Scud

^ that just makes me want to hold up lighter and yell FREEBIRD.

I don't know that shock, but was surprised to see that I know one of the people that wrote a positive review on the link you provided. I bought my 89 LeMans from him. When he was on the old LeMans (with upgraded suspension), and I was on my Scura (with stock Ohlins), I had a hard time keeping him in sight. If he says it's good shock, then I think that's reliable.

Leading indicators that you are about to have some great tacos: You just had a brisk 100-mile ride. There are more Spanish than English words on the signs. The picture on the sign is of a pile of raw meat. Carniceria is one of the words. Panaderia is one of the words. You have to walk under an arch to get in. Wrought-iron is featured (in this case a wrought-iron arch, so bonus points). The wood chairs are all painted different colors. An old man wearing farm-work clothes and a straw hat is by himself, reading the newspaper on the patio. There is a dirty, beat-to-hell old Ford truck in the parking lot (this was true when I parked, but sadly replaced by a Hummer by the time I sat down with my tacos.) There are more than three flavors of Jarritos in the fridge. And proof: Two el pastor, one carne asada. Two fresh corn tortillas per taco. With onion, cilantro, pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce and lime. The real deal.

I would generally agree with you. But since I spent money on it, I am suffering from confirmation bias. Subconsciously, I would rather find a reason that my past decision was good than admit that I wasted money on something useless. Of course, if it is subconscious, one has wonder how I could write such a thing. And Graceland... it would be a very long and slippery slope before I found myself there.

I got an oil temp gauge for my Scura because it looks cool. I can't read it while riding, and I never even think about it anymore, except when I check the oil - and I do that when it's cold. But hey, it still looks cool.

My Scura is "Scura." The LeMans is "LeMans." The Stelvio is "Stelvio." The TW200 is "Tee-Dub". The Husqvarna 701 is called either the "Husky," the "701," or "you fat f***ing pig" if I drop it on trail and have to lift it up.

Because Ducati wants a piece of the ADV market, which keeps getting defined by off-road capability, even though most ADV bikes rarely see dirt. Journalists and crazy people insist on stuffing adventure motorcycles in places that are better suited to actual dirt bikes. My friends on 450s made me pose before they helped me out of this sand trap. 100HP on a heavy bike can dig into the axle in a hurry.

Looks like Ducati's response to the market's move to mid-size adventure bikes. That feels funny to say... a 950 being mid-size. At first impression, the Desert X makes me think of my ex KTM 950 Adventure. L-twin, 21 inch front wheel, twin tanks, gobs of power. If the new Ducati is as good off-road as my old KTM was, they will do well with it.

Just contact Hyperpro directly. They will take all the info about the bike, your weight, riding style, etc. and build you a shock. Penske and Wilbers will do the same. I had them build it to the Ohlins spec. It's been a while, but if memory serves, part of the reason for the better handling on the Ohlins bikes is the taller rear spring (as compared to the Sachs unit).

Hyperpro is an affordable shock if you get one without the reservoir. I upgraded a 2003 LeMans Sachs unit with that. It was a big improvement. As I recall, the Ohlins has a slightly taller spring than the Sachs unit, and Hypro asked if I'd rather have the shock made to match the Sachs specs or the Ohlins specs. Easy decision. If you want to go next level, try Penske or Wilbers. And it's not going to be $800. It's will be more.

Heads up, in case nobody has mentioned it. The original Sachs shock (which it looks like your bike still has) is prone to failure at the rear mount. It's worth taking a close look where it connects to the swingarm for the tell-tale hairline cracks that precede failure.

The V11 bug has bit you hard. Gentlemen... place your wagers for date he buys a second V11. I'm putting a dollar down on February 14, 2022.

I'm 6 feet tall. You can tuck behind the LeMans fairing and get into calm air, but sitting upright it gives you a little more wind at the helmet than the fly-screen (as on a Scura). Adding a lip would be nice for sitting up at distances, but the extra wind is not extreme or annoying - if you ride with earplugs it's barely noticeable.

Interesting.... and what about just cutting some large circles in one or more of the four flat sides of the blocky part? At some point the filter will become the most restrictive element. (unless the "scrunchy" zone is already the smallest point. Docc says the bell makes it sound cooler, so that's an advantage.

