RichMaund
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Posts posted by RichMaund
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I think Corbin's seat has a good shape to it. It doesn't allow the rear cowling to be used though. But they are quite firm. Much firmer than the 100 lb. density foam I use. (Which is considered firm.) I would estimate it at 130-150 lb. density. They seem to be shaped for larger and heavier riders. Smaller and skinnier people often find them to have the step way too far aft. But porky blokes like myself, find them fine.
I have read about fit issues and customer service issues with their seats. I also see many folks like their seats. I don't care for the way they started molding their pans a few years back. Instead of a seperate molded pan attached to a molded piece of foam, they now blow the chopper glass right into the foam mold and then inject the foam chemicals all over the rough edged glass. This is what I have observed from opening up a number of them. The new glass gives me a skin rash, by the way. So I don't plan to accept any more for rebuilds!
As with most upholsterers, they will often only single stitch seams instead of double stitching them. And they don't seal the seams as I do with urethane cement to glue the threads to the fabric and help prevent moisture from getting in. That also keeps a broken stitch from spreading and ruining the cover.
I really admired Corbin's work in the 80's. Less so in the 90's and today. My opinion is they now favor style over function. I don't care for that.
I have done seats for riders in the UK. But delivery can be expensive. I had a man there ship me a seat via DHL express. Cost him about $80 USD. Our Postal Service had the best return rate. About $100 for a 20 pound package. (DHL wanted $140 to send it back!!) That was a couple years ago and the rates have risen since then. Add to that the cost of having me do the seat ($260) and it is past the price range of a Corbin.
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Al's right. When do you think he'll attach it to a real transmission and not just the empty case he has it on now? How about ignition? Oil supply to the compressor?
Interesting project, but one that still has quite a ways to go.
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I just ordered a PCIII from Todd Egan. He has well tested maps for my bike. V11S with stock cross over and Mistrals. Stock airbox and filter. I can expect 6-8 ftlbs more torque in the midrange, it'll fill in the dip in the powercurve in the 4k range and a few more horsepower up top and in the middle. Better driveability as well. It is on the way now.
I plan to do before and after dyno pulls at the local Triumph shop when it comes in. I'll post results here in the forum.
For a plug & play device with almost no labor to install it, this may be money well spent. We'll see shortly!
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The stock rear brake lever is a sand cast, porous, POS! Any side pressure will crack it right off. Not worth the money. I have a friend with a Sport 1100 who has cracked two of them now.
Cut a new one from .5" aluminum plate. It'll be much stronger. If the bike goes over, it'll bend instead of brake (Pun intended!).
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I have to admit to you Al. Those look damn good on your bike's dash!
Could be a factory piece if I didn't know better! -
Jason is correct with his info. I set up my bike exactly like that. The 22 ft/lbs is correct for the head nuts.
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Forgot to log in. Sorry. That last guest posting was mine!
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I have seen too many Formotion clocks and thermometers with moisture in them for me to think they are worth the relatively high price they fetch. I bought a cheap white faced waterproof sports watch at a Wal Mart for $7. I cut the band holders off, files them smooth and attached the watch to a knuckle on the left clip-on with a glob of black RTV. The watch has a seven year lithium battery. If it ever dies, I'll just take it off and buy another!
No illumination for it. But after dark I pretty well know about what time it is, so it doesn't matter to me.
Those Eagles are held on with double sided tape. Spray some WD40 around them and let sit a while. Spray again and wait. In a couple hours the adhesive has failed and you can lift them off. Scrape off the tape, clean them and you can glue them back on straight with black RTV. Just make sure you let it dry overnight before riding or you may lose it.
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S 100 Cycle Cleaner is a super detergeant made in germany that I have used for over ten years. Neutral pH. Hasn't harmed anything yet. Melts brake dust way with a wipe from a wet sponge! I use a couple liters a year keeping my Guzzi and my wife's Chrysler Sebring shining with it! (That car's mag wheels really collect brake dust!)
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I have to agree with these guys on this. I have 23 years street riding experience and two legs full of metal hardware to prove they're correct. Only God can make the blind see. Aggressive defensive riding is the best tactic. Always assume the cage will do the stupidist thing possible to try and kill you and have a escape route/plan ready to use at all times. This mental game can save your life.
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Mine uses about 1/2 a quart between changes every 3000 miles. My old Guzzi's never used more than a pint between changes. I attribute it to the fact that I run the crap outta this Goose (Pun intended!
