Best Aftermarket or replacement Exhaust?

[Guest mderby]

Working through details for the addition of the Nero Corsa, apparently they only brought in 40 to the U.S.? (so says dealer)

 

In any event what does the consensus say about exhaust? Anyone recommend the Titanium accessory with new fuel map from Guzzi? Or is thier a standard with Fuel Map that most folks buy into that makes the most significant HP gain and better exhaust note?

 

Again I tried to search threads and couldn't figure out best place on site to find this info, so if somone wants to steer me to an earlier thread, that would be great too.

 

Thanks Much!!

 

Michael

[Bill Hagan]

Michael,

 

Let me make two points that are (only somewhat) responsive to your questions, but may be of interest to you as you try to figure out what to do.

 

First, as to exhaust, I bought a Ballabio in Aug '03, and and rode about 1K with stock exhausts, then swapped those for FBF & Stucchi c/i. Dealer remapped and did a great job. Love the sound and performance gain. No clue how they fare compared to MG titaniums, but you are, as I think I offered before (or, if I didn't, I do now! : ) welcome to come by and hear and, if you like, ride it. Give you an idea, anyway, what an upgrade in cans will do.

 

Second, ever since I bought the Ballabio, I've had mildly wistful misgivings about the suspension, i.e., I have wished from time to time (especially after riding a Cafe Sport one day) that I had spent the extra cash for the Ohlins.

 

Well, duh , mebbe if I had tweaked the suspension sooner than waiting 7+K, I might have discovered sooner what I just learned in the past week. The stock suspension is VERY good ... if you are smart enough to set it up to fit you!

 

So, I'll share my own ignorance with you and all here, retract the various unkind or at least non-glowing things I've said about the Ballabio's stock suspension. My point is that unless you absolutely have to have a Nero Corsa, you might save some significant beer money by looking at stock Nakeds or LeMans or Ballabios or whatevers, and spend that cash on the exhaust upgrades ... or beer.

 

Again, call if you like or stop by Inman Park (785 Edgewood) if you'd like to see, hear, ride the Ballabio to see how it's set up.

 

Best of luck whatever decision you make.

 

Bill Hagan

 

404.469.3346 (office/desk)

404.581.9779 (home)

404.808.8486 (mobile)

[Guest bshpilot]

you know its something ive said before...most STOCK bikes are

better than most can/should ride to (limit wise) on the street.

 

unless youre a club racer or doin' track days all the time some

very very high percentage of us will not come close to revealing

the weaknesses of the stock systems on many of todays mfg'd bikes

 

i believe even fewer will come close to needing or fully exploiting

the likes of OHLINS.

 

as a replacement (when my stuff is worn out....more a fact of

poor quality/time/milage) i will consider something other than stock OE

(god knows itll be cheaper anyway)....but even then itll be over kill

and more than i can fully exercise.

[Baldini]

you know its something ive said before...

bshpilot,

 

Eh? How do you know so much about what everyone needs?

 

KB

[Guest bshpilot]

just an observation....

[Baldini]

...based on what?

[Guest Gary Cheek]

Bshpilot and Bill Hagan ,

 

Ya are right on . The Marzocchi/Sachs is a very underated setup . I have them both ,with similar mileage and experienced the same conclusion.

[Guest jerroldt]

Bshpilot:

I agree totally but to each his own! It is a matter of personal taste and how far you want to go as well as what you want the Le Mans to do.

[Baldini]

The Marzocchi/Sachs is a very underated setup . I have them both ,with similar mileage and experienced the same conclusion.

I haven't ridden a V11 with the std suspension so no comment, but for me - I love the Ohlins. Take a lot of setting up ( for a know nothing like me) but after 8k miles, just realising how good they are as I get them closer to being right... lack of stiction on the front- hit rippled tarmac in a corner,it floats over it but you can still feel what's happening w/tyre, front extends to keep contact with the road over sharp crests.... There's such a range of adjustment on these things that they can easily be set way out for any given rider - unless you're real flyweight they need heavier springs from std. First off I was disappointed with handling but it's got better & better the more I've understood how to set them.

Ever since I had Metal Profile forks on my Tiger Cub - the first money I'd spend is on suspension. Nothing else can work w/o out it. I'd agree most large capacity bikes come fast enough from the factory to get you in trouble on the road (Exhaust/intake mods can help drivability cos of regs factory have to work to)...but suspension - it'll help you when you get there, always got to be worth it. Ohlins?

 

KB

 

They do seem to blow fork seals tho...& it'd be nice to have high speed damping adjustment & a ride hight adjustment on shock...

[antonio carroccio]

I have found some Öhlins with all the exact measure for the V11.

But the running damping is 105 in place of 120 like Marzocchi has.

I ask myself if this is enough?

 

Any suggestion?

[Guest bshpilot]

Bshpilot:

I agree totally but to each his own! It is a matter of personal taste and how far you want to go as well as what you want the Le Mans to do.

 

i agree its a matter of taste...if nothin' else i wouldnt mind havin' it

cause its GUY JEWLERY...its pretty & its cool...

[Lex]

you know its something ive said before...most STOCK bikes are

better than most can/should ride to (limit wise) on the street.

 

bshpilot,

 

And I'll say what I have said before. If you think good suspension is just about going fast you need to experience a well set up bike. A really good rider (I've been pasted by the best, including Freddie Spencer ) could go faster than me on pretty much any suspension than I could go with help from Valetino Rossi's personal suspension guru.

 

Good street suspension rides better, lets (much) less than god-like people like me rider faster and more safely. Good suspension keeps the wheels on the ground providing three of my favorite things, acceleration, braking and cornering. Badly set-up suspension (like my 2001 Sport came with) does not. I'd be thrilled if my pockets were deep enough to go the full Ohlins route, if they were a little less deep than they are I would have at least changed the ridiculously soft springs that came on my bike. As it is I've very happy with my re-sprung and valved Marzocchi/Sachs combination.

 

Cheers,

 

Lex

[Baldini]

Good suspension keeps the wheels on the ground ...

 

KB

[RacerX]

In any event what does the consensus say about exhaust? Anyone recommend the Titanium accessory with new fuel map from Guzzi? Or is thier a standard with Fuel Map that most folks buy into that makes the most significant HP gain and better exhaust note?

Michael,

 

Exhausts... In my experience, and exposure so far to Guzzi related exhaust components, the crossover is the most signicant (dyno-proven) increase (bang-for-the-$) you'll make. Outside of that, the mufflers seem to be less significant. All down to personal taste and sound.

Now, without a debate on "corrective fuel measures", I have dyno-ed the Guzzi Ti set-up (w/ECU), and found it to be moderate at best (read minimal), as are most of the mufflers out there. The upside to the OEM Ti set, is that you get an *extra* ECU for the money. Not a bad deal considering your stock ECU will be sitting on the shelf down the road.

In any of cases above, you will need accurate corrections to the fuel map even on a stock bike, and this can be done in several fashions. However, you will NOT see any big gains with power when it comes to exhaust (only) mods.

 

Todd@GuzziTech.com

-- Certified Power Commander Technician

p.s. I have a PCIIIusb map for the Guzzi Ti exhaust & ECU (Needed for Euro mapping-vs-US spec fuels).