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GuzziMoto

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Posts posted by GuzziMoto

  1. How much you weigh with gear on as well as whether the rear spring rate was increased, decreased, or stayed the same, would help.

    If all else fails, check the sag. Not only should the front and rear sag about the same but there is a ratio of free sag to race sag that needs to be maintained. If you set your front sag with you on board to the correct amount and you have too little or no free sag then you need a stiffer front spring. If the opposite applies (too much free sag when the race sag is set) then you need a softer spring. Talk to your suspension guy about this. He should know all this.

  2. What is the general effectiveness of the factor crossover pipe below the alternator on the 03 and later models and how it works with the aftermarket crossovers below the sump.... If I eliminate the undersump crossover, would there be a big hole through the midrange? I have a my15m to solve any mapping issues...

    In my opinion and experience, the cross over at the front of the motor reduces noise and the cross over under the trans adds power. Removing the one at the front would not effect power output much. Removing the one under the trans would hurt power output. Improving the one under the trans will add power. Replacing it with a 2 into 1 collector will add more power still.

  3. I would start with installing the Power Commander software on a lap top. Then save the map out of the Power Commander. Then do the TPS/balance/valve clearance (either learn to do it your self or pay some one, but it is not that hard to do on a Guzzi). There is no point in adjusting the fueling when you don't know where you're at. Then you can either unplug the PC and see how it runs or put in a map that is all zeros and see how it runs. It should run pretty good but will likely be a little lean on the bottom and rich on top. From there you can install a map made for your bike or a map for one like your bike or experiment to make your own map, or you can spend more money on a my15m from Cliff. I would try the Power Commander first since you already have it. The bike should run okay stock but should run better with a Power Commander or my15m. Swapping exhaust is easy to do and with a Power Commander or my15m you can have a map for each way and switch as you like.

    In my experience, with the Mistrals (or any other free flowing exhaust) you will usually see a slight improvement in power at full throttle and higher rpms but maybe a loss in drivability down low due to the slightly lean mixture of a stock ecu being leaned out that much more.

  4. Don't have the Fuelmiser specs to hand but cross-referenced with the AC Delco equivalent (EP102AU).

     

    This is 2.4 LMP @ 200 KPA, 3.6 amps, max pressure 700, max amps 9. Doesn't give bar. It's frustrating all this. The old pump is fine but for a hairline crack in the plastic inlet tube.

     

    Thanks for your help so far. I may return this one and keep looking.

    Seriously, check what the fuel system specs for the BMW are. If they run 3 Bar then you can be pretty sure that the pump can do it.

    200KPa is 2 Bar, 300KPa is 3 Bar. Easy conversion.

    Your problem is that it is only giving flow at 2 Bar and you need to know what it is at 3 Bar, if it will make it that high. My guess is it will, it sounds like it says max pressure 700 (KPa?), that is 7 Bar. But with the amount of money at stake you probably want better then a guess.

  5. It can do a lot more then the Power Commander. Is it worth double the money? That depends on what you need/want. If you want to be able to adjust your ignition timing or set your bike up to run closed loop with an O2 sensor and programmable air/fuel targets, then yeah. Because a PC won't allow you to adjust your ignition and the AutoTune only works with the PCV and that may or may not be available. Contact Todd @ GuzziTech about that option.

    As for support, that depends on how you define support. There is no local support that I am aware of in the States, no place to take the bike and have them make it work. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to do it yourself, with assistance by e-mail from other parts of the world, it certainly can work better then the PC option. But it is not as easy to do as the PC and more money.

    For me the PC was good enough and cheaper. I have more money now then when I bought the PC but I still think if I had to do it all over again I would still buy the PC. I like the idea of my15m, and if I ever build a race bike I will get one. But for the street the PC works fine for me. Many bikes run just fine with a PC, so no matter what anybody else says, the PC's DO WORK. They aren't as fancy and can't do as much, but for many they do enough for less money. What do you want out of it?

