Foxy

It looks like my year long association with my 2004 Le Mans is drawing to a close. She has been less than reliable, with a few minor faults. But the riding experience allowed me to overlook this. Until the latest problem. A few months ago she coughed and died on me on my way home from work. I assumed it would be another niggling but ultimately simple problem but was too busy with work and a new baby to do much about it through the autumn. Finally I have had the chance to have a good look, and on dropping the sump I found it littered with metal shavings and flakes. I'm guessing that somehow I've killed off the big ends. So I am left at what to do next. Obviously as she stands she is no use to man nor beast. Tomorrow I guess I might as well make a few phone calls to some local Guzzi specialists to find out what the damage would be if I decide to repair her. The other option is a second hand engine, but the only one I have seen is from Reboot and comes in at £1250 and I'd still have to respray the cases (it's a 2001 model) and fit it. Last option is breaking her for spares. Any ideas how bad the news will be when I make those phone calls? Anyone want some nice shiny Le Mans bits?

My investigations continue... ...and not in a good way. I've just dropped the sump and was of course rather horrified to find several large flakes of metal in the oil. Oh goody

Cheapest source I found was while having a smoke in the yard at work, when I noticed a late nineties Kawasaki ZX6R. The mirrors are identical, and ebay is a wonderful source of very, very cheap pattern parts.

This is where I admit that the original problem hasn't gone away. Having got the bike running again (eek! Was it really nearly three months ago!) I took it out to refill with fresh petrol. It was sounding a little rough, but seemed to improve. I got about a mile down the road before I noticed that power was dropping off. Before I could turn around and head for home the bike coughed and died. I rolled to a halt and tried restarting. It would turn over but nothing more. Called for recovery and with a healthy battery on hand the bike was turned over again. Rough as you like, really rough, so we killed the ignition and I got taken home on the back of a truck. Bike got put in the garage while I concentrated on work and my other bikes, one of which was in the midst of a rebuild. First time I looked some more was today. Gave the bike the once over. Exhaust valve clearance had tightened up a little, but that has been remedied. Have whipped the tank off and had a go at all the connectors I could find. Relays have been replaced. Have checked the coils, cold of course. Resistance between primary and ground is 0.7ohms. Between secondary and ground it is just over 3000ohms. I can't find the specs for these in my manual so can anyone tell me what they should be? Don't think though that the coils are the problem as both are giving the same readings. Which leaves me at a loss at to what might be wrong? I see the TPS have been mentioned. How do I check these? I'm starting to rather miss riding my Le Mans!

Had chance to have a quick fiddle this evening. Soon found a problem, hoping it is the problem. Popped RHS rocker cover, and checked valve clearances. Intake was fine, exhaust was tight - about three and a half thou clearance, maybe a touch more. Should be six thou. Have corrected, but unable to start up to verify as "someone" left the ignition switched on leaving the battery flat. Battery is on charge, next step will be retorquing heads and checking valve clearances all round, plus fresh plugs. Will see what that brings.

Well I managed to get my Le Mans going again after the recent breakdown. Symptoms then were rough running, poor idle, followed by a feeling that I was running out of fuel. Flushed the fuel system, popped in five litres of fresh unleaded and she fired right up first time. Sounded a little rough when running round the block but seemed to improve. Idle was fine, power seemed fine. Tonight I popped out to fill her right up so I could get out on her tomorrow. Started fine. Got down the road, noticed the engine sounded rough again. Seemed to be right hand cylinder. Then noticed a lack of power. Was just thinking about limping home to play it safe, and had got about a mile when she just cut out on me. Wouldn't restart at all. Got recovered back home, restarted briefly to see where ominous rattle was coming from. Started fine, definitely rough. Hard to tell where from as I was in a brick built garage so quicly turned off. Popped right hand rocker cover off, nothing immediately apparent. Something tells me my recent problems aren't simply a fuel issue. History - in April this year the bike was thrown down pretty hard on the right hand side. Most of the damage was absorbed by the rocker cover and head guard. Since then have serviced it myself. Valve clearances on both sides were a tiny bit out and corrected. The bike is a 2004 machine and has covered somewhere in the region of 15,000 miles - can't be more exact as the odo packed up a couple of months ago. Before I start major surgery I was wondering if this prompted any suggestions from my esteemed colleagues?

