Steering head angle

[Admin Jaap]

Question from a Dutch Guzzi rider: Did the V11 steering head angle change when MG went from the red frames to the (improved (?) black frames in 2001/2002 ?

[ponti_33609]

Question from a Dutch Guzzi rider: Did the V11 steering head angle change when MG went from the red frames to the (improved (?) black frames in 2001/2002 ?

 

Yes. Have it posted here in several threads. I do remember if it is 1/2 or 1 degree different?

 

Bob

[docc]

2000-2001 RedFrame specifications: 25 degree caster, 92mm trail, wheelbase:1,471mm (57.9 in)

 

Oddly, I could not find the caster and trail specs in the workshop manual or the owner's manual, but in the sales brochure. Brochures I have for 2002 and 2004 do not list the caster/trail, only the wheelbase in inches. (59in)

 

The later wheelbase is, apparently, 1490mm (58.7in) and I had read "somewhere" back in '03 that the caster angle was also 25 degrees, and the trail is 104mm. (Not sure, now, where I got that).

 

Is there no printed caster specification from Moto Guzzi for the later "braced frame?" (You know, the one they made for the Old Gits since they're so wobbly already!)

[dlaing]

Greg Field posted something about angle being offset in the triple clamps on the black frames. but I can't find the post.

[dlaing]

OK one hour of searching later, here is Greg's post, indicating half a degree of rake difference.

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15075&st=135&p=163761entry163761

[luhbo]

Another hour lost.

[docc]

Pretty scary, you dredged up the Twitchy Vixen thread. I hope if my Twitchy RedFrame bites me again, it's not in the @$$.

 

After re-reading that thread, it's still not conclusive if the actual caster angle changed. When I posted the question in Geometry 101 ,no real conclusion was reached. Really, how could trail be increaseed from 92mm to 104mm with no change in caster angle (or even a half degree)?

 

I share the inquiry of the Dutch enquirer: did the steering angle really change?

[Skeeve]

After re-reading that thread, it's still not conclusive if the actual caster angle changed. When I posted the question in Geometry 101 ,no real conclusion was reached. Really, how could trail be increaseed from 92mm to 104mm with no change in caster angle (or even a half degree)?

 

Trail is a function of triple-clamp offset. That's how Harley can get rake #s of 38deg for the V-Rod w/o correspondingly ridiculous #s for trail...