jhh
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Posts posted by jhh
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Oh god 2,966.18$ for those, and they really do make the bike.
Are there any affordable rims similar to those out there?
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So my V11 is finally breaking me in, and I think it's about time I take it on an extended road trip or camping. The backpack and the small tank bag are always useful, but what about hard luggage? In particular, I'd like a pair of side bags. I tend to dislike top bags for aesthetic purposes, and soft bags provide no protection for my precious scotch (the one true indispensable camping necessity) if I drop the bike. Really, I love the smell of a good single malt, but not when it's permeating the remains of my luggage and their contents.
I looked at the Givi site and they don't seem to list the V11.
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The bike in this picture appears to have a full tank cover on it. Is that what this is, or am I looking at it wrong? Who makes this if it is a tank cover - it would be much easier to get one of these than it would be to get a new tank and paint it to match the rest of my Ballabio.
Oh yeah, anyone have suggestions for mirrors? The default ones look dorky, and the little bar end ones don't suit my normal straight up riding position.
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I b'lieve there is, Weej.
Why would they be tough? 99% of them are dentists and lawyers trying to look cool on their weekends off.
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So, I'm trying to figure out what to do with my new (to me) Guzzi. It's in pretty much excellent condition, so I'm wondering on whether I should feel bad about modifying (defacing, if you like the red/black look) it. Right now it's the typical red/black Ballabio, but I really like the Scura look (matte black) better.
How many Ballabios were sold in the US in 2004? Just out of curiosity, does anyone have sales statistics (US) on all the different years and models for the V11?
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I like the buell one the best, also the shape seems like it was MADE for the V11 dash, installs perfectly and the hardware from buell mates up perfect too, total effort to get this installed 1 socket wrench, one allen wrench + 15min
You wouldn't happen to know the part number for that carbon fiber Buell fairing right off hand, would you? The Harley store guys here are jerks and won't even speak to me without it.
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Does anyone know how the copyright works on that? I'm a system administrator and have my own servers, so I'd be happy to host an ISO image of the CD if anyone wants a copy - anyone could download and burn a copy for themselves. Send me a PM if you're interested in doing this.
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If you found that bike on eBay, I almost bid against you. I especially like the color scheme on it, the silver and red is pretty nice. I'm a new Guzzi owner as well (2004 V11 Ballabio) and just picked mine up on Saturday, and so far I really love it. I love it so much in fact that it's done over 800 miles in the four days I've owned it.
Welcome!
vvv Yes, it was the one listed here by a forum member. It's in almost new condition, and I lucked out getting it I think.
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Thanks for the input everyone! I put the bike in the shop today to iron out one or two small problems it was having, and ordered a set of Diablo Stradas as well. When those wear out I'll give the Z6s a shot, and stick to whichever one I like the best after that.
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You'll get used to it. But start with some 100 mile rides before you do a 500 mile ride.
Are throttlemeisters available for those bars?
Actually, I just got done with a 600+ mile ride (Natchez Trace + assorted side trips) picking it up.
It's really far more comfortable than some of the bikes I've owned before, I think it's more that I haven't quite yet figured out how best to sit on it and not make my butt and wrists hurt - I was leaning forward quite a bit though, so I'll start working on getting my abs in shape. Doing some pushups wouldn't hurt either.
There is a throttlemeister available for it, and it's on my list of mods I intend to make. It's kind of quiet for my tastes, so some new mufflers would be nice, and those Buell turn signals, the seat rebuild, new tires, and maybe changing the license plate bracket/rear fender appearance, and maybe some bar end mirrors, and ... I'll never get through customizing this, will I?
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Update: I'm now the proud owner of a 2004 V11 Ballabio, and I couldn't be happier. I picked it up in Nashville on Saturday, and just made it back after a 550 mile drive down Natchez Trace.
My wrists, on the other hand (no pun intended), really hate me right now. I find myself putting an awful lot of pressure on my wrists, and they eventually just sort of go numb. Not "comfortably numb" in the sense that I can't feel them, but more along the lines of "dentist forgot to give me novocaine before he ripped my teeth out with a pair of rusted pliers" sort of numb. Would dropping the pegs help? My knees and legs aren't cramped at all as I'm fairly short, but I was wondering if it might make me sit more upright, thereby putting less pressure on my hands/wrists.
Also, the rear tire self destructed, but I have a separate thread in the technical forum asking for recommendations (I really, really hate Metzeler now).
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Well, I picked up my '04 V11 on Saturday, and after a ~550 mile drive down Natchez Trace I just got back - and the rear tire (stock Metzeler, 3100 miles on it) more or less disintegrated about half a mile from home. I'm not quite sure what happened to it, as it only had a minor flat spot when I picked it up, and it had acceptable pressure (36 pounds). It had been wearing quite rapidly before that.
