Cornering on a V11 - techniques?

[Baldini]

....If your bike feels nervous in a corner fix it or get.....

 

..... A TONTI !

 

 

Strange, my rear ohlins cannot be adjusted by hand. The adjustment rings are wound so tight that I have to either use a C spanner to undo or loosen them...

 

They should be tight! One is a lock ring to keep other from backing off. I use a long flat screwdriver & a mallet - make sure end has plenty contact area & fits well, so's not to damage nut or anything else in the vicinity....no space for peg spanner unless you do some dismantling...

 

You sure problem's not to do w crash, bearings or tyres?

 

KB

[slowkitty]

You sure problem's not to do w crash, bearings or tyres?

 

Bike ran straight at speed with no-hands. Will change tyres this week, will fill ya in. But bike felt loads better after I backed off rear pre-load, set compression from 4 to 12, and rebound to 9. Front forks were adjusted by ohlins distributor.

 

Are Guzzis supposed to be wonderful cornering machines? Forgive me, for I am ignorant.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

 

[VA Sean]

 

Are Guzzis supposed to be wonderful cornering machines? Forgive me, for I am ignorant.

 

 

Absolutely.

Rock solid in the corners and track like they are on rails.

[Guest Buddy]

Phew! Read through these pages with interest.

But as a simple soul I agree with all that's said on tyre pressures - I run mine at 36 front and rear, but then am only 160lbs. Also make sure your tyres are not squared off by too many straight roads. I use Bridgestone 020s

 

I also softened the front and rear suspension slightly (trial and error - up and down the same bit of road with a notebook to remember what I had just changed) until it felt right for me.

 

Mine also responds really well to being actively counter steered to change lean angle - however the key to riding a Guzzi is to pretend you are Italian and just go for it! Find a clear piece of road, or ideally a track and just keep leaning it. You will be amazed, wet or dry just how far you can push it with absolute predictability.

[Ouiji Veck]

QUOTE(Ouiji Veck @ Jul 10 2007, 01:15 PM) *

....If your bike feels nervous in a corner fix it or get.....

 

 

..... A TONTI ! sun.gif

 

 

ZZZZZZZzackly

 

I remember when Honda came out with the CR 500 and the incredible 12 way

adjustable rear shock. There were some spectacular "get offs".

[slowkitty]

Does anyone have the tyre pressures for Metzler Z6s for a V11? Currently running 36 and 40, feeling rather quick, perhaps too hard and too little contact patch?

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[Todd davis]

Does anyone have the tyre pressures for Metzler Z6s for a V11? Currently running 36 and 40, feeling rather quick, perhaps too hard and too little contact patch?

 

Cheers

 

Cat

 

 

I'm currently running 36 front and 38 rear. But then I'm only 160 Lbs. They're a definite improvement over the bridgestones.

[Guest Buddy]

Not tried Metzelers on the Guzzi, but used to club race a GSXR600 & 750 on them for a while, never liked them, though they grip very well, I found that they tended to let go without warning. Differant bike, differant tyre spec I know, but they gave me some scary moments. I also think that average road temperatures & conditions play a huge part in tyre and pressure choice. Here in not very warm, and often wet Devon my BT020s work really well.

[grossohc]

I am running my Z6,s at 35 front 38 rear, and i think they are great tyres in the wet, no slips no slides very confidence inspiring and its even colder and wetter up here.

Gary

[Guest Buddy]

Gary. I know it's drifting away from the original thread but that is very interesting information. Have you had any slides and if so did they go progressively or without warning? Also I'm interested in the balance of grip between front and rear.

Had a great tour round Scotland once - wonderful - it was just the never ending journey from here to the border that did my head in.

[Baldini]

....Metzelers...let go without warning...........my BT020s work really well.

 

The more I hear talk about tyres, the more it seems personal preference based on our limited experiences. I have my views , but they never seem to coincide w anyone elses. I got shot of the BT020's cos I found they gave little feedback & would let go w/o warning & then unpredictable too.... & handling went all to s**t when front cupped well before wear limit. I often used Metzelers on Tonti but not so far on V11. Best tyres for fast use I've had on V11 have been Mich Power 2CT's. Grip til you s**t. Diablos & SportAttacks were good too with their own different characteristics.

 

V11 handling, well yes - if you get it planted in a corner it'll track like a locomotive, but just pray you don't need to alter the line or brake suddenly. All that flimsily supported weight's happy so long as you don't make any sudden moves...

 

KB

[dlapierre]

Checked pressures ... 37 front and 39 rear .. it seems not low enuff to cause mischief. Will tinker with the suspension, perhaps will bring it to a tech to help me with it. The feeling I had when cornering is strange, like the bike wants wobble when I'm in a lean (and not a low lean at that!)

 

My other ride is a beemer, even taking into account the anti-dive nature of a telelever, still takes a lot of getting used to cornering on the V11.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

 

I think I understand the feeling. I had an r1100r beemer up until a couple of weeks ago, about two months after buying a v11. I was used to the steering on the beemer and was a bit uncomfortable with the way the v11 steered into corners. It took a while to adjust, but I ended up selling the beemer simply because the steering started to feel much harder on the beemer than on the v11. You have to push the beemer into a corner. Not so with the V11, in comparison. As others have said, steer with a lighter hand. Once you get used to it, you'll feel much more like you are a part of the bike. I also like sitting forward, more onto the tank.

[Greg Field]

I did a bunch of trial and error while waiting for others to catch up around Mt. St. Helens this weekend. Here're two conclusions:

 

Get some tankslappers to protect the tank paint, then slide all the way forward and really grip the tank with your thighs. This really helps apparent stability on a V11. Take all the weight off the bars and steer with your fingertips.

 

Downshift once more than you think you need to and keep the power on hard all the way through the curve. These things are not powerful enough that you really need worry that the rear end will break loose.

 

I'm too tired right now to remember anything else.

[dlaing]

...and steer with your fingertips.

 

After you get some rest, please elaborate.

[pete roper]

I haven't really been following this thread but just read it through and nobody else has suggested checking your driveshaft trunnion alignment.

 

Get the rear wheel off the ground so you can spin the wheel, (Or simply roll the bike forward or back.). Now wipe the shaft and you'll see that on bothe the front half and the rear half there are, or should be, two painted lines. These have to line up with each other exactly to ensure that the shaft is correctly aligned so the hookes couplings can work correctly. If they AREN'T aligned as the suspension works every time the shaft rotates it will exert enormous forces on the driveline and the torque that results will be fed back to the frame via the torque arm and this will DEFINITELY make the bike handle very strangely!!!!

 

Pete