V11crazed
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Posts posted by V11crazed
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V11crazed,
I am excited for you! My first ride on my 2000 V11 was unforgettable. I fell in love as soon as I pulled out of the drive way. I believe you will love yours. They feel 'alive'.
Best wishes to you,
Steve
(Fuel Cooler)
P.S. I lived on Pima in Tucson back in 1988 for the spring. Nice riding and weather to be sure!
ahh.... a local now removed....
will post up about my first ride in a few days...with pics
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OK Nancy, show us some pictures!
Will do!
Took delivery at 11:00 a.m. and spent most of the day cleaning her up and now the battery is on a trickle charger. Dead on arrival. I don't know if it's the original, but I have a call into they guy I bought it from. Any suggestions on where to look for a new one? They seem expensive, but then I checked BatteriesPlus, seems they might have what I need?
Anyway, it certainly is a beautiful bike. I did start her up today....is is common for the Guzzi to have "thump, thump" sound coming from what sounds deep in the engine, during idle? I'm just unsure what to expect.
Was surprised at some of the rust and flaking of some of the parts, not really bad though. Also, some cracked rubber seals...which I'm sure will need to eventually be replaced. What a difference between owning a bike in Tucson vs the midwest! No rust here!
Ok, finally, why would the breather tube be located so as to drip gunk on the pipe area? There was a bunch of greasy, oily build up that eventually burned off. Seems it should be relocated?
At any rate, I'm very excited to be a Guzzi owner....can't wait to jump on her tomorrow....
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Oh ya ,we spoke over there.You should show her off to the group,a real beauty.
Potential BOTM! 
Your gonna be like a kid at christmas tonite,he.he,he.....oh cool, you're the scura guy!
I don't think the folks here would appreciate the VFR's beauty.....
Oh, wait, you must mean pics of the guzzi.... 
Well, it's 8:50 a.m. Tucson time...I have taken today and Monday off...perhaps Tuesday as well. Figure why not, got the time and the best temps to ride. The bike will be here today! Batteries are in the camera and cold beer in the fridge for celebration....
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what a nice getaway.....beautiful roads!
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Hi folks,
Don't be TO jealous of the Tucson weather. It's actually going to be a little cooler this weekend...very low to mid 70's. I'm tellin ya, when yer blood gets used to 100 degree plus weather, it thins out. 70 degrees is damn cold....
So....24 hours and counting.....
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Hi Nancy
I too have a VTEC,and hope you love to ride yer new ride as much as I do
.A completely different animal than our beloved VFR's but very satisfying.Just be prepared to answer a lot of questions and complements when you pull over.do you hang out at the VFRD?Michael
Hey Michael....cool that you have a VFR. What year? Mines an '06. I really enjoy it. Will be interesting to see how diverse the two bikes are....
I do hang out at VFRDiscussion.com. A fairly nice group of folks there, and like this site, tons of great info. there. I'm mtbiker1 over there....and you?
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Yes, she is spoiled out there in AZ. It's not suppose to be much above 75 here this weekend!
Bob
yeah, bob...I guess we're both spoiled......no humidity here though.....
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Hello all!
I guess it was a couple of months ago that I joined this board in anticipation of the arrival of an '01 V11 sport. Metallic green and lovely....
Well, I got a call today from Haulbikes that the bike will arrive on my doorstep Friday afternoon. The timing couldn't be better....our winter "rains" have passed and the weather is calling for low 80's and sunny for the weekend. Plus, well.........it's the weekend!
I promise to post photos as soon as possible and probably ask more questions as I spend some with da bike....
V11crazed...aka: Nancy
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V11crazed...In the meantime you do have a nice VFR (04?) and your Cortechs will go nicely with your soon-to-arrive V11.
Welcome. Maybe see you at the National Rally in June?
Thanks Joe...I've had it for just a year and have over 8,300 miles on it. Many fun miles and trips I have to say. It really is a sweet, fun, fast, reliable bike.
Will be interesting to see/feel the differences between bikes once I get the Guzzi...I'm sure they will be vast....a bike for every mood eh...I like that...
Great thing is, the bike comes with the saddle bag frame and bags! And, a Moto Guzzi tank bag...I'll be ready to roll.....
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congrats and good keep the rubber side down The green ones are the niceist
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Hey Brentwood,
You're not biased are you.....
How do you like yer bike? How long have you had it?
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V11crazed...In the meantime you do have a nice VFR (04?) and your Cortechs will go nicely with your soon-to-arrive V11.
