Lucky Phil

By unearthed issues - do you mean that adding the part has caused or amplified an existing problem? Since upshifts are better, does this mean you are having trouble with downshifts? If so that sounds about like the current state of my LeMans. Now awaiting some parts and will get into the shifter once more. I think I'll install the extender first, just in the name of scientific experimentation and isolating variables. This gearbox has a certain technique to it that is slightly different to say a Ducati or Japanese box. I always preload the shifter when shifting in both direction. Also due to the design of the detenting mechanism it requires you "follow through" with shifts especially in the upper gears. The detent cylinder on a ducati for example looks like a pointed star from the end so the detent roller is either either going to slot into the next gear or spring back into the previous on a sloppy or lazy/relaxed shift. The V11 detent wheel has slots with flat sections between the gears, most notably on the upper gears so the detent mechanism isnt necessarily going to "help you out" with a lazy shift. The other thing is due to the Guzzi's heavy flywheel you cant just flick the throttle for downshifts like you can with a Ducati, you have to lean more to the roll it on for it to catch revs, this also makes down shifts less fluid. I suspect the Guzzi will shift better still when I fit the RAM clutch unit. Forgive me if I'm telling you things you already know, and if you dont already do it try downshift preload. I've just always done it on the guzzi, not necessary on other bikes I've ridden. Ciao

I wish I had not read that... Now I want a CF tank for my Scura. I'm sure it's cost prohibitive but there are folks out there making tanks out of Carbon Fiber. They have never setup the shop section of their website as they probably figured out that only Ducati folk are willing to spend this kind of money. They usually show up at Barber's every year so you might get them to ballpark a price. They do some lovely things to a v11 sport. http://www.moto-studio.com You know I've had some experience making fibreglass tanks for bikes from scratch, which means using a pre existing tank and making a mold of the top and base then joining them and sealing. Its not something I have time for at the moment but its not an outrageously hard thing to do for those that do it professionally. Whether its wet laid carbon or glass wouldnt make a huge difference to the ultimate price and the V11 tank underside and mounts are very simple and easy to mold. May be worth investigating a group buy and approach people that do this stuff as I believe you should be able to keep the cost to under a grand US with a reasonable amount of orders. Ciao

Thanks Chuck, I'm not stressed about it although I did note the one to NZ was a fast post. Those Kiwis always seem to have it over us Aussies:) Zink Chromate green is fine Chuck, reminds me of the old days when we were allowed to use such stuff on aeroplanes, along with Mastinox. Thanks to docc as well for covering the postage. Hope everyone is happy with the performance. Ciao

Havent received mine yet Chuck Ciao

Stop Press.... Guzzi consider moon landing. Ciao

Ah very good, Carrillo's are very nice rods, I've used them in Ducatis in the past. I've also seen them used in race engines way beyond their recommended limits and hang together. Pull them out straighten out the twist they have picked up and re use. Very tough rods. Did you ask for ones with oil squirters under the pistons? If not would probably be worth it. Something else that the balancer might not know or miss, Guzziology recommends the later post 93 52% balance factor instead of the 50% that Guzzi used in pre 93 engines, says its smoother. 50% is the normal 90 deg V twin balance factor ( Ducatis) however the Guzzi is transverse and this can mean a slightly different factor is required. Also make sure the balancer calculates the weight of the oil in the pin in his calculations. Just something to check if he's not used to doing twin cylinder motorcycle engines. Ciao

I would just do the balance the valves and guides and careful re assembly myself, maybe a cam. You know, squish, CC the heads, clean up the ports etc. Sorry, Specified? Ciao Sent them the dimensions of the rods you want made. They don't appear to have Guzzi in there database, and certainly don;t keep them on the shelf. Oh,ok right you are, no listing on their site. I bought them on ebay a few years back from a shop in Germany that had a batch made. Ciao

Hey Bruce, Chuck is kindly sending me a special red one so when it arrives and I've fitted it you can have my original fabricated one if you like. Ciao

I would just do the balance the valves and guides and careful re assembly myself, maybe a cam. You know, squish, CC the heads, clean up the ports etc. Sorry, Specified? Ciao

I hear ya, finding people that can do things like this right is always a problem. I can give you someone that will do it right but it means shipping here to Australia. You wont have any issues with it idling or general rideability, the RAM clutch will be a big improvement. Ciao

Moving the battery under the tank is a bad idea, it moves the C of G higher and puts the battery in a hot inaccessible location. Forget it. As for the locks the front before the rear lifts, well thats not my experience. As for a dynamic improvement, go out and pull the rear wheel off your V11 and put it on the scales, its disgracefully heavy. I was shocked the first time I did it, shocked at how you could engineer something to be that weighty. The back wheel and tire on my Ducati 1000ss even with a wider tire floats away in the wind by comparison.I did measure them and its something like a 7kg difference or something ridiculous. So the wheels would be the first place to start if you really are serious about a dynamic improvement. Ciao

Put your readers on, and look carefully for the small squirter hole up a bit on the rod. It uses the oil going to the big end of the rod. True dat, Should probably use them on the Daytona engine instead of the non squirter Carrillo's, it needs them more I think. Ciao

