tmcafe

Not sure. I haven't tried yet, mainly because it looks like the conductive core must have some secure system of attachment to the coil, not just the wire inserted in a round hole. But you made me curious, I'll check and report back. Anyway, the NGK wires come with nothing at the coil end, ready to be trimmed to the desired length.

Thanks everybody! As a consolation, I'm telling myself that this is just about the best time of the year to be wrenching. Summer inside garage: 100+ with no air circulation; winter: dark and freezing cold. In either case, my competence (or lack thereof) doesn't improve the quality of the experience. An OEM Sachs (thanks Greg ), until the house of Piaggio will have my Ohlins fixed or replaced. As for the air and fuel filters, bike has a little over 1300 miles, so I'm assuming those could wait? Bike has a little over 1300 mi. Changed oils--motor, tranny, and bevel box, at around 1k mi. I'm assuming Moto Intl. had clutch and brake filled up with fresh fluids--they still look fresh. Should I still bleed clutch and rear brake? Yeah, I remember your post. I'll check rear wheel bearings and swingarm. Not sure about the rubber hose, but if I find out I'll let you know. And sure, I'd be grateful if you could spare an extra grease fitting for me

After I had a minor lowside last year, my left plug cap got a bit damaged: a scuff on the plug cap showing the insulation inside, and the plug tip slightly bent where it's inserted in that threaded cap. The bike has been working just as well as before with the same wires and plugs. However, I did get a new set of NGK plug wires from Moto Intl but never got around to replace the wires. The connection on your bikes may look identical or similar: To me, it looks like it's sealed. I asked Micha and Greg, but neither had to deal with this on the V11 yet, though Greg suspects that using a splicer is more like the last thing to try. I also would rather not have to cut the original and use a splicer. NGK does mention using it when the wire needs to be cut: http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/products/perf...rs.asp?mode=nml Anybody has done this before? Thanks in advance.

While the tank, airbox and shock bolts are out, and I'm waiting for a temp. replacement shock, I was thinking of doing some preventative maintenance, of the unofficial kind (the ones that Luigi forgot to mention in the manuals . I'd appreciate your thoughts on the list: - untangle, secure, protect electrical cables (looking at the maze of squished/choked wires, I almost can't believe the bike has worked without a hiccup) - grease the famous forward U joint nipple (if not even attempt to grease the U-joints like Greg mentioned in a post not long ago--by removing the shaft and greasing the U-joints separately) - check/grease rear wheel bearings - possibly check the cush drive EDIT: the left cylinder hose you can see below has some superficial cracks. I'm thinking of replacing the hose as one of the To Do items. Anybody knows about it: Suggestions welcome!

Since last month I also had to remove the tank, thanks everybody--gstallons, v11cafe, Ryland, Skeeve for the tank removal tips. It was pretty easy--tank empty, the only fuel left was in the lines. I also ended up not having to cut any hose. The tricky part was removing the Clic clamp from the hose that connects the tank with the tipover valve. Since I didn't have the special Clic pliers to remove it, I had to pry it open carefully with a screwdriver and a 90º pick. Actually I'm thinking of getting the pliers for future similar jobs--I found some very cheap ones online. Technically, if removed with the special pliers, the clamps can be reused, though I wouldn't venture doing that. As far as replacing the clamp, Micha from Moto Int. (who also warned me about the orientation of the tipover valve), steered me away from the Oetiker clamps I was planning to use. He told me instead to get fuel injection clamps, which I got from Shucks. Anyway, since the subject of the tank removal keeps coming up with relative frequency, and given that I took plenty of pics, maybe Ryland could help with pinning a "Tank Removal for Dummies" in the FAQ--version inner tank fuel pump. I could compile the story and include the pictures.

Welcome to the club. I'm new to Guzzi but I can tell that these bikes are anything but "sterile". If you get a chance to ride one before you make the move, great, but most owners love how the V11 sport feels and looks (otherwise we'd get a Honda Parts may be even easier to come by in the UK, and the bikes are easy to maintain and work on (if I can figure it out anybody can ). Check out the for sale ads here, some are from the UK.

