Video presentation of the 2022 Michelin Road 6 and Road 6 GT;

[LowRyter]

10k is a pretty good run for any rear tire.  Better than any radial sport oriented rear tire.  Now the bias Metzlers on my California go along ways....

[PJPR01]

13 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

10k is a pretty good run for any rear tire.  Better than any radial sport oriented rear tire.  Now the bias Metzlers on my California go along ways....

Indeed...and that's why I prefer the GT versions too in order to get maximum wear...I wish we had more real twisties here, but it takes a good days drive to get out of Texas to the fun stuff!

[p6x]

13 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Davey at MPH is a real national treasure...he does excellent work, so far has proven to be extremely thorough, and even has sent me pictures of the work he's doing at my request when he's deep into the job, so I could see before and after shots of some internal work.  His work has been 100% perfect on everything I've brought him, but as a habit I also go thru my bikes after I get them back from the shop and make sure nuts and bolts are all tight, check torque settings on the wheels particularly if I've had tires replaced.  I've had a few experiences over the years from prior mechanics where they failed to tighten up bolts which were glaringly obvious oversights.  Luckily no accidents caused by such oversights.

Mike used to work on the bikes when his brother Todd was around years earlier. I bought my Norge from him back in late 2009, and Mike was just as picky and meticulous as Davey, so I always felt very comfortable knowing he had his hands on my bike, and his guidance on how Guzzis behave when new and then at future intervals as they break in has always been spot on.  The Griso was also purchased from Mike by a friend, and then I bought it from my friend when he could no longer ride, and so far has been flawless.

My Scura was worked on at Mike's house up in Hempstead when for a period of time he could not use the workshop, and he did the Roper Plate, replacement of the single plate clutch, full lubrication of those bloody hard zerk fitted u-joints and several other "must do" items that Chuck had recommended at one of the Cedar Vale rallies.  He did them all, and the bike has ridden like a dream since I got it back from him several years ago, no failures, no issues.

Knowing that there are good Guzzi surgeons nearby is very comforting, I can do a lot of work on the bikes, but some items are beyond my knowledge, skill or toolset, and sometimes even time, and I'd rather ride another bike while having one of them on the lift with Mike or Davey, knowing they'll probably find a few other items to look at with the patient on the operating table that I wouldn't even know to look for.

I feel the same about Davey, although I do not have as much data as you do to back up my assessment.

I judged the "love" from the number of motorbikes waiting for his ministration each time I go there. I asked why they don't take an apprentice, so the knowledge can be passed on. Nobody is getting younger, and all the Motorcycle intervention is actually relying on a single man.

Can you tell me if Davey does injection checks on V11? I did not ask if he had the equipment. I have purchased the interface from UK, but I am having a hard time getting my computer to communicate with the Lonelec KL-1. It is the port opening which I am not doing right. I have gone back to my UNIX manuals.

The major draw back of MPH is the lay over time. I am hoping to get my bike in March to start the Grand Tour on time this time....

[p6x]

13 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

On the subject of tires, I'm on my 5th set of PR's, 1 PR3, 4 sets of PR4's...they have been impeccable in all kinds of weather, very very good in wet weather, and very sticky for twisties.  I have them on the Norge and Scura, and a fresh set waiting to be put on the Griso when the original tires wear out.  I am curious about the PR 6's, but will choose to skip the 5's based on feedback from other riders. Getting the GT version is excellent for longer wear here in the flats of Texas...my experience has been about 9-10K miles per set so far, with the rear wearing slightly faster than the front.

I did not try the PR4, so I am going straight on the R5;

I agree that Michelin quick move from R5 to R6 is intriguing. I asked MPH to source R5 in Dec 21, I did not know about the R6 at the time, else I would have gone 6.

We should maybe start a (long) discussion on why some of us seem to be wearing the front faster than the rear? on the same model though. I never go full acceleration personally, just for that reason, flattening the rear tire too quickly.

[p6x]

11 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Indeed...and that's why I prefer the GT versions too in order to get maximum wear...I wish we had more real twisties here, but it takes a good days drive to get out of Texas to the fun stuff!

The 1155 between the 290 and the 105 at Chappell Hill is an acceptable substitute. However you need to be very careful, there are many blind curves and people riding horses. Wth all the ranches and farms around, I never take any risk.

[PJPR01]

3 hours ago, p6x said:

The 1155 between the 290 and the 105 at Chappell Hill is an acceptable substitute. However you need to be very careful, there are many blind curves and people riding horses. Wth all the ranches and farms around, I never take any risk.

Good suggestion, and yes, we've ridden this and all of the national forest roads hundreds of times over the last 25 years...always alert, and watch out for the boys of the FM3090 Sport bike club who like to run 100+ regularly from Navasota up to Yankee Tavern, and have unfortunately been responsible for the signs up there warning motorcyclists to watch out...several have not made it.

[PJPR01]

3 hours ago, p6x said:

I did not try the PR4, so I am going straight on the R5;

I agree that Michelin quick move from R5 to R6 is intriguing. I asked MPH to source R5 in Dec 21, I did not know about the R6 at the time, else I would have gone 6.

