Tank Damage and K&N Filters

[RichMaund]

Folks

Drained and removed the tank today to replace the stock airfilter with a K&N that I got for half price on EBay. I plan to try some different maps on the PCIII and see how it feels. Can't resist playing with it. I made a simple alloy diamond deck plate frame to retain the filter and leave the airbox top open. See picture below. It came out pretty well. It took two hours to cut and file and clean up. Probably easier to order a FBF model, but I'm a cheap bastard at heart and like building things.

 

The silvered fiberglass heat insulation under the tank was coming loose in many places and rubbed in a couple areas too. Worst of all I found the tank had been rubbing the forward horizontal frame pipe on the front right side of the bike. Rubs where the pipe was slash cut. It rubbed a small groove 1/8" deep. I prepped it and applied some JB weld. This wasn't caused by "tank suck". That anti-tipover valve was taken out when the bike was new! I ground some material off that pipe end as well as on the left side to keep them even. They cleaned up easy with a 3/4" carbide on a P-Grinder! Then I touched up the paint. I glued the insulation back down with upholstery cement and applied some leather rub patches to two areas. I believe it'll be fine now. This is more attention than the factory ever paid to it!

 

I highly recommend inspecting everything under that tank whenever you have it off for maintenance. Kind of like turning over a rock. You never know what you'll find! But better now than later out on the road!

[RichMaund]

PS

Winchester Motosports got another new tach to me today. The last one was smooth and accurate, but the bottom mounting stud was broken off by the factory before they even wrapped it and it was also contaminated with moisture (Cappacino? ) which caused the lens to fog when exposed to direct sun. This newest one took just over a month to come in.

Glad to say it has no apparent damage. It's installed. But I can't run the bike until the gas tank goes back on tomorrow. Wish me luck!

If it works, I'll be the proud owner of a V11S with no known mechanical or electrical issues!

 

Next best thing to winning the lottery!

[RichMaund]

Tach work fine. If we get some sun I'll be able to see if this one has moisture in it too.

 

Ran some shipping errands this morning on the bike. First impressions on the K&N and open top airbox; Mid range is very strong now. I used to think that old Cali 1100 had the better mid range over this bike, but that this bike's power above 5k rpm made the loss of mid range worth it. Not any more. Now the bike pulls hard from 3k rpm to yellowline in a very linear manner. I plan to just ride it as it is now with no changes for a while to see how this initial impression lasts. Seems like the best of both worlds right now.

I have a PCIII and Guzzi/Mistral pipes, stock cross over and the K&N with open topped airbox. I'm running a map made for use with the pipes and stock cross over but with the stock airbox vice the K&N and open top. The bike has made me wonder if it's a bit rich after seeing plug deposits. It has a tendency to foul plugs from too much city riding. I believe the K&N leaned it a bit and that's why it feels better now.

 

Sound? The intake is a bit louder. It's a deeper pulsing sound. But not much louder than stock. Compliments the exhaust note nicely but isn't obnoxious. I like it! I believe the plastic tank dampens intake sound better than steel ones. I once ran an open topped airbox and K&N on my Cali 1100 for one day and 200 miles. I put the stock filter back in as the noise was just obnoxious to me. Not a problem on the V11S.

 

I've updated the software on my laptop for the PCIII and downloaded a few maps from Power Commander as well as the Guzzi Tech site. So maybe in a week or so I'll play around with it. Just want to ride and enjoy it for now though.

[al_roethlisberger]

...as always, good work Rich

 

I'll have to find some good upholstery cement for a couple felt pads I've applied to the frame under the seat, etc... as the sticky backing doesn't last long and begins to peel off the bike in just a few weeks.

 

Any recommendations for a good cement that's water resistant, and won't eat the surrounding paint off, etc?

 

al

[RichMaund]

Folks

Went for a joy ride this afternoon. In direct sun a very faint fog still forms on the center of the lens of the new tach.

 

to Moto Guzzi!

 

They must all be this way, so I must have to live with it. It's just enough to notice. One more straw on the camel's back.

