docc

@Randy is a good Sport. He deserves some lovin" . . .

I don't know who brought the fake oil spill, but Randy slept in Sunday, so he was last one to get it. The guy with the Honda seemed a little ruffled when he found under his ST1300 . . . Fair warning, Randy has it now and can mess with whomever he thinks will "enjoy" it the most. (Notice how docc knows precisely where an oil spill is most likely to occur under a V11. )

One must be careful what one asks for . . .

The rewards of a bit of undying inquisitiveness.

@MartyNZ shared this with me to link for those interested in this beautiful piece. I know @VtwinStorm recently expressed interest . . http://www.magni.it/v11_fairing.htm

You veteran SpineRaiders are such an encouragement to those taking a chance on this. I mean, how sketchy can a plan get: "Not a rally, not an event, no organization, no affiliation, no T-shirt, no plan. Just an *idea* - Yer on yer own, bud." Yet, the enthusiasm and camaraderie are second-to-none!

So, even with as many commonalities we can name between the Moto Guzzi "Big Block" and the beloved American V8, the Guzzi motor is a thing of its own, purposefully designed, and elegantly executed. " . . . with the presence of a Norman horse . . . "

@Kostarika posted this pic in his Gallery, but a lot of members don't pay attention or comment there. This stunning image deserves front page news, IMO . . .

"Hopefully" the jelly mold bodywork is just a ruse and they are going to stun us with something distinctly Italian, even if it is polarizing. Who could love the era of auto styling likened to a month-old bar of soap?

Alright, alright, I apologize about about the whimsy of that last one especially after such genuine, quality, and refined musical posts. I probably posted this before, but on the eve of heading to the Seventeenth South'n SpineRaid, and to acknowledge those SpineRaiders who have tried, but could not arrive, I am reminded of this ballad of The Last Chance Texaco. A place we have all been to. I still hear the forlorn whine of the trucks flying by . . .

For those with the time, inclination, and good supply of libations to carry them through: And also, regarding the motorcycle.com article originally posted above, written on 2002, no one really understood why the V11 was styled like this until the 2002 Anima Guzzista interview with the designer, Luciano Marabese, came to light. Then the design makes complete and cohesive sense :

So, there is not total radio silence! Welcome, Randy! Cannot wait to see you guys! a domani

Word is, there is a Coppa Italia onsite this evening . . . Along with a pristine champagne LeMans and her sweet older sister, a restored white Eldorado. I'm not naming any names, but his initials are @Tom in Virginia.

Peter Verdone produced a conversion chart of numerous popular fork oils showing the more accurate and reliable cSt unit. http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/lowspeed.htm

Well, the "failed car project" is closer to the truth than the blasphemous "Tractor engine" crap. While true that Fiat passed on adopting the Carcano (and Todero) designed V-twin for their car project, Carcano had actually developed it for his personal, sleeper "Topolino" Fiat. I only recently learned that car has the engine mounted ahead of the front axle like a Morgan trike. A big block Guzzi makes perfect sense there! I'm guessing the earliest EFI on a Moto Guzzi was the original Daytona 1000?

Wait, wait . . . I thought that was a genuine Chuck-chicken. You are saying this was part and parcel of the P.Roper Mighty Scura upon your acquisition?

Sheesh, Bill, that band of rain really lingered over your intended path of travel today. Looks like it has broken up enough now to be tolerable. Ride well! See you tomorrow!

Here it is, from respected member @O2 V11:

Your spring supplier should be able to spec the rate and the preload spacers for you. Traxxion Dynamics spec'd mine and nailed it perfectly. I have the earlier Sport without the LeMans faring and different (smaller) forks than yours, so my numbers probably don't contribute much. As for fork oil, these forks do not damp spectacularly and many have found lighter oil flows better through the valving. There was a very well crafted, recent post that spoke of selecting fork oil in centiStokes, rather than SAE "weight" which has tremendous variation and overlap between manufacturers.

There it is! I can't recall who made them and I seem to remember only one V11 even having one mounted. (Thanks for the kind comments on my>old<Sport. In fairness, that image was from before the 100,000/161k kays mark as I see the speedo angle drive from before the Speedhut clocks. Looking to add over 1,000 kays in the next few days. SpineRaid! )

That is an insightful consideration, J! The parts catalog only lists the "Injector Kit Complete" GU01530504, and the entire throttle body (x2) assembly complete with injectors (x2), mounting rail, with TPS: GU01112500

Moto Guzzi "Central Stand" (paddock stand): GU00979717

This is where the thread transitions into a period of "radio silence" as SpineRaiders transit, revel, and return home. I absolutely love where these threads go after that when all the enthusiasm, excitement , and experiences get shared. Vivi il centesimo!