Support for Guzzi

[mjdoliveira]

I have a 2000 V11 Sport. I'm certainly not the most mechanically gifted person on this planet, and the continued difficulty Guzzi seems to have to survive makes me somewhat nervous. Recently picked up a 2004 Honda VFR and told my wife that I would pay for it by selling the Guzzi. Even posted the ad, but when the time came just could not bring myself to do it. Did not truly appreciate the character of the bike until I had ridden the Honda for a bit.

 

As I reevaluate some things I would appreciate your opinions on the availability of people willing to work on the bikes, and parts, especially filters and brake pads and so forth.

 

Thanks

[stockport claret]

Well done for keeping the bike it will make a great sunny day ride.

As far as things like pads and filters go I would not see to much of a problem for a long while.

Just fitted new rear pads to my girlfriends Ducati Monster 620 which are the same as the V11. The front pads are also the same.

You will find quite a few Aprilia fitted with the same pads as well.

I would imagine most bike workshops with good mechanics can work on a Guzzi. The're not cutting edge after all

Download the workshop manual to your pc then print it out and keep it in a ring binder. That's what I did and it's been

a big help in doing stuff on the bike myself

[mjdoliveira]

Well done for keeping the bike it will make a great sunny day ride.

As far as things like pads and filters go I would not see to much of a problem for a long while.

Just fitted new rear pads to my girlfriends Ducati Monster 620 which are the same as the V11. The front pads are also the same.

You will find quite a few Aprilia fitted with the same pads as well.

I would imagine most bike workshops with good mechanics can work on a Guzzi. The're not cutting edge after all

Download the workshop manual to your pc then print it out and keep it in a ring binder. That's what I did and it's been

a big help in doing stuff on the bike myself

 

Thanks and good idea on the workshop manual. Had trouble online so ordered it off Ebay for $9.00

[stockport claret]

I would also recomend getting the parts manual as it can help when it comes to ordering parts over the phone

and also useful to see how parts fit together which the workshop manual is not so good at.

If you click on the TLM banner at the top of the home page or here http://www.tlm.nl/ then click On Line Shop

on the left hand menu it will open the shop page where on the top right hand side you can download the parts manual for free.

[fotoguzzi]

the VFR is nice but you'll have to maintain a chain! good on you for keeping the V11, I think they are the best ride Guzzi ever made. how far away is Prescott? isn't there an excellent dealer there, EP&F or something?

get all the parts you need from mgcycle.com

[mjdoliveira]

the VFR is nice but you'll have to maintain a chain! good on you for keeping the V11, I think they are the best ride Guzzi ever made. how far away is Prescott? isn't there an excellent dealer there, EP&F or something?

get all the parts you need from mgcycle.com

 

When I left California the very fine gentleman at Moto Guzzi Classics (Mark) recommended EP&F (Encore Performance and Fabrication). They're about 120 miles away. There's still a dealer here in Phoenix (Arizona Superbike), but I'm going to take a trip up to EP&F on Saturday for the fun of it.

 

As for the chain, what a pain! Have not owned a chain-operated bike since 1979. Good thing with the VFR is the single-sided swingarm, makes adjusting the tension a snap. Presently trying to figure out why the chain seems to have different amounts of play at different points (does not seem kinked). Welcoming myself to the world of sprockets!

[mjdoliveira]

I would also recomend getting the parts manual as it can help when it comes to ordering parts over the phone

and also useful to see how parts fit together which the workshop manual is not so good at.

If you click on the TLM banner at the top of the home page or here http://www.tlm.nl/ then click On Line Shop

on the left hand menu it will open the shop page where on the top right hand side you can download the parts manual for free.

 

Thanks -- apparently the CD I'll get will have the parts manual included. Also includes the owner's manual.

[Skeeve]

Presently trying to figure out why the chain seems to have different amounts of play at different points (does not seem kinked).

 

Because they all do that.

 

Two of the points are where the respective high points on the sprockets are, respectively. [The mounting holes are always off a smidge from truly centered.]

 

The rest of the spots where the free play is at a minimum are where the "tight" links are, caused by lackluster chain maintenance. Doesn't take much; when my SV650 was in the shop 4 years ago after an accident, they stored her outside for 2 months, put close to 500 miles on her, and never lubed the chain, which had been new about 2 months before the accident. It was rusted and tight in a dozen places when I got the bike back [delivered completely unsafe to ride, fwiw. Needless to say, I don't give that shop any good reviews! ]

 

Best o' luck w/ your Viffer; like most Hondas made since Soichiro-san went to join his ancestors, the technology is there but the soul is missing...

[mjdoliveira]

Best o' luck w/ your Viffer; like most Hondas made since Soichiro-san went to join his ancestors, the technology is there but the soul is missing...

 

...and that is the reason that the V11 is still around.

[moscowphil]

I can't believe I'm reading a discussion about chain adjustment in the V11 forum! But back to the original question, it seems that Guzzi have been on the point of collapse for as long as I can remember, but they are still going, and it's actually easier to get Guzzi spares than it is for a lot of Jap bikes. And there's plenty of people keeping BSAs, Nortons and all sorts of other defunct marques going, so I'm not worrying too much. The V11 will almost certainly be a future classic, and if Guzzi do go under, it will probably make them even more desireable!