Greg Field
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Posts posted by Greg Field
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Yes, the difference in sound is due to the difference in mass of the flywhweels. That was my point. Also, the six-speed trans apparently contributes to the noise because the V11 Sport flywheel is functionally identical (both are light, 10-spring, dual-plate clutches) to that of a Centauro, but the Centauro clutch (hooked to a five-speed trans) makes less noise. Of course, having knowledge of one or two examples of one model, you could not know these things and have to try to make points by misinterpreting the writings of others with broad knowledge, such as Pete.
Anybody remember the special-edition Japanese 4s (nonwierd firing order) of the 1980s with dry clutches and the rattling they made?
Light flywheel + multiplate dry clutch= clutch chatter when the plates are released.
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I heard that the green Tenni dual-platers are similar to all the rest in the V11 percussion section, but that they tend to be a little off-beat.
Merely hearsay, y'unnerstan'. . .
Tennis have a single-plate clutch. Opposite noises as a result.
Not that it really matters, but the noise has nothing to do with the Guzzi firing order, since the earlier Guzzis with the same firing order and dual-plate clutches do not make these noises. The clutch noise started to be noticeable with the advent of really light flywheels, starting subtley with the Sport 1100 and crescendoing on the V11 Sports and continuing on with the two-plate Breva 1100/1200, Norge, etc.
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Very weak attempt at a dodge, Greg. As far as I know, MI isn't a blended fuel shop either. And yet, you sell moto's that run on it. Why would the kind of fuel a moto uses ever be any kind of a show-stopper?
What's the problem with providing something you're already deeply familiar with from top to bottom and end to end, that you have at least as much, if not more expertise with than anyone in the nation -- something already in your long-term, committed business, that presumably the whole world wants -- apparently there's a greater demand than for blended fuel-powered Guzzi's?
NOTE: You ignored four more Q's above (again).
We do not want to do fuel conversions. We want to be a Moto Guzzi shop. We did it for this guy because he's bought many bikes from us and is a very good customer and friend of the shop.
Your other "questions" are just stupid. How the @#!#$# would I know if the guy has a patent? WTF does a patent have to do with it anyway? I told you what the guy's motivations are. Believe it or not.
What is it you find unbelievable about a bike running on ethanol? Many vehicles do. This is not earth-shattering stuff. It's rather commonplace, actually. Ever been to Brazil? I have. Plenty of ehtanol-fueled cars there. Shit, they even race dragsters on it.
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Uh-huh. <_>
I'll bet the biggest smile he's got comes from getting fools to believe he's done something the whole world is presumably crying for, and no one else can do. I reckon a locksmith can sell lots of locksmith work with that just by wagging his chin over it. But the best part for him has to be knowing that his small group fools actually fell for it. . .
Great secrets the world will never know -- The woods 'r full of 'em.
You're not gonna answer any of my Q's are you, Greg:
AGAIN:
Does he have a patent filed on his process?
If not, what's to keep Moto International from going into production?
If you can't get Dave to put anything up, why don't YOU pony up and go into business yourself, Greg?
Why, the world is just a-clamorin' for a Green Moto Extravaganza, and this could just set off the Holy Grail of Greeniedom -- I'm talkin' 'bout The Revolution, man!
So wot's the deal? Where's the World Wide Green Press on this one?
Why -- it'd be a worldwide EXCLUSIVE!
It's a guaranteed front-page, above the fold, headliner?!?!
We are a Moto Guzzi shop, not an ethanol shop. Next question?
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Unlike yourself, I'm in the habit of being able to back up my positions on all the info I bring here. Your term for yourself is not one I've used, but I think it's pretty obvious to anyone with any intelligence and sense of objectivity who's credible here, and who's not.
What I related to you is what I saw with my own eyes. If you do not believe I'm telling the truth about what I saw, you believe I am lying. That is what you're implying here, whether you have the balls to use the word or not. I offered to bring into this discussion two other eyewitnesses to back up my position. That still isn't credible, in you mind because it would prove you wrong. If you think Dave Richardson or Micha would lie just to fool you, you've proven you are a fool.
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Well, how selfish can a self-infatuated Greenie be?! I mean, I thought the whole idea was to save the planet??
