Bike feels 'rough'....

[Guest Britcheflee]

Maybe I am going crazy but on my last ride after a fill up of new gas my V11 had a different 'feel' to it...almost a rough/lumpy engine feel - not so bad when cruising along the freeway but quite noticable when at lower gears going along windy roads - sounded louder as well - I use Premium gas in the bike and have just under 4,000 miles on it. Can quality of gas/octane rating make much difference to a bike like this?

With these low miles on it could there be any possibility of a imballance on the amout of fuel each cylinder is getting?

 

On another subject - I want to lube the drive shaft on the bike - I see a nipple with a cap on it - I assume I need to get a grease gun for this with a long tube?

 

Lee

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

...almost a rough/lumpy engine feel - not so bad when cruising along the freeway but quite noticable when at lower gears going along windy roads - sounded louder as well ...........

Can quality of gas/octane rating make much difference to a bike like this?

 

On another subject - I want to lube the drive shaft on the bike - I see a nipple with a cap on it - I assume I need to get a grease gun for this with a long tube?

 

 

Possibly bad gasoline or water contamination (although I doubt that). Don't lug your bike at low revs if it feels like this. Try fresh gas soon!

 

About the greasing part! I doubt anyone here on this forum knows anything about that!

[Guest ratchethack]

Maybe I am going crazy but on my last ride after a fill up of new gas my V11 had a different 'feel' to it...almost a rough/lumpy engine feel - not so bad when cruising along the freeway but quite noticable when at lower gears going along windy roads - sounded louder as well - I use Premium gas in the bike and have just under 4,000 miles on it. Can quality of gas/octane rating make much difference to a bike like this?

With these low miles on it could there be any possibility of a imballance on the amout of fuel each cylinder is getting?

 

On another subject - I want to lube the drive shaft on the bike - I see a nipple with a cap on it - I assume I need to get a grease gun for this with a long tube?

 

Lee

Lee, I agree with Heli-Jim on the possibility of contaminated fuel. Don't know where you normally get fuel, but service stations all along Hwy 50 (on both the windward grade where you are and Nevada side o' the Mighty Sierras) were notorious for condensation accumulation in in-ground tanks and the tank farms that feed them, and actually inside tanker trucks themselves, etc. in the wintertime when I lived there. I recall it would be intermittent, you never could tell where or when you might get a bad batch. I had to run gas dryer all winter every winter or suffer the consequences. You should be able to take a run up to Tahoe with nary a concern of ping, unless you've got other things goin' on. Must be nice to have a "new" bike, y'er nowhere near broken in yet.

 

WRT driveshaft lube -- there are 3 zerk fittings. Many posts and techniques to search on here. With only 4K miles you shouldn't have to worry about it f'er ahwile. My official Guzzi Service Schedule doesn't call f'er lubing the driveshaft until Service #3 at 12K mi. But YMMV

[Guest Britcheflee]

Thanks,

I am nearly through the tank of gas so will top up at one of the expensive newer stations - plus put some 'dryer' additive in there.

I would have much more mileage on the bike but unfortunately that pesky thing called work keeps interrupting my time to ride!!!

[slug]

 

WRT driveshaft lube -- there are 3 zerk fittings. Many posts and techniques to search on here. With only 4K miles you shouldn't have to worry about it f'er ahwile. My official Guzzi Service Schedule doesn't call f'er lubing the driveshaft until Service #3 at 12K mi. But YMMV

 

I seem to recall that some people have discovered that the factory or the dealer that did the prep failed to lube the splines (middle zerk) on the shaft. A quick squirt may not be a bad idea...

[badmotogoozer]

Yeah - sounds like bad gas. Could be moisture or you filled up right after the truck filled the tanks. Stirs all the bottom crud up when they fill. If you see a truck filling the tanks - go to another station.

 

cheers,

 

Rj

[earemike]

If it's water then a larger splash of metho will do the trick...