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No mechanical or other issues to attend, why not help the paint. Just cleaned the paint from everything, and a little paintrepair.(not finished). Need to raise the seat a bit front. And did I mention, they are rideable [emoji16]. Yes they are special, for sure another IPA. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

NEW and better volt meter made of metal and has charging capability. From Amazon for $10 *Wired direct from battery and has good off and on button! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LKRDG2T?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Nero in for a full service, A to Å. Yes even further than xyz, Å, 29 letters. 21 + years paint in black metallic came out amazing with 3layers of ceramic coating. Bloody hell, they bring so much joy. 47k km now, like new. Ok will do the bushings on the gear lever. Wrong bolt for the job, to many treds in the wrong place. IPA time yes. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

Indian brand has been owned by many different companies, I own an Italian made Indian labeled dirt bike from the 1970’s bought for me in the 80’s when I was a child. Pertaining to Polaris ownership of Indian, I don’t think they wanted to “sell out” to the Chinese, so selling a majority stake to a PE with real estate and media portfolio seemed to make sense. With tariffs and other worldly pressures, HD & Indian’s bread and butter high end bagger global & domestic sales are down, making PE a good option for a soft landing (before default?) I am just glad that Moto Guzzi is building bikes in a new factory in Mandello del Lario….

I’m all ready for my next Guzzi

I got about 5 minutes into it, and decided the bloke is too much of a tosser.

Yesterday I put new spark plugs in the Scura and gave her a quick bath. But why new plugs? Well... @LaGrasta and I were out for a jaunt last week. I was going to introduce him to the Elfin Forest, but before we arrived at the enchanted road, the Scura started running horribly. Pulled over, found a plug wire dangling. Popped it back on. Rode through the next intersection with a smile on my face, until it popped off again. The cap wouldn't stay seated on the plug. It turns out that the plug's screw-on tip had rattled its threads right off from the inside, which I did not figure out till yesterday. First time I have ever seen this happen. The tip was lodged in the wire's boot, and yesterday I extracted it with a wood screw and pliers. So... without knowing the above, we searched for the nearest likely place to procure a plug. Apple Maps showed an auto-repair shop two blocks away in an industrial park. Rolling up, we found ourselves in a Ferrari repair shop with at least 30 stunning Italian steeds. The mechanics took pity on us, informed us that many Ferraris use motorcycle plugs, and turned their toolboxes inside out looking for a suitable fix while we ogled 4-wheeled Italian art - vintage and well-used to showroom fresh. But alas, no solution was present. So I rode it back home with the plug wire strategically tensioned to stay on. Today we tried again, but with a group of four, including @bzane. And she ran sweetly all day. Here is the original photo of the four bikes. And here is the same photo, but with 100% of the orange and 50% of the collective horsepower edited out.

We (company) just went to our bank for a short-term building loan. By the time it was over, I had to decline; I had to put up my *personal* assets against the loan. I told them, 'if I'm a corporation and you're a corporation, and my corporation needs a loan and you're in the business of loaning, and my corporation is viable with cash flow and assets, why should I expose my personal assets? After all, the primary function of incorporating is to separate the two". The response was at it's base, "Government regulations now demand it. We have no discretion". So that's the primary reason Private Equity has gained so much traction and market share. We just went out to PE, showed them our prospectus for the new building, and got the money. Simple papers, no hooks, no mountain of IRS returns, officer affidavits, etc. Just cash and business. Terms were agreed in about 10 minutes. Penalties in 5 more. Too easy- but, a predatory or dishonest PE could be Satan. As probably many are.

Part One: Second Part next week.

I’m on the verge of soon attending the local 250th anniversary celebration of the Marine Corps at the annual birthday ball, a deeply meaningful event that also marks my 30-year retirement from active duty. It’s hard to believe how special this occasion has become for me. In preparation, I've been working and dieting hard to fit into my Marine Corps dress blues, the very uniform I received while on recruiting duty as a young married staff sergeant back in 1980. As I pull out my well-worn cap, I can’t help but notice the cracks that time has left behind, a reflection of the years I’ve spent serving. I’ll also take a moment to dust off my chest full of ribbons, each one a reminder of cherished memories, though I admit I may not recall all of them. I know I’ll need to shave off my facial hair to meet uniform regulations, but I’m at peace with that. Every time I think of the comrades who have faded away, it stirs a mix of emotions, yet I am grateful to still be standing, even if for just a little longer. I’ll be attending with my girlfriend, who, while not very familiar with military traditions, has excitedly chosen a beautiful ball gown for the evening. I’ve also invited my golf and poker playing friend who's a retired Army Sergeant Major in the Army Reserve, and I know we will all have a great time together. It's going to be an expensive outing but that is OK, I never did buy myself that 18 year old scotch for my 50th anniversary of graduating boot camp. It’s a poignant realization that I retired before many of the active-duty attendees weren't even born. As I prepare for the cake-cutting ceremony, it strikes me that I might be one of the oldest Marines present. This thought fills me with humility and gratitude for the journey I’ve had and the experiences that have shaped me.

