Cornering on a V11 - techniques?

[Guest NotRight]

Checked pressures ... 37 front and 39 rear .. it seems not low enuff to cause mischief. Will tinker with the suspension, perhaps will bring it to a tech to help me with it. The feeling I had when cornering is strange, like the bike wants wobble when I'm in a lean (and not a low lean at that!)

 

My other ride is a beemer, even taking into account the anti-dive nature of a telelever, still takes a lot of getting used to cornering on the V11.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

As others have stated, you need to check your suspension sag. Seems to me you don't have enough weight balance up front. My shock needs adjusting too. Now I have the special tool to fix it. How big is your Body Mass Index? (what an accepted simplification - I'm a stocky 5'8" . I'm supposed to be at ideal weight at 165-170 lbs. I would look like walking death IF I could even get that low)

 

You should be able to fix this situation assuming nothing odd like bent or out of wack parts.

 

I don't know what to say if a BMW is your reference. There kind of even bigger pigs than Guzzis. You'll be rewriting Moto Guzzi history if you can't achieve at least a comfortably handling bike. Thats their ace card.

[luhbo]

At NotRight and others

 

What suspension sags do you have on your bikes? I followed the various links, to and from, and all I could find were rough numbers, 20% here and 15 or 25% there. They never give any hints for shaft driven bikes e.g.

 

So what sag rear and front is proofen, at least for you? What ladden and what unladden.

 

Thanks in advance...

 

 

STOP! I do know about the difference between static and dynamic sag. Just keep it simple, it's just to give an expression of what should be the goal.

 

 

Hubert

[slowkitty]

My BMI? haha ... about 26 I reckon. i'm 1.7 metres short.

 

The R1150R is a breeze to ride, hence my apprehension with the Guzzi. Can't tell about the pre-owning experience, since I bought the bike when it was in a shop resting on its engine case, no wheels and after the last accident. It was a leap of faith, and it looks like my faith is being tested!

 

This is a great forum, so many helpful views!!!

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[Tom M]

At NotRight and others

 

What suspension sags do you have on your bikes? I followed the various links, to and from, and all I could find were rough numbers, 20% here and 15 or 25% there. They never give any hints for shaft driven bikes e.g.

 

So what sag rear and front is proofen, at least for you? What ladden and what unladden.

 

Thanks in advance...

STOP! I do know about the difference between static and dynamic sag. Just keep it simple, it's just to give an expression of what should be the goal.

Hubert

 

Here are the numbers that I used for my Marzocchi forked LM;

 

unladen sag = 18 - 25mm. Middle = 21mm

 

laden sag = 30 - 42mm. Middle = 36mm

 

Unladen sag is set by preload spacer length in the 'zoke. If your unladen sag is within the limits above but your laden sag is outside the limits above you probably need different springs.

 

Fork stiction can throw off your sag measurements. Here's a measuring method that takes stiction into account: http://www.racetech.com/articles/SuspensionAndSprings.htm

[Guest h8chains]

I have an 04 LM and the only time I enjoy it is on twisty roads and canyons. You will not be disappointed with yours once you get the right settings.

[strider]

You say your tyres are two years old. I wouldn't mind betting that's where your problem lies.

 

An instructor once told me that after six months, tyres start to go off.

 

I remember an R75/5 Beemer that I restored wanted to skate around every corner and I realised the tyres were 'beyond their use by date' (for want of a better term!)

 

I replaced the tyres and it still handled like a slug - but at least it didn't want to go skating!

[slowkitty]

Brought the bike down to see the Ohlins dealer in my country, yes, truly honoured to be attended to by the boss himself.

 

He tweaked my front, noted the static sag, and made some changes to the rebound. Commented that it's funny that the Guzzi Ohlins forks do not have an adjuster for compression. Is this true for Scura or I happened to buy the replacements that do not have the adjustment?

 

My rear shock's settings were way off, compression was at 4, reset to stock 12, and rebound was too high, adjusted to 7 clicks. Now the best part, pre-load was too high, and he recommended backing it off 3mm or 3 revolutions. We tried to set it but due to the angle of the pre-load adjuster and the tension by the spring, it was not easy to loosen the C-adjuster. Managed to drop it by about 2 mm.

 

Handling was transformed and I can now turn with more stability and confidence. Next change would be to go for the Michelin Power Road tyres, recommended at 36 psi front, 40 or 42 rear.

 

Will keep you guys posted.

