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Well, my choice of leaving my iPhone in the tail bag is based on Apple's decision to leave the display on, if you use step by step itinerary guidance. How arrogant of them to always second guess that everyone wants to look at a screen rather than on the road. Even if I turn the display off, it will automatically turn on, and stay on at the next step. There is no option to keep the display off, and to only follow spoken directions. That explains why I need to keep my phone in my tail bag, connected to a battery else, it would drain battery in four hours. Recently, I rented a car with a HUD, and directions superimposed in front of my eyes. This is safer but listening to spoken indications is perfect for me. When I grew up, and got my first car, an Innocenti Cooper 1300, my first investment was to install an after market cassette player, amplifier and additional speakers. Today, I no longer listen to music in my 911. Even if I got a good audio system. I feel that I enjoy the driving better by simply being only focused on it and the cars surrounding me. I make a mental note of looking for mistakes or potential threats. I know, it is kind of excessive. To my defense, I can say that I drove vehicles in places where a simple accident can result in being lynched on the spot. If I was completely true to myself, I would do what I used to, when going to rallies in the 60's and 70's. Study the map and memorize the itinerary. That's no longer an option though, because getting traffic in real time is something a map cannot control. In the autumnal part of my life, I am trying to go back to the simple and uncomplicated pleasures that we remember from before. Yeah.... back to earplugs! I like the Slimbuds excepted for the necessity to have additional controls. I removed the microphone arm from my "Shark Tooth", and the only controls I use is the On/Off button. The exhaustion part of riding without noise attenuation is just so incredible. When I rode to South Padre Island and back, I was completely knackered, but could not sleep because of the continuous whoosh in my ears. This is when I started my quest for alleviating the problem to the best I could. Yesterday we had these incredible torrential rains in my part of the city. I took the V11 out and enjoyed riding around the neighborhood. People in their cars were looking at me, probably with empathy. If they could have seen my face, they would have witnessed a grin. I came back soaked, but happy to have verified the Front Michelin Road 5 could take it. Also, the V11 got liquid cooled, and I could tell she liked it.....

Not so much hearing loss which is inevitable as we progress in our lives, but rather fatigue and tinnitus after a long ride at speed on the highway. Wearing earplugs makes a noticeable difference.

Thanks for providing these solutions. I would rule out the Slimbuds since I do want any microphone nor controls on my bars. What I like of my Shark, is they designed their own Bluetooth communication system that perfectly integrates with their helmet. Unfortunately, the "Shark tooth" is not as good as others in terms of performance. Decibuilz seems to be a possible solution, however the sound attenuation needs to be verified, cut off wind noise but let through other necessary sounds.

It sounds like you and I have both identical requirement with noise protection. I do not take calls nor listen to music while I ride, but I listen to GPS directions. Meaning my phone is in my tail bag, and I follow turn by turn directions. Because Apple controls the volume since they know better what is good or bad for my ears, I have difficulty hearing the directions at speed when wearing earplugs. The Alpine MotoSafe Pro black work well most of the time. The red are for track and attenuate a lot more. However, I have had trouble to extract the Alpine to the point of asking assistance from a gas station clerk. He had to use a plastic fork. As you can see in the picture, the large skirts of the Alpine oppose easy extraction, especially when temperatures are high, and you are sweaty. Because of its form, the Quies is already better because the little tab that is used for extraction is larger, and the force required for extraction is low. I still need to confirm after my next trip which will be around 1300 miles.

