Bjor

I noticed that over the time the valve train became remarkably louder and I thought this particular point could be part of the emissions. It was not. Anyway a smooth surface there could take off some stress from the valves' endings, as you wrote already, otherwise the valve guides will go even quicker (bigger lateral forces). If you still have the heads off you could consider the Guzziology idea of arming (and enlarging) the valve ends by putting Ducati shims over them. Hubert Not planning on removing the heads in my case, and so I guess my choices are 1) grind/polish to remove the pits (not sure how much material can safely be removed - Hubert?) 2) replace the rocker assy ($$$) or 3) re-install and keep an eye on clearance for any further wear ... very tempted to go this way! Based on the pics, it looks like Bjor's rockers have experienced greater wear than mine (and in significantly less km's) and so I would ask the same question as thumper re what clearances were used..? Of course this could just be a production/batch issue and not related to clearance. I've always used the clearance given by the factory, 0,10 mm in and 0,15 mm out. However, the bike had around 40' km on the clock when I bought it, and I don't know the settings of the previous owner. The strange thing is that all the other rockers are OK...

Good idea! I will order. Do you buy your stuff from Stein Dinse, since you are located in Germany, or do you have any better suggestions...?

My 2003 Rosso Corsa has got nearly 50' km on the meter, and has -so far- had no problems with the pawl spring. I took it out for inspection before i took off to the 90th Jubilee in Mandello last autumn, just for inspection. But one very hot day on the same trip the gear shifter was completely stuck, and my first thought was the pawl spring. The reason was, however, that the heat had melted away all the grease on the axis of the change lever. Being dry, it didn't return from lifted position as it has to to engage a new gear. Luckily my bike has a grease fitting on the lever, and after having filled this with grease, the shifting functioned like never before. Just a tip...

Thanks Hubert! The tappet still has the right curve, and will most probably function for a while. The question is whether the pitting will accelerate or not once it has started. And I don't know when I will dismantle the cylinder again... But why grind the rocker arm? Is it to prevent it from damaging the stem of the valve, or is it to get a more even surface and thus a more accurate valve clearance? How much should I eventually grind off, just the edges, or should I grind back the original curve (which would be quite a lot...!)

Thanks a lot, all is clear now I always remove the sump when changing the filter anyway, partly for inspection and partly because I find the threads of the lid easy to damage. By the way, the first filter I changed on this bike (mounted by the previous owner, of course...) had to be removed with an angle grinder and a drill, after having twisted it with a puller...

I'm installing my new Mike Rich pistons, and give the cylinder heads an overhaul while being at it. I noticed that the tappet of the right hand exhaust valve is slightly pitted, and consequently will be replaced. As I understand, it is quite normal that just this tappet gets it, due to a not perfect oiling system in our Italian beauties. However I don't think it has gone as far as to damage the camshaft... But the rocker of the the right hand intake valve does not look nice. Is this part hardened, so that once wear has gone through the hardened part it will accelerate? What's the reason for this wear? The bike has less than 50' km, and all the other rockers are fine... Anything to do with it, or should it be replaced with a new one?

I lost the oil pressure on my Rosso Corsa last summer. Reason was that the oil filter had become loose. Luckily I stopped and found the reason in time, and torqued the filter properly. So far no problems, -but who knows when the filter is coming off again... I have read a couple of threads here in this forum on the subject. One interesting link is this one Big Daddy Pictorial Using Hose Clamp To Secure Filter, but when I click on it, all I get is some sort of Guzzishop. Does anyone know where it's gone? Or could anyone describe how this is done, preferably with photos?

...or contact ISR Brakes in Stockholm, www.isrbrakes.se/ . It's a small enterprise run by enthusiasts. They are not very fast and not very expensive, but they make excellent stuff that bites very well. I have a set of disks on my 992 Le Mans, together with a pair of Brembo Oros. I am VERY pleased with them.

Obviously! A good piece, -of work...! I went into your Facebook-page and watched more of your photos. Lots of nice and interesting stuff! Filled me with inspiration...