  6. Hi,I own a 1999 v11 with only 16000ks on the clock.Out riding last weekend this also coughed spluttered to a stop.I found the relay that operates the fuel pump to be that hot i could hardly hold onto it to remove.I replaced it with a identical spare fired up and run until the problem repeated itself.Pump fuse unblown.This problem seems simular,what gives.

    As I recall, there are two different relays that have to work for the fuel pump to run. Which one is getting hot. I don't believe the fuel pump is a dedicated circuit. There are other things on that circuit that could be drawing too much juice or you may have a short. Your issue could be with the fuel pump but it also could be with another component on the same circuit.

    Did you check your electric petcock (if your bike has one)? I only say that because that appears to be the problem with the original posters bike.

    You might want to post your issue in its own thread.

  7. Without further specs on the pump it is hard to say, but the specs you gave show way more volume at less pressure. 200 KPa is, I believe, only 2 Bar. As long as the pump can do 3 bar you should be okay. But if it can't then it likely won't work. You might want to look into the fuel system specs for the BMW it is meant for to see what they are. What pressure do they run their fuel system at? It is okay to have a pump that can do higher pressure then 3 bar because the regulator will control that. But if it can't do 3 Bar then it is not a good choice.

  8. Well, "spec leagues" have been around for a long time, and despite the fact that they're never more than a supporting feature, provide some of the best fan enjoyment out there. They're also easier to get into, & so allow for more racer development. IIRC, Chris Carr got noticed by his performance in the 883 race series back in the late 80s? early 90s? & it wasn't long before he got a factory ride. Hard to break into the upper echelons w/o any feeder classes, & nobody stateside watches 125s race but other racers. (sad but true.)

     

    I understand what you are saying, but I am not trying to debate the merit of support/feeder classes. They are clearly needed. I am saying that competing in a one make series has little value to the manufacturer, whether it is a brand of motorcycle or tire. There is little value in winning a race only you were in. The racing can be good entertainment or it can be boring. Being a spec series usually has little to do with the quality of the racing.

    I don't recall Chris Carr getting noticed by competing in a spec class, unless you consider flat track in the hayday of the XR750 a spec class. Aaron Yates, Scott Zampach, and maybe a couple others got some attention on them in the 883 class, but it is likely that they could have achieved the same results, maybe even faster, by competing in the 600 supersport class.

    But again, I am talking about the value of spec racer classes to the manufacturer, not the fans or the riders. Whether you enjoy people going around a race track at insanely slow speeds is a personal taste issue. I did it, and won't do it again.

  9.  

    Don't know that you can get enough volume with a frame-breather a la' Ghezzi&Brian, altho' I like the idea. The one G&B I saw up close seemed like they'd done quite a bit to increase the frame volume at the back end by the pork chops, but w/o a big increase in the size of the main spar, I don't think it could really live up to its potential.

     

    See, that is my plan. A very large cross section frame, preferably out of aluminum, gives you the volume you need for the air box AND a more rigid structure for better handling. There is enough room between the cylinders for a much larger cross section and you could even pull the air from up front by the steering head and run it down the frame and to the cross tube where the pork chops are now. With out the need for a separate air box there is more room for a large diameter cross tube (it could even be square if that fits better) then what is there now.

    But that is all pie in the sky now. It's just talk. For now.

  10. In Europe, One make series has being going on for years, Harley, honda,triumph, yamaha, ktm, bmw, suzi,aprilia and ducati have all done it in recent times, its actually a good cheap way of going racing. I saw a bmw only race at a world superbike meeting once with ex gp racers taking part. Good fun. :race::race::race::mg:

    In the US, that kind of thing is usually reserved for Harleys, beginner classes, and exhibition/promotional type stuff like the BMW series was.

    It may be good fun, but from a manufacturer stand point it not much of a race. It gets your name out there in front of people but it doesn't really say much about your product. That may be why Bridgestone is looking to pull out of F1 (and can MotoGP be far behind?). Winning doesn't mean much when you're the only one competing.

    Race Guzzi's, but race them against the rest and kick their a$$es.

