The Monkey

Never been asked that particular question, but they do want to know what its like. I just say its an engaging ride.

It is nowhere near the cloud, the rotor states that it is 1245 while its position in relation to the great and sacred light is 10 oclock. both of which would be 12 oclock high providing the navel of the observer is indeed directed toward the chopper. That gents is my guess at the time of the shot!

Desite the fact Guzzi recommends 0.10mm and 0.15mm int/exh. for valve clearances, the bikes are much happier at 0.15/0.20mm int/exh. Synchronize your throttle bodies. ensure the tank insulation hasnt fallen onto your intake (if running open air box)

Update: Nitrogen gave me another 2500km on the Michelins! Just over 15000km! that is the longest lasting tyre thus far for me. OK a smart man would have canned em at 14000 or shortly thereafter but I had to go out over a range of mountains and put another 1.5k on em. The last day of riding she was falling into the corners badly while the front peaked as the sides disappeared. Staying off the centre of the rear as much as possible, no cords... ahhh, all is good roll back home. Shit another season gone, I went to the tyre store and after looking at all the candy asked "Why do we in Canada pay so much for rubber?" Oh well they uh.. hmmph the uh retail system, the duty and uh.. well you know it is the way it is. So I considered the 45 minute trip across the line- 023's are $250 a set! if the ads can be believed. Went over to the 50% off rack here and started piecing together a set less than 3 yrs old thinking what I used to do with TT100's on my Titan 500. I had my choice, Metzeler, Pirelli, Michelin, Dunlop, Bridgstone... Ended up with Contis- a Motion for the stern and an Attack forward $225 both, see how it goes, dont really mind. Went to another shop and found a 99 VFR with 1/4 the mileage compared to my Guzzi for $3800! Brutal... this genetically modified carrot they keep sticking to us! Keep up, keep up!

A Male Fairy Tale Once upon a time there was a handsome Prince who asked a beautiful Princess "Will you marry me?" The beautiful Princess said "No!" After a thoughtful ride the Prince; Started shagging large titted, skinny broads, Hunted, raced cars, bought 2 more bikes. Dated women half his age, diddled cheerleaders, drank when he felt like it. Never heard bitching, never paid alimony, nor child support. Was never cheated on while at work, kept his house and all his guns. Was never bothered when hanging out in his shop, had tons of money. All his friends thought he was the greatest in the land! He left the toilet seat up and lived happily ever after. The End

Back taxes to 1776 wouldn't cover the interest on the current debt. Yank micro brews can be put up against any beer worldwide, its the large production swill for the identity challenged that should be poured down the drain. I've noticed that Queens live far too long and cannot be trusted. If the amount of attention applied to solving the issue equalled that to what those folk wear on their heads, then maybe Western Society could extract the harpoon currently residing in its rectum.

Pull overs for tea and sandwiches, very civiized. That sidecar is a thing of beauty (as is the woman in it). Enough to make ya go out and find a set of +8's and a pipe!

Really warm September, fall lows are in the air now. October is a fine time to run over to the Monashee hills, catch the colours before the snow, bragging rights at the New Denver coffee stop, drop into Idaho and roll the Pend Oreille tributary right to the Montana border. Gotta love fall, you can wear all the gear comfortably and if its dry the corners beckon. The rain a small price to pay for clear roads and empty campsites. I like what the water does- making you ride smoother, tuned to the line in a different way than when traction isnt such an issue. Weird, low mileage year for me, maybe 5000km, too involved, head jammed with the busy bullshit of the urban everyday. Now with Autumns windy roll, my raingear on, water bouncing off my helmet, I watch the rivers rise and marvel at the quiet.

:bier: :lol: Good one!

I face a lot of twat on this thing already!

Gads, wish I had spent more time focusing in chemistry 10. I am using Motul 5100 15-50 (a semi-synthetic and SG rated) and am happy with it from 5-35c degree temperatures. bike is strong at 90k. Been using full synthetic in the transmission and the trans seems happier longer, (1 change at end of season) and good ol MG mineral with moly additive in the bevel (likewise change at end of season). Lets see, count in the wheel bearing grease used in various places and extract of bee pupil for the speedometer and ya pretty much have the involvement of a steam engine! Just need a striped hat and a brass receiver for the bee lube. always sumpin!

Height on UFI oil filter is 91mm (3.56 inch) Thats overall including the 2mm gasket

Difficult to go wrong with a major tyre manufacture with a proven history. They are all good if not great. Hot temperature and rough roads chew up all rubber. Mileage depends on tyre pressure and the speed at which you travel. I think we all have had success with the tyres you mentioned it just comes to personal opinion after that. As long as the rubber you buy hasn't sat about for an extended period of time it'll work as intended. Nothin like new skins on yer ride! Have fun

Water makes milk, loose clamps on intake boots and clogged fuel filter makes shoddy running. Standard procedure on a guzzi roadtrip.

Revealing and informative articles Dan M, thank you. Any of us who store or let sit the plastic tanked V11 for any duration should empty the fuel tank prior. Astounded at the percentages (obviously fuel that has sat) found in some tests. Hygroscopic- means moisture draw- replace regularly.

