JackBoots

Thanks! We'll get this beast running right just yet

Good to know! Thanks!

Thanks Gene! I just ordered a regulator from EuroMotoElectric's web site. It is definately a heat related problem and a pain in the butt to troubleshoot. It was not charging properly last night when it was hot but this morning when cold it charges fine. I'm taking a chance and going for the regulator. By the way, my regulator is in a weird place. It is tucked in above the oil cooler and behind what I beleive to be a fuel filter. It's really buried up above the front top of the motor. I have looked at other people's bikes and none of them are like this. I seem to remember some aftermarket kit to do this but I don't remember why it was done or maybe I'm dreaming. Anyone ever see this or could anyone give me a clue as to the best way to get the regulator out of there without disconnecting oil and fuel lines?? Cheers!

Thanks everyone. Really appreciated. Good ideas on how to check the starter. SOme new things have developed. I took the bike to work today along with my volt meter. Everthing was good 17 miles to work and out on my lunch break. I checked the voltage at the battery every time I stopped the bike at idle at high rev. All was good. When I came home the charge light started coming on at idle. This is not unusual for this bike and in fact I think it has been historically the norm. However this time, I hadn't seen it all day so it made me wonder. When I got home I measured across the battery. At idle maybe 12.2 volts. Revved up high it is only going to 12.8 or maybe 12.9. All my previous checks brought the voltage up to 14.2 or so on high RPMS. I took it out to bike night which is about a 30 mile round trip run. The charge light came on a few times while riding and then went out. I measured at the battery when I got home and I'm still low at 12.1 volts with about 12.8 when I rev it. I'm starting to think maybe the problem is heat related and the regulator is the culprit. Any thoughts? Thanks

How hard is it to get the starter off and what would I look for as far as cleaning? I've never done it.

Yes I checked the regulator fuse and the cables attached to it. All look fine no signs of heat stress or corrosion. I measured off the alternator last night and it was 15-20AC increasing up to 85Vac or so as rpms increased Across the battery measures 12.4 v DC and gradually increases up to 14.2DC as the rpms increase. I tightened up and cleaned the yellow cables again. One female connector may have been a bit opened up and loose, it's hard to say for sure.

Bob, I just took the bike apart again and double checked those wires. I peeled back the black plastic on the female side a bit and visually inspected. One looked maybe a little bigger than it should and I wonder if it was a loose connection. Maybe I'm dreaming but I know those wires have been mentioned here a few times. I tightened them up, cleaned again and reattached. While there I measured the AC off the alternator and all was good. The voltage off the regulator is also all good. The only other clue I can offer here is that I was sitting in traffic for at least 30 minutes before this happened. I really hope it is those yellow cables. I'm going to take the bike to work tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks

It tried to crank but just wouldn't turn fast enough. After riding home the 7 miles, the battery was under 12 volts when I measured it with bike off. I kind of doubt the starter motor but will keep it in mind

A month ago my battery died. Once I push started it, the bike still ran fine with plenty of headlight. I rode it home 40 miles!! When I made it home I checked the battery. It was 11 something volts and from 2001. Probably time to replace it. I bought a Yuasa from Batteries Plus. Part number Y something or other-15. They filled it, sealed it, and gave it to me charged. It fits perfectly and has been in the bike for at least 600 miles. The 1st sign of trouble was the charge light randomly flickering. It was very random. It might take 100 miles for it to happen and only last for a minute usually going away once I rev it up a bit. In the 600 miles it probably happened 6 times. I had seen this once before with the old battery and I didn't have any problems for thousand of miles so I figured it was just a fluke. This time it kept coming back so I checked a few things. I cleaned all the cables I could find coming off the regulator, checked the 30 amp fuse and cables to it, and cleaned up the ground wire to the regulator. Yesterday I measured the charge off the battery with the bike off,and with the bike running. It seemed to be charging perfectly so I decided, "oh well" Guzzi fluke no worries. Well that was a mistake. Today I went to a motorcycle night event and when leaving the bike barely started. No low charge light or anything!! I stopped on top of a hill on the way home and stopped the bike to try and restart it. It wouldn't start. I had to roll start it down the hill. I rode it home 7 miles. I have to say that the headlight was very strong even with high beam. I would guess that if the charging circuit were bad, the charging light would come on correct?? Could I just have a bad battery?? even though it's brand new? I would have thought that I would have lost my headlight on the way home. I didn't peel back the plastic cover on the yellow cable connectors at the regulator to see if they were corroded but from what I could see they looked good and I put some electrical contact grease on the male side. Should I peel back the cover and check them? Can anyone help??!! I freakin love this bike but these electrical gremlins are a pain in the butt and I am getting very frustrated. At the moment the bike won't start so I can't take any voltage readings. I have the battery on charge to see what happens and then maybe I can take some readings.

Another temporary fix better than WD40 is the black engine paint shine stuff that S100 sells. It's like an armor-all that resists the high temps of the motor. It works really well on black painted motors and lasts a good amoun of time.

