The Monkey

Good idea Henry! Definitely a bonus to riding alone is the interchange that results. I was trying to avoid the "law" story but one has always stuck with me, happened early on, a bizarre enough experience to retain the detail. I was working on a boat in Marathon (Florida Keys) winter 82-83. Spring was on and so was Daytona Bike Week. The overtown riots were pretty much over but I had witnessed cars burning in the streets etc and to a kid from Canada that meant stay clear. So I'm ripping up I-95 left lane to zip by Miami. Up ahead a trooper has another bike hauled over. Just as I'm going past the trooper leaps out towards me and does the exaggerated "pull in ahead" gesture. Surprise, speed, recovery etc carry me on about 5-600 feet. I stop bewildered and wait. The other bike leaves and the trooper walks towards me, long walk, warm day, slapping his leg with the ticket book all the way, this may not be good. The trooper is right out of the movies, reflective aviators on, pressed uniform, tight hat band. It is entertaining so I open with "Pretty dangerous jumping out into traffic like that isnt it? He barks "You were in the EXCLUSIVE Lane with no passenger!" "License!" we both have to yell as the white noise of the traffic drowns most everything out. "What? Exclusive lane?" I hand him my license. So he explains the rules of this lane in a shrill voice. Ok its a commuter lane, never seen one before. "Don't have these where I'm from!" "Where're you from!" I point at the license, bound to be easier to read than to keep hollering. but no. "Where you from ANSWER!" "British Columbia!" I can see myself reflected in the lenses, he is still, quiet, maybe 10 seconds standing there 3 feet away. "You're a DRUG SMUGGLER!!!" I see my own surprise in his glasses "No I'm not!" I think of the clarity of the blow in Florida and how I had purchased well over an ounce of Columbian Gold in a sealed can that winter for $35. "If I smuggled drugs from BC to Florida, I would go broke!" He is even more still! I stop staring at the shades and see a badge on his chest declaring his skill as a marksman, nifty little badge, crossed revolvers. Cool, I grew up with those, considered myself a damn good shot. Try a little chit chat to calm the oddball down. "Your a good shot eh?" He jumps, turns and drops without loosing his grip on the ticket book, my license though sails to the median bounces off it luckily staying on our side. His other hand pops the top of his holster, doesn't draw it fully but hand is on the Butt, just leaves it there crouched on one knee and bellows "You carrying a weapon?" His hat is still on perfectly and his glasses haven't moved. Jesus Christ I'm standing there a 20 yr old kid, Its Miami! 7 out of 10 cars going past us are packing! My leather jacket has been open since I was waiting for him to finish with the other biker! "No!" I holler. He straightens up fastens his holster top and points his finger at my folding knife sheath and states "That is a concealed weapon, I can charge you with concealed weapon." This is a pleasantry and the closest he has come to smiling. "Actually that is a tool good for fuel lines, oil lines, electrical, making a fire, and its a bottle opener too." "The way your jacket sits over it makes it CONCEALED." "A CONCEALED TOOL, mind if I pick up my license I dont want it lost in the traffic." "DON'T you move!" walks over to my license, stands on it, bends down, shifts his cowboy boot grabs it, looks at it for the first time and says, "You people, all coming here" "Do you know where BC is?" "South" "Do you know where California is?" "Course I do!" "OK, Oregon is above California, then Washington State is above Oregon" "Washington isn't over there!" "Not DC, the State itself, anyway BC is above that, goes all the way to Alaska, twice as big as Texas!" a lie I know but him standing on my license with his shitkickers on got my goat. Hatband tight as ever, back he goes to his car. It must take a steady diet of red meat and cheese to make a man walk like that. I sit on the median, head pounding from the traffic fumes, noise and the effort of communication. It takes him another 10 minutes to drive up, staring straight ahead, barely stops, doesn't look at me, those glasses staring straight ahead, hands me my license and ticket and says, "I'd get out of this State if I were you." and barrels off. I look at my ticket $90 on I 95. Big ticket! Adios I went to the Daytona party, watched Roberts race about all by himself, partook in the madness and left Florida on April Fools day. Every law enforcement individual has been a breeze since that twirp. Cheers

Thanks guzzimeister, found the aluminum filter wrench for these UFI's. BMW shop made by Mahle price $20. Shails shop on Powell here in Vancouver, for anyone interested. Oh my stars and little comets, the actuation nut on the filter wrench is 27mm OD! How do they do it?. Cheers

Thank you Roy, kindly draw up a stand alone headlight relay with ground line bypassing the steering head bearings. Maybe as an option page or some such. This has been done before, but your level of diagram is most appreciated. Dont worry about lack of response, electrical issues are someone elses until... then the light comes on.