No expertise here, but I ended up just watching for both valves close in the right sequence while rotating the rear wheel. Since it takes some effort in a higher gear, it's much easier to do it this way than trying to rotate the wheel while checking for the mark on the flywheel. To double-check, I did take a peak to see if the mark was there, but didn't bother for the next one. Another easy way to tell if you're all set is to try and twist the pushrods--they should spin freely.

Plans of removing the shock to have it fixed have been delayed by a mix of very cold temps keeping me out of the dark and unheated garage, other things that needed attention, and my own lack of enthusiasm for the job I knew it wouldn't be much fun. Now that it's gotten a little warmer I had to go for it. Fortunately I'd emptied the tank the fun way, by riding the bike until it ran out of fuel . But removing the lines connected to the tank is still a puzzle. Having read all the posts on the subject, I know that some of us managed to mangle some of the plastic couplings bad enough to search for parts. The most relevant info I found for post-2003 bikes is this: " Push the hose towards the rear of tank then push the grey ring towards the front of the tank hold pressure on the grey ring and you should now be able slide off the tap. They can be a bit difficult the first time. " (I guess it refers to the lines that go in and out the fuel pump; not sure if the ones in the middle of the tank, toward the front, would work the same). And this: "I removed the "OUT" line from the tank (you have to push in on the fuel line while pushing the retaining clip forward to release kind of a pain)." Reinserted: "reconnected the bikes fuel line to the "OUT" nipple(I like to say that)which was a snap, literally snaps right into place just push it on." So first I'd have to disconnect the line with the red coupling (out) and the white coupling (in). Here they are: It seems that it's kind of like a childproof push-and-twist gizmo, but I'd rather not take chances with parts that Luigi may not supply anymore. And the clip further down seems rather locked with a tab, on purpose. Then there are the two lines in the center of the tank underside. Pics taken toward the front of the bike/tank: the one on the right is the breather, the left is the US vapor line. Not sure how they should be disconnected. They appear to have some hex nuts and be inserted in some kind of plastic things. I sure don't want to @#!#$# them up. Down underneath the tank the breather line is coupled as in the pic below, but my guess is they should both be removed from where they're inserted into the tank. Sorry for the dumb questions, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. And maybe somebody even less competent than me (and just as anal ) could use this info in the future. Thanks for the tips!

The OEM rack, which I like, is supposedly rated for only 3 kilos--less than 7 lb. Out of curiosity, I weighed the Guzzi bag that goes on the rack, filled with my everyday stuff, not much. Sure enough, it was more like 5 kilos. I guess the rating is very conservative, and perhaps intended as a warning to avoid carrying kids on the rack, as warned against in the manual. But the rack does act like a lever on the bolts and on the front part of bike as a whole. Caution against heavy loads, especially behind the rear axle as is the case, makes some sense. The 50 lit. topcase would seem too big, but if it works for you...

Ciao Remo, and welcome! Nice to see more folks from Guzzi's country of birth. Of course, this means that this forum rocks Enjoy!

Who wouldn't "click" with a hottie like yours? Great bike, welcome!

Thanks Greg! Hope our bikes won't need this kind of surgery, but just in case...

This would have been a great time to take some pics of the whole unofficial prying job and the dry gears being lubed, and have it posted under "how to" or FAQ. My speedo/odo/trip quit on my first trip from the dealer, just miles before I got home after about 700 mi in the rain. It was the cable, which was upgraded by MG. My local dealer ordered the new part but it took about 2 weeks to get it.

