Lucky Phil

I assume you've never been over here? It's a BIG place. It is. After doing around 3 trips to the west coast over the years my wife and I had our honeymoon in the states a couple of years ago and travelled from LA to New York and back by plane. Yep just jump on the plane and 4 hours later your on the opposite coast. Then add the airport fiascos at both ends and, oh yeah, the timezone shifts and bugger we've lost 2 full days there and back. Doesnt seem too big until you go from one side to the other. Ciao You must have a faster plane than we take. It's 4 hours from Indiana to LA non stop. Ha, you're in a bug smasher though Chuck, you know one of those things with a fan on the front to keep the pilot cool:) I just rechecked the flight time LA to NYC and its actually around 5.5 hours. Sure go's quick in coach class with your knees under your chin and elbows digging into your ribs and a flight attendant scouling at you cause you troubled her for a bottle of water. I think i'd rather do it in your machine though Chuck. Ciao

I assume you've never been over here? It's a BIG place. It is. After doing around 3 trips to the west coast over the years my wife and I had our honeymoon in the states a couple of years ago and travelled from LA to New York and back by plane. Yep just jump on the plane and 4 hours later your on the opposite coast. Then add the airport fiascos at both ends and, oh yeah, the timezone shifts and bugger we've lost 2 full days there and back. Doesnt seem too big until you go from one side to the other. Ciao

When the new springs come in, I'll put one in the greenie and take a closer look. While the majority of the transmission is the same for the whole V11 series, I have personally seen 4 variations in the pre-selector: 2000 Red-Frame (my Greenie) - the preselector gears are cut-through in places and have teeth only about 270 degrees. 2002 First year of black frame (my Scura) - the preselector gears are solid and have 360-degree gears (many of which never get engaged). this one had the too-large boss, which caused spring-binding 2003 with internal fuel pump (my red LeMans) - same as the 2002, but now with smaller boss. Also has the second eccentric adjuster, where the earlier models had only fixed pins. 2004 (a spare tranny from a parted Nero Corsa that mysteriously arrived at my house one day) - this preselector was the same as the 2003, but added the "banana" reinforcement plate. I installed this one on the LeMans, which is off enjoying Arizona with her new owner. So... with all those changes, Moto Guzzi must have been trying to solve some sort of problem. Has Chuck finally solved it? Only time and aggressive shifting will tell. I'm trying to do my part. Maybe we can make that five variations Scud.My greenie has the early selector gears and small dia selector pawl boss,the late spring, the banana link and double eccentric black cover. Once I have the Chuck/Scud spring I've got it all covered:) Ciao

You forgat about the space needed for the selection of hammers needed to maintain a Guzzi Docc:) Ciao

Buggered if I know what the *Correct* name for them is but they aren't the same as the head gaskets, that's completely different function technology. PM me your address and I'll send you a pair for nix and you can explain it. I'm too old, tired and #@$&@#@.... Thanks Pete, you're the man. Nice to here from you again, seems to have been a while, or is it just me. Ciao

You know if we can ship some here to Aus I can distribute and probably fit them as well if needed. Ciao

Okay, so . . . I took the (moderator) liberty to add that image to LuckyPhil's post. I hope that is cool with LuckyPhil . . . This is sp838's V11. Here is his gallery: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?app=gallery&user=9560 Everyone realize, we have some members that don't start threads, might not even post, but have amazing (AMAZING!) galleries. Do not miss exploring the V11LM Galleries! Yep perfect thanks docc Ciao

Thanks Pete, So are these MLS gaskets, you know the same as the latest head gaskets, multi layered steel with the viton black coating? Ducati changed over to them on their covers as well. If thats what you are refering to I'll use them anyway on the old covers as they are great. Ciao

Wouldnt mind using these if someone has a decent pair laying around. http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?app=gallery&image=1945 Ciao

Well I hate to disagree, but I disagree. After Chuck identified the reason for the original spring breakages and modified the design to mitigate I think the Chuck spring is the way to go. The pull spring mod lacks the elegance, simplicity and economy of componentry of the original design and introduces another potential leak point. No point reinventing the wheel in a more complicted fashion when a refinement, quality enhancement and product improvement of the original design works. BTW chaps I need 3, whatever they cost:) Ciao

While installing new chain and sprockets on my Ducati ST3, I thought I'd weigh the rear wheel. With at least 50% left on a 180/55-17 tire it comes in at 33.1 pounds - which is about 2 pounds less than Docc's V11 wheel with a 160/60-17 tire. So the V11 rear wheel itself doesn't seem excessively heavy. Of course, the Duc only needs to count, as unsprung weight, 1/2 the weight of the chain and 1/2 of what appears to be a much lighter swingarm than the V11. That surprises me Scudd, I thought the ST wheel tire assy would be quite a bit lighter than the V11. You cant escape the bevel box though, its a heavy incontinent mother:) Ciao

So you rushed it then Chuck:) That would take me a lifetime and I'd still mess it up. Ciao

Frank, if those pegs were any further forward they would qualify as footboards:) Ciao

Joey, Yer marn. I met him at the TT in 86. Although a Factory Honda rider he also competed the smaller classes on his own privateer bike and was wandering around the paddock looking to borrow a fuel funnel. He approached me, and well what are you going to do? Say no to a legend? Had a quick chat, lovely modest down to earth man. Still made me go and ask for it back though,LOL. I think that was the year that the fishing boat he and another racer transported their privateer bikes over on from Ireland sank and they managed to salvage the bikes and still make the TT. Sadly missed. Ciao

