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It's like deja vue all over again... That's nifty looking stuff- don't know what I would do with it, but it's got a high 'geek' factor. If I were to FWIW- the Breva reports temperature on it's little LCD readout. Sonya just picked hers up yesterday- she's, um, a patient sort. Anybody want to buy a motorcycle or two? I'm embarrased- I have more Guzzi's than Carl now. cheers, Jason

Make sure the wiretie is loose, or it can bind the lever (yowza). Jaap, you should forward this to Greg Field, who does the "Tips" column in the Moto Guzzi (US) National Owners Club newsletter. Cheers, Jason

I'm curious as to what you or Mike mean by 'big blocks'. Just spine framed sports or all the tonti frames as well? Jason

Not that I want to instigate anything But you loosen, then retorque or just torque the bolts? Cheers, Jason

This is not good news. Perhaps I can use this as an excuse to send my heads to Mike Rich Oh, well. I guess if caught early enough, then no damage done. I'll check mine out this winter. Thanks for the heads-up, guys. Cheers, Jason

Dang!

You could make your own octane booster- http://au.geocities.com/ozbrick850/engine-...ctaneboost.html I've no idea what kind of damage this might do to one's engine. FWIW, I use almost any brand of premium (92-94 octane). I haven't noticed a difference, but I get lousy gas mileage, so my TPS is probably set a bit rich. Since the bike has been under warranty, I haven't done any maintainance to it so I don't know for sure. I'll check the plugs sometime. It does run well, though. I'll give it that. Cheers, Jason

Cash only, please. IRS wants too much from the checks. Cheers, Jason

Hey Tex, Why not get one of those sticky tank/crotch protectors? Or,even better, if you put a tank bag on, it'll protect the back of the tank, plus you can carry a six-pack. Cheers, Jason (displaced Texan, but I feel your pain )

What's an "R" version power commander? Full frontal capacitors or something? Cheers, Jason

You sound like you've already decided which mufflers you like- and the Mistrals DO sound good. Do some airbox mods too- the combo of the Mistral exhaust and the intake note are just wonderful. I'd recommend doing an airbox mod- if you want to go to pods later, it would still be an available option. Cheers, Jason

I'm sorry- that's just a wonderful mental image I bet your wife enjoyed it too! Reminds me of when I was a kid, coming home from playing in the fields. My mother would hose me off before letting me in the house. Typical boy-child. It may not look as nice, but could you scuff up the leathers with some fine grit sandpaper? Cheers, Jason

I bet you did well in your chemistry lab, didn't you? Cheers, Jason (a chemistry prof) woo hoo 200! look out Al...aw never mind.

Wind tunnel? We don't need no stinkin' wind tunnel. Just stand next to the bike with a hair dryer Sorry, Jason

That brings up another good point. You can always go from a modded airbox to pods, but not the other way. Cheers, Jason oh- I don't think the pods need to be supported- they weigh next to nothing, and are quite stiff on my bike. If I see evidence of cracking the manifold, it's probably time to replace it anyhoo.

Hi Al (and all), Don't know if it's fair to make this comparison without dyno measurements and statistics. Too many variables. I do have pods on my bike, but not out of zealotry, rather just that's the first mod that came out. They, whoever they are, reported the airbox mod after I had already cut up my intakes. Still, I like it. It looks good- opens the frame up a bit, and it sounds great. John, I like your reasoning on modifying the airbox. It makes sense- laminar flow air has much better drawing power. We use it in labs (laminar flow hoods) where we work on extra nasty bacteria and viruses. mmmmm, bacteria and viruses.... The other concern I have about pods is that they might draw in water more easily in the rain. Cheers, Jason (sorry, couldn't vote- I cant make the comparison)

John, that's great! I'd hate to see what you used for a feeler gauge, though. Cheers, Jason

I've found that the Guzzi toolset is made of only the softest, most pliable aluminum. Perhaps so as not to bruise the bolts as they are gently guided out of their respective resting places? Toss the stock toolkit and make up a decent one. Maybe some of the tools are worth keeping, but most will just bring grief when you need them. Sorry for the rant....calm....calm... The other place to check for a stuck brake-switch is the front brake lever- there's a tiny little ball in there that may be catywhumpus (that's the technical term). You can loosen up the switch (two brass screws/nuts- use a jewelers screwdriver) and jiggle it around to get the ball to seat. Or you can remove the brake-lever to do the same thing (it's easier, but don't loose the ball). Oh yeah, the quick and dirty way to check to see which switch is just unplug it. They're both easy to unplug- whichever turns the brakelight off is the culprit. Cheers, Jason