I don't know the answer to this, other than there are no riders I know of who ride at night without lights. There may be, but probably they are so few that they'd hardly show up in any statistics. OTOH, from what I've read and noticed, we tend to see cops very well. In this country at least, they haven't been at all very conspicuous, if you think of how they're dressed. However, IMO they stand out, as they embody the threat of getting pulled over and ticketed. David Hough had a story about an "unofficial" test about conspicuity, including the "cop look", which ended up being the most conspicuous. And I think white, brown or dark Crown Victorias are more conspicuous than yellow Fords. Also, re: visibility, there have been points being made about the connection between hi-viz/modulators/hi beam, and target fixation. Until a serious, unbiased and complete study is made, hard to know. In the meantime, I guess we all know the bottom line, which is that we're invisible--if they're not already out to get us.

If you want to reset it back to stock (which afaik is a good point to start fiddling with it) and you're not sure what "stock" or "factory" is, there may be info in the owner's and shop manuals. If you don't have either, both are probably online in more than one place.

I'm fairly new too and have no competence on this subject, but I remember that in a recent post, Pete Roper, countryman of yours and V11 and Guzzi respected whiz, was setting straight those who sweat the little things instead of fine-tuning their suspension. Also I know that Guzzi expert Greg Field, also here on this forum, is also very particular about suspension setup. Maybe either could help? Also do a search on this forum. Welcome to the crowd.

But don't you have to drop the swingarm, which is in the way?

Greg said he has run a combo of Diablo Strada and Michelin Pilot Road, IIRC. Front will have better grip but shorter life, so both tires will be changed at the same time, which is better than "two rears for one front".

Not an expert opinion, just something else that may boost the "fix it" side of the story. Check this out: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.ph...mp;postcount=10 http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.ph...mp;postcount=44 As Greg said, most shops won't repair mc tires, and tire mfgs always say to replace a tubeless tire after a puncture. Liability this side of the pond may be the bigger issue here.

That would be super Greg. I'll see what Micha says and will follow up. Thanks!

Hello everybody, Weather here a bit milder--barely enough to do my valves and torque the cylinder heads in the dark and unheated garage. I even got to install some goodies from Moto Intl: the OEM rear rack and a LED taillight w/clear lens. And now this: looks like the Ohlins shock has a blown seal: the rubber knob spins freely, no clicks. (this may explain why the rear felt so bumpy). Hope warranty will take care of it fast enough (whatever fast means in Guzzi world), but in the meantime I'm itching to ride the bike, which I'm still in love with just like the first day. But maybe it's not the best idea, and I've heard that it may not be good for the rest of the working suspension, possibly the drive train? Grateful for suggestions.

Hey there, just torqued my cyl. heads and adjusted the valves. You're right, it's a great forum . You may want to check this link from this forum as well: http://www.geocities.com/motoguzzi1064/Guz...alvesTorque.htm there are detailed instructions with pics, and torque values. Post the results if you do a dyno run with the new pistons.

Paulo, he wanted to say that the engine does not work well (O motor agreste, nao bom som; eu nao falo portugues )Did you check the spark plug and cable on the side of the bike that fell/crashed?

Thanks for the comments RH. I see your point. Hopefully the latter discovery won't be the case. In fact, what Greg said (about factory guys having a blast riding the bikes right off the assembly line) sounded like common practice, so hopefully it happened to all our bikes. Kind of like Mandello-style motoman break-in. "Moto-uomo" I guess...

RH, since you bring up the break-in, maybe you could elaborate a bit, as it seems to me that the slow, long term kind (10k miles and over), and motoman's main idea (beat the crap out of the engine at all revs up to redline in the first 20 miles or so, on clean oil) are different things. From what I remember, motoman insists that the very first couple dozen miles are critical, after which there's not much you can do to make a difference. This kind of goes with what Greg told me about what happens at the factory before the bikes get shipped--the guys there ride the shit out of them (that's why Greg told me not to worry about the high revs when I asked him before I took the bike for a spin). OTOH, I know that many have noticed bikes getting better with mileage way past 10k. So what gives? Sorry if my question shows crass ignorance , but I want to understand.