docc

A few weeks ago, a friend stopped by and commented on my Sport parked on the lift with the valves about eye level, "You don't use the stop rod? Isn't that hard on the seals?" Well . . . . I dunno? I notice the power company parks all its bucket trucks with the booms fully extended. Why do they do that? Am I damaging my hydraulic cylinder with the bike parked at working height? (It has never sagged.)

Another one for the En-psycho-pedia of Parts?

There must be a million hammers under all those covers! (+1 on the good looking Guzzi! )

Nice! Pretty courageous to make one of these bikes into what we see of them. Coppa LeMans! Hey, maybe you should post on the currently active "lifts" thread. Looks like you have a unique method there. Not sure what is being done with the ratchet strap to the factory stand?

There is a certain alluring elegance in fotoguzzi's chain falls; like the thrill and fright of watching Romanain girls on trapeze high in the tent . . .

It should. It really should . . . Check my work: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19514&p=216995

Relays: OEM parts: Position #1 (5-pin) - 01731760 Positions #2-#5 (4-pin) - 01732560 Replacement part: OMRON High Current 5-pin (use in all five positions): Brand: OMRON High-Current Micro ISO terminal Relay G8HE-1C-7T-R-DC12, Made in USA Specification sheet: http://www.omron.com/ecb/products/pdf/en-g8he.pdf Source: [edit /August 2018: OMRON is apparently no longer making these.] Comments: discussion thread, links, references, and rationale: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19755 edit/ March 2022: (sorry to break the format, but the High Current Relay is a moving target!) Here is a link to the most current "Best Relay" as of 2022:

No Guzzi dealer? *shocking* Here in the depths of the US south, people often ask, "Who keeps your bike running?" "Why, a most excellent fellow in Varsseveld, Nederland." . . . and the 3,603 other members of the V11 forum. "We few, we happy few! We band of brothers!" ws

That looks to have the "preferred" tire vice. The Harbor Freight vice is really small and only captures the tire at the very bottom while the Handy vice is a large trapezoidal thing can foul the rotors. Not sure how cost compares between the "preferred" tire vice and the SportChock, but ooh, I do love my SportChock. (I know . . . I said that already . . . )

It should. It really should . . .

Hey, you can *probably* use those GEI for an auxiliary lighting circuit without issue. And carry for spares. (I have 5 GEI in the monkey-paw trap along with a couple Bosch and a few OMRON).

Let's be aware that the ratings on the Chinese GEI may be more than a little suspect. And also that, contacts are rated two ways: "inrush" and continuous. The ratings shown for the GEI are not likely for continuous current which is what is required across Relay#1 NC (early V11) and Relay#5 NO. Most micro relays are rated 10amp/20amp *continuous*. The GEI are just not "robust enough" in those positions, and "may be" fine in other positions. Lots on this, with links and history and spec sheets, in Relay Alternatives.

I can't imagine how awkward it would be to get the V11 on the lift, get off of it (and off of the lift), and clamp the front wheel in a vise while holding the bike upright. The SportChock is a delight; still requires some *finesse*, but is a one man operation that has the bike stable at the outset.

I still use the factory stand for the rear lift (pivoting it on a polyethylene kitchen "cutting board") and the Sport Chock to stabilize the front. Ride in, get off/ use ratchet straps for heavy work. eh . . . if'n my wife finds out about the cutting board and I know who to talk to . . .

Even the HandyLift might need a front wheel chock upgrade to miss the big Brembo rotor. The Handy also has optional side extensions to take on quads (?) Otherwise, my HF lift, with a Baxter SportChock, has been brilliant! (and the red matches my frame!)

In the early Sport whose Relay#1 is *not* "Livin' Easy*, the current is passed through the NC contacts which (on most micro relays) are rated only 10 amps. Do the "Easy Livin' Test" . . . if your Sport fails, your Relay #1 is livin' stressed already. If it were me, I would run a dedicated hot for auxiliary lights and ground them back to the frame or engine case using a completely separate relay. (And, even then, use high current relays in (at least) Position #1 and especially Position #5)

There is this 2015 thread on routing the very end of the exposed cable at the throttle body to prevent damage to the cable (with pictures and everything . . . ): http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19113&p=205270 As an aside, there is also an issue with Moto Guzzi having the incorrect part number for the early Sport (later V11 cable will not fit the early Sports). Best place to get a throttle cable (or the correct fitment) for an early Sport (if you need one) is MGCycle in the USA. Otherwise, Guzzi dealers will send you the wrong cable.

I don't have the glass in my spare Veglia parts, but the top of the "can" is more like 85mm across. edit: The white metal "backing ring" measures 87mm. edit 2: The printed face plate is 74mm and definitely is smaller than the glass.

Andy gets some good numbers out his tires since he is so insanely smooth. His brakes last forever. Me? I'm so choppy that I've put like 40 tires on my Sport. Trying to catch Andy York is not the way to get lots of miles on my tires!

Glad to be learning all about these special seals . . . but even better to see that Scud's wifey's white shag carpet is holding up so well to all this V11 refitting.

Let's face it . . . some pink bits are more *dangerous* than others . . . Still, if it were me, I'd put the ambient air sensor as close that *dangerous* pink bit as could be . .

Hey, wait . . . that's basically what color my Sport is . . .

Oh, my, noooo, I'm all over things-pink. I"m just supposing those big, wet, pink air filters are the only pretty, pink things in your shed. All the rest is roarty, greasy, and husky. If I had known, I would have splashed a bit of nail polish on the husky relays . . . .

pretty... PRETTY... you gay chucky... its rugered, mean, 'the shit' pretty pffft who is this guy ;-) Well, it is pink . . . Big, honkin' pink thing.

"persuaded by data" brings me back to, "Use the very best 5-pin relays in every position and make sure they are making good contact." I would have thought Scud's Relay#1 was "livin' easy" , but maybe not?