Scud

Somebody had a problem like that recently and I think the o-ring on the UFI filter was too thin - not making contact. What filter are you using?

Makin' progress...

Thanks again for sharing your stories - it's what got me motivated to go in and get checked. I'd been putting off the colonoscopy for two years (I'm 52 now). They removed two polyps (one small, one large) and said they probably saved my life. Now, instead of waiting 10 years, I need to go for another in 3 years. The procedure was not nearly as bad as people made it out to be. Two days out of life to possibly extend it by many years is a fair deal in my book.

Welcome. Balarosa sounds like a mash-up of some other 2004 models. Did you buy a Ballabio or maybe a Rosso Corsa? Deal-breakers would be the same as any other bike. If you trust the dealer to have given a good inspection before sale, you'll probably be fine. 13,000 miles is pretty low - but it's enough for the gremlins to have been sorted out, and the 2004 bikes were at the end of the production of the V11s, so they were probably the best-sorted of the series from the factory.

The Mistral crossover is available through MG Cycle (and probably other sources). I have an FBF crossover on my LeMans. The FBF has no hanger tab at the rear and seems to have a reputation for cracking. But I am running it with the lightweight Ti pipes and was careful about tightening the whole exhaust system gradually. So far so good on the FBF - but the stock crossover will stay in reserve.

Thanks for taking us on the adventure. Best wishes for the ride tomorrow.

Coincidentally, I'm in about the same spot with an engine - just put the heads on yesterday. I understand that when using new base and head gaskets, it is a good practice to torque the heads, then let them sit overnight, then loosen slightly and re-torque. I think it's because the gaskets compress kind of slowly under the initial pressure. I haven't done that ye, and I'm open to being corrected.

True - the wrenches are decent as are a few other bits. But after some sorting and replacements you can end up with a smaller, lighter tool roll that is more functional. I think I was spoiled early by BMW tool rolls - the one on my K75s is great.

Factory tool kit? - Yes, and it's almost totally useless, especially the pliers, but there should be a useful hex-thing to help with rear rear axle removal. Oh, and you guys already know this but these things just plain fly. :-) - 6th gear is illegal in California. This one could stand for a tuneup for sure and it will run even better! - yeah, a little cleaning and adjusting will pay off. Then up the coast! - envious.

...says the life-long machinist to us wee mortals who have never done such a job before and are venturing into the unknown. But that's what YouTube is for...

Very nice looking black LeMans in Northern Arizona, near Las Vegas, NV and California border: https://mohave.craigslist.org/mcy/6070399256.html

Cool - I think having yours repaired at a shop will be better, faster, and cheaper than getting my black one from California. But the spare is here if you need it. I'm pretty sure I have a good drain plug if your threads are damaged beyond repair - but since plug is steel and sump pan is softer aluminum, your plug is probably fine.

A machine shop might be able to fix that quickly and cheaply. For super-cheap, you could fill the hole with Quick-Steel and resign yourself to dropping the sump for every oil change - or draining the oil from the oil-return line fitting. In this case, you would lose your magnet, which seems like a bad idea. Alternatively, I have a fugly black (crinkle paint) lower sump "kicking around" that is structurally sound, but has a broken fin. Yours for cost of shipping and a beer. It came from my 2002 Red/Grey parts bike, which had been crashed. You'll want to get friendly with some paint and paint-stripper before you fit it on a silver engine. I have also wondered about the purpose of the RH plug. I use the center one to drain the oil.

It's green with a red frame. But seriously, I think they just haven't differentiated between the V11 Sport and the special edition Rosso Mandello. ...and if you think you're packing too much, you probably are.

You should only be worried about how much you're not going to want to ride your other bikes once you start riding your swooshy Green V11.

I'm looking forward to YOUR trip. I hope you're being a little playful in your comment about tucking behind a local bike to lane-split. Lane-splitting is an "acquired taste" and takes a little while to get accustomed to. I don't intend to make this a lane-splitting thread (because there are a few on Wild Guzzi that might be worth reading). But for your safety, try lane splitting between stopped cars at first. Getting to the front of every signal is a HUGE time saver. On the freeway, go between the carpool lane and the next lane - that's where you'll find all the experienced motorcycle commuters. Some of them will be hauling ass between the lanes. Please don't try to keep up with them - and watch your mirrors so you can move into a lane and let them pass. You should probably not split lanes faster than 20 MPH while you're "learning."

I didn't know him personally either, but I felt like I knew him a little because of this forum. That's just tragic - and like Chuck said, it's a reminder that tomorrow is not guaranteed.

It's only when it's my friend. He's still kind of a new rider and he appreciates it if I give him a few pointers. I keep trying to give him the "get a Moto Guzzi" pointer... I mean... he could sell the Harley and pick up a few nice cruiser-style Guzzis, and still have some cash left.

Chuck - I try to ride very much like you described. The constant speed game is fun - and generates less wear. In fact, that's how I enjoy riding behind one of my Harley buddies. I let him get away in th straights and catch him in the curves. All that said, I still trail brake on steep downhill twisties. Ride smooth... ride all day.

The throwout bearing is US$15.00 at MG Cycle: http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193&products_id=224 I understand that they make noise if they go bad, but I've never heard it. Replacing the bearing now is just a preventative idea for you - I'm sure you could get it from wherever you're going to get the rear seal. Speed Bleeder: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19514&p=214100

The rear cover with the output shaft seal can be removed without special tools. There are two different size bolts (which have different torque specs). One of the large bolts fastens the battery ground cable (so you could install that with the tranny and just snake it back up to the battery). The cover will probably be a little bit stubborn - I needed to work around it several times and tap it with a soft hammer to break the seal from the adhesive. A few "while you're there" things to consider: Disassemble and clean the breather. Replace the throwout bearing and O-ring on the cylinder that rides in the rear cover. Since you have to take the clutch slave cylinder off, these two inexpensive items are otherwise very difficult to access. Install a speed-bleeder on the clutch slave cylinder - to make future fluid flushes easier. You only need special tools if you go further than in this picture and decide to take the case off the gear cluster.

+1 on all the compliments. You say you just finished it. What did you do? My LeMans also has the Ohlins shock with the remote preload. I removed the helmet lock and used it to mount the pre-load adjuster - it tucked up neatly behind the LH exhaust mount.

Remove bar-end weights. Grind flange off supplied nut or find a smaller one. Cut rubber insert down till it fits. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My butt-dyno says there is no difference between having a front crossover and not. I removed it from my 2003 LeMans and put pipes from a 2002. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dave - see the parts diagram at top of this thread. The cap can be deceptive as it looks like one piece but is actually two pieces. #13 is threaded and has a hex-shaped hole - maybe about 6mm. #14 is the small plastic plug that you can pry out of the hex-hole with a knife blade. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk