Ballabio specs

[guzzigray]

Hi. Just bought the engine from a crashed Ballabio. Could anyone tell me the differences between it and a V11 and Sport 1100. The pistons are definitely lighter than the Sport 1100 and i'm hoping i can put them in my racer. Are the heads the same on all three bikes?? Thanks in advance.

[FalcoLion]

Hi. Just bought the engine from a crashed Ballabio. Could anyone tell me the differences between it and a V11 and Sport 1100. The pistons are definitely lighter than the Sport 1100 and i'm hoping i can put them in my racer. Are the heads the same on all three bikes?? Thanks in advance.

 

 

As far as I know all engines are same between all V11 (Sport, Scura, Ballabio, LeMans, Coppa). Its somewhat different from Sport 1100 as its considered to be an updated version. I am sure Guzzi experts will chime in with more details

[Skeeve]

Hi. Just bought the engine from a crashed Ballabio. Could anyone tell me the differences between it and a V11 and Sport 1100. The pistons are definitely lighter than the Sport 1100 and i'm hoping i can put them in my racer. Are the heads the same on all three bikes?? Thanks in advance.

 

Engines are all much of a sameness: a Bilabial?, Bilingual?, Bahooleyhoo! is a V11, is a V11 is a V11. Differences btw v11s & Sporti are (to my limited knowledge): larger throttle bodies on the Sporti, larger intake & exhaust valves by .5mm (biggest of the Big Valve heads), gearbox & driveline differences of course. The v11 engine being derivative of the 1100 Sport got some minor evolutionary improvements, like moving the oil cooler up out of the crud thrown up by the front tire, slightly smaller valves to improve tractability, etc.

 

So if you're building a racer, you might want to stick w/ the Sport heads & throttle bodies [44mm vs 40mm?; check w/ Guzziology, don't rely on me! ] for the top end rush, but everything else should be much the same.

 

On a semi-related note, I have just been corresponding w/ Peter Morcombe of Reboot Guzzi spares about the wt. diff. btw the Tonti & spine frames. Basically, there is none when you factor in the wt. of the subframes for the spineys! I had always wondered about why it was that the modern Guzzis weighed no less [more, actually] than a mid-70s LM I, despite 30 years of more advanced materials, etc. OTOH, using the standard "66%" rule for aluminum vs. steel, you could save about 2.5# of unsprung wt. by going w/ an aluminum swingarm, and another 2.5# w/ an aluminum rear subframe. That would help the aft wt. bias problem a bit, as well as offer better compliance from the back end.

 

Best of luck!

[guzzigray]

Engines are all much of a sameness: a Bilabial?, Bilingual?, Bahooleyhoo! is a V11, is a V11 is a V11. Differences btw v11s & Sporti are (to my limited knowledge): larger throttle bodies on the Sporti, larger intake & exhaust valves by .5mm (biggest of the Big Valve heads), gearbox & driveline differences of course. The v11 engine being derivative of the 1100 Sport got some minor evolutionary improvements, like moving the oil cooler up out of the crud thrown up by the front tire, slightly smaller valves to improve tractability, etc.

 

So if you're building a racer, you might want to stick w/ the Sport heads & throttle bodies [44mm vs 40mm?; check w/ Guzziology, don't rely on me! ] for the top end rush, but everything else should be much the same.

 

On a semi-related note, I have just been corresponding w/ Peter Morcrombe of Reboot Guzzi spares about the wt. diff. btw the Tonti & spine frames. Basically, there is none when you factor in the wt. of the subframes for the spineys! I had always wondered about why it was that the modern Guzzis weighed no less [more, actually] than a mid-70s LM I, despite 30 years of more advanced materials, etc. OTOH, using the standard "66%" rule for aluminum vs. steel, you could save about 5# of unsprung wt. by going w/ an aluminum swingarm, and another 5# w/ an aluminum rear subframe. That would help the aft wt. bias problem a bit, as well as offer better compliance from the back end.

 

Best of luck!

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond. After more head scratching and looking at parts i've figured a bit more stuff out. The Ballabio crank is a tiny bit lighter and is in better shape than my Sport one so it's been promoted. The Ballabio pistons seem to be cast and are about 2oz lighter than the Sports forged ones. Forged apparently is good and strong so i'll probably stick with those and have the others as spares.

