Lucky Phil

I dont think the red on my 2000 greenie is in great shape. It looks dull and semi faded and its only done 42000 klms and I've garaged it for the last 9 years. It was like this when I bought it in fact. I was going to repaint it when I fit the new engine. Ciao

No Chuck, you created a launching pad Ciao

I call the V11 "the Guzzi" but I prefer acronyms. My runabout car used for collecting stuff from the hardware and I spend zero money on is the LSB. Any guesses out there on what LSB is? Clue......its not a large car. Ciao

There was a factory centre stand for the V11 but you rarely see one for sale and when you do they want good money for them. I think they also had interference issues with the exhaust collector from memory. The major problem with the V11 with regards to shorter riders is more the seat width than the height I think. Others might have better perspective though as I'm 6'2'' tall. Ciao

If you want to hear the best version of Romeo and Juliet ever with Chris White on the sax absolutely nailing the solo with Eric Clapton playing as well check this out. Amazing! Ciao

I'm a massive MK fan, have been since the late 70's when Dire Straits Sultans of Swing went to #1 here in Australia before anywhere else in the world. Love his post DS stuff even more. Ciao

Whats the source of the oil leak? The engine breaths into the spine frame and from there into the airbox. Any oil that ends up in the spine drains back to the rear of the sump via a line. Ciao

RUGBY:( not for us. Australian MotoGP Ciao

Ok thats a "roll" pin and is used to control over travel of the selector arm. On later transmissions its replaced by and adjustable eccentric pin. It's just a press fit in the cover. Why it came out I dont know, thats not a common event. I suggest you use some green Loctite on it if it comes out again. Have a look at my write up on the selector mechanism. Ciao

Which eccentric pin do you mean? Some gearboxes have 1 and some have 2 but in both cases they are retained by a nut on the outside of the selector cover. Ciao

Buy a RAM complete clutch assy from MGcycles in the states for around 600US. You can buy other clutch parts as well. Th RM uses the single plate clutch standard doesnt it? Failing that its Stein Dinse in Germany Ciao

There's no shimming on the 6 speed shafts apparently. I think there is on 5 speeds though. End float is controlled by the ball bearings on the aft end. Ciao

Thanks I'll check mine. Ciao

Oh really, I didn't notice any vent holes. Hope I haven't covered them in loctite. Ciao

What were the details? different forks early to late? or just different caps? Ciao

Well the truth is I work for soup and a sandwich as far as motorcycles are concerned, I did do it and still do it for the pure pleasure and because I like to help people and learn stuff. I hate the profiteering and "charge what the market will stand" I see these days, its just not me. Needless to say I'd never make it in my own business. Ciao

My previous post should have read "silly enough to pay $2000 to service the 916". That's just overcharging, shop around. I've been working on 4 valve Desmo systems since the mid 1980's since they were first released first the 851,888,916,996 and 1098 which are all the same basic engine design,although the 1098 is easier valve clearance wise, so I guess thats only 34 years.As well as the bevel drive and 2 valve belt desmos before that. Part of my 996 experience is at WSB level and 2 valve belt Desmo's at world championship level,so I thought it might be valuable to get the perspective from someone thats actually done the work on them for the pleasure of it as apposed to the view of someone thats doing it for the profit. Plenty of people including competent home mechanics have been turned away from Ducati's because of overcharging by shops for servicing and I'm here to point out its not really valid The 916 series was a major leap forward in ease of servicing and access and is quite an easy bike to work on. Pulling the engine on a 916 to do the heads is totally unnecessary. Personally nothing I own mechanically ever crosses the dealer doorstep after purchase. After having worked side by side with mechanics from several dealerships, car and bike over the last 35 years (or so) I'd rather just do it myself and worry about the warranty issues if there are any when they arise or just absorb the cost myself. It often works out cheaper that way in the long term. Ciao

Why would you be silly enough to pay someone to service the 916. If you can service a Guzzi V11 you can service a 916. The Desmo system is a bit fiddly but its not rocket surgery. Hell i've been doing them for 35 years so it cant be that hard. Ciao

I suspect the early greeny forks and the later non Ohlins equipped bikes had different forks and caps. Ciao

I was looking at this Ciao

He didnt say his bike has Ohlins forks. Ciao

JB might be an overkill docc, even without bonding of any kind with the switch assy put back together it would operate without coming apart the spring pressures are so small. might need to be careful putting the connector on and off,time will tell I guess. Ciao

I machined off the crimp. I dont know how contact cleaner worked for you as I tried that as well. After I disassembled it I saw how that wouldn't work for mine as there's no way for the cleaner to get to the switch cavity. The contacts in mine were just tarnished and it needed cleaning up with wet and dry. There was no evidence of oil or contact cleaner in the switch cavity so I assume there is a seal in the plunger section. Ciao

Gearbox is done and now just trying to rectify the nil ops neutral switch. The switch is outrageously expensive and all it needs is the contacts cleaned up. Holding it all back together is the challenge. Loctite 635 will hopefully be the answer. Ciao