Gmc28

Was good to meet you “Activepop”! I also got to reacquaint with an old friend or two from Alaska at John day, and in that group had a chance to see Dave Blue again (not from Alaska), a great guy who’s spent much of his life in the guzzi world, part as a guzzi tech rep, and on a guzzi race team, and the guy that I first gave Goldie to when I first acquired her. I didn’t know Guzzi’s, other than I wanted one, so gave the champagne lemans to him to go through and assure it was dialed in to start things off. He got her running sweet, so I had a baseline to know what to expect as “normal”, as I got my head around the machines. Has been all “downhill” from there, with more Guzzis. and was fun to chat with Dave Richardson, the Guzziology author (and former part owner of Moto Int’l), and a number of other great guzzi folks from all over (US and overseas). Enjoyable event for sure. pics show Dave Blue (blue shirt), and then an old friend who had just rolled his 71 Stornello onto the line for the eventual show…. whole line filled up with some great Guzzi’s, including another lovely Lemans.

Will you be doing White Pass down into Skagway, or the road from Haines junction down to Haines? Great routes.

Summer heat and tourists, serious threats to good riding! With school out, and especially since Covid (“revenge travel”), it’s been brutal with the crowds. get north… cooler and less people. Though there will still be lots of people in certain places of course. Glacier national is great (can’t recall if you’ll hit that one), but you gotta get up real early to beat the traffic line to motor through. and the Yukon should be cooler and way less people, that’s one of the reasons I love it up there 😎

Fun stuff here in John Day. Lots of machines to gape at, but these v11’s are fitting. not sure he’ll get the $10k asking for either one, but they are tight…

Bon voyage! jealous. maybe keep an eye on fire activity as you head north, as there are a couple of them catching on up north, which could create some crappy air quality, but so far not too bad.

Yessir. Though the question is truly posed also as a general knowledge question, as I thought I understood the topic, until this recent go-around with the v85, where the advice “out there” is that you’d use both upmap (to correct fueling for exhaust) and the pc6 (for power gains, based in part on better flowing exhaust). I hear you on the initial statement about “why both”, which is where I’m at. since they both work by adjusting fueling (the fuel/air mix), whether it’s via a map change or a pre-ecu bias, I’m therefore not clear on how they really differ in what they accomplish (even if it’s via different methods). A map change can effect a larger array of things and to a larger extent, but for the scope of just adjusting to accommodate for a somewhat better flowing exhaust, and/or to adjust the mix for “best running” vs “lowest emissions”, what’s the difference? regarding the self adjusting ecu’s though, I’ve not seen that ever on my various machines. Sounds like black magic😎

i hear ya Chuck, and that's where i'm at currnetly, but wondering whether buying just an UpMap to address the upgrades and then waiting for a better map via that pathway is a dead-end, and/or just waiting to see if eventually someone cracks the ECU, or whether a great map from a PC6 would be an expensive but "final" solution. in short, why an UpMap plus a PC6? And is just waiting for the potential for someone to crack the ECU and have access to good new maps, is that just cheaper, or is it actually better somehow? for that (full ECU access with new map), i assume larger ability to manipulate parameters... more parameters and more range in adjustment. But i wouldn't need that necessarily, so i think the only downside to the PC6 is the cost.