The clutch lever is the same as the aftermarket adjustable lever supplied by Ducati for the Monster. Much, much cheaper than MG parts too. Don't know which Buell you'd want, but I replaced my front indicators after a crash with Triumph Tiger parts. The indicators fitted to the Tiger are identical apart from being about quarter of an inch longer, and having female connectors instead of male. Having a rather good Triumph dealer down the road from me I just popped in and after five minutes cutting and soldering had a new set of indicators for a fraction of the cost of MG parts. The lenses are identical btw, and you'd want one for a 1999-2006 Tiger.

Apparently they come free with a brand new speedo

Evaporative control system? Pretty sure UK spec bikes don't have them, and I hope I would have spotted it Got to have a look tonight when I got in from work. Drained and flushed the fuel system, then put five litres of fresh unleaded in. Fired up with the odd hiccup, idled rough for a few seconds. Then settled down to an even tickover at the correct speed. A quick ride seems to show things are back to normal. Didn't see any obvious contamination in the fuel, so suppose it could be a dodgy batch. Seeing as I've filled a jerry can with it I think I'll filter it and then be topping up the wife's car with it 5 litres or so at a time.

Just been out to the garage to give it the once over before I started delving deeper. Had healthy voltage at the battery, hooked up some HT testers to check on the plugs and leads. Thumbed the starter to turn it over, and it started first time. Rough, but sounding running. Thinking I may have picked up a blockage or some dodgy petrol, so will be draining the tank tomorrow and having a peek. Possibly the van journey home that shook things up a bit. Might explain the rough running - I filled up just before getting to work after running fairly low and it was on the return journey that I started getting problems.

Shouldn't be petrol, was filled up fifteen miles or so before, and tank is still almost full. Only got the bike home and out of the van this afternoon, so tomorrow will have a dig.

Thinking about it that does actually make sense. When and if the replacement arrives I may give that a whirl. In the mean time I'm more worried about the engine working than the odo of course.

Tonight my 2004 Le Mans decided to quit on me with no apparent warning. Was riding home from work. All seemed well, although the idle seemed a little high at first (around 1200-1300rpm) and before pulling away from another set of lights dropped as low as 500rpm, although picked back up fine. I couldn't work out if the engine sounded a little rough or not, thanks to wearing a new helmet, but after ten miles or so I very quickly lost all power and then the engine cut out completely. Managed to coast to a halt safely but it will be tomorrow at the earliest before I get a chance to look the bike over. Unfortunately had naff all with me at the time so all I could do was verify that I had petrol and electrical power. When trying to start up the engine turns over freely but would not fire. A final attempt resulted in what sounded like one cylinder trying to fire. So, wondering if this sounds familiar to anyone, or if there are any known vices that might have provoked this reaction? Otherwise I can see a future involving bits of Guzzi strewn around the house.

Don't know how I missed this one.... I had the exact same problem on my 2004 Le Mans earlier this year. Been waiting for months for a replacement under warranty, and the other day decided to take the existing one apart. It seems the odo is turned by a worm on the speedo drive. It is this part that wears, until it no longer engages at all. It would appear to be quite a simple part to fabricate given the right hardware, but lacking a lathe or mill I'm in no position to try. Incidentally, the fault first made itself apparent when the odo refused to register at speeds of above about 60, before getting worse.