If this wunderkind locksmith is so shy and introverted that he wants to keep his brilliant Eco-breakthrough discovery that's not apparently within the ability of any auto or moto industry on the planet to match -- well, that's just not very nice of him, now, is it?
Does he have a patent filed on his process? If not, what's to keep Moto International from going into production? If you can't sell it to Dave, why don't you pony up and go into business yourself, Greg? Why, the world is just a-clamorin' for a Green Moto Extravaganza, and this could just set off the Holy Grail of Greeniedom -- I'm talkin' 'bout The Revolution, man!
So wot's the deal? Where's the World Wide Green Press on this one? Why, it's a guaranteed front-page, above the fold, headliner?!?!
Enquiring minds. . .(well, you know). . .
It is what it is, and it is not a lie. I watched him drive off on it, and I've seen him drive it back in. He played with a bunch of stuff and had his fun. People who actually do things get huge inner smiles when some clown tells them that what they've already done is impossible.
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You have more "Eco-friendly" publishers within a Prius, bicycle, or skateboard ride from you than anywhere else on the planet, Greg. One or two of 'em might be at least semi-credible.
You mean to tell me that you can't find ONE knucklehead with a green ribbon pin and a peace sign on his tie-dyed T-shirt to come out to cover the ONLY 100% ethanol powered motorcycle (regardless of mfgr.) in the entire PNW, if not the USA, if not the planet?
How d'you explain that, Greg??
Well, it's very simple: The owner is quite introverted. He would not seek publicity. And he doesn't really give a shit if anyone else likes what he's done. He's excited as hell about it and will tell you if he really thinks you're interested, but he certainly wouldn't take it to the newspapers or magazines and say, "Do a story on me. I need validation for what I do." He is able to think for himself and willing to put his money where his beliefs are. I like him quite a bit. He's a hell of a locksmith, too.
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Unlike yourself, I'm in the habit of being able to back up my positions on all the info I bring here. Your term for yourself is not one I've used, but I think it's pretty obvious to anyone with intelligence and sense of objectivity who's credible here, and who's not.
I regard things I see with my own eyes as truth. I watched Micha make the mods and then I watched the guy ride away on the bike. If that's not credible, well, @#!#$# it. Why try to reason with an ass?
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Again, I will accept any credible independent, verifiable, well documented source -- the same as I always provide myself. This is the most basic requirement for any credible information that exists anywhere on the planet, and always has been.
It appears that you can't provide one.
Well, then. There we have it.
I'll call the Wall Street Journal and order them to do a story on this bike just for you. All credible news sources love to fly in their reporters a couple thousand miles to do a story on a one-off motorcycle that none of them have ever heard of. If they actually send someone, though, you'd just write a shrill rant calling them liars, too, rather than admit defeat.
Are you in the habit of calling people liars when you meet them face-to-face, Hatchetwhacker?
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There is no news source. I witnessed much of the conversion with my own eyes, as it was done in our shop by Micha, our service manager, as I've already said. I can have Micha or Dave come on here to verify that. Again, will you call them liars, too?
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. . .[sigh]. . . Looks like it’s time once again to take down yet another GROUPTHINK delusion. . .
When liquor logic fails, the illiterate attempt to read bumper stickers.
So you “care for” a Guzzi that runs on 100% ethanol, Greg? Let’s see some proof of this please – and do make it something more substantial than a bumper sticker, eh?
I’m afraid the staggering lack of knowledge and foolhardiness being spread here is really beyond the pale. "Trusted advisor" indeed. <_ the regular laughing hyenas will of course continue to lap up bilge without giving it smell test first as usual.>
You have fallen for a 100% falsehood. The woods ‘r full of ‘em. Nice photo, but the Guzzi "Eco fuel tank" might as well have a nuclear power bumper sticker on it. There is no Guzzi -- not here, not in Seattle, not in Europe, not in Timbuktu – nor is there any other non-diesel road vehicle anywhere on the planet that runs either reliably, efficiently, cost-effectively, or legally on 100% ethanol. Please do hunt down your best evidence to the contrary and provide it here. NOTE: a bumper sticker is NOT evidence.