Welcome. Maybe see you at the National Rally in June?
250 miles of fun and sun...and mountainuous curves...and come home to this invite....sounds like a blast...what is the usual attendance number?
I've been to Santa Monica many, many times and into Malibu. Did a lot of mt. biking there in the Santa Monica Mts. Beauftiful! I've been on many of those back roads by car, but by moto, they must be incredible.
If I came, I would ride from Tucson. Is there anyway to get there other than going through LA? That freeway traffic freaks me out! I always wondered if I would keep a bike if I lived in LA? I guess like anything, you get used to it...but even in a car, I hated it!!!
Is there a website with more info???
Thanks, Nanc
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Must be like a kid waiting for Christmas.......
It is! But I have to say....now that I'm all grown up, there is something to be said for delayed gratification....
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Hello all,
I posted up a few weeks ago as new member as I was searching for info. on the bike of my dreams...the metallic green '01 V11.
Well, it's a process, but the paperwork is done, the shipping is arranged and haulbikes.com will be picking the bike up in about 2 weeks in Lumberjack, WV...delivery to Tucson..uggh, is long...won't get the bike probably until the end of the month....
I'm so excited to get it....but, in the meantime, I'm fortunate to have my lovely VFR to ride. Maybe I'm even more fortunate to live in Tucson...with 65 degrees today, looks like I'm heading out here in an hour for a day long moto ride.
Best to all....pics of the V11 in a month.....
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I got it this morning.....and I just joined a few weeks ago....
I thought geez, is it because I revived the "porn star name" thread last week....
I love this site...the info is invaluable and the folks have all been quite welcoming!
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reviving the thread as I'm new around here...
I think my name is rather fetching: Cinnamon Cromwell......
Has an air of sohphisticated, porn snobbery doncha think?
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Welcome Nanc,
Don't fret about the price, when you consider what $4800 will buy these days, you did good. You'll love this bke. The people who will tell you how terrible they are seem to be the ones who have their eyes fixed on spec sheets and acceleration numbers. The V11 has a quality that can't be measured in weight or horsepower. Soon it will become your bike of choice and the VFR will gather dust. They do require some maintenance and need a little tweaking to be "just right" but once you get it that way you won't want to part with it. There is a collection of guzzi knowledge here that will help you through anything that may come up. Enjoy!
Thanks for
Dan...and yes, I feel it's a very fair price! I have a local mechanic that I talked to. He is the only one I take my bikes to. I encouraged me to get it.I've read a lot about the tweaking and all, which only puts me off a bit, as I am so NOT a mechanic. It's all about the soul of the machine though and I have no doubts that I am making a great purchase. Who knows what will shake out with the VFR???
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Cycdude6, I've read all your posts and all the replies. Looks to me like you've had some good guidance and proper encouragement from the Forum. From all the reports I've seen here and elsewhere on the other Web boards, the Ballabio may well be expected to become one of the all-time modern-day Guzzi Classics, and will no doubt be regarded as a very solid and relatively trouble-free example of the marque for many many years to come. I congratulate you on your purchase.
I sympathize with you, my friend. It's got to be very frustrating having such a nice bike off the road when all you want to do is RIDE IT!!
Coupla observations:
I see by your info profile that you're a "self employed Handyman". Having owned 20 motorcycles in the past, a new Guzzi -- with the typical list (and even with an atypical list) -- of teething problems to be sorted would seem to be very much a natural fit for you, and quite easily dealt with. You no doubt have a great breadth of understanding (if not so much specific depth in the case of a Guzzi) of how all manner of things mechanical and electro-mechanical may be expected to perform, familiarity with parts sourcing, etc. -- especially including motorcycles, by your experience.
The way I see this, Cycdude, you've got a simple choice to make at this point. IMHO, it's one that you should have made in advance of purchase, but better late than never: You either decide that you'll make the requisite investment of your own effort in terms of time and apparent skill, if necessary, to sort the bike by the best means available to you -- whatever means that might be -- or you decide that the effort level is too high. If the effort level is too high for you, this means that you either bail out by selling at a loss, or you do wot you seem to be well inclined to do already, and pursue Lemon Law action against the dealer and Guzzi.