I know there have been other tire threads here in the past, but I couldn't really get an idea of what the best choice is. The Conti Road Attacks seemed to have a good review, but that was two years ago. What's the popular choice these days for a general all around / touring tire? I rarely drive fast so I don't need super sticky ones, and the rock hard ones that don't grip / last forever aren't a good idea either.
Suggestions, anyone?
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you don't want a Triumph cos it's British & heavy...so you're going for a Guzzi which is Italian & ...er...
?Try before you buy if you can (& as long a ride as you can get, preferably on open road rather than town), Guzzis an aquired taste, but once aquired, a lifelong one.
Actually I was more concerned with it just being British - I've owned two Rovers before. Both met the same fate: catching on fire in my parking garage. There's also the small matter of the British having not quite figured out the concept of the 'gasket'. Lets the water in, and the oil out... Yes, I know, the Guzzi is Italian and has the same issues with oil leaks. "It's not leaking, it's marking it's territory."
Really the biggest issue I was having with the Triumphs (just the Tiger actually) was seat height and bike width, combined with an incredibly top heavy feeling. The newer Tiger isn't as bad as the older ones, but it's still somewhat annoying. Not to the point where I couldn't ride it, but it would just be uncomfortable at lower speeds. The Thruxton/Bonneville/etc were fine with me - I'd just really rather not be set on fire by exploding British machinery though.
At the moment, it looks like I've picked out a nice V11, and will be driving up this weekend to get it.
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Hey jhh, Welcome to the sight. I honestly believe you should sit on both if you really question the comfort of the two really different styles, you'll know then for sure. I've done a 450 mile day on my LeMans, and loved it. It's less cramped than it looks. Can't tell from your post if you prefer the look of the Sport/ LeMans or the Nevada, but the look is more important than your worries about required tinkering, they BOTH will!
Happy Huntin', S.H.I prefer the look of the sporty ones (1100 Sport, V11, the Breva/Griso are okay too). If I were to have people here tell me the V11 is a poor choice for what I want, then the Nevada would be my backup plan. I know I can fit on one and it's pretty comfortable.
The sitting on part is going to give me a little trouble as well. I've sat on a Nevada and ridden a California, and I did okay on both of them - but the V11 will be something I'm going to sit on right about the time I purchase it: there are none here (New Orleans, LA, US) for sale, so I'd be flying out to get one - which one is still under debate. Think I'd have any trouble riding one? I'm about 5'9"ish, 165 pounds, and wear jeans with a 30" inseam. I'm sure I'll fit on it, but on the 500 to 1,000 mile ride home it may get very uncomfortable after a while.
Tinkering: I'm more or less mechanically inclined, and I've owned my share of quirky vehicles - my daily driver right now is a 14 year old 911, which is pretty quirky.
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Hi Guzzi folks! After about five years stuck in a car, I've recently decided to go back to riding - I've been on dirtbikes since I was a kid, and rode rain or shine daily when I lived in the SF Bay Area a few years ago. I'm an experienced rider, just a bit out of practice. I've browsed around your forums for a while, but I still have some questions.
I've always loved Guzzis (and Aprilia, Triumph, and Ducati to a degree), so I've decided to get one. I think, at least. Triumph is out because they're British and therefore likely to burst into flames too heavy, current Aprilia models are not to my liking really, Ducati is, well, too Ducati.
This means I've pretty much determined that it's definitely going to be Guzzi at this point. In particular, it's down to either a V11, 1100i Sport (riding style seems too cramped to me) or a Nevada, but I think I best like the way the V11 looks out of the lot of them. Regardless of which Guzzi model I wind up with, they all have the giant V-twin and overall good community. It's a win-win situation for me, no matter which one I get.
I'm not terribly interested in getting an incredibly fast bike, but something more for along the lines of occasional weekend road trips and daily puttering from home to the office. When I mean weekend trips, I really mean it too: not some short 100 mile thing, but something more like 500 miles. Is the V11 a comfortable choice for this? Is it something that (when properly maintained) is going to break constantly? Am I going to go broke paying my chiropractor if I go for long rides? Would the Nevada be a better choice (I prefer the V11's appearance)? Suggestions, anyone?
Decision Time
in Technical Topics
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Sell it then. The last three or four bikes posted in the 'For Sale' section here sold within a week or so. Please note in your post that it hasn't been maintained well and adjust the price accordingly, and you should be rid of it quickly.
Problem solved!
Edit: Never mind, just saw your For Sale ad. Ignore me.