Guest SantaFeRider Posted June 11, 2007 Posted June 11, 2007 John, I finished yesterday installing the kit. I went today for my first ride on the Le Mans since I had my accident on February 2006. I have been back to riding my piggy RT for a while, but with the limited flex left to my knee after my accident, there was no way I could ride the Le Mans with its original ergos. The sun was shining and the temperature in the upper 60's; can't ask for more! I took her down Highway 14, to the Moto Cafe where everyone living in the Santa Fe/Albuquerque area with a motorcycle congregates on Sundays. It was like coming back to life! Thank you, thank you! I knew I wasn't ready to sell her. The kit is perfect and its quality is superior! Everything fits well and tolerances are snug. You should be proud of what you have done. All I need now is a handlebar riser kit. Any suggestions?
titan41 Posted June 14, 2007 Posted June 14, 2007 Hi Matt, Thanks for your payment. It was received while I was away in California last week. Your controls were shipped out this past Tuesday, May 30th by USPS priority express. They should arrive by Friday, today, in time for the weekend, with any luck. best, John John, Got your package right on time. Sorry, took so long to say thanks. Had a hectic couple of weeks. It is an amazing collection of parts, no simple task for you to develop. Very pleased with quality of your efforts. Hope to finally install this weekend and give it a real test next week when I head out for the Virginia Guzzi Rally. Matt
Woodburn Posted June 27, 2007 Posted June 27, 2007 Are these still available? I have a message to John through this website, but no reply. Thanks!
John in Leeds Posted June 28, 2007 Posted June 28, 2007 Are these still available? I have a message to John through this website, but no reply. Thanks! Be patient, I'm sure John will soon contact you.
Guest SantaFeRider Posted June 28, 2007 Posted June 28, 2007 Be patient, I'm sure John will soon contact you. I think John said something about going out of town for a few days.
Ryland3210 Posted July 3, 2007 Author Posted July 3, 2007 Hey guys, I just returned from Europe and replied to Woodburn. Sorry for the delayed response. However, before I left back on the 15th, I released another batch and expect everything to be completed this coming Friday. This time, I made another improvement. The shift lever connecting rod now has left and right hand threads on opposite ends, and I am supplying a left hand threaded ball rod end and nut to replace the original ones. This will make it possible to adjust the shift lever height without disconnecting the rod end from the bell crank. It's true that adjusting the shift lever position is theoretically just a one time task. Nevertheless, I thought it was a worthwhile improvement. Fine adjustments should be possible in minutes. Think of it like a turnbuckle. The connecting rod is made of stainless, so even if one has to reach in there with pliers to turn it, no need to worry about peeling off plating and exposing raw steel to corrosion. If the original rod loosened, it could rotate without the rider experiencing any change in shift lever position, potentially leading to it falling out of one of the ball rod ends altogether. With the new rods, the advantage is that any change will be noticed in shift lever position. I'll be taking a look at handlebar extensions and center stands next. John I think John said something about going out of town for a few days. Thanks much for the kind words, Sante Fe Rider. It makes the extra effort really worthwhile. If you have ever had to assemble toys for kids, it's a very good lesson in how important it is to make it easy for someone counting on you for a quality product. I remember getting pretty frustrated with trying to force things to go together in spite of the poor quality, or instructions that must have been written by someone that had never actually tried them. Are these still available? I have a message to John through this website, but no reply. Thanks! Sorry for the late reply, Woodburn. I sent you a reply yesterday. I'll be able to check my email daily from now on. I was just isolated while sailing for two weeks. Cheers, John
Guest SantaFeRider Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 I'll be taking a look at handlebar extensions and center stands next. John
John in Leeds Posted July 6, 2007 Posted July 6, 2007 This time, I made another improvement. The shift lever connecting rod now has left and right hand threads on opposite ends, and I am supplying a left hand threaded ball rod end and nut to replace the original ones. The connecting rod is made of stainless, so even if one has to reach in there with pliers to turn it, no need to worry about peeling off plating and exposing raw steel to corrosion. I'll be taking a look at handlebar extensions and center stands next. Taking the trouble to apply common sense and the possibility of a first class centre stand, excellent, top man
Woodburn Posted July 7, 2007 Posted July 7, 2007 John, thanks for your great communication so far! I was relieved to hear you were still producing these and can't wait to get the kit. At 6'4", I expect this kit will allow my knees to last a lot longer, especially on more spirited rides when I'm riding with much of my weight on the pegs. All the pressure on my knee caps is pretty significant with the deep bend that my long legs require on the stock peg position. Can't wait! Check is in the mail!
kevdog3019 Posted July 9, 2007 Posted July 9, 2007 John, Are you talking about bar risers or extentions? This mod you did on the footpegs has changed our Lemans so much I can't stay off it. I just helped my friend into a Lemans as well. It had the other footpeg mod already done...and it doesn't compare. He now needs bar risers! Your mod is simply brilliant and would HIGHLY recommend it for everyone, no matter their leg length.
