[Enzo's Windage Plate Is On!!!]

Enzo;

 

Could you expand, please, how does the engine more "lubed up" feels?

 

I tried to imagine that feeling for a quite a long time and could not come up with anything. It really fascinates me.

[Bar End Mirrors]

How about getting a pair of Napoleons for $49 per mirror( V11S, not LeMans).

 

Then you go to your friendly machinist and ask him to drill a hole, thread it for the mounting bolt and cut a little notch in the clip-on end weight to accept Napoleon mount (you will know what I mean the minute you look at Napoleon. You do not need the metal and rubber inserts).

 

Here you are; perfect large functional mirror, looks totally stock on naked retro cafe racer and kills all vibration as a fringe benefit.

 

All the other mirrors are just poor, improvised substitute in comparison.

[front fender extension?]

Steve, Steve ;

Surely he wants to extend the rear. What purpose would front extention serve ?

 

He wants to keep the front of the engine and alternator cover clean, I am sure.

[Taming the V11 bar Vibrations]

ratchethack;

You are not weird, strange or unique and for sure not alone in your opinion. I would NEVER accept any other bars then stock '99 - '01 also.

 

These put my body in a most comfortable position. I've been riding for 10+ hours a day for more then a week several times and never suffered any discomfort. I totally agree with all your statements posted above.

 

Now vibration.

Yes, there was too much vibration when new and with stock weights and mirrors. But Napoleon bar end mirrors totally cured any problems. Please everybody note that their weight is positioned on a long stalks quite far from the bar ends and to match their effect you would probably have to weight bar ends themselves with two pounds each or more.

They also look 100% right on a naked V11S.

 

After 20,000 km (now I have almost 40,000) the engined seemed to be finally broken-in and all the residual vibration is really needed; otherwise I would think I am riding an electric appliance.

[V11S '99 - '01 clip-ons needed]

I need one (or two) first generation Sport clip-on handlebars with original bar-end weights.

 

So many people did not like these and replaced with aftermarket that surely somebody has a take-offs.

 

Please PM me; I live in Canada but have a Washington State address too.

[Exhaust/crossover crapola]

I think it was you I saw riding up in the Shuswap ...

 

 

O yea, hello then. You must be the one who got off the ferry first, right?

 

I think I saw you past Merritt the next day and stopped at the roadside hoping for you to stop also and us having a short conversation.

 

Unless I am completely confused and it was somebody else altogether.

[Exhaust/crossover crapola]

After having a stock system for some time I replaced a crossover with Stucchi unit just installing it without paying any attention to relieving stress or any other esoteric manouvers.

 

Nothing cracked. Then approximately a year later i added FBF end cans just slapping them in on the back. They were not very even on both sides so i had to push a little on one side and pull on the other. One triangular hanger ended up on outside and the other inside the factory muffler/pass. footpeg bracket.

 

Obviously the tension was/is there but for a long time now and after many miles of hard riding nothing breaks or cracks and the welds hold like before, fast and strong.

 

The point of all this is that it looks to me like you had some inferior hardware and no matter how careful installation would've not make any difference.

[PCIII users...]

I have a serial (non-USB) PC which works very good. What would be the advantage of USB PC?

Does it make sense to change?

Basically, what is the difference between the two?

[Break-in]

Any thoughts on (...) reasons to follow the manual.

 

Sure;

The manual was written by people who built this bike and therefore they know the best.

[Exhaust]

Ok, I bit the bullet and went with the redneck's advice and purchased the M4's with a Stucchi. I've got the FBF airbox and PCIII on their way as well.

 

Now, somebody PLEASE tell me I did the right thing. I'm not good with spending this much money behind my wife's back.

I strongly suspect that Ferraci has their pipes made by M4. They surely look the same. If it's true then you're OK.

[How loud are FBF cans really?]

And you're happy with them?

Definitely yes.

 

Esthetically - The smaller size fits so much better the lines of the bike. The huge stock pipes are sure easy for muffling the sound for governmental nazis' sake but throw the whole bike out of balance.

 

Aurally - For me these are the best sounding pipes, period.

 

Functionally - I do not know since did not compare directly. They make the difference for sure and if you look throught before installation you see the light from the other end. They are basically hollow inside with some mesh muffling material in the walls.

[First service interval-The aftermath]

Now, try Redline Shockproof Heavy (no moly needed) in your gearbox and rear end and tell us what you think THEN!

[How loud are FBF cans really?]

I have FBF and before buying tried to hear them all. Ferraci sound the loudest and have the deepest bass. I always wear earplugs on the open road and without flyscreen I do not hear them at speeds over 140 km/hr and with the flyscreen you have to go 160 to hear just the wind.

 

But a slow cruising around town gives you the best aural experience in all motorcycledom.

[Cans - Crossover]

My first and only modification at the time was just the Stucchi x-over. My experience was totally different then Ian's though. Just a x-over with stock pipes got rid completely of the imfamous 4,000 RPM dip, added snap to the midrange and improved the sound.

 

The next was open Ferraci box. Much more intake sound and VERY lean running engine. Luckily,having Powercomander,five minutes with the laptop cured that.

 

Next, Ferraci pipes made a huge difference in sound. I canibalized GuzziTech.com out of identical set up map and after some seat of the pants improvements the bike runs as close to perfect as I can imagine.

 

I am a strong believer of introducing one mod at a time. After all, how would you tell what does what otherwise?

 

Also, indyvidual dyno mapping and trusting it totally is very risky IMO. You have to show a HUGE trust in abilities and integrity of an operator otherwise you might end up with hit and miss type of a map. The dyno machine, similarly to wheel balancing machine or alignment machine, is only as good as its calibration and operator's abilities. Some of these before and after graphs border on comical.

