John O'Sullivan

Well gentlemen, I'm back, nice to see that flywheels are still flying! I got a RAM replacement from Teo Lamers and it was fitted in Jaca (Northern Spain) but I've done very little with the bike since I've been building a new house which takes a little time. The RAM flywheel is a steel construction to my knowledge and is reliable as Teo Lamers have been using them for years. Best to you all, John

THREE BLACK MEN At the National Art Gallery in Dublin , a husband and wife were staring at a portrait that had them completely confused. The painting depicted three black men totally naked sitting on a park bench. Two of the figures had black willies, but the one in the middle had a pink willie. The curator of the gallery realized that they were having trouble interpreting the painting and offered his assessment. He went on for over half an hour explaining how it depicted the sexual emasculation of black men in a predominately white, patriarchal society. "In fact," he pointed out, "some serious critics believe that the pink willie also reflects the cultural and sociological oppression experienced by gay men in contemporary society". After the curator left, an Irishman, approached the couple and said, "Would you like to know what the painting is really about"? "Now why would you claim to be more of an expert than the curator of the gallery"? asked the couple. "Because I'm the guy who painted it", he replied. "In fact, there are no black men depicted at all. They're just three Irish coal miners. The guy in the middle went home for lunch".

Wrong way round

I have a V11 Left Cylinder Head for sale on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...E:IT&ih=014

Well you know that if its an Irish club you must have a split at the first meeting. I'm for the southern non conformist left-wing "kickstart" brigade

Keith, I'll take 2 please, one for the nice new V11 and one for the Centauro. V11 engine may be fitted this weekend

The saga continues: Took down the cylinders last night to find the reason for the knock was a shagged left side big end! I'm really glad I have a centauro to ride as I will need some relaxation from this STRESS>>>>>>>AGH! The girly bike looks more and more appealing. Maybe I was using the wrong engine oil and should have been using a blend of mascarpone cheese to lovingly bathe the soft metal components

I think it has been a case of poor hardening. I'm going with the http://www.hmb-guzzi.de/ treatment of a new (remanufactured) camshaft/springs etc. I'm sending them heads,camshaft and pistons to get a complete fitting done. I'm going for a "mild" cam as I spend no time over 5,000 RPM and prefer torque to horsepower. I want a sports tourer not a cafe racer. I am really disappointed with the quality of the recent 2002 Guzzi product. I'm probally just their average customer but I'm sure of one thing.....it's the last they will see of my money. A bike with less than 25,000 miles having both its clutch/flywheel and camshaft replaced with a shitty engine case which has not received any customer support, is more than enough for me. Don't get me wrong, I like the product but can't take any more the poor quality and lack of customer care.

My sentiment exactly. I met my tame mechanic today who gave me the same salutation. I have what is techically called "a shagged camshaft" which now requires replacement and engine rebuilding, if this breakdown/repair hassle continues I'm going to be fully qualified with a second livelyhood repairing V11 guzzis! I will shortly have a almost totally non standard V11 scura with only the bubbling engine cases as standard! May it rain sh1t on that camshaft wanker

Yup and its not good. The profiles on the camshaft are damaged, I'm not qualified to give a correct diagnosis but will have a competent mechanic give his opinion tomorrow. I FOUND A NEW GUZZI TOOL !!!!!!! The 32mm nut on the crankshaft sprocket is a bitch to remove due to it being recessed in the sprocket and being less than half the width of a normal nut. A 32mm ring spanner will just slip off the nut as it has little or no grip, the answer is a 32mm plumbers sink socket (like a cheap spark plug socket with a hole in the center of the body for the screwdriver shaft). 10 Euro from your local plumbing supplier.

I think I may have had a cam failure, the symtoms were a increasing knock in the upper engine block, a loss of power getting worse over about 20 miles until the bike no longer wanted to climb hills. I have stripped the cylinder heads and there is no problem with the top end so my next project is the cam? The pushrods are perfect with no wear or marks visable. Am I on the right track?

My first cable broke after 37,000km which is O.K. I replaced it with similar and had three issues: The old cable broke leaving about 10 mm of the insert up in the speedometer which left me wondering how the new cable would fit The routing of the cable between the ignition coils and the spine frame was tricky as the coils had to be unbolted. The offset drive at the gearbox decided to voluntarily split into its metal and plastic halfs (this has been well documented by Belfast Guzzi). I found a fix......clean and degrease individual parts using first diesel, dry and then clean with brake and clutch cleaner. Mate parts using red Locktite...leave to set overnight. BTW two small nylon screw drives reside in that housing and require only a small dab of grease. No photographs as the job was done before camera flashed in head! Hope this helps.

