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Introduction Thread


al_roethlisberger

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Greetings!  Last week I got really lucky.  After looking for a motorcycle for over a year and a half with no specific model in mind, I came across a really nice example of the 2001 V11 Sport Rosso Mandello.  With a little over 4000 miles, good service history records, and a reasonable asking price, I was sold.  I am looking forward to getting the bike sorted out this week and hoping for some good riding weather.  I am in Denver, Colorado.  Thank you for providing this forum!

 

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  • 2 months later...

Jim here. Old guy (67/retired) who still has a brochure for the '77 LeMans 850 in his toolbox. Life intervened and I never got Guzzied. After three cancers, time is running. Time to buy my last bike. Well, I'm looking at an '02 LeMans, 10K miles,Ti exhaust, Power Commander, ECU re-flash and maybe a few things I'm forgetting. Owner says 'pristine" and pics (of course) look good. A fgw hours drive, so generally wondering what to look for beside the obvious. I am aware that '03-'04 have further improvements and that the paint will fall off the '02 engine. Asking 4.5K but might offer 4K after a close look. Always thought the fairings were hideous, but no one close is selling a Ballabio right now. 

I also know that Guzzis are not so much a motorcycle as they are a project (adventure?) that involves a motorcycle. Yet, as we see, those who love them LOVE them.

Pax et Bonum 

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Welcome, Jim.. the fairing works well, the paint may or may not fall off/look bad. The Ti exhaust sound is sublime. Billy Bobs are scarce on the ground, as you well know. I, personally, prefer the Ohlins bikes.. but the 'Zook bikes aint' chopped liver.

As we both know, life is too short. I'd grab it, play with it, :rasta: and keep my eye out for that BB that may or may not turn up.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I don't want to jinx it but I may be days away from a Coppa Italia.
I have a 2014 Griso 1200SE that I bought 6 weeks ago after selling my Ducati Hypermotard 939SP (decided that the 3rd gear power wheelies and the like was going to get me into trouble).

The Griso just didn't do it for me so I posted it for sale. Guy offered to trade me his '09 Monster 1100S which was tempting. Then I saw he had a Coppa...

We talked. He never rides the Coppa but is very attached to it.

We're meeting this week to ride each other's bikes and see how we feel.

I've lost a lot of sleep...

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Well, no Coppa for me. :( I rode it and loved it. Was like putting on a favorite pair of old jeans. Just fit me. Comfortable, easy to ride.
And one of the prettiest bikes I'd ever seen.
I couldn't talk him out of it. He loved my Griso and may just buy it outright from me.

Oh well. At least I got to ride a Coppa.

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  • 1 month later...

As to my thread elsewhere, an '04 Ballabio seduced me and I dropped thoughts of the LeMans. Trailered it home and am removing the various mods that suited someone else. The Staintune cans stay. Stock pegs going back on and thoughts now turn to some clipons up front. 

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Hi, Bob here. 66, retired. Bought a project Sport about 3 weeks ago. Have owned around 15 motorcycles over my riding years. The MG is my third Italian bike, the other two were dink’s, a HD Aermachi 65 and a Sears Gilera 106 I owned around age 15/16.  My other current bike is a 2006 FJR1300.

I’ve looked at 4 Sports and a Ballabio over the past 11 years, but never pulled the trigger, very happy I have now. Member of this forum since 2008, sure wish I had picked up that greenie I looked at back then.

My Sport is a 2001, 9100 mi, has a Tenni rear cowl with a black tank, Ti cans w/Ecu. I assume it may have been dropped somewhere in it’s past. I bought it with a leaking fuel pump, dead battery, and 15 year old tires, plus 10 years in storage, from the daughter of a gentleman who was supposedly incarcerated for running a Ponzi scheme. He did not put any miles on it, just stored it away in a climate controlled warehouse, along with all kinds of other vehicles and stuff. All this was reflected in the price. Despite all this, I feel the owner previous to the last loved this bike.

I’ve put a fuel pump, new tires and about 400 miles on it. The driveline fluids looked good enough to run temporarily as I feel it was prepped properly for sale/storage, but I really need to flush the root beer out of the brake and clutch lines, which I will start tomorrow.

Anyway, happy new owner looking forward to riding, and reading about this charismatic motorcycle.

Bob

2B621838-C6BA-473E-AC14-74E47A54B16D.jpeg

 

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Bike looks terrific ! As far as brake fluid flush : use DOT 4 fluid . Excellent , all the good points .mixes w//DOT 3 . DOT 5 / aka silicone fluid . Light blue hue . Incompatible with any other brake fluids . The 4 is almost as high a temp fluid as 5 . Not worth the change .

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13 hours ago, gstallons said:

Bike looks terrific ! As far as brake fluid flush : use DOT 4 fluid . Excellent , all the good points .mixes w//DOT 3 . DOT 5 / aka silicone fluid . Light blue hue . Incompatible with any other brake fluids . The 4 is almost as high a temp fluid as 5 . Not worth the change .

Thanks, I have a quart bottle ready to go. Rather throw some away than run out. Was thinking I was going to grease the u joints today until I got a good look and tried to fit the gun onto the easy zerk. Found some good info here on that job, not sure my swearing vocab is up to it, probably wait until I have time to pull the wheel again.

 

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The 02s and onward are doable. The Kid said he couldn't grease the U joint on his red frame V11, so I tackled it with a grin.

I couldn't do it, either.. :helmet: Yeah, you're going to have to pull the wheel.

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Bob, You might consider getting a brace for the gearbox that bolts the bellhousing to the frame (for Red Frame bikes like yours).  This will prevent cracking the transmission case.  I am not aware of any factory braces being available but the tech I know in Okla City fabricated some kits (brace + fasteners) based upon fixing my bike.  I'd recommend the brace as a preventative measure.  Talk to Don at Motiv Cycleworks.

http://www.motivcycleworks.com/

You can also research the issue on the forum by doing a search.  I think once you read and see the photos you'll understand the risks.

pretty bike silver + black.

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