pete roper

I use a two jaw puller under the splines on the cush plate and press on a coin or washer placed over the centre of the bearing. Note that if it is very tight this will probably damage the bearing so it might be a good idea to replace 'em both at this time. If it's rusted up go at it with penetrating oil and a lot of heat from a butane torch like Greg did. pete

None on my V11 yet but I've well over a million miles on Guzzis in the last 30 years and apart from when I've fallen off and broken something needed to ride the bike I've never had one fail to get me home which is more than I can say for ANY of the Japanese bikes I've owned which used to shed parts like confetti and/or roast their charging systems on an almost weekly basis! We won't even start on BMW's, (Snigger!). Remember for every person with a horror story there will be half a dozen or more riding around without a care in the world! Pete

When I first read about the suggestion of either removing half of the rubbers or drilling 'em several years ago I was skeptical as to either it's wisdom or effect. Basically being a cynical bastard I wondered if it was just another 'wonder Cure' thought up by someone with too much time on their hands. Anyway, to cut a long story short, being one such person I decided that I'd simply try it. I was lucky, my cush drive plate came out very easily this isn't usually the case. Now if ever there was a bike that needs a decent cush drive it's my SP. This has a full house LeMans top end with a cam developed for midrange torque but it also runs an Ambasador flywheel and an 8/33 final drive off a late model Cali. If anything was going to punish it's driveline then this is the bike! Anyway, I removed half the rubbers but didn't drill the remaining ones. I have to say I was astonished by the difference it made. It really was VERY noticeable how much smoother it made the whole power delivery and specially gear-changing seem. On V11's and the like with their lighter flywheels the need for a cush drive is significantly reduced but there again the *new* face cam shock absorber *spring*, (It's a tower of belvile washers!) in the gearbox is about as forgiving as a block of concrete making a decent cush at the rear wheel even more vital. It's interesting to note that the *new* models with the single sided swingarm now have a rubber cush drive incorporated in the shaft. One of the things most often noted by people who hop on a new Griso, Breva, Norge is the 'Clunkiness' of the final dive system and gearbox. this is purely a result of the very stiff nature of the rubber in the shaft cush drive, after 20,000 Kms mine is now no noisier than any other Guzzi and certainly less so than f'rinstance a Carb Sport. Rubber is a perfectly acceptable medium for such a part. Why in the name of all that's holy would you want to swap something that's simple, is cheap and works for something that is complicated, failure prone and expensive???? The type of rubber used for the original 'Pie Slices' could certainly be better chosen or, simply drilled as Greg has at the factory! But that would involve cost and labour so it ain't gunna happen so we're stuck with what we got! I personally think it's a damn fine idea and I will be doing it to my Scura in time. Needless to say my 'Vert doesn't need such an unsophisticated and primitive device Pete

Any idea where the frames of the write-offs went? Much easier all round for me to get a documented written off frame and just swap everything over and re-birth it. pete

Actually I think Ryland has me nailed on this one I spent a few hours thinking about it last night, he's right, I'm wrong. The explanation I gave was how it was explained to me at tech all those many years ago and I never gave it that much serious though, it seems logical. The problem is of course that while the inner race does a full revolution to return to it's original position the balls or rollers won't remain in the same orientation to either the inner or outer races so the same element won't of returned to the same place in relation to either race. The fact remains though that rolling elements DO scuff, there is also the rubbing motion betwixt the element and it's cage, or, in the case of crowded rollers, the contra-rotation against the adjacent rolling elements. Good to be forced to put the old grey matter to some use occasionally. Thank you ryland, I stand corrected! pete

Hubert. the lower your engine speed the lower the oil pump speed and the lower it's delivery. Do the maths if you wish but remember that light conmes on at 2PSI. You're not going to get much protection against boundary lubtrication with sub-2PSI. Apart from the aspect of spline protection by having a higher idle speed you'll also ensure better oil supply and better valve cooling at low engine speeds with a higer idle, ie, low load, situation. I know that people like a really low idle for *cool* factor but from a mechanical standpoint it ain't a good thing. While it's anybody's own choice how they run their engines low idle speeds and ignoring oil warning lights doesn't really register on my radar as particularly wise practice. Sure, if the oil light flickers at idle? swap the sender before you panic. But if that doesn't fix it I would definitely go in further and find the source of the problem. Using a 10/40 oil won't help here in hot weather. IMHO in a solid lifter motor using such a lightweight oil is un-neccessary if not downright wrong. YOMV. Pete

