docc
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Posts posted by docc
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2 hours ago, audiomick said:
Me too, actually. Not the motor, I knew I'd love that. A flatmate had a Le Mans III in the late '80's, and I really liked it, and I was convinced that a more modern version of the motor must be good. It is, perhaps even more than I expected.
But the styling...
I still can't really come at a V11 without the Le Mans fairing. And even the Le Mans took a couple of months to grow on me. Riding it helped convince me, of course.
I had owned my V11 Sport sixteen (16!) years before the styling was revealed to me in an interview with the designer, Luciano Marabese, referencing the Gambalunghino as the design reference. This brought the whole design together for me after being frustrated looking for (absent) V7 Sport cues which period journalists, erroneously, reported the V11 Sport was an homage to.
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Agreed, that #10 "clamping part" got over-tightened, and deformed. It is the point of failure.
Perhaps, the approximation points of the jaw could be relieved (filed) to restore the clamping function?
And, again, introducing a replacement bolt that extends its threads, by two threads, beyond the "new" lock nut . . .
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Why not relieve the lost gap in the claw clamp?
Or replace the "claw clamp?"
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3 hours ago, audiomick said:
My brother in law, unfortunately passed away due to a heart attack, had a theory. In his opinion, everyone should have to be obliged to ride a motorcyle for a at least a year before getting a driver's license to drive a car. That way, the really stupid ones would get sorted out by natural attrition, and the roads would become a safer place for all.
Darwin wasn't wrong, but we (as a species) have a lot of work-arounds (for the time being).
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1 hour ago, 4corsa said:
Thank you docc, and how do you feel about the results? Did you notice any difference - are your forks more compliant or firmer? Will you use the same Belray 5W?
Just now reading in Guzziology p.572 "Starting in the Piaggio Era" owner's handbook call for either a viscosity of Fork 5W or Fork 20W. I'd recommend you start with 5W and I can't imagine going heavier than 10W unless you're trying to create damping where there isn't any in drum-brake loop-frame forks".
Yes, indeed the more accurate cSt measure varies dramatically with the "weights" of common fork oils.
I am extremely pleased with my suspension set-up (YMMV). Yes, my target cSt is about 19.x while the typical "7wt" pushes into the 30s.
The 19.x gives me much more compliance and responsiveness from these forks. Again, I changed my springs, raised the forks in the triple trees 5mm, adjusted my tire pressures 35psi front/ 40psi rear (with selected tires/sizes for my rim widths), and changed the rear shock/spring rate/preload.
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3 hours ago, gstallons said:
What failure caused the road towing ?
In 136,666 miles/ 220.000 km, my Sport has needed four or five roadside assists. All of the other issues, I have solved with field expedience.
A failed regulator caused me to phone my family to bring the neighbor's trailer to gather us up. The early Sport's "battery warning light" alerted me to the issue and got me halfway back home for the rescue effort. One other time, the "battery light" came on and my battery positive had loosened and blew the charging fuse: close to home, young son came and jumped me off from his Jeep.
Two of my roadside tow assists were related to failed driveshaft yokes. First the rear, then (later) the front. The issues leading to these failures are documented here, elsewhere. Don't cross thread or otherwise screw up those driveshaft pinch bolts!
The tow from 310 miles away from home was attributed to rear wheel bearing failure *complicated* by "stacked tolerances" from a too-short rear wheel bearing spacer, various wear changes, the history of driveshaft failures, history of collision damage, and substandard wheel bearings.
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I learned (from this forum), early on, that lighter oil performs better in our forks, so I chose 5 "wt."
Then, I learned (from this forum) that 5 "weight" can vary widely between manufacturers and even between one manufacturer's different products. After taking in Peter Verdone's discourse, and published tables, I chose BelRay 5W High Performance fork oil based upon its rating in centiStokes. This measure is vastly more accurate than "weight."
http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/lowspeed.htm
http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/images/content/motorcycle/PVD-ISO-Viscosity-Data.gif
Perhaps, most important (and biggest gain) with forks is to be certain your springs and preload reflect your rider weight and riding style. Factory springs are notoriously soft. Springs are also fairly inexpensive and super-easy to change during the oil service. I used Traxxion Dynamics to spec my springs and preload spacers and they are spot-on.