Please consider what “lesser men” than yourself, Greg, who actually ARE experts in their respective fields, know and have published for decades (examples below). I’m begging you. If 100% ethanol fuel is a reality and such a fabulous concept, why do you suppose the 100% ethanol idea behind the nitwit "Greenie Guzzi" that you “care for” hasn’t caught on? Why, if it's such a wonderful thing, by now, every Guzzi that you "care for" should be running on 100% ethanol. And yet -- there are none?!?! Yes, yes -- it isn't cost-effective to buy ethanol yet. And why d'you reckon THAT is??
Or maybe your liquor logic and bumper sticker wisdom tells you that there’s a conspiracy to shut the fool behind the bumper sticker up so he can’t spread the “secret” – maybe Dubya and D!ck Cheney took out a contract on him and made him disappear to protect their filthy, greedy Pals in Big Oil? In point of fact, Dubya heavily promoted the same foul ethanol subsidies that Obama continues to heavily promote today. Do look this up.
Here's a few more facts for you to challenge (please do, again with the best evidence you've got):
1. 100% ethanol is inherently inefficient as a fuel, when compared to gasoline, with only a max of 2/3 the energy of gasoline. This means that if you could get it to run at all, a 80 bhp V11 Guzzi would automatically develop a max of around 50 bhp. Ethanol basics: Bang per gallon: At 75,670 BTUs (British Thermal Unit) per gallon, ethanol has 66 percent of the energy-creating power of gasoline, which has 115,400 BTUs per gallon.
2. Costs of producing ethanol as a fuel are (still) extremely prohibitive – here, Europe, Brazil (where the cheapest cane-derived ethanol additive on the planet still has to be very heavily subsidized in order to have the false appearance of “competing” with gasoline), Australia, everywhere on the planet. Look it up (Part II). Government subsidies of any amount or proportion cannot make – and will never make -- ethanol as much as half as cost-effective as gasoline.
3. Ethanol concentrations of greater than 10% (max 15%) are ILLEGAL in most states in the US, and elsewhere across the planet, because of excessive AIR POLLUTION caused by the elevated vapor pressure of fuel that ethanol causes when added to gasoline. That's right. When mixed, the vapor pressure of ethanol and gasoline is far higher than either alone.
SOURCES:
Ethanol makes gasoline costlier, dirtier
By JERRY TAYLOR and PETER VAN DOREN
Cato Institute scholars
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/ethanol-53215-percent-gasoline.html
Oregon's ethanol requirement lowers vehicles' miles per gallon
By Shelby Wood, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/05/oregons_ethanol_requirement_lo.html
“Those who don’t read have no advantage over those who cannot read.”
- Samuel Clemens
What sort of proof would you like? We did the conversion here in our shop. If I had Dave Richardson come on here and confirrm it, or Micha, our service manager, would that do it? Or will you call them liars, too?
As for the rest, that's just politics that is outside of this discussion. The discussion here is whether ethanol harms Guzzi gas tanks, or if perhaps there's something else going on. I'm not 100 percent sure what it is, but I have a bit of experience in the matter, and that experience suggests to me that it may not be the ethanol but rather something added along with the ethanol in some areas that is the true culprit. When someone with comparable experience in this matter weighs in, I'd be happy to get back to the core of the discussion, without the political angle that causes you to froth at the mouth so and consequently to seem even more unhinged than is your norm.
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Reversing the ethanol-phobes' logic, this is proof enough that the GASOLINE is the culprit.
Indeed, Raz.
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Y'all remember the guy who converted his Guzzi to run E85? or was it 100% Meth? up in the great North Wet a few years back? I can't find it (just did a quick search), but I definitely remember it being a topic of discussion here on v11LM some time back. I was just wondering what experience he's had w/ the plastic tank, since he's been running it w/ a considerably higher exposure to ethanol or methanol, whichever one it was he converted it to run on...
You mean this one?
Of course I do. It's among the 400 or so plastic tanks run on ethanol that I care for. It melted to the ground within 10 microseconds when run on 100 percent ethanol. Actually, nearly three years later, it's in perfect shape, even though it was run on 100 percent ethanol. His tank comes off and goes back on without a hitch. How could this be possible? After all, according to the Hatchetwhackers of this whirled, the world comes to an end when corn likker goes into a V11's tank. Think for yourself. . . . does it?