Questionable judgment on my part as to whether to post such a poorly defined and debatable topic, and not sure if this is the right area of the forum, but here goes: (admin can move this topic as needed :->. And no, there’s nothing in here about motor oil, or Trump, or Gaza…. So it’s not quite that bad. But there’s also nothing in here about women, so maybe not worth reading…) ECU flash, vs Power Commander, and then UpMap (a subset of ECU flash?)…. Which way to go on a later model guzzi. But thats too broad, so to narrow it down, its for an E5 V85tt, where to my knowledge no one has cracked the ECU allowing for Guzzidiag, Beetle, etc., to fit into the list of those kind of options. I’ve lived my mechanical life happily thus far with the opinion that I’ll remove power commanders from any bikes I’ve acquired and then instead upload a revised map that does what I want. Ducati’s, KTM’s, and Moto Guzzi’s, all the same though via different pathways, and with happy results. Oh, and i guess I’ll add that on a bmw that i put a lot of miles on i had an emulator, which worked well enough in that case, but thats a bit different. But on the E5 V85tt (but same question applies to other Guzzi’s or brands) there’s no guzzidiag or Beetle maps, yet, purportedly because no one has “cracked” the ECU. So instead (“instead” is my word, and maybe the wrong word?) there’s the power commander, which does most of the same thing, in a different way, and with (arguably) mildly different results. I’ll further qualify that by saying there are no major mods in play for my situation, pretty much just exhaust, so no major changes are needed/desired in engine parameters other than accommodating the new exhaust and addressing the usual “flaws” from modern factory/OEM settings, therefore the differences in the use of PC vs an ECU flash would seem to be very small. Perhaps just a matter of the amount of “clutter”? Just want the bike to accommodate the change to an aftermarket exhaust, run sweet, and just be generally well sorted. So far so good?… but a PC6, with AT300 is about a grand (USD). And the V85 crowd says you gotta ALSO use UpMap, to have the ECU accommodate the exhaust change, and thats where I’m hung up. Thats another 5 bills (USD), and if a PC6 can effect fuel/air ratio, then what is the UpMap doing that the PC6 can’t do? The general answer is that UpMap addresses the fuel ratio issue for the exhaust, while PC6 allows for more HP (etc). I’d assume the UpMap is more 1-dimensional, and may not be able to do all that a PC6 can do, but then again, why not? When a map is chosen for UpMap from their list of options, is it flashing the ECU, and if so, why not wait for someone to develop a great map that can then be uploaded to the ECU? And if the UpMap is instead biasing data to achieve what it does on the front end of the ECU, then why not just a PC6 to achieve the same thing? i’m thinking that maybe UpMap utilizes a part of the ECU that OEM’s and regulatory agencies allow to be accessed on a limited level for accommodating race track type situations, meaning just a limited “access” to the ECU, but thats pure conjecture on my part. Anyone have an enlightening way of explaining an answer to that scattershot question?

Mmmm, a wine provider…. I like the sound of that. But waiting for the mosquitoes to recede in AK, that could be a long wait.

Oh man, I’m fond of those ST’s, in their various versions. I had the 916, and have been casually eye-balling Craigslist over the last few yrs, hoping i won’t find a sweet one for a good deal, or a project version for real sweet deal, as I’m pretty sure I’d succumb and be doing a bank withdrawal. Be fun to see how your project goes. Looks like a Corbin, and some Staintunes. Didn’t like how slick the Corbin was on my ST, so i swapped to a Sargent (20yrs ago).

I’m interested. I’ll PM you Scud.

Roger that. The different frames are what keeps things interesting in the garage! Red frames, old black frames, new black frames…. They’re all getting along. like to see who rides a red frame the furthest to the John Day gathering. But I’ll not wander off forum topic any further there.

champagne bottle redux? I must not be aware of this tasty sounding reference you're making. I do admit that i'm a sucker for some of the proper bourgeoisie sparkling wine you refer to, high browed as it may sound for a motorhead, and of course love the V11's, and have a champagne colored one to boot.... hopefully you and the bike will recover well! For me on the V11 front (what have YOU done today on your V11...), i'm realizing that the moto-gear budget is getting blown this year on some farkles for the V85tt, postponing the suspension upgrade I was eye-balling for Red/V11. The genteel step-child (V85) of the V11 is hogging some of the available resource, at least for now. So will monitor gstallons and his bikes recovery, and dream of the next cash infusion when suspension pieces can be purchased :->

Excellent. You’ve helped confirm my urge for the Loire! I lived for a year in France a long time ago, but spent the vast majority of the time in the Alps (Grenoble), some in Paris and Normandy, and never set foot near Champagne area or Bordeaux. Just got back last month from Champagne and Bordeaux (cliche, but was fun). I’ve ventured “across” the Loire Valley a number of times, spending a night at the Chambord Relais, and poked around there for a day which was enough to see I want to go back and hit places like you’ve suggested. And the Pyrenees…. Yes, that would be great, and maybe mix that in as part of a trip down into Rioja. But, getting back to Normandy, per your original post, is sort of an anchor item. Have a couple good friends who haven’t been, one of whom is a rider, who I’ve been talking about getting there in the next year or two. Linking the Loire valley was my thought, meandering down from Normandy (and starting in paris)

Looks like a real attractive price. I’ve always rented in Italy, from either Agostini’s or one of the big name places (motorad, blue something or other, etc), and seems like its usually quite a bit more expensive than what you show there, so thats great. A self guided tour option could be interesting. I’m a DIY travel guy, in part because of what i did for a living for years (a paid tourist… = pilot), but sometimes I’m surprised to find good or great options in the plug-and-play tour category. Worth checking out. In 2025 am looking at renting a bike from Paris area, shoot out to Normandy for a while, then down the Loire Valley, and circle back to Paris and head home. Italy is unbeatable for me, but mixing it up a bit is good.

