Nihontochicken

Okay, I finally located some 7mm hex head tools. The first was in a pack of ignition wrenches, but swinging this around the ground bolt looked like it would get perhaps uncomfortably close to the blitzenwerke battery positive electrode. So then I found a 7mm socket in a set of small such tools, and I proceeded to move the ground lead out of harm's way, to the back corner of the box: Of course, the whole box is grounded, and so any contact with the battery positive pole will result in regrettable fireworks, but at least there isn't the realistic possibility of wires rubbing themselves into self-immolation. BTW, last week I went for a putt, and the starter weakly hacked twice and died. Battery was drained, dunno why, either I haven't been riding enough (a few miles once a week), or I haven't been keeping the alternator happy with enough revs while tootling downtown. I have no magic high zoot chip controlled charger, just a 40 year old Schauer car battery charger that never even dreamed of silicon. Putting it to work, it showed a 10 amp draw when initially hooked up, but steadily dropped to well under an amp in a couple of hours. After the charge and a week later, the battery showed 12.74 volts with the ignition key off, 12.14 with it on (headlight on low beam). The engine fired right up, and I put on a few miles about town trying to keep the revs over 3k. Upon shutdown (ignition key off), the VOM registered 12.99 volts. So has my battery safely passed through the valley of the shadow of death? Inquiring minds!

Yeah, I noticed the inner tube idea in an earlier post, but it looked like I had enough free space to not need it, perhaps I'll reconsider. As an alternative, I went to unfasten the ECU ground wire and reattach it to the back corner of the aluminum box to avoid the short possibility entirely. However, an 8mm wrench was too big and a 6mm wrench too small. Did those uniquely artistic Italians really employ a 7mm bolt head??? The mind boggles.

I went for Plan B. Rather than trying to fight to reattach the leads and the adapter flange to the battery in tight space afforded in the bike, I removed the battery, attached the adapters on the bench, reinstalled the battery in the scooter, and then connected all the leads on top, enjoying much more finger room in doing so. See below: I think there is enough clearance, the connection stack exceeds the top plane of the battery only by the thickness of the securing nut, and it doesn't appear to touch the seat pan above. So now I can use alligator clips to charge the battery, rather than the bullet connector set-up I had laboriously installed before, which would do me no good out on the road. Does anyone see any problems with this (I haven't road tested it as of yet). Though I've been called a flaming asshole before, I'd rather not give physical proof to the assertion. BTW, this item is also available on Fleabay for under nine bucks shipped (Odyssey Battery L Terminal Adapter).

A step in the right direction, styling wise, but still short of a V11. The big question is why can't Guzzi do something like this themselves??? Too addicted to the Weird Harold School of Design? https://www.ipothesys.com/

Extraneous comment from the peanut gallery: That is a fine looking scooter even by today's standards. IMO it beats anything Guzzi's made since the V11 (MGS-01 aside, hey, there's one for sale right now for only fifty two kilobucks! ). Good fortune and happy riding with your retro-mount.

PM sent, another fishing cast!

C'mon, Pete, quit holding back, tell us what you really think. A bit more seriously, has there been any better Guzzi since the V11? The newer models may have tech advancements, albeit combined with butt ugly styling. Sorry, the new V85 is a step in the right direction, but still no cigar.

PM sent Wed., 4/10 at 12:27 PM.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Moto-Guzzi-V11-Scura-/253972262179?hash=item3b21ed2d23%3Ag%3AUMgAAOSwanZb5SWT&vxp=mtr&nma=true&si=OonQnDutxFVbRc6qO0B4ryDxjls%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Scamramento, shoulda known!

On Saturday, Nov. 10, I cleared off all the dying bines of my small hop garden, and damn if some of the rhizomes weren't sprouting new growth already! Below pic taken today. Usually the plants go dormant until at least January. Hopefully they don't get going only to die off mid-season (has happened before, followed by an entire new replacement growth, but too late for a decent harvest).

The Astro is a rebuild effort stalled for years at the 90% level (still need to redo the Lockhart rear brake master cylinder). I wanted to put it up on the mantel, but SWMBO didn't warm to that idea. Will probably raffle it off someday to someone who wants to complete the journey, have two guys locally dropping hints. The Sherpa T I bought maybe thirty years ago with sixty-some miles on the odometer (now still sitting unmolested on the lower left fork leg!). I put on another thirty miles screwing around in my driveway before retiring it to the rear of the garage. It's near showroom new (not a mark on the skid plate!), other than a slight rash on the muffler box where I dropped it once. I did do a lot of trail riding over the years, but on Yamaha and KTM scooters.

Besides my 2004 MG V11 Sport Naked, I have 2005 Suzuki DR650 (rider) 1980 Bultaco 350 Sherpa T (garage queen) 1970s Bultaco Astro 360 (garage queen)

The best improvement for my V11 Sport? 20% more power? Naw. 20% more mileage? Nope. 20% less weight? Yeppers!

Ni-chicken, I know what you mean about the silver forks but, those black ones fit your colors well. hmmm, .. I like the gold ones too :food:That screen is a Stucci accessory from back in the day. They come up once in awhile on epay but boy are they pricey. There are several similar ones still available though. https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19865&hl=%2Bfairing+%2BoptionsSwooshdaves search. Thanks, I've looked at this and other threads trying to find a nice but inexpensive flyscreen, without success. So far the $50 Puig one piece dark polycarbonate screen looks to be the best bet, but it isn't the hottest looking, plus it's prone to vibration cracking at the mounting brackets, would need beefing up. I'm almost resigned at this point to hand making a form out of styrofoam and fashioning an epoxy fiberglass layup screen, but that's a lot of work, though doable (I used to make my own surfboards a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ).

To the OP, congrats on your new ride! I made a similar acquisition earlier this month, very strong family resemblance, though I wish I had your fly screen and silver forks: Still need to lose the dweeb reflectors on the front brakes.