Really- what you ride should be able to function on the fuel available. While I dont like to see corn fed beef on my plate, Ethanol and feed lots for the time being are a reality. Some companies claim no ethanol in one grade while up to 10% in others. I was on a tanker once where we delivered the same fuel to 3 different companies, course that was when lead was still used but... One cruise ship company even toyed with bio-fuel (silly phrase as all petroleum products are in theory Bio based) but when a small vessel (relatively) consumes 140 tonnes/day, there just isn't enough land to keep up with it. Modern passengers though were just thrilled despite the popcorn smell on the upper deck. Daft. It really was just a test to mix corn based fuel with the kerosene and run it through the turbines and hasn't been repeated. Marketing adventures. Make sure the insulation on the bottom of your fuel tank is in good shape, I redid mine using self stick ducting insulation and got better coverage than the stock affair, the venting is the other thing to verify. I've never had an issue with the modern additives, but there are too many horror stories to discount- some tanks balloon, some don't, some companies acknowledge this, some don't. Fill up and ride. If your bike stops due to incompatibility with what is widely used or available, put down the sidestand and walk away. Hunting down a specific fuel station is like only eating in one restaurant, or only drinking one kind of beer. Branding isn't just for cows.

Thanks Docc, good to know for the long run. Here are alternates for the UFI Fuel filter UFI 3150100 Baldwin, BF 836 Bosch, 0 450 905 002 Cheers

Some bikes get under your skin and stay. Nice to be on something you dont pass by everyday. Nicer yet to haul up beside some nancy on a duck or some overdressed glistening adventure thing, my tent and stove on the back, clearcoat peeling due to birds entrails on the fairing and a couple months away yet from the annual bath (whether needed or not). Got more Km than most of the collector plated bikes too. One day I will rebuild her, upgrade the suspension, maybe even paint! Now though she runs strong and puts my mind where it should be when on a bike. That is the magic of Mandello for me, 4th gear to 6500 knock her into 5th and roll em on- and still people walk up and state they have never heard of them! Too fun to sell, tickles my bones this ride does. The V11 and the Pan are the most entertaining bikes I have owned, to part with them would just be silly.

Opening chords of Sweet Emotion or Gimme Shelter seem to run into my head. Twist the wick and the music starts.... life is a highway, I'm gonna ride it all night long... No end to the tunes, dont understand the use of intercom or ipods, too much to listen to between the ears already! Course when I screw up a corner transition or shift then its a huge image of Rodney Dangerfield or Edith Bunker.... Hey asshole! Yer mother rides a honda! AArrrchieeee!!! I dont question the voices, just shelve them quickly if they become too much.

Ted Simon (wrote Jupiter's Travels in early 70's) redid his trip and wrote Dreaming of Jupiter, interesting perspective

More current and along the same writing style without aping gonzo is Dan Walsh's Endless Horizon. Encompasses two different bike trips, one through Africa, then North and Central America. Entertaining as Thompson and like him a trainwreck of a human. Perhaps that is the requirement or natural result of truly existing outside the envelope or box. Good probably because both books were written while the authors were young enough to disregard consequence, and hey aint it fun to be 14 at 25, a luxury only the mentally sound sort out. Difficult to dip your wick into that lifestyle without some permanent scars.

Funny how when you defer to others experience against your own intuition, that which proves correct more often than not, allies to your own sensibility. Consider a Banjo fitting instead of an angled/threaded piece and finally eliminate that wretched piece of plastic from your fuel system. Banjo's have been utilized on Italian carbs and oil lines for ages and won't @#!#$# up like a cheap acrylic part. Have fun on track day.

Drop the unit into boiling water, or wrap area with boiled wet rag, this eliminates cracking or shearing potential of direct flame gettin one part too hot between cold zones.

Perfect! Thank you very much for taking the time to explain that to me Baldini. I completely understand the scope of the failure now. Sadly, I already drifted my bearings in, and as I don't have a spare set, I'm going to wait until this one gets mucky until I replace it and remeasure the spacer for machining. Might as well get some miles on this set until it starts to slop out. Thanks! Thank you for clarifying Baldini, additionally when negotiating the front bearing set the spacer the bearing rides on (port side) is also made of inferior material, check it as it may need building up then turning to bring it up to the hardness required. How I came up with the measurement regarding material to use as a spacer is merely based upon experience. I chose steel as that was compliant with the rest of the metal in the "stack" aluminum would be twice the guage and bulky. Stainless is too soft, better to parkarize the steel. There is a great thread somewhere dealing with recommendation regarding crush and the axle spacer, look it up. Oh yeah pop out that bearing and measure space between registers and make damn good and sure the internal races aren't being squeezed due to a spacer too short!

Neat shots on those bell mouths Tom! I did grab another lid in order to "adapt" an intake flow as I do have the larger intake valves and pistons ala Ferracci. Originally I intended to drill the lid but those bells make me want to pursue denser air from forward. Going to have to rethink it regarding ram-air uninfluenced by engine temperature. Cheers