Again, repetitiously, y'all can perseverate on ethanol, but I'm not seeing a problem with it. If you want to be blind, continue to perseverate on ethanol. Or, get smart and start to look at the chemical stew that may be added to the ethanol in the areas where big problems are seen. You won't, though, because it's a political thing, rather than a logic thing. Life goes on, though. Back to the regularly scheduled inane blather here . . .
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Hmmm, yes indeed. Whatever it might be that should or shoud not surprise you notwithstanding, you seem to’ve developed yet another target fixation here, Greg. By my count, this is your 4th post saying the same thing. Will you next start up your familiar daily empty Field Forum Filibustering and page counting, to go along with the repetition?
You know, Greg, I gotta say that by your 4th post, I was already startin’ to come around. Now I’ve actually turned a corner on this one, and now I agree in full -- Not that any unknown (and unmentioned) of the possible list of additives to ethanol-added fuel in the “additive pack”, are the sole dastardly plastic tank swelling culprit(s), mind you. -- Since there’s no evidence of this of any kind anywhere, despite the possibility, or even the high probability of some multi-combo thereof between ethanol, other additives, and gasoline itself. –- But none of that really matters to you, does it? I b’lieve you’re after blood here, Greg, and on that basis alone, now I’m on board!
Why – it’s clearly PUNISHMENT of those who question you with credible challenges that you can't refute with anything other than baseless opinion that you want -- and I agree wholeheartedly that you oughtta have it!
Tell you wot, Greg – since Dave is famous hereabouts for speculating castles in the air and then moving himself in on cue, and since you seem to get your unquestionable perspectives from gazing into plastic booze bottles, why don’t you and Dave team up on this one, form a Speculation Posse, and track down everyone on this thread who has posted clear evidence of being a fool ethanol fuel additive pack DENIER. -- You know, all those who’ve clearly stated that it’s ONLY the ethanol, and can only be ethanol ALONE -- not anything else in the ethanol additive pack -- that causes, all by itself, the well-documented set of problems with plastic Guzzi fuel tanks that has shown up on the mysterious geographic pattern all across the planet.
You guys round up all the Deniers and bring ‘em in. We’ll strip ‘em down, stake ‘em out spread-eagle on ant hills in the sun, and we’ll let the coyotes and wild dogs gnaw on their nut-bags for a few nights until they admit that you’re right and the rest of the planet is wrong.
Then we’ll take wot’s left of ‘em, and make ‘em sign confessions that say that ethanol CANNOT POSSIBLY have anything to do with any funny stuff happening with ANY plastic Guzzi fuel tank -- anywhere, any time -- despite the public statements to the contrary (referenced earlier in this thread with fully backed up source link) published by the National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Society of Automotive Engineers, and auto and moto industry OEMs, not to mention the entire petroleum industry, the auto & moto media, countless OEM TSBs, etc. -- and we’ll even throw in a clause that covers all possible ethanol concentrations and additive pack component possibilities across all regional and seasonal variations on the planet, to boot.
Compared to yourself, the above expert authorities, of course, are all relatively INFERIOR sources of information on ethanol and the well-known ravages thereof in internal combustion motors, since they all come from professional associations of the planet’s most highly educated, well informed, experienced, and well accomplished petrochemical engineers in their fields – obviously these are nothing but the worthless considerations of “lesser men”.
That's right.^ Far better to trust the “liquor logic” of a “greater man” -- a lawnmowin’, chainsawin’ and weedwackin’ moto parts counter guy, gazing at cheap booze in plastic bottles on the shelf at the regular neighborhood holdup/perpetual crime scene.
Repetition has convinced me of this for certain: Hatchetwhacker excells at but one thing: Making peoples's eyes bleed with his unreadable "style" of "writing."
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Good point, Ducman.
Wouldn't likely be the heat lately, would it? After all, as elsewhere across the planet, the average cold temps in Florida have been dropping low enough to decimate crops on an unprecedented scale, make the iguanas fall outta the trees -- croakin' 'em dead as a doornail -- and it's been snowing all the way down to Key West in recent years. . .
