Scud

I'd love to join for at least part of the way, schedule permitting. Let me know when you're headed this way. You should go to Mexico too, then it will be a Mexico to Canada ride, eh? Tacos in Tecate and Beaver Tails in BC. I hope you won't mind that I removed all these parts from the foot controls and put the foot pegs, rear brake lever, rear brake master cylinder and fluid tank back where they belong.

That's what I should have said. I was new to suspension settings and getting the pre-load set correctly made the biggest positive improvement. I was fortunate that the sag could be set within correct specs for my weight (with all riding gear) by adding pre-load; therefore I did not need different springs to get correct sag. The results of these sag measurements will tell you if you should consider different springs. If you want to read my newby-DIY experience and benefit from all the great advice I got along the way, it starts at the middle of page 5 (post 68) of my thread Brand New Scura and goes for a few pages. Post 70 has a picture of how to measure sag. It's for Ohlins, but there should be a similar page in the manual for the Marzocchi.

Edited - all items procured. Does anybody have any of the following (in good condition) that you would be willing to part with for a fair price: Gear shift lever and pivot bolt (through porkchop, through lever, to tab on frame) - found used form forum member (thank-you) Sidestand - ideally with switch and wire, but just the stand is fine too - bought new from Harper's Clutch hand lever - I will also buy a pair of levers, but just need the clutch - bought aftermarket Left-hand handlebar tube - for clip-ons. As with above, I'd buy a pair, but I only need a left. - figured out how to straighten - not needed Circular cam on RH porkchop that stops the brake pedal from coming up too far. - bought new from Harper's Please send me a PM if you do - or if you know where to find a used part.

What I've done so far: I had an issue a couple days ago (which I wrote about in another thread) - I had plugged in the oil temperature sensor, which had been disconnected. At hiccuping low idle, the oil light flashed on (and off at normal idle). Based on some helpful suggestions, I did an oil change, dropped the sump, and cleaned the screen. The screen was clear, oil appeared in decent condition. But there was a CarQuest oil filter (glad that's gone...). I used 10w-40 Maxima synthetic (although the manual specifies 5w-40) and a correct UNI filter. After the oil change, the oil light went out almost instantly when I started the bike. However, it does flash on if the idle drops below 1,000 RPM - I adjusted the idle up - maybe 1,200 or 1,300 - and the light stayed out. I'm not going to ride it again till I figure out if I have a bad oil pressure sensor or another problem. It will also need a proper tune-up following re-installation of the stock airbox. I ordered a set of gauges from Speedhut: GPS Speedo, Tach, Oil Pressure, Voltmeter. I figure I can find somewhere to mount the oil and volt gauges behind the fairing. Interesting that the 2003 dash (compared to 2002) gives a second turn indicator at the expense of a warning light for the charging system (I wouldn't make that trade). BTW - all guages are 15% off at Speedhut through the end of March.

I think I’m the 3rd owner and I plan to use this bike as a commuter, tourer, and guest-bike. But it needs some TLC first. I’ll probably put most of the stock parts back on while sorting out the functional issues – and I think a few modifications are in order, maybe some shiny things... Feel free to make suggestions, observations, jokes, music recommendations, etc. This should be a fun project. Here’s my assessment of the current situation: The good: Strong running, crisp shifting, almost everything works. A big box of almost all stock parts that were removed. Minimal wear on seat, grips, and front brake rotors supports a low-mileage claim (odometer broken at about 5,000, PO estimates that actual mileage is less than 10,000). Should clean up nicely – it’s kind of greasy now. Moto Guzzi Kit Racing ECU and Titanium cans. It’s a growler. The bad (or not my preference): Unfortunately, the cans were cut down a few inches and are a little beat up (oh, but they sound nice...). I didn’t figure out that the bike had been down till I got it home. I missed the tell-tale flat spot on the clutch lever ball, and the welded shift lever in the spare parts box. I think it was just a low-speed spill on the left. (PO says he didn't lay it down, so must have been earlier.) Altered riding position/controls (all to fit PO’s preferences for more upright riding position - and quite comfy if you like sitting upright)Bars raised and pushed back. This required rerouting of cables and hoses. Footpegs and controls moved forward and lower, which also involved relocation of shock reservoir, brake reservoir, removal of starter cover, and maybe some other surprises. Rear lowered about 2 inches (compared to my Scura) with shorter aftermarket spring in rear (fork tubes also raised a bit in triple clamps) Sidestand ground shorter (I guess it was too upright after the rear was lowered Stickers on paint (already removed): only one was covering a poorly retouched scratch (on the front fender). Clutch and side-stand switches missing. (Wouldn’t it be ironic if one of these was the cause of the crash?) K&N pods installed – and although it runs well, it does not appear to have been tuned correctly (oil temp sensor disconnected as a “cheat”). Rear brake rotor is grooved, pads are thin, fluid was low – suggesting a habit of using mostly the rear brake. Some creative wiring. (My weakest area...time to start learning.) Here are some "as purchased" pics:

Filled the Giant Loop Great Basin bag with towels, just to give it a road test. It was a simple strap-on mount: removed seat cowl, used a micro-fiber cloth over the painted tail section, straps around footpeg brackets and under tail. It's stable and it didn't interfere at all while riding. Double-wide pies. That's living. Cherry Apple Flaky crust for the late Sunday breakfasters at home. And a frozen Chicken Pot Pie for later.

