stewgnu

Nice one!

I too have one of these and have found it really good. Once used half a dozen times you get the hang of it. I've had the rear wheel off many times now and all thanks to the stand. Can't imagine coping without it. Gutsibits sell em for ninety-odd well-spent quid.

Scud, you need to truly embrace The Dark Side my friend... Get those fork shrouds painted! Stealth ohlins- oh yeah! -Well before my time but I love it and often hum a-hum humble it into my lid! Stew

Big up Rhino, absolutely the first thing I'd suggest is to check the rubber inlet boots. Any degredation/cracks etc will duck it up reet bad. Then check valve clearances. Then do TPS. Then Balance the cylinders. Mine runs sweet now cos I did this. Stew.

Damn! I've gotta hand it to you Docc- keepin the true info going after 5,688 posts! Sir is Irrepressible! Never met you but I think I love you....!

Dig It. I too am planning to scoot merrily towards Como this year. I thought praps: Dover - Cologne - Nurburgring - Dijon - Como... 3 days ish, a-campin all t'way. Maybe Ljubljana?? Maybe Munich?? Either ways, s'gotta be reet good no? Scud- Also diggin your wiring sneakiness! My battery has about a billion ( i counted em) wires sprouting from the terminals. Every time I pop the seat and am greeted by the memory of fastening it up (spark -arg!) my nervous system shudders... With regard to the relays: Should it matter much what make they are? ... however, didn't tyco make board games ... like 'ker-plunk' n such?

And +1 on the cable ties, duct tape, relays and fuses!

I wired in a usb point so I can put a charge on my phone if needed (8 quid off ebay). These fancy modern phones are ace- ultimate back-up. Don't smoke any more but something tells me that if I did have an un-fixable break down, I'd want one.

Holy Back-up Batman!

I wonder- Would it be a daft/unnecessary idea to locate a separate battery somewhere? P'raps one of those teeny tiny lithuim ones?? Not wise in the way of electrics myself so I acknowledge this may sound foolish... Stew

Looks beautiful! I am somewhat biased though... Lucky you living in Spain- I took my old W650 round Spain and Portugal a few years ago and enjoyed myself immensely- Great roads + scenery, I am most jealous of you! I do know the solution to your problem too: - Keep the V11 as is and ride the snot out of her. - And keep looking for an old Le Mans mk 1/mk 2! Stew. p.s. This forum's ace.

Cor! That's a well-kept bike! What's with the sexy hugger? Is it aftermarket or did you cut down the OE? Stew. p.s. Fugly mirrors man! hee hee! :D

Blimey! You dived (dove?) into that one! I'll admit that swapping out head races always gave me the fear- even with push-irons. You may benefit from using a bearing extractor. Or you might be able to punch them out with a drift and lumpy hammer. Last option is to chew them out with a sharp chisel- but even thinking about this gives me the willies. Fitting new 'uns: Maybe chill them a bit and tap them in with a matching socket? Don't know if you could take it to someone who has a press... Watching a new bearing get pressed in is ace- effortless! Certainly beats beating the beat out of it with hand tools... I'm sure more knowledgeable folks will chime in with more helpful wisdom!

Chrimbob/Noo Year leftovers that I had to sample tonight fut memories: The Spice Tree by Compass Box: butterscotch + cardamom indeed, yum. Glenfarclas 12: Mustn't Grumble! Aaaand JW Black- the ol' stand-by (and rumoured to be one of Hitchen's favourites). I only came into the kitchen to roast a chicken- and look at me now! (hic)

Heh, yes I had the box off to replace the bearings and there's still the factory yellow blob on mine for prop alignment. Thankfully the u/j's seem pretty solid as far as I can tell. I'd read a few threads on this area so was somewhat prepared for some of the foibles (I ended up leaving one of the prop splines kinda dry-ish to aid refit and she popped on with a small fart). All those posts on greasing the front u/j! Guzzisti must be recognisable by worn tooth enamel... I managed to bend a gun tip in my garage door that'll juuust poke thru the swinging arm and latch on.

Docc, what am I looking for with regards to checking for 'slop' at the ujs?

Yep. I think it's on the 'Rear wheel checklist' and I, for one, will be greasing that badger up like a piggy every time it comes off. (Plus rotating the inner race). Still getting a measure of clunkathon though....

Okey dokey. New bearings now fitted in bevel box (...terrible things I have seen...i am now emotionally scarred... ). This has most definitely taken up a measure of clunkage (new word born right there) in the system. But not all of it. So... next is the torque rod bushins as there's play in the arm. I've had a search thru old posts, so sincere apologies if this is old ground, but was there any consensus on getting replacements? There was mention of a Fiat matching part?? Did anyone get a part number? Stew

Knackered bevel box needle bearing definitely part of the problem, loads of play, seems crushed. I suspect by me. Been reading the old threads on removal as it does seem to be a git to extract...

Cheers fellas, I did notice a small amount of play in the wheel bearing, didn't think it was too bad but i'll check the other bits too. Ta, Stew

Hi Leon, You should be able to get them from any bike shop. I take my wheels to the local shop for new tyres- got them to swap the valve at the same time. Talk about making life easier! Could not for the life of me get an air hose on the straight one! Stew

Hi All, I've noticed a bit of a clunk when moving off. (And also occasionally when changing up a gear whilst feeding clutch out slowly). I popped the bike on a stand and there does seem to be a lot of play in the driveline- the wheel will turn a good inch or so fore and back before the prop turns. Any help/pointers on this would be great. Stew.

"Bump in 3rd" I'll second that! My battery died whilst tearin' about on Skye- nearest bike shop? ...... Inverness! Wouldn't mind quite so much but I'd literally just been 'Haha!' -ing at my chum as his Speed Four battery died just before mine: "Ha! Brit-built shite, should've got a proper bike like mine!" Ah when Irony rears thy head... 150 odd miles of bumpin to get there. No chance in 2nd; 3rd or 4th work fine. O course, weren't me that were pushin.. Of course they didn't have the right battery ... But that don't stop the industrious guzzisti! (Another story)

Before you dig in deeper, after having done the easy things first, consider that blown off boots happen quite often. So often that one could think that's just normal. Watch it, and then try to keep the flaps open when in risky conditions, such as interrupted warm starts for instance. Hubert Flaps? Risky?? Risky Flaps?? Warm Risky Flaps???

Ok, appreciate the replys, thanks. I'm off round the North tomo (All 4 English northern national parks- not too shabby!) So poss 8 or 9 hundred miles or so... I'll see how she performs- no time to feck with her as I'm away at half 5 in the morning to meet my pal at the Hartside Cafe for 9. When I get back I'll change the oils, clean the filter, check the clearances, check the tps and cylinder balance again. LIke I say: Not a mechanic (I could bore you to death about plasterin) but one trys ones best. Ta, Stew