They assume it's the ethanol. It may instead be something that's added along with the ethanol. I've got a lawnmower and a weedwhacker and a generator and a chainsaw that've been run on ethanol since the late 1990s and haven't had to rebuild the carbs on any of them. Maybe the gas companies don't add to cold Seattle's ethanol gas some chemical that's part of the additive pack added for warmer climates? In both cases, ethanol is in common but the problem is not. Why some refuse to look for any other possible cause should not surprise me.
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That is a great argument for Ethanol not being the culprit, but
why do think the cause is a fuel additive and not heat?
I don't discount heat as a contributor. But neither do I just assume that it is the ethanol that is causing this problem.
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I work at the busiest Guzzi dealership in the US, maybe in the world. Last year, we sold 10 percent of the Guzzis sold in the US. Typically, we sell 20 percent. Some years, we have sold 25 percent of the Guzzis sold in the US. We're talking on the order of 400 Guzzis with plastic tanks in the time I've been working there, not the one Guzzi most of you have cared for. I order all the parts for those bikes and am a trusted advisor to ur service department, so would know if there's a problem. We have had not one single tank warranteed for bubbling or stretching issues, or an older bike come in with these issues, except for one V11 that lived its life in Portland until last year, despite the fact that 10 percent ethanol has been mandated in Seattle since the late 1990s. MPH Cycles in Houston has had stacks of tanks warranteed for these issues in the same time frame, despite the facts that they've only had mandated ethanol for a few years and they sell fewer bikes. I would submit to you that Houston gas gets a different additive package than Seattle gas, along with the same ethanol load, and that you should therefore look to the add-pack to find the differences in warrantee claims for damaged plastic tanks. What do I know, though, compared to all the experts on this list?
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Could i use Sport 1200 pistons for a big bore?
You can if you get Carillos custom made in length to account for the deck-height difference, which will also gain you a better rod ratio.
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Every time I go to the liquor store, I see rows and rows of plastic bottles full of 80-110-proof booze. Every time, I marvel that none of them seem to be swelling, and then I wonder, "With four times the concentration of ethanol present in gasoline, shouldn't these plastic tanks be melting before my very eyes?"
Consider the possibility that it's not the ethanol that's the culprit. Could it be something added to the additive package that's goes along with the ethanol?
Lesser men never even consider such things . . .
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I like it! Did you just centre the longer steering stem in the shorter loop frame neck? Or did you have to favor the top (or bottom) to deal with any fender to generator cover or frame clearance issues? That front wheel is standout, I cant believe they didnt continue to use that rim on the current retro spokers.
Here's a shot of the top secret prototype that led to the development of your 2011. This shot was taken shortly after Mr Terblanche was dragged out to a remote location in the background and left with a carbon fiber seat cover for shelter.
That's my friend Paul's V7. I put a bunch of work into it when he stopped in Seattle on his way to South America.
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Boy! Had me goin' for a second--that guy in the saddle really does look like Billy Joel. Still, you are to be commended Greg. What a bike--utility, grace, performance and style--traditonal Guzzi virtues, but rarely seen all in the same bike. I'd give it an A plus.
That part was not fantasy. Billy Joel was in the shop for about 45 minutes today.
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“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“To our friends in America:
“We’ve sensed that you were as underwhelmed with Pierre Terblanche’s EICMA fantasy bikes as we were, so we’ve kicked his South African ass to the curb and hired someone who really knows his Guzzis to usher in a return to “first principles” in a way that Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius would applaud.
“Today, the Piaggio group is proud to present the first fruit of that partnership: the early-intro 2011 model Moto Guzzi Nuovo Eldorado—a real-steel resurrection of the most storied Moto Guzzi twin of all time, and one that sets the new standard for retro looks combined with modern function. Far from being merely impractical butt jewelry like a café racer, the 2011 Eldorado is a practical mount that can take you anywhere you want to go. In homage to its roots as a police bike, we like to call it a “donut racer,” but what it really is is a streetbike bike that you can use.
The 2011 Nuovo Eldorado shown with celebrity spokesman Billy Joel who was at Moto International today for the launch of this historic new model. We are near conclusion of a product-placement agreement to have a pair of Nuovo Eldos onstage like lions at the gate during his current concert tour across America.