I have been looking for the best hearing protection to suit me on those long rides. My Shark Race-R Pro maybe fine to protect my head, but not so much in protecting from the wind noise. I looked for hearing protection adequate to be worn under a helmet, but not completely isolating you from the rest of the traffic. I had settled on the Alpine MotoSafePro until I found that Quies, a 100 years old company that specializes in hearing protection had a product specific to motorcyclists. One of the problem I experienced with the Alpine MotoSafe Pro, is extraction. As Quies explains it in their French narrative, the hear conduit is not straight but curved. Unfortunately, Quies is not distributed outside of EUR, but I managed to get a pair of their protection from a contact who went to France for the 4th of July. I got them yesterday, and a quick test just confirmed they are more ergonomically suited than the Alpine. They are extremely comfortable, and easy to remove because they are bent. Remains to put them through a trial by fire to get a final opinion. Note that other Alpine users have complained the MotoSafe hurt after a while. It is easy to understand why. The rubber skirts are a lot larger. Some have cut them, but if the cut is not properly circular, you defeat the purpose of having the sound only flowing via the center audio filter. I also have to point out the rubber material used by Quies seems to be a lot softer than that of the Alpine; Also Quies is an ISO 9001 certified company. Once I have put some serious miles on them, I will let you know.

I am investigating this other Colorado based one, courtesy of @activpop I am currently traveling but the owner gave me a few more details. Only provided one photo though, so I am trying to get him to send more. I like the Boise Idaho one, which I saw in person, but I figure that having all accessories installed, even those you don't need, can't do you too much wrong. My subjective question is: is this a 5K US$ motorcycle?

There are only to equivocal gear search issue with sequential gear boxes: 1) am I on the last gear? 2) is the neutral down or up? e.g. was I in second or in first? For 1, its easy. If you want to confirm you are in 6th in case you did not know for certain, just have an up feel; if its a hard stop, you are in 5th. If the shifter moves up, you are in 6th. For 2, its a bit more difficult. My method: -In normal circumstances I never go down to first gear. So my neutral should always be down since I stop in second gear. First gear is normally to start from a stand still. When I shift down I always know when I have reached the second gear, and that is as low as I go. I usually never have to look for the neutral. There is an exception though. In case of surprise, when I do not have time to shift down through the gears while in motion. Usually, after a bit of experience, everybody knows second, third, fourth and fifth. The 6th is a bit of an overdrive, but the speed versus the revs help to tell, or just the check hard or soft up feel. Now when you have several motorcycles, some of them with 5 speed gear boxes, it is a bit more complicated. Also, I blip the throttle to shift up and down.

I am tempted to agree to that reasoning; however Marc Marquez has shown that he still has it in him, his talent seems to be intact. Unfortunately, he no longer has the media to express it. As he tries to exceed the limits of his RCV, there is no longer any forgiveness. Not that there was any before, but you cannot go down 5 times in the same week-end and expect to come out unscathed. He still is the number one figure of the GP now that VR46 is no longer there. I believe people watch to see what he will do rather than the Ducati show that is taking place at every single race, short or long. Has he become "desperate"? watching him certainly seems to indicate it. He is going to be able to recover from his latest injuries during the summer break, with little hope that Honda will have found a solution to improve the bike. I sure hope we are not going to continue too long with a single brand preempting each race.

These have to be tried "in situ" to find out if they work. I am wondering about the poly-urethane parts though. The current heat index in Texas is simply out of the charts, and I doubt there is any viable solution to that kind of weather. These temperatures wear out your plastics since they were never conceived for that exposure. I have been around, in places deemed "hot"; I don't think I experienced this level of discomfort ever before. I am still able to ride, but I fear more for the bike than myself.

It is difficult to verify from a photo, but they seem to look the part. I found an alternative: https://guzzipower.com/store/Headguard.html (not OEM) Check these guys in The Netherlands: https://tlm.nl/contact-openingstijden/ they have used parts as well; I checked they do not have the cylinder head guards in their stock though. But they may know how to get them. If you have not, try these guys: https://harpermoto.com/pages/contact#form or https://www.mgcycle.com/ Send an email with the OEM part request.

