Scud

Great bike and it seems like we are going to have ourselves a fun project to watch. Bummer about the brake lever, but the Harper's lever is stronger, so that's an upgrade. You're going to love the Ti exhaust and I'll reinforce that there is no need to keep the front crossover - I ditched it on my '03 LeMans by having the cross-pipe holes welded closed, but I have a used set of headers from an '02 bike waiting to on with my new Ti exhaust and rear crossover. One of my favorite, although completely unnecessary, modifications to my Scura is the carbon fiber belly pan from Ghezzi-Brian.

Yup - living dangerously.

But adding motorcycle parts to the garage adds joy - even if it does not simplify... I wish I had a seat for Docc, but the wreck was an '02 and the seat would not fit. Somebody else already has the seat anyway.

We're talking about a stock Veglia speedo, right? I can say with certainty that the stock knob CAN be unscrewed, I've done it a few times and reused the same knob. For reference, here is a stock knob for sale at MG Cycle: http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=276&products_id=86 Did Joel do something "special" to yours? I mean - was there some reason to not use the stock knob?

You can unscrew it by hand - just turn it the opposite direction of how you turn it the reset the trip meter. It might give you a little resistance at first. No cutting.

There are a few different sequences of doing things on this site. I think they all must have worked well for the people who posted them - so perhaps some of the sequence is not that important. I read a few and came up with a tuning procedure that made sense to me. As you can see from Tom's simple process, I might have added some unnecessary steps. My process is at post #66 in this thread: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18967&page=5 The TPS has two settings: 1 - the "off" position - this is the lowest (150mv) reading, when the RH throttle body is fully closed. It's a key baseline setting. If this one is wrong, it effects everything else. 2 - the "idle" position - this one is the higher (+/-500mv) reading, with the RH throttle body cracked open to allow enough air through for the engine to idle.

It's only 2,000 miles to ride it home. Or..... I'm sure KiwiRoy's tent would look good on that Cafe Sport.

Don't give up yet - you're doing great. What valve clearances did you use? I found my notes. Here are various clearances in inches: Factory: Intake .004, Exhaust .006 World Spec: Intake .006, Exhaust .008 Raceco: Intake .007, Exhaust .010 My Scura, after 600-mile break-in service by dealer: Intake .008, Exhaust .010 It seems that the looser settings solve some of the hiccuping and stuttering problems. If you set them tighter, maybe try the World or Raceco settings. Maybe also try balancing your throttle bodies at the RPM level at which you are having the most problems.

JB - maybe you could just get a spare stock seat pan and have new foam put on it for you. Any local upholstery shop can do it.

Great info. I've been thinking about rebuilding the forks on my LeMans myself - or having it done at Guzzitech. Let's go riding...

Try the valves first and see how that does. May as well check your spark plugs while they're out. I think that looser than factory recommended settings are used by almost everyone - and that too-tight settings can cause some of the problems you described. Valve adjustment is among the easiest things you can do - assuming you have a feeler gauge and some wrenches. Somebody on here once said you can tune a V11 with a rock and a stick. Probably not, but you get the idea. Throttle body synch is kind of fun, especially if you build your own manometer - just takes a stick, a tube, and some oil. So there's the stick, but I'm still not sure how the rock factors in...

I was having some similar trouble with my LeMans that I couldn't sort out. I pulled the connector from the engine temperature sensor (which is how I got it from the PO - and all the trouble started when I reconnected it). It's been running so well, and getting good mileage, that I haven't bothered to reconnect it and find the root problem. I think what happens is that the bike runs a bit richer when the ECU thinks it's cold. So if the problem is that it's running too lean - this seems to have balanced it out a bit. I do not think this is an elegant solution, but that's what I've done. I am going to try again at some point to make it run correctly with the sensor connected - next service. So - try pulling the plug and see what happens. I can't help with all the computer stuff, but valve clearances and throttle body synch are pretty straightforward. Just take your time if you've never done those procedures before. Edit: I should point out that my LeMans has the Titanium ECU, so my experience may not apply to stock ECUs.

