2002 lemans questions

[Guest dinosaur]

Hey ya'll, i am looking at a 2002 lemans..i'm a HD guy, but have ridden quite a few different marques...i love the look of teh new lemans..but form what i have read on here..it appears to have quite a few problems..some even what i would call serious (stalling, tranny ).

 

If some of you would, tell me exactly what i might expect from one of these in teh way of "glicthes"...i am capable of service work( i build and drag race and land speed HD style motors).

But the HDs bore me for road work.

 

I am not interested in a bike i need to "re-make" to make it road worthy.

thanks for any help

Oh yea..i have found a 2002 with few miles for under 10k.

 

Dinosaur Steve

[jtucker]

I'm not aware of any common tranny problems.

 

Some EFI Guzzis tend to have a problem stalling when coming to a stop. I use the term "problem" loosely. If the TPS, balance, mixture are kept in shape, it helps alot. Also, if you ride the bike enough, you learn to avoid it (for instance, I can tell if it's about to stall and just blip the throttle - no sweat).

 

Early bikes (2000 V11S) had a relay problem.

 

Some folks experience an intermittent vapor lock issue when the bike is hot. I'm dealing with this one myself. My bike didn't always have the problem though... it just started suddenly. I suspect a faulty electric petcock, but not sure yet. I believe '02 bikes have a manual petcock, and I have ordered one of these for myself.

 

Speaking of parts, the supply line has sucked as of late. Should be getting better though (most of the problems are due to MG moving to a new location in Italy, and also MGNA moving to a new location in the US - some confusion ensued).

 

Even with the nits, I still love the bike... in fact, my Ducati is more or less flawless, but I still prefer to ride the Guzzi on a day-to-day basis. I've grown attached to it, despite it's minor annoyances, and I expect I'll have those taken care of in due time.

 

No major mechanical issues that I can think of, though. The motors are rock solid.

[Guest Ragin' Pit Bull]

I'm very happy with my Le Mans. Only problems so far are the imfamous spring in the tranny (fixed under warrantee), and the throttle position sensor (also fixed under warrantee). I had the shop (Fast By Ferracci) remove the charcoal canisters right off the bat to eliminate the fuel tank venting problem. So far so good! Like Jason, I also own a Ducati M900 and has been relegated to track use or for spirited street rides. Otherwise, I'm on my Goose.

[Guest scott]

Dear Dino: I can appreciate your long-term HD riding experience. I too have riden HD's since the late 80's, and only this past year did I purchase a '02 LeMans to supplement my riding experience. That said, I've put on over 5K miles on the LeMans.

 

The bikes are unique, and I believe this is one of their primary attributes. They are very durable (not to be confussed with reliable). I have had no transmission problems, and actually the LeMans has the smoothest shifting trany I've ever riden (as good or better than any Japanese bike). I handles fantastic, and simply puts an ear-to-ear grin on my face every time I ride it!

 

Less than reliable aspects include an engine oil leak and trany leak (both covered under warranty). Also, the fuel injection system is good but not great; it is very susceptable to slight adjustments. Mine runs very good even with aftermarket pipes installed, but you will need to make sure you have a dealer who is capable of monitoring/adjusting all aspects of the FI system (ie, co%, tps,..).

 

This bike is a keeper! Good luck.

 

Jeff Scott

 

'00 FLHTC Electra Glide

'00 Triumph Sprint RS

'02 Moto Guzzi LeMans

[Guest russ]

As a longtime BMW rider I bought my new LeMans two months ago and although I had the leak and needed to remove the charcoal cannister, this bike is better (read more fun) than anything I have ridden. It seems to getter better all the time. If you ride Harleys then you will be no stranger to problems popping up. In fact that is true with most brands; see the recent recalls on Honda VFR's with grenading electrical systems and ST1300's with frame breakage. BMW's have surging that the factory denies exists. Everyone I know with a Guzzi says the problems go away after you fix the factory screw ups (too much wine at lunch I think). They are unique quirky bikes and that is meant in a good way. Parts are out there, you just have to develop good sources.