Hmmm. I don't regard my V11 Le Mans as a love it or hate it bike. I like it, probably no more. On the right roads and the right day it puts a huge grin on my face. It is an extremely competent fast roads tool, deceptively fast when set up right, and perfect for spending the day doing silly speeds. Yet get it on the sort of back roads I sometimes favour and it gets hideously out of it's depth very quickly. But then I wouldn't choose to ride another barge like the GS on these roads either. My V11 replaced my old Tiger, regrettably written off in a crash earlier this year. Bit of a change, and certainly not as useful a tourer (for the sort of touring I do), and nothing like as useful day to day (I don't own a car). It also encourages an excess of speed on my commute. That and the finish (my Indian made Royal Enfield has held up better) have led to me buying a BMW to take over the burden of commuting and day to day hacking. Funnily enough the V11 has also given more problems than the Enfield too All told, if I could get a decent price for it I'd be shot of it. Waiting five months for parts wears thin and it is no where near versatile enough to be my only bike. But it is still fun on the right day, and she isn't going anywhere with the state of the second hand market in the UK. If I didn't have an understanding wife who lets me own three bikes I think though I'd have had to bite the bullet and got shot.

Oh goody, I can feel a DRL argument coming on

Been watching ebay in the UK for a bit as I'm currently trying to sell my Le Mans. I have to say, the V11s don't seem to sell on there at all.

Up for sale is my rather lovely Moto Guzzi Le Mans. I purchased this motorcycle earlier this year looking for something different, and different it certainly is. Unfortunately a minor accident means my rather superstitious wife will no longer ride pillion on it, and after some soul searching she is going to have to go (the bike, not the wife!) The accident was a few months ago and resulted in me dropping the bike on its side. All parts affected have been replaced or repaired with the exception of the right hand silencer on which a small scuff/dent is visible. While doing this I took the opportunity to replace the stock plain alloy riders foot pegs with brand new rubber topped items intended for a Ducati Monster. These offer an identical fitment but are rubber topped which I have always preferred for grip. The bike has a full service history from an established Moto Guzzi dealer. Additionally I myself changed the oil filter and engine, gearbox and final drive oil two months ago. This week I have also replaced the rear brake pads. The gearbox and final drive oil used was Redline Shockproof Heavy, which offers lower running temperatures, longer service life and a much improved gear change. The bike is otherwise standard except for a K&N filter and an Autocom Active 7 Smart intercom system. With the bike I have both keys, owner's handbook, warranty book and an electronic workshop manual on disc. Also included with the bike will be both the seat hump and a rear rack supplied by Moto Mecca. Condition wise the is okay with a couple of flaws. Rather to be expected with a Moto Guzzi I know. There is a small scrape on the rear hugger, I have no idea how this happened as it was present on the bike when I bought it. As is typical on V11s with their exposed drive shaft this has suffered a little although is still sound. Feel free to contact me via PM. Bike (and me) located a couple of miles outside of Redhill in Surrey. Looking for £3200. Pics below: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/sco...pg?t=1188480185 http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a242/sco...pg?t=1188480185

No idea about what parts you can buy seperately but the headlight is the same as on the Ducati Monsters and if the pricing is similar then you really want to try the Ducati dealer first as even they are alot cheaper than MG. Alternatively you could take the opportunity to fit something that actually lights up the road properly and see if you can fit something like a Cibie Z beam into the shell.

Traced to the speedo drive take off. And then it stopped. Which is nearly a relief.

Your suggestions please ladies and gents. Coming home from work tonight I noticed a little smoke from something burning off on the exhaust. On arrival at home and after parking up I discovered a small puddle of oil had formed under the bike. The leak appears to have originated near the (I believe) speedo cable on the right hand side of the gearbox. Nothing more is apparent. It seems to be coming from there only - it's the highest point I've tracked the leak to. Haven't looked much further as it's getting on for midnight but your suggestions for where to look and possible causes would be appreciated. It does seem to have sprung up from no where, the bike was only cleaned yesterday and I found no sign of any leak, 60 miles later I'm leaving a smokescreen

Is it such a good idea to be repeatedly lubing cables? On previous bikes, assuming it's a modern lined cable I just wipe down once a year and only lube the ends. And they have always lasted the distance.

As a related thought, since scuffing my RHS silencer up I have found that Halfords satin black engine paint is a very good match for the original satin black finish. Only used it on a patch so far, but will soon repaint the whole silencer once I've got chance to take the bike off the road for a couple of days. Still need to hammer out a couple of small dents and finish the polishing process.

Hmm, I've also done in the RHS silencer.

I would have to disagree. Standards even as they stand are really rather low. It's just the car test is even easier.