Scura suspension?

[pete roper]

OK, couple of things here Tom has a mate down Pensacola way with a Scura he's thinking of selling. This has the advantage of being much closer to MPH than Solo's bike BUT..........

 

There are a couple of things. a.) we aren't sure if it's for sale or what he might be asking, mileage etc. b.) There is the matter of honour. I've expressed an interest in Solo's bike and as long as it doesn't turn out to be a horrible old s#itter that has been flogged to death by a mouth breather I feel obliged to run with that. Old fashioned I know, but I'm like that .

 

Lastly while the offers of assistance are greatly appreciated I am very lucky in the fact that I am not impoverished. While I obviously like to keep my eyes peeled for a bargain I'm not someone who has to do everything on a shoestring, I can afford to pay the fair market rate for any bike I buy or parts and am more than willing, if I get work done on any of my machines to stick my hand in my pocket and hand over the sponds without pissing, moaning or cutting up rough. Of course I could do the work myself but that would involve me spending a heap of my 'Holiday' sweating in someone elses garage/shed fixing shit when I could be riding! Bugger that for a lark! I'm 50 years old and, in my reckoning, comfortably off. If I'm going to have the enjoyment of riding a well set up bike around the USA for several weeks before bringing it home I expect to pay for the privelege! One of the very, very few things that really gets my goat are people who phone me up and pick my brain, often at length and sometimes when I've phoned them back so it's on my dime, and then phone me up to TELL me that they've managed to get their parts from somewhere else for some paltry number of dollars less than they would of got them from me! This is particularly irritating if they have bought stuff from overseas thinking they are making a saving and then get hit up by customs when the stuff arrives so what they pay is in fact almost exactly what I would of charged but of course I don't make a cent on it! Needless to say such people find that the flow of information they might require suddenly slows to a trickle .

 

No way in the world am I going to stitch up someone else in the trade the same way by expecting discounts, freebies or anything. They've got a living to make so I have to stick my hand in my pocket! (boo-Hiss!) And that, coming from a man who is so mean he can peel and eat an orange without taking his hands out of his pockets is a BIG ask

 

Pete

[Guest ratchethack]

Pete, I find your comment about going with Solo's Scura -- on the basis of wot appears to've been just a prior inquiry -- to be an uncommon mark of authenticity these days, and well appreciated.

 

I was casting no aspersions, nor had I made any assumptions of charity in the slightest, my friend -- as if this were possible in the case of such an International Man o' The World, Self-Made Entrepeneur, owner of many fine motorcycles, summer home on the ocean, yacht, etc. . . . Just seems to me that logistically, it might be a little easier for an appreciative and generous Forum membership here in the US to give ourselves the privilege (if possible) of repaying our combined debts to yourself in some small way for all you've provided us by taking care of some o' the details for you so you can better enjoy your trip/vacation.

 

It'd have been quite another matter if you'd been gratuitously fishing for handouts, my friend. Wotever you decide to do, I'm sure anyone with the ability to pitch in would be more'n happy. Myself included.

 

BTW -- I ain't "in the trade" so you can feel free to take me up on an offer any time -- guilt free! -- to store a Guzzi (if this were to become desirable) in North San Diego County. I have a 3-stall garage with vehicles easily rotated about, and extra room. I also have a fairly well equipped shop with pretty much anything you might need (with the exception of stuff like tire service equipment, which is professionally at hand, and very capably, I might add, within a few miles).

[pete roper]

Sorry Ratch, not meaning to seem an ingrate, simply not wanting anyone to bust their balls for me, thassall.

 

One thing has just occured to me though. if any forum members have some luggage suitable for a V11 I could borrow for such a trip it would be really appreciated. Over here my Griso is bagged up and is a superb touring tool so it's unlikely that I'd want to permanently bag up the Scura but also I wouldn't want to buy a complete set of luggage just for rippin' round the USA. If people have a set of racks and bags I could borrow that would be great!!!!

 

pete

[pete roper]

I weigh 210lb in gear. A rider of my wt will not be able to get suspension to work on stock springs. For us the Scura is UNDERSPRUNG. Pete is at least as heavy as me, so he will need springs at least as heavy as mine. As I recall, stock fork springs are 8.5N/mm. I put in 10N/mm. Shock is 85N/mm, I put on 100N/mm. I think now should have gone slightly heavier on the shock. I think Greg used a 105?

 

Messing round w damping w/o respringing is p***ing in the wind.

 

Pete may wish to quote his wt to a decent Ohlins shop who will rec springs for him. Course he may opt to max preload & bounce merrily around the countryside - he is a free man & I believe, currently on a different continent to the Scura, so quite how he is going to measure his sag figures is anybody's guess.

 

There is a thread somewhere already dealt w all this stuff.

 

KB

 

Useful. Thanks Keith. I weigh 210 with clothing and boots but without helmet, jacket, overkeks etc. so if you reckon your rear spring is just adequate then it sounds like a 105 on the back would be the way to go for me! Great bloated lardy that I am! Forks? probably the 10's would be fine. Remember I don't ride particularly hard but really appreciate GOOD suspension. I'll Email Todd direct and see if i can get a price for the work I think it needs. When Greg gets back from his bear-wretling this weekend I'll try picking his brain too!

 

pete

[Bruce Reader]

Hi all,

 

More info here Pete

 

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...ohlins&st=0

 

Cheers

 

Bruce

 

p.s Pete i have the Ventura rack on my Scura that i can whip off for your trip- to fit you have to cut 2 small pieces out of the rear underneath- easily done but you will need a hacksaw blade or similair to get going. I have a decent bag to suit that you can use.

[waspp]

RC's came with externally adjustable fork preload?

