Gmc28

Great point on the sun shade. Used to dislike them, on the older style Nolan helmets, but love the newer ones now that are better integrated.... use it all the time.

All the good stuff has been said, and I’d only add a couple nuance items: As noted, Bilt and Sedici are house brands at cycle gear, and vary a lot in quality, with one model/item being great and the next model being pretty junky, so you just need to evaluate each item on its own. That said, their warranty is arguably the best, at least in a practical sense. Since it’s house brand stuff, they have long warranties and pretty much just let u swap it for a new one if you have an issue. I only used the warranty once on a Bilt ADV suit I bought for my son, but it was totally painless and devoid of any need to ship anything.... just walked into a local store and they gave me a new one, and there are hundreds (?) of their stores around. And I’m another big fan of the roadcrafter. I don’t live in hot climate, but plenty of friends who use the Roadcrafter suit and just vary what they wear underneath based on season/weather.... fleece or just boxers and a T, and they have seemed happy for a very long time that way. On big euro trips they really shine, where rides may take us into the alps or down in a hot Italian city, so just bundle up or unzip and it’s pretty easy. It was my go-to outfit for about 20yrs, though recently I’ve changed it up mostly just for the hell-of-it. Dainese, always a great choice. That’s what I’ve been eye balling again. Bad idea for me since I’m mostly too skinny even for dainese, and it’s expensive, but such nice gear. And if u have a cool/cold season when u ride, do NOT forget heated riding shirts! Maybe it’s age, or getting soft, but I love it. On a long distance ride where you’ll have cold weather at some point, having that relatively little heated shirt in your kit rather than a big bulky 4-season jacket is a no-brainer. Last fall I rode a couple thousand miles through weather with ice in the morning at the hotel, and then later at 100+ deg in Death Valley, and the heated jacket allowed me to focus on the hot weather gear and just have the heated shirt in the bag for the cold stretches. Way less bulk, and it’s warmer than any jacket ever made. Just make sure it fits snug. I’ve got a couple brands, but warm-and-safe I think is the brand of my heated sweater. Only complaint is that the sweater is hard to take off, if u get the good snug fit. I’d recommend a full zip front instead (my old jacket is that way, but it’s loose, so not as warm.... u want that heat close to your body). Helmet- as noted, get what fits. And some disagree with me on this, but I’m a huge fan of the modular helmets. I have a Nolan 104. Riding the road, face shield down. At a stop light, or around town on a hot Texas day at slow speeds I have my helmet flipped up so I can breath. Except for track days, I’m never going back.

My son sent me a reference to these guys, and i admit that i figured it was just more odd stuff from my son, but i gave it a listen a while back. Catchy, but whatever, is what i thought. Then i thought “hmm, that was unusual, gonna listen to that again...”, and from there the brain worm sunk in deep. I might go so far as to say that once Wolf Totem in its pure Hu version (they do the song with an American metal band to help sell it, which is fine, but loses some of its best qualities in that version, imho) could end up in that category of rock songs that survive the onslaught of time and fashion thanks to the simple rock beat/percussion/catchiness. that primal percussion, the (mongolian) folksy strings and throat singing, mixed with the underlying American metal backbone and its something new in a class by itself. If you need some yin for your yan, this might be the desired ingredient. A commenter on one of their videos said “Makes me so proud to be Mongolian. Which is weird, because I’m Latino.” they just released a cover of Metallica’s “Sad but True”, which to me seems like too much (more) of a move to the heavily produced and commercial side, but hey, its still catchy, and is another example of a song that as I’m complaining about it i also realize that i can’t turn it off. Its also interesting to see how the random people i meet who somehow let on that they are fans are so diverse, from young to old, hip to “outdated”. Oh, and i found out they host a cooking show on YouTube, highlighting the cooking they do when on tour..... another weird, cool twist.

Love to also see pics when all done and on the bike. Cool project.

Agreed with Pete, though to be clear the “universally rich” descriptor should probably be qualified as applying (presumably) to our subject-matter V11’s. Some bikes of that vintage from other makes did run too lean, and while it’s true that it’s too crude to say they were simply lean or rich, I have seen these band-aid devices work to great effect on some bikes. In my case was on a bike that didn’t have an open ecu (at the time), and it ran consistently bad from being too lean, despite all kinds of various ways/attempts to tune around it. An O2 tricking gizmo instantly transformed the machine, dramatically, and 77k miles later I sold it and the new owner is motoring on with it happily over 100k, with the caveman enrichener. I gather such simple options would be a non-starter for our V11’s, for multiple reasons, but as Pete said they have the open ecu, tools, and maps available.

