A rush of blood to the head and here I am

[Turpin Crock]

Howsitgoin' fellow Guzzi owners,

 

Well I am almost an owner. After decades of lusting after various Models of Guzzis (mostly V7 sports S3 s and Le Mans) while owning everything else and never buying one I finally went for it on Friday on EBay and bought an 04 V11 Sport see link My Webpage

I didn't plan it.

 

I know this is obvious to all of you but can you tell me the differences between a V11 sport and a Le Mans

 

Regards

 

Niall

[Guest Easto]

Hi Niall,

 

welcome to the weird and wonderful joys of owning a Guzzi.

I live in Co. Tipperary, whereabouts are you?

The main difference is the half fairing you get with the Lemans, after that it comes down to which variant of a V11 you have.

This forum has kept my bike running properly and it is pretty good at keeping me entertained as well.

 

Enjoy

[v50man]

Ummmmmmmm...

 

Judging from the black engine paint and the color scheme, that is not an '04.

 

Black engine paint flakes off.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of this news....

 

v50

[Turpin Crock]

Hi Easto I'm in Cork. The only thing I knew about was the half fairing and I only picked that up cruising this site this morning. I just want to make sure I am getting a reasonable deal with this bike and that it is what the seller says it is. Do you go to the Guzzi Rally in Inchegeela?

Hi V50man thanks for that. That type of info is the reason I posted the EBay thing. I knew about the flaking engine paint issue but I thought that was only up to '02.

I'm sure the bike had to be registered in 04 but are there any other indicators from the pictures as to the model and year of munufacture?

[jrt]

The fuzzy black paint peels off- if it is smooth paint, you're ok.

With the help of other forum members, I wrote up two faqs you might be interested in:

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5692

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5691

 

The second one contains how to decode the model year from the VIN number (in the US anyway).

[Turpin Crock]

Thanks jrt,

 

This info confirms with specifics what I knew vaguely. I had read somewhere that big improvements were made after the 02 model year, and based on that I had kept my search to 03 and later bikes.

 

The exhaust does not have a balance pipe which is a further indication that this is an 02 bike.

 

If it is it's still a nice bike the question is is it worth the money.

 

I hate the idea of doing it when I finally have a bike I have been lusting after for ages almost in my grasp but I still have time to back out of this deal if the bike isn't what is claimed.

 

What do you think.

 

Even if I let this one go I am going to get another straight away.

[grossohc]

Hi turpin

The owner may have bought and registered the bike in 04 but it isnt a 04 model, when you were bidding on that one(on ebay same time) did you see the ballabio (03 plate) it had ti exhausts, smooth engine paint and went for a good price (for the buyer). But this one might be ok,

Gary

[Turpin Crock]

Hi Gary,

 

No I didn't see the Ballabio on ebay at the same time. It was my first time buying anything on ebay so I saw the V11 in the UK and went for it. I should have looked a bit more but I got a bit excited. Anyway the more responses I get here the more convinced I am that I should kill this deal and wait for a better one.

[jrt]

When you talk about 'big improvements'....it really should be written "big" improvements. It's a lot like the newest cola drink with the "bold" "new" taste.

Frankly, Guzzi does improve the models, but those improvements are incremental. Oil jets under the pistons for cooling. I'm not sure it really needed that-I haven't holed a piston yet. The front balance tube gives a bit more low end, but I seriously doubt that you would feel any power difference between my '01 Sport and an '04 Sport. I went for a drive last night and was again surprised at how well my bike runs. I shouldn't be by now, but I still am. Slow learner, I guess. I think my bike must have been built on a tuesday, it runs so damn well.

The biggest issue with this particular bike is the casework- if it starts peeling (and it will), then it will look like crap. If you get a really good price on it, it may still be worth it to you. Since this bike is advertised as an '04 and it isn't, you should be able to back out of the deal. But just because it is an '02, doesn't mean it's cursed.

 

edit: if you hold out for another bike...keep a lookout for a model with ohlins suspension. It's apparently nicer than our proletariat suspension, and since it's used, you get the depreciation.

[Alex-Corsa]

Hi Gary,

 

No I didn't see the Ballabio on ebay at the same time. It was my first time buying anything on ebay so I saw the V11 in the UK and went for it. I should have looked a bit more but I got a bit excited. Anyway the more responses I get here the more convinced I am that I should kill this deal and wait for a better one.

 

I am not a specialist on V11's though from what I have heared there is a little problem with the gearbox leaking , though it can be fixed (it is lots of work for a small part) and be O.K.

Dunno which models break a spring in the gearbox (an almost constand basis.??) .Paul Minnaert (forum admin.) would be able to give you more infos about that.

 

A friend of mine though who has the V11 '99-00 green .never had reported me problems on his gearbox or any other kind though, and I know he's giving his bike the beans.

 

Then also there were some recalls for some sertain failures on sertain models.Better check these out and ask the proper questions to the owner and see if it is really on lovely condition.I see some carbon there , which is nice.

 

Other than that perhaps it is a good model ,check out any leakages (especially in gearbox)and if seen then this is negative,drivability if it is straight , ect.ect..And genarally if any rusty parts under the seat and so on. When you pull the throttle in Guzzis there is a tedency to move a little bit to the right (that's normal)

As I see you'll also need some tires there (but that's normal ,happening with almost all used bikes)

 

Generally Scuras and Tennis with one disk in the clutch don't have such a good reputation as well. Roso Corsas and Nero Corsas score better as well as the V11 Leman with the full fairing. That's only personal opinion from what I have heared so far considering problems or not on the bikes, not personal experience with these models..