The info I derive from the posted links is that the UFI has a much larger filter. To me that means the UFI will filter longer than the competition. Fine to use another type of filter if you are changing it frequently, I run both filter and oil for 10,000km and consider the difference enough to pay the money for the UFI. I would be changing both at 5000km with one of the other filters fitted. That said, the mileage I do is 90% tour oriented, when that V11 is fired up it goes sun up to sun down, which is much less demand on the oil than someone commuting. Going to drop the sump this change and put in one of those "reusable" silicone gaskets, see how that works re longevity.

Customize a Cali Vintage. That would be fun. Start with those cool aluminum spoke rims that appeared briefly (Bassa). Tail light/plate bracket off a loop frame, remove the latin gak that covers an otherwise decent machine (extra lights, cheap tinny covers, nasty mirrors). How about a quick release Bat wing fairing, custom handlebar, Ambo headlight shell, luggage by Craven (the price of a used motorcycle itself). D-boards for your feet and a leather saddle. Whew! I am getting carried away but ya could turn one of those black and white disco balls into a proper machine if your number comes up in that lottery.

Life is so strange with its changes, yes indeed. I'll bet the designer of the V11 fits into this age group too! At 47 I've had a 71 T250, 73 Titan 500, 76 750F Supersport, 81 GS1000G (only new bike I've had, 40k in the first year!), a brief affair with a chopped Commando, (rode it down a gravel driveway and promptly traded it for a pick up truck, about 1200 feet), a 62 FLH (still have that), 85 RZ350, 02 SV650S, then the V11 to make distance entertaining. That old Pan is still around, I built the first of 3 versions at 21 and rode it across the States to the Atlantic and to and fro countless times to California for 17 years. It has been off the road for a decade now. I outgrew it, just too many memories to sell it. I can't imagine hopping on a Harley as a middle aged human, that just doesn't make sense. When I am "old" I want to be propped up and ferried about in the hack of a Brough or Vincent rig piloted by a bi-polar toothless dancer. In the meantime I'll let the V11 sing that 4500 to 6800 V-Twin song and chew up the distance. Last few slaps of snow still on the passes with this cold snap. April is that way eh? Clear enough when the sun heats the road though, high time to put the bike on the road. I used to ride year round, embarrassing to be last guy out behind you hard asses in the Mid-West! Cheers in that order

There is no freedom with a bank. There will always be another bike. Low rates make it easier to beat down principal. The Wind tastes better when it has no attachments or agenda- regardless of what you're riding. Sell the Ape instead. MG never has had it together, that is the challenge of having one

If you do the thru-manhole routine Roy, an easy cheap tool is an 18mm nut. this has the 27mm outer hex measurement and the closed end spanner in your stock tool kit for removing the rear spindle nut is the right size for the job. Nut is plenty thick to recess into manhole cover and still have enough left for spindle spanner to grab. If you toast the seal Wraison seal has the 0-ring for you. I've been using UFI filters but notice a difference in the recent ones, requiring me to experiment with different filter removal tools, (the type actuated by a 3/8 rachet or drive bar from the centre, up thru manhole). None are fitting too well, this is a concern as getting that filter tight is key to the motors survival. Hunt up the thread that deals with this issue, and you can make up yer mind whether you want to piss about with the manhole. dropping the pan lets you clean her up better and allows a strap filter wrench for removal. It also gives you the room to install and tighten the filter conventionally. Some guys install a hose clamp to ensure that baby doesnt back off. Happy Reading

trip reset knob is a left hand thread. Resets the odo one way, unscrews the other. go easy

Ho Ho, my father inlaw raced briefly for an outfit (late 40's early 50's) they used to refer to as (B)loody (S)mall (A)mount when payday rolled around. He used to curse the "multis" as he had them in the corner only to be hopelessly outgunned on the straight. Acronyms (F)-in (L)arge (H)and for the clutch on my panhead, (H)ealthy ®etirement (D)eposit (missed) for dear ol dad's 49 C series Shadow and ®eplace (I)t (P)lease for those low volume front ends on the early Tontis. Happy Easter to the lot of ya, even the dark ones on twitchy, soul gargling, satanic beasts

My bike has the washer (02 lemans), according to the Moto Guzzi parts cd the v11sport and lemans and rosso corsa all have that same washer. The washer does recess into the housing of the bevel box requiring a little care on assembly (a little extra grease dont hurt) but gaurentees it is centred. Check fit of bearings on spindle, BC bearing has them in stock $5-$6 each. Have a machine shop build up the spindle in the affected areas if there is excessive wear. There is a good write up on the problematic bearing spacer between the wheel bearings here on the site. Oh yeah, dont forget to slide that little 5/8 spacer you referred to onto the spindle between bevel box and wheel assemblies. Have fun

You do have to build this one yourself, I just saw a convert mill and frame on ebay for $400. All you need is another $5000.00, 600-700 hours for pondering and assembly after maybe 2-3 years of avid ebaying. Oh and a double garage stocked with sufficient wine is necessary for the space (in both senses) associated for the absolute yard sale that results from bike dissection and assembly. My brother had a convert mill with a manual transmission stuffed into a Tonti frame. There must be differences in the steering head angle of the Tonti frames as that bike turned in far quicker than any of the current EV variants or I suspect the stock Convert. I think that Tonti was from mid 70's. Bitsa bike

Fuckin Eh!