I've had the fairing of my Rosso Corsa partially painted, and I had no colour code. The guy "measured" the paint with some kind of spectro-instrument, and found his colour. The result was amazing! Even though I knew where the line between the original paint and the new one should be, I could not find any. There was no difference in colour! I don't know if I was lucky, but I would give it a try. And as said, the colour may change through out the years, and the original colour code might not give the colour you want any longer, -that is if you are not repainting the whole bike...

Excellent video! Thanks a lot!

If you end up with any extra space let me know, I'll buy in! We are already five persons, and I don't know how big the house is, -it's all arranged by the Germans... But I will phone them in a few days, and then I can ask. I will eventually let you know via PM. Could have been interesting.

I'm going! Have rented a house together with some German friends in Colico, just north of Mandello.

Thanks, -that's how I have judged it myself. I still have a feeling I will buy one some day. Optimizing things easily becomes an addiction to some of us...

My 2003 Rosso Corsa used to run poorly around 3000 rpm. My Rosso Mandello did not have this disease, -and it had no Lambda sensor. So I ripped the Lamda sensor off the RC and replaced the original ECU with one from the pre-Lambda periode. According to the seller, this ECU should also be slightly tuned (don't know how and how much, though...). The result was very good. The bike runs nicely and clean from bottom to top, and pulls nicely. The fuel consumption went slightly up though (from 0.58 l/10km to around 0.63 l/10km). What would I eventually gain from changing this ECU to a MyECU? I know MyECU is serviceable in case something happens, but could I expect the bike to run even smoother, faster, pull better, use less petrol, or what? May be stupid questions, but I just wonder. A good rule is to not touch what works well, but then again one might miss some adventures...

Why not change to MyECU instead...? Wouldn't this do the same as the PC, -or may be even more? Or have I misunderstood...?

I'm also in for a set.

Thanks ScuRoo. Fairing is from Biscaya in Sweden. Comes originally with rectangular light, -but I think the twins look better.

Seems like this has become a dead part of the forum, so I add one of my bikes to breath some life into it. It's a -81 Le Mans III, -or at least it was. It has got a dual plugged 992 cc engine with 40 mm carbs, ported valves, Dr John/Supertrapp, lightened fly wheel, Silent Hektik ignition, Öhlins mono shock and Marzocci MR1 fork, Magnesium wheels, four pad Brembos/ISR, etc, etc... It flies like a dream!

These pistons were developed by Mike Rich primarily to do away with any 'ping' Bjor - which made the dual-plug mod simply redundant in acheiving that. I'm certainly happy going this simple path, but not in any dual-plugging complexity. Improving the bikes intrinsic qualities is fine for me - but I'd probably sell my bike if I'm trying to create something more than the sum of its parts. Slightly advanced English for one who's native language is Norwegian, but as far as I understand you are saying that Mike's pistons is the simplest and best way of getting rid of the 'ping'. Since I'm also gaining a few extra horses, I am interested in a set.

I have been thinking of dual-plugging my Rosso Corsa. Would the shape of these pistons eventually interfere with a second plug? Or maybe Mike's pistons would reduce the need of dual plugging...?

I have K&N mounted in the filter box og my RC, and I don't think the sound is very different from the original paper filter, -may be a little. But a couple of my other Guzzis have the oval K&N cones mounted directly on the carbs, -and they are loud...!

Agree with Roy, -will follow the response. Regarding the exhaust, if you plan to do something on the intake side, you should probably also consider opening up on the other side. There are quite a few cans that opens up the flow, sound good, look good and are not too noisy. On my Rosso Corsa I have fitted HPE-cans and Mistral cross-over, and am very pleased with the result. I have also removed the cat that was fitted on the original cross-over, and changed the ECU with one set up without cat. The result is a smooth pull all all the way up, without the irritating "choked behavior" it used to have around 3000 rpm.

No, not yet. I have a friend who is dealing in the "logo-sticker"-business, I'll ask if he can make them first. If not, I know Stein Dinse can get them, but they are not in stock. Anyway, thanks Jaap and Tom!

No, not really, -it's the ones sitting in the "window" of the side panel. I'll attach a picture.