“Out front, the Nuovo Eldorado features 54mm Marzocchi forks mimic the classic fat-fork look of the original Eldo while vaulting forward 35 years in suspension technology. In another first for Guzzi, these forks are correctly sprung for American-sized riders. Fully adjustable for pre-load and compression and rebound damping, you can set them Cadillac soft or racer hard. Twin rear shocks are adjustable units from YSS.
“We think you’ll love the new brakes as much as you love the new suspension: genuine 320mm Brembo floaters squeezed by four-piston Brembo Goldline calipers out front and a matching single Brembo rotor and caliper at the rear. Master cylinders are both genuine Brembo. All brake lines are stainless steel.
Far from being just another ho-hum entry into the “retro” category, the new Moto Guzzi Eldorado creates its own new category—the “donut racer,” a name that honors the original’s heritage as the chosen mount of police departments all over the US and the world.
“The new Eldo may be molto retro in spirit but it’s not so old-fashioned that it keeps remnants of the past that truly belong in the past. Both wheels are tubeless spokers with “sensible shoes:” 110/90-18 Pirelli Sport Demons at both ends that provide quick handling, sure stick, and don’t break the bank when you it comes time to replace them.
“Its steel fuel tank with chrome panels and pinstripes is straight out of the ‘70s but is impervious to the alcohol-laced fuels of today. It holds 5.5 gallons for a real-world range of over 200 miles. Perched like a lone cherry atop this tasty bowl of gelato is a gleaming polished aluminum dash that harks back to the police Eldorados of yore. Pride of place is given to an outsized speedometer, framed by a rainbow of indicator lights to let you monitor the health of your new mount.
The polished dash is the control center of the Nuovo Eldo while allowing instant access to the adjustments for damping and pre-load on the 54-mm Marzocchi upside-down forks.
“Making its long-overdue return on the 2011 is the classic round-fin Guzzi Big Twin engine. By classic, we mean classic. We returned to smaller valves and ports and mated them with big Dell’Orto carbs and long intake runners and a way-lumpier cam for mid-range torque that’s not just fat but morbidly obese.
“You’ll never have to worry about the wind and weather or how to carry things, either. Standard is a reprise of the classic “buffalo” fairing and quickly removable leg guards. Its footboards are perfectly placed for all-day comfort and fabulous cornering clearance. Its centerstand and sidestand are the best in the business. Its slim and stylish retro saddlebags and a luggage rack behind the police-spec solo seat are big enough to bring home the groceries or carry all your essentials for a long trip.
“And in another first that shows our commitment to succeeding in the world’s largest market for big-bore streetbikes, we’re introducing this important new model to the US market first. That’s right! The first shipments will be sent to America! Look for them in US dealerships starting in mid-February and everywhere else next fall.”
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Well, that’s the fantasy version, anyway. The real story is that it’s my scruffy, old Eldo with a set of upside-down forks from the Ballabio grafted on, along with Norge rotors, V11 calipers, and a front wheel off of a 2004 EV. It was a ton of work but so far seems to’ve been well worth it.
I went into this with three goals:
The first, of course, was to get better front suspension and brakes. I definitely have that. It rides unbelievably smoothly at the front¬¬¬--miles better than even the hot-rodded, FAC-equipped Eldo disc-type front end it replaced, let alone the all-steel, undamped drum-type forks my Eldo first came equipped with. The brakes are really good, too, although I have to say they’re really not all that superior to the hot-rodded dual discs I had on before. Those were really good brakes, too. It’s much more stable, too V11 Sport forks have MUCH less offset than the Eldo forks, which meant a great increase in trail, which made the whole thing rock-stable while still having great steering response. It always wanted to go into a death-wobble with the old forks, so much so that it scared the crap out of several friends of mine who rode it. And you’d never’ve wanted to’ve ridden it without a steering damper. Its instability was just something I grew so used to that I never really noticed it much, but I sure heard about it when most others rode it.
The second was that I also wanted it all to fit together so seamlessly that you wouldn’t even notice that it had been done unless you looked real close. So far, no one has spotted the change until I pointed it out. That makes me think I met that goal, too.