I watched a debrief of the GP, and this point was actually looked down as negative; spoiling the spectacle because Aleix did not attempt the pass. The presenter reminded us that some of the most spectacular passes infringed rules that have newly been enacted. There have been so many of these last curve passes that remain in memory that we don't want them to go away. One example was Rossi's overtaking on Stoner at Laguna Seca. I feel the same. The races should happen on tracks, and not be decided by people watching it on monitors and deciding afterwards if a move is legal or not.

Marquez pulled out of the race. That's 2 in a row...

The odometer looks like an ITI... prone to failure (lol). On the photos, the bike looks low mileage, but that needs to be ascertained. Strange the guy says no test riding because of insurance. When I went to Boise to check the Quota 1100ES which I still think about every single day, I checked with my own insurance, and was informed that I am insured exactly the same way weather on my own or any other bike I ride. Isn't this the normal way? or do I have a special deal? Same thing when I rented a car from Turo; insurance exactly has if it was my own.

apparently, someone already snatched it.... post deleted...

Are you referring to the pad that prevents the tank to be scratched by eventual zip actuators? The photo below shows what I understand by "tank pad". Right below the filler cap of the tank.

Practice 1 of the Assen MotoGP, Marc Marquez 21st out of 23 riders. 1.865 seconds of Marco Bezzecchi 1st during this session. I don't think I can remember a run with Marquez being that low in the classification. I am not certain he attempted to set a time though, which would be unlike him anyway.

This is not the picture I get when I go to the website, but the Guzzi V11 totally deserve the fame. I also liked that picture because of the dark cast skies. I managed to get through the rain though! Thanks for the share!

To piggy back on what @GuzziMoto said, I propose two excellent articles written by Mat Oxley for Motorsport magazine; It is mainly a crankshaft length difference. V4 has more torque, Inline handles better up to a certain point. As we have witnessed this year, the M1 got more power, however lost its cornering speed. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorcycles/motogp/why-are-motogp-v4s-faster-than-inline-4s/ In this second article, the same Mat Oxley explains in technical details why the Inline 4 handle better than the V4 engines. He also uses the example of how Zarco and Lorenzo faced a major set back when moving from the M1 to KTM and Ducati. While Zarco never recovered with KTM, Lorenzo made peace with his Ducati eventually. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorcycles/motogp/why-inline-four-motogp-bikes-handle-better-than-v4-motogp-bikes/ Even myself now understand what the advantages and disadvantages of each architecture are. What I found interesting, is that the advantages of the Inline can transform into cons. This is perfectly illustrated this year with both Fabio and Franco. The M1 has more power, but has lost its curving domination. Also the power they got is not enough for them to have the wings they need to compete with the Vs.

I have said it before, but I purchased a Alpinestars AirTech 5 airbag in 2021. I have worn it once only. Not because I don't want to, but the Texas weather makes it almost impossible to endure. Unfortunately, the TechAir 5 has to be worn under a jacket. I should have possibly purchased the Dainese Smart Jacket, because it can be worn under or over. But the TechAir 5 offers more protection than the Dainese, I made the choice to protect the shoulders and neck. The TechAir 5 is fine as long as the temperature is around 60 degF, and without too much humidity. Above that, it is really not comfortable. Enters Helite Airbags! This company specializes in Airbags, unlike Alpinestars and Dainese. Helite is a French company but they have a US distributor based in Reno. They do airbags for horseback riding, bicycle riding, and of course Guzzi riding. They have introduced an airbag self contained in a Backpack. I must tell you, it is not cheap! almost 1000 USD for the electronically activated version. They have a tethered version which is less expensive. Unlike my TechAir 5 that needs to be sent back to Alpinestars for inspection, Helite products can be self-maintained. I am going to try to convince them to let me try one here, in the Texas breeze. I usually never wear a backpack on a motorcycle, for safety reasons, and also because on long rides, the weight can be an issue. Anyway, I will try to get one for testing for free. Here's the narrative: A REAL INNOVATION.... Helite has developed an innovative airbag that ensures your safety on your motorcycle. Our engineers have put all their expertise into the design to bring this unique product to the market OPTIMAL PROTECTION As always, HELITE has focused on the quality of the airbag protection. Large volume of protection (18L) to absorb impacts and completely cover vital areas. Vital areas covered: Back, neck, chest, abdomen, sacrum. TURTLE Technology: Reinforced back protection (SAS-TEC level 1 back) and force distribution during impact. Ultra-fast inflation: The airbag is effective before impact COMFORT AND SAFETY Air circulation: A ventilated space between the bag and the back (3D mesh), through which humid air can freely escape. Waterproof: It can be used in the rain thanks to its water-repellent fabric and waterproof closures. Reflective elements day and night protection.. AVAILABLE IN TWO VERSIONS Mechanical system: The airbag is attached to the motorcycle with a tether. In the event of a fall, the tether disconnects from the airbag, triggering its inflation. Electronic system: The electronic board integrates several sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS) that monitor the situation in real time. An algorithm analyzes all the data and is able to detect a fall to trigger the inflation of the airbag. The H-Moov backpack airbag is reusable after inflation. Simply change the cartridge yourself.