Yes FCP engineering rods for my V11 engine, when I get the time. Slightly heavier than Carrillo's and way lighter than stock. ARP bolts, under piston oil squirters, quite nice. Ciao

These look cooler Ciao

You're back Chuck, not a slow trip i see Ciao

I straightened the pawl arm in the vice with a large shifter to do the tweeking. Its easy to over bend and you need to ID the point at which the bend needs to be made or if its truly banana shaped. With regard to the pivot end use a set square and make sure the arm is at 90 deg to the pivot pin and adjust if not. Make sure the shifter input shaft is fully seated in its cover bush and the return spring isnt fouling anything ( its the right way up)as this will cause the selector arm to be too high. As long as when the shifter arm is properly located and you pull up on the wheel (with its circlip installed) there is just a fraction of clearance this will be ok. It will only need a thou or so. If all else fails I would take a little off the input shaft bush and shim the selector arm down a the pivot with a small shim to clear the gear wheel but it would be a last resort. Get it straight first and the surfaces fully on the pins. Your finishing of the selector arm faces looks fine now. From memory the shift action is normal and the force required is controlled by the detent spring and the profile of the detent cutouts. They will be slightly small than the DIA of the detent roller so there is not freeplay when in gear. Check the detent roller is sitting parallel to the selector wheel so the roller sits correctly in the depressions and if not pull the arm and bend it a little so it does. Its a mechanism full of stamped arms which never come out flat and its put together on a production line with no time to properly fettle so all this is normal blue printing adjustments. Ciao

A few things, the selector arm needs to be straight for bend and twist and the correct angle to the pivot pin and getting there is not as easy as you may think. Finding the point where it is bent with a straight edge is the way to go and working it. As I said its not easy and requires some experience. The marks on the pivot end seem to be factory grind marks as well not wear or rubbing. The marks on the return faces of the selector arm in the second photo are an issue for the return. See how notchy it is and bears on one side, see my rework thread but essentially you draw file the face ( ie file along the surface not accross) to remove the wear knotches and align the surface so it bears fully on the pins. Depending on how deep the notches are you may not be able to remove them completely but you need the full face bearing against the pin. Partially assemble the mechanism and check with some engineers blue or similar to confirm you have it right. Do both faces of course. I would replace the return spring while you are in there and check you have it the right way up as one arm can rub on the cresent shaped section of the cover internally if its not and that can affect operation. Some slight rubbing of the selector arm on the wheel will be ok but it should not be creating any friction. Adjust the main eccentric so that as you run through the gears it doesnt over select or under select to any great extent. Its a balance and its a sensitive thing . Ditto the Three bond 1194 Ciao

Will that product Flitz put the shine back in the CF parts? mine are definitely faded. Yours aren't faded they are a matt finish. Nicer looking in my opinion Ciao

Yes they need to be pulled into place somewhat. Ciao

Strangely you and I have owned the same bikes but not concurrently. I to have had a VFR750 and an RC30 as well as the current V11 Greeny. Ciao

We know that you got the idea, trialed it, and then told everyone. Well done you too!It wouldn't have happened without your efforts. Thanks, as long as people are happy with the way it works then I'm happy. Ciao

I was interested in the mechanics of this Chuck and now I know. That's quite a bit of work there, well done. You've made my attempt look rather pathetic:) Enjoy your days off at the rally. Ciao

You know, come to think of it...I think I did actually hear boiling when I tried to start her up after the struggling startups yesterday. Thank you Scud! You wont hear any clutch fluid boiling and it wont happen anyway, not with the arrangement a guzzi has. Did you check the fluid quantity? if its overfull the fluid has nowhere to expand to when the engine and OAT warms up. Its a long shot but the first thing to check Ciao

Check all the usual stuff from easy to difficult. 1.Check the master cylinder is fully extending ( IE the clutch lever doesn't have a lot of free play and is flopping around) the piston may be corroded up and the seals leaking or the holes into the reservoir are blocked. This may have caused the slippage initially and if the seals have now gone or the reservoir holes are blocked may be the reason for the failure to now not disengaging. Check the fluid level isn't too high. 2. If the master cylinder is ok pull the slave off and check that for leakage or damaged seals which is a whole lot harder. 3. Leave the splitting the engine and trans till last Ciao

On my bike, the bush protrudes from the foot pedal lever (item 1), and just fits into the hole in the pushrod drive lever (16). That lever (16), that Chuck is making, has the rear lower hole the same size as the bush (2) OD, not the pivot bolt (5) OD. At least that's what I'm expecting when the slow boat from California arrives, and that's what Chuck's CAD drawing seems to show.I made new bushes (2) for my Pedal Lever, and I expected to be able to drive them further in, as Docc suggested, and trim them off later, but no. The counterbore for the outboard bush was about 10mm for a 10mm long bush. At the inboard side, the counterbore was about 8mm for the 10mm bush. The bush is designed to protrude. V11 Shift Lever.jpg This is correct from my experience. I did the same, made new bushes and modified the bolt so the threads didn't destroy the inner bush. Ciao