Teo Lamers are advertising for sale an MGS-01 at €24,990 http://www.tlm.nl Have fun

Super Bowl QB breaks jaw, nose in motorcycle crash ............................... Published June 12, 2006, 10:17 PM CDT Super Bowl QB breaks jaw, nose in motorcycle crash By Joe Mandak The Associated Press PITTSBURGH -- Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger, the youngest quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl championship, broke his jaw and nose in a motorcycle crash Monday in which he was not wearing a helmet. Four doctors operated on Roethlisberger for seven hours to treat multiple facial fractures and "all of the fractures were successfully repaired," Dr. Harry W. Sell, chairman of the surgery department at Mercy Hospital, told reporters late Monday night. Dr. Daniel Pituch, who led the team, said Roethlisberger was in serious but stable condition, and doctors were aware of no other serious injuries. "His brain, spine, chest and abdomen appear to be without serious injury and there are no other confirmed injuries at this time," he said. The doctors said his condition was not expected to change through the evening, and that no updates were expected until Tuesday. They declined to release further information at his family's request. Roethlisberger was talking to doctors before the surgery, Dr. Larry Jones, chief of trauma at Mercy Hospital said. "He's coherent. He's making sense," Jones said. "He knows what happened. He knows where he is. From that standpoint, he's very stable." Roethlisberger's mother, Brenda, was crying as she arrived at the hospital. Steelers president Art Rooney II said the team was "encouraged by the early reports from the medical team" at the hospital. "I am sure Ben knows that we are praying for his complete recovery." The 24-year-old Roethlisberger was without a helmet, police said. He has said he likes to ride without one, a habit that once prompted a lecture from Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher. Roethlisberger was on his black 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa -- the company calls it the world's fastest bike for legal street riding -- and heading toward an intersection on the edge of downtown. A Chrysler New Yorker traveling in the opposite direction took a left turn and collided with the motorcycle, and Roethlisberger was thrown, police said. The other car was driven by a 62-year-old woman, police said. They didn't immediately release her name and no charges were filed. Witness Sandra Ford was waiting at a bus stop when she said she saw the motorcycle approach. Seconds later, she said she heard a crash, saw the motorcyclist in the air and ran toward the crash scene. "He wasn't moving and I was afraid that he had died. ... He wasn't really speaking. He seemed dazed but he was resisting the effort to make him stay down," said Ford, who didn't realize the motorcyclist was Roethlisberger. Police spokesman Lt. Kevin Kraus said police and homicide units were leading the investigation, a standard practice when there is an accident with critical injuries. In only his second year in the NFL, Roethlisberger helped guide the Steelers to the Super Bowl title in February at age 23. Training camp for next season begins at the end of July. Several teammates, including backup quarterback Charlie Batch, linebacker Joey Porter and safety Mike Logan, arrived at the emergency room. Some fans also gathered at the hospital, including Juanita Clark, who sells Steelers paraphernalia. "I just feel like he's a family member," said her daughter, Loretta Clark. The NFL's standard player contract prohibits any activity involving "significant risk of personal injury" apart from football. But many prominent athletes ride motorcycles anyway, despite the risk and the possibility of losing salary. In May 2005, Cowher warned Roethlisberger about safe riding after Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was injured in a motorcycle accident. Winslow tore knee ligaments and was lost for the season. Other athletes injured on motorcycles during their careers include basketball's Jason Williams, skiing's Hermann Maier and auto racing's Dario Franchitti. Roethlisberger has said in the past that he prefers not to wear a helmet when riding his motorcycle. He has pointed out Pennsylvania's state law requiring helmets to be worn was repealed in September 2003. "He talked about being a risk-taker and I'm not really a risk-taker. I'm pretty conservative and laid back, but the big thing is to just be careful," Roethlisberger said at the time. "I'll just continue to be careful. I told him we don't ever ride alone, we always ride in a group of people, and I think it makes it even more safe." Roethlisberger continued to ride after Winslow's accident and that angered Terry Bradshaw, who quarterbacked the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories during the 1970s. Visiting the Steelers' training camp last summer, Bradshaw remarked: "Ride it when you retire." Copyright © 2006, The Associated Press.

