JBBenson

Around 12 years old (1976-77), on a school field trip to San Francisco. While lumbering up one of the ubiquitous hills, we heard behind us the (now familiar) howl of a Guzzi under load. My oldest friend, who was more motorcycle savvy than I, pointed and said "Look! A Moto Guzzi". We watched it as it roared ahead of us on the left, the "Moto Guzzi" script visible on the back of the seat. The name was memorable and easy to say. It seemed impossibly grown up and cool and rare and stylish. That sound! It defined the polar opposite of sitting in a yellow school-bus on a lame field trip. I was hooked. I have had other bikes, but nothing really feels like a Guzzi. To this day, when somebody stops to look at it and chat, even if they know motorcycles, I see the timid gleam in their eye: this very rare and super exotic beast looks and sounds just like a motorcycle should. They are in the presence of something special. Little kids just sense this. They know. Everything else is just school-bus-lame.

I am on my second manual petcock. If you open and close them too often (like I was doing, opening and closing for every ride), they have a tendency to grind themselves into leaking. They are made of soft metal that can't stand repeated screwing and unscrewing. I now leave mine open and only close when removing the tank. V11's are EFI bikes so they can stay open without any leaking, not like carbureted bikes. Just a warning....

Mike Hailwood never put his knee down. By not putting my knee down, I like to think I am like Mike Hailwood. Ha.

MPH Cycles should have them too. I got one there last year: http://www.mphcycles.com

I am trying to do the "Distinguished Gentleman's" ride this year. Sunday, September 27th, 2015 Who wants to represent? We could create a team.

Anybody with a tip about a local seat upholsterer? I need some extra padding, but need to explain in person. It would be hard to do if I shipped it off somewhere to get done. Any ideas?

A little "Sport-Touring".......Thermal, CA

Thats cool. I will get that one. Did you get the single or dual? I think they refer to filaments, not sure if the V11 H4 has one or two.

That looks good, I guess you made some kind of rim to close up the gap, as the original is 8". Cant be that hard. j.

I might try one of these: http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3800-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html

For me it's always about tractability: what the power feels like and how easily it can be controlled. My LM 3 and my V11 have the same "friendly" but grunty power that I fell in love with. Sure, my Yamaha Seca 650 Turbo had a lot of horsepower for it's day (rated at 90 @ 9000) but it was barely controllable: peaky, with a sudden whoosh that came on with a raspy shriek. It was heady power but not really useful.

I ended up grinding my down with a Dremel and aluminum oxide stone. A little hand filing to clean up the edges and shoulder of the boss too. I also used the Dremel polishing pads to get it nice and smooth. I ended up just shy of 15mm in diameter. I also reshaped the spot where the small pawl spring hook catches the edge of the shift linkage. The edge was pretty sharp so I rounded it off and made it smooth. Clamp in a bench vise and take your time going round and round, periodically measuring with a caliper gauge. Yes, Redline Heavy Shock Proof. Looks like strawberry yoghurt.

I think the metal ribbon is some sort of heat sink to direct it away from the bulb/socket. But comparing it to the PIAA one, it looks pretty janky. Shame that PIAA has no H4 in LED, they have HB4's: http://www.piaa.com/LEDbulb

Anybody use either of these as a direct replacement for the stock H4 and 1157? Headlight: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/motorcycle-led-bulbs/motorcycle-led-headlight-conversion-kit-h4-led-headlight-bulb-conversion-kit-with-flexible-tinned-copper-braid/2781/6195/ Tailight: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/motorcycle-led-bulbs/1157-led-bulb-dual-intensity-25-led-motorcycle-bulb/170/767/

I bought a 2001 red-frame V11 Sport on impulse, having owned 2 other Guzzis already. I didn’t know much about the V11, but discovered this site, and others, and all have been very helpful in managing the…um, peculiarities of the model. I discovered that the red-frames have a reputation for being “squirrelly”, due to the shorter wheelbase and the steeper rake of the fork. My stock bike never handled that well, it always felt restless and vague in the corners. I eventually up installing new fork springs and valves, and a new rear shock, and new tires, running a 160 on the back. It was better, but the bike still felt vague and nervous at the same time. Well, it is a red-frame, right? They are know to be “squirrelly”, so the problem must be “operator error”. Since I bought it, the fork tube caps were always set flush with the top triple clamp. The PDF manual I have showed the fork tubes set the same way. But I did some reading on raising the fork tubes in the triple clamps to “quicken steering” on the heavy and locomotive-like V11 Lemans series, and how those that did so, were happy with it. But I have a red-frame, right? It is already “squirrelly”; it didn’t need any more, does it? Turns out, it did. As I said, the handling never felt quite right, so I raising the forks by about 8-10mm and it really improved the feel. It was more precise but more predictable. My speeds went up. I could better feel what the front end was doing. I was more confident. I sound like an ad for some amazing new pill. I thought about it: why did making the steering “sharper” make the “squirrelly” bike feel more steady and more accurate? I think it was because the factory-set higher front end, and the lower back end (due to the 160 tire) didn’t help things. Together they gave the bike a “nose-high” attitude that made it uncertain feeling, with little or no feedback. This caused me to always be making corrections to keep on my line. But the hazy feel made me always over-correct, sending me too far one way, necessitating me to quickly overcorrect again back the other way. This created a wobbly line through every corner, and a feeling of twitchiness and oscillation that I interpreted as “squirrellyness”. The “sharpening” of the geometry by raising the forks let me feel and point the front end better, so there was no constant, small corrections necessary. The bike just went where I pointed it, no fuss, predictable and balanced. A counterintuitive, seemingly tiny change that made a big difference. Anyway, those are my observations. The bike is getting better and better.

