Introducion

[audiomick]

3 hours ago, docc said:

It will be interesting to note the actual build date on the metal tag.

Yeah, I'm curious myself. I'll have a look as soon as the current couple of inches of snow are gone, and the temperature gets to a reasonable amount above 0°C.

 

Thanks for the welcomes everyone.

[Joe]

Very close, but I think the pork chops are black. And the mufflers are a kind of bronze color. 

 

Mick, I found this Lemans for sale in Germany, does this look like our bike?

 

https://www.theparking-motorcycle.com/used-motorcycles-detail/moto-guzzi-v11-v11-le-mans/moto-guzzi-v11-le-mans-kt/EEEDJ8B.html

[audiomick]

Hi Joe.

 

I very seriously considered buying that one.

 

The differences to mine: the "pork chops" on mine are black, as is the seat. The seat on that one might be from a different model, I think. On of the "Sport" variantions maybe, but I'm not sure. Mine has about 20,000 km more on the clock, and was about €1,000 cheaper. And the bloke I bought miine off is someone I have met a couple of times through a forum here.

 

What makes that one interesting, the text from the ad indicates a long term owner who really loved the bike. He's selling because he's giving up riding motorcycles altogether. Here's his text:

Quote

After 34 years of Moto Guzzi Driving I am giving up this beautiful hobby for health reasons. In 2011 I acquired this beautiful Ms. Lehmann with a few previous owners with a mileage of about 20 000 km. Why so many previous owners I noticed after a few days. A loose cable inside the wiring harness caused the engine to die in cold weather (a cable from the side stand fuse contracted and lost contact). That must have cost the last nerves of the previous owners....  I can understand that, the problem was hard to find!

So here I offer my beautiful Moto Guzzi V11 Le Mans for sale. The major inspection (engine, transmission oil change, brake fluid change, engine was synchronized, etc.) has been done.... TÜV new.

The very good chassis got a fully adjustable rear shock from Wilbers (tuned for wavy country roads) in addition. Since then it leaves nothing to be desired. Together with the brand new Michelin Pilot Power the best combination.

In addition, there is a 12 volt socket and a luggage rack.
The pictured assembly stands for front u. rear and a tank backpack is of course in addition. Traces of use are present.

It is registered and can be visited by appointment.
Since private sale no warranty, no return.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

For those who are wondering "TÜV" refers to the obligatory bi-annual roadworthiness tests here.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the workshop stands in the photos might be original Guzzi parts.

I reckon the bike would be a good buy, but I've already got one now. As I said, I seriously considered it, but chose to buy the cheaper, higher mileage bike from the bloke I have met a couple of times.

Apart from the red bits, I think it is pretty much the same as the one I got.

[audiomick]

I rode the V11 Le Mans for the first time today.

 

It was about 12° C. today, looking like it was going to stay dry, and there was even a bit of sunshine. I'm waiting on a number plate holder that I have odered, so I needed an easy temporary solution for that. I bolted the old plates back on (they were mounted using the screw hole for the plate holder...) and taped the new plates on with gaffer tape. I'm a sound engineer, so that is like the "natural solution" for any problem for me.

 

And then I went for a 40 km. ride before I had to go to work. Lovely. The bike was really the right choice.

[Joe]

1 hour ago, audiomick said:

I rode the V11 Le Mans for the first time today.

 

It was about 12° C. today, looking like it was going to stay dry, and there was even a bit of sunshine. I'm waiting on a number plate holder that I have odered, so I needed an easy temporary solution for that. I bolted the old plates back on (they were mounted using the screw hole for the plate holder...) and taped the new plates on with gaffer tape. I'm a sound engineer, so that is like the "natural solution" for any problem for me.

 

And then I went for a 40 km. ride before I had to go to work. Lovely. The bike was really the right choice.

The V11 Guzzi’s power delivery have soul, can be found to be addictive. You did make the right choice Mick. 😎

[guzzler]

Yep

Once they get under your skin that's it....