 

I think I made the right decision for me. You will have to decide. Remember if you go on other brands discussion boards, you will hear lot's of griping. It's one of the benefits (and drawbacks) to the internet.

[Guest dinosaur]

Thank you all for the replies, and comments ...honest and open, I appreciate that.

My biggest concern is the "infamous tranny spring" I don't have a good grasp on what actually happens when and if it does break?....the fuel problems sound like something that can be resolved fairly straighforeward, well kinda.

 

Thanks again..anything else you guys think of to help me have a clear picture of this bike is great...and i can deal with "quirky"...

 

Dinosaur Steve

 

1938 HD EL

1993 HD Sporty

93" Knucklehead

120" Nitro Burning Knucklehead (2002)

2001 Buell Blast -National Land Speed Record Holder 2002

[jrt]

Hi Dino,

 

Bear in mind that most posts on bulletin boards like this are based on failures. 'My engine leaks', 'my brakes squeal', 'I sucked a pigeon through the intake' sort of thing. Rarely does one post the message about how their bike didn't misfire while tooling around the countryside.

I've got close to 10K miles on my V11, and no major troubles. One relay blew and my headlight switch broke. These were early on (less than 2000 mi). I had all the relays replaced, but you won't even worry about that with a new model. My tranny spring hasn't broken, and my understanding is that it's a pretty trivial fix- drop the starter and open a panel in the case. The fuel 'problem' is not really a problem, just a vacuum in the tank. So vent it (which won't help for electric petcock valve failure).

If you get a LeMans, my advice would be to ride it and maintain it. Simple as that. Maintainance includes preventative as well, so grease the bolts that were forgotten at the factory, put an oil mist or equivalent on the electrics, etc. And ride it.

If you can keep an EL and a Knucklehead running, then the Guzzi will be a cool drink of water.

Cheers,

Jason

[Guest JohnInNH]

I had 2 HD's... a 57 Pan "Chopper" , and a 81 Sturgis.

 

20 years of Harley owners Pride. Meaning you drove in a pack with a van and a trailer to pick up the stragglers. Unscheduled roadside repair was the norm not the exception. So in a way I guess it was scheduled since we always planned on it... <_<

 

Anyway, I loved and hated both of my HD's. When sitting at the bar sipping a frosty or 2 or 20 discussions of Harleys and their being the only REAL bike (excluding sportsters as they were bitch bikes.) was the norm.

 

When stranded for the umteenth time at 2 am opinions changed. Like most abusive relationships ya just keep going back for more. I still have fond memories. My Sturgis was a blast! I put a ton of miles on it. 3 top ends worth. Got 50 miles per gal before I "fixed" it. Then it got 35 ... maybe. I put a LOT of $ into it.

 

Now for the Le Mans. ... A few minor things like side covers with spider cracks (the HD cracked everything before they fell off) and some squeaks (the HD ya could not hear anything over the noise it made) and some little drips from a over filled tranny. It has performed flawlessly.

 

Most bikes would run like crap after changing pipes and intake. Then the battle of the jets began. I spent a month getting the S+S dialed in. Swapping cams caused a whole slew of issues. Man, sure sounded nice.

Sweetest sounding idle in the world. Pa-dump, Pa-dump, Pa-dump... Then the sound of the flywheels on decel, that wonderful whirr sound. There is a magic to the old beast.

 

The Le Mans was my 2nd Guzzi. I had a California it was nice .. ran just right .. Sounded sweet, but was uncomfortable for me. Not enough room. The seat was to far forward, and no way to really adjust the ergos. I was down at Marsh's and was shooting the BS with the folks there when I looked at the Le Mans. Ohhhhh no disputing it, THAT was a real motorcycle!

 

"Allen can I take it for a spin?" I just HAD to ride it. ... She fired to life, and I was out the door onto the back roads. The riding position was radical to me, but at least I could move my ass back n forth, my knees were not as crowded as the California. She felt good. But what really struck me was the feeling of being PLANTED solid on the road. A direct connection. Lots of feedback from the front end and a solid rear. Soft yet firm. Difficult to explain.

