pete roper

Playing with the timimg by running significantly different gaps is not a panacea for all ills. Nor is it without probems or risks. Early twins used different materials in the valvetrain and inherited soft, simple cams from the police and military heritage. Wide gaps were specified because these bikes were expected to sit for long periods idling with A copper or squaddie on board. Later machines have gone away from this and with the otherwise identical machines small clearances were specified for the USA, probably for noise reasons. These gaps are so small they can lead to the tappets 'Riding' the cam. I have to say Ihave NEVER had a prblem with the 'Euro' specs of 4 thou inlet and 6 exhaust on any squarefin, in any heat, and you don't run the risk of the tappets by-passing the ramps on the cam. I maintain that for quiet, happy, running there is little to be achieved from running clearances of 5 and 7 on roundfins and 4 and 6 on squarefins as long as you are not playing with stupid cams or pushrods of a non-original type. YOMV. Pete

The clutch hub for the Scura single plate clutch is completely different to the one for the twin plater. You'll need the hub and the two shaft o-rings and I'd suggest a new seal as well. Pete

The rocker cover covers are cosmetic to prevent the great unwashed being offended by the twin plugging needed by the wider combustion chambers. As for the plastic oil pump gear? who knows? The current ones are steel, I can't see any reason for changing it on a production motor Perhaps it was just easier to blow one out of plastic for the mock up? who knows?? Pete

More whiney-arse carping about Piaggio and the tired old 'Scooter Maker' accusations. Give me strength. The Piaggio series bikes, especially the Nuovo Hi-Cam are streets ahead of anything Mandello has produced for nearly four decades. As for the V7 series? They make them 'cos they SELL. Most popular model they make. If you think they should stop I'd say you have shitty business skills! For all of the whinging what is being ignored is that the new models, certainly the Nuovo Cali and I'm hoping the Nuovo V7 with the single throttle body look like they will be getting the fantastic Piaggio RBW system. None of you old curmudgeons and technophobes have probably ridden a bike that used this system and although I'll bet that many of you regularly drive cars with such technology in them you'll die in a ditch before you'll countenance it on *Your* motorbike. Fine, But its your loss. It really is. Pete

Look at the pic of the foreshortened tappet. The cam is f@cked. New cam, new tappets and use some sort of ZDDP additive after the rebuild. Pete

I note this has been viewed again. If anyone is interested I have just had another run made. I know some people made enquiries before but my desktop which contained all my emails, contacts etc. shat itself lavishly about three months ago and I lost everything. If people are still wanting a plate I have the new V-III plate in stock as of now. Got half a dozen ready to go if anyone wants. Pete

Louvres willnprbably be going green. Heel protectors for footpegs and starter cover are going blue. It'll be getting LED turn signals soon and iI've got to see what colours I can get to powder coat the rocker covers . Pete

It's all very personal. I love the Griso's looks and think it is the best looking bike to come out of Mandello since the V7 Sport. I accept though that not everyone shares my taste. While the plastic is there for stying reasons it also has a function in that it covers a lot of *stuff* like horns, coils, ecu etc. There isn't a lot of extra room on a Griso. As for thr Nuovo smallblock? Most interesting aspect is the adopion of the single throttlebody and, I'm guessing, RBW. That will make it a very pleasant little motorbike I'd think. No , it won't set any land seed records or the world on fire but how many Harley Sportsters, Triumph twins and Ducati Monsters get sold? Not to mention bloody V-Stroms and the like! Nice to see I'm not a lone voice in the wilderness crying that the V7 'Racer' is an abomination Keith Pete