  11. B*****s! - don't matter what you're riding - if you wanna race RACE! Racing is only racing when

    machinery is evenly matched - doesn't matter what level. Good luck to anyone racing a Guzzi. Mind it's 1st April....

    Yes, exactly. If you want to race, RACE. Don't put on some sort of parade where the only bikes allowed to run are yours so that you can be sure one of yours wins. That is not racing. Racing is where you have to COMPETE against everybody else who makes a bike in your displacement/class. I am all for racing Guzzi's, and I applaud the people who race them. But when you can only be competitive by restricting the race to people on your brand/model bike, that is not racing. That is sad.

    Guzzi should be above that. That is a Harley move.

  12. I don't know about the later versions of the Daytona (and the Sports that followed), but my '93 Daytona had a completely different airbox layout then the wifes V11. Unlike the V11 where the box wraps up and under the tank my Daytona airbox goes up and under the seat. It is an awkward layout and my friend who owned it before me removed part of it and installed velocity stacks with foam filter pods. I removed the rest of it to clean up the bike for service and to make room for a larger battery. Guzzi airboxes seem to be more of a compromise then most other airboxes maybe due to the layout of the motor and the distance between the intake tracts. The frame and the airbox are fighting for the same space at the back of the motor. That is why I think the ideal solution may be to combine the two and use a large hollow section of frame as the airbox. I believe Ghezzi and Brian have already done something along those lines, it just needs to be taken further.

  13. God, I hate one make race series. If Guzzi wants to race then they should build a bike capable of it. If your bikes are so slow that you need to race them against themselves then you should not be racing them. A V11 is not a bad track bike. I can't imagine racing my 2V Griso. A 8V'er would have more power, but the handling would still be soft.

    Bring back the spine frame with a 8V motor or the MGS01 with the 8V motor. Or build a new frame with a large cross section aluminum spine and the airbox built into the frame. But don't go the route of Harley and their lame 883 or new 1200 series.

  14. On the under-sprung front end issue you can make a big difference by raising the oil level in the legs a few mm. The Ohlins incorporate an air spring to provide rising rate characteristics, and increasing the oil level, thereby decreasing the volume of air above it, increases the amount of rising rate. From memory I raised the oil level in mine by 10mm, which was enough to make quite a difference in terms of preventing diving under braking. You can download a manual for the forks from the Ohlins web site that tells you how to do it, and includes a nice graph showing the effect of different oil levels on the spring characteristics.

    Personally I don't find the back end under-sprung at all. In fact, given that the roads round here are more suited to off-roaders, it's a bit too firm if anything.

    Raising the oil level increases the pressure on the seals. Done in moderation it may not shorten the life of the seals too much. I prefer using springs to do the work of springs. And just about every telescopic front end on a motorcycle has the issue with air space above the fluid. Dirt bikes often have air bleeds to get ride of excess air pressure. That is why it is important that you set the fluid height correctly. 10mm more fluid is more then I would add above factory recommendations and may prevent the forks from using full travel, but to each their own. One problem with using air as a spring is that is is not just progressive but increases exponentially(wrong word, but I hope you get the point). The rate increases rapidly and with such a small volume as you have in a fork tube it can be difficult to control. As for the rear spring, a ride that feels stiff does not always mean the spring is stiff. It can also be that the spring is too soft and the suspension keeps bottoming, or the compression dampening is too much. Adjusting your free sag (unladen sag) and your race sag (laden sag) is the best way to determine if the spring is too soft or too hard or just right. How the bike "feels" can be misleading. If you are in the 150lb range the stock springs may be fine for you. Above 175 lbs you should consider stiffer springs in my opinion.

  15. Sorry I didn't get any takers on the question concerning bearing preload but the work went well including cleaning and regreasing the bearings which again, looked like new.

     

    I used a bearing adjustment method of applying approx 5 lbs torq then backing off 1/8 turn which produced a smooth but controlled turn in of the front end and considerable improvement from the previous "floppy" feel.