Tail of the Dragon isn't the craziest road in the country, it just lends itself to hooliganery better than most, and surrounded by great roads and scenery. The riding is comparable to California but wetter. Craziest road I've ever been on is CA 130 between the Lick observatory and San Jose. Handstanding in neutral to make the turns down, the air full of burned brake smell from the cars, what few dared. More like a hiking trail that got paved. https://www.google.com/maps/search/observatory/@37.3371791,-121.6615309,3558m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTEwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Coppa and Nero carbon fenders treated with a couple of layers with clear coating. Nero absolutely ready for next year. IPA time. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

Another way to ease connections to the battery is this: https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/topic/19319-what-did-you-do-to-your-v11-today/?do=findComment&comment=270297 This leaves only 2 connections on each battery post, and keeps the original terminal sizes. +ve to starter & terminal block, -ve to ground and terminal block.

closer...

The early Hi-Cams were a morass of frictional losses. That, along with the twin, and too heavy, valve springs, (2 per valve.) and aggressive camming is what made them not only prone to lifter wear but also not nearly as powerful as they were expected to be. Hence the return to the tried and tested 2V Pushrod format. The early engines had belt cam drives at the front of the motor with camshafts that overhung the front bearings by a huge amount, stressing the oil wedge which was already being provided by a barely adequate oil pump. The second generation Hi-Cam has cams driven by chains up the back of cylinders, single beehive valve springs and the lubrication pump is a larger and much more efficient trochoidal Gerotor pump. There is no doubt that the Gen 2 motor is streets ahead of the earlier one. It is a far, far simpler design and considerably more efficient. It should have been the engine that opened a new chapter for Guzzi but the flat tappet fiasco put paid to that. By the time it was sorted out, five years on, the world was already moving on. It took the ‘Full House’ Piaggio V100 engine design to finally deliver what the Hi-Cams couldn’t. It’s just a pity they are just such a boring and unexceptional engine in technical terms. Oh and ugly! F*ck me drunk the V100 is an ugly powerplant! It gives me a headache just looking at it!

High mile Guzzis are suspicious animals. Probably has things like non-factory relays and wires running in funny directions to surprising places.

The 1000S there had over 200,000 miles. Original owner

Hello all, I just picked up #539 in the Northern VA area and wanted to introduce myself. I believe it is already on the Registry, but now with a new owner. It needs some TLC, but I'm really excited about it. I've posted a couple of pics. They're not the best, but once I get her all fixed up I'll post more.

I'd like to do some west coast rides. Chuck posts quite a few N of LA. I'l like to do all of them and PCH up the coast. I've done a good portion of the PCH in a rented Mini Turbo Stick, but would love to ride it all. So far as the Dragon. I think what makes it so special are the sight lines. And I'm guessing that is an enticement to the hooligans: The riders have good vision rounding those tight corners.

Private equity can be good or bad. It can provide funds for growth and expansion. But it can also focus too much on returns (profits). If that happens, a common path is to increase profitability by cutting costs. That often leads downwards, to eventual destruction of the brand.

This is the best place I know for connectors ==> https://www.customconnectorkits.com

Just the normal spring pre load. I have a tool for this nut I made 25 years ago. The larger round aluminium one with the 4 pins. Phil

I always put them on and tighten them w/a pair of pliers. And I get them snug !

Nice milestone today on the speedometer...smooth with all of the fresh fluids! Successful 100 mile run...no leaks!

Finally finished the California II.

Here's the second (and last) installment for your enjoyment... or in some cases, a source of ire. This one has some very well known names being interviewed.

