Scud

I've been having some warning signs regarding electrical issues at startup on my LeMans, so I'm keenly interested. Here are some thoughts: How about putting in one of those 15 amp MAXI fuses that Docc recommends frequently? I did it on my LeMans as a preventative measure. It's a somewhat involved wiring job - the MAXI fuse does not fit in the standard fuse block. A previous post mentioned cleaning the relay contacts - so that's inside the relay blocks. I think the way to do that is to fold up some fine sandpaper and slide it in and out a bit - or maybe you can use a tiny file. You can use the same 5-pin OMRON relays to replace all the relays (as you've done). Maybe put a little vaseline on the pins to keep the corrosion down. If the bike's been sitting a bit, you might need to condition (or replace) the battery.

I keep looking at the Stelvio - I miss having a big adventure bike. But now that Honda is entering the full-size ADV market with the 1000cc Africa Twin I'm getting distracted from the Stelvio....... will the Africa Twin be as dirt-capable as the 950/990 KTMs, but with Honda price point and ease of ownership? That would be a winner for Honda. (as would a 450 with turn signals and license plates) http://powersports.honda.com/africatwin.aspx

I saw a V7 on the road each of the last two days - been seeing more of them around. Also seems to be a lot of V7 owners over at WildGuzzi.com. It would be nice for Guzzi to have a strong-selling model - maybe give them some R&D money to develop another sport bike? Referring back to the original post - GP Motorcycles is close to me (it's where I bought my Scura). Just recently, the BMW dealer in Escondido (even closer to me in North San Diego) has added Moto Guzzi - but they're not allowed to have them on the same showroom floor as the Beemers. Probably a good thing... we don't want the Guzzis' jugs to start sagging.... Two Guzzi dealers in the same county. What's the world coming to?

That's an impressive piece of work. However, I think I still prefer the look of the Laverda fairing. The one above has the headlight sticking too far out for my taste - kind of bug-eyed. Craig - have you been able to make any progress recently?

Bit far for me too. But I think that sounds like a good excuse to go for tacos in Tecate, Mexico.

How about posting up some pics of your "small stable of goodies"? Maybe let us have a little peek at the collection you're building?

My daughter is all settled in for her second year of college at NAU (Northern Arizona University). I managed to slip in a short ride each day - a couple nice out-and-back jaunts. My wife met me with the truck in Wickenburg - loaded it up for the 115-degree trip home across the desert... BIG NEWS - I saw another V11 on the road. First time I've seen another. It was a stunning Greenie - pulling into Prescott as I was leaving. Should have turned around... but was trying to make time to Wickenburg. Anyone know a member with a Greenie who is within a day's ride of Prescott? Northern Arizona is gorgeous and the roads are not crowded (except near main attractions like Grand Canyon and Sedona). By all means, go if you get the chance. Elevations on these rides from 2,000 feet to 9,200 feet.

Here's an update regarding the LeMans oil pressure situation. I've put about 2,500 miles on it in this condition - and I assume it was this way when I got it. Pressure readings are consistent with previous posts. It doesn't burn oil. It still feels weird to see the low oil pressure on the gauge, but there is always some pressure - it never drops to zero. I'm glad to have the gauge rather than the light - the light would come on sometimes at idle, but since it only comes on at something like 4 PSI, it only provides a limited amount of information. Use has been mostly commuting, but I got about 600 miles of spirited riding in Northern Arizona during the last few days. It's running strong even under hard acceleration and long high-speed sections. My conclusion - the engine seems to operate well with oil pressures lower than commonly-held beliefs (self included) would suggest. At least for the short-term. Long-term test now in progress...

How many miles on the bike? Do you do some of your own work - or do you always take it to a dealer? If you're going to work on it, it's probably a good idea to drop the sump, inspect the filter, screen, and have good look around while you're in there. If it's not the filter, there could be something in the oil (or pan) that will give you a clue. If you're going to take it to the dealer, I would ask to observe when they remove the oil filter. Based on having read about this type of problem a few times, it seems likely that the culprit will be something to do with the oil filter - maybe loose, maybe multiple gaskets. A sudden mechanical failure (such as the oil pump) seems unlikely.

To verify - did the oil light stay on when you ran it up to 2000 RPMs - if so, then I would verify that the filter has not come undone. I just read an old thread recently on WildGuzzi.com where someone ignored the light, seized the engine, and found that the filter had come loose - this was also a few thousand miles after an oil change. Some use a hose clamp to prevent it coming loose - but then you must drop the sump pan to change the filter. Others say to tighten the filter 1 1/8 (If I recall correctly) turns after first contact with gasket. So - if your oil light is staying on at all RPMs you have done well to stop running it. Do the easy stuff first - make sure the filter is still connected.

Grand Canyon, South Rim

I won't make that event, but I did see the Del Mar Mile a few years ago in San Diego. Fantastic event - worth it for anyone who's close enough to go.

I like the wildlife signs, especially the Elk signs, because it means I'm getting into the mountains. Where you live, I suppose the deer are everywhere and can be a bit of a pest. Gotta be extra careful at sunrise too. Sometimes the fun starts just by loading a bike in the truck...... Road trip to Flagstaff, AZ tomorrow.

I guess spring, flywheel, and engine paint are also the Tenni Trifecta, which is alluringly alliterative. My RAM replacement flywheel and clutch assembly is still on backorder at MG Cycle - although I haven't called in while to see what's going on. I've decided to let the lucky dice keep rolling till the Scura hits 12,000 miles - do a major service and pre-emptive repairs at that time. Hopefully MG can come through in time. Meanwhile, I just loaded the LeMans into the truck for a short trip; this thread has reminded me that I need to transfer all my tools and supplies (including lucky spring) from the Scura - so as not to need them in Arizona.