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Here in America, young wildmen can go to unlimited performance fairly quickly. Some say it is a Darwinian strategy to keep said wildmen out of the gene pool.
Somehow, I slipped through the cracks.
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1 hour ago, p6x said:
I went through the fine prints of both my Insurance (Progressive) and AMA;
Here's the gist:
When you are riding in the west of Texas, 35 miles does not get you to any motorcycle shop. Those can only be found in major towns, and in any case, not Moto Guzzi.
Overages can be just about anything;
How much are we talking about? 500$, 1000$?
The AMA has come through for me twice, and couldn't get to me a third time. The first overage was maybe $70. The second tow was 310 miles and the overage was $700. Yet, the advantage was: I called for assistance late on a Saturday evening in a relatively small town in North Carolina. The recovery operator had me loaded by sunset and was determined to get me home (at 3 am). I gave him a good tip.
23 minutes ago, audiomick said:PS: as far as distances go: I spent a year working for a band in Australia. We were on our way from Adelaide to Sydney, and the vehicle blew a radiator hose somewhere east of Swan Hlll on the New South Wales side of the river. 65 km back to the previous town, and 70 km to the next one. The bass player hitch-hiked to the next town, and the RACV (or RACNSW) came out and towed us in.
All well and good . .
Ah, of course: the bass player.
I can hear the keyboardist tell the lead guitar player, "If the bloke is never seen or heard from again, what bass I can't do with my left hand, you can do with your thumb." 
Cannon fodder!
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15 minutes ago, Jaide said:
Hello everyone!
I'm Jaide, I've just turned 24 and with that I'm finally rid of the A2 license, and with that I've just upgraded from my restricted XSR 700 to a low mileage V11 Lemans. I'm probably the youngest member here, but I figured I'd join in case I need some advice with this bike. I came close to buying a V7 for my first bike, and after getting a Yamaha instead I just couldn't get those Guzzi's out of my head. And after a test ride I was immediately convinced I needed to get one!
Welcome @Jaide!
This is not only the best place in the world for the care and feeding a a V11 Spine Frame, but also the Dutchmen are particularly knowledgeable and courteous !
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21 minutes ago, TJH said:
Hi Docc
I’m referring to the fitting / nipple on the underside of the tank where any fluid around the outside of the filler neck drains. There are 2 fittings that have 6mm hose attached to drain fluids and allow the tank to breathe.
Ah, yes, the two under tank "nipples." One is an "overflow" drain and the other a tank vapor vent. Many have joined them, with no in-line valve, to vent/drain below the gearbox.
One must ensure the path from under the filler cap to the nipples (under the tank) are clear . . .
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1 hour ago, TJH said:
Hi
In the way of an update. After I had exhausted my options/ limited knowledge I took my bike to an experienced MG mechanic. I got the bike back running nicely albeit a slight hiccup around 3000 rpm. He used the original tps and replaced the slightly perished inlet rubbers but didn’t really have any one thing he had found wrong.
Fast forward 6 months and a couple of thousand trouble free kms , and one day the exact same on again off again misfiring is back.
This time I noticed a couple of things I’d dismissed first time around. I’d just refuelled and noticed fluid run into the tank when I popped the lid whilst on the side stand. The drain under the lid is blocked and when I washed the bike water pooled in that space under the lid.I have drained and flushed the fuel system and have the bike running properly again but I am having trouble clearing the drain. The fitting on the bottom of the tank ( I am guessing it’s a one way check vale ) is very tight and I don’t want to go too hard and damage the tank. Does anyone have experience / advice removing this part?
any advice is much appreciated
Regards Tony
@TJH, Are you referring to this "fitting/valve" on the right side of tank? This is the pressure regulator and not to be messed with!
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22 minutes ago, audiomick said:
Yes, I also reckon the bolt is too short. Maybe 4 or 5 mm more would be good. I read somewhere, written be someone who should know, that there should be 1.5 to 2 turns of thread proud of the nut. And the lock nut does look a bit shabby.
But why the nut on the bottom? I see no reason for that. On the contrary, I expect it is a lot easier to tighten up with the nut on top.
I suppose my thinking is that if the nut comes off the bottom there is still a bolt in place. If the nut comes off the top, the bolt falls out.