 

FWIW -- I don't mean to be presumptuous here, but it may be helpful to understand that there's no way to overcome an incorrect match of spring rate to load with preload adjustment of any kind.

 

 

Yes externally adjusted spring preload, factory set at 13 turns from full soft which felt very harsh.

[Baldini]

...Scuras must be sprung different than the corsa models..

 

All reports I have heard indicate later Ohlins equipped models were better set up from stock, presumably w stiffer springs included. What is marking on your shock spring?

 

KB

 

..I don't ride particularly hard but really appreciate GOOD suspension. ...

 

You don't have to ride too hard to have the stock Scura chucking you all over the road. And you can't take advantage of the huge range of subtle damping adjustments or set correct sag until you get right springs. But do check he's not already changed em.

 

KB

[dlaing]

OK, couple of things here Tom has a mate down Pensacola way with a Scura he's thinking of selling. This has the advantage of being much closer to MPH than Solo's bike

If an Ohlins Guzzi is your goal, here is another option

In Alabama

http://www.mgnoc.com/classifieds.html

"Limited Edition Coppa Italia V11 Sport. Only 40 Imported to US. All Ohlins with steering damper, MG factory upgrade Titanium cans & chip, PIAA headlights, extra bright LED brake lights and turn signals, custom rear shock mud guard,clear custom tank & headlight protectors. Mint condition, always garaged & covered with MG red cover included. 600 miles. 1st service."

[todd haven]

I can afford to pay the fair market rate for any bike I buy or parts and am more than willing, if I get work done on any of my machines to stick my hand in my pocket and hand over the sponds without pissing, moaning or cutting up rough.

 

No way in the world am I going to stitch up someone else in the trade the same way by expecting discounts, freebies or anything. They've got a living to make so I have to stick my hand in my pocket! (boo-Hiss!)

Pete

 

Mr. Roper,

Thank you for your interest in our services.

You seem to have a very "old-fashioned" idea of how things should be done.

While quaint, you obviously have a lot left to learn.

While it will prove difficult, we are willing to go the extra mile for

a furriner Guzzi rider.

Since you asked so nice, we'll work on your bike and

charge a fair price.

 

Funny thing, in all our years of repairing motor vehicles , the person who asks for or expects a discount or a freebie is the last to get it. The guy most likely to get a "deal, favor, or bonus" is the guy who

comes in saying he wants to pay a fair price for good work.

 

Fancy that.

Someone who has helped you out in the past quickly falls into the latter group as well.

 

e-mail sent.

[waspp]

All reports I have heard indicate later Ohlins equipped models were better set up from stock, presumably w stiffer springs included. What is marking on your shock spring?

 

 

Looks like 10-26 85 L342 on the rear shock spring. is that different from the Scuras?

[mark.gilmore]

I think that this bike is now owned by one of the board members here? Mr. Forrest maybe?? pete

 

That was my my bike pete,the one with Cliff's ecu. the one that won the best Note.

I told you @ the rally;Forrest does not own a Guzzi,He ownes some ugly thing called a Cagiva Rupture, got the SV motor in it.

Front springs on the Scura are very soft,I have'nt changed mine out yet but it's gunna be next. I'm about as muscley as you I think, 90kg.it would be nice to know your spring rates some time when you get back if it's not to much trouble.

Have a good holiday anyway and I'll send you an e-mail when you get back.

cheers Mark

[pete roper]

 

Front springs on the Scura are very soft,I have'nt changed mine out yet but it's gunna be next. I'm about as muscley as you I think, 90kg.it would be nice to know your spring rates some time when you get back if it's not to much trouble.

Have a good holiday anyway and I'll send you an e-mail when you get back.

cheers Mark

 

Sounds like Keith's and Greg's figures are v. close to the mark. So that will be my starting point. It'll be a while until I can confirm anything as i won't probably be going over to the US until next year.

 

Pete

[Greg Field]

Pete:

 

I have a 10.5 N/mm spring in the forks. I weigh about 230. It's perfect for me. I flew through some truly horrendous washouts and potholes around Mt. St. Helens this weekend and never even bottomed out. I'll have to rotate the spring on the rear shock to see what number it is. Mine is on the stiff side.

[Tom M]

Pete:

 

I have a 10.5 N/mm spring in the forks. I weigh about 230. It's perfect for me. I flew through some truly horrendous washouts and potholes around Mt. St. Helens this weekend and never even bottomed out. I'll have to rotate the spring on the rear shock to see what number it is. Mine is on the stiff side.

 

FWIW I'm the same weight as Greg and I'm running 1.05 Kg/mm springs up front (Marz fork) and 100 N/mm in the rear (Ohlins). The suspension works well for me and the bike is pretty well balanced, but I think it would be perfect if I went to a 105 spring in the rear too. As it is I'm running preload near the max in the rear. Unfortunately the ebay guy with all the cheap Ohlins springs didn't have the one that I want

 

I ran with 1.1 Kg/mm forks springs for a month and they were great on big hits but a little too firm for the smaller stuff for me, even with very little preload. I was getting no fork dive at all when braking so setting up for corners was weird. Sag numbers weren't right either so I went down a notch to the 1.05's which are good for me for street riding.

[belfastguzzi]

Hi all,

 

More info here Pete

 

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?...ohlins&st=0

 

Cheers

 

Bruce

 

Thanks for looking this up Bruce. Can I suggest that if anyone has further info / stats or corrections that they be sugested and I can then amend the first post to keep it as up-to-date and accurate as possible?

 

I must look and see what settings I ended up with.

 

The Scura is definitely a good ol' bike both to look at and on the road (with the caveat that, like Baldini's, mine is, ahem, sitting outside the house awaiting parts and work-time).