AndyH

The problem is getting a drill properly centred with the engine in the frame, hence engine out. Anyhow, I think this job will involve welding a boss onto the screw: the heat will help loosening the screw and give some proper purchase on it. Pliers just won't get the grip on a mere stub of thread if I do get the socket head off. It'll have to be done sooner or later, just have to bite the bullet as I do want to get a plate in there.

I still have a screw corroded in place that's preventing me from removing the sump upper - defied all efforts so far to remove it so a sloppage plate isn't an option for me yet. I take the route of keeping the oil level high as a precaution instead. I must confess I have never seen the oil light flicker on even when accelerating hard uphill, although I'm not in the business of tempting fate too much. Believe me, when I get that bugger shifted finally, a plate will go on, but it could be an engine out job. Maybe this winter?

Bach? Wow, big claim. A zorst that plays a fugue...!

Know what you mean Rossi, I have a Baglux cover and a couple of different types of their tank bags. They're great but the tank cover can never be very pretty on the V11. The cover is reasonably easy too fit and remove but not a really quick job. I often go to work by bike, either to the office or to customer site and the Baglux Tech City bag is the best portable office I've ever had and will fit a fairly sizeable laptop or an Airbook. I'm on my second simply because the old one was looking a bit dirty rather than worn out, so the bags are really good quality, no question. Problem is the cover is so ugly I end up bungeeing the bag on the pillion seat. I'd use the cover for touring with my other somewhat smaller touring bag as the bigger bags interfere with my bars on full lock (I have the flat bars rather than clip ons)

What sort of temperature do you drink these American micro-brewery ales, Jim? I'd normally drink bottled ales like these at a bit warmer than cellar temperature, say 55 deg F and the darker, stronger winter warmers maybe a tad higher (60?). Anyway, sounds like you have a rich hunting ground to draw on over there. Mighty appealing. A shame I'm on the wagon all through December and early January!

I know we Brits have drinking warm beer as a kind of congenital condition but these darker maltier beers seldom reward serving too cold. It makes them frigid when in their best light they are warm, rounded and generous. In days gone by old geezers used to sit by the fire at the pub in winter and plunge hot pokers into their tankards to get the right warmth. Guess that made the beer smoky too. Even for me there is 'too warm' though.

Thx sp838, I'm suddenly having problems pasting links (or anything for that matter) into the post after I upgraded my browser to IE11 !?!

Teo Lamers has a V11 Sport stand listed at EUR200 - would cost you more to get that shipped from Europe.

Nice... the standard MG workshop stand has hooks that are just a wee bit too far apart for the flanged nuts that sit on them and you have to make sure it's bang on centre before lifting: I had it slip off to one side one day and I'm still not quite sure how it failed to damage me as I tried to hold it, the bike itself or the other contents of the garage. Taught me to take greater care in future anyway.

Neat collection. Was that really a Trident T160 DOHCed and V6ed in that collection there? Poor brave demented soul!

Is there something I should know about OEM stands that makes them so valuable? Like incredible ergonomics that would allow a mere 10 year old to waft all 500lbs onto two feet without breaking so much as a sweat? Or is it just 'must have' rarity? Teks all sorts...!

I'm not sure there's anything mysterious here: this stuff is what we buy in the UK under the name 'High Melting Point Lithium Grease', common or garden variety stuff, nothing more. The key being no MoS2 (because of its tendency to take up moisture?) and which none of the usual suspects have: it would be clearly specified on the tin anyway. FWIW I have been using Castrol LM2 grease - seems fine. The main thing is to do it often. It's a costly part to neglect!

Since we've been talking whisky in this thread and you're going to Scotland, you may wish to read: Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram by the late lamented Iain Banks, novelist and sci fi author who passed this year. May it guide your footsteps well, if rather wobbly.

The dyno shop welded new bosses into the header pipe, just behind the standard bosses you refer to and just in front of the X-over junction to the header, one for each pipe. Apparently the standard bosses are used at the factory simply for idle setup and are too small for dyno work: or theydidn't have ones to match the size... They then plugged their sensors into the bosses and ran the bike on the dyno, first adjusting the fuel mapping for the right cylinder, then the left, finally cross-checking on the right again in case it needed further adjustments. There may have been a cheaper approach but I'm totally chuffed with the results so well worth it as ar as I'm concerned. Can't comment on your last point one way or the other, but I feel the additional balance pipe would just get in the way and is another thing to sort when removing and refitting the header pipes. Andy

Mistral X-over and standard cans were frankly disappointing until I had a PCIII mapping, proper job done on each cylinder (with a lambda sensor on each header) about a month ago. A complete transformation and probably won't bother with new cans as a result. It had me riding until last week well after the salt was put on the roads - usually put it away well before as it wrecks the finish. I just couldn't stop riding and feeling a bit bereft now.

That's what put me off the Griso. Nearly chopped in the V11 for one too, then got the feedback from the forum about lack of agility.

Sounds like the clutch is falling apart - dragging but slipping too. Bad news, sorry! I've had this happen on other bikes but haven't experienced this myself on a V11 so I may be wrong: others should be able offer more informed opinions. By the way, I don't think the oil light is connected to this problem: you'll see plenty of posts in the forum about the oil in the sump flowing (slopping) backwards under hard acceleration. Best to keep oil level a bit higher than normal or better, get a Roper plate to keep the oil in the sump.

It's the twin plate clutch that rattles when pulled in as normal: See "Noisy clutch!" http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18157

The clutch rattles when the lever is squeezed: that's normal if the clutch is standard. Was the clutch slipping when this happened?

Clutch type odor? A fishy smell?

Yep, they'd do. Well nut/grommet mount, any other names out there? Cheaper too than the ones I found and the stainless screw is a logical step given its exposure to road filth. Good find.

Not available on HMB, but useful for future ref. thanks. I've just put in a search in Google: "anti vibration mount" Returned link: http://www.vibration-mounts.co.uk They have an online shop, accept PayPal and do small orders Just ordered half a dozen 'M4 grommet mounts' (what they call them!). Dimensions given (in engineering drawing) are very close to GU93231604. But at £1.09 each are much cheaper. If I have to destroy them every time I take the 'guard apart I don't want to be paying £3 each! I'll let you know if they are a good substitute when they get here.

Good tip Hubert, thanks. I visit various DE Guzzi web sites - you guys are really into Guzzis, but it's hard going: wish I'd spent more time on German at school. ;-) Between Google and the site's own English language pages I manage, but translations can get a bit weird occasionally! :-D

Hot bending may help the radius, but the profile of the rebate suits a steeper curve on the tail of the mudguard, so when fitted, the raised section at the edge wants to go under the guard. It looks like that's what's happening in the pix above too. A bit of judicious cutting may be required to relieve it at those points. My hunch is that these extenders are for V11 Cali's maybe? The V11 description is pretty generic as it turns out. In the absence of any other products this one will do but it's hardly 'plug and play'! By the way Rossi, you were right, those captive nut top hat thingys had seized on mine so destruction is inevitable: GU93231604, not available from Gutsibits :-( Stein Dinse have them, but at 3 quid a pop!

Just taken delivery of mine and the fit is not quite as good as expected. The radius is clearly for a bike with a slimmer front tyre mudguard combination and the rebate profile curve is different from my mudguard - it will not make a snug fit. If I do fit it, it will be under strain which definitely rules out using pegs or bolts. They will crack. As you say glue's the only way here. Jury's still out for me. Low cunning needed for a satisfactory fit.