The Monkey

That silly yellow light is vague indeed. It used to be a worry but I have no trouble rolling another 80 km after it begins it's show. When I first got the bike it had the full FBF treatment, lid off the airbox and a PCM111 utilizing an unknown map. Mileage was terrible! Light came on at 170km! I did a plug reading and found them so clean from unburnt fuel, soot hadn't been able to develop! Bizarre. I grabbed the laptop and took a look at the map. It was extra to the maps supplied by the PCM111 and resembled a dams floodgates during spring runoff right up to 14500rpm! Obviously not designed for the pushrod V-Twin. Mind you with that set up the accelleration surge was impressive above 5500rpm with intake noise like a mating call for Godzilla. All top no midrange. I left the FBF cleanable filter in, put the lid back on the airbox (minus the rubber snorkels), replaced the map with the one from the PCM111 for a stock bike (I'm running stock exhaust), had the TPS set/throttle bodies balanced and with the manual (button) adjustments was easily able to produce healthy readings on my plugs. The FBF big valves and high compression piston are still in but I now have the midrange back and plenty of honk up top (enough anyway, there is naturally a decrease but it's only noticeable above 200km/hr). Good news is now that yellow light doesn't come on till 240-280km and I have attained up to 350km out of a tank. Regularly 325km range sport touring all altitudes typical speed 120-150km/hour. If I am playing about 160-190km/hour then lights on around 210-220km. Experiment with your map or switch it, I have completely uncorked bikes in the past and when ridden mellow should return close to stock consumption rates. Naturally once the pace comes up those upgrades chew up fuel. I am happy to tour at a decent clip without sounding like I want to hump a dinosaur and still have good range and acceptable performance. Hope that helps, cheers.

This is interesting, here is a question for all. Would it be possible to attain the old (shorter wheelbase) and reduced rake angle (later model long frame) by cutting neck off the latter and welding/gusseting it onto the older spine. Assuming you were starting with an early model would this give you the desired reduction in rake and wheelbase in addition to getting down to a 160 rear tyre? Also is any butchery required to mount the extra aft supports from the late frame on the early frame. I ask this as a friend has just straightened and gusseted a tweaked early neck. Also to give more food to the thought process going on.

Beers are a great idea! Excuse me for being flippant. I couldn't help quoting the Ferrari Driver in the movie "Gumball Rally" when I read this post. But as the member correctly assumed, it was said in jest. To be any use to the original question I agree with not having these motors at too low RPM. My mirrors are as clear as I would expect from the size of them. If yours shake above 4500 then something must be loose or unbalaced. I've found 4th gear the happy one when restricted to 55mph. Are you lugging your mill?

Seems you have the solution with other companies bolts. Cadmium plated steel is the only fastener that will not marry with aluminum. Stainless has no place as a fastener with aluminum as it will react and after a little time you won't get it back out without destroying the receiving threads. It is pretty, but that is all stainless is. Never use it where strength is required, the reduction in iron content makes it very unreliable.

Wretched Mandellarians, sorry to hear your plight, hope it works out well. The lighter flywheel theory has limited application on the road. Sounds like it's time to take a week off.

First rule of Driving Italian machinery. Who cares what's behind you! Seriously, has anyone ever been satisfied with the image in a bike mirror. Good luck with the stabilization, I am still trying to adapt a pair of seagull eyes to my hat. Cheers

Hi RHIP, open ended wrench on small coupling should do it, if the larger spins secure it with another wrench so it stays put. I use a large adjustable as the purchase on the coupling is broader and I can ensure a tighter fit than an open ended spanner (reduces risk of bruising the coupling). The advantage to taking the line off compared to letting the pan swing is that you can take the pan clear of the machine and clean, inspect the mesh filter for the pick-up (it sometimes need to be tightened depending on whether or not guido did the assembly with love and care back in Mandello. Personally I dont use a hose clamp on the oil filter, some here who have had these bikes longer than I swear by it, but with 30+ years wrenching on various engines 35-1500hp I have never had a filter come loose. There is a universal filter wrench tool that cups the end of the filter and is actuated with a 3/8 ratchet. It is a good idea to inspect the pan and clean it (I do it every 30000km) But with that filter removal tool you can access it through the manhole. All things Italian take patience, I've found the simplest of tasks on these machines are best approached with the right frame of mind, even something as basic as an oil change. Be sure you've got the mesh filter for the oil pickup correctly aligned when reinstalling the pan. There is a lock tab on the bolt holding it in place. Go easy all threads are aluminum based. Get the right filter removal tool pack a spare o-ring for the manhole (you will probably never use it mine is still fine after 65000km). I use the recommended filter from Guzzi, and synthetic oil Motul 15-50 and change the oil at 10000km intervals. I use an 18mm nut as the manhole removal tool it has the correct 27mm size for the recess and there is a closed end spanner in your stock tool kit that fits it. Have fun. Fix it slowly, ride it fast.