 

I personally love and have the red 1100i Sport corsa can see it here http://www.motoguzzi.it/gmg06/lay.asp?sez=9b&lin=ita (1100i Sport ).Not one strange problem of any kind for the 51Tkm that I have riden it.(Except perhaps a broken air sensor , that was due to happen after 8 years from it's construction and use)

Generally the Sports 1100ie from '97 and the corsa's in '98-99 were some of the best Guzzis made.

 

Hope that helped.

 

P.S. If you really like the bike , go ride it and see it for your self, talk with the ownwer for past maitainance and bike service or behaviour and see how-what he answers.

I remember having being discuraged about getting a Sport 1100i (from some people) though I have traveled 2000 miles away to test ride it (them) and finnaly got one I really loved and admired at first sight and ride. Besides some of the problems are on perticular models caused either on bad maintainance or some factory fault. Or the last some recals that have being made (these ones you should thenn seriously check)

[Alex-Corsa]

And here is a hint to help identify the bike, by checking the frame number.

[Baldini]

Looks tidy to me but it's an 01 or 02 model. Maybe reg 04, there was a lot standing in dealers for longtime. Or maybe there was some history- warranty, buy-back, demo or something? Dunno why seller hasn't put up more info? It's a 6 speed - if this only has 5 then there's one missing....strange mistake - did you speak to owner? Did he ride it? History?

Black crinkle paint does not always fall off. Mine's still good at 18k miles.

Price seems OK if bike is good - think it's lowish end of what they go for, but I'd want to know more about it meself.

 

03/04 bikes seem more sorted by reputation but will cost a lot more. Ohlins are good, but high maintenance. There's quite a few 06 Grisos coming onto the market w/ v low miles, less than 1 yr old - seem to be about £6k which is about what is being asked for late model Ohlins V11's.

 

KB

[Turpin Crock]

I got the VIN and it appears to say the bike was manufactured in 02 using Alex's rules but JRT pointed me to an earlier thread (see above)which has a slightly different version of the same thing which is causing me further concern. Should KS000 read KRAKR to indicate a spine frame 1100 2000-2002

 

My Bike (maybe) Z GU KS000 0 2 M 112403

jrt rules italy Guzzi KRAKR unidentified model year ?? Specific bike ID

Alex Corsa rules Anno di Fabricio mandello del Lario

year of manufa Factory

 

I suppose the bottom line is that the bike is an 02 model

 

The Vin number lined up over the explainations the way I typed it but came out different so here goes again

 

z = italy

gu = Guzzi

ksooo = Frame type

o = unidentified

2 = year of manufacture

m = Factory

112403 = Bike ID

 

Am I right?

[Martin Barrett]

I got the VIN and it appears to say the bike was manufactured in 02 using Alex's rules but JRT pointed me to an earlier thread (see above)which has a slightly different version of the same thing which is causing me further concern. Should KS000 read KRAKR to indicate a spine frame 1100 2000-2002

 

My Bike (maybe) Z GU KS000 0 2 M 112403

jrt rules italy Guzzi KRAKR unidentified model year ?? Specific bike ID

Alex Corsa rules Anno di Fabricio mandello del Lario

year of manufa Factory

 

I suppose the bottom line is that the bike is an 02 model

 

The Vin number lined up over the explainations the way I typed it but came out different so here goes again

 

z = italy

gu = Guzzi

ksooo = Frame type

o = unidentified

2 = year of manufacture

m = Factory

112403 = Bike ID

 

Am I right?

 

Not going to be much help looking at my Lemans

 

frame type TA010 - not sure what difference there will be, you've also got the extra brace under the gearbox, there night be fairing lugs or not. I'd imagine there be as common as possible, Perhaps they stamp up the different models differently?

 

Also a 2 year - though this has also been described as model year

 

111420 - This is the interesting bit - do they number them sequentially as they drop of the assembly line, do they allocate them in batches to each model. There was a long debate on the LM mk1 frame numbers in the Gambulunga (Owners club magazine - well worth joining- the web sites not a patch on this but the magazine is reputedly the best club magazine))

 

I bought mine in July 03. I don't know how long it had been sitting in it's crate. They don't fly out the show rooms.

 

Perhaps some other Sport/Naked owners can shed some light with theirs.

 

Does it really matter in the long run - Overall condition is probably far more important and how it's been looked after. But I'm no expert on this

 

Look forward to seeing you next year at the Erin - provided it goes ahead after some unsavory behaviour in the camp site this year (I missed it in my drunken stupor in my tent at the far end of the site) and the "facilities" failing.

[Alex-Corsa]

I got the VIN and it appears to say the bike was manufactured in 02 using Alex's rules but JRT pointed me to an earlier thread (see above)which has a slightly different version of the same thing which is causing me further concern. Should KS000 read KRAKR to indicate a spine frame 1100 2000-2002

 

My Bike (maybe) Z GU KS000 0 2 M 112403

jrt rules italy Guzzi KRAKR unidentified model year ?? Specific bike ID

Alex Corsa rules Anno di Fabricio mandello del Lario

year of manufa Factory

 

I suppose the bottom line is that the bike is an 02 model

 

The Vin number lined up over the explainations the way I typed it but came out different so here goes again

 

z = italy

gu = Guzzi

ksooo = Frame type

o = unidentified

2 = year of manufacture

m = Factory

112403 = Bike ID

 

Am I right?

 

 

It's not my rules , It is the official Guzzi workshop manual identification. KS is the vechicle type, the next 2 numbers are for the variant (don't know how that can be translated) the next 2 numbers are for version (also don't know the translation of these). But the YEAR of manufacturing is the 1st letter that comes after the numbers (KS0000). IF you are confused I will try finding out what your bike id is by asking to the factory in Mandelo , but this can take sometime till they answer me, O.K.?