) like none other before it. It regularly see's yellow line as a shift point and I cruise it in the 5's where I cruised the older engines in the 4's. Run that hard, an engine is bound to use some oil. If your plugs are Ok and there's no leaks and you're riding as I do, that usage isn't unreasonable.I know a number of owners of new BMW's who report usage of a quart every 2-3K miles! But that is considered normal by the manufacturer!
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Nonsense! The key is attached under the clock. Just turn it to the 3:00 position to start the bike!
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For years now I have used a product called "Protect All" on rubber and plastic parts. Great stuff. Wal mart carries it in the RV section with a pump bottle and many cycle shops carry it in spray cans (My choice.) I started using it after a great review by Rider magazine back in the mid '80s. Best product of it's kind I have ever used.
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I thought the longer filter was standard on all big block Guzzi's since 1994?
It is not just the length that is different. The size of the fitting it screws to is different as well, so they cannot be interchanged. The larger filter has a fitting with approx. 2mm larger OD.
Mine came with the large filter. Isn't that one reason they are supposed to go 6K miles between oil changes now too?
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Geez Folks!
We're all Guzzi riders and we all know that loud VALVES save lives!
That should end the discussion!
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I didn't do this conversion due to vibes in the pegs. That was never an issue. It was discomfort caused by the narrow and hard metal peg pressing into the arch of my foot that bothered me. After three hours into a ride, my feet hurt and actually tingled from the pressure on the nerves there! These rubber topped pegs solved it completely
My son tells me the passenger pegs do vibrate at certain rpms. He thinks it more funny than uncomfortable though. But when I can spare t he money, I will be getting another set for the passenger pegs. I know my wife will appreciate it as her riding boots have thin soles.
Thanks for comments in it! Those hours spent sweating in the loft of my local Jap bike salvage yard measuring different foot pegs didn't go to waste!
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I don't think it'd be a good idea to use that as a cruise control. If you had to stop suddenly the throttle won't shut and the engine power will fight the brakes.
I use a throttle rocker over my gel grip. I can ride all day with no strain at all. I've had two carpal tunnel operations, so I'm a good candidate for a cruise control.
Placing a greased 1/8" O ring between the grip and throttle assembly makes a good cruise control too. Throttle is still smooth to twist, but the O ring applies just enough pressure to hold it still when you let go.
I liked the throttle rocker so much though that I no longer use the O ring.
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The factory set up on these IS a joke. A spring from a retractable ballpoint pen makes a good substitute. (I used a Parker pen!) Install one of those and properly adjust the engagement cam/cable and it's set for life!
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Al
No offense taken! I would never do that. Especially not in a forum as good as this one! I'm sorry to hear it's a problem for so many riders. Since in many of the cases it has come on after the bike has accrued some miles, I would say the fuel pump itself may be suspect! That, or the regulator. Time to rig in a pressure guage and ride the bike and try to recreate the hot conditions and monitor fuel pressure. If vapor bubbles are forming and the pump cavitates, the pressure irregularities will show up on the gauge. A PITA to be sure. But I won't hold my breath waiting on MGNA to ever do anything. I'm afraid I have little respect for the way they handle much of their business. It's up to the owners and Dealers to solve everything. Realistically, this is where the solutions will have to come from since MGNA leads a very rich "pretend" life. ie; they usually pretend problems don't exist.
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My bike had this problem when new. I'd be cruising along at 4k rpm and it would "cough!" and then go back to normal. Just happed once a week or so.
I had balanced the TB's with mercury sticks. My Dealer then set them up with a Twin Max and proved to me that my mercury sticks weren't as accurate! After he balanced them with the Twin Max the problem went away completely and has never returned.
These bikes are very sensitive to throttle Body (TB) balance. It has to be nailed!
I hope your problem is as simple as mine was!
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Being an Italian bike, it IS a fashion accessory!
But I see them as good to have also. If you are leaned way over and smack a set of railroad tracks in the middle of the curve, you will be glad to have it. (If it has been set properly.) We have a road like that locally. I use that corner to test suspension setups. With the damper set lowest on my V11S, it'll wobble once before recovering. I have found that the case on many of my bikes. With the damper adjusted so that some light resistance is felt side to side when the front wheel is off the ground, the same corner/tracks doesn't upset it at all.
Mine did weep fluid shortly after it was new. Guzzi refused to warranty it since most of them leak, it is considered normal.