I'm sticking with the Sport heads as i've spent far too much money with a certain Mr Rich to not use them. They are pretty too!!!

I was getting all excited thinking the newer engine somehow was going to make me at least 10mph quicker but as you say the 2 engines are very similar.

 

Regarding weight. I was at Moto Guzzi Classics today looking at a V11 torn apart. No wonder it weighs so much!!! All that extra crap bolted on. Big exhausts, emissions, etc etc. Think i'll stick with my Tonti No offense. The only thing i'm making lighter on my racer is my wallet.

[docc]

Different cams. no?

 

Lighter flywheel, yes?

[guzzijack]

The only thing i'm making lighter on my racer is my wallet.

 

Oh yes - I guess you're going the same way as me then

 

Current projects are V11Sport engine in LMV Tonti frame for the street and a roundfin endurance racer with chopped Tonti frame using a V11 Sport timing cover - very similar to this one:

 

Have a good look at the V11 clutch and flywheel components as I think you may find that they are lighter than even the most radically drilled earlier 8 spring unit - check out the figures at this link on Guzzitech - not sure how much lighter than a ten spring Sporti clutch though, but maybe a bit if it's the same as my V10 one.

 

This is a Tonti framed racer you're building isn't it? What gearbox are you using the 3 dog one from the Sporti - or something else?

 

GJ

[guzzigray]

Oh yes - I guess you're going the same way as me then

 

Current projects are V11Sport engine in LMV Tonti frame for the street and a roundfin endurance racer with chopped Tonti frame using a V11 Sport timing cover - very similar to this one:

 

Have a good look at the V11 clutch and flywheel components as I think you may find that they are lighter than even the most radically drilled earlier 8 spring unit - check out the figures at this link on Guzzitech - not sure how much lighter than a ten spring Sporti clutch though, but maybe a bit if it's the same as my V10 one.

 

This is a Tonti framed racer you're building isn't it? What gearbox are you using the 3 dog one from the Sporti - or something else?

 

GJ

 

 

Wow!! 2 bikes. I thought i was crazy I'm going to use the 10 spring Sport 1100 clutch. Haven't weighed it but it's about as light as a lightened stock 8 springer. I've had a Ram clutch in my street bike and i'm not crazy about them and apparently the newer ones which i think are used in some V11's aren't that great either (or light). Don't quote me on that though!!

 

I'm using a Lemans1/T-3 gearbox and yes it's a Tonti frame i'm using.

[raz]

Engines are all much of a sameness: a Bilabial?, Bilingual?, Bahooleyhoo! is a V11, is a V11 is a V11. Differences btw v11s & Sporti are (to my limited knowledge): larger throttle bodies on the Sporti, larger intake & exhaust valves by .5mm (biggest of the Big Valve heads), gearbox & driveline differences of course. The v11 engine being derivative of the 1100 Sport got some minor evolutionary improvements, like moving the oil cooler up out of the crud thrown up by the front tire, slightly smaller valves to improve tractability, etc.

 

So if you're building a racer, you might want to stick w/ the Sport heads & throttle bodies [44mm vs 40mm?; check w/ Guzziology, don't rely on me! ] for the top end rush, but everything else should be much the same.

I may be wrong as always but I'm pretty sure what you say regarding intake manifold size and valves only applies to 1100 Sport carb. while the injected 1100 Sport has the same valves and TBs as the V11. I think the only difference between a Sporti and a V11 engine (except for the gearbox) is the ECU, the TPS sensor and the temp sensors.

[Skeeve]

I may be wrong as always but I'm pretty sure what you say regarding intake manifold size and valves only applies to 1100 Sport carb. while the injected 1100 Sport has the same valves and TBs as the V11. I think the only difference between a Sporti and a V11 engine (except for the gearbox) is the ECU, the TPS sensor and the temp sensors.

 

Entirely possible; I'm no Dave Richardson, Greg Field or Pete Roper, nor do I even own a copy of Guzziology (yet!) I'm only going by what I remember from cruising various Guzzi sites and reading.