I'm also still waiting to see if I won the raffle...I bought 100 tickets, so hoping to have a twin...if I win it, will sell it to you very cheap! I had my Norge out yesterday for a nice 100 miler thru the forest, the bike is running phenomenally after several months of extremely detailed electrical work, fixing some corroded wires, painting some panels and general extreme cleaning with a steam cleaner from head to toe. All of that to say that I'm now getting 50 mpg, which I've never seen before on my usual run, as I'm used to getting 42 all of these years. Good karma I'm guessing!

I posted this in the V85 thread on ADVR and sent it out as email to some friends and family, but repost it here. After all, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere, hope may spring eternal, but daffodils won’t for quite a few months, riding days are almost gone, and motorcycle enthusiasts in said northern climes can at least read about a ride. A few weeks ago, as the reality of the coming Long.Cold.Dark. set in, I decided to carpe some diems on and ride. But where? Decided on a twofer that combined an overnight ride with homage to my 4th-great-grandfather, James Hagan, Jr. (1754 - 1829). That resulted in this “staff ride” to the Brandywine battlefield in Pennsylvania to see where Corporal James stood with the 4th Maryland Regiment in September 1777 and faced the Redcoats and Hessians! Two Guzzisti friends, Steve (Alexandria, Va.) & AJ (Baltimore, Md.), agreed to come along. Another, Kev (PhillyJoisy), planned to meet us at the destination as he once lived there and be our "local guide.” Another “local,” Joe (who actually lives near Brandywine) joined in for the fun. So, after voting — as we departed on Election Day, courtesy of the bravery of my ancestral Corporal and his fellows — it was launch time. For the map nerds — not a perjorative, as I am one of those 😉 — here’s the route we took … OK, planned, but “where are we?” took over now and then, so it’s only close! Three Old Flatulents, with varying needs for fuel, hydration, energy food (as in Little Debbie cakes, the original American “protein bar”), bladder maintenance, fuel, and similar things led to a slightly longer run than Google Maps’ optimistic <5 hours. FWIW, the return, where we all took generally separate ways home, was even longer as I managed — my LANDNAV instructors at Armor Officer Basic 54 years ago (gasp) would not be surprised 🫡 — to get lost several times while getting lured into charming backroads. Without spousal units who tend to be more picky, we stayed at the Comfort Inn that was near the battlefield. As you might suppose, there were quite a number of bourbon toasts to Corporal Hagan and the Maryland Regiment that evening in the Hagan Hospitality Suite. I really had no idea that I could have as much fun in 32 hours — OK, with the exception of a few college weekends, but let’s not go there! — as I had on this short ride. I knew when we launched that the likelihood of seeing or learning much was slim for many reasons. The visitor center was closed. Much of the battlefield is now covered by subdivisions. Etc. Always interested in the Revolutionary War and a SAR, I had read several accounts of the battle, with the best, by far, being this, https://tinyurl.com/Brandywine-1777. One might reasonably think that I would have prepared better for my first visit there as I had last year at Camden, S.C., where Corporal James later fought in 1780, then transferred to the 2nd Maryland Regiment, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camden. One would be wrong. I revisited Harris’s fine book, relooked at some youtube vids (see, e.g., this … https://youtu.be/fbu_y7jf8g8) I also checked out the relevant websites, and yet managed to muck it up, at least WRT the battlefield visit proper. In some respects, I followed the lead of George Washington who, by some intel failures, did not make what he could have of the situation. Yet, because of boon companions (and, if it must come out, bourbon, etc.), I — and I trust we, all — had a good time. I suspect that James himself may have smiled at our toasts and other references to him and his fellows even if we were not able to stand where he did back on that fateful “first” 9-1-1 day in ’77. Heck, three McMansions probably sit there now. But we did go, and talked lots about James and the bravery that he and his compatriots showed. Moreover, I’ll go back better prepared in finer weather in the next year or so, tho may first visit South Carolina where James was seriously wounded in September 1781, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Eutaw_Springs. So, here are some pix of that little "staff ride” earlier this week. As usual with my Smugmug slideshows, this opens in “landscape collage.” That means you’ll see all the pix at once. You can hover your cursor over any that might interest you and see the captions. All of that is easier to view in full slideshow mode. Or, you can take the easy way out and not look at all! Here they are: Brandywine Battlefield Boys Best, Bill

The thing about California (in particular, nevermind the rest of the West) is that there is *so much more* territory than in the East. I rode the entire PCH, through the Redwoods, back and forth to Lake Tahoe...days on end of fabulous riding. It's a long term plan to spend a month or so riding the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain roads.