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11 minutes ago, TJH said:
Hi
In the way of an update. After I had exhausted my options/ limited knowledge I took my bike to an experienced MG mechanic. I got the bike back running nicely albeit a slight hiccup around 3000 rpm. He used the original tps and replaced the slightly perished inlet rubbers but didn’t really have any one thing he had found wrong.
Fast forward 6 months and a couple of thousand trouble free kms , and one day the exact same on again off again misfiring is back.
This time I noticed a couple of things I’d dismissed first time around. I’d just refuelled and noticed fluid run into the tank when I popped the lid whilst on the side stand. The drain under the lid is blocked and when I washed the bike water pooled in that space under the lid.I have drained and flushed the fuel system and have the bike running properly again but I am having trouble clearing the drain. The fitting on the bottom of the tank ( I am guessing it’s a one way check vale ) is very tight and I don’t want to go too hard and damage the tank. Does anyone have experience / advice removing this part?
any advice is much appreciated
Regards Tony
About thirty points down on this checklist there is some discussion of the two nipples under the tank . . .
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On 3/9/2025 at 4:20 PM, audiomick said:
And kilometres are much more fun than miles.
Heh, well, we certainly get more of them per mile!
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31 minutes ago, MartyNZ said:
If you search for "conformal coating" you will see many products that offer a protective, breathable coating of thin polymeric film that does exactly what you want. Then you can immerse the bike again and it will still start. 😄
Mountains = good!
Seal Level = okay . . .
Below seal level = NO GOOD!
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3 minutes ago, Lucky Phil said:
Speling, not my fort
Phil
seal level = "a happy accident!"
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28 minutes ago, Lucky Phil said:
It does exist.
Personally I'd be buying a spare ecu JIC. The other issue these 15M ECU's have is the Baro pressure sensor failing. Not a big deal if you live at seal level and don't ride into the mountains. You'll know it's failed via Guzzidiag if it shows dashes in the baro readout screen or if the bike starts acting a bit flaky with significant altitude changes .
Phil
That brings up the question if @Mechanism's V11 now connects to guzzidiag (?)
I also got a kick out the phrase "seal level."
After all, when was the last time you saw a seal in the mountains? 
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27 minutes ago, p6x said:
Here's the assy following the shimming:
I feel like that bolt on the pinch should be slightly longer and the lock nut should be renewed.
I would also be inclined to insert the bolt downward with the nut on the bottom.
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59 minutes ago, gstallons said:
Does anyone know the o/s diameter of the "nuts" in the transmission ? I am going to try to find an affordable socket for this . I see Motion Pro sells some of these sockets.
The Moto Guzzi Parts Catalog shows three of these "special tools" . . .
34mm GU 019 13 430
28mm GU 019 13 830
24mm GU 019 13 730
It is not specified what the "mm" designation refers to, perhaps the thread diameter of the "nut?"
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In my past life, in the world of "finance" we cleverly said of this sort of "shell game":
"The LARGE PRINT giveth, while the small print taketh away."
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Chatting with a couple other South'n Spine Raiders, the question came up asking how many miles I have ridden mySport on SSRs #1/2004 through XX/2024.
It was fun going back through my travel logs and finding 12,643 miles of SSR!
Now, I admit I rode all of that in "miles", yet twenty thousand kays has a nice ring to it.
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On 3/8/2025 at 4:41 PM, gstallons said:
The starter relay mod (as pictured ) is THE mod to perform as it keeps the current off the micro relay and onto a conventional mini ISO relay to power the starter solenoid. IDK why these companies run the high current through light switches , starter solenoids ,etc. knowing this is a Mickey Mouse setup . I used a weatherproof mini ISO relay and connector to operate the starter solenoid .
Just a wee clarification, if I may . . .
Early V11 Sports do not suffer classic Startus Interuptus like the LeMans and later variants that send the start current through through the ignition switch and back to the starter solenoid.
The early V11 does benefit from a robust (true high current) micro relays, especially in Position #1/start. As do all V11 Spine Frames benefit from the high current relays, just that the later variants need the extra start relay as Kiwi_Roy has described. IIRC, someone was making a kit for this. Was it "Eastern Beaver?"
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Roadside Assistance; what are our options in case of a major breakdown?
in Special place for banter and conversation
Posted
I also discovered that AMA requires you to declare a destination before they will dispatch the recovery operator.