Lucky Phil

I love "patina". On "other peoples" bikes that is.

I don't mind the use of carbon for aesthetics and weight savings where it makes sense but here is not the place as it's subjected to debris fling off the front tyre which will negate any "looks" after a few miles. The cover is also cheaply made (no metal bush inserts at the mount holes). I suppose it won't stop people using them though. Phil

Not always, some you can manipulate the ABS module valving manually but if there is no air in the ABS module then normal brake bleeding procedures work as usual. Of course you can always find some deserted road and brake till the ABS kicks in. That will cycle the fluid through the module and run the module pump and force fresh fluid through the module. Phil

As a fellow Aircraft engineer told me early in my career (when an engineer could still use his judgment on airworthiness issues) "The maintenance manual is there for the guidance of the wise and the blind obedience of fools" Applies to translated Italian motorcycle shop manuals as well. Phil

"Is there a concise correct factory service manual" No. It's an Italian motorcycle. Phil

My go to material for muffler hangers over the years is 4mm 6060 aluminium flat bar. Strong enough, will take anodising, formable and weldable. Has always worked for me. For a really long bracket I might use 6mm thick. Phil

The ball end and rod muffler supports aren't a good idea. The mufflers require some amount of lateral and anti rotational support from the hanger bracket, these give zero. When you come up with an idea you never see anyone else do it's either brilliant OR the opposite. This is the opposite. I wish it was a good idea as it would have saved me quite a few hours over the years making and fitting hanger brackets. Phil

Great deal. You guys get it good for second hand bikes I can tell you. Phil

Just think, I get no royalties Oh the life I could be leading on the Costa Brava but instead I sacrifice it all to the pleasures of fellow Guzzi V11 Sport riders. A life of service to my people Phil

Nobody in their right mind hangs the hat of model identity of a 20 year old Italian motorcycle on the colour of the tank and bodywork and fitment of a Bikini fairing. They are all superficial and easily replaceable, re paintable items. It's the underlying mechanicals that determine the model. Add to that the uniquely American "carry over year" debacle and it's a "what the hell" year is this thing. I suppose as a counterpoint to that would be the crinkle finish engine and gearbox paint of 2002. Nobody would try and apply that to another model. That would be madness. Phil

Here's a tip for these allen heads and also phillips head screws that are known to be tight or going to be problematical. Buy yourself some WATER based valve grinding paste NOT oil based and put a blob on the tip of the tool before inserting into the screw head. The paste triples the grip of the tool. When your job for the night is to remove the leading edge panels on the wing of a jet and the total Phillips head screw count is around 600 screws and they've been installed for a year or two you lean all the tricks. There are others as well, for another day. Phil

Heat can't hurt(up to a point) but if it's retained by red or green Loctite then anything less than about 180-200deg C is pretty pointless as that's the temp required for it to release. Heating the head of the screw is also a bit pointless here as the loctite on the end is so far away on a long screw. Try some boiling water on the throttle body itself where the screw threads into it but I don't think it will help. BTW treat those aluminium half moon injector feed line retainers with care they are easily damaged and have been unobtainium for years. When you get them out just have them professionally done, it's very cheap and they can give you a spray pattern and flow report. Cleanings one thing but the spray pattern is important as well. I'm only making my own rig because very few places clean and flow test side flow injectors. Everyone does top feed injectors like the V11 Sport has. Phil

It's what separates the Engineers from the "mechanics" the details. No one should be worried about this job, it's pretty straight forward.

Or go to a bearing supplier and source a Unidirectional seal of the correct dimensions. These bikes are so old now that the Guzzi shops just source general stuff like seals etc. The Guzzi factory hasn't stocked v11 parts for years. Sorry by OEM I meant the original type of seal fitted. Phil

The difference between an Aircraft engineer and a mechanic. Phil

I changed my original oil tight seal when I did the gears and fitted a new one when I built the daytona engine, both are fine. You need to use an OEM Unidirectional seal on these and the rear seal or any difficult to access seal for that matter. Thats what the original factory fit seals are not bidirectional seals. Same for the gearbox output shaft seal. make sure the seal sleeve isn't damaged on the sealing face. Phil

No two engines are the identical mechanically, in mileage, or condition, then add to that that all the sensors used for engine control have their own tolerances and you can see the scope there is for variation. Your bike also has a different exhaust no airbox and silly pod filters to throw into the mix. Phil

This won't work I dont think. It states for "custom console applications only" and I think the wall thickness will be too thick to fit the std V11 console. Others may be able to confirm my thoughts. Phil

How long is a piece of string? It's like asking how many turns should I set my idle screw or air screws. There is no definitive answer. The CO trim is set to what each individual engines needs are. You can do it by "feel" or hook up an EGA and set it to the factory CO level and then see if it runs best at that OR try a setting either side of that and see if it runs better there. Phil

Nothing to do with ECU's it's about the engine. Phil

There special tools for this Banjo. Not all engine blocks are machined the same at the banjo oil feed point and even a thin walled spanner or socket won't fit on some engines. I know because I have 4 sets of cases at home and the machining clearance for the banjo fitting is quite a bit different on a couple of them. The tool on the top LHS is one I made for removing oil pressure switches on Daytona engines. It's between a long and normal socket in length. The others are for the Banjo. Why two tools for the banjo? Because the "swing" is restricted down in the "V" and to get that last 1/2 flat rotation you sometimes need the socket. Phil

You will need to see if Chuck has any from the latest production run. He's the manufacturing expert, I'm just the, Ahem, "creative" Phil

Buy a set for a 2000 V11 Sport. I'm not aware of any issues with muffler cross fitting between the catted and non catted bike which if is the case then Agostinis is wrong. Reliable info is hard to come by these days as all the older knowledgeable people in retail environments are being replaced by young "customer service" kids that don't actually know anything beyond year model stuff on a computer screen. My bike has Agostini mufflers, Stucchi cross over and V11 header pipes fitted to a Daytona engine in a V11 Sport chassis. All fitted perfectly without any modifications. Can you imagine asking a modern parts person whether this combo would work? They'd spit their coffee across the room and have a coughing fit. Phil

Yes Phil

I'd put my money on the gearbox for the whine. Gear mesh is obviously different on the drive and overrun faces and so a gearbox can "whine" in one direction and be silent on the other. My car whines at a specific speed in second gear on the overrun but not on the gas. These Dynotec bikes don't use steel cam gears but aluminium. They don't want the weight of steel gears for racing. Thats what Joe tells me. Phil