Greetings! Glad to have found you! And I have a question.....

[Tinus89]

If it has been standing for several years in a non-heated storage space, I would also consider flusing the frame tube. Corrosion may occur in the "oil separation" part of the frame tube, causing corrosion particles to return to the sump. I've seen quite some corrosion on mine...

As the advise is to take the tank off anyway... Remove the lower connection of the breather hose, flush a solvent trough it (with the oil return line disconnected as well).

[Pressureangle]

On 9/27/2019 at 8:07 PM, Lucky Phil said:

At the very least we've saved you from a Norton Commando,lol

Ciao

Hey! It didn't save me even a little. 

[po18guy]

Welcome, Kane, from another new guy. Although only recently becoming a Guzzi owner myself, I long ago formed the opinion that Guzzis are not so much a motorcycle as they are a project which involves a motorcycle. Maybe better stated is that they are an adventure involving a motorcycle. Not in the "Then Came Bronson" genré, but then again...

Being long of tooth and having cheated death various times in recent memory, I came to the conclusion that if I was to own one, I'd better buy one, and relatively soon. Was looking at an '02 LeMans because, I posted at that time, "no one was selling a Ballabio." Never went to see it, as it was about three hours away. Well, my hesitation was well-timed, as an '04 Ballabio came up on CL. Also three hours away, but I went to see it. I was seduced by the Italian siren wearing red, as I bought it without even riding it. The sheer redness of it all, as well as the music emanating from the Staintunes weakened my resolve. I pulled the trigger. 

And, as docc said, I am now in the process of making it just so. Am also refreshing my memory of Italian curse words that I earned from my neighbors as a child. As you noted, forum members here most likely know more about Guzzis than Guzzi does. Bottom line: It's not so much ownership as it is a relationship.   

 

 

 

[Kane]

I’m loving all the Guzzi testifying!

This place is The Church of Guzzi!

[docc]

2 hours ago, Kane said:

I’m loving all the Guzzi testifying!

This place is The Church of Guzzi!

                           More of a ward, no? 

"Let's ask the other inmates on the ward if we really are crazy . . ." 

[gstallons]

15 hours ago, po18guy said:

You Welcome, Kane, from another new guy. Although only recently becoming a Guzzi owner myself, I long ago formed the opinion that Guzzis are not so much a motorcycle as they are a project which involves a motorcycle. Maybe better stated is that they are an adventure involving a motorcycle. Not in the "Then Came Bronson" genré, but then again...

Being long of tooth and having cheated death various times in recent memory, I came to the conclusion that if I was to own one, I'd better buy one, and relatively soon. Was looking at an '02 LeMans because, I posted at that time, "no one was selling a Ballabio." Never went to see it, as it was about three hours away. Well, my hesitation was well-timed, as an '04 Ballabio came up on CL. Also three hours away, but I went to see it. I was seduced by the Italian siren wearing red, as I bought it without even riding it. The sheer redness of it all, as well as the music emanating from the Staintunes weakened my resolve. I pulled the trigger. 

And, as docc said, I am now in the process of making it just so. Am also refreshing my memory of Italian curse words that I earned from my neighbors as a child. As you noted, forum members here most likely know more about Guzzis than Guzzi does. Bottom line: It's not so much ownership as it is a relationship.   

 

 

 

You need to write a book .

[Chuck]

Quote

In my opinion, the V11 was the last Guzzi with a direct link to its past.

Agreed. I've said many times, it's the last of the *real* Guzzis..

Quote

 

 

[Kane]

I checked out the ‘01 Green V11 that’s for sale in my area. It’s a title more expensive than the bike I was first looking at, but it is really clean and low miles. Sounds like thunder from heaven! I’m taking a second look at the first bike tomorrow, but this Greenie is pretty sweet.

I do have a question: When the clutch lever is pulled while the bike is sitting at idle it makes a noisy rattle. He told me that it’s a dry clutch and that’s normal for these clutches. Is that correct?

Also, there are two black cylinders under the seat just behind the battery. I’ve never seen these before, and they were not there on the first V11 I saw. What are these?:

[Kane]

 

15 minutes ago, Mikko said:

Charcoal canisters? Could be some “special” California emissions crap perhaps? On my bike, a PO installed the fuel pump there    I’d turn the ignition on with the seat off and listen for the hum of the fuel pump priming. My clutch rattles also.. although it sounds like mummified scarab beetles being shaken around inside a thin aluminum cylinder at high speed.

FWIW: The red frame Greenies are the true expression of the bike. They are beautiful.

Thanks for the advise. I thought emissions stuff, too. This bike is from Arizona with an AZ plate. I don’t now if they have emissions requirements there like here in CA. My impression is that AZ has a lot less rules than CA, but what place doesn’t?

[Kane]

56 minutes ago, Mikko said:

Charcoal canisters?

Bingo! Yep, that’s what they are. A google image search revealed that these are Denso carbon evaporation canisters. I had no idea that motorcycles had these things on them. But the newest bike I ever owned prior to the V11 that will soon be mine was an ‘86 HD FXRSP, a California bike, and no carbon canisters on that bike. They are filling up a lot of space under the seat......I guess there’s a tool kit buried under them?

So, do these things bring down the bike’s performance? Do you guys remove them or leave them on Iike a good steward of the earth?

[Chuck]

We remove them and the 20 feet of hoses that cause vacuum leaks, and dispose of them in an environmentally correct manner. Plug the nipples the hoses were hooked to, and you're good to go.

[bbolesaz]

For many years, Maricopa County Arizona (Phoenix metro) was the only place in the US where you had to emissions test motorcycles.  The day the AZ legislature changed that law and eliminated the emissions test was one of the happiest days of my life.  Old aircooled, carburated BMW Airhead motorcycles were a bitch to get passing emissions.  Those cannisters may have been required if the bike was sold here.

[Kane]

  That makes sense. The person selling the bike here in California bought the bike around four months ago from a police officer in Arizona, who told him that he bought the bike from a dealership. Whether he bought it new or used from the dealership I don’t know, but it’s an AZ bike, still has the AZ plate. Kind of funny that AZ would require them and not CA.

Thank for all of the great info!

[Kane]

25 minutes ago, Mikko said:

Unless your like me and enjoy the aroma of 110 octane

Dang, I’d like to get my hands on some of that! Your Goose must soar like an eagle! Do you work for NASA?

[bbolesaz]

2 minutes ago, Kane said:

 Kind of funny that AZ would require them and not CA.

That's what AZ riders were saying for many years.  I have many memories of watching custom Harley riders leaning out their carbs within an inch of running, then getting pissed off when they failed the NOx test due to the lean running.