Brian Johnson is a geordie boy?!

Did I just see five finger death punch and mark knopfler/emylou Harris on back to back posts? I must be dreaming... knopfler is my favorite, and can’t beat death punch for when at the gym (sadly a bit rare these days for this slacker). Death punch makes me feel like an 18 yr old, but that ain’t all bad. On a different Italian bike tonight (duc multi) in Globe Arizona, where I stopped for an overnight enroute from Tucson to vegas. Little winery here, called “Waggins” (I think), quirky place but with a couple surprisingly good reds, with live music outside, playing soundgarden, CSN&Y, Emerson lake & Palmer, and STP. A good evening of riding and music.

Some good lookin’ Italians!

Ok Shakespeare, some of us are transfixed to the tale and the images... that taillight is exactly as you’ve described, both “wrong” and also intriguingly sweet.

It’s a great one. Like u say, hard to find in some places, but Then u end up in Montana and see it’s darn near everywhere (or was last time for me), and about the same price as regular. Crazy.

Mmmm, another ethanol thread. We are gluttons for punishment... :-> The tanks on my cagiva’s all fit fine from the dealer early on, so wasn’t an Italian QC issue. then over time they expanded and became very problematic. Same with other earlier model ducs from back when we had moved beyond metal but didn’t really see the effects of the ethanol yet. As Phil and others have have indicated, clean em out, whichever way works best for you, then either coat the inside or or just convert to non ethanol gas. All my little gas powered stuff at home now, lawnmowers, weed whackers, dirt bikes, are all on clear gas, and none of them have the tank and carburation issues that plagued them before the ethanol issue was highlighted a number of years ago. Pretty dramatic difference on a large number of motors in my little sphere.

many thanks gentlemen. that fills in most of the blanks for me. From what you've written, I'm seeing a header crossover, so that points to it being an 03 spec, and no lead coming from the o2 sensor bung on the header, so that just means its the US spec bike. being 03 may mean the conn rod/oil spray change. do the 03's tend to have better fueling, or does the 15RC and the header crossover (and whatever else) not translate that into that?

these question(s) are answerable via pulling info from various other topics/threads, but i'll pose them here specifically for clarity (for me), for those who don't mind chiming in: the '03 V11's went to the 15RC ECU, but only after a certain point in production, correct? If it is the RC, i assume i would see a O2 sensor coming off the exhaust somewhere (see next question also) the 03's have a forward crossover, rather than mid-bike, it appears. Does that sound correct, and if so, is that a good thing, or do folks tend to prefer changing over to a system more like the '02's and older have? and if so, i assume that means changing the head pipes, because of the front crossover plumbing? are there other differences of note with the '03 over the '02's and older 1100's? oh, and if the paint on the forward end of the valve cover is bubbling, would the likely issue be just a lousy job someone did of re-finishing the valve cover, or is that more likely indicative of other issues that come to mind? again, i've seen a lot of this alluded to elsewhere, but looking to clarify a bit, if anyone wants to chime in. thanks all

My brother is down that direction. may see if he can take a look at it.

I think i just had a longer-winded way of saying the same? my '16 Multi enduro is magnficent in most every category that i care about, but apples and oranges to the older italians i have (or had). Since the OP was talking 900SS vs V11, i just poorly attempted to steer my comments back in that direction :-) And MZNYC, i'd 2nd that notion, albeit only loosely, in that the 2v 904 in the old Monster and the Gran Canyon has "feel" of power that does NOT match with the low actual dyno numbers, nor the (heavier than one would think) weights. Fuel delivery and just general rounded power band are great, and very little if any fiddling with mapping is needed (for the few i've had).

doesn't hurt to have that spare. not necessarily the best cost option, for a diminishing/expiring part, but obviously nice to have on hand. I use mine to power my clay pigeon flinger :-) The MotoBatt i removed from my sons Gran Canyon did the same thing... was failing, then bike no-start, so i grabbed the bike from his place and brought it home and began an attempt at a revival process, but ultimately it also started to get hot and balloon, so i punted it and grabbed a new battery. its also an AGM, and has a similar following as the Odyssey from bike (etc) enthusiasts.

i loved my ST4. And love the ST2 and ST4S, but for different reasons, and never owned those 2 (but had a version of the ST2 motor in my Gran Canyon). The ST4 (and the S) are in my mind a bit closer to the V11 in that they have the distinctive italian (ducati of course in this case) sound and feel, whereas the newer duc's (which i love) are becoming more "homologized"... not quite as distinctive sounding and feeling. The longer wheelbase (or some other geometric features) on the ST4 made it better for touring but less ideal for tight corning/twisties (which makes sense). i regularly consider buying another ST4, but come back to the "light" by remembering that I love my V11 for that delicious italian feel & sound, and then my late model Duc for long distance touring and to satisfy the need for stupid amounts of horsepower. The 900SS would actually be a fun variant, and one that i'd prefer for some fun track days over the V11 (or ST4).