I sort of don't get this thread. So, boiling = fade? Brakes fade for a few reasons. I have never "boiled" my brake fluid as far as I know. Having read all of the previous posts, it doesn't make sense that the rear brake would "boil" and the front one wouldn't. After all, the front brake is under a lot more stress than the back, with the weight transfer to the front under any kind of braking at all. It's not like the back rotor isn't being cooled either, if that's the theory. I doubt the diameter of the rotor plays a role either. They both get f-ing hot. Not trying to be a crank. Can someone explain it to me? I try to use the brakes as little as possible when riding, even if the riding is "spirited". I always aim for smoothness as it often raises my average speed anyway, and feels better and is more satisfying that all that lurching and wobbling and squatting and diving that I see all the time. Maybe I am just a crank.

I ground my ratchet down using a Dremel. If you remove the shifting mechanism cover, you can feel how the spring binds up if the ratchet boss is too large. It's really no wonder they break. After grinding, the spring can compress without binding up.

Are you saying that you removed the valve covers and the intake valve clearance was off by 5mm? Must have been 5mm to much clearance? I am surprised it would even run like this at all. In my experience the V11 is finicky....well, maybe that's just mine..... I guess the question is: when the valve cover was removed, was the lock nut loose or was it fixed in the "5mm off" position? I guess that you would have noticed it while riding if it was fixed, but just asking. Just readjust the valves and see if it runs. Honestly, when I do my valves I always worry that they will come loose at 80 miles per hour and I will destroy the engine and maybe me. But I tell myself that they would loosen up right away after starting, so if it starts and runs then I figure it's all good and away I go. Now I know that they can run for a while before letting go. Thanks a lot!

Not to highjack, but has anyone ever fitted a second petcock and figured out some kind of classic "reserve" configuration? I think I know a simple way it could be done (Using different heights for the in-tank inlets?) but was wondering if anyone has already done it.......?

I would think bad coil(s), engine temp sensor, dodgy relays, or even a bad ground Are the relays isolated from the frame with some rubber to absorb any vibration? I understand this is an issue with the location and stock bracket for the underseat relays. I made a 1/8" thick aluminum strip to mount them all together, and isolated it from the bike with rubber washers.

Yeah, I installed my 460 like Stewgnu's, with the rebound adjuster toward the rear wheel. I just oriented it he same way as the Sachs.........not that that was installed correctly.

Crap. There are o-rings in there? I don't remember seeing them when I removed the brass bleed screws while cleaning the throttle bodies. Are they fitted to the screw itself or the screw seat? Yet ANOTHER thing to check....thanks Czakky. In any case, I picked up one of those o-ring assortments (in a clear plastic box) from AutoZone. It has really come in handy more than once.

There is a Do-It-Best on York in Eagle Rock that has an amazing selection of metric stainless fasteners. It has been invaluable to finding, for example, button head allen screws in all lengths, which are impossible to find anywhere. I prefer shopping in person instead of mail order when possible, so I can eyeball any needed match. A bit of a hike from Carlsbad, but maybe there is another one near you.

Keep in mind that oil is hard to wash off, and a thin film remains even if the pump were to stop working for a short period. The most wear on an engine occurs at start-up, when the oil on the walls of the cylinders have been draining for a while. But, there is still a thin film there, otherwise you would wreck your motor when starting, right? I have never measured the oil pressure on my 2001 Sport, but when I do the valves, I can see oil flowing to the heads while I turn the motor over to find TDC. So, I guess it is working.

This...^ Also another reason I do my own mechanical work, other than changing tires. I don't trust anybody, especially inattentive/alcoholic/overworked/ADD/idiot mechanics.