Scud

Our joke in San Diego is that we have four seasons: December, January, February, and Summer. While that's somewhat true for the low-elevation areas, the local mountains get snow every year (see my recent picture in "where the fun starts" thread.) I live at about 50 feet elevation and can be over 5,000 feet within an hour's ride from home. Further North, there are ski resorts in the mountains near Los Angeles. Still further North there is year-round snow and glaciers in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It's a huge and interesting state. I took a buddy from Stamford, Lincs on a ride here. He nearly wet himself with excitement - and then I told him we were still on the "warm-up" roads. Ocean, desert, and mountains all on the same loop - huge changes in temperature. So - yeah, I'd like some fancy black handguards.

Just froze my fingers this morning at the same temperature. I am now looking into a set. How about these stylish and aerodynamic handguards? I think they go nicely with the pink t-shirt.

WOW! What an amazing difference. I take back everything I said about my ex BMW. Now I would compare the handling favorably to my ex Ducati Sport 1000. 60 miles - half of it the steepest, twistiest roads within range, and then a freeway ride home. The bike feels way more predictable in corners - especially steep downhill curves, where I was previously feeling very hesitant. At 90mph (145kph) it is still rock-solid, even over the "rain-grooves" that are common on California freeways - I had some unnerving wobbles before, tightened the damper one click and still had them, but they are gone now. Thanks everyone for the help. I will keep learning about the suspension settings and check the sag again properly soon - but this is VERY encouraging and probably the most important thing I've done yet to the bike. It seems the previous owner may have made the same mistake as I did (by believing the Ohlins manual) and had it set at minimum preload (but thought it was maximum). Maybe the stock springs will work for me after all. @Camn - I've been to Helsinki in January; I understand. I hope this picture from this morning helps you feel warmer (although I had to stop there to thaw my fingers on the valve covers).

Thanks Zooter and Baldini. I don't have a helper right now - but I measured the height at rest on the sidestand, then turned both nuts 11 turns clockwise and measured again. It increased the height by 12mm - which is enough to bring pre-load within specs. It feels like the front and rear both compress at the same rate when I sit on it - whereas before it was obvious that the front sagged a lot more. I didn't want to believe that the Öhlins manual was incorrect. Time to go for a brisk test ride (40 Degrees Fahrenheit).

I just re-read this, from the beginning of this thread. If the stock springs were 9 N/mm, then my options are only 9.5 and 10.0. I'm 25 pounds lighter (with gear) than Camn. Does 0.5 N/mm make enough of a difference for me - or should I go with 10.0 springs and less pre-load than Camn?

For ease of reference, and to take the guess-work out of the equation, here are the two relevant pages of the owners manual for Öhlins road & track front fork FG 43. This will be my first try at suspension work (other than removal and re-install), but given what I understand so far, I am now concerned that the stock-sprung Scura would be unsafe for two-up riding. In all my reading of various posts on this topic, I've been trying to separate fact from opinion and preference. Now that I have data (which I think are correct) about my own bike, I understand the problem.

OK - I'm going to keep riding it, but I'm going to change the fork oil as soon as I get the supplies in (will order ASAP). I plan on keeping this bike for a while, so changing the fluids "by the book" feels right to me. Since I'm going to be in there for the oil, this would be the time to pop in some springs if needed. So I figured I should measure the spring pre-load to see if it's already in spec for me. I used the Ohlins manuals from the Fileshare section of this forum as a guide. Here's what I found: Rear Shock: R1-R2 = 14mm. This is sag WITHOUT rider. The target is 5-15mm R1-R3 = 30mm. This is sag WITH rider. The target is 30-40mm My conclusion: rear spring seems OK for me. Front Fork: F1-F2 = 41mm. This is sag WITHOUT rider. The target is 25-30mm F1-F3 = 56mm. This is sag WITH rider. The target is 35-50mm Action attempted based on my understanding of the Ohlins manual: turn hex nuts on top of forks counter-clockwise 11 full rotations (out of 18 possible) to bring it within range for F1-F2. Intrusion of reality: the nuts were already turned to the stop in that direction - but could be freely turned the other way (and back to the stop). My conclusion: the bike does, as has been stated many times in this forum, need stiffer springs. In fact, it is impossible to set the preload within range WITHOUT the rider. Now, I am not the kind of skilled rider that can tell exactly what is wrong with a bike's suspension, but I do know (and appreciate) better suspension when I feel it. While I am happy enough with this bike as-is for my riding style, it corners kind of like my 1981 BMW R100CS did: it rewards the smooth rider; it likes to be all settled in before the corner; it doesn't like mid-corner changes to front brake pressure. Actually, having just re-read that critique, I now think that I love the motor so much that I've been blind to her other faults... I'm willing to be happier. The Ohlins manual says springs are available in .5 N/mm increments from 8.0 to 10.0. I weigh 185 lbs with all gear. Is this enough information for someone to recommend replacement springs for me? If I'm going that far, may as well put new seals in too... then I can "just ride it" till the engine paint looks like the La Brea Tar Pits.

