gh67

Well the bike is getting packed up tonight and heading out with 2 others at first light tomorrow from LA area. Going up 33 to 58....not sure after that...maybe G16, Hwy 1, or even 101....depends on how bad my ass hurts and how long the first leg takes us. And yes, my Duc buddy did get his island tickets, though it is still first come. This is not a topic that I plan on speaking to him on. I'll be in the outback with everyone else. hope to see some of you up there!

also is a good idea to check the accuracy of the dipstick thermometer....i used pot of water on a stove and a good cooking thermometer. I had some variance between the two readings.

hope to see some of you there, I'm riding up from LA with a few Duc friends. Have 3-day admin...didn't know I was going soon enough to snag paddock or red zone parking....and ebay is looking pricy to get those now. What are other folks doing about parking? I'm kinda worried that I'm gonna get stuck in a field somewhere. My dang Duc buds get to park on the island free (w/ hospitality) with Duc NA. I tried to sneak in but you have to have a Duc VIN to get a pass. I'll be easy to spot....green v11 w/ Missouri lic plate. Give a shout if you see me (obviously I'll be checking your goose out too).

....can't have any of those damned "harley guys" intruding on MG territory and supporting the cause. haha! p.s. Mike....wish I knew you were parting out before I bought a new Ohlins fork from Antonio last week.

Under the clutch bleeder valve there is a little ball bearing that the bleeder seats against...if this is gone, the bleeder valve will just continue to flow fluid. I've not had my brake apart yet, is there a similar ball bearing in it as well?

This past weekend I put on the MPH risers and new front brake and clutch lines along with speedbleeders....this was my first time bleeding my V11's lines so take my post as such. The front brakes were easy enough...though I took the fender off to have better access and not to scratch it. The clutch cable and bleeder were both a PITA to access, remove, and to bleed...probably more so since I had never done it before and there was a learning curve of what to take off in order to access. Similar to Mal, I used a rear stand and removed the airbox and rear shock canister. A ratcheting box-end wrench was absolutely key to removing the bleeder in the tight space....a compact and tight fitting open end worked well on the line but took a while to get all of the threads out. One warning, the speedbleeders didn't work worth a crap with new dry lines....I must have pumped 50 times and got no pressure in the system (same went for front brakes). Then I went to Sears and bought an overpriced but nice bleeder pump. I attached it to the speedbleeders and "primed" the system until I got fluid in the lines. Then used just the speedbleeders to get the residual air out....which they worked great for. Don't forget to clean the reservoir and associated cap and rubber boot as mine had some residue buildup. btw...I used Valvoline Syn (dot 3 & 4 replacement) in both brakes and clutch.

Joe, I think we're all curious. How did it go???? If it worked, are they willing to make some other sets? I spoke to Cyclecat and they said that they "shelved" the V11 risers due to such a small market. They did say that if we had a group interested...they might be able to get something going. They recommended we give them feedback through this link. I provided http://www.cyclecat.com/ccconnect01-01.htm

To confirm, will the 02 V11 Naked upper and lower triples will fit on to the new Ohlins forks? A dealer just told me that the 03+ Cafe's have a different triple trees....of course that doesn't necessarily mean that they are different dimensions..but maybe just different part numbers. Also, here's a pic of the Cafe wheel. Is item 7 the spacer that I need to have fabricated? The cafe axle is only $30. Thanks!

...dear god...I'm ashamed. seriously...wtfo?

a side note...looking at this fork makes me feel kinda funny. Wonder if it would fit on a V11? Almost looks like the same candy burgandy that MG uses on parts. Marzocchi USD043

Paul / Al, thanks for the clarifications! I can't seem to find any sources (or even search hits) on an FG313. Is it OEM for anything other than V11 or known by another part number? Would think it would be available from SOMEONE other than purchasing for full retail from Ohlins direct. I'll call Ohlins USA tomorrow and hopefully gets some info. Only other concern is the hollow axle parts for my 02 wheel wheel. The Duc 999 parts and new 6005 Duc bearings are easy enough. But not sure I have enough info on the 104mm spacer in order to have a shop make one. This uncertainty is what is leaning me towards ordering a stock Cafe hollow axle...and probably waiting 2 months for it to get here.

First off, I apologize up front for bringing this thread back to life Al, you took the words out of my mouth (1 1/2 years before I said them) After reading this thread 3 times, I'd like to get some final clarifications/instructions for going down the path of an Ohlins front fork retrofit. And being one who hates starting redundant threads...I figure this is the best spot for now. (hmm..did I hear FAQ? ha ha!) It sounds like there a 2 main paths to go down. I assume I can fit the OEM CF fender to either? 1. Use an older Scura/Rosso OEM forks with solid axle. a. - First, are these even available new any more from MG or Ohlins? b. - If available, will they bolt straight on to my Marz 02 wheel and solid axle? c. - Is the only downside to this the smaller 40mm diameter and the weaker/heavier solid axle? 2. Use Cafe Sport OEM forks with larger, hollow axle. a. - Are the OEM Cafe Ohlins identical to the R&T FG313 (per Al's post #69 on this thread....nice number)? If not, what differences? b. - What is best/cost effective source to purchase? ...kinda dependent on answer to 2a. c. - Why did folks go with a Duc 999 front axle instead of getting OEM Cafe hollow axle? Is there an incompatibility or would I need a new wheel? d. - With the Duc axle, did anyone find a spacer that's already out there opposed to having to find a machine shop to make my own? Anyways....that's the major questions that come to mind as look into doing the swap out. Did I miss anything? Would greatly appreciate any advice. cheers!

staedtler, we have twins....even down to the same paper bag underneeth...let me guess...slow unknown gearbox drip that no one can fix. haha. What license and rear signal kit do you have? I like it.

