marcorod

I am selling my 2000 Quota which has a Power Commander III installed and a Mistral crossover and Carbon Fiber exhaust. The bike runs fantastically - I am just ready for something else. The tires are Metzeler Tourances with less than 1500 miles on them. I will also include the Hepco & Becker rack, although it is missing some hardware. As you see, the bike has about 34,xxx+ miles on it and may get a little more put on before it sells. Although with the Guzzi Griso I just bought, it may not.

I thought I'd check to see how my valve clearance are since my bike has 9700 miles. I bought the bike with 5700 miles and don't know if/when previous owner adjusted the valves. Here are a few questions I have considering I've never done this type of work before. How do I find top dead center? I don't have a stand for the bike's rear wheel. Is it necessary? Your help is greatly appreciated.

Reading your post felt like deja vu. I had the same low side on the right you did with damage to the head guard, broken toe pin on rear brake lever, scraped pipe, scraped front brake lever and a little scraping on the exhaust clamp as well. Probably a couple hundred bucks of damage. As much as I've wanted to get a set of M4 carbon fiber exhausts I'm glad I didn't. I be crying right now. I too learned my lesson about cold tires!

I am a cheap skate (no doubt) but I don't mind spending on good tools. My problem is that I know next to nothing about bikes and mechanics. However, I'm trying to learn. I got the screw off by just removing the charcoal canister and its bracket. I'm not sure I understand you comment about the stand.

I was trying to remove these screws to upgrade to stainless. One side came off painlessly but these f*ckers both decided to become round. I tried spraying some WD-40 to try see if they'd loosen up a bit but no dice. Any suggestions from the pros?

I can't tell you which TW to buy but I can tell you where. I just picked up a used click-type 3/8" Craftsman on Ebay for $52 incl shipping. Can't beat that. Click here: Ebay

Ratchethack: Thanks for the long and patient reply. Now that I have the right tools life is good. I removed the charcoal canister and annoying little shelf that was preventing the u-bracket from swinging back. Crossover was easily removed so it is off to Calico Coatings in Denver, NC along with the header pipes to receive a ceramic coat of matte black. Thanks to Crooz for the tip. They are doing the job for $75!! plus shipping. Let's hope I DON'T get what I paid for. I'm going to buy a little brass nipple to connect the two hoses together to say good bye to the charcoal can forever! Thanks everybuddy. . .

Let me clarify. I did not mean an adjustable wrench rather 1 that is open on 1 side and 12 point closed on the other. I did buy the ratchet set today so I'm on my way . . . Anyway, I removed the rubber mount but am still have problems with this goddamn thing. Looks like I'll have to remove a shelf looking bracket holding something that looks like a battery. What is that thing anyway? By the way, the Chianti was delicious. So was the pasta! Peace! Marco

I tried unsuccessfully to remove my crossover yesterday to send it and pipes to get painted (flat black). The problem was the bolt that holds it to the frame. I only have a crescent wrench and the access is very limited. I'm planning to get a socket/ratchet set today but I don't think it will be any easier. Is there something I'm overlooking here?

To all you guys buying aftermarket pipes: I also like the stock pipes and scratched my right can in an 'incident'. Anyone willing to sell their stock can(s) please PM me. This will help you offset the cost of your new exhaust.

Guys - First, let me clarify I am NOT a wrench. My 2002 V11 was leaking oil from the left side head. I believed that it was coming from a leaky gasket so I removed the cover and found the gasket to be damaged. I ordered two gaskets from MPH Cycles and replaced the gasket. After closer inspection there also appears to be oil pooling in the round recess below the spark plug which has a nut. Two questions: What is the recommended torque for head cover screws? What is that screw below the spark plug? Thank in advance for your feedback! Marco