Baldini

Best of luck Bruce KB

Laden sag should be between 25-33% of total travel. Like Geno says tyres make a huge difference - by type, size & pressures. What tyres you got? I've used 020, Diablo, Power2CT & now Sport Attacks. Of these the Power2CT's were by far quickest turners. Sport Attacks are much slower but very neutral in feel. Going to a 170 rear gives a much more balanced (front/rear) turn in but 170 is not available in most sticky tyres. I dropped triple clamps on forks (Scura Ohlins about 12mm as I recall). Made a big improvement on getting front planted into a corner & staying on line. If you do this, watch all clearances - wheel to frame & bike to ground when ridden. It really helps to use body weight - get yourself as far forward over front, & low onto side you're turning (you don't have to hang off) as you can. V11 wt is v rear biased. Again, as Geno says, I've found softish settings on damping help handling feel - as long as tyres are good it's good to have bike tracking the surface & moving around a bit rather than bouncing along off the bumps. KB

Transmission isn't much fun in those conditions. 1/2/3 aren't favourites. Tontis are the same so I don't know wether it's this gearbox design or just nature of heavy engine internals, big clutch (single plate is v direct take up too) & shaft drive. Lower speeds/lower gears make more of a meal of inertia of the moving parts? And they have never liked getting hot. I like the Redline. Probably better on track cos your using higher gears anyhow, & with less interruption in the momentum of all moving parts? You're changing quick & working the motor to match. Tend to be a bit lazier on the road... It's not a clutch problem is it... ? KB

Belfast - did you check the shift plate travel adjuster (acorn nut on outside)? I've had the Redline Shockproof Heavy in for a while. Seems good. No longer leaks. I haven't checked temp but others say it runs cooler. Nogbad, you were worried about bearing skid with this oil??? I talked with Redline tech who assured me it would work well: "HS is a 75w90 oil, but has an EP rating of 250 - way higher than a conventional 90 weight with the moly added". KB

exactly KB

Facts for you may not be facts for me. KB

maybe i'm missing your point here or maybe you're missing mine - sports 2CT's have loads of grip for me - more than enough, pos too much for me on the road. But other tyres don't - not all tyres are the same. it is the unpredictable nature of some tyres that causes problems & sure, just like bad brakes - if you got bad tyres you slow down. All that bugs me is people assuming that what they like to do should also be what i do - each to his own so long as we don't cause problems for others.... KB

....who's heading the championship?

I don't disagree w anything you say cept to tell other people what's good for them. As for £30 or £100 tyres - try a pilot Power 2CT against a BT020 - any possible road situation & tell me which you'd rather be on. Good grip/handling takes tyres out the equation - end of story.... cept for maybe you wouldn't've got into that situation in the first place w/o that grip... Take it easy, KB

Damn! I was rather counting on a similar plan myself. KB

I have a problem with work & tyres, haven't got crossings either, but if I can get it sorted I'll come along. Hope to see you there - either way have a great time! Best, Keith.

Yes. But, learn to ride a LM1-111 & shaft really isn't that limiting. Tonti will ratchet up & lock the rear suspension under very heavy braking. That's the only thing I found a real problem. Stock shocks & forks aren't good on LM 1/11/111's either & most are replaced or tweaked....not unlike the stock V11? If you wanna know which you could ride faster then there's nothing much in it between a sorted LM1-111 & a good V11. V11 makes more power. Brakes are better (much better feel but Tonti Brembos have plenty power), but it is heavier. Flywheel is lighter (which probably affects behaviour as much as s/a change). As Ratchet says, Tonti frame is stiffer (it is a *kin work of art). Both are limited by heavy rear drive hung out back of short s/a. V11 isolates it from affecting suspension action but it's not really a problem on a smoothly ridden Tonti. You can bring a 18" wheel Tonti virtually to a stop in a straight line on the (linked) brakes - no hands. It is very stable. Riding position on a Tonti lets you lower & further over front wheel than V11, which is a huge help in planting front & getting it thru corners. LM1-111 brakes, handles & goes. It can, with a little effort be set up to go very well. The V11 is a bit faster accelerating, & slightly better top speed but is bigger & softer. A LM1-111 can be a bit harsh & cramped, as Dave points out V11 has better suspension travel, ride is plusher it is more comfortable - but then a good Cali or Spada is pretty good too. If you like Guzzis, you'd unlikely regret buying a good LM1-111 - or any other Tonti for that matter. KB

yeah...kind of a GOLDEN AGE... my regards to mr. angry should he stop by KB

I got the power 2CT's. Lovely. KB

After 27yrs on em I'm still smiling! Welcome to the site! KB

Laden sag, front & back: between one quarter (stiff) - one third (soft) total travel with rider + riding gear, seated normally. Exact no's vary with available travel, bike/rider/riding style etc....but yours sound a bit low: Ohlins give: 25-40mm Rear, 35-50mm Front (from full extended). There's a current thread on technical topics re suspension set up you could check out. There's good set-up info on http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1427 KB

Welcome to Guzzi! First thing - get sag sorted. Make sure springs in there are good for your weight (many find them undersprung). V11 is rear end heavy. Riding quick, it helps to get your body weight far forward as pos. I raised forks about half inch in the triple clamps - helped steering & feel a lot. Mine is Scura (Ohlins), shock is longer than LM dunno about fork length. Try it & see a little bit at a time, but watch on clearances guard/oilcooler etc, also sidestand to tarmac! Dunno what tyres you're on, but there's a lot to be gained (steering/grip) over oem Bridgestones by going to sportier Diablos or Pilot Powers etc. Oem 020's cup on front giving v insecure feel. Some tyres also v sensitive to pressures - can cause handling issues. There's also a thread you should check out in technical topics - re slack swing arm bearings causing wobble. Leftside rear wheel bearings also worth keeping an eye on. More than most, Guzzis work well the smoother you ride em. They're v heavy, rear biased & a little flexible. They don't respond well to sudden inputs. Take time to get to know it & the V11 is a lovely bike to ride Good luck! KB

...does it run??? KB

heh heh! depends what you want out of them grip or miles? Try Mich Pilot Power 2CTs for steering & grip - *kin amazin! - it's like the difference from TT100/Roadrunners to Phantoms - but no miles at all - half what a Diablo'll do (which suit bike well, give reasonable miles & give plenty of warning when they've had enough). Guzzirider likes Diablo Corsas which maybe halfway house? Non "2CT" Powers'll probably be good too but I haven't tried em. KB

Come on... If it's same as Scura one just strip off black paint (A bit of sticky tape'll mostly do it - paint adhesion's crap), clean up the casting marks & edges; polish - et voila: polished ally top yoke! Will tonti alt covers fit V11? bare ally'll polish up well after years of abuse - they say it's better quality.... KB

Soundsa good Mr guzzirider! Looks like increase in drive just where you want it for the road w/o much loss in top end KB

Fine sense of perspective! You do rack up the miles tho! & you have an interesting view of the world to us stay at home types... There was a bloke rode a stock LM1 across Sahara & on down to S. Africa, ended up with forks tied together with rope cos of too much time spent riding railway sleepers. I wish I could dig out the story....think it was in Superbike sometime in the v early 80's... KB

Sorry to hearwhat happened. Best of luck for getting things sorted. KB

That's a stunning looking place. Never imagined it would be so beautiful. Maybe one day I'll go there. Thanks! Will you be over this way again this year? Best, KB

Why does this stuff bother you? Just cos someone owns a m/c doesn't make him your buddy! It never was any different, cept now there's more of them. Who cares? What's it stop YOU doing? Let em get on with it. Always fancied a Harley mesel actually... KB