Haha... not for lack of trying. I've been evangelizing on behalf my Husky 701 for a while. Over 100 year old motorcycle manufacturer who created some of the most iconic motorcycles in their genre, with severe financial difficulties behind them, and now using technology developed by their parent corporation. (that over-story fits Moto Guzzi and Husqvarna). At least Moto Guzzi did not have to endure being owned by BMW for a few years (as Husqvarna did). And Moto Guzzi does not have to suffer the unfortunate misperception that they manufacture lawnmowers (as the original Husqvarna parent company still does). Husqvarna 400 Cross:

This seems a plausible scenario, worth testing. I don't recall the details, but I think you can measure changes in resistance as you move the TPS. The readings should progress smoothly as you turn the TPS. If they spike or drop suddenly, you have found the problem.

Great bike. Fortunately, I have not had to learn much about it yet. But parts diagrams are always helpful. Here's one that shows a gear position sensor.

Do you do any of your own maintenance? Seems to me you could enjoy a ride with a minimal work: Flush the hydraulics (all 3) - and really, a short ride with the current fluid is probably not going to hurt anything. Brakes are easy, clutch fluid is a hassle the first time. Valve clearances are easy enough to check, but if it's running well now, it's hardly urgent. Fuel lines are probably fine... but worth doing over the winter. I'm a fan of new tires... but hey, if they are in good shape and not 20 years old, just ride it. In short... I don't see anything that would stop me from taking it for a ride immediately.

Oh yeah... I think huge bits of history have been lost but are being rediscovered and reinterpreted. Gobekli Tepe - a 12,000 year old technology transfer site. Discovery of mythical city of Dwarka off the coast of India. At least 10,000 years old. Found underwater at a depth that would have been dry land during the last ice age. I recently read Graham Hancock's book America Before, which details archeological evidence for ancient civilizations that were wiped out when a comet hit the ice in what is now Canada - triggering the end of the Ice Age (Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis). And how the evidence is routinely suppressed or destroyed by people with beliefs or agendas that are threatened by the possibility of 100,000 years history of human civilization. ...thread drift...

^ agree with what Docc said. Also, that flywheel doesn't look the same. I don't recall seeing those tabs on a flywheel before. (fotoguzzi's picture above).

Would like to get out there one of these years. I was thinking about all y'all this weekend. So I took the Scura out for 250 mile round trip to get a breakfast burrito near the Mexican Border. I raised a glass of mango juice in your general direction. Waiting for more pics and stories. The fake oil leak is too funny.

That's if you could find a used one... and if we had known that at the time. On the other hand, I think the new RAM units that you and I both installed are improved. The flywheel is steel with 3 arms and the mass is more centralized than the huge aluminum disc flywheel.

I think this is correct. The Rosso Mandello was the first V11 to have the RAM parts. The Scuras and Tennis were made later (2002 models). The problem flywheels seem to be limited to the 2002 bikes. It seems safe to leave the stock unit in a Rosso Mandello. But I would absolutely replace it in a Scura or Tenni.

I think this looks pretty good. A bit too angular and pointy for my tastes, but not excessively so. I could live with the looks of that. I'm curious to learn more about the motor and frame. I don't see the typical alternator cover up front, so maybe it is nestled in the V behind the radiator, or maybe over the transmission. And it looks like a trellis frame with the whole driveline just hanging off it. It's not hard to imagine a fairing that shrouds the radiator, possibly with a belly pan. And we have to keep in mind that Piaggio has dedicated Moto Guzzi to the theme of "Travel" (vs Aprilia being Sport, and Vespa being whatever it is...). With "travel" in mind, I appreciate the adjustable fly-screen to adjust where the wind hits you and reduce noise.

Looks like it comes in the original colors, so I assume it is made for the red-framed bikes. Does anybody happen to know the cost or whether it will also bolt up (without modification) to a longer, black frame? As exhaust, I have not heard the Magnis, but I've heard Mistral and Staintune. Those are nice, but the best sound, (IMO) is from the Moto Guzzi Factory Titanium Racing cans. Sadly, if you want a set of those, you probably have to buy a motorcycle that already has them.