savagehenry

Just read your ride report. Great ride to start off on your new motorcycle! Sharp scooter

OIL THREAD!!! OIL THREAD!!! Vigourously debate your choice of motor oil for use in your transmission. The more wild documentation, and personal taunts the better! ...I believe we are well on our way to the Winter Obsessive Phase

I'm thinking the bevel box will not look right in "Crinkle", plus that finish collects fine dirt in the wrinkles thats hard to wash off completely. I don't know if your grill paint needs to cure in high heat, but maybe you could eMail/call their customer service to find out. If it does need the high heat, I'd go for some other version of matte black. If you don't like the results, use another black finish from the same brand right over the first attempt. I think using the similar enamel and manufacturer will reduce the chance of "unplanned crinkling" if you choose another finish. No matter what, 70 miles an hour in the rain and you'll never see it anyway!

Three years deep, and I still find myself heading into the house, but turning back to gaze on the Nero and say to myself "Damn, that is one of the best looking motorcycles ever made!" I don't see myself doing that to this Honda, or my refridgerator for that matter. I don't think much about the esthetics of appliances all that often. I would only notice them when they didn't function properly. NakedV, the longer your here, the less weird you will appear when judged alongside present company!!!

I just officially became involved in LSR activities. Just got off the phone with my friend who is ON THE SALT as I write this. He was going to go for the naturally aspirated, unfaired 250cc record with a custom built Triumph that I helped with, machining and fabricating. As is often the case, it does not seem to go as smoothly at Bonneville as it did in the garage. But, he flew right through tech inspection, had to use a back up engine, and now officially has run on hallowed ground, and is licensed, good for three years from the first posting of a timed speed run. With any luck, we will be ready for next year with a serious contender, and I will be there to witness "history in the making" IF this is the case, I will of course show the pictures and let you know how fast the Nero goes. She easily bounces the needle off the pin on the speedo that stops you from going over 140 mph, with throttle to spare. A timed run out there would be almost too much to dream about. No chin fairing for me!

Hey gA, Welcome aboard, you've just signed on to a great Guzzi site, and it only gets better, and wilder as time goes on. Sounds like you are about to have a very memorable ride, in my estimation. Check "this old tractor.com" and I believe you will find the manual you seek. Good Luck, ride it fast enough to scare yourself, and still ride home! S.H.

Check the "FAQ" section, under V11 varients. There is a pretty comprehensive list of the various versions of the Sport/LeMans, and a VIN decoder. Ain't this site THE SHITT? Also, count me in as another owner who does basically all my own maintenence. They are very easy bikes to work on, one of the reasons I bought mine. If you are at all mechanical, or not afraid of learning the simple basics, they are great bikes. And as you see, many questions get answered here, pretty darn quickly in most instances. If you want to see what happens when we have the occasional "internet tank slapper", just look at the train wreck that is the "steering dampner" thread. This, unfortunetly, is what happens when you "love too much". Oh well, beats pure apathy in my book...

One of the reasons I'm happy with Nolan helmets is that they do DOT standards, and not the Snell. It gives me a sense of security. Thankfully I have never had any"Real World Testing" done so far

Not only did my wife think the seat pattern was chosen specifically to match the pattern of the CF slip ons, but also that the fade in the red of the rocker covers was on purpose! "You start with those beautiful forks, flowing back from red/orange on that cover thing, and back to the gold thing towards the back back. The Italians, they just make everything a piece of art...". And mine came with the little "scar" on top of the slip on just behind the passenger peg. No doubt from some tart with spike heels from the PO. Chicks can't help themselves around sexy Italian machinery, and the hot guys like us who own them.

Out of this entire thread, I want to know... Wot's "SOP" Enquiring minds, well, you know... P.S. Ratch, where the HELL did you find all those baddass twitchy fricckken framed in red demonic photos? DEM may laugh, but photos MAY steal souls (and spontaneously alter trail)... ...and it ain't even close to winter fer most all y'all yet, by afar stretch...

Hey Tommy, welcome aboard, it is truly an excellent site. Alot of help will be at your fingertips with the "search" option, and most questions posted get results quickly. After you realize how cool this place really is, don't forget to buy Jaap a "virtual beer" as his efforts, among others, is what keeps this joint up and running. Cool bike, that Cafe. Almost bought one before I picked up my Nero. Ohlins rock!!! See ya around, S.H.