I recently took my bike out for a test ride with a half helmet and unfortunately noticed that there is a quick little chirp noise when I shift gears. It's probably been there and I just noticed it because of the open helmet. Now I'm focused on it. Could it be the clutch?? I also notice a similar noise sometimes when I go over bumps. Until I noticed it shifting, I always thought it was just a suspension noise. It may not be the same noise. It's hard to tell. Any ideas?? If I let the clutch out slightly slower I don't hear it. In a couple of weeks I'm going on a weekend run wih some HD riders. I really don't want to be the guy on the Guzzi that breaks down. Thanks!

I finally took off the tank to clean and lube the bullet cable connectors from the clutch lever switch. Problem solved!! I no longer have to slam my handlebars to the left to start my bike! (of course now without Guzzi's secret kill switch feature I will actually have to lock up my bike) Another problem that cropped up was that the neutral light wouldn't come on making it impossible to have the bike running with the side stand down. I pulled the neutral switch and sprayed it down with WD40 while operating the plunger up and down numerous times. It worked like a charm!! All good now!

Yes and lots more riders with backpacks! obviously taking their bike to work. Also, way too many bicyclists! Which is great but stay over to the right would you please! I'm tired of all those Lance Armstrong wanna-be's taking up the entire road Either that or could they grow up and get a motorcycle

I pulled out that little rubber grommet that is under the gas cap. It's been like that since last summer. No fumes that I have noticed and no tank suck. If I crash and the tank falls upside down enough to spill gas out this hole, that would suck ( no pun intended) but if it comes to that, I'm going to have much bigger problems to deal with anyway

ordering the parts and taking her to Montreal!

Thanks all, I will try and get the tank off and check the connections, and maybe se what the battery looks like. I do get the light on at low idle rpms but I never worry about that. The old BMW's that I have owned always did that and I attributed it to the low rpms not puting out enough juice. Good to know others have had the same issue

As I plan a trip to Montreal, my lovely Guzzi, Insanity reminded me that she is a Guzzi Over the past 2 days I have noticed 2wice that the charging light will flicker at 2-3000 rpms shortly after a start. It went away after about 1/4 of a mile both times and was fine for another 25 miles both times. Should I be worried? Is it just another Guzzi thing or as Microsoft software engineers would call it.. "a feature"

Ok Guys... 2002 Le Mans... purchased with 8000 miles last year. Currently at 13,000 miles... no way to find out mechanical history of the bike. Ocassionally the shift sticks downshifting around 2nd or 3rd gear. Planning on taking a trip to Montreal from Boston in 2 weeks. Do I chance it on the spring that's in there? IS there a Guzzi shop in Vermont and/or Montreal? BTW, I am going to order the spring and shaft tomorrow... probably try Harper's Thanks!

I read on here somewhere about a connection under the tank that gets loose or corroded. Turning the handlebars full left puts tension on the connector and allows the bike to start. I've been too lazy to pull the tank and look for it, but this is indeed a technique that I use to start my bike probably 20% of the time

See if one of the air intake boots is loose. One of mine has a habit of loosening up. Idle goes up a little 1st then a few miles later pop pop pop

I haven't found the white faced units "easy" to disassemble. You have to pry off the metal ring no? I could never figure out how to do it without ruining it. And on that repair shop mentioned above. They wanted $200 to look at mine, plus whatever they found on top of that. For that amount, I just bought a new one. I can't remember, bu it may have even been cheaper than a repair. I now have my broken one, and one I picked up from a wreck that is a little beat up. I had hoped to use it for parts to fix mine, and a new one I bought.

Hey I just got my V11! Don't leave me now!

This is a very good question. I have been riding since 1984 and I've had quite a few bikes. Currently I also have a 2004 K1200GT and all I have to do is press the "go place button" and ride it anywhere without any worries. It's fast, handles well, stops on a dime, it's easy to get parts, there's plenty of dealers and does pretty much everything that I could want it to do extremely well. The problem is that the BMW doesn't have much character or uniqueness. The Guzzi is a heartfelt ride for me. It isn't the perfect bike, but I find myself just standing there for long long lengths of time just staring at it and admiring it. On top of that, everytime I ride it, it puts a huge smile on my face and I find myself yelling into my helmet " I love this bike!". So that's it, it's a bike of the heart! If I ever had to choose just one bike, it would be SO difficult. I'd make a list of the pros and cons and for sure on paper the BMW would win. Then I'd go down to my garage, look at the bikes, tear up the list and sell the BMW.

Good luck with the new bike! I hope you LOVE IT! Too much salt on the road here to take out my beautiful Guzzi but I did take my old BMW to work yesterday. The BMW is now front to back white with SALT! Yuck! It was still worth the taste of riding again. It's the only thing that truely cures the Winter seasonal depression

quote name='roberto tenni' date='Feb 27 2008, 07:42 AM' post='138649'] My favorite Harley would have to have a 90 degree transverse mounted v twin... hang on, that's... Ok, how about this one???...err Indian [