That statement is a poetic, and poignant, expression that informs our lives (whatever we have experienced and endured). Semper Fidelis, indeed, @Sempervee1

From what I have read, the crankcase was modified to counter the cracking problem. If I recall correctly, there were at least two stages, maybe three. Ribs were added. I don't know for sure whether the 850GT was the second stage or the third, or even if there was really a "third stage". Whatever, one can see clearly on the pictures on these two pages how ribs were added to the crankcase to get the cracking problem under control. https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/moto guzzi/moto_guzzi_v7.htm https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/moto guzzi/moto_guzzi_850gt.htm

For a few years now I've tried to beat this disease, but the best cope I can come up with is to try to look at them less and ride them more.

I am of the theory that I caught a similar airborne virus at around 12 years old when I had a paper route and an older (14) gave me a ride on his new Honda 305 Superhawk. I have suffered almost 60 years since and tried various medical, psychological and other cures. I thought I had it in remission (numbers going down) until recently when the count started the other way. I have enlisted a psychiatric nurse who claims she has a solution and last evening came over with some of her solution which involves two roaming cats that she brought along, in the last picture. I think it maybe my final chance to beat this virus!

What are you even talking about? I don't see anything sick or crazy here. Everything looks perfectly rational and normal to me. If there's anything possibly wrong, there does seem to be a bit too much room between the motorcycles. Probably could get some more in there.

. Her Grace, Kathi -- my Perfect Pillion & Polish Princess -- has just informed me that we will be attending. Bill

All my CF parts looked that good until a Cornwall toolbox drawer decided it could no longer retract at the same height it had extended over........and off came the 3 layers of clear. All the F-words in Scarface and Pulp Fiction did not equal the one F-word I announced that day! life was never the same......

The pump starting after tapping it is the clue here. When they start to fail they jam up. Lack of running, drying out in an empty tank and fuel contamination all play a part in addition to age. Time for a new pump anyway. I think people need to consider that things age and need to be "hard time" replaced if you don't want to be stranded on the side of the road at some point. These bikes are now 20-25 year old machines with electronic controls in a often hot, wet, fuel and vibratory environment. So fuel pumps, ignition pickups, relays, TPS etc will have a "life". Some stuff can be serviced like the ignition switch but some things just have a "life" just like an aircraft part. Phil

Can you hear the fuel pump prime when you flip the switch to 'run'? Next, you need a test light and seat off. Gearbox in neutral, yes? I just had about a 5 minute WTF with a honda quad I haven't used in a few months because it wasn't in neutral.

Well, I guess it's good if you want to burn calories, bad if you're trying to outrun the cops.

Totally different head and cams than a Griso engine BUT the whole valve system on a Dayton/Centauro engine is still a high wear and marginal system prone to flaking lifters and wearing valve guides at a high rate. A 2 valve reliable engine they are not. Phil

I love this so much. Thank you for taking me along when I have not been able to get back there for so long . . . The sights and the sounds are so comforting, reminding me of my ten years there. The special interviews with Peter Egan, @Corey Levenson, and @swooshdave (himself!) are just extraordinary. That the sound is raw and unaltered makes the experience better for me. Having actually been there, I appreciate the raw take on the audio. That my ears ring all the time and my bandmates are suspect of my hearing should be considered in this matter of "audio" opinion . . .

I went to the Barber Vintage Festival for ten years (missed its first year). Ended up building a couple great routes there and back without using the "Interstate" or major highways. 200-280 miles / 320-450 km of backroads, valleys, and ridge crossings, bypassing every town possible. Just fabulous. The event, itself, is equally fabulous and the video really stresses how the attendees, how the myriad, unparalleled motorcycle-ism is intoxicating, even overwhelming. I so appreciate the "man on the ground" style of the video as I felt I was walking around with my friends, hearing the gentle chatter in the background, bikes being started and revved; the passersby, the tram ride; always the racing going on. Looking forward to Part 2 ! (Part 3?)

These are the small hole exhaust, also come in the large hole version.

Finished up yesterday with a 600 mile round trip for the last 3 stops! Hope your suggestions make it into the tour next year!