Cycle World attempted to put this one to rest a couple years back. Their approach was to eliminate as many of the variables as possible. They used the same driver, Kevin Schwantz as he had impressive credentials as a bike racer and subsequent to his bike racing career, ended up in some class of automobile racing in the US (one that required more skill than merely turning left) with more wins and championships in that arena as well. the track was either Laguna or Pahrump, I dont remember, but the gear was a current 1 litre gixxer and a current Z-1 Vette. (I dont know if he was teaching track riding at the time but there was some such reassurement as to his bike abilities still being well above the level of club racing). They radar tested the straights, the entries, apexes and exits at various points about the track. End result was car much quicker primarily due to the rubber footprint. The bike had a couple advantages here or there but the lap time told the story. Look it up those who need to know the kinks and wiggles. It is a hard pill to swallow as 99% of the cagers you run into on the public road are unaware cell phone jabbering nitwits with the synaptic response of a 3 toed sloth. Savages, the lot of em.

Thanks for that St Augustine, I had seen this but did not remember the name of the vehicle, been trying to find it ever since. Cheers

Just completed a 4000km loop through western Montana, Idaho, Washington and BC. rain and cold temperatures probably helped the lifespan of the bridgestone 021s I had on the bike, rear was shot by Spokane, went into Westside and had them mount a set of Michelin Pilot road 2 on the lemans, broke em in easy headed north and by the North Cascades Hwy was using the hiss of the sidestand as the limiter, great feeling tyre. Itll be interesting to hear the mileage on the new generation Metzeler from those using them, personally I found the previous Roadtec Z6 a little vague when pushed and too short a lifespan for the guzzi (9000 km), however on the lighter SV650 the Z6 was by far the best tyre out there. I got 14000 km out of the rear with the 021 (due to the cold) I pushed it too far though, as it was unsafe by the time I got it switched, so 12000 km is more realistic. I go through 2 sometimes 3 sets of rubber a season on 2 lane twitchy fun roads so I'm more than just a little interested in performance and mileage comparisons. Thanks for bringing it up and I hope someone finds this useful. Kudos to Westside in Spokane, I was in and out no appointment in 2.5 hours, always good to find a shop that prioritizes the guy on the road- getting rare these days. Will let y'all know when I've pooched the Road 2's. Cheers, congrats USA on the Moose Drool beer, had a 6 pack while drying my tent/sleeping bag out at the Wild Goose campground Hwy 12 Lolo Trail. Had to stop, just too apropos, what a road!

Molson product, or any of the other major producers shouldnt get airtime as they are absolute shit. No offense man but one of the best perks of being on the road is trying out the local micro gear. depends on where you live i guess but I havent had to repeat a 6 pack on the trail yet. If im stopped, tent up & not trying to persuade a badger into my sleeping bag, then I would have to hit a single malt, never found a favorite, buddy ran a bar with 38 different ones, we tried but no faves, all good except the livet and fiddich, something in my Scots background wont bear it.

Lucky for that guy the bike did the job, imagine laying in the ditch sorting out your own injuries and along comes the pissed bear that knocked you off the road. I put a couple of those high pitched noise contraptions just ahead of the mirrors on the lemans fairing and I did notice a marked change in animal behavoir beside the road. Browns, blacks and other 4 legged things with horns and 1 moose, about 25 animals large enough to dismount me if for some reason I couldnt avoid them, raised their heads then booked into the sidebrush, not one crossed the road in front of me. after a few months I didnt see this happening anymore, I think the things wear out pretty quickly 15-20000K. Just put on another set 10$ at Canadian Tire. these things work in pairs one for the right and one for the left. You cant hear the frequencies they transmit, but as I spend a lot of time on 2 laners in BC, Wash, Ore, Cali and Idaho, I consider them a necessary addition to touring.

Hwy 33 north of LA is where I would spend my weekend, have fun

keep both, choice is a good problem to have. up the revs, that will help climatize you to the vagueness of the MG throttle, the power commander can help a lot here as well, check your map. i found it took a fair bit of riding to keep the machine composed during throttle transitions in the bends. check or have checked the tps settings etc, the modern guzzi seems to have a fairly high idle but that will help reduce the herky jerk. the first one of these machines i tested (stock) was terrible, hopeless throttle response, yours has enough of the right gear to be more reasonable. 2 cylinder machines regardless of manufacture are more sensitive than those with >2 when it comes to injection, tis merely physics, youll just have to switch your head for each bike. ride it like you stole it and the guzzi will become part of you. have fun

Hi Bubb, is the tank settled onto the forward mounts properly? If it isnt it will be too high and possibly cause the clearance issue. good luck Cam