"The 15RC ECU is used on O2 sensor equipped V11’s." So, even if not O2 sensor equipped, if a 15M/non-O2 sensor bike had aftermarket exhaust with sensor bung, and added the dongle (ran the wiring to a sensor, and plugged into the bung), the RC should work? Partly curiosity, and partly because i'll be playing with ECU and map options on the "other" V11 in the shop this winter (as mentioned in our PM)

anyone know if the 15RC from a California works for a Lemans? i'm assuming yes, so long as the proper map is uploaded... but maybe i assume wrong.

Thanks P- kaoko just sent me their form asking me to measure and take pics of all the various handlebar stuff, which i may do, but if you’ve had success with the GSX-R 16.8mm ID model, then that’ll probably short cut the process. And before i forget, thought I’d mention that above in this thread (or one of the other threads on this topic) someone mentioned the throttle meister “departing the bike”. I had the same experience with Goldie, shortly after i bought her from my friend. Never had an issue with the throttle meister setups over multiple decades, but the throttle side came off enroute to town one day, bounced off the tarmac, and hit my knee, before bouncing into the tangles on side of the road awaiting discovery some day from a paleontology team. No huge surprise i guess, given that its just a loose bolt on a vibration-prone handlebar, but just goes to emphasize the obvious, that a little loctite (once its adjusted just right) is the way to go. The folks at throttlemeister took mercy on me and sold me a single side bar end unit (1/2 set) for a good discount at that point.

Feel free to PM whenever... all good. I generally park the V11's in the fall when the rains come, and then ride less and ride stuff with bigger windscreens and that i don't mind getting as dirty. Many good all-weather V11 riders on this forum, and my hats off to 'em, and it makes me happy to read about them, but i've chosen at this point to make the v11's my "keep them shiny" bikes, and abuse other bikes. But point is, i try hard to do most of my bike mx in the rainy season, with the wood stove going in the shop, and am game in the winter to offer whatever help i might be. You mention the ducs.... i'm a big multi fan, having owned multiple Gran Canyons, the "grandaddy" of the Multi's, and then a couple air cooled multi's, then an early 1200, and now a multi enduro 1200. Other than the PITA for doing the valves on the big, 8v water cooled engines, i love them, and the valve job is really only a thing every few years, and any more i just pay to have it done. I've eyeballed the 950 MS lustfully many times, because the 1200 is a heavy beast, but i always come back to confirming that i love the multi enduro 1200 with its huge tank "the mostest". The only issue with the size of the 1200 or 1260 is if going off-road. Off pavement is fine, such as the FS roads around our beautiful state, but single track or technical stuff is just ridiculous on the top-heavy Enduro. There are those who do it just fine, but just because it can be done doesn't for me translate into "hey, this is fun", because it just isn't. Even if the top heavy-ness doesn't cause a crash or lay-down, you're still thinking about what a bitch it will be to get that bike back upright if it goes over an embankment.... you'll need several good, strong friends, or a heavy-lift helicopter to get it back on its feet, on the trail. Getting it upright is one thing, and I can manage that, but upright from down a slope where its landed upside down.... that's what in your head as you navigate rocky single tracks on a steep slope, which leads to a death-grip on the bars and the consequent less graceful riding technique. But man, the ridiculous amount of torque and HP, comfort, that 8gal tank, and the fact that i get between 42 and 49 mpg, depending on how i'm ridding it, makes for huge range, and just removes the worry from trip planning for gas stops. I have a KTM 990 for when i want to take a long distance machine on a good long ride but also go off road... its the best for that for me. It's currently stuck in Alaska at a friends place, where covid and life have caused me to leave her un-loved now for this whole season. A truly comfortable long distance machine, with that windshield that looks like a barn-door but works perfectly for me, and then its better center of gravity, and just all-around better manners for off-road. it ain't no dirt bike, but for me is the best model in that little micro-slice of the riding segment.... where you want to be able to ride for days on tarmac but also be comfortable on some easy to medium single track. I'd actually argue the the Cagiva Gran Canyon is the best for that (imho), but after riding them for years i finally admitted to myself that i'm just too tall to make it fit me. The Duc enduro is the opposite... it's tall, and with that 8gal tank, it feels huge, but she's like a harley on the highway (in the good sense... comfortable, and with a ton more HP and handling thats not even remotely comparable). A close friend of mine down there in Bend bought my nicer Gran Canyon a little while back, and is why i have two v11's... i have his beloved v11, as part of that trade. He wanted more off-road option, and i loved his v11. I let myself get on a huge tangent there... forgive me. all of that was to say that i think you'd LOVE the 950 MS, though i have not owned one. I'd certainly want the tubeless spoke wheels, though i don't think i'd care as much about the cable clutch vs the later model offered hydraulic (normal) clutch. And for what its worth, while you certainly can't beat a japanese bike for reliability, Ducs are just plain easy to maintain and are reliable these days.... gone are the days (for the most part) of the beloved but less trustworthy Bolognese machines. Since 2010 (anecdotal, not scientific) my ducs have been drop dead realiable, with only the oddball issue now and then, just like my friends on their hondas and suzukis. And importantly, despite what i said about my KTM and about japanese reliabilty, I try and keep it italian!