Finally, I wanted to do the mod without making any permanent alterations to either the bike or to the Ballabio front end. Unfortunately, I failed to meet that goal. In the end, the only way to get mounting points for the Eldo handlebar risers that I felt were strong enough to be safe was to drill four holes into the Ballabio top triple clamp. Also, I had to cut the center supports on the Eldo fender because they were long enough to interfere with the calipers. I cut them off at a point that will allow me to weld them back on easily if I ever want to revert to the old forks. Making all the bracketry and stuff to mount the fender and dash without cutting and welding on the parts added a tremendous amount of work, but I think it was worth it.
I had to make a plate for the police dash to mate it to the Ballabio top triple clamp. I made circular spacers to go inside the big bar-mount holes that were already there and then drilled and tapped the spacers to accept the rear mounting screws for the dash. The plate is hardly noticeable and went on without need to alter any stock parts. The dash wiring was a nightmare because the steering stem is so much longer on the Ballabio triples that it raised the dash enough that I needed a longer speedo cable and had to make extenders for many of the wires to the idiot lights. This view shows how much less offset these forks have than Eldo forks. Stock forks are centered under the forward mounting screws for the dash. These are completely outside the footprint of the dash, which is a good thing because as a result I can easily get at the adjusters.
Here are a few of the brackets that it was necessary to make to mate the Eldo fender braces to the upside-down forks. The axle is from the Ballabio front end. To make that work with the EV front wheel, I swapped the bearings for Ballabio bearings and had a friend turn a new inner spacer for the wheel. That was the only part in the whole conversion made by a machinist.
The back bracket was a real bitch because it’s curved and really difficult to fit. Because the bracket is curved, I needed wedge spacers fitted around each screw so the screw head would be tightening onto a flat surface. I bolted them using the pinch-screw holes that were already through to the back of the lower fork boss. Try threading a screw through the hole of a precisely fitted round bracket into a non-countersinked hole coming out of a curved surface. Endless frustration there. It’s a two-bourbon job, for sure.
As said earlier, I had to cut the center fender supports. I hated to have to alter a rare stock part, but there was no alternative. Then, I made brackets bolted to the caliper mounts that would mate up with the shortened fender supports. It’s not ideal, but it doesn’t suck, either.
These brackets were necessary to mount my front turn signals and spotlights. I sized the thickness of the steel so they’d do double duty as the point of contact with the steering stop on the frame. Simple and effective. That copper line around the top of the lower triple is for a partial shim I had to insert because the fork necks down by 1 mm halfway through the clamp. The V11s have a taller steering head, so this wasn't necessary on that bike. Mating the long steering stem or the V11 triple clamp with the short neck of an Eldo frame was the most frustrating part of the whole thing. I had to try, fit, measure, reshim bearings, again, and again, in order to get it all to work. Do not drink bourbon during this phase.
Overall, I’m very happy with it. The change in looks is pretty subtle whereas the change in performance is HUGE, which makes my Eldo even more of a sleeper than it already was.
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I did this to my Ballabio. It looks goof(ier)y without the fairing, unless you also fit headlight brackets to move the light back. Then, you need a V11 Sport instrument plate and a few mounting bits. The V11 Sport brackets are still available, or you can make your own. The headlight is smaller than a V11 Sports, so you need a few spacers to make it work with the V11 brackets. It'll look better if you also cover the small headlight by moving the fairing back to swing with the bars. That's easy to do. Just bolt it on using the screw that hold the headlight to the mounts.
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Some bikes experience oil starvation when the level is set by the factory method. It is wise to fill it to the full level as read by the following modification to the method oalready given: Instead of screwing the dipstick all the way in, screw it on only one turn or less (just enough to ensure that the stick is not cocked going into the case. This will prevent oil starvation in almost every case. For the few on which it does not, the best cure is a Roper sloppage plate.
Dry Clutch Noise 2004 V11
in Technical Topics
Posted
Look, fellas: When you have the clutch lever pulled in, and the clutch is chattering, the cush-drive stack is outta the equation. It is. The shafts turn freely.
I could tell you what's going on, but it would just get me accused of not knowing what I'm talking about by guys who have owned one whole Guzzi in their entire lives, like Hatchetwhacker.
If anyone's sincerely interested in knowing beyond the regurgitated blather that passes for knowledge on V11 LM.com, PM me.