Perhaps the TPS got tweaked? One other suggestion- there's a small vent tube just under each throttle body/intake manifold. Did one of these come off? They need to be sealed. Good Luck, Jason

Ah well, I still think they're cool. I tend to favor the older- rounder- style of parts. That said, I'm pretty happy with the Mistrals on my bike, and don't have any plans to change them out. But man, I'd love to have one of those tanks for my Tonti frame. Cheers, Jason

Any of youse guys put a transil diode in to protect your ECU? cheers, Jason

I was poking around looking at motorcycle pornography for one of my other bikes- ran across this: http://www.wilcoxmetal.com/italian.htm specifically this picture: http://www.wilcoxmetal.com/magnipipe.htm Looks very cool to me- I like the compound curve on the pipe. Cheers, Jason

The fairing works great. Doesn't seem to affect the handling or stability any. I had to raise the handlebars a bit, because I get less lift from the windstream. I'd put one on again in a second. And yes Al, the levers are expensive. But they adjust (in reach) so my wife can rest her fingers on the brake lever. That's makes them a bargain in my book. And they are well made. Cheers, Jason

I have one as well. I could only afford one The good: The look cool, and they are good quality. The bad: high cost and very, very convex mirror. They should come with a little sticker- Warning, objects in mirror are about to run your ass over. :!: you can see them on a v11 on my site: http://plasterbath.chem.uiowa.edu/fairing/.../bars/bars.html Speaking of CRG products, I also bought a 'roll a click' front brake lever for my wife's Jackal (Jackal/Stone has non-adjusting levers and she has short fingers). So anyway ,FWIW, it fits just fine on the V11 sport (2001 model), and the CRG's are nicer than the stock units. When we sell the Jackal (here comes the Breva...), I'm taking the CRG lever for my bike. Cheers, Jason

General: I think the '02+ has a longer wheelbase- more stable, but slower handling. The '03 has oil-cooled pistons, and uh, some other stuff. I would imagine that the improvements are mostly minor. I think the '02+ has a wider rear wheel too. Don't know if that's an improvement (no comparison), but I think there's a wider selection of replacement wheels- correct me if I'm mistaken. Guzzi does not do 'major overhauls' like other brands might. Their philosophy has been to refine a particular machine. The 6-speed gearbox is a radical change for Moto Guzzi. You'll notice they still use manually adjusted rockers. Electrics: Replace the stock relays with bosch units (already done probably). That's the biggest complaint on electrics. But recall that Guzzi has somewhat dodgy electrics historically. I've had few troubles on my bike (except a relay) but others have lost their tachometer, or the neutral switch, or other weird little issues. The alternator output is adequate, but not as high as it should be. Do you want to run running lights and a heated suit? If not, don't sweat it. Shifting: You've obviously never ridden a five speed . Shifting is fine- not as refined as a Japanese bike perhaps, but it works really well with the new tranny. Seat: I'll let Rich Maund address this. I don't think you would want to tweak the suspension, but I dunno. Handlebars: See http://plasterbath.chem.uiowa.edu/fairing/.../bars/bars.html Also, there is a thread (uh, several threads) that describe options. Beisel did a nice job of grouping some info together. http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...bd3f74c491d2e4d And Al put some good stuff together under the 'FAQ' section. Bags: I've seen some really, really small chase harper bags that might do for ya. Free advice: Buying a Guzzi is an emotional decision more than a rational one. If you get a Guzzi, be prepared to be social, because people will stop and talk to you about it. Be patient. Little things to break and it can drive you crazy. It happens. And be involved. A Guzzi is not a utility that starts up and runs like a sewing machine every time. It requires attention, maintenance, and occasionally intervention. Bottom line: Go test-ride one. Its the most fun motorcycle I've ever ridden. Huge grin factor. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. Cheers, Jason