newbie with a v11...

[thevoodoochild]

hey there, im Max from Argentina but ive been living in miami for 12 years....1 week ago i bought a 2001 V11 sport...needless to say i am in love, its my second motorcycle, im relatively new to the world of motorcycles, riding, and i have no mechanical experience... im having a few issues with it, it has a hard time down shifting and sometimes the shifter sticks at the bottom and i cant pull it back up, the only way to pull the shifter lever upwards is by playing with the clutch... another problem is oil leaking everywhere.... i think it comes from a thick hose that comes out of the top of the frame...the neutral indicator doesn't work and its not idling fine sometimes, it also dies after i come off the highway to a stop sign or light.... i have an owners manual and i downloaded the shop manual but they both suck...no graphics at al...since i have no graphics or mechanical experience and english is my second language im having a hard time identifying the problems, researching or even asking for help because i don't know how to call things unless at least i have diagrams to follow and parts names, info etc. the red oil indicator is on when i turn the key but it disappears when the bike starts, i checked the dipstick and it seems fine....i figurate out how to take the tank off but i don't understand how the petcocks work so i couldnt fully remove the tank because i dont know how to turn the petcocks off.....i wanna do a few mods like getting rid of the air box and getting clip ons without rise....im in love with my Moto Guzzi but im just very disappointed at the lack of info on the web, i found this page and i see a lot of info but im frustrated at the fact that sometimes i don't know what u guys are talking about due to my lack of vocabulary and my lack of knowledge in mechanics, is there any manual with schematics detailed info etc. that way i can ask the right question..

[docc]

(Moved topic from "How To" to better help Max sort out his Guzzi!)

 

First, Max, it is good for the oil light to come on with the key and turn off after starting.

 

It does sound like your gearbox needs a pawl spring inside its shifting plate.

 

The forum members will help you find the things that need to be done, but is there a Guzzi mechanic in your area that could help you?

[thevoodoochild]

(Moved topic from "How To" to better help Max sort out his Guzzi!)

 

First, Max, it is good for the oil light to come on with the key and turn off after starting.

 

It does sound like your gearbox needs a pawl spring inside its shifting plate.

 

The forum members will help you find the things that need to be done, but is there a Guzzi mechanic in your area that could help you?

thanks for the reply... there is a dealer in my area, they deal with Moto Guzzi, Mv Agusta and Aprilia.... ive read somewhere there are a few recalls...how can i find out if they'd been done on mine somewhere along the line? i would like to be able to fix things myself, i dont like taking the bike to the stealership...i wanna be able to take it appart, clean it, customize it myself...thanks

[mznyc]

Welcome Max.

We'll get you sorted,depending on how committed you are.Be patient,many things I didn't understand when I first came here and now have a basic knowledge of most of the maintenance procedures,pulled the motor last year to replace the clutch and have it running sweet by my hand.

First you'll need a set of tools.

Sears Craftsmen have many metric sets of wrenches for cheap.Ya there are a lot of high quality tool companies, but for your first bike that you want to work on ,they will be fine.You'll need a variety of sockets,box and closed wrenches and hex wrenches.This would be a good set to start with,you'll need more but this will have many things you need to get started. http://www.sears.com/craftsman-188pc-all-metric-mechanics-tool-set/p-00933160000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

 

Sounds like you have from your symptoms,

 

A pawl spring that need replacing.Not a big deal,lot of info here on the forum.Common problem.

 

Dying at stop lights probably means it needs to have to have the idle adjusted.But when you do that you should set TPS and balance throttle bodies.Not a big deal ,but you would need a couple more tools for that.Also a lot of info here on the forum.

 

Neutral light is powered by a switch on the side of the transmission selector cover.I had to replace mine at 19K.

 

The leak at the top of the motor sounds like the breather hose.They crack and when they do they need to be replaced.Most leaks are caused by improperly torqued screws and bolts or failed gaskets.Some have to be fixed,others you may be able to live with for a while.

 

I'm not sure about an 01 but my 02 has a shut off valve on the side of the tank.Just turn it till it closes.Someone can confirm if it's the same on the 01's

 

You can see if you had any recalls done with the VIN number and any Guzzi dealer should be able to look it up.

 

Do you have a friend that could help you wrench with some sort of mechanical experience?

 

Michael

 

 

hey there, im Max from Argentina but ive been living in miami for 12 years....1 week ago i bought a 2001 V11 sport...needless to say i am in love, its my second motorcycle, im relatively new to the world of motorcycles, riding, and i have no mechanical experience... im having a few issues with it, it has a hard time down shifting and sometimes the shifter sticks at the bottom and i cant pull it back up, the only way to pull the shifter lever upwards is by playing with the clutch... another problem is oil leaking everywhere.... i think it comes from a thick hose that comes out of the top of the frame...the neutral indicator doesn't work and its not idling fine sometimes, it also dies after i come off the highway to a stop sign or light.... i have an owners manual and i downloaded the shop manual but they both suck...no graphics at al...since i have no graphics or mechanical experience and english is my second language im having a hard time identifying the problems, researching or even asking for help because i don't know how to call things unless at least i have diagrams to follow and parts names, info etc. the red oil indicator is on when i turn the key but it disappears when the bike starts, i checked the dipstick and it seems fine....i figurate out how to take the tank off but i don't understand how the petcocks work so i couldnt fully remove the tank because i dont know how to turn the petcocks off.....i wanna do a few mods like getting rid of the air box and getting clip ons without rise....im in love with my Moto Guzzi but im just very disappointed at the lack of info on the web, i found this page and i see a lot of info but im frustrated at the fact that sometimes i don't know what u guys are talking about due to my lack of vocabulary and my lack of knowledge in mechanics, is there any manual with schematics detailed info etc. that way i can ask the right question..

