Lucky Phil

So I need to settle down? Be honest, I've been in lockdown for 4 weeks. Ciao

Bloody hell I must be getting bad, Pete Roper is trying to pacify and settle me down, LOL. Yea I saw the front bearing solution in the BB from those training notes you sent me, not that impressed with that. What I loved about bevel drive Ducatis was there wasn't a single chain in the whole engine and every bearing was replaceable in the average blokes workshop with the exception of the big end which needed a press and some engineering expertise to do. I didn't like the transition to cams running in the head material either. Kawasaki 900's used plain replaceable cam bearing but that was abandoned as well. I know it's inevitable the way things are going and it's unstoppable, but rage,rage against the dying of the engineering light I say, You are correct in that just about anything can be saved by an engineering/ machining specialist but you know Pete those people are fading away as well. I wouldn't be at all surprised if in 20 years time they dont exist anymore. Anyway, whats this "retirement" thing I thought you were already? Ciao

Pressed up cranks are usually because the engine uses rolling element main or big end bearings or both so there's little choice although I think MV's may have used a split roller bearing, can't remember. The one piece slipper bearing crank is a much better design and used on virtually all performance engines these day and for many years. Rigid and along with plain/slipper bearings has no practical rev limitations. The Norton crank is a bad example, ridged as a piece of black pudding. So wobbly in fact you need to use barrel shaped (Superblend) roller bearings on the mains to stop them exploding. The crank flexed so much a standard roller bearing inner and outer ends would collapse under the strain of the angular displacement as the crank flexed and wobbled about. My main point is the continual drift towards the disposable engine. I find it offensive from an engineering and philosophical perspective. Piston engine technology isn't progressing at a break neck speed anymore like electronics and software. Modern engine design is all about the corporate profit. Make it as cheap and profitable as possible and bugger the long term owner. Ciao

Nope totally different shape. There are some non cross over V11 sport headers on ebay you know. Items 384351533431 and 164043373894 Ciao

Really! That's surprising. How do you sleep at night Pete Ciao

Aprilia scooters I think, probably with rolling element big ends. Ciao

I agree Pete and your point is a valid one but I'm a bit of an engineering purist plus it goes deeper as well. The modern engine is a wonderful thing as long as it's a "good one" Will give many trouble free miles without any issues. The modern mass produced philosophy falls apart though over the long term and the short term if you have a serious issue. The long term may not bother you and fair enough but here's an example. My Sunday drive car is a Focus RS 2.3 Turbo 4. The engine is as is common practice these days a friction drive camshaft system, no crank or cam keys on anything as god knows that would cost and extra $10 in machining and 3 keys. The Upshot? well now you when you need to do a simple job like change the front timing cover crank seal here's the process. Release the crank pulley bolt, the cam timing is now gone. Remove the cover and replace the seal. remove all the cam drive and oil pump drive to fit new friction drive washers behind the cam drive sprocket. Remove the HP fuel pump off the exhaust cam, remove the vacuum pump off the inlet cam remove the cam cover and then the drive end and journal off the inlet cam so you can install the cam timing tool. Install the crank TDC stop. Re fit and seal the front timing cover set the cam timing and then torque up the TTY pulley bolt without disturbing the cam timing and re assemble half the freeking engine. This is what you get to save a few pennies on some keyway machining. Now the hard part, how many Ford dealership workshop drones do you think are capable of doing this task without screwing up at least 1 of the processes. Ford had a recall on this engine to replace head gaskets and when I saw what was involved I predicted a world wide total catastrophe for owners. I was proved totally correct, it's been a nightmare for just about every one of the 27,000 owners involved. Not me fortunately. This is the modern corporate engineering philosophy in practice. personally if they offered and old style build engine at a premium cost I'd be the first to opt for that if for no other reason than a dealership mechanic would have less chance of screwing up any significant maintenance when it's required. Ciao

The latest iteration of the V85 docc I believe and maybe the one before. Ciao

Too late now for bbolesaz but for anyone else just make your own line when the Guzzi ones fail. Cheaper, and better quality and aesthetics. No it isn't hard to do. Ciao

As usual the devil is in the detail as is the corporate mentality and philosophy. I'll keep my powder dry on this new bike until I see the specific finer details of the engine. The latest small blocks use a single piece rod with a slipper bearing and a pressed up crank with the cam drive sprocket integral to the crank. That tells me it's basically a disposable engine. Any significant issues and it's total replacement of major components which might be ok now but in years to come forget it. Distract everyone with the shiny stuff while you are making the stuff you can't see as cheap and cheerful and easy to make and cost effective for the manufacturer as possible. It's a design and corporate philosophy I don't like. Ciao

Join the cue Ciao

Hmm, hunting tooth non integer gearset to the cam? I wonder. Ciao

I guessed https://the-race.com/motogp/what-we-learned-from-ducatis-exposed-motogp-engine/ Ciao

That's pretty much what Ducati use on their current MotoGP bike. An external large dia flywheel with adjustable/tuneable weights. There was a good view of it operating in the last GP when the fairing side panel flew off one of the Ducati's. Whats old is new again. I keep waiting for wire spoke wheels to return to MotoGP, some advantages there. Ciao

Buy yourself a second hand airbox and refit it, they can be had for around $100. The mistral mufflers won't require any ecu re mapping at least not with the std airbox and filter. The best cross over by far is the Stucchi but they can only be had second hand now. Another option is from here. It's the same basic design as the Stucchi. They may just sell you a crossover. Make sure it's compatible with the std headers if you dont go for the whole system. https://shop.daes-mototec.com/de/Motor/Auspuffanlagen-10/DAeS-Auspuffanlage-konisch-D50x1-218-271.html Ciao

https://ducati-gowanloch.com/shop/brakes/brembo-gp-p4-3034-piston-seal-kit/ Ciao

Well Pete, if it doesn't have throttle bodies between the V with the headers on the opposite side and DOHC then they truly are Muppets. I don't think they're Muppets. Ciao

Why not re chrome the original? Or this, been around for a few years now. Plenty of places do it and you can even get home kits. Looks as good as chrome and was developed to mitigate the environmental issues of traditional chrome plating. https://spectrachrome.com/ Ciao

Looks very nice....except. I'm sorely missing the chrome tank panels. I'm if anything on the anti chrome committee but on some rare occasions it's mandatory. This is one of those occasions. Ciao

I use a very light coat of Hylomar ( or rolls Royce compound if you like) on my sump gaskets. Ciao

Its almost certainly the gasket leaking between the hole and the inner engine area. So the oil leaks past the gasket and into the bolt hole. The outer edge of the gasket looks fine because it's actually sealing, it's the inner edge of the gasket that's leaking and it's leak path is through the adjacent bolt hole. Pull the sump and replace the gasket and have a good inspection of the area and apply a little sealant to the spot if necessary. You could make sure the hole face is in good shape where the cap screw head seats and install a 6mm aluminium crush washer as a temporary/ permanent fix. Ciao

Yep manipulation. You see from next year in Europe all new cars to be fitted with mandatory speed limiters and data loggers! Motorcycles, not yet but are in line as well. Combine that with forced phasing out of ICE vehicles and the end is nigh for car and bike enthusiasts. Ciao

Litigation. You live in the land of Litigation. This is why Brembo don't make seal kits for their callipers or master cylinders anymore, fears that they will be installed wrongly by amateurs and they Brembo will be dragged into a court battle. I'd imagine Brembo USA and or their distributors would be of the same mind for some of the older stuff. All your likely to get is NOS. Ciao

You're being unkind to the Edsel docc. Ciao