Scud

The Pit Posse Wheel Bearing puller is not a traditional blind puller. It requires access through the wheel to drive it out. I've done several bearings with no problems. I also have the "silver slapper" slide hammer, with which I recently removed the original wheel spindles from rusty steering knuckles on a 1997 F250. If the blind bearing tool is strong enough the slide hammer will get it out. I destroyed a Harbor Freight slide hammer and bearing pulller when I did some V11 swingarm bearings. But it did get them out... and HF gave me a full refund. FYI on slide hammers... you can wrap a towel around the slide and swing it like a baseball bat. The slide goes faster and it doesn't hurt your wrist or elbow.

I've used the Pit Posse Wheel Bearing Remover. You insert a split cylinder, then drive in a wedge to grip the inside of the bearing. Then you just pop it out with a hammer. Very efficient. Fun, even.

Way to keep that beauty on the road.

I would have a hard time letting go of such a clean and rare bike as that. Even if I couldn't ride any more I'd be tempted to keep it as living room art and regale visitors with tales of my daring exploits.

@David Konings The tops of the forks have a bit of a taper. Mine are set so that the taper starts at the top of the clip on. The clip on is 20mm thick. I think this is how they come from the factory. Some people like to raise the forks (lowers the front) a bit to quicken the steering - along with a 170 rear tire instead of the 180.

@LangleyMalc I have found the older, shorter bolt and responded to your message. We'll get you back on the road in no time.

FYI - the earlier models had a shorter bolt that does not go all the way through and does not require a retaining pin. I probably have one of those - if I do, it's for sale cheap. You lose the extra safety of the retaining pin and there have been a few cases of the bolt going AWOL and the caliper taking a short journey around the axle. But you can use a bit of mild loctite and you can get the carrier off without even removing the shorter bolt. Hit me up on a private message if you want me to dig in the stash for the bolt. You may as well get an "unbreakable" shift spring too - I've got a big pile of those.

I think you mean the bolt that goes through the swingarm to the caliper carrier. I bought one of those a while back through Harpers. Check their website - they have a very nice way to find the part numbers. Since you're a newbie to this site, here is the link to the diagram (I think the bolt in question is part number 34 in the diagram, and Moto Guzzi part number 01638630. http://www.harpermoto.com/parts-lookup/2000-2009-moto-guzzis/v-11-cafe-ballabio-1100-2003-2005/rear-brake-system-en-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12.html

OK - when we do find the correct spec, you will have to add the height of the stock clip ons (in fork rings) to the spec to get the correct setting for your bike. I'll take a look at mine for you later today - but it will be the same for all of the Öhlins-equipped bikes - not just Scuras.

More track bike options: A very nice Suzuki SV 650S, the fully faired version, for $2,000. Low cost, fabulous handling, not overpowered, just throw some super sticky rubber on it and go racing. https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/d/costa-mesa-2006-suzuki-sv650-full/7050111066.html And could you please go buy this pristine Ducati 1000DS with race heads and heaps of extra parts for $4,500 so I don't feel compelled to look at it? https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/d/rancho-cucamonga-2004-ducati-1000ds/7040735649.html Please? I really like this 1000DS... It's one of Ducati's best motors - at least for all around use and durability.

Welcome. This question might be better placed in Technical Topics, rather than the registry. Somebody might move it there. But to answer your question, we need to know some more things. Does your bike have the original clip-ons that mount above the triple clamp? If so, 6 rings above that is pretty extreme. However, if your bike has been converted to handlebars, or has aftermarket clip-ons that mount below the triple-clamp, then the forks might be set to about the factory spec. I don't recall exactly where the specs are listed, but check the Fileshare section of this site for the Öhlins manuals and links to the shop manual.

That sounds like a lot of fun. I do enjoy the big twins the most. I also like big thumpers. The only race bikes I ever rode were ATK 600s when I was pit crew for some privateer Baja 500 racers. Brutal would be a good word for those too.

Springs arrived in spec. Shipping out all the pre-orders today.

Here is a salvage titled 2001 MV Agusta F4 750 for only $4,900 in Los Angeles. https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/mcy/d/los-angeles-2001-mv-agusta-f4-750/7039904961.html And here's a 2005 F4 1000cc, also salvage titled, in Sacramento for $5,000. https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/mcy/d/sacramento-mv-agusta-f4r/7036898302.html You could probably buy some previously damaged or unpainted bodywork for the track - and dress her back up for the street.

