Lucky Phil

Is anybody actually in touch with reality these days? Even old duffers are under the spell of marketing spin it seems. Am I the only person that looks at a video like this and thinks "for goodness sake you haven't even ridden one yet" How can anyone get so excited and rave about something when they haven't even thrown a leg over one? It's a big leap from the bike show stand to the production reality and everyday reliability and usability. As for a 90hp 650 single, well not saying it's impossible, but would it be rideable? Ciao

To add to that, the vertical alignment of the wheel is more important then the track within reason. If your chasing a mm or 2 track alignment on a road bike you're insane. Most alignment issues are either a design compromise or manufacturing tolerances unless the bikes been crashed badly. There is a limit to how much you can use spoke wheel offset and hub shimming to correct track misalignment and it would be my view that any slight alterations you could achieve within the sensible range of that wouldn't be worth the effort. Ciao

All true docc but what's the level of maximum misalignment from the pins? a few mm at most. Reading about the the prototype Magni Australia Guzzi's that ran 30mm offset to clear the drive shaft. They later built an aluminium swingarm to get it back to 15mm. My point here is you wont feel or notice a few mm anyway and if your V11 is miles out was it that way from the factory. Some bikes come from the factory with misalignment. I spoke to a a racer that raced a CBR600 Honda back in the late 90's and they came from the factory with 20mm misalignment std. They were all the same. He was an ex factory Honda rider BTW. Did you measure your bikes alignment as dead true with a lazer aligner? I'd be amazed if you lazer aligned 10 new Guzzi V11's and found 1 that was dead true. Both my BMW K100RS's from the mid 80's were misaligned from the factory. Nothing you could do about it. Ciao

Because on an uncrashed shaft drive bike there's nothing you can do about it except live with it unless you want to strip it down and take it to a frame aligner. Which then beggars the question, how much misalignment can you live with or find acceptable? If you know a shaft drive bike hasn't been down the road in a serious way some things are better not to know. Ciao

So whats the plan when you find it's out of alignment? Ciao

Surprising! They don't often leak from here either. Ciao

Yes, for most stuff unless you're desperate. Ciao

He lives in Scotland, lol, so he's got real engine heat related problems. If he was riding it in Perth or a Melbourne summer it would be a molten pool of aluminium in a side street somewhere. Sorry John:) Ciao

I'd be surprised if the original wasn't a double lipped seal. A double lipped seal doesn't seal oil any better than a single lipped seal. The secondary lip is only a dust excluder and in the main doesn't contact the running surface. What is important with these seals in the bevel box, gearbox and engine is to use either OEM seals or a unidirectional seal not universal seals from a bearing shop. As with automotive seals like crank and camshaft seals on automotive engines that are difficult to access these seals are of the unidirectional type. The bearing shop seals are usually bidirectional or universal seals. It makes a difference in the long term. I believe I've covered this topic before a while back. Ciao

Finally managed to source some Ti 10mm button heads in grade 5 for a reasonable cost. Ciao

Yes it's called a hammer and drift. It doesn't need to be too tight. Ciao

Here's some oil pressure info for you with a video that might be of interest to you John. Also on COG Ciao https://www.guzzi-forum.de/Forum/index.php?topic=55424.msg812499#new

Well you certainly have the 278mm correct docc for the std shock. My bike must also be a "crossover bike" then as well. Ciao

It's called gettin old:) A Royal Enfield 650 Interceptor is the best choice available today to a "classic bike" I know I'm like a broken record but seriously it's a classic bike without the expense or hassles. Ciao

Greg Field quote from earlier post. Guzzimoto: You are understanding me correctly. The later triple clamps include a 1/2-degree of cant compared to the steering axis. These gray "canted" triple clamps were used through the end of the red-frames. In general, if your red-frame's forks have an axle nut, they also have the early non-"canted" clamps and if your red-frame has an axle that screws directly into the fork leg, it has the "canted" clamps. There is some crossover between axle-fixing arrangements and clamps, though, and Guzzi offered a kit of the "canted" clamps for people who wanted to reduce twitchiness of their early bikes, so any combination of parts is possible. Rosso Mandellos had black "canted" triple clamps. Starting with the LeMans, Guzzi again fitted non-"canted" clamps, but they were painted black. Still not definitive. I have see a "kit" from Guzzi with a pair of clamps but not sure of their dimensions. Note the "kit". Not sure if it means anything. https://www.stein-dinse.biz/product_info.php?language=en&products_id=60733 Ciao

Gregs info was also that basically any early bike with an axle nut had the old steeper triple clamps. My bike has the later 501452 top clamp ( very hard to find number as its up next to the ignition switch) so either Gregs wrong OR my bike has updated triple clamps with the old style forks? Not sure. If I pull them off I can measure them on the surface plate. Ciao

I mentioned this possibility to John about a year ago. There are different sizes and some are designed for flow and some for pressure. Tons of options. If my bike suffered hot oil this would be what I'd do but it doesn't seem to. I think John would be better investing in a redesigned 1/2 fairing along the lines of an MGS-01. Something that didn't involve hacking the original Australia fairing of course. There's a good reason the MGS doesn't have a full fairing. Reading about the Magni prototype bikes Ted Stolaski had all those years ago and their full fairing made me think how ridiculous they were running those. Ciao

It only delays the oil temp issue. Ciao

Yea that was on my frame side plates which was a solid colour. Having said that the side covers on my bike are resprays and are a perfect match to my tank and tailpiece. It can be done. Ciao

Cam gear noise? Music to my ears. Ciao

I owned a VFR750 for a few years. very nice competent and comfortable bike. Ciao

I just re read that whole thread docc and at the end of the day there seems to be no conclusive evidence that the clamps were changed apart from some numbers which at the time I couldn't identify on my bike. I'll have another look today. I only ask as I want to fit the later top clamp to my bike. I'd be surprised if Guzzi actually went to the trouble of producing a set of triple clamps with fork bores not aligned with the steering stem axis to the tune of 1/2 degree. I've had bikes with this set up from the factory ( My RC30 Honda had it from memory) but it's a bit unusual esp as an afterthought attempt to solve a handling issue. You generally change the offset to correct a problem. My 1198 has Dan Kyle 30mm offset triple clamps as opposed to the std 36mm offset to improve the steering. If anyone has a set of the later clamps or even the upper clamp like shown below I'd be interested. I can also then do a forensic measurement and put this to bed once and for all, maybe:) Same as this but without the holes open holes. Ciao