V11 Shift improvement

[Lucky Phil]

 

The single biggest improvement you can make to the shift action of your V11 is to lengthen the shift lever arm and incorporate a new eye end mount hole 12mm ctr to ctr from the original upper hole. Shortens up the shift action to Japanese bike standards and gives the gearbox return spring greater leverage over the shift lever.

It also makes the shift action a little bit stiffer which means you need a little more load on the lever before it shifts gear which makes for a faster cleaner shift.

 

 

This is the shift selector. The area that is blued rides over the pins on the shift drum during the lever return after a shift. It usually has a rough finish and often doesn't bear across the full face of the pin and causes the shifter to hang up on return. Draw file it smooth and blue it to check for correct contact and if it isn't right dress it so it is. Do the other face on the left of photo as well of course.This arm always has a bend in it due to the way its stamped from a flat sheet. Carefully rework it so its flat and straight without any twists and polish the faces with some fine emory.  

 

 

 

The shifter mechanism stop can allow over travel of the mechanism. This one has had pads welded to the stop faces and dressed back to prevent this happening. Don't ever be tempted to adjust the large eccentric on the shifter cover with it fitted to the bike. It is a very sensitive adjustment that controls shifter travel and over travel and needs to be on the bench to set up correctly. It wont solve your shifting woes alone so leave it alone when on the bike.

 

 

Note the detent roller, it often doesn't ride correctly in the detents. Remove and bend the roller arm until it locates correctly.

 

 

Note the different covers, the later type on the left with the shift selector arm return limit adjustable eccentric and the older type on the right with the fixed roll pin. Set up the eccentric with about 0.030" clearance to the shift arm at its closest point in the travel. This later unit also has the extra banana shaped support plate. Guzzi sell a mod kit for the earlier bikes.

 

 

A close up of the return limit eccentric adjuster on the later covers.

 

 

The return spring can be installed the wrong way. Make sure when fitted the spring isn't contacting the cover, if it is remove it and install the other way.

 

 

On the bench set up and ready to install. The V11 shifts like a Japanese bike now, short travel, slick shifts with or without using the clutch and no return binding. This is the mod kit which comes with new cover with eccentric adjuster, new selector wheel pins with the ability to fit the banana support link and from memory a new shift selector arm and spring and new centering spring. Note the shifter input arm and stop assembly in the lower right hand of the photo. The pin you can see under the shifter wheel with the spring arms around it is the large eccentric adjuster which controls the travel of the shift mechanism and provides the stops in both directions. As mentioned earlier adjust it on the bench only, its very sensitive and governs how far the mechanism moves the gear selector dog to engage the gears. If its a long way out you can have a situation where it moves the gear to a fully engaged position and then pulls it partially out of engagement during the shift and under engagement in the other direction.

Ciao

[gstallons]

Good article & good pics to show how-to .

[Admin Jaap]

Great stuff, I moved it to the 'How to' subforum

[Craig]

I will do this soon.  I replaced the shifter pawl spring recently and have a drip that I need to seal up.  This is coming off again anyway.

[Scud]

As I understand it, the transmissions were different starting in 2002.

 

It seems like lengthening the arm on the foot lever would apply to all model/years - but do you know if the internal modifications are also needed in 2002 and later models?

[footgoose]

I have done the shift pawl arm and spring in my 2 '02s. My selector cogs didn't have the three point cover plate holding them in as yours does. Just the cir clips. I don't recall the adjuster in there either. I think mine is external. The rest looks the same. I wish I'd read this before my job, I would have cleaned it up a bit more. Maybe next time (winter) thanks Phil.

[Lucky Phil]

I have done the shift pawl arm and spring in my 2 '02s. My selector cogs didn't have the three point cover plate holding them in as yours does. Just the cir clips. I don't recall the adjuster in there either. I think mine is external. The rest looks the same. I wish I'd read this before my job, I would have cleaned it up a bit more. Maybe next time (winter) thanks Phil.

Yes you have the older style cover with the non adjustable selector arm overtravel stop (roll pin) As I mentioned Guzzi sell an update kit with the new cover, pins, plate circlips etc if you want to update.

 

Ciao

[Lucky Phil]

As I understand it, the transmissions were different starting in 2002.

 

It seems like lengthening the arm on the foot lever would apply to all model/years - but do you know if the internal modifications are also needed in 2002 and later models?

If your bike has the additional eccentric adjuster for the shift arm then you will have the later assembly. Look on the outside of the gearbox cover and if it has 2 eccentric adjusters, the standard large one and the second smaller one almost directly above it then you have the later shifter/cover assembly.

The extended shift lever arm is also applicable to the later units as well.

 

This is another worthwhile mod, its a rather nice folding toe piece that allows you to adjust the shift lever into a position that keeps it well clear of the frame plate while still giving you the positioning you want for your toe. You can leave off the plate and just fit the folding toe piece if you don't need it. Very nicely made and available from Guzzitech. Cut off your old toe piece file the face flat drill and countersink for the mount bolt and its done. Buy a second one and do the brake lever while your there.

 

 

Ciao

[docc]

Such nice work! Well done.

 

I wonder if the folding toe tab would significantly reduce the chance of snapping off the lever in a tip-over, which is so likely with the original cast pieces?

[Lucky Phil]

Such nice work! Well done.

 

I wonder if the folding toe tab would significantly reduce the chance of snapping off the lever in a tip-over, which is so likely with the original cast pieces?

Well I guess that's their main function. My brake lever one needs to be angled to 45deg, its a bit flat at the moment. These are really very nicely made and quite inexpensive and with a bit of work on the levers themselves you end up with controls that look quite decent. The look of the std levers is a little rough.

In the background of the photo of my shift lever you can see my lever arm extension validation temp modification before I went ahead and did the permanent extension.

 

Ciao

[Chuck]

 

 

 Guzzi sell a mod kit for the earlier bikes.

Hi, Phil.. do you have a part number for the kit?

[jharvey]

Is the 2000 V11 sport susceptible to the shift spring problems?

[Chuck]

Is the 2000 V11 sport susceptible to the shift spring problems?

As far as I know, all V11S are susceptible.. 

[docc]

 

Is the 2000 V11 sport susceptible to the shift spring problems?

As far as I know, all V11S are susceptible.. 

 

True that, although the 2002 seem over-represented.

 

Maybe we need a poll?

[nuevototem]

Hi to all! I have the kit with the update gearbox cover. Shifting is ok, but normally I have a neutral between 3 and 4 gear.... Before I install the kit I didn't have that problem... Anyone have an idea how to solve it? Thx!