I spent a lot of time fussing with the suspension settings on mine, which was absolutely worth the effort (and steep learning curve for me). As for quickening the steering: Damper: I turned the damper to the position of least resistance (it was set pretty tight when I got it). This made a huge difference - quicker steering with less effort. I value the protection from potholes and road debris afforded by a damper, so I just turned it in two clicks to give me a touch of protection. Tires: Some people said that the bike handles better with a 170/60-17 than the stock 180/55-17 (total tire height is about the same). I followed that advice and have the narrower tire on the back now. I'm pleased with it. Pre-load: Getting the spring pre-load adjusted was like magic (because mine was set too soft) - especially in tight downhill corners. Sounds like you may have already done this, but I thought I'd mention it anyways. Definitely not a sport/race bike, but I run it through every twisty road I can find and I love it.

Before you go tearing it apart - have you tried loosening all the bolts on the timing cover (one at a time) and retightening them? I had a slow leak on mine and that fixed it. It's a metal gasket, so the gasket is unlikely to go bad.

That silver one is nice. It's been for sale for a while. The asking price is only a few hundred less than what I paid at a dealer for my Scura (with only 200 miles - and let's not discount the value of Öhlins suspension). Recently in San Diego, a certain 2003 red LeMans sold within a few days of being listed on Craigslist... I resisted the urge to post the link here. High prices are good if you're selling. There are still good values out there for people who know how to fix stuff. From a purely financial perspective, it seems that many of these bikes are worth more as parts than as whole bikes. While sad in some ways, I think that's probably true for lots of other bikes too - it's not just a V11 thing, it's even true for old cars.

Thanks guys. She's having a "time-out" right now for fresh fluids. @Chamberlin - the serial number on the LeMans has a bunch of 1s, and ends in 58. So I guess it rolled out of the factory shortly after your "all 1s" 2003. I re-read your resto-mod thread recently. It's going to be very helpful.

@Docc: Is this the lightweight oil that you use in the gearbox? http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-58404-Lightweight-Oil/dp/B000CPI5YG/ref=pd_sbs_auto_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=09JN74NG6DJBF8S6QKT9 Do you use the same in the final drive, or do you use the heavyweight there? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPI5XW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER I saw that some people are happy with the Redline heavy shockproof in the transmission. In one thread, the heavy oil solved a leaky transmission problem. Also - do you change these oils every 6,000 miles per the manual's specified intervals, or do you let them go longer?

Check the fileshare section. There's a thread that has some of the tail scripts. You could give the file to graphic artist and have him or her do a custom one for you - then output as a decal. I didn't see one for Nero Corsa; that would have been convenient, because you could just replace the "Ne" with "Azzu".

Azzuro Corsa - that would look good in script on the tail.

That's coming together nicely. Do you plan to paint it to match the bike or to use a complementary color?

Clever. Thanks for the tip.

I disconnected the sensor and made it home without event. I figured that it was running great before and it would get me home, but I did watch those lights. I appreciate the cautions (and I understand that nobody wants to be the guy who says "just ride it" after the oil light flashes on). It's like telling a guy with chest pain that it's OK to skydive... That being said, she was naughty today and has to sit in the corner for a time out (for fluids). A quick search for "Honda Civic" didn't produce the replacement sensor. Moving off-topic - is there a list of cross-compatible parts and supplies somewhere on this site? Things like an automotive oil pressure switch, Isuzu Trooper fuel filters, aftermarket spark plug caps, etc.? A list like that could be handy.

Thanks - I think there are two oil sensors. for pressure - which sends an on or off signal to the dash light, and for temperature - which sends info to the ECU. Since this bike has the pods, I assume the sensors have been "tricked" to make it run well. Fear not, I won't ride with the pressure light on. I will give it a thorough inspection/fluid change. But thought I could sneak in a few commutes and little joy-ride first. Unless there's another cause for alarm, I'm going to pull the oil temperature (not oil pressure) sensor plug off again and ride it home.