 

My map needed at least ten or more manual adjustments to make it 100% acceptable.

[Buying a Sport V11]

I have my 2001 V11Sport since new and rode over 35,000 km so far. Fantastic bike and I did not have any problems with it at all.

 

The only warranty repair was an erratic speedo which was replaced by the dealer under warranty together with a speedo cable.

 

I do my own maintenance and I think it is important. There were few bolts which became loose with time or were not properly tightened from the factory. I also replaced muffler and x-over together with Power Commander. It resulted in much louder and nicer sounding engine and some iprovement in the top end. But stock it was running very well.

 

In a word; great bike.

[oil pan re & I]

I have four on the sides and three on the front and three on the back also. Total count - 14.

 

Are you sure you have 4 on the back? You beat everybody by one.

 

By the way, my book says to clean the screen at 30,000 k after the first service. My screen at 30,000 was as clean as new.

[V11 Le Mans Center Stand Kit]

This is not to provoke a controversy but merely to state the fact;

 

I am happy that my V11 does not have a centerstand. Even if it had I would immediately take it off and sell it to one of you guys .

 

My last bike with a factory centerstand was my old FJ1100 and yes, I took it off and threw to the garbage on a second year of ownership. I remember it was more trouble then use; dragging in turns, hitting pavement on fast bumps (weak spring I would say) etc.

 

In almost 40 years of riding bikes i never had a situation when a centerstand would be of any use which would offset its weight and ugliness. Some people consider a centerstand as more secure way of parking but I disagree. It seems to me that any bike is more stable on a sidestand. Just think how stable a three legged table is or how much area is covered by the two- tires- and- the- kickstand-triangle versus one-tire-and-two-ceterstand-legs-triangle. When lubing the chain (if you have one) moving the bike few feet back and forth is not more trouble then putting up and down on centerstand.

 

Of course it goes without saying that you need a proper shop stand in your garage. It is so much more useful combined with a front wheel stand then a centerstand!

[vacuum nipples]

If you matched the length exactly (15mm) then you would avoid some unnecessary turbulence in the airstream.

 

OK, OK, at least it sounds smart, right?

[vacuum nipples]

An obvious question, but perhaps not so obvious an answer..... any idea how long is "long enough" versus "too long"??

 

Anyway, how long should the bolt be to not get into the airstream? Any idea?

 

I suspect it's not a huge issue either way...

 

 

al

Just look at original brass nipples thread length. That is how long should your plugging bolts be.

[vacuum nipples]

I have to admit that although I consider all the dealers good for nothing the one I bought my bike from is really a good one. The exception confirming the rule, I guess.

 

When I bought my bike almost three years ago he asked if I wanted all the California "pollution" garbage removed before picking the bike up.

 

Yes, of course.

 

He plugged the holes with neat bolts which looked like factory installed. When doing my carb synch I just replace them with the nipples.

[Sport riding ground clearance]

In my previous life BFC (Before Ferraci Cans) I did scrape a kickstand on the left and front part of the stock muffler on the right.

 

Then i started to hang off a little and stopped scraping altogether.

 

Now in my AFC period I did not scrape anything on the starboard side so cannot tell for sure. It would be a footpeg I guess since Ferraci cans are so much smaller.

[spill yer guts on maintenance]

You know waranty claims can be a problem when the dealer didn't do the service?

Not in North America, Paul.

 

For last 20 years I avoid the dealers as much as possible. All my vehicles are serviced by myself from day one and I KNOW that all is properly done without cutting corners and negligence.

 

I paid good money for cars and bikes, why should I let some apprentice practice his skills on them?

 

I never had a problem yet with any warranty replacements.

[spill yer guts on maintenance]

As I said before it is STILL true:

 

The factory fills with synthetic,

 

The factory recommends synthetic,

 

The worst and cheapest real synthetic oil is a better performing one in any respect then the best non-synthetic which does not mean that non-synthetic will not do its job, but with so much less safety margin what's the point?

 

The CDs are vastly superior in storing music then vinyl which does not mean that vinyl record will not do its job, but what's the point?

 

The computer is much better to do the calculations then abacus which does not mean that abacus will not do its job, but what's the point?

[High-speed tail wag]

So the best thing would be, as i see it, to have a 1999-2001 (old frame) bike and just stiffen the frame by linking the side plates.

 

Can that be done? My 2001 V11S is a fantastic bike without any problems from day one and only because of that I will keep it forever.

[Oil]

"don't splash out on a costly synthetic oil until your engine's covered [wait for it...] 5,000 miles."

Synthetic oils interfere with running in [because of a chemical process happening in the metals].

"Although you can treat an engine as fully run in after 500 miles, surface stabilisation continues for at least the first 5,000 miles of an engine's life. Synthetic oils actively prevent this from happening, possibly by holding friction surfaces apart. The consequence of using a synthetic too early is your engine will never run in properly. I would even suggest waiting until 10,000 miles before using it in most engines subjected to normal use. Until then you are best to use an inexpensive but branded mineral oil."

 

So how would you comment, in view of these revelations, on the fact that Moto Guzzi factory themselves, along with many other makes including Porshe, Mercedes etc, fill the crancase in the new bikes with a synthetic oil?

 

The oil recommended by the factory, Agip 4T Super Racing is a synthetic oil of course.

 

My comment is this:

 

Do you remember all these guys some years ago who were clinging to vinyl records preaching that they sound better then CD's? That was also pathetic.

 

Also; I am of the opinion that modern methods of engine production (yes, including Moto Guzzi) make the whole "breaking in" process more and more meaningless.