Scud

Good thing my new Speedo will go up to 160 MPH. This is my final art from Speedhut. BTW they are having a sale this month - so it's a good time to get an order in if you're looking for a rainy day project.

Quick investigation on the rough running yielded loose intake boots that backed off the heads. I pushed them back into the correct position and snugged them up. Also gave it an Italian tune up with some fresh premium fuel. Now's it's running well. And took of the rear rack because of this reason: Further bulletins as events warrant...

As the current caretaker of this Nero Corsa, here's a thread to document her current state and what happens next. She was previously advertised for sale on this forum, and I was able to pick her up near Mount Whitney. Since I did not get to see or ride the bike before committing, there was fun in the discovery.. Starting with the few problems: Running a bit rough Probably tipped on the right (bent front brake lever, rear brake lever replaced) Plastic gauge cup weirdly deformed (like from excess heat) Fuel door housing cracked (never seen that before) Ohlins damper went AWOL, replaced with Bitubo unit A few non-stock items: KM/H speedo (was originally a MPH bike, first sold in Washington) Porkchops and rocker covers repainted (color is brighter than stock, but seems to be a perfect match for the Nero Corsa script on the tail) Arashi front brake rotors Some desirable aftermarket goodies: Roper plate installed Mistral carbon fiber cans Stucchi crossover rear rack Oxford heated grips Carbon rear hugger (but with some damage) Headgaurds (I think Joe Kenny units) Brass temp sensor holder And best for last (IMO) - I was pleasantly surprised to find that the noisy clutch quieted down when I pulled the lever in. And that it was very grabby... which means somebody put in a RAM lightweight high-performance clutch. And I am STOKED. A few more pics:

Very cool. We're coming up on KTM's 20th anniversary of releasing the 950 adventure, which was just a massive dirt bike that was also good everywhere else you rode it. Looks like this Ducati is the same thing... and if they are like every other manufacturer, it will get bigger and heavier with each iteration, which means the first years will be the most off-road capable.

No. There are three Firewires, a custom-shaped Linden, some no-name stuff, and a groovy old Chuck Dent 7'6" with glassed in fins. And a 1980s 10' 5-fin Bonzer hanging from the ceiling.

Chris - is because you just want it to be "correct" or because you can tell the difference when riding? Phil is saying that pretty large offsets have worked fine on race bikes. I would assume it less important on the street. The fine adjustment seems Much Ado About Nothing.

That tactic is effective with SWLMA (She Who Loves Me Anyway). Worked recently on the LM5.

I'm with you on this Docc. Simply adjust those support pins to center the swingarm between the frame plates, which also ensures maximum clearance for it to pivot (and never bind or rub). That is mechanically satisfying, and I don't think I'm a good enough rider to tell if my wheels are a few mm off alignment.

Overall in good shape, but not totally original. I'm gonna go through it a bit to freshen up some things and find out the details. The pork chops and rocker covers were repainted, they are perfect match to the script on the tail, which is a bit on the pink side... But I have a set of Candy-Apple-Red chops and covers to swap in. I'll probably have some play time over the upcoming holiday.

The consensus around the rumor-mill seems to be about 200 produced globally, and about 50 of those in the US. Not much activity in the Nero Corsa registry on this site. I have never seen another one in person.

I found a Nero Corsa at the foot of Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevadas... it followed me home, so I guess I get to keep it.

Rotax has long made some of the world's best thumpers in Austria. KTM/Husqvarna also based in Austria and make excellent thumpers. So I guess there is a lot experience with big singles in Austria.

Maybe a $50,000 modern Vincent Black Shadow. I bet those would sell. Somebody tried to bring back Henderson a while back and failed. Indian failed at first, now the reboot is working. And as for my earlier comment about getting a Royal Enfield over a BSA - my reasoning is based on brand familiarity and admiring what RE have been doing for a while. Also, Phil seems happy with his and I trust his opinion.

