Introduction Thread

[swooshdave]

Old Triumph fairing? Now I’m getting scared.

 

 

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[swooshdave]

 

If you mean like this it would be dead sexy.

[Dave Swanson]

Hello to all on the forum.  I live in northern Illinois, and have started looking in earnest for a nice V11.  I have owned a number of Guzzis over the years and have kept most of them, only parting with a 2003 EVT that I still have some pangs of sellers remorse for.  I have been a member for a couple of years, but have waited until now to start my search.  

[docc]

Best of luck on your search, Sir! I feel like I had it so easy back in 2000. One model, three colors.

 

Find what you love and jump on it!

[Bill Hagan]

Hello to all on the forum.  I live in northern Illinois, and have started looking in earnest for a nice V11.  I have owned a number of Guzzis over the years and have kept most of them, only parting with a 2003 EVT that I still have some pangs of sellers remorse for.  I have been a member for a couple of years, but have waited until now to start my search.  

 

Checked with Jim Barron at RFC in Woodstock?

 

Yeah, no longer a Guzzi dealer, but may know of something.

 

Bill

[roktbox]

WOOT! Apparently the background check was reviewed, approved and I'm in. Must have been the substitute admin working that day. Picked up a two owner 2002 Scura out of the L.A. area in April and have been busy Googling about for the knowledge ever since. Had eyeballs on a number of Guzzi's over the last few years and came quite close to a California Custom, but decided to quickly scoop this one up when it was posted.  Also, my first Italian mistress. Not that I didn't pine, nor have I stopped pining, for many over the years.  Save for the KTM woods bike I've always flown the Japanese flag, but hope this new relationship gels quickly, and doesn't end up in rehab when I find out she likes really expensive shoes, demands First Class airfare, and has a rabid coke habit. 

 

Previous owner (maybe had been on this forum?) curiously put stiffer springs in the Ohlins up front which upon delivery proved to ride like a skateboard.  I think they're 1.05's and I'll drop it back to .095 (close as I can remember). Odd in that he was far smaller than I am and reported that it was too soft.  Heck, I'm easily 225 with gear and the Scura rides tighter than my CBR track bike with built KTech suspension. 

 

Have many questions of which some have already been answered through searches, but look forward to future conversations.  So far have picked up some rear sets from Motobits, had the Knight pegs (also the adjustable Monster pegs coming Friday) and will likely keep the Motobits after install and some test rides. Controls are just a different feel than my Hondas, but riding different bikes and adapting to their styles is the joy of it all.  Clutch has just a whisker of friction zone (which some say is normal) making rev matching downshifts more challenging to get smoothly completed. The front brake lever position / master cylinder feels a little wooden with a hinky little angle in it (clip on?) that make me tend to reach too far inboard as I roll off throttle and get on the brake.  CRG's helped some, but will be looking at a Brembo or Galespeed soon.  

 

Clutch is the original, so there's that boogie man.  Have a little head gasket leak from the cylinder on the stand side of the bike, probably from removing and replacing the head crash protection "slider".  Replaced the old yellow plug wires with new, red NGK bits and ordered the CF belly pan from Ghezzi Brian. Seat will go in for upholstery in August and likely some Alcantara type suede with a diamond stitch and some red accents.  

 

Have to learn more about maintenance as all the mechanics of this bike are just different than chain drive I4's, but that was part of the decision to buy it.  Pure sex and a new project.

 

Anyway, my name's Gavin and I'm in Portland for anyone that would like to meet up for a coffee.  I connected with the local club / shop a few Sunday's ago and will keep in touch there.  

[Chuck]

Welcome Gavin..

 

doesn't end up in rehab when I find out she likes really expensive shoes, demands First Class airfare, and has a rabid coke habit.

Uhh, she'll be worth it..     She's a little different, but you'll learn her ways..

[docc]

Welcome, Gavin!   Looking forward to the "future conversations!"

 

That "head gasket" leak is probably something else.  More likely the O-ring for the head bolt under the rocker shaft at the top-center of the head.

 

Enjoy the lovely lady!

[footgoose]

Welcome Gavin. Looking forward to the adventure

[r3datom9]

Congrats!  

 

I'm on my second one, lovely bikes with a ton of character.  Just something special about it and the sound is glorious, not the fastest nor the lightest, but extremely rewarding.

 

There will always be one in my stable as long as I am riding.

[fed]

Hi Guys 

 

purchased a 2000 V11 Sport (silver, a little under 12,000 mi.) in April and only put on about 700 miles since purchase. I wasn't sure about the history of 

maintenance so at 12,000 miles I did complete fluid changes adj. valves, air filter and  plugs. Tires seem a bit hard so ill wait until I put it away in November to change them. and grease the #%$ drive shaft at that time. I've read it's not a good idea to list by sump my question is why can't a regular swing arm stand be used.I don't recall reading anything that has to be removed that my stand would interfere with... thanks in advance for your help...

  That is a pic of the stand I use on all my other bikes

[dangerous]

 ohh a you have a Buell corner too... 

 

I use the same stand on all bikes, the Guzzi is narrower tho and just watch were ya put it

 

[fed]

Dangerous

I'll modify and will try....... thanks again

[docc]

Hiya, fed! Yer in gooood hands with "dangerous", oh yeah      (no, seriously! )

 

There are a couple active threads in Technical Topics right now on the driveshaft and U-joints.

Yet, "dangerous" may have the most colorful thread ever posted:

"that bloody farking front UNI joint?" . . . .

 

(For some unknown reason the early RedFrames are awful about this.)

[not-fishing]

Have many questions of which some have already been answered through searches, but look forward to future conversations.  So far have picked up some rear sets from Motobits, had the Knight pegs (also the adjustable Monster pegs coming Friday) and will likely keep the Motobits after install and some test rides. Controls are just a different feel than my Hondas, but riding different bikes and adapting to their styles is the joy of it all.  Clutch has just a whisker of friction zone (which some say is normal) making rev matching downshifts more challenging to get smoothly completed. The front brake lever position / master cylinder feels a little wooden with a hinky little angle in it (clip on?) that make me tend to reach too far inboard as I roll off throttle and get on the brake.  

 

 

My Lemans came with Motobits on it and the original shift linkage in a box.  I cleaned and adjusted the Motobits but still found them to sloppy.  I went back to the stock shifter with much better results.  Downshifts are crisper, upshifts are less vague but the shifter does hang every so often downshifting into third at lights.  I've just learned to let out the clutch and the shifter always returns.  The 3-4th false neutral also became much less frequent with the stock shifting mechanism.  I'm looking at replacing the long shifter attachment allen bolt because even though it seems to allow the shifter to work it looks ever so slightly bent and that might just be my 4th to 3rd return problem.

 

I've done the transmission springs so I'll just live with the shifter hang going down at third.

 

Mark