 

Incidentally, there was 2 Japanese gentlemen who were working on a bike's engine (apparently it's their hobby, they work in the car-product industry). They helped with the rear's preload adjustment, and went quite bananas at the V11, and absolutely delighted when I let them take it around a bit.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[WitchCityBallabio]

Glad to hear it's coming around. Wait until you see the difference with new tires!!!

 

I changed the tires that came on mine from Metz Road Techs, to Pirelli Diablo Corsa III's and it was a radical change in the way the bike cornered.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

[dlaing]

He tweaked my front, noted the static sag, and made some changes to the rebound. Commented that it's funny that the Guzzi Ohlins forks do not have an adjuster for compression. Is this true for Scura or I happened to buy the replacements that do not have the adjustment?

You might checkout this setup guide

http://www.guzzitech.com/ScuraSusp-TE.html

And this person kindly posted the Guzzi Scura Ohlins documentation.

http://ryuv11.free.fr/V11/scuraohlins/scuraohlins.htm

There should be an allen bolt adjuster near the axle.

Maybe on the opposite side of a standard Ohlins fork.

This is image is from that site

[Chronic]

 

 

The riding style you need is abit different to what Ive experienced before. You have to steer these things from your arse and with your knees as someone else said. Relax and let the bars goa bit. Feel the bikes COG and use it. Mine starts to feel nervous and harsh of i try to steer it too much.

 

 

+1,1,1,1,1....

 

Did a couple of "technique" rides this week-end in hopes of bonding with my newly gotten Scura, and I have to say, it does not like to have it's head pushed or leaned on much ( or at all) in a curve... or any time for that matter. Once I figured how to anchor my self with the outside lower thigh and then suspend the upper body with the lower back muscles it took much of the weight off the clip-ons and it got MUCH smoother and less twitcy

 

When I first got the bike all the suspension settings were screwed down tight and, damn, I couldn't squeeze a butt cheek w/o making the bike wobble . Luckily my inaugeral run was with RacerX and some of the So-Cal Guzzi crowd and Todd backed everything off 50%.......and, WOW, what a difference. I'll play with it as I go, but, being a V11, it will probably always be a little nervous. Especially if you dont have a soft grip......FYI, I can do a Tango on my 675 in the middle of a curve w/o upsetting it

 

BTW, I think putting a handle bar set-up like the Ballabio would be another step in calming it down a bit. My Ballabio ( R.I.P ) was much calmer than this Scura. I think that Motard type seating position and the leverage it offered does help.

 

With all that said....... DAMN, I'm glad to have a Guzzi back in the garage . I fight the urge to only ride IT.

[luhbo]

Here are the numbers that I used for my Marzocchi forked LM;

 

unladen sag = 18 - 25mm. Middle = 21mm

 

laden sag = 30 - 42mm. Middle = 36mm

 

 

Thank you Tom for the input. The front on my KR is adjusted to nearly the same values.

 

I think the rear is not properly adjusted. Unladen sag = 10mm, laden = 40mm. 10mm unladen is probably not enough. It seems as if the spring is a bit soft also.

Besides that I want to mention that it was witten in nearly all test reports that the chassis works perfectly with a passenger, much better at least as when ridden solo.

 

Hubert

[slowkitty]

When I first got the bike all the suspension settings were screwed down tight and, damn, I couldn't squeeze a butt cheek w/o making the bike wobble . Luckily my inaugeral run was with RacerX and some of the So-Cal Guzzi crowd and Todd backed everything off 50%.......

 

I had a tough time adjusting preload cos' the spring was compressed really tight. Could not really use the C spanner cos of the welded bracket for the battery carrier. How did you adjust it? Using a blunt screw-driver and a mallet?

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[Chronic]

I had a tough time adjusting preload cos' the spring was compressed really tight. Could not really use the C spanner cos of the welded bracket for the battery carrier. How did you adjust it? Using a blunt screw-driver and a mallet?

 

Cheers

 

Cat

 

Really easily, actually. Adjusted the forks with just an L-wrench and the shock (Ohlins) by just reaching underneath turning by hand. You have Sachs shock?? Different adjustment process perhaps

[slowkitty]

Strange, my rear ohlins cannot be adjusted by hand. The adjustment rings are wound so tight that I have to either use a C spanner to undo or loosen them.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[Ouiji Veck]

Nervous Guzzi ?

It's a contradiction in terms.

It'd be cold day in hell before I'd ride 20 miles on

any bike that felt "nervous", let alone own one.

If your bike feels nervous in a corner fix it or get rid of it.