Alot of insurance companies in the USA use the NADA guide to settle the compensation on bikes. I just went there about a month ago to look at the same bike and the quote was about $6300 IIRC. Just do a search for NADA, and in 2 minutes you'll get the price you are looking for. Also, remind your counterpart that the KBB price is about 1/2 of it's new price. And yes, this site is still alive, and at times quite lively too!

Many here really like the Pirelli Diablo Stradas. Good all around performer in all weather conditions. Tacky enough for my needs (almost to the edge, not quite), and I just got almost 10,000 miles out of my first set. Have moved the rear from a 180 to the 170. It makes a difference, not huge and soon not even noticed, on regular roads, at legal speeds...and I'd pop for the pair if at all feasible. Your only contact with the pavement, oh you know the rest...

Yup, that's exactly what I did. Used electrical cleaner spray and plastic straw to blast out the holes, followed by air blow out. Works like a charm since mucho miles ago.

I'm beginning to see a bit of a trend here, for I too am beholdin' to the pan motor. A little pain makes for added pleasure, no?

I did this a few thousand miles ago. I didn't see where there would have been any clearence issues when I last serviced the pucks. I just put a new rear tire on only a couple hundred miles ago, and didn't see any evidence of problems at that point, but I didn't dissassemble the cush set up at that time. I kind of think the buttonheads were put there to dictate how much torque you could put on them, as the allen wrench would twist if you got all apeshit on over-tightening them. I trust myself more than that.

Ditto on fotoguzzi's thoughts. I really like the bikes ergos as it came. When you change the pegs, the seat, the bars, you change the nature of the ride itself. I just did almost 800 miles (all fun stuff, avoided slabbing it till the very end run for home) in 24 hours, with three hours sleep in the middle. The Nero just made me want to keep going. If you buy a Lemans, leave it alone for the first couple thousand or so, and see if you don't find yourself being pretty damn happy as it is, unless of course your real old and/or real creaky

I just put in socket head cap screws, no more buggerd buttonheads for me!

To Moto Guzzi-Damn shame to chase the ones who love you away...and PLEASE, try to outdo my Nero. HONESTLY To Jens- Damn fine site, and a testament to your character that you would even consider the future of something so fleeting as "a series of minor blips in the asshole of space's time". It has helped me in the past, and apparently will continue to do so Good luck in all your future pursuits, S.H.

I just recently discovered that the CF slip on does not get very hot at all. I can put my bare hand on them immediately following a ride. And I use a liquid wax that contains UV blocker. My bike sits all day in the parking lot at work, but is stored in the garage. I think they are holding up fine, so far...

Nope, never heard the D Quat system. I'm sure that all these different aftermarket systems sound good, each in their own way. They all are mounted to a motor that just happens to have alot in common with the V-8's we love in our hot rods. I just know I love the sound of my motor with the exhaust it has since I bought it 3 years ago. Though my experiences are limited, I've yet to hear a Guzzi that didn't sound good, mostly because they are air cooled, push rod V twins. And, more than any other bike I've owned, I get people who go out of their way to tell me they think my bike sounds "beautiful" or words to that effect. Also, Fast by Ferracci is right here in the USA. No "Importing" required. As far as the care of CF, I use a liquid wax on mine, and I think they are holding up pretty good. But I also don't sweat perfection in the looks department. It is a motorcycle after all, meant to be ridden. Tough to see how nice it looks when I cook right by you... And Greg 's bike has square wheels and a duct tape encrusted head temp sensor, so his opinion is circumspect at best!

Hi Dangerous, If I understand your inquiry correctly, Yes it's been tried and does not help. Since the zerks fitting points toward the rear of the bike, you still don't have clear access to it even if you drill the guard. And I just did a major overall bike servicing. I found that once you have the wheel and final drive off, it's just as easy to simply remove the front portion of the driveshaft and grease it fully as you also rotate the u-joint through it's entire range of motion. If it is going bad, you will know it right then. Another added bonus of doing a job thoroughly, plus that shaft costs about $700.00 so it is not a part I want to grease "pretty good", I want it right.

Baldini, Let's go easy on the old boy. As you full well know, a life without Ohlins is an insult of it's own!

And now for something completely different...A man, with 3 buttocks...

Just did my 1st replacement set of Pirrelli Diablo Stradas. Just under 10.000 miles, and not worn to the degree yours are showing. I really like the Diablo's as a great all around tire.