Just to give you a bit of an inside line on the Aprilia Mana. I own two. They are a superb lightweight tourer. I am a long time 'Auto' nutter, which is odd because I hate automatic cars and don't own one but love Auto bikes. There is one major failing with the Mana. It has shit suspension. So bad that after my Oz bike tried to kill me two weekends ago I'm upgrading to a Hyperpro shock and Tuono forks and brakes on my Oz bike and will be doing the same with my US bikewhen time and money allows. The Mana has a great engine but it isn't as 'Organic' as a V11, in fact it can be almost anodyne if you leave it in 'Touring' mode which is where mine spends most of its time. Using the 'False Manual' mode with either the 'Gear Lever' or the 'Flappy Paddles' can be fun but needs adapting to. Because I don't have a hnd/wrist problem and have a Griso I've yet to truly master the 'Manual' mode but if you log into the AF-1 board you'll find a host of people who have had to go to a Mana because of various 'Physical' or 'Health' issues. Because the Mana also appeals to scooteristi there are a fine selection o nongs on the board but there is a hard core of real enthusiasts. Yiu have to dig but the pearls are there. Paul Solk is one. he has basically RSV'd his Mana because he had to and it has everything up to full CF bodywork and Yella forks and shock!!!! When my 8V Griso in the USA was written off in Seattle I had a choice. An RSV-4 or a Mana GT-ABS. Now I LOVE the RSV-4 but boy am I glad I opted for the GT . I was able to do 700 mile days on the GT in almost perfect comfort. On an RSV-4 I would probably have come home in an air ambulance simply from the riding position!!! Never mind the gaol time for speeding! The thing is a monocycle, you can only ride it on one wheel! The GT, apart from 'Monkey Butt' which you'll get on any bike doing long distances in 40*C + heat it is THE BEST AND MOST COMFORTABLE BIKE I've ever toured on. Both of mine have been faultlessly reliable despite being probably the second most compex electronically governed bike in the world, (After the SV-4/Tuono-APRC). As mentioned the ONLY issue is the suspension, which is a classic case of 'Spoiling the Ship for a H'apport of Tar' but remember that the Mana is essentially aimed at a market of scooter riders who are used to soething that handles like a well sprung fridge! My upgrades, Tuono forks and brakes, (off fleabay) and a Hyperpro shock cost me less than $2,000. A suitable master cylinder will make the mods that will give me mega brakes, (The stock Mana ones are better than the ones on my Griso!) and will push the cost to probably $2,100 but yes, I will be rebuilding and oiling the forks before install them and they *Might* need re-springing, but I doubt it given the comparative weight of the bikes and the use to which I put the Mana, (Mainly touring, often 2-up with lots of luggage.) I can't emphasise enough how much fun a Mana is. The GT even looks qie nice compared to the 'Standard' and despite my swearing I'd never own a bike with ABS I found it quite uaefull when doing stupid stuff like coming down the '(Unsealed!) Mokey Dugway in Utah. Take a Mana, especially a GT, for a flog. Remember it has shit suspension and will probably have been set up by a retard, Expect to spend a comparatively small amount of money on suspension upgrades, (I have other alternatives besides the full 'Tuono Showa transplant.) and then consider a swap. No, it's not a V11, or even a Guzzi, but it really is a great and greatly under appreciated 'Motorbike'. People who can't recognise that are not worth wasting time on. Pete

I'll have you know I've never sold my penis or any part of it Hubert! It's far too small to divide up! Also I only have one ball and it is made of glistening chrome! No 'Small white ones' here! What a nasty idea!! Pete

Good point Keith, I'm pretty certain the single and twin plate clutches use different pushrods but I could be wrong. Make sure you check it.

For a mere $300 I can sell you an 'Orgone Accumulator'! Not only will it make your V11 into a 'Busa Beater but yur penis will grow by a foot! Even if you're a girl and don't have one! Truly a miracle!!!! Pete

Cali clutch assy. is MUCH heavier than the lightweight units used in Spineys. In and of itself this is not a deal breaker but it will change the character of the bike. FWIW I have an Eldo flywheel in my SP1000 and love it. But I accept that I'm strange... Pete

May be a few Griso bits in it but it ain't no Griso.'got one of thse horrid 'Bib Bore' motors in it for starters!

Cent clutch will work fine. You'll need a different clutch boss to the one on your Scura gearbox though.

A couple of things. The V11 twin plate set-up is the same as the unit used on Hi-Cams, (Early Hi-Cams.) and 1100 Sports The 'Old' Hi-Cam produces much more power and torque than the V11. It is tried and tested. It also was uprated with the Hi Cams and later bikes to a 10 spring system to increase the clamping force. Yes, if you hammer it constantly it'll wear out quicker. Well Derrr!!!!!! The single plate idea was originally a 'Cure' for racers who wanted their flywheels really light to help with rapid engine speed changes when swapping cogs with the old five speed box. Sure, it's a good idea. A single plate unit is also a lot CHEAPER than radically lightening an earlier 'Heavy' flywheel, believe me, I know. Those wheels are murder on cutting tools and setting up the head for the cuts used to be a c@nt! Maybe it's easier now. I dunno. Volume production of bikes that wanted 'Different' characteristics meant that Guzzi started making lightweight flywheels and ring gears for their twin plater and upped the spring count to 10 to add clamping force. On 5 Speed bikes this makes for a willy shrivellingly heavy clutch, especially on Centauros for some reason, but with the advent of the six speed box and hydraulic operation meant that ratios could be managed to make the pull acceptable again. Thing is Guzzi owners being Guzzi owners the myth persisted that for slick changes you needed a 'Single Plate Clutch'. Who says that Guzzi never listened to their customers! They built the Scura with a single plate clutch. But rather than using the long established RAM unit they insisted on re-designing it a bit, badly, and at least the ones on the Scura are awful. I've had at least four blown up ones through my workshop and 'm just one workshop in a very small market. You do the sums, I can't be arsed! When I bought my, now Chuck's, Scura from a member of this board I knew that the first thing I wanted to do was piss off the single plater. I think they are poison. You can think what you like but the idea of something weighing a couple of kilos suddenly deciding to come to pieces at 7000RPM about 300cm away from my naughty bits gives me the willies. So I did. Not only is the lightweight twin plater, to me at least, indistinguishably 'heavier' or more massive in it's rotating mass when I'm riding hard but it doesn't make a horrid noise at idle, works every bit as well as the single plater and I don't fear its going to give me an aluminium proctological examination when I'm 'Giving it the Berries'. Yes, it probably is a trifle more massive. So much the better if you want to act the goat and pull monster wheelies! While it's not only the flywheel know I've NEVER ridden such a wheelie happy Guzzi as Chuck's Scura. It's bonkers! And part of that must be down to that little bit of extra flywheel mass!!!! For all the above reasons I think the single plater is horrid. I think the RAM aftrmarket unit is less likely to fracture, (Although I have seen this too.) bu it is only availabel nowadays with a bronze 'Racing' plate with a lifespan measured in hours. If that's what you want? Go for it! It's a bit spendy and labour intensive though. Make your own choices. I have a lot of experience and I'm not selling anything so if I have an ulterior motive for my suggestions I'dd love to hear them. I need a good laugh...... Pete