We should maybe start a (long) discussion on why some of us seem to be wearing the front faster than the rear? on the same model though. I never go full acceleration personally, just for that reason, flattening the rear tire too quickly.

I haven't spent a lot of time trying to figure out the science, but I have two premises, one is that the rear tire temperature is almost always 10 degrees C hotter than the front ( I use my Steelmate TPMS to monitor both pressure and temperature), and I suppose carries more weight due to panniers and rider position.  I would imagine the temperature is driven off multiple factors (downstream of engine, exhaust?, weight), but I would think heat is a primary contributor.  Others who are more expert can chime in...perhaps there are other factors as well.

[PJPR01]

3 hours ago, p6x said:

I feel the same about Davey, although I do not have as much data as you do to back up my assessment.

I judged the "love" from the number of motorbikes waiting for his ministration each time I go there. I asked why they don't take an apprentice, so the knowledge can be passed on. Nobody is getting younger, and all the Motorcycle intervention is actually relying on a single man.

Can you tell me if Davey does injection checks on V11? I did not ask if he had the equipment. I have purchased the interface from UK, but I am having a hard time getting my computer to communicate with the Lonelec KL-1. It is the port opening which I am not doing right. I have gone back to my UNIX manuals.

The major draw back of MPH is the lay over time. I am hoping to get my bike in March to start the Grand Tour on time this time....

Yes...unfortunately 6 weeks is the norm these days as you've also experienced.  The price for backlog and expertise is patience, and perhaps a  2nd bike!    Years earlier they were able to turn bikes around in just a couple of weeks when they had a couple of techs and Mike working on bikes as well, but as I understand it only Davey does the bikes and Mike dedicates himself to cars.

I presume you are talking about getting your Guzzidiag to work?  It can be a bit fiddly on recognizing the port, I usually pick COM3 on mine, but sometimes have to bounce it to Com5 and back to Com3 for it then to connect.  Sometimes if your motorcycle battery is too low, it won't work, so to be sure, I also put it on a tender if it's not recognizing it right away to get the extra juice.  I'm using an HP laptop, not a Mac...what device are you using?   There is also as a reference a very good thread of how to use Guzzidiag on Wildguzzi that Beetle wrote up and maintained for a long time.  It's a handy reference thread to keep with you when working on the bike.  Were you also planning to balance your throttle bodies, or was that already done?

Now Guzzidiag doesn't tell me if the injectors are spraying perfectly, it just triggers it so you can hear each one operate independently, but whether they are spraying a full pattern or not if embedded in the throttle bodies isn't visible, so you'd need to pull them out and visually inspect while triggering Guzzidiag to fire the injector.  Others have suggested they are easy to clean if clogged...I've not done that service before, but if you suspect something, it would probably be worth getting them cleaned first before replacing.  

I am not 100% certain if Davey has a specific setup to check the injectors, but I'd guess yes since he seems to know everything else I've ever asked him to do.  Worth a shot to ask him.

Hope you get it back in time...let me know if you want to ride up to the Texas Sidecars open house in late March, perhaps we'd have a mini Spine raid up there! 

[p6x]

2 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Yes...unfortunately 6 weeks is the norm these days as you've also experienced.  The price for backlog and expertise is patience, and perhaps a  2nd bike!    Years earlier they were able to turn bikes around in just a couple of weeks when they had a couple of techs and Mike working on bikes as well, but as I understand it only Davey does the bikes and Mike dedicates himself to cars.

I presume you are talking about getting your Guzzidiag to work?  It can be a bit fiddly on recognizing the port, I usually pick COM3 on mine, but sometimes have to bounce it to Com5 and back to Com3 for it then to connect.  Sometimes if your motorcycle battery is too low, it won't work, so to be sure, I also put it on a tender if it's not recognizing it right away to get the extra juice.  I'm using an HP laptop, not a Mac...what device are you using?   There is also as a reference a very good thread of how to use Guzzidiag on Wildguzzi that Beetle wrote up and maintained for a long time.  It's a handy reference thread to keep with you when working on the bike.  Were you also planning to balance your throttle bodies, or was that already done?

Now Guzzidiag doesn't tell me if the injectors are spraying perfectly, it just triggers it so you can hear each one operate independently, but whether they are spraying a full pattern or not if embedded in the throttle bodies isn't visible, so you'd need to pull them out and visually inspect while triggering Guzzidiag to fire the injector.  Others have suggested they are easy to clean if clogged...I've not done that service before, but if you suspect something, it would probably be worth getting them cleaned first before replacing.  

I am not 100% certain if Davey has a specific setup to check the injectors, but I'd guess yes since he seems to know everything else I've ever asked him to do.  Worth a shot to ask him.

Hope you get it back in time...let me know if you want to ride up to the Texas Sidecars open house in late March, perhaps we'd have a mini Spine raid up there! 

I like to think of myself as patient, however I look ahead of myself and don't see much more time in store. I am trying to make the best of what I have.

Probably the reason why I am toying over getting a second bike. I want to dedicated myself completely to the Guzzi;

Exactly! we have gotten use to programs doing the handshake for us. I am wondering if the Firewall is playing tricks on me.

