V11 sport transmission locked up

[guzzi323]

I tried searching but I haven't found anything on this.

Yesterday I was riding home from work on city streets (~20 MPH) and I heard/felt an odd sensation (like big hunks of metal whacking into each other).

As I was 25 feet from the freeway on ramp I was going to use I quickly moved out of that lane and pulled in the clutch.

Then the rear wheel locked up. It definitely feels like something let go in the transmission.

Nothing I did would let the rear wheel spin freely and though I could shift through the entire gear range it was very difficult and felt not at all normal.

 

Anybody care to guess which tortured pieces of metal I'm going to find when I pull my transmission?

 

If this happened 30 seconds later it's quite likely I'd be dead now as I would have been on the freeway accelerating to 70, moving across 4 lanes of commute traffic, in the rain.

 

I've been riding 29 years and motorcycles have always been my daily transportation.

My V11 is great to ride but it's by far the most troublesome thing I've ever owned.

 

I can't wait to find out what surprises await me in my giant Italian Cracker Jack box.

 

johnk

[NakedV]

Jesus! Sounds like a pretty close shave you just had. Glad your o.k. Were there any symptoms prior to it all going tits up? Unusual amounts of metal on magnetic plug, notchy changing, funny noises, etc.

[guzzi323]

Jesus! Sounds like a pretty close shave you just had. Glad your o.k. Were there any symptoms prior to it all going tits up? Unusual amounts of metal on magnetic plug, notchy changing, funny noises, etc.

 

I wish I could say there was. Riding in that morning I dared to think about how nicely everything was working.

It's had Redline Heavy Duty shockproof oil for the last 30k'ish miles and was last changed ~6k miles ago.

 

The bike has about 65K on it.

[gstallons]

Do yourself a huge favor and drain the rear end and gearbox both to see which component is broke. You would hate to work on one and find the other is the culprit.

[guzzi323]

Do yourself a huge favor and drain the rear end and gearbox both to see which component is broke. You would hate to work on one and find the other is the culprit.

 

As I sat waiting for my ride home I was thinking that it could be the rear end but with the horrible shifting action I'm practically certain it's in the tranny.

I need to remove the rear wheel and final drive to remove half my driveshaft just so I can wheel it onto my work table anyway.

At that point I'll know for sure.

 

I'm guessing it's some lowest bid bearing on a shaft let go.

But it's all a guess until I decide I want to deal with it.

 

johnk

[Tom M]

Sorry for your trouble there John but glad you weren't hurt. Do you know if your bike was included in the recall?

 

Here's a post from a guy with a redframe that had a similar problem. Good luck with it.

 

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14642&hl=recall&st=0

[docc]

Rotational lock up and shift lock up are distinctly different.

 

This wheel lock up sounds like what Guzzi warned of requiring changing the shift dogs and such in the early recall.

 

Assuming it is the gearbox, and not the bevel drive or the shaft, I wonder if the serial number is in the recall range (I don't remember it extending into 2002)?

[richard100t]

Well if the bike is a Scura with the oem flywheel I know where I would look first. I'm thinking that you're very lucky you didnt get on the freeway indeed. I recall seeing where it actually blew out the cases at speed. Keep us posted!

[Baldini]

Hi John, Sorry to hear about this but glad you're OK. Have you checked the clutch/flywheel isn't culprit? 65k miles is highest mileage I've heard of on a Scura clutch. As I recall, you're still on the original? Good luck.

 

KB

[Jamie]

Whoa! You ARE lucky that it decided to lock up when it did... I am curious, what other problems have you had with the bike other than this last episode?

 

Jamie

[arek]

sorry to hear about your troubles, and hopefully you get this sorted in no time. In any case, I think it must have been the Redline Heavy Duty Shockproof that caused all this ... there were issues reported in the past using Redline. I am replacing mine tonight!

[jrt]

I'd check the serials as well, but, like Docc, I don't think the recall went into '02.

My random guesses are that either one of layshaft bearings failed, or the ball bearing from the speedo drive (or some other bit) fell into the transmission and smote it.

Good luck, and my condolences.

[pete roper]

As I sat waiting for my ride home I was thinking that it could be the rear end but with the horrible shifting action I'm practically certain it's in the tranny.

I need to remove the rear wheel and final drive to remove half my driveshaft just so I can wheel it onto my work table anyway.

At that point I'll know for sure.

 

I'm guessing it's some lowest bid bearing on a shaft let go.

But it's all a guess until I decide I want to deal with it.

 

johnk

 

 

Is your drive shaft correctly aligned? Did you check that before you pulled off the bevelbox? If it wasn't the cyclic loadings engenerered as the suspension works will have more than enough force in them to damage bearings, pinion teeth or even twist off the end of the pinion if left for long enough.EDIT Just read a bit further and saw it was a Scura. I'm with the others pointing the bone at the flywheel.

 

Pete

[grossohc]

In any case, I think it must have been the Redline Heavy Duty Shockproof that caused all this ... there were issues reported in the past using Redline. I am replacing mine tonight!

First i have heard, Care to elaborate.

[Kiwi_Roy]

A similar thing happened to a buddy of mine on his KTM, accelerating around a curved on ramp and the back locked up. Of course he bit the pavement. to add insult to injury a cop came along and gave him a ticket for careless riding.

Glad you're OK. please keep us updated, I have the same ride.

Regards

Roy