I can only contrast your situation with my own. I've only owned 12 bikes, and never had the benefit of experience of being a professional handyman or motorcycle mechanic (or any kind of a mechanic), but I've maintained all my bikes 100%, and restored and/or rebuilt many of them from the ground up. Now this is just me, but as an owner/rider, I'd take it upon myself to have your list of minor complaints whittled down to one or two items max in the time it takes you to make the round trip to your dealer. I'd use my own abilities, however limited or capable, and whatever means is at hand, including the superb guidance of this Forum, of which you've already had a great example by way of starters. Any remaining items would likewise be dispatched the same way, with the idea that as an owner, I take on the responsibility of getting it sorted MYSELF -- yes, if necessary, even ALL the stuff that's clearly the legal responsibility of the dealer.
The fact that you've listed something as minor as "parts fell off kickstand" as a complaint says volumes about your state of mind. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm afraid that especially as a professional handyman, this hardly reflects positively on the level of patience or willingness to take responsibility that owning a Guzzi (or any other bike for that matter) generally requires -- particularly when doing initial sorting, but also in terms of developing confidence in the relatively trouble-free maintenance that these bikes are well known for long-term.
I'd also make an effort to keep in mind that you haven't purchased another moto-appliance from a huge industrial giant, with a massive support network, local parts stock, and support expertise around every other corner, as you may well have become accustomed in your ownership of 20 previous moto's. Accordingly, I'd suggest a more realistic adjustment of expectations of the dealer. It was YOU who made the decision to purchase an already obsolete model of a very low-volume production, hand made Italian "throwback" anachronism, engineered primarily a half century ago, and assembled by villagers in what has become primarily a mountainside vacation area. Some of the Luigi's who assembled your bike no doubt have ancestors who were armorers, beating panels into breastplates and shields, forging blades and firearms, and still use some of the very same production techniques today on some of the parts that go into Guzzi's. Change has come relatively slowly to Guzzi over the last 50 years, and not without the pain and repeat loss of customer satisfaction due to the more or less perpetual state of disruption resulting from many downright flaky, here-today-and-gone-tomorrow ownership changes. Some of the ancient sourcing, supply, manufacturing, and assembly methods used today by this little company are still in the process of dying very slow, century-long deaths, and are directly derivative of the pre-industrial era in Europe.
Now if the "romance" of the final death throes of Old Europe is of little comfort to you now, I certainly understand, but the point is that you haven't bought another Honda. Knowing this, and being the one who pulled the trigger on your investment, IMHO you should well have gained enough understanding about what you were getting into (especially considering your background and experience), to enter into this with some level of expectation of the trade-off considerations and associated potential risks that you face today. I suggest that yours are but a paltry few of the most minor kinds of many more serious frustrations that are possible here.
Now I fully recognize that the emotion involved here may be "impossible" for some people to manage. But unless you can set the emotion aside and think logically, without succumbing to the anger you've expressed here at Guzzi, and get yourself off the trail of finding fault, and onto the trail of finding resolution to what are -- at least for the most part -- known to be relatively easily solved, minor problems, I'm afraid the the handwriting is already on the wall, and your decision is already a foregone conclusion. In this case, IMHO your situation cannot improve, and can only get worse. If so, you should pull the plug immediately, before your aggravation level becomes debilitating and you lose all desire to gain control over it. The sooner you can be rid of the aggravation the better -- regardless of financial loss.
Now this is just me, but while we're discussing investments of time and aggravation levels, I'd no more entertain the thought of perpetrating a jihad by subjecting myself to the horrific legal process of pursuing a state Lemon Law action against Guzzi over this (the mind reels. . .) than I'd entertain the thought of running my Ballabio over a cliff (with me riding it), but that's just me.
You could no doubt find someone via a classified ad who would more than gladly welcome an opportunity to pick up such a fine machine, who would happily welcome the task of getting it properly sorted, and who would also consider it a great privilege, given your list above in full disclosure at time of sale. Again, I'm no professional handyman or mechanic, but if I were presently Guzziless, I'd jump at the chance.
I do wish you well, regardless, my friend!
I just came across this post in my own research in regards to buying a used Guzzi. This is simply hilarious and extremely well written...give this guy a Guiness....
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hello and welcome...I am new here myself.
What year, model etc. are you buying? I'm in the dealings right now for an 01' V11 Lemans, metallic green with red frame, 14,000 miles on her.
Lots of great info here....
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Hi Nan and welcome.......
I bought a 2000 V11 with 3,300 miles and paid $5,300 if that helps you gage. It was in excellent shape and had a few of the fiber bits, fairing, fender, dash and starter cover. Mine is silver and from what I have seen the green ones have gone for 4-500 more on eBay. I love mine although I do not get to ride it nearly as much as I would like....only about 500 miles in the past 3 months!