 

[fotoguzzi]

Is that you Enzo?

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Is that you Enzo?

 

Heaven help us ......!!

[Admin Jaap]

^ What he said...

[gstallons]

You can remove and clean the neutral switch with an electrical contact cleaner. Lean the bike over to prevent too much gear oil loss. 

The shift lever pivot bolt rusts and the shift lever WILL stick in the down position. You will have a jam nut and the pivot bolt is threaded into the frame.

 The oil leak is probably the rubber hose from the frame to engine. The idle problem is best taken care of by an experienced MG person.

 Good luck !

[thevoodoochild]

thanks for your reply guys... i didnt get the Enzo joke....lol..... mine has something that looks like another hose outlet on the right side of the tank and it turns, is that u are referring as a shut off valve?? i have a friend with some wrenching experience...ill be doing the pod filters mod real soon also add a power commander, ill swing by my local dealer to see if i can get the idle deal fixed and to check for recalls and parts...thanks for the replies....is there a good shop manual with graphics so i can identify parts that way i can explain myself better... my first bike was a honda shadow so it didnt have fancy electronics or fuel injection thats why im so lost...what is TPS??

[mznyc]

The TPS is the Throttle Position Sensor.

Removing the airbox and adding a PCIII will NOT solve the problems,probably make it worse.You HAVE to get it running right before making any fueling changes as it will become much harder to chase problems.DONT WASTE MONEY.

Get it tuned up.Either by you or a mechanic.

Get the pawl spring repaired.What good is a bike that can't shift?

Get the leaks fixed.

Have all the maintenance procedures been done?Unlikely from the condition you are describing.

Tires are less then three years old and in good condition?

All fluids are fresh? Engine,transmission,bevel box,clutch,brake.Brake pads are good?Those HAVE to be done if your not sure.

After all that,then you could add a PC.

The shop manual is the best available out there.Between that and help here will get you through.

[thevoodoochild]

The TPS is the Throttle Position Sensor.

Removing the airbox and adding a PCIII will NOT solve the problems,probably make it worse.You HAVE to get it running right before making any fueling changes as it will become much harder to chase problems.DONT WASTE MONEY.

Get it tuned up.Either by you or a mechanic.

Get the pawl spring repaired.What good is a bike that can't shift?

Get the leaks fixed.

Have all the maintenance procedures been done?Unlikely from the condition you are describing.

Tires are less then three years old and in good condition?

All fluids are fresh? Engine,transmission,bevel box,clutch,brake.Brake pads are good?Those HAVE to be done if your not sure.

After all that,then you could add a PC.

The shop manual is the best available out there.Between that and help here will get you through.

thank for the advice.... i have a check list before i do any mod anyways.... (1) im getting Pirelli Angel gt tires.....im all about grip, recommend something better if u want......(2) have all fluids changed, Brake, clutch, and all oils....(3) fix tranny issue...(4) fix idling issues which are not constant sometime it happens and sometimes it doesnt, and i dont think the choke is working i keep on twisting the lever and nothing moves on the thottle bodies(5) fix leak......(6) clean her completely and then mods.....

[docc]

Max, you can definitely do this. Be patient, bookmark this page, and give yourself about a year and you will be so pleased with the Guzzi AND your abilities to take care of her!

 

Think of it like learning to play the guitar.

[gstallons]

• That (choke) lever operates a throttle kicker . It is on the bottom of the r.h. throtle body.

[AndyH]

Start with removing the tank. I noticed no one had answered this so...

 

1. unfasten the bolt at the rear of the tank and lift it up slightly

2. On the 2001 the fuel tap/petcock is operated by a solenoid (electric switch) on the left side: it should have wires coming out of it. You should not need to turn it off but it is a common mod to change this for a manual tap: if you can't find a way to turn the tap off, you don't need to! So you can pull the pipe off it safely.

3. Disconnect the fuel tap wires at its connector under the tank - you may need to lift the rear of the tank slightly to get at it.

4. Also disconnect the fuel level sensor connector on the same side, nearby.

5. On the right side, you will also need to remove the fuel return pipe from the return valve (on the opposite side to the fuel tap). A little fuel will escape but should soon stop.

6. After removing this the tank will now be free for you to lift it up and you can see the spine of the frame in all its glory!

 

Don't think I've forgotten anything... Buena Suerte

 

Andy

[thevoodoochild]

 

• That (choke) lever operates a throttle kicker . It is on the bottom of the r.h. throtle body.

 

yeah i figurate out it works, but i think its broken because i twist it and nothing moves down there....