I believe I have mentioned my nephew on occasion. He's a good dirt rider and has a Husqvarna TE250 (the older Italian street legal, 4-stroke made in the MV years - not the new Austrian TE250 2-stroke). Dammit Husky... the model numbers are so inconsistent over the years. Anyway, he's the one I tried to convince to buy my BMW K75s when he wanted his first street bike, but he just had to have this new MV F4. Emotions won over practical - he got the F4 and I sold my BMW to a neighbor boy as his first street bike. So... he lives in Orange County but recently got a good job in San Diego so he's been living with us for a while. I, of course, said that I had room for his motorcycles in my garage (see Phil's insightful devil comment above). I commuted on it yesterday, which is a very bad idea. There are a few curves on the way to work that beg to be taken quickly. But the MV never lets you know that you are going fast. It just begs you to give it more gas... and how can you deny it? That fast and that red... I think I would lose my license if that was my daily ride. It's a lovely machine in every way. I've ridden it a few times, but It's not something I'd want to stay on for 200 miles at a time - unless those 200 miles could be covered in about 90 minutes. Then I'd be happy to do it, and the bike would be in it's happy place too. Did I mention how great it sounds? Glorious.

Pics are small, so it's kind of hard to tell, but that looks like a lot of corrosion to me - I don't see the shavings you referred to. I'd spend some time cleaning it and inspecting for signs of wear - including the casing as Phil says. If you're committed to pulling the clutch and want some collective wisdom, wit, and advice, for your "journey" you could start a new topic to keep everything together. Also - I like the dirt bikes.

If you want to take the clutch out, you can either remove the engine or the transmission. I think removing the engine is easier. This is especially true when dealing with the twin-plate clutch as the springs are difficult to align. Several people here own the special tools (self included) and can be persuaded to loan them out. Could I also interest you in an unbreakable shift pawl spring? That would be a fun preventative maintenance project for you.

Sold today to a guy who drove over 5 hours from Las Vegas - and is currently making the return trip. Long may you run... with your chrome heart shining in the sun...

I don't know the specifics - just heard a few MV owners saying to avoid the F3 because it has problems. I haven't really looked into it myself as I figured if I ever really wanted an MV that I would get an early F4 with round pipes. There's a newer (square-pipe) F4 in my garage right now - not mine, but I have the key. It's so gorgeous... But I hear the Triumph Daytona triple is a good, solid machine.

Phil - do you have any experience with the MV F3s? Some of those are affordable, but I have heard mixed reviews.

Have you thought about a Triumph Daytona 675? Maybe an MV August F4? Older versions of both of those are quite reasonable (especially if if they've been laid down and scratched up). They are different enough to be distinctive, but still enjoyable on the street. I have ridden both those bikes on the street and enjoyed them both. If I was going racing, I'd start with a smaller bike, like the Daytona. The F4 is amazing bike, but I think it is way too much power for first time on the track. I could not use all the power on the street either, but the sound is glorious.

The potentially interesting thing about this is to use it with any new tire as prevention - and to provide dynamic balancing from new. I have recently replaced a few rear tires that still had tread life, including a near new one on my Ducati that picked up a huge nail. If it works, it's a time and money saver. I'm also curious to see how much of a mess it actually makes when the tire is removed... but that part of the the test will have to wait a while.

The product was recommended to me by a trusted parts-guy at Moto Forza (my local Ducati / MV / Husqvarna dealer). I'm simultaneously testing it in a tube tire. The use 19" rim I picked up for my Husky 701 Enduro had a rim lock on it. I had to put a lot of weights on to get it to balance, but it was still bouncy. Now I have removed all that, and substituted a standard tube (instead of the oversized heavy duty tube that was in there). I'm only going to ride the 19" inch wheel with high pressure (unlike the 21" which now has an aggressive dirt knobby tire on it).

I am trying the Ride-On brand of motorcycle tire sealant and balancer. It claims to stay liquid, be easy to clean, and it also claims to balance the wheel/tire. I'm trying it because I have a slow leak in the front tire of my Stelvio, which seems to stabilize at 20 PSI, instead of going all the way flat. I am hoping that this stuff will seal the slow leak. Anybody else tried this stuff? It's a bit expensive - about $10 worth of the stuff per tire. But I have typically discarded tires if I pick up a big nail, and the "word" on the Internet seems to be that you can simply yank out the nail (when tire is warm), air up and ride away. And people claim to run the tire for its full tread life even after multiple punctures have been sealed with this stuff. I like that it is also a wheel balancer, which saves time on the tire change. Anyone using this (or other similar) stuff and have experience to share?

Harpers and AF1 are both good. MG Cycle is another source worth keeping in mind: http://www.mgcycle.com/