I took the end cap off of mine, drained the fuild (I measured it! But right now can't remember what it held.
), and refilled it with Power Steering Fluid with seal swell in it. The stuff is made to stop weeps in hydraulic steering systems. It took some time to take effect, but it worked. Now it weeps just a tiny bit. Just enough to gather some dirt over time. But I no longer find droplets running back along the tank after a hard freeway run!I'd say they are necessary. It was worth my time to repair mine and keep using it.
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Janusz
I'd say that the needs of your engine were very well fulfilled by the stock map. Other bikes less so to other degrees. You hit the Guzzi lottery Man!
Mine ran very well when new. Some tweaking by the Dealer's Tech after break-in improved driveability greatly. That eliminated a slight flat spot in the 4k range of rpm. The pinging on my bike is only momentary. Never really an issue for me.
The temptation though to see what is possible through the talents of a knowledgable tuner though is very strong!
Thank you all for your great inputs!
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I have seen that FBF is marketing higher compression pistons for the bike.
Much of what I see going on with tuners of these bikes makes me want to make a road trip this Spring to see todd Egan for a PCIII and some dyno tuning work personalized for my bike. Man! What a excuse for a road trip!
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Folks
I have read much about this topic both here and in the MGCL. My bike has occassionally pinged under acceleration. I have done much to reproduce it to see under what cirumstances it occurs. Here's my theory:
At lower rpms the engine is out of the best part of the power band and airflow is only moving slowly in the intake system. When you wack the throttle wide open this is what I believe is happening to the dynamics of the system. The airflow crashes dramatically. You have leaned the mixture due to admitting so much air to the tract when the engine isn't ready to accept it. You have reduced the flow velocity and the ram air effect the higher (Though still slow.) flow rate gave itself before you whacked the throttle.
I have tried this at progressively higher rpms and the problem becomes reduced and eventually eliminated as I try it at higher rpms. Reason? Because the engine is progressively into the better part of the powerband, intake flow rates are becoming higher and the difference in flow rates between WFO at 4k rpm and at 6k rpm means that "crashing" the airflow is much less of a problem at higher rpms.
And what of the people who ask "Why didn't this ever happen on my Kawazukida?"? Those bikes probably had CV Carbs. Next best thing to fly by wire for the intake airflow. You can whack the throttle open all you want, but the slide will only rise and allow more flow as the engine is ready for it. That rate gets set by the engineer who designed the system!
My Cali1100i could be made to ping under load and so could my 1989 carbed Mille' GT. Hell, my Ural can do it. But thinking back on it, none of my CV equipped bikes have had the problem.
I suggest the cure is more careful throttle management. "Roll" the throttle on vice whacking it open. Make for smoother transitions vice sudden ones. I purposely rode my bike this way, smooth control inputs, and it loved it.
If I wanted to pass a car, drop down a gear and roll it on! Whereas whacking it in gear just resulted in a unhappy engine.
It's not so much a problem with the bikes as us needing to learn its characteristics to better use it's capabilities.
Moly:
This bike was already the smoothest shifting Goose I have ever run. A thousand miles ago I used a moly additive with my gear oil change. Same as I use in the rear drive. I had wondered about doing this as it improved every 5 speed Guzzi gear box I have ever owned. I can honestly say that it improved my 6 speed in this bike too. I was laughing in my helmet today realizing what a light touch I am using on the shifter. Light and smooth as silk! Will it violate my warranty? Hell if I know.
I'll be damned if I ever let a Dealer take my bike in for major repairs ever again. I lost the bike for almost 6 weeks for a transmission oil leak a year ago. The job kept getting pushed aside to get customers in whose problems were more minor. His employees ratted his behavior out to me about it. I finally had to heart to heart talk with him to get action on my bike. He is still my favorite Guzzi shop within a day's ride. But he sometimes spreads himself thin and can't seem to say "no" when customers need help NOW! In that shop, the squeaky bearing gets the grease vice "first come, first served". I could have done it myself in one long day's work. Since I promised myself that I'd never ask for anything but parts under warranty anymore, I went ahead and used it. Sweet!So, what do you think? Does my theory have merit?
V11 Sport Body Panel Questions
in Technical Topics
Posted
Make sure the rubber grommets and metal spacers are in place also. They are there to "float" the panel stress free when installed. Problem is, they are fussy to put in and over torquing will still damage the panels. Loctite is needed but don't get it ON the plastic panels. It can make them brittle.