I like it too.....but not clear of what he exactly did to install it. Could a carbon be fitted the same?

Can't find anything on the forum on the different mounts for the flyscreens/fairings on the cafe/ballabio/coppa verses the scura. Would appreciate if someone could elaborate. I'm wanting to install a carbon fairng like that of the Mandello on to my 03 Naked and take it off when i want. Which OEM carbon fairing will work (or are all the OEM CF fairings the same) and how does it mount??? Here is the one that MPH sells...pictured as stock on the Mandello. http://www.mphcycles.com/CarbFibRossoFairing.jpg Also, here's link to the Austrian's Coppa that shows a diffent mounting config directly to the forks. I'm having a hard time visualizing what he did, need to check it out the stock mounts next time I'm at a dearlership. http://www.guzzipfarrer.at/coppa-italia.html I believe I like the OEM more so than the Stucchi...but can't find any good high-res pics of a Stucchi to completley decide.

You're right, if you saw a Screaming Eagle Road King that they made over the past few years (N/A for 05), then it would be very close to $30K. AFAIK they all had the 1550cc engine. But I would never spend that much on a bike that has been pre-customized "all harley" from the factory. You pay $5K above 1550 cost for extra chrome that you may or may not like. For around $4-5K (assuming you do your own work), you can turn a stock HD touring or softail into a 1550 (includes cams, etc), bigger intake, PCIII, 2into1's....and still have money left over to buy the chrome and suspension you want. Oh ya, and no fugly brown paint scheme..yuck. but we digress....all this talk of the other v-twin.

I completely agree with Al's split decision. Unfortunately, too many of the "lemmings" with straight pipes are ruining it for the rest. This more comes down to riding style and attitude than the actual decibels of the pipes. I'm talking about the folks who feel the need to "wham" their throttle at every intersection, parking garage, or tunnel. This goes for any style of bike....unfortunately there are a lot of newbies with more $ than experience out there who jump and harleys and choppers and go down this path of annoyance. DenBen, I have to agree that it does cost too much...on top of an already overpriced v-twin to get to the 100hp mark (more like $4K). Now the real questions is..am I talking about a harley or guzzi...guess I'm on the guzzi forum today...so of course I must be talking about those damn harley's. All depends what side of the fence your on.....I think fences are stupid. It all comes down to riding style and whether you are truly into cruising along 50 mph and enjoying the peace and fresh air with your brain bucket or whether you want to crank up the adrenaline and hit the twisties in a sport bike. For my cruising and long trip purposes, the harley has more hp than I'll ever need and I don't have (nor can afford) land speed record expectations for the 800lb gorilla ...I'd even be ok with the 50hp. ride on

why can't we all just get along and ride our own rides? ha ha! heck, my goose and harley both set off car alarms equally....and a good exhaust note is key for parting the cager waters when traffic is dead stop (lane splitting legal in CA--though still not the smartest thing...but then again have you seen the 405?). cheers

MI got me a sweet deal (about $500) on a new set of giannelli Ti's. They had a closeout deal from the US distributer a few months ago. I was tired of waiting on MG Ti's and other Ti's like Leo's that stopped producing. The Giannellis sound fantastic and fit well (for me at least). I used the stock hangers with only minor washer modifications to set them straight. No wiggles either. Good luck in your quest for MG Ti's....I could stand the oem sound no more.

This is definitely not the cheaper route to go but still a sweet cover. http://www.gezagear.com/ I bought one for my harley when i tailored it cross-country 3000 miles during my move. ...yes, a cover that you can trailer with. It worked great! No scratches and no water got in. They make one that is truly waterproof, but it's really pricy. Been thinking about the bikini one for my v11 so it doesn't get all the UV while when i leave it outside at work.

ha ha! I saw your thread...and had hoped that we could have had a source for them so that we can all get rid of the pleather. Is there still a distributer for them or is the $400 one the one and only. for $400 I would definitely say screw it and go forth with the newer tank and fuel upgrades (got it priced out at $1253 for everything). not as lucky as Al in finding a salvage.

I took the bar-end napoleans, but couldnt mount them easily to the throttlemiesters. so went to work on them with the dremel and mounted them with lock nut through the clutch/brake lever holes. got the idea from someone on this forum. I was surprised that they don't vibrate at all even at highway speeds. And are adjustable to multiple positions so you can keep them very low profile if you like...or even rotate them so that they sit below the clip-ons (a little harder to see but it looks cool).

I retract my pontification (but am leaving the post in case someone has a carbon chin pad for sale, ha ha)

sweet mirrors, but don't think they would look good on mine without a flyscreen. I like a lower profile mirror (none if I could) on the naked. Ben, what tank pad do you have on your 2000 sport? Only other alternative I know of is the ever-elusive carbon fiber, there are many threads on it but most say no one can find them. If I do find one and it costs close to half of what a 03+ OEM "pad-free" tank/pump setup is.....well...I think you know which way I'd go....but not sure if I've ever seen a new tank in guzzi green.

Too bad Guzzi doesn't Jet Hot the exterior of our engine cases....