beauchemin

Don't go any fatter than original fitment - or else the handling gets funny. I really like Michelin Macadams for 70s and 80s sporty bikes. Good wet performance and grippy enough for 70s and 80s power levels.

Sorry - I should have been more specific. The service tech said it looks like the shells "picked something up" - he says it mostly likely would have been some metal swarf from the manufacturing process. I assume that the oil pressure is fine since I would expect the main bearings to get noisy and eventually seize if not.

Problem solved --> worn big-ends, see here http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7542

The big-ends were stripped today - both were scored and worn out (left one was making the noise, so I assume it was worse than the other). The sump was clean. I've been religious with my oil changes, and there has never been a speck of metal in the sump, on the screen, or on the magnetic drain plugs. The main bearings seem to be fine (not noisy). The only conclusion is that the big-end shells were faulty or incorrectly installed at the factory. It will get re-assembled tomorrow with new bearing shells in both big-ends, new gasket, new filter, and fresh oil.

Mine is bent - are there any used ones kicking around?

Talk to Gord Mitten at Valley Yamaha/MG (604-795-4403). They might not be open Mondays. He has a non-Guzzi source for Brembo parts with very reasonable prices. He was able to get me a new clutch m/c & lever cheaper than from Guzzi.

I trucked it to the boys at Moto International yesterday morning. I fired it up for them to listen. After it warmed up I was able to demonstrate the sound with some throttle blipping (above 2500 rpm). Micha took it for a quick blast up the hill and immediately could hear the knocking. It doesn't sound like a typical big-end knock - it sounds more like a very loud tappet. He will dismantle it tomorrow for a look. I'll update this in a few days. My bet, like Wick, is the big-end. I've checked the valves and they aren't loose and the clearances have not been changing.

Hi Mike - sorry to hear about your slide - how is your body?? To be fair to the 014s, they are not considered "track day" tires, whereas the Diablo Corsas are.

Do a search - everyone has an opinion. Here's mine: At 3,000 miles I just removed my front Bridgestone BT-020 because the feedback was terrible. I switched to a BT-014 and I'm very pleased with it as the feedback is improved significantly. I wish I had changed it earlier. My 020 rear seems to be OK. The one comment from the guy who changed my front - the 020s have very stiff sidewalls! That will certainly contribute to a rougher ride. I'll get a little more mileage out of the rear and then I'm switching to a 014 rear once summer is here.

Could it be a small-end noise?

I found this interesting site http://remanufactured-engines.com/page4.htm Here is a direct quote: "Rod knocks are loudest at higher speeds (over 2500 RPM) Feathering the gas pedal may result in a distinctive back rattle between 2500 and 3500 RPMs." This is exactly what I'm getting now. At first I was just getting the "loose bolt" rattle while blipping the throttle (above 3000 rpm), but now I'm getting a constant metallic ticking (it is louder than the normal valve train clatter) at all engine speeds above 2500 rpm. I'm going to ride it to the dealer this week.

Is it possible to have camshaft wear only on the lobes and not the base circle? (i.e the valve clearances are not increasing, but the topend is still noisy). My symptoms today: the intermittant noise is not so intermittant anymore. The sound is less "clangy", but it is more or less constant now. I reset the valve clearances a couple of days ago and sync'd the throttle bodies - that made no difference. The clearances were not much different from where I had set them 700 mile ago. As with Wick's experience, I've been told by the mechanic at Moto International that it could be a big-end bearing. I've heard a few big-end knocks and they were characterized by a low-frequency knocking that was most obvious at idle. My top-end is quiet at idle - but gets noisy above 2500 rpm. I think I'm going to ride it down to Seattle this week for them to have a listen. What a pain - at least its still on warranty.

Today I removed my front wheel to change tire and I realized that the spacer was on the wrong side of the wheel also! This thread was in the back of mind from earlier this week and must have triggered some brain cells today! I've had the wheel off twice before and had put it back together with the spacer on the incorrect (right-hand) side - exactly as I had dismantled it. I'll swear on a stack of Guzziologies that it came from the dealer like that. I'm not sure it was a bid deal, except that the wheel was not exactly centered - off center by about 2mm.

Holy cow - I didn't think Eldos could go that fast. Waaaait a minute... is this an early stab at April fool's day?

Have a look at this chart http://www.mad-ducati.com/Technical/racete...pringChart.html Unfortunately, we are off the scale of the Traxxion chart http://www.geocities.com/sl_mille/images/traxxion_rate.gif Given your combined rider/bike weight of approximately 760 lbs (540+220) not including luggage or passenger, then you should be looking at a spring rate around 1.10 Kg/mm. My combined weight is 740 lbs and I use 1.05 Kg/mm springs. EDIT: I have documented my experience here http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6759&hl=

Holy roadbumps Batman! If this is what the Irish roadracers train on, then its no wonder that they are supreme at the IoM. While on the subject, hoist a pint to Joey Dunlup next chance you get.

Thanks Jim! That's the sound! I can get it from the middle rpm range and up. Good idea - but then why would I only hear it on the left side?

Hey Wick, was it a constant noise, or did it come and go?

I'm 99% sure that this is not pre-ignition. I have not made any change to my fuel usage (Chevron 94 octane - the highest octane available in Canada). It makes this intermittant metallic sound when I'm at a standstill (no engine load) with the clutch enaged or disenaged, or while riding. It doesn't make the rattling sound at idle speed, it happens while revving the motor.

Oh shit. Just saw this thread. Today I noticed an ugly intermittant metallic noise from my left topend - more than the usual valve noise. I have checked the clearances and they are not very loose (.18 inlet and .22 exhaust). The right hand side makes normal sounds. It sounds like a piece of metal rattling around, but I have looked outside the motor and nothing is loose. The noise definitely feels like it is coming from under the left side valve cover. What is the easiest way to check the cam?

I'm getting an occasional terrible metallic clatter which sounds like a loose piece of metal. It seems to be coming from the left top end. I checked the valve clearances and they are a little loose, but not very much (.18 inlet and .22 exhaust). I've looked for loose parts on the outside of the motor and I can find nothing. Any ideas what this might be?

Do you mean like this: launching off the swingset into the pool without dropping your popsicle?

British Columbia, Canada. I agree that buying the nicest one possible is the way to go. I'm prepared to pay $2500 for a clean original bike. On the other hand, I would like to make a special similar to a 750S, so I'll buy a fixxer-upper if the price is right.

I'm in the market for either an 850T or T3. Has anyone bought or sold one recently? If so, can you please let me know the price & condition?

Yes, I knew that fancy digital micrometer would come in handy one day...