Homely girls always behave eratically when around babes

Check the spacer surface that the left bearing rides on, mine was worn enough to initiate the first stages of bearing failure. Had to have it built up and turned it down for a firm fit.

Yuasa YTX15LBS no issues, no special chargers, just a battery that does the job.

You may have to add a little silicone (very little)to seal the old gasket, if you do tear it British Italian or Chilliwack Yamaha will have them. I just got a set of re-usable silicone gaskets from Real Gaskets Tennessee. They look like a good product so in they go next adjustment. They are online the part number for them is RG-14023760-2 MG-3760 S/2 Likewise a CD covering parts and procedures is constantly available through Ebay for $10 USD Happy Thrashing, hope this helps

Go easy on the zerk, damn fragile things those. Straight on, straight off with the gun (bevel drive it is, differential it is not)

I still use the Moto Guzzi differential oil (shaken up) as it contains the Moly additive called for. If thats not available you can use regular 85-90 weight and add your own moly (auto dealers sell convenient sizes of moly additive for their truck differentials). The transmission is happy with the recommended weight gear oil, I've been using a 75-90 full synthetic for the last couple seasons, seems fine, but probably is a waste of cash. The grease for the cardan shaft? just be sure there are no additives containing MOS/2 they give a drop point in the owners manual and recommend a "grade 2 lithium base" I have'nt run into grade 2 but lithium based grease is easy enough to find. Personally I use a marine grease for outdrives that has no MOS/2 (haven't worried about the lithium aspect) for the last 40k all splines are happy and the centrifugal fling is acceptable. Make sure the needle bearing in the end of the bevel box gets a good shot of grease each season (generic wheel bearing grease does the job) otherwise water gets into it and destruction results. Its easy to get to/ or replace (drop the wheel) I leave enough to have a bead visible once assembled, even if it means running extra around the finished assembly with my finger to ensure water stays out. Hope that helps.

Our bikes and our livers will make the 100th anniversary! If Piaggio will listen to us maybe they will be invited too. Sport.... Lemans.... Sport.... Sport Touring, hey I like that, gives me confidence, has a certain Woodiness to it. Spooooooort Tooooourrrringgggg Moto Goooozzzy ahhh yes Woody absolutely Woody. Red wine Woody even! hooo! Piaggio....Peeajjioww, sorry but that seems Tinny, like Small Bike Fiddly or Lawnmower repair- Positively Tinny. Scooter- aaakk! Tinny word, sounds like a pet excrement retrieval system. Happy Birthday to the folk in Mandello de Lario, here is to the new partners success

Cheers Ben! That looks a lot better than the snow shovel shots. Hang on, arent those exercise pants and runners? You pullin our legs or what?

In addition to the clean up, It helps to put the pistons in the caliper through the operating range of motion while replacing the fluid in the system. Pop the caliper off, put a spacer between the pads so the pistons dont come free of the housing (I use a combo wrench laid in between) pump master to shove pads out, open bleeder and twist spacer to push pads back in all the way. Repeat till you've exchanged all the fluid. Due to the fact the bleeder is on the bottom of the caliper when mounted on the bike it is easier to final bleed any air out with the caliper off too (bleeder up). This exercise helped the pistons retract far enough on my bike when the brake pedal was released to get rid of that howl from the stern. As the sound is vibration induced it may help to put a little extra anti sieze on the caliper arm locater/slider as that seems (to me) to have excessive tolerance and may well contribute to the racket. Hope this helps, Cheers

I had to reglue/epoxy mine a couple times but eventually replaced the two lower mounts with new ones and put a through bolt on the upper (with a pad under it) as the upper seemed to be the one that failed first, causing the cluster to move enough to make the lower mounts to fail. Havent had any trouble since, just be sure to use soft enough material for a pad to allow the cluster a little movement as the tachometer doesnt respond well to a rigid mount.

That Lyon clip redefines urban assault! Impressive skill display by one tuned human. The bar just keeps going higher.

This process has been whipped into a lather already with spacer lengths quoted etc. Spend some time searching the site and you should come up with some good solutions. Personally my rear spacer was shy by .048", enough to guarantee the early demise of the bearing from the resulting side load. Correct length of the spacer is the distance between the bearing registers in the rear wheel. I just had a shop turn a steel spacer matching the register distance exactly, I chose an adequate scantling to eliminate the worry of crush. The nut that holds all our wheel spindles in place is just a nylock nut, being such it should be replaced each time it comes off (course no one does this) so heave ho on that spindle nut! Or slightly less heave and a lock washer. Did someone offer a beer?