motortouring

Very true. But if I read the report measuring the temperature increase was part of the objective part. Braking with ABS is reproducible. ASR when coming out the corner also says something, especially with the track logger that they used. Lateral and longitudinal accelerations are usually pretty accurate on the logger. But still true, these tests have also subjectivity because of the driver preferences/capabilities.

Thanks docc, I will use the info on lowering the front for future experiments.

Yes, that is what I did, but I also changed to Conti RA3. So now I do not really have a good comparison. The handling improved a lot. My '99 Redframe was modified with a 5,5" rear rim and that one I was riding with the T32 (120/70R17 180/55R17). That handles even better. This is why I asked for letting the fork come for 15mm or so through the triple clamp. This would compensate that raking that Guzzi did in the Longframe.

But a question to the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 riders. I used to have them on the V11 Sport from 2002. So 120 front and 180 rear. To me they felt heavy on getting the bike into the corner. Am I the only one that has this experience? Or did you change the settings, f.Ex let the frontfork stick through the triple clamps further?

"Subjective" [observation] is used when there is not a predescribed testmethod that would result in measurable repeatable values(objective method). I think something like feedback is difficult to capture in an objective sense.

I have Conti RA3 on my 2002 V11 Sport (rear a 170). This was because I could not get on terms with Dunlops. I spoke to a ex-Pirelly MC-tyre developer and he explained that this had probably to do with the first part of getting into the turn. A slightly different set-up of the compression damping could improve this. So this is something for the future to experiment with. Conti RA3 is known for the easy handling in this particular phase of steering. I also recall endless stability when being in the curve with the Dunlops, dry and wet, both very good. I bought the '99 V11 with T32 tyres. Very convincing and very good feedback. Since they where already used, I am not completely sure about the mileage. But that seems to me rather short for the Bridgestone T32. Somewhere between 7-10 thousand KM.

Over here in the Netherlands (and other EU-countries) a bike can be produced in 2001 and then be for sale for some years. The dealer can register the bike when sold. So if this takes until 2005, that will be the first registration date in the papers of the bike. I have a bike that was used as press-demo at the factory (so they say at least). Production was 2001 and registration in 2005, leaving the factory directly to a new owner.

And what is the last part of your framenummer? 3M111xxx?

Here the side cover of my V11 Sport. Production year 2001. (I dive into the month later this day)

Is that the best way to identify the different versions?

There is one from a used parts company in NL. https://www.boonstraparts.com/nl/onderdeel/moto-guzzi-v11-1100-le-mans-2002-2006-voorvork-2002/000001072889 Maybe they ship to Costa Rica :-)

Always a tricky topic but I wanted to share this interesting test report from Utac Ceram. A rather top end automotive technical service and independent/inpartial under ISO 17025 accreditation (I am not sure if this test was done under the accreditation). https://grippingstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/210428_BRIDGESTONE-test-report-Motorcycle-tyre-comparison-V2_ENG2_sub.pdf

Thanks, I found a set. Great!

They give it a nice upswept look. 👍🏼

@Kostarika, Did these EXANs come with the special mounts/footrests?

I also fell for the color. More or less the first time in my life that I was attracted by a color. @LaGrastaI'm sure you make that bike run like it was new again.

I also used vaseline. Lately it was not really necessary so no recent experience. I do have a nice anekdote on this however. I had done the righthand switches of my LM2 before going to Mandello a few decades ago. All worked fine and I parked the guzzi outside Il Giardinetto (it was a hotel back in those days) on the side where the ramp to the lake was. Two days later we were about to return home and everything was packed. I pushed the starter and nothing happened. Kill switch was in RUN, so I pushed again and smoke and a smell of burn came out of the switch. Immediately after a large bunch of ants were evacuating the switch. Be carefull with vaseline in your switches when parking in Mandello next to Il Giardinetto. There are vaseline eating ants.

I like to thank all of you for your responses, sharing experiences and urge to rational methods. Very helpful and when it is about engines (particularly Guzzi), I just love to read it.

@Lucky PhilI didn't mean to have the all covering solution to potential oil pressure problems :-). The methodology is flawed (and then you put it mildly), but so are a lot of methods. When running a test-center back in the past, the accreditation counsel always joked that at the end every sensor is temperature sensor, suggesting that temperature should always in the equation for correction. An incorrect pressure release valve is difficult to find with cold oil (in the workshop). A short blink of the LOP-light in a corner at low revs and the lack of delay in LOP light gave my workshop immediately the hint to first check the valve. I must say, I had never even heard or thought that the valve could be calibrated. Unfortunately, I had driven it to long at low pressure, so harm was done to the bearings of the crankshaft. But I will order a new pressure sensor for the V11 '99. They turn out to be less than 10 Euro :-).

But on the topic. Could a oil pressure sensor have some sort of temporary failure? Something like a clothed opening that works like a membrane?

Well, to me it shows some constant time that I like to relate to the slope of pressure drop when the engine is turned off. I started doing this when I had a pressure problem with a LM3. That light went off the instant the killswitch was off. It turned to have a bad adjusted pressure valve and worn crankshaft bearings. I guess a sort of a tick.

Phil, this is indeed not well explained. I switch OFF with the RUN/STOP button, because I like to check the delay in the OIL Pressure Light. That is where the delay is coming from.

I like to share a little observation with you. It might look familiar and I am interested in your experience. I used to ride pre-injection Guzzi's like the Cali 2 and LM2 and 3. They have always a very clear oil-pressure-light behavior. Switch-ON(the master-key or ignition-key)--> Oil pressure light is ON. Start engine --> Oil light turns OFF. Engine running --> Oil pressure light OFF. Turn OFF ignition --> 3-6 sec delay and Oil pressure light turns ON. With my V11 2002 it is like this. So, it satisfies my expectation. With my V11 '99 it is different. The oil pressure light stays of after the engine stalls(Ignition OFF) and the oil pressure light is sometimes ON when Ignition is ON and engine is not running. But not always. It feels to me like the switch has some hysteresis or something or the oil pressure remains above 0,5 bar near the switch. I use 10w60 oil, the viscosity is a little higher, could this have an effect. Then we have the V11 LeMans '02 of a friend. I have not seen that light ON for ages, so that will probably be a defect light. We grounded the wire to the oil-pressure sensor and that didn't switch the light ON. Now in the 25 years that I am riding Guzzis, this light has never been the cause (there can always be a first time) .