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from SoCal. All I had to surf the internet out there was my Galaxy Tab 4. For whatever reason, it wouldn't let me post on *this* forum.. strange.

Thanks, @Speedfrog! We knew it was there, somewhere! From the beginning, the tune-up procedure in the V11 Workshop Manual came in for a lot of criticism. Hence, the various alternative methods to achieve reliable tuning outcomes with the V11 Sport/LeMans variants. Take, for example, the phrase " . . . completely closed throttle on the attached rod. " It is, in fact, not possible to completely close the throttle (plate) when attached to the (throttle linkage) rod. Attempting to set the TPS in this fashion would be completely ineffective with a pathetic outcome. Further, allowing a range in the TPS setting that indexes the map a step (or two or three steps) off, would lead to the kind of stumbling, hiccups, idle instability, and other complaints commonly attributed to the V11. While there are maybe a half dozen or more contributors to this undesirable running behavior, performing the "Decent Tune-up", with particular attention to the TPS procedure (Step #2), has benefited countless numbers of V11s. I might suggest that the " +/- 15 mV" language at the very end of the section "If, after this procedure, the idling speed is not within the indicated range " is to prevent the shop technician from fussing with the parameters for another hour. That is, after all, what owners are for . . .

I kept my MV AgustaF4 and my 1000ss Ducati in the house. One in the lounge room and the other in the adjoining dining room. When the MV went the 1198 Ducati took it's place. No issues with odours or anything else. New girlfriends would be somewhat surprised at first then because the bikes didn't smell or leak oil or anything else and they realised they were quite benign they would forget they were there. I used to tell them they were kinetic art. Phil

Find a strong apprentice. Raise your rates Ride more. Happy Trails! Don't be a stranger.

myWife is away for the weekend. Maybe I should slip a bike into the house and see how it goes . . . Anyone have a spare room?

My wife keeps plants in the house. I don't mind. I keep motorcycles in the house, she doesn't mind. A woman who won't allow a motorcycle in the house is not a "keeper".

There you go @activpop . . . A road map to matrimonial bliss and harmony . . .

@Eamonn, you should email Mike Rich and get a list together of questions before hand. Like if you need to check valve to piston clearance or what's the best way to seat rings. You talked about doing some head work he might do that I just know he doesn't want to be a parts supplier. Super nice and his website is up so he can't blame you for inquiring. Let us know what you found for weights on the 2004 Guzzi parts I only had my 2002 for comparison.

That would depend on the bike(s), obviously. If the bikes is drained of fuel the risk of smell is reduced dramatically. But even there, modern bikes in the US have a vent system for the fuel tank that is designed to capture the fuel vapors. Fuel is probably the main possible source of an odor. These are my two bikes in my living room. But they don't get run. So there is no fuel in them. I did add a secondary floor for them so if they do mess up the floor under them (Old Ducatis do sometimes mark their territory) it is not the real floor but a secondary floor that they are messing up. I did that with snap together flooring and some trim for the edge.

Just in case, if you click on any stop, the stop number and address comes out on the left of the map! For the record, stop #39 was correct on this map right from the get go. I don't use the addresses provided by the tour; I search and confirm before. I suppose you got the double email about 39... I was hoping to register a Red Quota as a second motorcycle this year....

I would love to see Marquez win another title on the Ducati...that would be truly sensational! The bike and the outfit look absolutely fantastic and seeing his grin coming off the hot laps was priceless. Then again, let's hope he doesn't screw it up by the usual antics...here's to hoping that drafting, bumping and causing accidents (sorry...racing incidents!) are now over that he's on a great bike. No longer can we say what they used to years ago...Ducati, Ducati....Soldi Buttati!

Enjoyed the "string" and memories brought back. As luck would have it, I'm wearing a T-shirt from "Frank's Place Bar/The World's Farthest North Biker Bar" acquired in Fairbanks in 1992. Rode an '88 Softail (fuel capacity: 4 gal.) from Tucson via a HOG rally in Reno up the Alcan...which also happened to be its 50th construction anniversary. The HD dealer at the time was located in IIRC a log cabin looking building...and was even back then fighting HD's corporate push to standardize dealer's "look". (A battle I see they lost googling the current Fairbanks dealer.) Anyway, the then owner had spent time in SE AZ...so we spent some time shooting the breeze...I recall sitting in a barber shop chair with some of the help wondering if we had seen the same whores given our animated conversation. He poo-pooed returning on the Alcan...and said a return via the Cassiar would be less...well...pedestrian. Challenge accepted. Still have my copy of The Milepost from back then. And still have the '88 HD. Oh...now with a 5 gal. tank.

