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mikie

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Everything posted by mikie

  1. Thanks KB. 02 LeMans, no Ohlins. The problem I encountered last night was when putting a spacer on each side of the front wheel, the spindle didn't seem to want to go all the way in. I'll have another go at it after work today.
  2. In fact, I picked up some Silkolene racing grease at the time I was getting my tires installed. I'll have to look for those nipples, though.
  3. Thanks for those numbers (I owe you beer) but my front wheel is the type 2, where there is no spindle nut and the threads are in the fork leg. Spacers - yes, that's what I meant. Thanks again.
  4. Oh and one more question - I find myself with three spacers. Does one go on the front and two on the rear, or is it opposite? (Obviously, "competent mechanic" would not be a very fitting description of me.)
  5. My bike's sitting in the garage with the wheels mounted back on loosely (with brand new Dunlop 220's on them) and I've been searching this forum for US (read foot pound) torque values so all will be safe for my ride tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a thread that I thought I once saw on this. If someone out there wouldn't mind simplifying my life a little, and give me the torques on both axles, the pinch bolts, and the caliper bolts, I'd be happy to treat you to a couple of beers next time you're in Pasadena, CA.
  6. Thanks very much, everyone. I'll give it my best shot tonight, and hopefully tomorrow it'll be nice to ride again on not-so-bald tires.
  7. Thanks for the tip - pushing the handle down yesterday was a little rough on my back. I'll try the foot deal next time.
  8. When removing the rear wheel, the manual says to first remove the 27mm nut on the brake disk side, and then unscrew the pin (axle) part way to remove the caliper. I'll do this tomorrow, but looking at it I'm wondering how to get the axle out. Does one just tap it out from the brake side or is there actually a way to unscrew it from the other side that doesn't seem obvious at first glance?
  9. I just received my workshop stand from MG Cycle, and of course I had to go to the garage to try it out. I did manage to get the LeMans up on it, but only after a bit of mildly nerve-wracking effort (I REALLY didn't want the bike to fall down). What I did was lean against the center of the bike to get it almost upright and then tried for awhile to line up the bolts with the stand, successfully at last. It did take some time to finally get it right, and I wonder whether this gets easier with practice, and also what techniques others use to get the bike on the stand safely with minimal effort. Any advice would be appreciated.
  10. I just received my workshop stand from MG Cycle, and of course I had to go to the garage to try it out. I did manage to get the LeMans up on it, but only after a bit of mildly nerve-wracking effort (I REALLY didn't want the bike to fall down). What I did was lean against the center of the bike to get it almost upright and then tried for awhile to line up the bolts with the stand, successfully at last. It did take some time to finally get it right, and I wonder whether this gets easier with practice, and also what techniques others use to get the bike on the stand safely with minimal effort. Any advice would be appreciated.
  11. mikie

    MPG?

    When I first got my '02 LM I was getting in the low 30s, but now I average a pretty consistent 38-40 mpg doing mostly mountain riding on the weekends, and occasional in-town commuting weekdays. I hope yours improves too.
  12. Actually, it is the new MG stand. I just ordered one from MG Cycle and they said they're now coming through in this color.
  13. I'll be getting new tires this week, and have been considering trying the Dunlop 220's. Has anybody used these before, and liked/disliked them to the point of having a useful comment? Feedback would really be appreciated.
  14. Thanks very much for that information. I'll look into that, as it sounds like an interesting idea, and I'll also consider joining MGNOC. Mike
  15. How would I access this?
  16. My usual disclaimer: I'm not very mechanically oriented. Now if I go with the FBF pistons, what kind of compression can I expect, and will this exacerbate the pinging that occasionally occurs under full throttle? And if I put in a cam as well, what will the effect be? Would it provide more power on top but rougher performance down low?
  17. I've decided to go with the new cases, as my original ones are covered with bubbles. In fact, it seems to be spreading to the transmission cover as well, so they're looking for authorization to do that too. This will happen in February. My question: While the engine's apart, as Al previously stated, this'd be the time to consider some modifications. I don't want to spend a lot of money on this, as if I wanted a rocket ship I would've kept my 929 or bought something other than the LeMans. However, I would like to have opinions on "sensible" mods that would be noticeable and fit a modest budget. Also, what would engine mods do to the warranty?
  18. Urban myth has it that Simple Green and S100 are pretty much the same, except for the cost. Anyone else ever hear that?
  19. I didn't see any pricing on the website. If it's just a cover, it shouldn't be too expensive.
  20. From the pictures I've seen (most recently in a MG full page ad in Motorcyclist) the Nero looks like an absolutely gorgeous bike. I think the two-tone black scheme is incredible looking on this motorcycle. I have a question (off-topic for this thread) though, regarding the fact that in the same ad there is also a picture of a Griso. Now the ad doesn't state that these motorcycles are for sale here, but looking at the ad I would infer that they both are. Does anyone have any information regarding the Griso being for sale in the US?
  21. Mikie? Mikee? Um, I believe there may be a copyright infringement occurring here, and must caution both of you that you may be hearing from my attorney. The Real Mikie
  22. Well, for the past couple of weeks I've been vacationing in various parts of China, and - would you believe - I've not spotted even one LeMans (or any other Guzzi, or any other Italian bike for that matter). I have been paying some attention to the motorcycles here, and most of them are of the 125 cc variety, and there are lots of BMW clones with sidecars - much like Rich's Ural, I would imagine. The most astonishing thing about riding here, though, is the way the traffic moves. It's pretty much anarchy and chaos. not only the motorcycles split lanes, but so do cars, trucks and busses, and on a regular basis. Lines in the middle of the road are meaningless, and traffic lights don't carry a lot of weight either. Crossing the street is scary. It's amazing, though, that there seem to be MUCH fewer accidents here than I see at home in L.A., and the drivers are very skilled in negotiating this type of traffic environment successfully. I'm just glad to be riding in others' cars and in taxis (there's another experience!). Anyway, it'll be good to get home to normalcy and the Guzzi next weekend; although this has been a great trip and I'd recommend it to anybody.
  23. mikie

    NO WHIRRR!

    My LeMans has been haunting me with this behavior for several months now. I've upgraded the relays, and it still occurs intermittantly, sometimes even when I'm riding (and when it happens while I'm in the left lane on a busy SoCal freeway, I occasionally see my life flash before my eyes). Lately it takes more wiggling than before to get it restarted, so I thought I might have a bad connection or a short somewhere; but I've been hearing that it's a pretty common problem with these bikes. Anyone out there try to get this fixed under warranty, and if so, what were the results?
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