Big thumpers! A 650 single would be cool. I think Kawasaki or Suzuki tried that about 10-15 years ago, but they weren't well received. They state 45hp for the BSA 650. That's enough to make an enjoyable, competent standard bike. I expect plenty of nostalgic buyers who will put around town and do some lazy-Sunday back-roads tiddling. It won't encourage any hooliganism (for comparison, my 700cc Husqvarna single makes 75hp and weighs about 70kg (150 pounds) less. and hey... if Phil can be we the "ringing bell" for Royal Enfield, I'll do it for Husky. (and for the record, I'd get a RE before a BSA).

The second to last bike, the "V7 Fast Endurance" seems like another step towards re-introducing the LeMans badge. It's got Ohlins twin shocks, and the fairing seems inspired by LeMans 1 with the orange accent. But it also has those ugly number plates on both sides of the tail like the V7 Racer.

Depending on budget and performance: On the high end of both I would get a Triumph Thruxton R In mid range, I'd lean toward a Royal Enfield, but not sure which model. On the super low-end, the Honda Super Cub is available again in the US. I think a Super Cub would be fun, you meet the nicest people on a Honda (or a V11 forum).

I suspect it's going to get more common as these bikes get older. How to Re-Seal a 6-speed Transmission In the case of the transmission I used for that topic, at least one internal bolt was loose, which likely contributed to the leak.

I had a hyperpro shock made once and they offered me both dimensions, the Sachs or the Ohlins (which was longer). The Ohlins manuals are available on this site for download, probably have the specs. Matching the length of the Ohlins is a good idea, even on a short frame bike. I had Ohlins on a Greenie I had for a while, it was a big improvement. And I think one of the main reasons to replace the Sachs unit is their tendency to crack one of the mounts.

Good article in The Atlantic about that.

I'm down for celebrating solstices, equinoxes, and various harvests. Today I harvested a bunch of Mexican Pink Guavas from a tree in my backyard. Thankful for fresh-made guava juice. Gonna see family later today, thankful for them too.

It's good to occasionally stop and be thankful for what we have, but this holiday is a based on a fictionalized version of a non-event. 400 years ago (it's the actual 400 year anniversary this year) the remaining members of a 10,000 year old culture that had already been depleted by 90% due to European illnesses had dinner with people who would be renamed Pilgrims 200 years later. By that time, the Pilgrims and their descendants had murdered or isolated the rest of them. The winners write the history books... I suppose many of us in the USA and Canada can be thankful for our current lifestyles and the privileges that come from descending from the winners, but I am not proud of that heritage. (FWIW - I can trace my family history back to the 1600s when my ancestors left England for what is now New England). So yeah... let's all stop and be thankful today. But let's not perpetuate the bullshit thanksgiving origin story and pretend that European settlers were good in any way for the native people of North America.

Now that I am getting older, I realize the wisdom of all the advice I ignored when younger (and not just hearing protection, you could pick just about any topic...). As for now, It's foam earplugs as much as possible (goal of 100%). I tend toward my Stelvio with extended windscreen on longer rides - because there is such a drop in wind noise. However, I've just seen the latest in hearing aid tech from my brother-in-law who has spent about 40 years as a press-operator for the LA times. Worker's Compensation insurance just got him a $10,000 pair of hearing aids that you can barely see. He's about to have the final calibration done, but he says the pre-calibrated devices have already removed most of the ringing and hissing in his ears. I'll see him later this week and will get some more information. On a related note... does anybody ride with noise-cancelling earbuds or in-helmet speakers? Seems like that would be good tech for inside a helmet.

Agreed... but it takes passion to revive a brand, and the new owners do show respect for the legacy, despite their specious claim. Same story for Triumph and Indian.

If you're really concerned about the alignment, remove the front wheel and loosen everything. That also gives you a chance to raise the forks a bit if you want to. FYI -Most of my experience with misaligned forks is with dirt bikes. Somebody with more experience with setting up street suspension may be along soon.

I'd loosen everything, get it about where it looks good. Then snug-up the top triple. To help put everything in alignment, you can spin the front wheel while the lower triple is loose, then hit the brakes hard. The sudden stop of centrifugal force will snap things into pretty good alignment - better then you can do by eye-balling it. Then you can go around and torque down everything (including the top triple).