I noticed yesterday that the oil temp sensor (the blue plastic thing on the RH head) was disconnected. The connecter had been taped against the wiring harness. So I freed it and plugged it back in; everything seemed fine for a ride around the block. I just picked up this 03 LeMans a few days ago, which was running very nicely, but had clearly had some electrical mods. This morning, I rode it to get gas and then to work (less than 10 miles total). Between the gas station and work I experienced these two new problems (which I did not have before plugging in the sensor, and after the bike was fully warmed up): Harsh hiccup at idle Oil light came on at idle (about 1,000) - but went out when I increased it to about 1,400. Other things that might be good to know: K&N pod filters installed by PO I replaced the rubber caps over the throttle body balancing tubes (the ones on the bike were badly cracked) Full tank of premium gas Oil level is slightly above the maximum mark on the dipstick (and oil looks clean enough, not old) Here are my short-term questions: Does a disconnected sensor indicate another problem that I should be aware of? What are the side-effects of running with the sensor disconnected? (I assume I should unplug it to ride it home, because it runs great unplugged) Is there an obvious solution? (feel free to paste a link to an appropriate thread instead of repeating information) Longer-term - I'm going to go through the whole bike and get it sorted out. BTW - Sorry for starting a new topic on this. I found another one on this topic, but it was locked after 58 pages of... well, I'm not sure what to call that, but I'm glad I missed it.

I haven't taken it for a proper ride yet. But so far I'd say the difference is small. It does seem to have more torque reaction at idle than the Scura (the sideways twist while standing still and blipping the throttle. Possibly a little slower revving than the Scura, but I also wonder if I'm trying too hard to notice the difference. The noise with the clutch pulled in is less pleasant than the noise of the Scura with clutch let out, but that's just personal preference. For comparison, I put a vented clutch cover on the Ducati I had, because I like mechanical noises. However, the other differences are larger and taking my attention now. The PO is shorter than me and altered the riding position as follows: Shorter rear spring (which lowered the back) Moved forks up in clamps (which lowered the front) Moved footpegs down and forward Bar ends (per above pic) that are much higher and further back This was his last sport bike and he's on a gorgeous Guzzi California now. With all the height and control mods, it feels more like a touring bike at the moment.

Here's a close-up of how the PO did it. Pretty clever, I think. But I like the stock bar height, so it's all coming off soon (especially the blue hoses). Hurray for box of stock parts!!!!

Have recently turned old myself (50 last week and now apparently eligible to joint the American Association of Retired Persons ), my present was that I get to buy/sell/upgrade the bikes. I just sold my 2006 Husqvarna TE510 and still have my 1973 Honda CB350F listed for sale. I was all set to pull the trigger on a 2015 Husqvarna FE501s, but figured I'd be pissed the first time I dropped an expensive new dirt bike. (I literally and figuratively rode my TE510 into the dirt). Thanks to Craigslist, here's what came home for my birthday weekend (all for about 75% of the price of the new Husky): 2007 Husqvarna TE450 - 1,600 miles, nearly perfect (mostly street miles), seriously upgraded (full Akropovic exhaust, Scotts damper, etc.). 2003 V11 LeMans - more details following the picture. More on the LeMans - it's mechanically rock solid, ITI odometer gave up around 5,000, but actual mileage might be around 10,000. The previous owner made several mods, but kept all stock parts (which I now have). While I like having two street bikes for when friends visit (or when one needs maintenance), I might prefer this one for long-hauls, because the fairing offers such excellent protection. I'll probably take it back close to stock. Fair warning, I'm going to have some electrical questions.......

Don't be sad Docc. It's just about matching. If one has a black engine case, a black timing cover looks correct. Silver cases... go with a silver cover. Personally, I think the same for the alternator cover, but on some bikes they look sweet with an accent color - like red. Czakky - I've noticed that a lot of people use the Harley crinkle paint to match the 2002 engine paint. I already picked up a can of that, but haven't tried it yet. I'll probably let it get a lot worse, then strip it and paint the whole case at once. I can't see it while I'm riding, and it is not disgusting yet. I wish I had taken a before and after pic of the engine. That trip to San Jose really changed it. I can't imagine how upset all the buyers of new bikes must have been in 2002. I saw MSRP for a Scura was US$14,000. You drop that kind of money on a new bike and you assume the paint will last a few thousand miles...

Welcome in the club… Had mine in twice for re-painting (warranty). I still see red pork chops, Scud, thought you were going all in on the dark/Scura side?? Good catch. I didn't black out everything possible. The more I darkened the smaller parts on the bike, the more I liked how the red porkchops stand out. I'm pretty fond of the gold forks too. I might still darken a few more bits - like the exhaust tips. But It's dark enough now to draw the light out of a picture...

Thanks. My route yesterday was almost all new roads to me. The only other new part to me was the redwoods. Yesterday I planned the twistiest minor roads I could find and went from Paso Robles to San Bernardino without any freeway - and just a few visits to small cities to make sure there was gas on my route. More than once I thought - "this road can't be real..." For example, after crossing the Carrizo Plain. It was sunrise, the wildflowers were starting to bloom on the hillsides and the road was perfect. From there, it was a massive climb to where I took that last picture - which was at 5,200 feet. It was about at the dot above the Barbara in Santa Barbara on the map. Shortly after that pic, I rode briefly into the cloud ceiling. Fortunately that didn't last long as I as started dropping elevation again. Just epic... must do it again. Maybe next time I'll take a few days and a sleeping bag and tent. So much to see along the way.