Half the swingarm counts as unsprung weight, as does half the drive shaft and chain. Just thought I'd keep the comparison and example simple. I'm sure if you went with a light weight rear wheel it would be a really noticeable improvement. Cant see any reason for such a weighty rear wheel, its almost as if they went out of their way to make it extra heavy. You cant really do much about the bevel box of course except machine off the outer flange as some have done. Ciao

That was me docc, I guessed/estimated 25KG's. Pretty close considering my bike has the 5.5" rear wheel I'd say i was spot on:) So after we have established my amazing ability to estimate these things, I would say my 1198 rear wheel/tire/ sprocket combo would weight around 10KG's. So you see the massive work the V11 shock has to do even before you load it up and ride on shite roads. No point skimping on a repalcement rear shock, you need a high quality unit. Ciao

I think I recall guzzimoto's fork rework with pictures from a few years ago now, might be worth considering or a second hand set of Ohlins production forks would be a lot better than the std V11. Others have used USD forks off a GSXR750 I think it was and the swap wasnt that hard from memory. I have never seen any aftermarket gold valve kit or anything for the std early V11 fork and as I said in my earlier post there is a bespoke manufacturer in the states who's name escapes me at present that can completely replace the internals with their own adjustable cartridges. Ciao

Well it just means that if you spill a little fuel when pulling the nozzle out filling the tank and when the tank cap breather vents that fuel and vapor will go straight onto the frame spine and probably between the cylinders and sit on the crankcases. Did someone say fire risk? The hoses are designed to route this onto the ground when the inevitable occurs. Ciao That was my thinking and that's why I have exiting behind the engine. My question, is there a specific place where it supposed to be fastened? I've got it wedged beside the engine and to the back towards the swingarm. Sorry thought you hadnt connected the hoses at the tank. My bad. Ciao

Well it just means that if you spill a little fuel when pulling the nozzle out filling the tank and when the tank cap breather vents that fuel and vapor will go straight onto the frame spine and probably between the cylinders and sit on the crankcases. Did someone say fire risk? The hoses are designed to route this onto the ground when the inevitable occurs. Ciao

I think you paid a fairish price, my Wilbers rear shock custom built for me and my riding style with adjustable high and low speed damping and hyd preload adjuster cost me around $800USD about 4 years ago and is better quality than the "production" Ohlins. My GSXR1000 track bike is also fitted with a Wilbers.I've worked on the Wilbers, Ohlins ( production shock and forks and TTX/FGRT shock/forks) Penski, the std Jap and italian stuff Marzzocchi over the years and the std production Ohlins is pretty over rated. It was better than the std stuff on the V11 when it came out but its nothing to get excited about. Its the name as much as anything. My 1198 is fitted with the road and track Ohlins stuff (TTX shock and FGRT 8030 forks) and they are light years ahead of the road stuff. The rear shock on a V11 has a real man sized job to do, just pull the rear wheel and bevel box and feel the weight of that combination. The poor shock has all that mass to try and control plus the road conditions and rider and pillion weight. The rear wheel and bevel box must weigh 25KG on their own. Its rear shock shocker:) The forks on the V11 are pretty rubbish and the only option I found a few years ago was a place in the US that make bespoke internals for just about everything but the cost was going to be around $1200US plus shipping.I passed on that one....its on my win the lottery list:) The std production Ohlins would certainly be a better option here. Personally For anyone out there with the dollars I'd go for a Wilbers again even if its not the all singing dancing version mine is. The quality is very nice and they work. Ciao

Depends how easy it slides through the bearing inner races docc. Its hand fitting, if it needs to be hammered in with a soft faced hammer then its too tight. It should slide through with the hand and no play. Its the stack up clamping action on the bearing inner races that stops the inner races from rotating on the axle not some tight semi interfearance fit. I think the axle is painfull enough to fit anyway without the extra impost of a tight fit in the inner races. The method I would use if its too tight docc would be to chuck it up in the lathe and with some WD40 and 400 wet and dry in a 2 inch strip just polish it down until the through the bearings is "nice" Without the lathe then its vertically in the vice and the same method wrapping the paper as far around the axle as you can and reposition to do the bit you missed. Take is slowly with as many fit and trys as you need. Its old school hand fit engineering. Ciao

Well if it's got a layer of paint on it docc then it's going to be a right front bottom (as Pete would say) to slide through the inner bearing races. Ciao

So . . . yep, the new axle is "stepped" as well. Maybe not as deeply as my well-used one, but in all the same places. Well then, replacing it is not likely to contribute to any solution. Still waiting on the drive shaft pinch bolts . . . The new axle is driven by a 14mm hex. The original is 10mm. Is that new axle painted docc? Ciao

Try Gowanlochs in Sydney Australia. The only thing that you will need to have someone else do is the crank rebuild, the rest is doable by a capable home mechanic that isnt a knuckle dragger. The crank not only requires a 20 ton press but also some technique in getting it to run true after the big end pin and bearing replacement. Yes parts are very expensive:( I've owned a GT from that era, mine was a 71 I believe and had an engine number ending in 907 from memory, so an early one with the sharply bent kickstarter, Scarab brakes, fibreglass fuel tank and side covers etc. Its all about shimming on these engines, crank,gearbox shafts and bevel gears. I also know a guy that does a very good plain bearing big end conversion on these engines so if you dont mind spending a dollar let me know and I'll give you contact details. Ciao

Uhh, yeah. Early on in this project, I think Scud was talking around $300 to get 25 made. I'm guessing the world demand is somewhere between 50-100. There's not a lot of money to be made on Guzzi parts.. MGCycle wants $8.63 for it. Well I'll take 3, one for my fitted gearbox, 1 for my spare gearbox and 1 as a spare. I love spares. So thats 97 for the rest of the world:) Ciao