Purchased both clock and temperature gauges for my Le Mans. I used the fairing on both sides, left and right, and both screws holding the dial to the bracket sheared. If you look at the size of the screw that holds the instruments, you will understand why. It is not Guzzi vibration proof. I purchased some rubber blocks to bolt the bracket on, but if is even worse. the gauge vibrates even more. Formotion replaced them free of charge, but I now carry them in my tail bag....

How's that? https://gtot.unt.edu/

I feel that both Honda and Yamaha have been complacent because they were the leaders for so many years in MotoGP. They did not heed the warning from Ducati and KTM seriously. I am convinced Honda will react very quickly. Honda can make a lot of changes since it appears their problem is more chassis related than engine related. For Yamaha, the path to renew with success is less obvious. It implies a major engine upgrade, possibly a change in the architecture itself. Given that the rules will change in 2027, I don't see Yamaha coming up with a V4 before that.

Since then, others have come up with a similar view about the incident. The rider coming out of the pits must check that it has a clear path before taking to the track. Now, when the incoming rider falls and you see his bike sliding towards you, I wonder what evading measure you can take; I think Zarco said he only had the reflex to raise his legs to avoid getting them injured. Alex Espargaro (who injured himself watching his phone while riding his bicycle) said he agreed with Marc Marquez the rider entering the track must be the one watching out for hazards. Later on, this was also passed along to all riders by the race direction. I think it makes sense. Now, that Marquez rushed to get back to the pits without checking on Zarco' state after he cleaned him off, that was not gentleman like. Although Marquez stated he did not for safety reasons. I think in other cases, he did check on other pilots he had hit.

@Cold Desert Rat Just so you know, I looked in multiple languages. I found several lists assembled by unknown sources, including the original Italian paint providers of Moto Guzzi. In almost every case, they do not give a usable paint reference, but a reference of their own product, and like you found out yourself, there is very little about the V11 and nothing about the Copa Italia. I was told that a spectrograph can pin point the exact color you are looking for. But you need to have an original sample. If someone here has a Copa Italia, he can go to a paint shop and ask them to get the color code. Some paint makers sell "color readers", but the code you are getting is always translated into their own products. Ideally, one of those HTML hexadecimal color code would work for you to get that paint from any manufacturer. The best approach would be to get in touch with someone at Moto Guzzi. Someone who can consult the files and give you a reference. Here's a link to a Moto Guzzi contact form; https://www.motoguzzi.com/it_IT/contact-form/

There always is a thin line between your own taste and maintaining the bike in its original condition. I have learned that if you modify your motorcycle, it is always better to keep all the stock parts, thus if you sell it, whoever gets it can revert it. Especially with a vintage motorcycle, when getting the spare parts is difficult. Even finding out the period correct paint codes seem to be extremely challenging.