any update on this by chance? I use the various "gocruise" devices on my bikes, but rode my other V11 (goldie) yesterday for the first time in a while, the one that has the throttlemeister, and remembered that i subtly prefer that kind of friction lock over others. Appears throttlemeister has closed their doors, so looking at the kaoko option. have the kaoko on a ktm, and it works fine for me, so thought i'd give it a go on the V11. saw a lot of banter about all this here and on wildguzzi. fwiw, i've got a strangely damaged throttle side shoulder, and i end up spending a lot more time than i should with my hand off the throttle (to relieve the shoulder issue). Ya, bad habit.. C'est la vie (guerre?). I used the gocruise and equivalent/other-brand devices like that a ton, including on the red V11 for its Texas-to-oregon trip last fall, and works a charm. i keep one in my man-bag full time in case i end up somewhere that i can rent a bike when away from the nest. but they are less ideal for tweaking the throttle just a smidge up or down, as compared to a properly installed throttlemeister. lots of variables in all that, so as always ymmv, but thats my .02 after using about 5 different gocruise devices, and a good number of throttlemeisters (and some other junky devices i won't mention here) on a slug of different bikes and setups.

That would certainly be best. I just offered the low lying fruit.... and like to know if there’s something else amiss if the Italians think one size should fit but then it doesn’t match what i find, so then i pause. I found a sheered bolt at one point, but it was a (fairly) clean sheer, so took me an extra minute of head scratching when reassembling from the batch of bolts in the parts tray as to what was going on.

i'm no coach, that's for sure. but if you're ever up west of Portland area (north plains) on a ride, i'm willing to offer what i have, which is some shop space plus the stuff i've needed to get/keep my machines in good shape. i'm no expert with the V11, but am comfortable with the whole process, basically as spelled out in the docc's decent tune up, though based on what you've written I'm guessing you're largely referring to the computer stuff? if so, i've got an old windows machine with guzzidiag installed and the cables set up and working for my 2 V11's, and what's needed for TPS, and then other more common things like my old twinmax, and just-arrived-yesterday new carbtune toy/tool to mess with at some point to supplement the duty of the twinmax. Time is much more limited for me this time of year, with work being busy and the ideal riding season being short and precious, but glad to offer what i can. I'm in Bend every month or two for a couple days for R&R when i can, and could bring you something you needed if i have it. wish i was there in Bend more, but always seems to be too much going on.... a mixed blessing. Was there a couple weeks ago on the Duc Enduro, touring around a bit on that gorgeous route 242 up over the lava fields, then over to the Aufderheide for both on-road twisties + scenery, and off-pavement exploring, then back to the budget-busting dinner at Bos Taurus (that crown jewel of steak joints!). That largely defines the perfect day. You live in a great place! too bad so many others are figuring that out... we've had our condo there for decades, and have watched the metamorphosis.

same issue i inherited on my red V11. and i've seen it on other bikes, including other makes, including some "bavarian" machines. at this point on my v11 just being gentle with those bolts is fine, as its not a high stress area. and i agree that bolt length is a real factor.... first time i tore into my new-to-me Red machine, there was significant mix-and-match in the bolts/screws i was pulling out. perhaps this winter when the prime riding season is behind us i'll dig back into those again as well, and consider doing some better fixes. but starting with a parts diagram that confirms which length bolt for which hole would be a good box to check.