     

    Problem now is I've agreed to sell it and I have seller's remorse after taking it out this morning. Crap.

     

    Looking ahead though I have a plan of acquiring a Breva 1200S but have an impression it is an altogether different bike than this 2004 LeMans. Anyone ride the two bikes I'd like to hear your impressions.

    Night and day difference between the Breva/1200 Sport and a red frame V11 for sure. Have not rode a LeMans, but I assume it is much the same. To me the new one is a marshmallow in comparison. Even the Griso is dull in comparison to the V11. Everybody has different tastes I realize, but the V11 is a sweet handling bike that gives the rider plenty of feed back and is quick to respond to rider input. The newer Guzzi's feel softer (not counting the over the top compression dampening the Griso has stock), slower, and not as sharp to me. I love the look of my Griso but prefer the ride of my Daytona or the wifes V11.

    Find a dealer to let you take one out for a extended test ride, only you can decide for yourself.

  16. There are people who say that removing the top of the airbox will gain you power. I have not tried it on a V11 so I don't know. But I have a bit of experience modding and racing motorcycles and my experience tells me that if the air box is reasonably well designed, as the V11 box seems to be, that removing the top of the box is not needed and that simply improving airflow into the box should suffice. Unless you have made such extreme changes to the motor that you absolutely need way more airflow, I would read some of the info available on modding the airbox top and go that route. My wifes V11 has a few mods including ported heads but is still has the stock airbox modded to allow more air in. Airboxes are a good thing. Removing them sometimes gains you power at one area of the rpm range but usually at the expense of power somewhere else.

  17. Todd at GuzziTech in the USA had some hubs made up for the Griso. I don't know the details as it is more money then I can justify but once you have the hubs it is just a matter of deciding what size rims and lacing them up.

  18. Of the top of my head, out west two dealerships come to mind. Moto Internationl and Sport Cycle Pacific. There are others in other parts of the country but those are the two that come to mind out west. MPH is also well known but I have no experience with them personally. Then there is Todd at GuzziTech. Not a dealer but definitely a guy who caters to Guzzi's.

    There is certainly not the amount of stuff available for Guzzi's as there is for Ducati's.

  19. Burning oil is usually the result of one of three things. Either the rings are toast, the valves and guides are toast, or the sump was over filled. Oil in the airbox is usually from the rings or overfilling. A leak down test or compression test should let you know the state of your rings. A leakdown test is better but a compression test is easier. You may have valve/guide issues but what your describing is not symptomatic of valves/guides.

    It is worth pointing out that oil in the airbox is unusual, in my opinion, for a spine frame bike because the frame acts as an oil separator and should remove most of the oil from the air coming out the vent before it reaches the airbox. I have never had that happen to me but I only have two spine frames, hardly a cross section. But the mechanics of the vent system should work well as long as you don't mess with it. I say that but I did "mess" with mine recently on one of my bikes. But I did that for two reasons and if I can come up with a way to make it work as designed again I will. I wanted a one way valve in the vent and I had an oil leak and was not sure where it was coming from so I wanted to remove all suspects.

    One last thing, the puffs of smoke your buddies report. Is it possible that is was fuel smoke from being too rich and not oil smoke? It is not uncommon for a Guzzi to smoke a little from being to rich at full throttle. The factory fuel settings are lean at lower revs/part throttle and rich at higher revs/full throttle. The smoke is black, not blue. But it would be an easy mistake to make.

  20. Heh! Is there a dealer near anyone these days?

     

    Yes there's one left in CT but I might as well just get 1/2" black fuel hose & be done with it.

    I use Goodyear R9 fuel injection hose. It is rated for higher pressures and is safe with ethanol and others things you find in modern fuels (it actually has an inner liner).

    You can get it off of fleabay for $4.60/ft.

  21. There are five relays under the seat of a V11. Atleast two of them must work in order for the fuel pump to run. They are prone to not working all the time. Many people have upgraded their stock relays to higher quality ones.

    I believe the back two are the ignition and ECU and are the main ones for running the fuel pump, but I could be wrong.

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