"Butter Smooth" Tranny

[guzzista]

Yeah, the riders of older Guzzis got it right. By comparison the V11 gearboxes are quite civilized. Next to even something as late as my Cali EV the V11 is , imho. a dream. Compared to my Duc 998 (even if sounds like comparing apples and oranges( or to put it more accurately comparing a feather to an airplane wing> both do the same job, except one is much heavier than the other)..seriously.. shifting wise I cant honestly say the Duc is a lot better. false neutrals on my V11? not even! ..got to give Guzzi credit for their " quattro alberi" gearbox (yeah, it does make you think of quattro formaggi, but only if you are hungry for pizza.....) which means 4 shafts... anyway, if you borrow your buddy"s 5 speed Guzzi, you'll come back to yor v11 and think a lot more of the way it shifts. by the way , the 1100 Breva low mile rental I rode in Italy did not seem to shift ( for me) as well as the v11 I have ridden...long throw, ala BMW oil heads of the recent years....

[soloNH]

Rules to live by indeed!

 

"If you suspect a problem, ask yourself: "Would a '65 Ford tractor make this noise?" If you answer yes, don't worry."

 

 

[Guest Nogbad]

The V11 gearbox is not that bad. Can get bad when overheated though. Mostly it's functional enough.

[Dr Gil]

Thanks to all who took the time to reply...I'm feeling MUCH better about my clutch/transmission now.

 

I really, really didn't want to have to deal with tranny problems.

[Desdinova]

When I first bought my '02 Lemans, it already had the tranny spring recall, which I didn't notice anyone mention here. Unfortunately, either it wasn't initially done properly, or something didn't go together correctly. I had full on random shifts. Maybe 1st to 6th, or 3rd to 1st, or 2nd to neutral. Anyway, I took it back to the dealer, they redid the recall and noticed one of the springs wasn't right. Since then, I don't think I've missed a shift or had a false neutral. The only bike I have that shifts smoother is the Bonnie America which I can routinely shift without the clutch it's so smooth. There is a longer throw on the Le Mans, but I have big feet, so that's just fine with me. I have the controls adjusted for the boots I wear, and it's "like buttah."

[Guest azccj]

My 03 LeMans shifts much nicer than my 03 Goldwing does. And just as nice as my 97 900SS Ducati which I just sold. The six speed gearbox is a vast improvement over the five speed that was in my 99 EV and 00 Jackal. Another thing I like about the Guzzi drive train is when you are in neutral and you put it in gear there isn't that usual clack that you hear with most other bike, it just clicks into gear silently.

[jimbemotumbo]

I fondly recall my V11s 6-speed as a thing of shifting beauty. A few runs up and down the canyon had me trained to the required technique. once learned, I found it just as smooth and sure as my FJR tranny.

[stormsedge]

Mine is smooth, but has the occassional false neutral and will stick between second and third once in a while when I am lazy--I have new uninstalled shift springs to remedy this problem. k

[Paul Minnaert]

just extend the linkage arm, I did that and it is as short as any jap bike, no negatives until now, ok one: I have to be a bit more subtle to get in in free.

[Dr Gil]

Hmmm,

 

Whereas:

 

-mine does shift a bit like a '65 Ford Tractor

 

-it has the "clunkiest" tranny of any bike I've ridden (not that my experience is that great)

 

-it is a "hockey player" and is all about "getting the job done"

 

-it's no "FJR" Japanese tranny

 

-it only has 16K on the odometer

 

-the transmission should be well broken in and is as good as it's going to get

 

-I get no false neutrals with my riding style

 

-I get the "clack" and lurch when going to first when not warmed up

 

And on top of this the bike has decided to sometimes make coming out of neutral and into first gear difficult. Of late it has become more frequent for me to, from a stop in neutral, go for first and get no change so I slip the clutch and it engages. I suspect that if I wanted to stomp on my shifter it would go to first without me engaging the clutch but I wouldn't do that to the poor girl.

 

So am I good, bad, normal...or is it a matter of adjustment?

[Guest Nogbad]

You might have a problem of clutch drag. All those symptoms point to the clutch not disengaging completely and the gearbox is probably fine.

 

Check your pushrod, bleed the hydraulics.

[mdude]

--- I found it just as smooth and sure as my FJR tranny.

93438[/snapback]

 

I'm getting restless and worried with all this talk about the apparent smoothness of transvestites... and another thread just recommended that I wrapped my gonads in cling film... WTF is happening with this forum!?

[Tom M]

And on top of this the bike has decided to sometimes make coming out of neutral and into first gear difficult.  Of late it has become more frequent for me to, from a stop in neutral, go for first and get no change so I slip the clutch and it engages.  I suspect that if I wanted to stomp on my shifter it would go to first without me engaging the clutch but I wouldn't do that to the poor girl. 

 

93467[/snapback]

 

 

Mine does this sometimes too. Let the clutch lever all the way out for a second or two when in neutral, then pull it in and step on the shifter. If this doesn't work try giving it a rev when the clutch is out before going for first.

[docc]

You might have a problem of clutch drag. All those symptoms point to the clutch not disengaging completely and the gearbox is probably fine.

 

Check your pushrod, bleed the hydraulics.

93482[/snapback]

 

 

[Dr Gil]

Mine does this sometimes too.  Let the clutch lever all the way out for a second or two when in neutral, then pull it in and step on the shifter.  If this doesn't work try giving it a rev when the clutch is out before going for first.

93498[/snapback]

 

Damn but I hate playing the fool...but I can't help myself.

 

I have no experience with a "pushrod" in conjunction with the clutch. Would someone kindly point it out to me and tell me how to adjust the booger.