(Gurgle!) The pressure sender switch operates at about 2PSI. If the light is on either the switch is stuffed, (Cheap and easy to fix.) or there is a major issue with pressure loss. What speed is your engine ticking over at? If your oil light is coming on at 1200RPM, (Which is what the tickover should be.) I'd DEFINITELY say investigate further. While standard big end shells are cheap undersizes aren't and neither are mains. Stripping and rebuilding a motor and grinding the crank doesn't come cheap either. Pete

Two reasons. 1.) I don't like the silicone type grease used in most 2RS bearings nowadays. 2.) There is never enough of it. If they put an adequate sufficiency of decent grease in there when they sealed 'em you'd never have to buy another one . No, that isn't strictly true but if a rolling elemant bearing is correctly packed and sealed it will last a very long time. Remember, sealed bearings shouldn't be packed *full*. If you do that there is nowhere for the grease to expand as the bearing warms up so it will pop out the seal. Also too much grease will prevent the rollers or balls from turning so they will skid producing rapid wear. There is always an element od skidding in a rolling element bearing, (The outer race is longer than the inner one so the rolling element has to skid as it turns on one of the races.) havind grease in there enables this to happen with less friction and that friction that there is has it's heat disipated effectively by the correct amount of lubricant. Pete

The late model ones are directional Viton seals and are superior to the earlier flurocarbon type. Another advantage of doing the job by pulling the cover is that it allows you to replace the o-ring inside the sleeve which is quite often the source of the original leak and seal the sprocket end of the sleeve with a smear of silicone. pete

I pull the sump. I hate the 'Manhole' it sucks, even with the correct filter tool its hard to get the filter tight enough and given all the tales of filters loosening I do 'em up good and tight with a strap wrench! Pete

Interesting you should make this comparison Jon. I've got a champagne LeMans in for some work at the moment and rode it and my 'G' back to back yesterday afternoon and I'd have to say I agree with you on all counts. Given the fact that the motors are to all intents and purposes pretty similar it's very interesting to see how different they feel. The change in the rod/stroke ratio is the thing that I think is most apparent but whether this is responsible for the lack of 'kick' at about 5,750 that the Griso has or whether this is simply the result of different and probably better, mapping I don't know. It would be interesting to Dyno the two machines back to back and see what happens where! Gearing in the two boxes is also a contributory factor too I'm sure. While the V11 is probably quicker in absolute top speed I think that the 'G' is deceptive mainly because it doesn't have that 'kick in the pants' step at 5,750 but taking both of them out along the same road and doing full throttle roll-ons they both pull in the horizon at a perfectly acceptable rate especially in 3rd, 4th and 5th! I'm really looking forward to getting the Scura back here next year. Then I'll be able to do some real comparisons to try and see what's what. Pete

I'll second what Ratch said about the Z6's. I had a Sportec on the back of the 'G' after the original Rensport wore out. It stuck like glue but was VERY soft, wore quickly and I got two punctures in it which *could* just of been bad luck but also I think shows that they are extremely soft! I patched it internally twice and wore it out but since changing to the Z6's I've seen no need to go to a *sportier* tyre. You ride a good deal harder than I do though so your requirements may well be very different. Having said that, if it's CHEAP or better still FREE? Grab it and run. Pete

The reason there are two plugs on the back of the sump plate is that the larger of the two on the right is simply a hangover from earlier models, (Sport i, Centauro, Daytona RS etc.) that had two oil return pipes from the spine which acts as a condensor for oil vapor expelled from the engine in service. V11's only use one so rather than modifying the casting they just put a plug in there. As Docc sez, the drain bolt is the central, lower one at the back. Use a new crush washer. For some reason broad sump drain plugs seem to like to come loose. I've never had one that's been on the point of falling out or heard of one doing it but I quite often find them less tight than I think ideal. Pete