 

This bike loved smooth pavement, had plenty of torque, yet had top end snap too. The difference between the California and the Le Mans was extreme after 4K. Surprisingly with out a loss of torque at 2500.

 

After the Pipes were swapped for Mistrals, the crossover replaced and a PC-III installed with a custom map. The bike runs much better than the 1st day I drove it. (which was not bad) It has been the easiest bike to "tune" after the after market changes as of yet.

 

I fell in love with it after 10 minutes. It's a cross between a HD and a Ducatti. A "Brute" with manors. It has a uniqueness which is even more mysterious than any HD.

 

HD's are a dime a dozen now. Every Yuppy wannabee has one now. I bet 80% pay to have their oil changed now, and have no clue how to change push rod seals. Let alone adjust valves.

 

Starbucks has a fleet parked in-front. Used to be parked at the pool hall.... Maybe a few rat bikes there now. There still is a core of HD old timers, and clubs still exist, but a lot of HD owners can't ride fer sh%$.

 

Now that image and being with the bar crowd are no longer top of my priority list. I can enjoy the Guzzi. She has the mix of a lot of the things I liked about the HD and all the things I wished the HD had. The Guzzi is a softer friendlier version of my bikes in my past. Refined, yet not over processed.

 

My tac is fogged, the kill switch sticks, the speedo drive is separated and held together by a string, and the side covers are spider cracked. The tranny drips a drop or 2 a week. The spring may break but I'm expecting it will be fine as I have about 5K miles on her now. I will order some spare relays before I go on a long trip. All will be taken care of.

 

Overall... I absolutely love this bike. She is a keeper. Once you have it dialed in, or if like me, she is set up just right on delivery, it will run great, and get better with age.

 

Will it break down? Could be. It's a motorcycle. I don't expect it to be like my truck, one breakdown in 130,000 miles and still going strong.

 

I bet the LeMans will give me a whole lot more trouble free miles than any of my previous bikes. Including my VF750F busted shifter (internal) at 6000 miles. My BMW R100RS was VERY dependable, but lacked the personality of the Le Mans, and was so noisy (wind blast) I could not ride it for long distance. It had it's problems too. I think all bikes need to have the bugs worked out.

 

Nuf of my rambling. The Guzzi is a solid bike, but still just a motorcycle. I think some people expect more. I have owned cars which were lemons too.

 

If you take the plunge I hope you do well.

[alfaguzzi]

I am a very sporty person and like windsurfing, skiing, bicycling, swimming and things like that. Now when I soon reach the 40 years I started too think of buying a motorbike to relax from this extreme sports. My thirst chooses was a HD as my friend’s rides, or a Ducati, which is more my style. I bought a Guzzi California (which I though was something in between a Ducce and a HD) and loved it very much, But my dealer lent me a new Le Mans the same day he gave my Jackal the 10.000 km service. I couldn’t sleep until I was shore they could delivery that bike to me. My both Guzzis was new and I have ride whem in and after 4000 km they both felt a lot more smother, After the first service they almost felt like a different bikes from the thirst test drive. Now after a total off 26.000 km (41.600 miles) in one year with no trouble at all I do think this is the right bike fore a middle aged man who wants to relax on a big twin sportbike.

[Guest Squashed Nose]

alfaguzzi,

 

I think you'll find that 26000kms is more like 17500 miles. Approx 8kms to 5 miles.

[Guest Squashed Nose]

dinosaur,

 

The majority of the problems with the Le Mans are minor and most can be lived with. The only major problem I have experienced in 12000 miles is the tranny spring. When it broke, I was stuck in third gear. Not a bad gear to be stuck in, really. Otherwise, it's all been relatively minor warranty issues which have been sorted (or not) at service time.

 

Don't delay. Order your MG today.

[alfaguzzi]

Oh yes, 100 miles is 160 km, so my Guzzis had no problem in their first 17.500 miles

(10.000 on the Jackal and 7.500 on the Le Mans).

[callison]

Dinosaur, you should try and get ahold of Russell Duke from the Cooked Goose Moto Guzzi land speed record team (although there's a chance you already know him). He used to build HD race motors, now he builds the worlds fastest Moto Guzzi motors.