Hey Soren, tell us about your clutch. KB (currently bikeless thanks to a FU'ed front UJ ..... ) Soren and Keith. Jon Margrave has both a low mileage driveshaft and the twin-plater clutch/flywheel out of his Le Mans that he's wrecking. Both probably absurdly cheap knowing Jon..... Pete

"Because its fun you tiny willied dribbling vegetable!" Why waste the energy explaining further??? Pete

My guess is that the roller tappets are coming. Perhaps the parts manual was leaked by mistake and is in fact for the MY 12 bikes that will no doubt be being built from about now? Who knows? I certainly can't see it being a *Hoax* of any sort, it looks like an official parts site link. Pete

There is no way in the world you could get the big motor in the small frme. Even if you could it would tie the frame in knots. The smallblock 750 makes 45HP, the 8V makes 105. Apart from the sheer physical bulk all the shafts etcare in the wrong place. Pete

Oh, and Hubert, as for the ability to retrofit the system to the earlier motors? The answer is probably yes, but it won't be a simple case of swapping the camboxes. The valve springs have new part #'s too so it would be a 'Heads Off' job at least. Due to the different nature of the cam requirements it would almost certainly require another map as well. All this is pure conjecture though. I have no more knowledge than you do really at the moment. Pete

NOISE sounds good. Why could you already hear one of those new engines? Are the roller tappets an update even for the smaller 8Vs (another new engine)? Besides being quieter these parts are a good piece heavier as well so they're no real option for a high output sports engine Hubert MY '11 bikes for Europe are already using the roller tappets. I only learnt about it about three days ago when one of the Guzzitech contributors put up a link to the 2011 Stelvio NTX parts page. It clearly shows the roller tappet system, (I'll dig the link up again if you can't find it.). The new NTX is listed for delivery here as a 2012 model and wheen I was up in Sydney a few weeks ago they had one of 'Next Year's Models in that was here for homologation purposes and to be abused by the press. It was fresh out of the crate and Daniel hadn't had any info on 'Changes'. We noted changes to the camboxes and plug tube sealing but apart from its uncanny quietness, (Compared to previous models.) and twin O2 sensors there was nothing visible to suggest any other changes. You can't see the relevant bits of the lifters or the cam lobes from the 'Top' of the cambox. This has prompted the aforementioned shrieking hysterics to immediately claim that all the flat tappet engines are 'Fundamentally Flawed' which is, IMHO and experience, total crap. While the system will have advantages from a mechanical point of view, (there are downsides too.) the most obvious immediately noticeable difference is the fact that the roller tappet motor is much, much quieter. Pete

A number of screeching hysterics on some of the other boards have started saying that the falt tappet engines are 'Fundamentally Flawed' and the fact that the factory has gone to roller tappets on the my 2011 bikes is clear evidence of this. I'm sorry, I have to call bullshit on this. There have been some reports of later tappets failing. Mainly in the UK and on the Iberian peninsular. There is, AFAIK, no evidence of systematic failure. There has also been a part # change for the fat tappets but I bought a set of the new ones and they seem to be identical to the V2 tappets so methinks it might just be a change of supplier! The reason for the change is most likely down to NOISE! I heard one of the new roller tappet ehgines ina MY 2012 AU Stelvio in Sydney a few weeks ago and it is MUCH quieter than any flat tappet 8V I've ever heard. The new Cali has rocker cover 'Covers'. Presumably to cover the plug-top coils and reduce noise again on that engine. Also FWIW none of the 8V's I've had anything to do with have EVER suffered a tappet failure, including all the early 'Bad Tappet' models. This isn't because I'm a genius or a magician but I have been VERY careful about impressing on people the importance of servicing them. Pete

As of MY 2012 8V will have roller tappets. Cali 1400 revealed at GMG. Paul has posted links to his pics elsewhere. As I suspected tall 'Rocker Covers' are cosmetic and cover twin plugs. Motor is oil/air cooled. Pete

I'm jelous. None of my revolting brood look like sprogging any time soon Congratulations to you and the parents. Pete