rologuzzi Posted July 10, 2007 Posted July 10, 2007 John Somehow I missed this thread a couple of months ago (must have been blind!) but you have addressed, superbly by all accounts, one of the few major issues I have with my V11, that being the footpeg position. Just wondering whether you're still producing them & if so, is there any chance of sending a set of these out to the Antipodes (Australia)? If so, could you please advise cost, preferred payment & delivery methods & availability. The prospect of a centre stand is equally exciting, not least for keen DIY owners like myself who may not have the equipment or expertise to manufacture one themselves. Many thanks. Tony
Ryland3210 Posted July 12, 2007 Author Posted July 12, 2007 John Somehow I missed this thread a couple of months ago (must have been blind!) but you have addressed, superbly by all accounts, one of the few major issues I have with my V11, that being the footpeg position. Just wondering whether you're still producing them & if so, is there any chance of sending a set of these out to the Antipodes (Australia)? If so, could you please advise cost, preferred payment & delivery methods & availability. The prospect of a centre stand is equally exciting, not least for keen DIY owners like myself who may not have the equipment or expertise to manufacture one themselves. Many thanks. Tony Hi Tony, I've just finished a batch. No problem shipping anywhere. I'll send you a direct message with all the details. Thanks for the kind words. Cheers, John John, Are you talking about bar risers or extentions? This mod you did on the footpegs has changed our Lemans so much I can't stay off it. I just helped my friend into a Lemans as well. It had the other footpeg mod already done...and it doesn't compare. He now needs bar risers! Your mod is simply brilliant and would HIGHLY recommend it for everyone, no matter their leg length. Hi Kev, Whether risers or extensions, cables and hoses would have to be extended. A little more difficult. Making hoses is routine for me, but not control cables. If you know of a quality source for special length cables I could purchase from, it would be of interest. I want to be in a position to control quality in anything I get involved in, and to supply everything needed in a kit. best, John
Woodburn Posted July 23, 2007 Posted July 23, 2007 I received my kit on Friday and installed it right away. I think this is the first work I've done on my bike where the instructions were written by someone who spoke English as their first language. Nothing lost in translation for once! The installation process was very straight forward, but can get tricky on the shifter side. All went well and I was ready for my Saturday ride. I'm serious when I say this was the best experience I've had riding this bike in the 20K miles I've ridden it! I was no longer sliding forward in the seat, my knees didn't start aching after and hour, and I was able to un-weight myself from the seat far more easily when I got into the twisties. This kit was the last piece to the puzzle of making this bike comfortably fit my 6'4" frame. I switched out the clip-ons in favor of some LSL superbike bars and risers and I had the seat rebuilt by Rich Maund. Now it is simply perfect for me. When I returned home Saturday evening, my wife commented that I didn't seem as tired as she would have expected. For the first time after an all-day ride, I still felt great! Just wanted to praise John for his fantastic work on designing and building this kit. Top rate stuff, great attention to detail and best all... it works. Thanks again!
DeBenGuzzi Posted July 23, 2007 Posted July 23, 2007 GOD I wish I had the money right now, But we've had so many unforseen expenses lately I'm tapped. I'm going to hope I can get a set from you this fall. I think this would be perfect for my 6'3" frame as my 26 year old knee's be gettin old. Unlike some others I've got ape arms and the 2000 clip ons seem almost as high as the later raised bars to me and I'm fine with leaving those in place. We're talking about $500 here is that shipped? I guess I don't quite get youre price breakdown.
Ryland3210 Posted July 23, 2007 Author Posted July 23, 2007 GOD I wish I had the money right now, But we've had so many unforseen expenses lately I'm tapped. I'm going to hope I can get a set from you this fall. I think this would be perfect for my 6'3" frame as my 26 year old knee's be gettin old. Unlike some others I've got ape arms and the 2000 clip ons seem almost as high as the later raised bars to me and I'm fine with leaving those in place. We're talking about $500 here is that shipped? I guess I don't quite get youre price breakdown. It's actually only $450, including shipping within the U.S. Outside the U.S., I can quote shipping to anywhere once I know the destination. This can be by UPS, Fedex, US Global Priority Mail, DHL, etc. If paid in other than U.S. dollars, I have to charge the bank's exchange fees, which typically run about $30. Checks in foreign currency are OK, but the exchange fees are charged, and clearance can take a couple of weeks or more. Checks drawn on U.S. banks clear in 2-3 business days. Money orders are as good as cash. Since the first batch, two improvements have been made. Shift levers are now polished a bit more. The new stainless connecting rod is now left hand/right hand threaded, and a new left hand ball rod end and locknut are supplied to replace the original. This makes it simple and easy to fine tune the lever adjustment without having to disconnect it from the ball rod end as was necessary with the original Guzzi design. I hope this answers all your questions. If not, send me a detailed personal message. Cheers, John
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