Best of luck,
Bob
Hi Bob,
Sounds like you got a great deal. Mine is a 2001, with 14,000 miles. I don't think it has any add-ons other than a luggage rack. The owner is throwing that in along with hepco bags and a moto guzzi tank bag. He offered to throw in a 170 rear tire (brand new) as well, that he hasn't spooned on yet. The owner was asking $5,500. So I think it shook out pretty fair for both of us. Was looking at another one in Chicago that did have some add-on's, he was asking $5,900.00.
How long ago did you buy? What are your impressions thus far?
Nanc
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Again, thanks for the info!
The bike does have the 160 on it, so that sounds like the right way to go.
I went to the local Guzzi/Ducati dealership to pick their brains, and oddly enough both the owner and the sales guy started dissing the bike. In fact, the owner kept telling me that that's not what I want and tried to get me into a new Breva! I realize he want's/needs to sell bikes, but he knew that's not what I was there for. I did buy some Cortech leather riding pants, so he did make a few bucks off me....
Thing is, I've been dropping in on that shop over the years, and I'm a familiar face, so I was kind of puzzled. In all honesty, I've never really liked the owner, seems to be a bit of a snoot. Maybe he didn't like my VFR in his parking lot....
He did offer to run the VIN #, so I guess that gains a point or two...I did end up making some new friends there though, and seeing a couple familiar faces from just being in the riding community. Ride and a track day in NM were extended to me and I finally drove off with a big smile on my face, as that IS the one thing I love about motorcycling...the commraderie.
Well, guys, hopefully you all have the day off tomorrow and get to fit an extra day of riding in...
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Good morniing all and thanks for the replys and encouragement. And yes, I agree, the Guzzi is a purely visceral thing, it's got soul and beauty that I must own...
The VFR is a great bike, but it swims in the sea of many others just like it. The Guzzi will be a nice addition to the garage...
To answer the other questions, I did inquire about that recall and the owner had talked with the previous owner about that long ago...seems it was fine, and yes, after 14,000 miles seems any issue in regards to that would have shown up by now.
What tires do you all run...(I know thats a whole can of worms right there)....I known certain bikes just seem to run smoother with certain tires.
Thanks again guys for the input...have a great weekend...heading out on the VFR later...gonna be 65...
Nanc
ps. The owner accepted my offer of $4,800!!!! Deal is going down....errr...up...
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Wow, 10 views and not even a "hello" or welcome....I didn't stumble upon a boys club did I....
, ah well, the vino and the fireplace will keep me company tonight.. 
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Hi all,
I've been lurking here for a couple weeks and finally decided to post up and introduce myself.
I'm the current owner of an '06 Honda VFR800 of which I really adore and have over 8,000 miles on in under a year. I've been riding over 13 years and live in Tucson, AZ. My dilimma (if I can call it that) is that I am being wooed by the first (sport) bike that got me interested in sport bikes a number of years ago (rode crusiers for years and than went to the bright side)....
It's a 2001 V11 Lemans. Metallic green and sweet. I've lusted after one for years and have found one in West Virginia that I am negotiating a price on. Asking was $5,500 for a pretty pristine bike, all stock with 14,000 miles on the OD. The owner and I have exchanged a number of emails. photos etc. and I'm pretty closes to buying. Owner did oil changes at 3000 miles, other than that he claims to have had no problems with the bike. Is $5,000 a good deal? Seems so to me.
I've perused this site for any info. I could find about the 2001 Lemans model...problems, hightlights...etc. I'm not mechanic (but I can change my own oil), and I have an excellent one here in Tucson. So, my question to all you experts....is there anything that I need to look out for, be aware of, ask the owner...etc. That I might have missed in the threads? Also, I will probably ship the bike (damn expensive), but riding it home in the snow is not my idea of fun....
Anyone out there have experience in this, or recommends one company over the other?Well, I suppose that is all I should post up for, for now, as I'm a newcomer and don't want to wear out my welcome just yet!
Thanks in advance for info....
Nan
Days Away!
in 24/7 V11
Posted
Nice....
I figure I will put some miles down and then turn her over to my mechanic for a good going over. The PO is sending me a brand rear tire...there's still good tread on the current one. Will get her all checked out when I get the new tire put on.
Thanks for the tips!