigma electronic bicycle speedo, some have used a proper electronic gauge. The write ups are here to see what you want if that occurs. I plan on doing an electric one that looks pert near stock when I can stop my family from eating for a week or so. For the tachometer glass, there are those dead speedo's in other owners' garages, maybe ready to sell it for that bezel, or make/have one made, shouldn't be too hard. 3. The yellow wire that loops from the regulator to the alternator tends to fry at the connector. Fixed it once but a bad crimp had it go again a year later. Did it again and no problems since. 4. My stantion seals did leak when I bought mine, used with 5000 miles on it. Replaced them myself, and leaked again 5,000 miles later. Brought them to my outstanding local dealer, who repaired them and have not had the leak return. He noted that most of the guys who have leaks also tend to ride them harder. According to several sources, I am guilty of this, your results may vary. When you ride this bike, it whispers bad ideas in your helmet, therefore I am not to blame. To me, once you've tried Ohlins, everything else seems like a step down. 5. That flywheel sensor leak is common, and if cleaned every now and again, is not an issue to me Overall, you are looking at the best riding, most sought after version of the V11 line, IMHO. Those Ferracci C/F slip on exhausts run about $700.00 or more and are probably the most popular mod made to these, and make the bike sound glorious, so more points in favor. Can't tell, but quite often there is a 2nd aftermarket exhaust crossover installed behind the oil pan at the same time, another plus if so. A quick search here will turn up multiple threads with someone looking for an Ohlins model LeMans. They will pay off in a great ride with a consistent eye on general overall maintenence, easily done by the average owner and you already seem like a candidate. Guzzi riders just seem to be the type who like to do alot of their own work. I paid a bit less than twice the price you are looking at, and have not regreted it once. But of course, your experience may be different, but I'd lean towards a bit of haggling, then "pull the trigger" . The only issue I'd point out is that it is the Rosso (red), and the Nero (black) just looks so much better. And the jokers who think that the Tenni, or Copa Italia is the most desireable paint scheme are quite simply daft. The Copa at least has that smooth as butter suspension, but lacks the very functional fairing, and looks as though it was in front of a Mexican paint factory when it exploded. And as for those Tenni guys, they lack the Ohlins, and let's just call a spade "a spade". Every group has it's mentally deranged subset. Ducking and walking before they make me run...Here's mine when she was pristine, but alot of riding cured that. Good luck in your hunt, S.H.

Whereabouts in Iowa? West, middle or eastside? I can tell you with no uncertainty that the Mississippi Valley is exactly the type of road these bikes love. Good luck with yours, S.H. Me, in Balltown, on one of those rides I'll never forget...

My first and third Sportsters came pretty much like that, but the proper number of milkcrates and buckets were included in both purchases. Gonna be a pain in the ass swap meet special to bring home like that... Then again, at least I would have seen that the speedo drive for the '70 was missing if it had been laid out like that! Expensive little part, Shit. Just finding it was the worst part