Retroman

Thanks for the advice guys I will let you know how I get on. Might have the rocket covers done the same colour as well to make it more interesting. Cheers, Nigel.

Hi All, My side plates are a little scratched and I was thinking of having them powder coated to something similar. Question can I take one off at a time without the back end collapsing or is it a major support job? Any advice before I end up with a bust V11 Le Mans would be much appreciated. Thanks, Nigel.

Thanks Guys, Very useful information. As suspected not as simple an operation as initially thought. I will let you know how I go on. Nigel.

Hi Guys, The kidney plates on my Guzzi are looking a bit tired and was thinking of having them powder coated. However, look like if I take them off either one or both at the same time that the back end will collapse. Has anyone tried this before and any ideas how to keep everything together for reassembly. My Abba stand would appear to be useless for this job as it uses attachment points on the plates. Thanks for any advice. Nigel.

Hi Guys, Many thanks for all the good advice. More by luck than skill I managed to get the gearbox side plate off without breaking anything and found the gearbox ratchet return spring snapped off in the usual place and surprisingly unwound. As a precautionary measure I have replaced all three springs in the selector mechanism courtesy of Gutsibits and with a quick shove on the rear wheel to take the stress out of the gears the lower left hand selector became free and moving it across bingo it went straight into neutral making it a piece of cake to put the side plate back on with the selector gears engaged. Buying an ABBA stand some time ago has proved a blessing. The gearbox is now working perfectly although on a 150 mile test run today the neutral light has started flickering and is now on all the time. Maybe just a loose connection or the switch has given up having been disturbed but what struck me with this surgery is that the circlips holding the gear selector cogs on are a loose fit even thought they have been replaced with the same size that came off. I hope one of these has not come off allowing the selector gear to lift and activate the neutral switch. I will look at the more obvious remedies before opening the gearbox again but at least it wont take me as long next time now I know how it all goes together. Fingers crossed. What a great forum this is. Thanks again, Nigel.

Hi Guys, Thanks for all the good advice. I have managed to get the side cover off and have found that the spring has snapped so have one on order. Now the gear lever was stuck in first when it broke and the selector forks are able to slide some distance either way on their respective shafts. Any ideas how you position them so that the round lugs engage in the respective channels in the selector gears when you put the side panel back on again. Any links to photos would be much appreciated as cannot find anything current on thus site at the moment. Thanks again, Nigel.

Hi, Can any of you cast light on to why my Guzzi's gear lever has stuck in first gear and won't budge? Happened just as I was going up the ramp for the Rotterdam Ferry. Oh how I laughed !! The clutch appears fine, no drag etc so I don't think that is the problem. Any ideas would be much appreciated and any contact details for Bruce Rawsthorne who I am told would be able to sort out the fault. Thanks, Nigel.

Just to enter the knee down debate from someone local to you. Much has already been said. Watch the Keith Code, California Race School and MCN videos on you tube and make your own mind up. Everybody has there own interpretation. Due to the configuration of the V11 you will have to be in quite an extreme position to touch down with your knee before the footrests make contact. Hopefully this photo of me on my V11 Le Mans helps underline this. Either way you will find that your side stand will automatically modify itself in left hand turns by grinding away the outer part of the foot. At least it is relatively soft alloy and although it makes a lot of noise on touch down does not affect the handling. Whether you will be able to safely use the sidestand afterwards is another matter. Horses for courses I am afraid but great fun when you can safely master it and show up your Ducati mates.

Hi, Anyone out there got any ideas where I could source crash bungs for the forks and faring and oversize engine protectors for a V11 Le Mans 'just in case'. Thanks, Nigel.

Thanks for the quick response guys. Yep may go the Maxton cartridge route as have heard good reports about the improvement. I have just had the suspension set up as best as it can be and although the rear now feels much more planted it has been lifted some 10mm and I would n't have believed how much the Ohlin rear shock shows up the deficiencies in compression and rebound on the forks. Maybe Guzzi did n't make them for 14 stone riders. Still much better than it was but on being quoted £400 just for a re valve thought I would explore other options. Bugger about the Aprilia option. Nothing is ever simple!! I will let you know whiuch way I go and if it was worth the hassle.