Ah - you must have clicked into my disorganized photo-bucket. The above picture is in the Cleveland National Forest. Here's another from yesterday that shows some more of the road ahead, and a little one-lane asphalt ribbon down the valley.

Good way to start my day today... 150 mile loop, including some one-lane roads.

It hasn't sold because I can't fit it in the garage... or otherwise justify it. That appears to a fine motorcycle for a reasonable price. David - do you want me to ride it to Indiana for you?

...and if you do find a vacancy where the bolt should be, you can re-use that bolt by filing it flat and cutting a groove into the head - then reinstall it with a flat-blade screwdriver.

I agree. In addition, I think the same type of screws are used to attach the seat lock bracket. Maybe somebody (aka Luigi) just dropped one during assembly and didn't fish it out - until you found it just now.

Agreed. I get that sometimes, and downshifting makes the rattling sound go away. It is replaced by a 6,000 RPM growling sound without the shaking paint can accompaniment. These motors do seem happiest in the mid to high RPM range.

They will go on the LeMans, to replace the sawed-off Titanium pipes currently on the bike.

I also got a set from Harpers. The cans have the logo on them, but the ECU does not have the special Titanio sticker (nor does it have a stock sticker - just a blank space).

Thanks guys. And Roy, I think you mentioned this event once before. That's what got me thinking I should carry some spare bearings on the bike.

You take the Dremel tool and put it between your feet while sitting in front of your computer.Then you get online & order the Posse wheel bearing tool. I just ordered the Pit Posse Wheel Bearing Remover (#PP1692) as referenced earlier in this thread, but I skipped the part about having the Dremel between my feet while ordering. I'm hoping to be able to salvage the good bearings from a wrecked wheel so I can keep them in my Scura travel kit (be prepared Boy Scouts...). I have not done this job myself before (always had a shop press them in). The removal looks simple enough with the tool. Should I also consider an installing tool? - or is an appropriately sized socket and hammer good enough? I'm thinking ahead about the bearing installer - to future swingarm and rear wheel work (and other bikes). If an installer tool makes it faster, or easier, or less likely to F-up, then I'd appreciate a recommendation for that tool (there are too many options out there).

Tom - I didn't know they could be mounted high or low. I guess that also means the stock exhaust can be mounted high if the high-hangers are used. That exhaust looks great with the silver porkchops - no, let's call them titanium porkchops... BTW - what did you do to get the header pipes to be so clean and silver?

In my opinion, it is overvalued as a motorcycle. But if it's going to be art or an investment, then it's a different question. I have this story to share, which may or may not help: I bought my Scura almost exactly one year ago. It was at a dealer and had less than 200 miles on it - so it had been titled and ridden - then stored before it even got its break-in service. When I saw the bike at the dealer for about $7,000 I made an offer - and while I was trying to work my best-possible deal, a collector called the dealer to make a full price offer. They put him off, because we were in an active negotiation. The collector got mad at the dealer for "under-pricing" the motorcycle (apparently it had only been offered for sale the day before). So there went my negotiation leverage. I paid the asking price - and the dealer was glad to see it go to a rider rather than to a collector. I could not get $7,000 for it today, because I've put nearly 9,000 miles on it. I LOVE riding it and intend to keep it as long as I can. Its not an investment, but it does still serve an art function for me - I stare at it. Given the medical situation you just posted, and not intending to pry more into that, if you have the money, only you can decide what it's worth to you. While I have not ridden a Daytona, the V11s are pretty similar in feel from what I've heard. I can tell you that it's a fantastic feeling to have a pair of V11s in the garage - and I pulled that off for a lot less than the asking price of the Daytona in question.

I seriously hope this is not going to turn into a discussion about how much men in various countries love their sheep... That would be "manky."