Oh man, that's tempting - although I'd probably rent the Norge to do the whole island. What a great option for snow-bound northern-hemisphere dwellers. It's summer in New Zealand right now and it only costs US$0.77 to get a NZ dollar. Link saved to "bucket list." Thanks for sharing it.

I don't have an actual "bucket list" but if I did, touring the South Island of NZ on a bike would be on it. I've been to the North Island a couple times - stunningly beautiful.

LOL. Well-played, sir. ...and there's still a big, shiny, gold nut on the other side of it.

I was being playful - my gloves are stuffed between the valve covers and the tank. Everything's black, so you have to look closely at the picture. On snow rides on the dirt bike, I always grab the muffler to warm my hands. The valve covers on the Guzzi are perfect for stop-light warm ups and "glove-warmers" when I get off for a moment. Nice tool box!

I got the Scura a little muddy today, which turned out to provide a nice spray-test for the fender. This this was the first time the bike got dirty, so you can clearly see how well the fender protects the shock from spray. Other than a little bit of dirt on the lower mount, which must have bounced off the underseat area, the shock is still totally clean. I never got it dirty with the stock fender, but I'm pretty sure that the shock would have been a mess if ridden in the same conditions. I bought it just for the look, and it turns out to be excellent protection for the shock. Cheers to Ghezzi-Brian for a functional and attractive design (although I grant that it was not an easy installation).

The Scura is a 2002, which is still pretty early, right? I just went to the garage and measured the protective collar, it is EXACTLY 65mm (you've got a heck of a good estimating-eye). However, one of us missed by a few mms on the gap between swingarm and collar. I measured 15mm - but given that the gap between those parts is at a significant angle, and it's difficult to get anything in there to measure it (and read it), I'll spot you the 2mm and call it 13mm. So you might be in luck if you try this method.

I'll give this thread another push to see if there's any other interest in a topic like this. Here's this morning on a 2-hour 80-mile loop. I always get excited when I see signs that warn big trucks not to go further - that's a "where the fun starts" sign for me. We got snow down to 1400 feet elevation, which is unusual for us. BTW - I just LOVE the glove warmers on the Scura. Do all V11s have this feature? The photo was taken at the flag on the map - at the start of a particularly narrow and twisty section.

After you get your gun tip modified, thread it up alongside the driveshaft, through the tunnel in the swingarm, pop it on and lube that prostate gland. This one was taken from the final drive, looking forward.

Oh - bummer that it won't work for everyone. Given the apparent frustration with this procedure, I thought maybe I had stumbled across the "holy grail." The simple gun mod makes it super easy for me though; it pops on (and off) easily by hand.

I have read too much stuff and confused myself regarding fork service. On one hand the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" approach makes sense. I am happy with the suspension as is and it is not leaking (2,100 miles now). I have not measured the spring sag, but it feels OK and I am really pleased with the way the bike handles. I am a quick, but not aggressive, rider - I've never worn tires all the way to the edge on any street bike (and after 1,000 miles on the Pirellis it looks like those edges don't have anything to worry about either). I've heard plenty of people say that fork oil doesn't really need to be changed due to age - only mileage. On the other hand, the manual recommends changing the fork oil at the first (break-in) service at 1,000 km (>600 miles). This is the only fluid I have not yet changed. Then there are the warnings about the age of fork seals and the reports of the recall on the Scura Ohlins seals... I took it to the dealer for the 600 mile break-in service, but they didn't change the fork oil - and when I asked about it recently, they said "just ride it." I don't mind the work or the small expense for the oil and/or parts. I haven't done fork work before, but I think I can do it, even if I have to (aka get to) buy a special tool. But I hate doing stuff that's not needed. (BTW - I recognize the irony in that statement, because almost everything I've done to the bike so far was not "needed"). So, what's a guy to do? Advice is welcome.

