Steve G.

Hi Chris, I could take mine apart and list off what you will need. Other than the machined [poorly I might add] bush for the foot brake lever, the stuff is just readily available s.s. nuts and bolts, and a couple of filler caps for the two holes from the original location. If I get a chance tomorrow I'll take it apart and get the tape measure. Ciao, Steve G.

The only thing Reuben Zaus has mastered is how to chuck a Ducati away in style! Ciao, Steve G.

My '01 V11 did this thing since new, and at first had me worried. But now with 28,000kms, it has just done it yesterday for the first time since lasy year. Letting off the gas seems to return the shifter to it's "neutral" centre sitting position. Not sure what is causing it, maybe the return spring is not strong enough, maybe the gearbox shift pawls really need a long time to set in. Who knows. The local dealer has'nt got a clue. Ciao, Steve G.

Gosh that stuff at Motostrano is very nice. I think I'll wait for the U.S. dollar to drop some more. Ciao, Steve G.

IMHO, the seat is not really the problem. It's the problem of the footrests being too high. I guess it's not a problem if your passenger has no idea how confortable the passenger seats are on other bikes, some of which were mentioned above. If they are used to sitting on a "B****" pad on a Harley, they will love sitting on a V11 based bike. Ciao, Steve G.

Speaking of the movie "The Wild Ones", I would say that this single Hollywood movie has done more to negatively portray the motorcycle sport to the public in general than everything else combined. Because of this movie, even to this day the site of someone on a scooter strikes fear to some waiting at a traffic light. It would be very interesting to see what we as motorcyclists would have before us had this movie, and the over-blown events at Holister, California [for which the movie is roughly based] not happened. I'm pretty sure we would be seen in a more positive and publicly accepted situation in North America, where unlike Europe we are still struggling to even be allowed on the road, had it not been for the efforts of the AMA's lobbyists in the U.S. government. Ciao, Steve G.

It's now 11:38pm pacific daylight time. Ciao, Steve G.

Try to get a picture. In my job I'm fixing/replacing the mirrors on bikes and cars all the time. I can't picture in my mind how the mirror works on a Lemans fairing. Ciao, Steve G.

Just checking to see if my new oil line is free of leaks, and thought I'd check all the other ones. I found one of the lines had sawed it's way into the front of the engine, as a result of Luigi not routing it correctly at the factory. Do yourself a favour and check the oil line off the left [clutch lever] side of the oil cooler, as it finds it's way into the front of the engine area, see that it isn't touching the engine, and slowly cutting into it. Ciao, Steve G.

It's not that they are crap, I mean they will do the job, but they are certainly not finished very well. I generally enjoy the look of sand cast engine cases. But our generation has grown up to getting used to nicely finished, in some cases jewelery like foot pedal linkage. Either die cast, or for real high end bikes billet machined foot gear, you simply cannot get sand cast stuff to look like these because of the inconsistancy of the aluminum in this proccess, with air bubbles etc.. I'm thinking a thread with pictures of available replacement linkages might be in order. Ciao, Steve G.

I've had Firstgear V pilot jacket and matching zip together leather for 10 yrs now. Good enough stuff, except the plastic zippers needed to be changed in all the critical places to steel after about 6yrs. For the price they are asking, an exceptional deal. Talking to my local Vanson guy, talking about their stuff. Yup, it is very nice, but the price? He mentioned that the leather tanners at Vanson [in house] get paid over $27us hr. No wonder the stuff is so dear. Ciao, Steve G.

The local police are still fining guys with those if they did not issue them from the factory. Ciao, Steve G.

Hi Brian, so are you going to have new headers made up at a local shop? Ciao, Steve G.

My battery did the same thing, and I have the same year bike as yours. The thing is toast. Interestingly, with these sealed gel batteries, in my case the new Oddessy, it says do not trickle or otherwise use a maintain charge on it. Through the winter, they say unhook the negative and positive, and leave it in the bike all winter. It is ready to go the next spring. Ciao, Steve G.

There's no kidding about it Supertwin. Both of your candidates for your upcoming election are truly idiots! If I didn't live in Canada with our unruly bunch of "tax till you die" socialists, I would say you guys in the 50 states should be mighty red faced about the whole thing! Ciao, Steve G.

Is there a specific year or model of V11 based bikes that have the single plate clutch? A buddy of mine is looking at an '03 V11 and wants to make sure to avoid this aluminum clutch scattering business. Ciao, Steve G.

Where is Dakota's Jim? Ciao, Steve G.

Das Mototec certainly has some nice stuff. I just wish I could understand the language. Ciao, Steve G.

And I thought I was the only one who thought the Ballabio was goofy looking with that protrusion of a headlight/fairing. What were they thinking? I don't think the Givi I have on my bike would help out, as the Givi is more or less dependent on the headlight bolts and brackets for mounting. I'd go for the Magni, and eliminate all that stuff up front. Ciao, Steve G.

I've been going on and off for years. I'm going to give it a rest this year. It takes a while to get over the thousands of cookie cutter biker gumbies walking around thinking they are unique. I usually get there quite early, like 9:00am, park in a good area, go have some "overpriced" fried oysters and a nice pint or 3 of Boundary Bay IPA, then after people watching for a couple hrs, head out of town just as a 3 mile backup of overheating Harleys flatuate their way into town. I'm heading up the Sunshine Coast of B.C. this Sunday, catching the 9:20 boat up to Gibsons. Ciao, Steve G.

I'm thinking Imperial. Ciao, Steve G.

Future heated garments. Surely not in southern California! Ciao, Steve G.

Having never put one on my bike I can't tell you the fitment quality. I have seen a couple around where I live and can confirm that "1", I love the look, and "2", the green color does not match very well, and the handlbar is quite lower than the stock early V11s. Ciao, Steve G.

Brian, I don't want to say this is a normal thing with twins, that shake, but, it does happen alot. My Norton, my brothers Norton, my buddies Beemer, Laverda twins, heck my neighbours old 750K Honda has a crack on one header. Yeah it's a piss off, and I now fully expect to have the same thing happen to my V11. And add it to the long list of things that some engineer or assembly line worker at Mandello should have seen to instead of it's present owner. But for some reason I'm willing to put up with these things that I was unwilling to put up with during my stint as a Ducati owner. It may be because I put the Moto Guzzi engine in a higher regard as it's not the fragile "tuned to the edge" machine the Ducks are. Look on this exhaust header problem as an opportunity to upgrading the system, and offering us feedback on the performance change. Heck it's not my money! Ciao, Steve G.

I'm sorry guys, I know this topic has been worked over real good, but I just have to rant a bit. I've been trying to get grease into the front universal joint for 2 days now. I've got my Lubrimatic grease gun, my 8" rubber hose, and my 180 deg coupler [had to drive to Bellingham WA. to get it]. I've got the zerk fitting pointing straight up on the drive shaft, and It just seems to be too close to the front part of the drive shaft body, not allowing the grease attachement to go over top. I guess I'll try grinding away some of the grease gun end to clear the drive shaft. I hope I don't end up having to pull the whole drive shaft off the end of the gearbox. I thought I was mechanically inclined, I've managed to completely restore 4 bikes, and haven't had this kind of cheesed off mood. Ciao, Steve G.