Yep, depends on the persons individual “gifts” or shortcomings. i found out the hard way that the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” certainly applies to pilots. Folks that had all the right ingredients on paper or via interview, migjt be the ones that didn’t have the ability/gift of good snap decision making. While a certain element of luck is often involved, making the best of what you’ve got is the key when the turds hit the fan. As Phil noted, sod the rules when necessary and do what u gotta do. You can train a monkey to eventually survive the required sim training experience commercial pilots have to deal with 1-2 times per year, with enough repetition, but you can’t impart or train the gift of “good natural instinct” or experience (which are different, but have similar end-results).

Sounds like real motivation for Docc to ride out across country on his sport to the center of the modern civilized world, John Day Oregon, to be properly branded. That would be a helluva ride on a sport…. Maybe i shouldn’t be, but I’m still mildly astounded that folks are coming from distance to John Day. I’m quite fond of that area, but it’s pretty much just a wide spot in the road. Yes, surrounded by some great riding, and I suppose a lot easier to arrange for space for a lot of folks to camp and hang out, so that largely addresses why such a place i suppose, but still seems odd.

A beautiful spot. A favorite place to visit. And now that Hertz apparently rents motorcycles at CDG, love to get back over there, rent a bike, ride the few hours to get out to Bayeaux and the D-day beaches, and spend more time there in Normandy. Lots of great, uncrowded, scenic roads, lots of great stuff for history buffs, and a lovely coastal area to just enjoy.

Touché. And about to board my flight (as a passenger) momentarily from Anchorage! In truth, Alaska airlines still has some decent pilot standards, and a lot of good pilots (and a few hosers, but no person or company can get it all perfect all the time).

Anyone know what the agenda is on the 27th?

Flying, It’s like everything else in life…. Requires some degree of natural skill, and then experience to compliment that skill set. if someone doesn’t have the basic skill set, it will not ultimately work out well. If they don’t have or acquire experience, same problem. plenty of skilled folks, “naturals”, who don’t learn from experience, and bad things happen. Or folks who manage to amass a lot of experience and survive by luck (or thanks to all the systems now available to pilots which make things safer), but without the natural skill set they are still not a great option as a PIC (pilot in command). to complicate it more, there are the very distinctly different skill sets involved: “stick and rudder” skills, akin to riding skills, and then there’s “instrument flying/competence skillset”, which is more like a video game skill set. Different parts of the brain. Bush pilots need stick and rudder skills, airline pilots just need the instrument skills, but the best pilots have both. I’ve come across plenty of airline pilots who were truly horrible pilots, but survived with the instrument skills and in an airline environment designed wisely over the decades to minimize risk via lots of amazing systems. Oh, and the final major issue is ego…. Male pride is the most common issue, but the American dream BS of “if you can dream it you can do it” ideology is just as bad at causing people to think they can do what they either can’t or shouldn’t. same for operating cars 😏, motorbikes, welding, surgery, etc

Not sure where i missed this, but I’m seeing the event is the 27th -29th, not 28-30. And says I’m supposed to write a check for the rally fee. Not sure whats going on Thursday the 27th, but i’lll be over mid day the 28th.

Oops, how’d that happen? But yes. One of the black frames is supposed to go away to a friend, but thats been the case now for a few years.

Aerostitch bikini bottoms?

what did i do to my v11 today: walked by them, eyeballing them lovingly, awaiting the black rain clouds to peel back and reveal the heat wave that we oregonians are looking forward to. for your painful fall, i have my fair share of ego, so its painful but true to say that all my "horizontal events" on bikes since i first began riding illegally on the road (dirt riding not included) have been slow speed tipovers. damn embarrassing, especially because they repeat about every 2-3 yrs.