I'm carrying my spring with a rabbit's foot, a horseshoe, and a four-leaf clover. Seriously, I'm hoping it lasts a bit longer so I can do a pre-emptive spring repair while I replace the flywheel and do the engine paint (due to bubbling). That's the Scura trifecta... Of course, the trifecta only pays out if you guess the order. Engine paint has already crossed the line... spring and flywheel are running neck-and-neck.

Great trip and great photos, thanks for sharing those, especially of Eiger. I enjoyed my vicarious euro-trip with a little mid-day coffee... How nice for you to be able to combine a motorcycle tour and a family vacation. Savings from not buying a plane ticket, minus money spent on gas and 50% cost of a set of tires = fun way to travel. I'm sure the electrical experts can help you with the charging concern. As for your running problems at high-elevation, that's worth looking into. Mine runs without any hesitation from sea level to nearly 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). Have you done anything to richen the fuel mixture to make it run better at lower elevations? If so, it might be too rich for higher elevations, and need to be leaned out a bit before the next high-altitude adventure.

You could do a photo essay: "The Bridges of Some County in Wisconsin." It could be about your four-day love affair with a voluptuous Italian motorcycle... poignant, riveting, compelling. I laughed... I cried... I've taken the Husky almost every visit to Flagstaff so far... cuz that's what trucks are for. Maybe it's time to take the Scura... she's got new shoes.

Dare we hope for some WI fall color photos in the next few months? That's as pretty as it gets. I'm grumpy.... I had a brilliant ride planned to San Jose up the coast and then back home over Sherman Pass... but not to be (couldn't quite make the schedule work). Took Southwest Airlines instead, middle seat both ways. Taking my daughter to Flagstaff, AZ next week for second year of college. Can't decide whether to take a dirt or street bike. As she says: "That's a first-world problem, dad."

It seems we have a useful guideline to inform our taxonomy of Torque, Mid-range, and Horsepower motors. This chart for a Harley Ultra Classic clearly shows a torque motor. The max RPM for the engine is only about 5,700RPM (so no ability to make peak HP at higher revs). Like the diesel truck I referenced earlier, there is more torque than HP at all realistic operating RPMs (but the difference is much greater in the Diesel). It really is impressive that the Guzzi pushrod v-twin can rev as high as it does. (preaching to the choir...) For past-bike comparison purposes, my favorite 4-cylinder, Japanese bike was a Yamaha FJ1100. I think that was probably a mid-range motor. It had power on tap everywhere and it never seemed to end. I recall that one magazine reviewer at the time nick-named it "The Velvet Sledgehammer."

Thanks - I got some stuff from them when I had my 96 RT, good service. Prices and availability (or lack thereof for some parts) on their site helped me decide to part it out.

Yeah, was thinking that too - except that changing the BMW air filter is a 2-minute job: just remove the seat and unscrew the lid. I think part of the motivation for pods on a V11 is ease of maintenance. It really was interesting to see how much the BMW has in common with the Guzzi - just in terms of basic mechanical layout. And how BMW and MG solved some things similarly and others differently.

Should the temptation strengthen let me know. It is very close my house. I would be happy to visit it and get acquainted on your behalf.

I decided to part it out - I bought the bike with a profit motive and the parts look to be much more profitable than net proceeds from a repair/resale. FYI, the problem was, in fact, the transmission input/clutch interface. Plus, I think it will be an interesting experiment. It was already cool to get way deeper into this bike than I ever did when I had one. Stripping the RT really made me appreciate the V11 (and was good practice for when I need to do a clutch job on one). Total strip time was about 16 hours including research to figure my way through a few disassembly puzzles. Only the frame, engine, centerstand, and forks/wheel are still together (so I can still move it and maybe sell that assembly with the title). The BMW has a very densely packed network of wires, cables, and hoses to support the electronics and ABS. Although I would imagine the current Norges are similar and would require the removal of lots of bodywork to do any significant maintenance. I think there were 15 body panels on the RT. As points of comparison: The transmission housing serves one function the same as our porkchops - big pivot pins for the swingarm. Look how clean the driveshaft is after 100,000 miles. There's some value in having that sealed up inside a swingarm/housing like the CARC bikes do. A mechanical (not hydraulic) clutch means one less reason to potentially have to break the bike in half for maintenance. One semi-entertaining surprise - you have to disconnect the shock and almost remove the subframe to remove the airbox. No wonder you don't see a lot of pods or other airbox mods the BMWs...

Not really. The guzzi has a fairly flat torque curve - sitting between 50-60 NM from 3k all the way to 8 K , hence the relatively linear increase in power. So if you take a higher revving bike that also has a flat torque curve of 50-60 NM , they'd be neck and neck right up until the guzzi hit 8K , then the HRB would start pulling away AND STAY IN A HIGHER HP RANGE with every gearchange - so it'd keep pulling away. Like they say... "that's why they run the race." IMO - a big, fat torquey motor is more fun than one that has a huge HP hit up high. I like a big, forgiving sweet spot, not a rush that makes me worry if I'm going to hit it unintentionally. It's a good point (earlier) that the V11 is really a mid-range motor, not a "tractor" or a revver. I think I'm just going to keep it at 5252 RPMs all the time now... then I don't have to wonder if I have more HP or TQ.

Here's a fair price on a low mileage 2002 Champagne LeMans. It's only a few minutes from my house......... http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/mcy/5169525254.html