I just figure this out yesterday and posted in another thread, then someone referenced this one. So here are the essential details: Modify the grease gun with little brass fittings from the plumbing section of a hardware store. Get the smallest right-angle bracket you can find. Then, with the bike on the sidestand (no parts removed), push it until the fitting is pointing up. Then thread the grease gun's tube through the driveshaft tunnel and pop it on the fitting. Takes 15 seconds. Grease to your heart's content. Let there be no more swearing at the front uni joint.

So I was trying to get the stickers off the swingarm and made a mistake. I started with "Turtle Wax Label and Sticker Remover" and a soft plastic scraper, then tried "Goof Off". It was tedious, and I damaged the finish on the swingarm. Then I remembered that I own a heat gun... The heated stickers peeled away easily and left no residue. I don't know what's in those stickers, but a piece fell on the garage floor and stuck so hard that I had to heat it again to get it off. I hope this can save somebody else some trouble. The stickers just say stuff that's easier to read in the manual or that doing other stuff is illegal... blah, blah, blah... Heck, putting this bike in 6th gear in illegal in the US. I'm glad I started with the lower one; the damage isn't obvious with the exhaust canister back on (and the flash made it look worse). But those bolt heads are blinding...

Well - I stopped shy of removing the shaft and lubing the splines (another day...). But I have figured out how to get Bob in the family. Which was important, because I think he really likes my mom's sister. All you need are a couple brass fittings from the plumbing department of your local True Value hardware store (I love that store) to modify the grease gun. Then it popped right on from behind with the wheel out - without removing or loosening anything related to the driveshaft or suspension. As "proof of concept" I was able to fit it to the forward zerk fitting in 15 seconds with the bike on the sidestand (time not including pushing it until the fitting was pointing up). No muss, no fuss. Let there be no more swearing at the driveshaft.

This thread was well timed for me, I just got a tube of grease for the gun a couple days ago. However... Bob's not even my distant relative right now. Lubing the driveshaft is one of the last remaining items on my "break-in" service list. I got 2 out of 3 zerks done - no problem. I pulled the rear wheel and still can't get my grease gun on the zerk fitting toward the front. What is this "needle zerk" that causes Bob to marry my mother's sister? I don't mind removing the shaft - probably a good idea to lube the splines while I'm there. But I'd like to learn the trick - please help.

The 30 amp fuse seems clear - once I determine which wire to put it on. Shame too, because I just had the tank off and could have traced the wires easily then. Just to confirm about the extra ground strap: I should attach it between the points as shown by the blue wire in this picture? Obviously, I would run the final wire more discretely... I might even screw it in... Benefit of the fuse is fire insurance - got it. And the benefits of the ground strap are that the bike is less likely to suffer from surging and poor charging?

Some shiny stuff will remain - including the red pork chops. However, Black Sabbath has been dominating my garage soundtrack since the Scura arrived.

And here's the whole bike so far. The next round of darkening will probably finish it off for me, and it will probably take a few weeks. Here's what I currently think needs to go for powdercoating (black, of course): Fork bottoms (and pre-emptive fork seal replacement) Alternator cover Sidestand (along with related bits) Footpegs and brackets Brake lever Shift lever Rear master cylinder cover (Although if a Carbon Fiber one were to appear, that would be OK) Passenger pegs ...and a black billet fuel filler would be nice. BTW - have I mentioned that San Diego is heaven on earth for motorcycle riders?

Got the valve cover bolts in black. FYI - 5mm longer than stock goes in just fine. That feels better. The silver-screw-scurvy is nearly cured. Here are before and afters of the right side of the engine (in obviously different lighting), where the fuel pressure regulator and 32 other points of light have succumbed to the darkness (mostly by replacement, but some painted). Valve cover (8) Frame bolt (1) Oil cooler bolts (4) Machined "tombstone" shapes by oil pan (2) Chin spoiler bolts (2) (which also hides a bunch of other silver-scurvy) Transmission and driveshaft housing bolts and nuts (8) Seat lock screws (2) Seat lock chrome face Side panel screws (2) Throttle-body bracket (2) The other side is similar - but the helmet lock did not survive its brief encounter with my die grinder.