You can do it ! or should I must get a V11

[Midle Age Warrior]

Hello folks

 

A few moths ago I started looking info about the V11s, because I was offered a trade of one of my bicycles for a 2001 V11 Sport, since I did not know anything about Guzzis but I wanted and I wanted bad since I saw an 850 Lemans MKI back in the 80's when I was young and impressionable.

I receive a few not to encouraging feedbacks about their reliability form ADVrider forum where definitely are prone to use BMWs until I found this wonderful forum, plenty of information that gave me enough strength to decided on trading one of my bicycles for a 2001 V11 Sport, I guess it was a fare trade.

As you can guess the motorcycle in question was not in running conditions, the previous owner told me the the bike was in the need of some TCL and a little bit of cash, after I bring her home I posted some desperated treads looking for the information I need to get over of the problems the bike had at the time, in the meanwhile I was waiting for the technician who supposedly had the expertice to solve all my problems but after wait him for three long months he came home just to said " the scanner showed up a TPS error " because the TPS on my bike AKA Cicciolina (named after a porn start involved in Italian politics back in the 80's) is the PF4 used in Harley's.

He went away and after a fat bill the bike still in not running conditions, is not my fault he said I did my job but the TPS is the wrong one and the bike will not run with it.

A week later full of the patient of a man who has nothing to loose, a bunch of schematics and drawings provided by kiwiroy a fellow V11LeMans collaborator and a six-pack of cold beer I decided to try to do something with until that day a 400 pound paper weigh and I must said that using the kiwiroy and this forum information Cicciolina was running and pulling hard after 5 hours of trial and error.

In the process I also found some problems like the permanent magnets on the starter getting loose (I already regaled them in place), I lost my rear pump brake, a bad ECU connection causing no fuel pump priming, relay's malfunction and a wrong rear shock.

Cicciolina is in running conditions now I got an used ECU and TPS (Guzzi originals out of a parting bike) wich help me to put her on the road again although I did not attachk the rear shock yet but she is running now.

I fixed the minors issues just to complete my first ride, a small trip to the mountains near home of about 100 miles with no problems more than the need of taking off the seat and manipulate the wiring loom to prime the fuel pump and playing with the relays in order to start the bike every time we arrived to a full stop at the end of the day I was able to did the ritual in no time and my riding buddies enjoy see me touching my italian girl.

I have not enough words to say thank to kiwiroy for all the help and information he gave me, with out it the Cicciolina should be sitting and collecting dust in my garage with some other forgotten projects, also I must thank all the replies received to my questions in the forum, I should mention fotoguzzi as well for be kind enough to gave me a TPS for free just to help a fellow rider in disgrace.

In this process I have been learning a lot of things, in the list of things I already did to mu bike I could mention the starter rebuild, a full tune up, rear end dissasembly, bearings check out, bevel box & crown and pinion verification, wiring loom and circuits test,   starting switch cleaning and reassembly among others and all of them thanks to you all and the forum archives.

I can assure that I am not longer affraid of my bike that still has issues to address but with a better approach and the certainty this forum and the fellow members are here to support me if I need, my last words are.

If you have the possibilities to get your hands over a V11, Go for it and enjoy the ride.

From the sunny lands of Caracas Venezuela, with no speed limits and the cheapest gas in the word, ride hard is a pleasure

 

Roberto

 

 

[Midle Age Warrior]

A couple of pictures to share with you

 

 

[stewgnu]

Nice one!

[fotoguzzi]

Good!  Just so you know, many of us have used the PF4 TPS, it's from a Harley Davidson and costs about $40. instead of the Guzzi PF3 for $300.

 

they work fine so you mechanic is full of balony.

 

keep up the faith and you'll have a fine running bike someday soon..

[Kiwi_Roy]

Whatever happened to Cicciolina?

It appears she's alive and well in sunny Caracas

 

 

http://www.ibtimes.com/star-porn-whatever-became-italys-cicciolina-1104912

 

Keep up the reports Roberto, you will get all the help you need to keep her happy right here.

[LowRyter]

good job Roy.  Roy's given me some good advice too.

 

Foto Guzzi steered you right about you right about the TPSs.  There is little difference between the two units.  I have a Harley TPS on my California (actually, I need to replace it) and a Guzzi TPS on my Sport.