Hey! Keith! Your Tonti's famous! It's got it's own slide show!!!! Pete

Or simply go to the nearest workshop and ask the owner to order you a couple. Biff 'em out and give them to him, he orders them in and you install. better than $700 and a tow! I always wash bearings out before installing 'em. Pop out a seal from one side with a small screwdriver and wash the crappy then silicone grease out and re pack 'em about 2/3rds full with bearing grease and pop the seal back in. Install with the removed seal side inwards on the wheel. Wheel bearings only work at comparatively low speeds and really high loads are unusual, they should last for ages unless they overheat. What causes overheating? Usually lack of lubricant! Pete

When you're hung like an elephant's trunk holding a melon 5.5 doesn't even start getting to the width! Well YOU started it Haven Pete

Sounds like Keith's and Greg's figures are v. close to the mark. So that will be my starting point. It'll be a while until I can confirm anything as i won't probably be going over to the US until next year. Pete

Well, it'll be a while before it's available as the bike has to get to or be got to Houston then while it's being re-clutched the wheel can be flogged out and sent to whoever wants it and theirs can be sent back. The whole poxy bike will probably have to sit in a corner for a while as it'll be getting its forks and shock sent of for overhaul and re-springing. Like you Mr Laing I'm not too fussed that the wheels will be different colours. Anyway, I can fix that when I get back to Oz with a couple of cans off rattlecan black . Round and less than gouged is more important to me! Actually I think that painting or powdercoating them some colour to upset the purists would be most fun. Yellow, pink, lime green? Pete

Wanna swap? I want a skinny one! pete

Basically, yes Pete

Well, I've just sent Wally a message and as long as he's still amenable it looks as though #372 will soon be mine! Now all I've got to do is arrange to get it to MPH, get it clutched and re-sprung for a massive lardy and get over there to give it the flogging it so richly deserves! then I have to battle with the F#ckers at DOTARS to get it back to OZ. That'll be fun. NOT Pete

I haven't really been following this thread but just read it through and nobody else has suggested checking your driveshaft trunnion alignment. Get the rear wheel off the ground so you can spin the wheel, (Or simply roll the bike forward or back.). Now wipe the shaft and you'll see that on bothe the front half and the rear half there are, or should be, two painted lines. These have to line up with each other exactly to ensure that the shaft is correctly aligned so the hookes couplings can work correctly. If they AREN'T aligned as the suspension works every time the shaft rotates it will exert enormous forces on the driveline and the torque that results will be fed back to the frame via the torque arm and this will DEFINITELY make the bike handle very strangely!!!! Pete

The rocker covers on my 'Vert are powder coated but its all flaking off and looking fairly manky now, (At least it was the last time I saw it, it's out on loan and I haven't seen it in nearly a year!). I don't think this was poor preparation, simply due to different coefficients of expansion. Pete

Useful. Thanks Keith. I weigh 210 with clothing and boots but without helmet, jacket, overkeks etc. so if you reckon your rear spring is just adequate then it sounds like a 105 on the back would be the way to go for me! Great bloated lardy that I am! Forks? probably the 10's would be fine. Remember I don't ride particularly hard but really appreciate GOOD suspension. I'll Email Todd direct and see if i can get a price for the work I think it needs. When Greg gets back from his bear-wretling this weekend I'll try picking his brain too! pete

Sorry Ratch, not meaning to seem an ingrate, simply not wanting anyone to bust their balls for me, thassall. One thing has just occured to me though. if any forum members have some luggage suitable for a V11 I could borrow for such a trip it would be really appreciated. Over here my Griso is bagged up and is a superb touring tool so it's unlikely that I'd want to permanently bag up the Scura but also I wouldn't want to buy a complete set of luggage just for rippin' round the USA. If people have a set of racks and bags I could borrow that would be great!!!! pete