First Ride... First Impressions.

[Richard Z]

Its going to be a short one. Picking up the bike at a friends house that we trucked it to on Saturday. I purchased the NEW 2004 V11 Naked and this will be the first time I ridden it. Its also the first bike that I will ride since my accident 3 months ago.

I'm going to ride it about 5 miles to my storage building and put it away until a nicer day.

 

What should I expect??? Its my first Guzzi and I am used to overrevving Inline 4's

 

Richard Z.

[Guest bshpilot]

Richard Hi.

 

follow the break in, then enjoy it to its fullest.

DONT lug the motor...they like to be rev'd !

 

Who'd you buy the bike from ?

[Tom M]

"What should I expect?"

 

Expect to be thrilled! You may have trouble prying yourself off of it after only 5 miles though. I think I did over 100 miles the first day I got mine.

 

Don't lug the motor means keep it over 3k rpm. As it's brand new you might want to keep it over 3500.

 

I don't know who set your bike up but I would give it a quick inspection before you just hop on and ride. Definitely check all accessible fluids, especially engine oil, check tire pressures, etc. I would turn compression damping adjusters on the fork and shock* all the way out, and maybe set rebound about half way as a starting point. If you have tools you may want to verify that the axles, brake, and controls are all tight too.

 

(* I don't know if your shock has compression damping)

 

If you haven't checked it over for cosmetic flaws or shipping damage yet you might want to bring a camera to document any flaws that you find before you ride it.

 

Congrat's on the new bike!

[Guest SDKFZ111]

"What should I expect?"

 

Expect to be thrilled! You may have trouble prying yourself off of it after only 5 miles though. I think I did over 100 miles the first day I got mine.

 

Don't lug the motor means keep it over 3k rpm. As it's brand new you might want to keep it over 3500.

 

I don't know who set your bike up but I would give it a quick inspection before you just hop on and ride. Definitely check all accessible fluids, especially engine oil, check tire pressures, etc. I would turn compression damping adjusters on the fork and shock* all the way out, and maybe set rebound about half way as a starting point. If you have tools you may want to verify that the axles, brake, and controls are all tight too.

 

(* I don't know if your shock has compression damping)

 

If you haven't checked it over for cosmetic flaws or shipping damage yet you might want to bring a camera to document any flaws that you find before you ride it.

 

Congrat's on the new bike!

On the other hand,in my experience expect at first expect to be dissapointed, especially after coming from a Jap 4. I at first was so disappointed with my V11 that I left her outside for a week without touching it.This was my first bike after a break of some 16 years from biking. You will find it vibrates quite a bit more than the four,is rather uncomfortable and is a bit of a handfull handling wise but it does look like a real motorbike and makes a very pleasing noise when you get the engine reving high up the rev range! For all its short comings (as has been disscussed on this web site on from time to time) it did not stop me buying another brand new V11, a lovely all red machine. Only trouble now is since I've bought the BMW K1200R the V11 dosn't get a look in and as now its running like a pig it just sits by the wall in my garage!

[Richard Z]

You guys rock... Thanks for the tips. All good ones...

 

Motorsports in Wichita KS set up the bike. I've never purchased there and never had any service done there. I see visual differences in the adjustments on the forks from left to right. Guess I need to verify that the rebound and dampening are set equally.

 

Im still waiting for the friend to get home so I can go get it. Of course he works later than I and daylight is getting to be a premium right now.... Might have to wait until tomorrow. I don't want to rush my first ride and first impression.

 

As for the twin to the inline 4 comparison, I won't be disappointed. It will be a welcome change.

 

Thanks again,

Richard Z.

[kaput]

Its going to be a short one. Picking up the bike at a friends house that we trucked it to on Saturday. I purchased the NEW 2004 V11 Naked and this will be the first time I ridden it. Its also the first bike that I will ride since my accident 3 months ago.

I'm going to ride it about 5 miles to my storage building and put it away until a nicer day.

 

What should I expect??? Its my first Guzzi and I am used to overrevving Inline 4's

 

Richard Z.

 

It would be interesting to hear your comments once you get a chance to really try out your new bike. You'll probably find that it revs out better than you might expect, certainly better than a cruiser V twin. Check the oil regularly and expect to pay more attention to maintenance, and carefully go over the technical how to threads in this forum. I would be curious to hear what it might be like to first ride a guzzi for someone used to jap inline fours so please report back.

 

Recently I took the opposite route (as I'm lucky enough to own more than one bike) and bought my first inline jap four missile in twenty years (ZX14) and it was mindboggling for about two weeks and then became more mildly amusing. I'm keeping the bike as it makes a great tourer but it is coldly efficient and I soon miss tinkering and fussing over the guzzi as I find it is always the one I pick if its time to just go for a ride. I think you are going to find it an involving experience.

 

Kaput

[Richard Z]

Well I put 19 miles on the bike last night in light to moderate traffic in the cities west side. Lots of stop lights and the weather was about 40 degrees. Took awhile for the bike to warm up. The is a pesky oil smell and some light smoke coming from the engine. It was dark and I couldn't see anything execpt a haze in front of the headlight. It wasn't that usual smell when starting a new bike. It was more of an oil smell, so I will drop it of back at the dealer for further inspection.

 

My ride: A blast. I rode with a friend of mine. He unburied his Ducati Paul Smart LE and rode with me. I thought he was going to ride his BoxerCup. Nice torque through the lower gears. Surprisingly nimble in traffic. My only negative feedback was the torque being transferred into the bike from the movement of the engine.

 

I was very impressed with it overall and will probably get some more seat time by the weekend.

 

Richard Z.

[Guest bshpilot]

Well I put 19 miles on the bike last night in light to moderate traffic in the cities west side. Lots of stop lights and the weather was about 40 degrees. Took awhile for the bike to warm up. The is a pesky oil smell and some light smoke coming from the engine. It was dark and I couldn't see anything execpt a haze in front of the headlight. It wasn't that usual smell when starting a new bike. It was more of an oil smell, so I will drop it of back at the dealer for further inspection.

 

My ride: A blast. I rode with a friend of mine. He unburied his Ducati Paul Smart LE and rode with me. I thought he was going to ride his BoxerCup. Nice torque through the lower gears. Surprisingly nimble in traffic. My only negative feedback was the torque being transferred into the bike from the movement of the engine.

 

I was very impressed with it overall and will probably get some more seat time by the weekend.

 

Richard Z.

 

the smoke and smell could be the new-ness or it could be oil leaking outta the

shifter input shaft/seal...

 

as for the "torque twist"...once your moving along you dont notice it...

sitting still w/ feet on the ground...i give the throttle a blip when friends are riding

w/ me...it makes me smile and they chuckle too.

[Orson]

Well I put 19 miles on the bike last night in light to moderate traffic in the cities west side. Lots of stop lights and the weather was about 40 degrees.

My Tenni hates city traffic...but get away from town with all that stop & go stuff and she really shines