 

On the good side, the bike runs like a striped ape. Had a ball horsing around on it this afternon. It does pull harder from 3k to 5k. That just makes it that much more fun to ride!

 

On the bad side, I hit a localized thunder shower just two miles from home. No rain gear. Just enough to soak the crap out of me before I got home. Waiting at a traffic light just 200 yards from my home there was a Harley and rider next to me in the other turn lane. A big truck came towards us in the other lane and splashed a wall of water up in the air and down all over us. All we could do was sit there laughing our asses off until the light turned green. You know it's a good ride when something like this doesn't get you down. The bike ran like a champ. The "S" in V11S does stand for submarine as the bike spends so much time attracting storms and running under water. I gave it a good wipe down when I got back to the shop and she cleaned right up.

 

So! What did I learn from all this?

1. When the jetstream is forming a 3 month long very abnormal trough over your area, never leave home without a rainsuit! It's rained damned near every day for three months! Yeesh! Got blasted on my way home from a ride last Sunday too.

2. No clean bike goes unpunished.

3. A good bike can take the pain out of a rainy day!

 

Al

Go to a local auto upholstery shop and bring a small glass jar with a good sealing screw on lid with you. Something the size of a babyfood jar or small pickle jar will do. Ask for some DAP Upholstery cement. It's a commercial product and is nearly in standard use in most shops. You can't find it in retail outlets (The DAP contact cement sold in retail stores is like corn syrup! Crappy glue!), just wholesalers. A 5 gallon can goes for almost $50 wholesale, so expect to at least tip them for it. It's pre-thinned for spraying, but also applies well with an acid brush. Brush it on both parts and allow about ten minutes to dry to a good tack. Stick them together and smooth them down. Done! I've even repaired shoes with it. Great contact cement. Laquer based. It'll eat rattle can paint, but sticks well to most real finishes. If you get it on something you didn't mean to, just put some WD40 on a rag and rub it with that to remove it. The WD40 will soften, but not dissolve it. Allows you to rub it off. If you can't find this cement locally, just tell me. I'll find a small jar and send it to you for $5 and postage. Just contact me off list if you need it.

[Orson]

In direct sun a very faint fog still forms on the center of the lens of the new tach.

 

to Moto Guzzi!

 

They must all be this way, so I must have to live with it. It's just enough to notice. One more straw on the camel's back.

 

If my tach DIDN'T fog up now & then...I'd begin to worry something was wrong!

 

Great write up Rich

 

It's just like having an onsite Guzzi factory test riderwith you around! I appreciate the tips

[Janusz]

Mine on the other hand never fogs up no matter how much sun or how hot day is. It does not worry me at all .

 

About open box:

My bike was running rich from factory. After opening the box I even had to richen up few spots on PC: open airbox leans out the whole thing a lot.

[RichMaund]

Ha! A "factory" test rider would never be allowed to tell you how they really feel. Whereas I report the good the bad the ugly, joys, sorrows, warts and all.

The factory probably thinks I'm a pain in the ass if they even know of me at all! But I wish them well and hope that should they be reading any of my notes, they will take it to heart and try to fix he problems. I really DO want to see them succeed, even if I am pissed off at them much of the time.

 

The map I'm running in my PC was supposedly made for a V11S with stock intake, cross over and a Mistral exhaust. It does run better than stock and the hole in the power band is much smaller. Proved it on the dyno. But I have suspected it being a bit rich in areas as I am occassionally fouling plugs. The K&N has leaned it all over the band and improved mid range power even more. Seems to work well with this map.

 

Have company coming in for a bar-b-que. Gotta go! Hope y'all are having a good weekend as well!

[emry]

On the bad side, I hit a localized thunder shower just two miles from home. No rain gear. Just enough to soak the crap out of me before I got home.

 

Funny, same thing happens to me and my wife, EVERY time we ride.

 

Any drought stricken area wish to pay me and Rich to ride around their fields?

The rain men cometh!

 

Oh yah. Nice bracket. Very similair to the one I fabbed up. The Diamond grate is a nice touch.