New Owner V11 Sport Questions

[SCole]

So has anyone used the coolant hose long enough to know it holds up longer than the Guzzi part?  About the same price as the MGCycle price. 

 

Got another, I bought the Rosso Puro triple clamp that was on the for sale board and want to slap it on.......but, what's the accepted practice for removing the ignition switch with the theft proof bolts from the triple tree?  I have a guess but I don't have the tank off yet??

[mznyc]

So has anyone used the coolant hose long enough to know it holds up longer than the Guzzi part?  About the same price as the MGCycle price. 

 

Got another, I bought the Rosso Puro triple clamp that was on the for sale board and want to slap it on.......but, what's the accepted practice for removing the ignition switch with the theft proof bolts from the triple tree?  I have a guess but I don't have the tank off yet??

I just replaced mine with the MG part from MG Cycle.I tried to get the NAPA equivalent but they didn't have it in stock so got the Guzzi part.for 10-15 buck more I was happy not to modify.Im gonna wipe some kind of protectant on it whenever I have the tank off to hopefully keep it from cracking.

[GuzziMoto]

I did not think the oem breather hose was that expensive and when I ordered one I had it fast. Customizing is not something I shy away from, but when the stock part is available for a reasonable price I tend to go that way. I have too many other things that do require customization that having something just fit is worth it.

For the theft proof bolts I just cut a slot in them with my dremel and use a hand impact driver with a flat-blade tip. You don't need to remove the tank just pop the triple clamp off and turn it over.

[docc]

I don't remember the ignition switch being hard to access, although I can't find a reference for that. I think it was pretty easy to get to and clean up per Kiwi Roy. Good medicine -a "Must Do."

 

I just looked at my breather hose junction at the crankcase (84,000+ miles) and it looks a little hazy, maybe. Not enough to get all disturbed about it. Maybe they are climate sensitive.  Dunno.

[SCole]

Well the tank comment was if there wasn't enough wire to turn the triple clamp over but it seems there is so on with the dremel!  I ordered the FoMoCo hose as on my race cars I have had really good luck using coolant hoses for all types of stuff.  These things are pretty indestructible.  Also have a Wix filter coming so getting close to removing the tank.

 

I ripped all the vapor emission tubbing and the canisters out yesterday and with the battery out and no gas this thing feels almost light!  Now if I could just figure a way to make it run this way

 

Thanks everyone!

[thebronze]

Steve, if its not too late i'd advise you to leave the stock airbox on and do not go with K&N's.  My bike came with K&N's and they were nothing but trouble.  I tried resetting the tps, advancing the tps, relocating the air sensor and nothing made it work right.  If you go K&N you will have problems with the stock ECU fuel map.  I think Todd at Guzzitech quoted me $200 or 250 for a reflash but it didnt sound like an exact science so I put the airbox back on the bike ran like a top.  Until last night when it died on the side of the road that is   .  I'm also in Dallas, well up near Denton if you want to talk guzzi.  If you want to tinker with it run an extra ground wire for the rectifier and look into a maxi fuse for the charging system.  Mine had troubles with the 35amp fuse melting until I put an extra ground wire in and cleaned up the rotor and stator.  The stator gets oxidized really bad, the cover isnt quite air tight.

[SCole]

Thanks Toby for the advice.  I will give them a go when I get a power commander and exhaust so they can all be dialed in together.  Have a guy near Decatur with a dyno who maps bikes.  Look forward to meeting you, maybe in the Fall in Italy...Texas that is?

[GuzziMoto]

Some people have switched to pod filters and had "good success" others found  their bike did not run as well and switched back, ala thebronze. I don't know if it comes down to how picky you are about what constitutes "runs good" or what. What I do know is that just about every modern bike has an airbox that was designed to both reduce intake noise and improve cylinder filling. The V11 was one of the first Guzzi's to have a decent airbox. The Daytona tried, it may have succeeded but I don't know. The Sport may have been another step in that direction. The V11 definitely works pretty well. Beyond that the modern Guzzi's like the Griso actually have well designed airboxes.

When the airbox is not well designed you can actually get better cylinder filling with individual filters. But once you start getting into well designed airboxes you tend to lose more then you gain switching to individual filters. There may still be an rpm where the individual filters out flow the airbox, usually at some rpm area up high in the rev range and based on the tuned length of the intake with the individual filters, but if you look at the area under the curve, the flow throughout the usable rev range, a decent airbox design will out perform individual filters for most people and how they ride.

That said, individual filters look and sound cool. I can understand the appeal. I have them on my Daytona, but it was like that when I got the bike. It also has long aluminum velocity stacks to help fatten the curve.

[SCole]

Wasn't there a kit from Guzzi that included Ti silencers, aluminum intakes and pods along with a new ecu?  Did they know something or was this pandering?

[mznyc]

No Steve.

The Guzzi kit includes the Ti silencers and ECU only.

[SCole]

Nice to be back online!  So I took the tank off last weekend and replaced the breather hose, fuel filter and intake rubbers cylinder to fuel injectors.  Cleaned everything up and bought new hose to get the tip over valve aimed correctly, re-glued all the heat shielding under the tank also.  I found why my tank is buldged out on the left side, the hose from the pump to the filter was sticking out too far with an electrical connector between it and the frame.  So a few zip ties later all fixed.  Didn't find much other out of sorts as the bike only has 2,600 miles but man is that tank heavy even empty!  Long term if I get more into modification maybe an aluminum one is in my future as my buddy did on his Ducati?

 

Going to leave the tank dry and take the pork chops off next and without the air box that is a lot easier.  After that new tires.  I got a fairing from a V11 cafe and although I will have to make top mounts for it the fit around the headlight is not very good.  Anyone used one of these on an early bike and made any mods to have it fit better.  Other than hacking up the fiberglass...ouch, which may not be a problem if I am going to paint it silver?  The fairing is too far forward and the headlight is sitting back in it about 1/2" too far?  Thanks

[docc]

You're pulling your pork chops for why? Be sure the measure how much the mounting pins stand off the surface, with the lock nuts removed, with a dial caliper before disassembly.

 

Otherwise, your heart can sink when you get to the line in the manual that says, "reassemble using the measurements you took (or didn't!) before disassembly."

 

Also, I presume you serviced all the connectors under the tank especially the flinky two bullet connectors on the left side for the clutch switch. Good time to inspect those plug wires at the coils.

[SCole]

I am pulling them beacuse they have faded to a nice pink...and although my college age Daughter likes Pink, I do not care for her..er them?  And yes Docc a lot of reading this forum has me prepared to measure!  I did also look over all the connectors and this bike still looks like new.  You can tell it may have been out in the rain once and never slept outside.  Put up dry and tucked into bed.  Lived a life of leasure.

[SCole]

I forgot another question.  Since a lot of the rubber has shrunk it has a small seep around the shifter shaft.  Do I have to take the side cover on the gearbox off to replace this seal or can I grab it with a hook and pull it out.

 

Thanks everyone!

[thebronze]

Steve, you should come down to Glen Rose for our spring bike rally 3/16/13.  Most of us will be riding thumpers, lots of Benelli's, Motobis, and maybe a couple ducati's to combat the Yamaha RD and Suzuki gt crowd.  Anyone in the DFW area is welcome on any bike but we will be going a lot slower than you on your v11.