Feeling more Zeta, here.

Why is the expression "Beta tester" bouncing around my mind just now?

Got two rides in already this year, yesterday and today. Tomorrow will get another one in! Weather is perfect...50-60 F, blue skies, not much traffic... Yesterday did 150 miles, today did 225 miles...have to exercise the fleet!

Hot potato for a reason Cheers Tom.

@p6x I sent the guy an inquiry email, I'll let you know if I get a reply . . .

I have never come across home doors opening outward, and I have been living in a lot of places around the world. It makes sense to have an outward opening for safety in places that have to privilege an emergency exit with a mass effort, for safety purposes. All the doors that have been slammed in my face were always opening inward...

Good suggestion, and is easy to check. The bike now has a Le Mans champagne tank on it that I have never used before, so some blockage is possible, although the misfire was only at low rpm. Yes, a smile for the first few minutes. It was running really well at high power, but since I was still inside an urban 80 km/hr speed limit, high power was only for a few seconds. That angry howl above 6000 is balm for the soul. I will look at those components that you suggest this week. The signal lights are "smoke" colour with amber LEDs inside. Lens P/N GU06753700 "Copetta Indic Direz Fume" is standard on a Griso 1200 8V and fits the original V11 lights. I was trying to reduce the number of different colours on the bike.

Sorry for late reply - I’ll ask if he’s riding or flying… he’s got a bike or two down south here, so he may just be flying down then riding. I used to leave a bike up there for the same reason, that it takes so long to get back and forth that it makes it prohibitive to be able to enjoy the riding up there. Last year I brought my bike down the AlCan, and in years past have done the Cassiar. AlCan was a great run, and I’ll admit I had been blind to how nice it was, after assuming for years (decades) that it was another version of the Cassiar but more crowded. Not so… the Cassiar is nice and has its own charms, but the AlCan has the Canadian Rockies that put it in a different category. For what it’s worth, i can offer a few thoughts, perhaps mostly on a different thread or message. In short, most of the important details are readily available, like: careful fuel planning and including carrying an extra reserve strapped onto bike just in case (there’s plenty of fuel, but sometimes further apart and sometimes not open when you need it). Look at the “milepost” publication for guidance on fuel and sightseeing stop, an online guide (used to be published, and probably still available in hard copy). And the obvious great things to see are indeed great to see, like the Banf-Jasper area, and the northern Rockies lodge & environs (and nice place to stay). Up toward Carcross there are some choices, like heading up toward Whitehorse (which is fun), and/or heading down the lovely one-way-in/out Atlin. Then I usually have spent a night at Discovery Yukon Lodge on my way up toward “the big part of” alaska, after spending some time poking around Destruction Bay (south of there). I’m already writing too much, but there’s more to say, so I’ll call it good for this string. Oh, except to say that taking the ferry back down south at the end of such a trip, from Haines or skagway (to prince rupert, or Vancouver, etc), with the bike, is a hassle to set up, and takes a ton of time, is now foolishly expensive, but its quite enjoyable.

I Happen to like Bill's 5 in 1 tool can be used to adjust spokes or that pesky TPS. Can even be rotated 180 degrees for a hammer.

In this situation I'm the exact opposite. I well remember the glut of second hand Ducatis around Melbourne in the late 90's and early 2000's from people that fell in love with the big Ducati sports bikes until the first major service bill was shown to them. Then it was on the market and the head made the next decision. The heart decision is fine when you're young and malleable and adaptable and can live with massive compromises but you lose all that and get some insight/wisdom as you get older. The last bike I'm going to buy these days is a Sports bike I'm afraid and if I was in the "returning to the fold" position I'd go for the rational decision not the heart. There's time for the emotional decision after you've got back into it and can asses the extent of your new passion with some recent experience under your belt. So light weight, value for money, economical replaceable parts for the inevitable minor oopsies at the start, not to much power, easy to service and reliable. My advice. Phil

Proved once again mine doesn't work, ran out of gas a half mile from the station today. I tipped the bike over gathering every last drop and rode the remaining way there. I think I threw out my back…