He Guys, Anyne out there taken the Marzocchis off a V11 Le Mans and fitted Ohlin forks. If so which donor bike did yo get them from? Aprillia RSV (2002+) spares are abundant here in the UK and the forks look very similar to the Ohlins fitted to the Ross Corsa and Scura etc. In view of Aprillia's involvement with Guzzi at this time did they use one and the same parts bin?? Any advice much appreciated in trying to improve the front end on my bike, which is pretty soft despite setting it up on max settings. Best wishes, Nigel.

Hello Denis, Yes fully installed. Will be uploading photos of completing the necessary work on a new Roper Plate thread as soon as I work out how to use the forum tools .

Nothing too special. Titanium higher level exhausts (forget the pillion they are too high and too prone to damage)and crossover, which dispenses with the CAT and a replacement ECU set up for what is a virtually straight through system. I am told CATS are not a legal requirement for motorcycles in the UK at present and noise levels are surprisingly low at lower urban speeds albeit with a richer sound than that emitted from the strangled standard system. It's considerably lighter too. This system gets rid of the initial lower range hesitation of the standard set up, with bags of instant torque available throughout the rev range. A simple to fit mod, which can be returned to standard within an hour if you are desperate to carry a pillion or tour with luggage. Transforms the bikes character.

Thanks for the good wishes. I had the Le Mans out last weekend and ended up in a duel with a CBR600RR owner all the way back from Devils Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria along the A65/A682A59 and B roads back to Bolton (For those in the UK that know this route) only to find on stopping at an accident that we were from the same village!. He could n't get his head around the fact that someone his fathers age in a big heavy twin had kept him at bay for most of the route, until the roads got really twisty and sadly pot holed as well. The factory race pack on this bike, which I picked up from Twiggers in Leicester has really transformed my bike and delivers waves of torque just where you need it. Needless to say never had a flicker from the oil warning light during a prolonged period of hard braking and accelerating through a route that contains sections of continuous sweeping bends, switchbacks and hairpins. I will set up a new thread regarding fitting the Roper Plate and work out if I can attach the photos of dismantling and reassembly of the upper sump plate and oil filter / pump sub-assembly. Well worth the work and head scratching involved to help preserve these great machines.

A sincere thanks to everyone who has replied to this thread. A much belated thanks as I have been recovering from pretty serious back and leg injuries as a result of being run over by a car on a pedestrian crossing. I will have to wear my leathers and back protector when I go shopping in the future!! However I am now back riding the Le Mans so a happy ending although my Ducati 916 will have to go as can't stretch my leg out fast enough when I stop. Don't ask how I found that out! I have completed a mini survey and rang virtually every dealer in the UK about oil preferences etc. There were several 'oil favourites' but the general theme was that the engines will work fine on any manufacturers oils that are equivalent to or exceed Moto Guzzi's original specifications published at the beginning of the millennium. However oil technology has moved on with the specialists favouring Putoline Nano Tech 4 10W-40 or Rock Oil Synthesis 10w-60. Neither are cheap £10 plus a litre but what price does protecting your engine cost? I have gone for Rock Oil as they were very helpful when I phoned them for advice and only time will tell if I have made the right choice. I suppose a lot comes down to personal preference in as much the same way as we have our own thoughts on the best tyres. Now there's another long topic in the making .!! Whilst changing the oil / filter I have also fitted a 'Roper Plate' obtained from Gutsibits in the UK and if anybody wants any advice about fitting one, as it is not as simple as lower sump off and back on again, then let me know as I have some photos of the mod to share. Safe riding everyone.

Hi, I have owned a V11 Le Mans for a few months now and have fitted the factory race pack and a mistral crossover. As a precautionary measure to help the engine I am about to drain the oil and drop the sump to insert a baffle/anti surge plate in it. I understand that the recommended oil, Agip Racing 5w-40 is no longer available and was wondering what other members are using as a alternative that won't ruin the engine. I can find that Gulf provide a fully ester synthetic described as racing 5w-40 but the other alternatives seem to be 10w-40 viscosity. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks, Nigel.