 

[audiomick]

Yeah, I was a bit surprised at how the motor responds at around 5,000 and found I had to try it out several more times to make sure I wasn't imagining things...

[KINDOY2]

Search and read up on docc's "Decent Tune-up" and perform that just as described and you will find yourself with a whole new motorcycle..not only at 5,000!..When done correctly its amazing ..imho

[audiomick]

23 minutes ago, KINDOY2 said:

Search and read up on docc's "Decent Tune-up"

 

Thanks for that link. I'll have a better look at that sometime when it's not 2;00 a.m.

However:

After a quick glance at the first post there, I can say I have read most of that stuff elsewhere already. I'm one of the administrators in this german forum:

https://www.guzzi-forum.de/Forum/

I'll get back to that....

The bloke I bought the Le Mans off had only had it for about half a year, and had been planning to keep it. I know him personally through that forum, and trust what he says. When he bought the bike it was (his words) "in a dismal condition". He put quite a lot of effort into getting the bike back in shape, and I am confident that he went through more or less the same procedure as docc describes there. He only put about 1,000 km. on the bike, so I assume (for now) that it's all good enough to be going on with.

Getting back to the aforementioned german forum: Guzzidiag was developed principally by the forum member Beard (his real name is Bernd), with input from a couple of others from that forum. I've met Beard a couple of times, he's a really nice bloke. Even if I don't get around to having a look at the bike with Guzzidiag myself before then, I expect to be at the Forum Rally at the start of next June. There, Beard and Karsten (under whose name the forum is registered) spend the entire Saturday afternoon looking at people's bikes with Guzzidiag and adjusting what needs to be adjusted.

So I think I've got that pretty much covered.

I'm not an ace mechanic, but I'm dead keen to get into Guzzidiag, and things like keeping an eye on the valve clearances and so on is a matter of course. I"ll be onto it, don't worry.

[docc]

22 hours ago, audiomick said:

Thanks for that link. I'll have a better look at that sometime when it's not 2;00 a.m.

However:

After a quick glance at the first post there, I can say I have read most of that stuff elsewhere already. I'm one of the administrators in this german forum:

https://www.guzzi-forum.de/Forum/

I'll get back to that....

The bloke I bought the Le Mans off had only had it for about half a year, and had been planning to keep it. I know him personally through that forum, and trust what he says. When he bought the bike it was (his words) "in a dismal condition". He put quite a lot of effort into getting the bike back in shape, and I am confident that he went through more or less the same procedure as docc describes there. He only put about 1,000 km. on the bike, so I assume (for now) that it's all good enough to be going on with.

Getting back to the aforementioned german forum: Guzzidiag was developed principally by the forum member Beard (his real name is Bernd), with input from a couple of others from that forum. I've met Beard a couple of times, he's a really nice bloke. Even if I don't get around to having a look at the bike with Guzzidiag myself before then, I expect to be at the Forum Rally at the start of next June. There, Beard and Karsten (under whose name the forum is registered) spend the entire Saturday afternoon looking at people's bikes with Guzzidiag and adjusting what needs to be adjusted.

So I think I've got that pretty much covered.

I'm not an ace mechanic, but I'm dead keen to get into Guzzidiag, and things like keeping an eye on the valve clearances and so on is a matter of course. I"ll be onto it, don't worry.

That is encouraging, actually. The "Decent Tune-up " is not something I made up or take credit for. Instead, it is an attempt to archive, link, and reference a concise tune-up procedure approachable by the majority of owners with a predictably good outcome. The procedure is a compendium, if you will, much like the "Maintenance Checklists" that link and reference significant contributions and discoveries in a relatively concise location:

 

[audiomick]

9 minutes ago, docc said:

...The "Decent Tune-up " is .... an attempt to archive, link, and reference a concise tune-up procedure 

 

Well, I'd say you've pretty much achieved your goal. As I wrote, I've seen more or less the same recommendations over and over again.

 

The context in which I have seen that stuff, and the gist of what they are often trying to communicate is "get the basic stuff sorted before you start dicking around with the map, or any of the other complicated things".