I think that Navtech (sp) has just recently (02/2006) produced a map of Ireland which is included in this TomTom GPS system! I really only want it for Europe and the U.K.

May 30 2006 ~ TomTom RIDER comes as standard on the Norge 1200 GTL Moto Guzzi motorcycle ~ TomTom, Europe’s leading satellite navigation provider, today announced their worldwide partnership with motorbike specialists Moto Guzzi to provide TomTom RIDER on the Norge 1200 GTL motorcycle in Europe, North America and Australia. TomTom RIDER, TomTom’s navigation device designed specifically for two wheels, will come as standard on the new Norge 1200 GTL. It will also be offered as an accessory option on the Norge 1200 T, TL and GT. Moto Guzzi has created a special mounting bracket that fully integrates the TomTom RIDER into the design of the motorcycle. The TomTom RIDER equipped Norge 1200 GTL will be available from the end of May throughout the Moto Guzzi and Piaggio dealerships across Europe. The TomTom ready Norge 1200 GTL will be available in North America and Australia in the near future. “This is the first worldwide manufacturing agreement whereby a navigation system is integrated with the motorcycle and supplied standard from the factory,” says TomTom’s chief executive officer Harold Goddijn. “The European TomTom RIDER is the perfect partner for any bike enthusiast and this agreement demonstrates shows our commitment to providing motorcyclist with the best products on the market.” TomTom RIDER is the portable all-in-one navigation solution designed for motorbikes and scooters. With updated software, the new TomTom RIDER enables easy navigation throughout all of Western Europe, pre-installed on a SD card. The new device comes with TomTom HOME the unique software application for managing files, getting updates and planning journeys from a PC. Furthermore TomTom PLUS services have been expanded and updated to include the new TomTom Buddies, TomTom Scenic Routes and an array of points of interest to ensure riders can enjoy the most exciting routes across Europe.

Carl, I recommend this group: http://www.jurysdoyle.com/ Their Christchurch (Dublin) Inn is central, with parking. Have fun, John

Lovely bloody lovely

There is a pre '02 and a post '02 centre stand. The difference is due to the lower stiffening which was added to the 2002 model year, bolted to the engine below both foot controls(rear brake and gearchange). I have a 2002 V11 Scura with a standard crossover and a 2002 centre stand. As far as I can remember, it was an easy fit once TLM sent me the right stand. The stand is an excellent mod and once you learn how to get the bike up on it, its sooooo handy. The trick is to use the bikes own weight to lever the bike up on the stand.

Owning one of each and liking both I would suggest that you get a spin on both before you decide as the Centauro feels smaller and lighter but at 6'2" the V11 may be more your size. Have fun with whatever you choose.

Frame Number: ZGUKS00001M111672 New RAM single plate feels good and no "CLACK CLACK CLACK"

I'm going back to Spain on March 23rd to collect my Scura that left me stranded in the Pyrenees last October when the flywheel disintegrated. The pictures of said flywheel are on another thread here. I had 32,000km on the bike at the time when it decided to go titsup. I got very little warning but managed to limp the last 20km to my destination for the day. The bike has been repaired since before Christmas but I'm not willing to freeze my ass and I have a Centauro here also to keep me sane. I will send the offending flywheel to Mandello with a request for action

HD, I would advise that you subscribe to the U.K. Guzzi Club as the cost is minimal and the bikes for sale will give you a good selection to choose from when you are buying. I will also give you an excuse for a nice ride back to Donegal when you purchase in the U.K.

Paul, I don't know if the bolts were tight or not as I was home when the engine was opened however I'll ask when I see the mechanic in Spain. I got no warning as the run from La Rochelle to Jaca in northern Spain was done in one run with only a fuel stop at which time I noticed the "noise".

I think I know this flywheel...in fact its mine I was on a weeks break with some others in the Pyrenees, however as we were about 20 miles from our destination I got the feeling (and the "sound") that everything was not well. I managed to limp slowly to my destination where the bike still remains today in Jaca, Northern Spain. We are awaiting delivery of a new RAM clutch and oil seal to reassemble the bike at which time I will fly back to drive the bike home. You may not be aware but my scura was, from new, officially the noisyest clutch in Guzzidom. It finally departed this world at the most opportune moment being furthest from home and leaving me stranded with no possibility of quick repair. The bike has done about 32,000 Kms (19,200 miles) from new and will on its return home reside in a corner of shame while I ride my centauro. I will enjoy my return to Spain and dash north to Cherbourg in due course.