I will verify what Davey can or cannot do. I actually never asked. I saw that he does full rebuilds, and I am assuming he would rather pick the more lucrative jobs.

What Texas Sidecars? the one is Donie? it is a tour stop of the Texas tour 2022.

[PJPR01]

Correct...the Sidecar company in Donie, they are having an open house in late March.   Part of the Giro di Texas, bag a stop, have a nice lunch and hopefully a fun ride up and back with a few other folks who plan to join me.  One Beemer, Yamaha and another Guzzi (Stelvio).  Now the difficult decision, take the Norge, Scura or Griso...I registered them all for the Tour of Texas so depending on the day, I can pick which bike to use for getting those tour stops.

I posted up on another thread in case any other Guzzisti want to join, weather permitting, should be a nice ride up.

If you need any assistance on Guzzidiag, send up a flare.  Could be the firewall!

I've never seen Mike or Davey turn down a job based on how many $$'s it will generate, but that could be a factor in prioritizing the work for sure.  However I've done some big jobs and it still took 6 weeks, so maybe there's really no method to the madness, other than FIFO.

 

[LowRyter]

8 hours ago, p6x said:

I did not try the PR4, so I am going straight on the R5;

I agree that Michelin quick move from R5 to R6 is intriguing. I asked MPH to source R5 in Dec 21, I did not know about the R6 at the time, else I would have gone 6.

We should maybe start a (long) discussion on why some of us seem to be wearing the front faster than the rear? on the same model though. I never go full acceleration personally, just for that reason, flattening the rear tire too quickly.

You've been waiting 6 weeks to get tires on your bike?  Or am I reading this wrong?

[p6x]

2 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Correct...the Sidecar company in Donie, they are having an open house in late March.   Part of the Giro di Texas, bag a stop, have a nice lunch and hopefully a fun ride up and back with a few other folks who plan to join me.  One Beemer, Yamaha and another Guzzi (Stelvio).  Now the difficult decision, take the Norge, Scura or Griso...I registered them all for the Tour of Texas so depending on the day, I can pick which bike to use for getting those tour stops.

I posted up on another thread in case any other Guzzisti want to join, weather permitting, should be a nice ride up.

If you need any assistance on Guzzidiag, send up a flare.  Could be the firewall!

I've never seen Mike or Davey turn down a job based on how many $$'s it will generate, but that could be a factor in prioritizing the work for sure.  However I've done some big jobs and it still took 6 weeks, so maybe there's really no method to the madness, other than FIFO.

 

Understood!

I have started to plot my course yesterday, and given that Paris and Gladewater are still in the stop list, I was going to put Donie on my way back from Paris, like I did in 2021. But I can also do the one day transience. Depending on how late in March since I have something already in the pipe.

I am not (yet) too preoccupied with the Guzzidiag; it is more a "I want to get it working" than a real need.

Davey showed me some vintage bikes that he restored for Sunday riders, and it must be taking a lot of time just to source the parts. Six weeks is the magic number the lady at the front gives you for whatever you want to do.

[p6x]

1 hour ago, LowRyter said:

You've been waiting 6 weeks to get tires on your bike?  Or am I reading this wrong?

It is not as bad; I requested the tires on December 29th; Davey said he would tell me when he would be ready to install them.

He asked me to bring the bike on January 21th; I brought the bike on January 27th.

From the 29th until the 27th, it was hidden time since I kept riding.

I could have gone to another shop and gotten the tires installed in one day if it had been an emergency. I am just a faithful guy.

 

[docc]

Just to try and clarify that Guzzidiag is the most available way to see, and set, the CO Fuel Trim. Many V11 have been reported in the negative double-digits. This should be made > zero <, at least.

Besides that, the entire V11 tune-up is largely analog using a feeler gauge (valve lash), voltmeter (TPS baseline), and some dual vacuum interface to balance the throttle bodies.

Guzzidiag will also show you the correction value (discrepancy) in RPM between what the ECU sees and what our tachometer shows. This is especially important when selecting the idle RPM if the tachometer reads 300-500 RPM high and our 1100 RPM idle selection as actually 600-800 (very unhappy!) . . .

 

[LowRyter]

1 hour ago, p6x said:

It is not as bad; I requested the tires on December 29th; Davey said he would tell me when he would be ready to install them.

He asked me to bring the bike on January 21th; I brought the bike on January 27th.

From the 29th until the 27th, it was hidden time since I kept riding.

I could have gone to another shop and gotten the tires installed in one day if it had been an emergency. I am just a faithful guy.

 

Faith.  It does work both ways. 

OTOH, I was in Arkansas in June and no dealer in Russellville (Honda and Suzuki, two dealerships) would put a tire on my Ducati.  The Honda dealer would ONLY work on Hondas- they were backed up for months.  But the tire change would've taken, what 20 minutes? 

I think the big shop in Fayetteville would've done it and had me on my way.  I was heading home anyway and it was a good excuse to leave with riders I wasn't comfortable with.

A word for the wise when traveling.