Scud

Hey - just thinking about the order of doing things... You might want to put the throttle bodies on while you can still lift the frame off the transmission. I don't think the TB assembly can be passed through as it sits now.

I flushed about 3 tanks of fresh fluid through the clutch. Went for a little ride - no difference. Next step, remove engine and pull the clutch plates out.

DUDE!!!! That's art.

That was the easiest tire to mount I've ever done. Now, I see what those guys at the bike shows that are hawking tire changers are using. They make it look so easy because it is. That M3 practically jumped off the rim - almost no effort required. But getting the new Dunlop Roadsmart 3 on the rim required nearly my entire vocabulary and constantly jamming the bead back down into the middle of the wheel. Dunlop is claiming to beat Michelin PR4's mileage - and it looks like a really good tire. Rode it to work today. Chuck - what do you use to hold the bead down and prevent it from creeping back up as you work around the tire? I just started using the Motion Pro Trail Bead Buddy that I carry in my dirt-bike tool kit. Works better than wedging a tire iron in - but I imagine that you have worked out a trick that I would like to know about...

I should consider reading things...

I saw one of those advertised recently. It also had red wheels and the ad said something about the red wheels being unique to a limited edition. I had not heard of a limited edition greenie before... anyone else? swooshdave - sounds like you already know you want a V11 as your next bike. Now to narrow it down...

Off with the old tires: Angel GT on front went 6,300 miles and the tread was flush to the wear bars - probably could have put a few more miles on it. Metzeler Sportec M3 went 3,300 miles - this new tire came "free" with my parts bike. It wore very quickly at the end, which I'm sure had nothing to do with my last ride... However, I won't use another of those on the V11. This "supersport" tire has a very thin sidewall - the benefit is that it came off the rim easily - but I think it's meant for lighter sportbikes. Installed an angled valve stem on the back (already had one on the front) Used my wheel balancer to find (and mark) the heavy spot on both rims. the back was 90-degrees away from the valve stem, and the front about 30 degrees away. Installed a pair of Dunlop Roadsmart 3s - lining the yellow dots up at the H marks resulted in very little weight being needed to balance the wheel. And Chuck - I took the top arm off the Harbor Freight tire changer - so much easier that way.

...and my Scura (with the RAM single-plate clutch) shifts flawlessly and is quite happy with clutchless upshifts. My current problem is on the twin-plate LeMans. Phil - does your bike still have the twin-plate? I think I recall that you were going to install a RAM.

Thanks Andy and Phil. I'm starting to wonder if the 0.3 mm over-thickness applies to each friction surface, not to each complete disc. If that's the case, then the two plates are 1.2mm over-thick in total. Sadly, I did not record my measurement when I installed these plates - I just remember verifying that they were thicker than the ones I removed. It's totally OK to suggest obvious stuff. I had a fleeting thought that I should re-bleed the clutch - so I will do that soon, maybe tonight. If it doesn't help at least it will rule-out something easy. And yeah, I was also thinking about the springs being pre-compressed too far due to the thicker plates. The lever effort is therefore even harder than it would have been with 10 new stiff springs - and this puts more pressure on the seals in the hydraulic system, which can't be good. As it's adjusted now, it clonks into first gear at a stop and the bike makes a little lurch. I did not have that clonk-and-lurch when I left for my trip few days ago, but then all the freeplay went away at operating temperature - so I backed off the lever adjuster (as I described earlier). I'm working on my Popeye forearms. This is pretty frustrating - I just want to put on some new tires and go riding. But it does make me appreciate the engineering and fine tolerances required to make a clutch work correctly. Assuming the clutch bleeding does not solve the problem, I'm gonna take the stock clutch plates out of the champagne project. That clutch is working perfectly with adequate free-play at the lever. I have a spare low-mile transmission too. I'll probably compare the two on the bench to see if they shift the same. Man vs. machine....

While you're at it, think about where the holes should be in order to install easily. I've had to elongate the holes to get the panels to fit without too much pressure (which causes the cracks) and to not rub under the tank.

I agree with your logic, and tried to work that out myself a while back. Here's a link: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17535&p=204731 I think the number is easily below 1,500 units, probably FAR below it. Proving it? Well, that could be a challenge.

This was in San Luis Obispo. All the coastal hills and valleys look like they've been carpeted - just endless green rollers... should have take more pictures. This doesn't do it justice. We're expecting a massive wildflower bloom this year. http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html

...and maybe not so easy after all. Friday, after about 75 miles of non-stop freeway driving, I hit the throttle to make a pass and noticed the engine revved a bit more than it should have - then caught. It was like the clutch was slipping. Squeezed the clutch and it was really firm - no freeplay at all. In order to get it to release, I had previously adjusted it so there was very little freeplay in the lever. Pulled over and backed the adjuster out of the lever until it had freeplay again. To explain how it works OK cold, but caused a problem after a longer distance, I think that with the heat, things expanded a bit and that ended up putting full-time pressure on the clutch pushrod. After the adjustment, it was manageable for the rest of my trip (about 500 more miles). But it was difficult to get into neutral while idling and I missed a few more 3>4 shifts. I think this means the clutch is still dragging a little - even though I could hear the ching-ching-ching sometimes. Last week (before my trip) I updated Gordon at MG Cycle - that the extra spacer did release the clutch, but that I am still not happy with the lever effort and the need for a full pull to the bar. He said he had just learned that when the original springs became unavailable, then Moto Guzzi went through three phases of clutch springs for the 10-spring clutches: First - all 10 softer springs (as I removed from LeMans) - and too soft to allow full wear of the plates Then - all 10 firmer springs (as I recently installed) - and too stiff for a comfortable lever-pull Finally - alternating with 5 of each of the above - the just-right "goldilocks" solution. So Gordon has kindly sent me 5 softer springs. However, I don't think a spring change is going to solve the issue with lever travel. So... the clutch has got to come out - and probably needs the original-thickness plates installed.

The recent tranny leak on my Scura seems to be cured by splitting the cases and resealing - and carefully applying sealant all the way around every bolt hole. Long-term test in progress...

I've been noticing variable lever travel on my LeMans' front brake - and it's time for tires anyway. Has anybody used All-Balls bearings for any length of time? I installed some of their bearings recently in other places and they seem good quality - and super affordable. For example, a pair of front bearings for 2003 (both same size) is $12.31. All Balls part number 25-1571. They actually list 2003 and 2004 Moto Guzzi V11 as an option on their website - but they don't list the earlier years (with 2 different front bearings).

Oh yeah, the Southernmost section of 33 is amazing. Been on it several times from Ojai all the way to Coalinga. But it's over 150 miles of mostly lane-splitting slab just to get to it. So it's a real treat when I can get close to it AND have enough time to enjoy it. However, daughter #2 will be going to college in San Luis Obispo starting next year. 33 and many other enticing routes await college visitations. I thank you, Chuck, for the rain... and I thank my daughters for choosing to go to school in interesting places. Plexiform - you gotta ride 33 when it re-opens. Till then, go have lunch at Pine Mountain Pizza Company. It's only 6,000 vertical feet away from you. LeMans' tires are toast...

I woke up this morning and... ...watched some sea otters in the ocean near San Luis Obispo (Avila Beach). Then I met Plexiform and got to see his most excellent stable of bikes and a Porsche. Then followed him on his Scura-Italia out Highway 166 through impossibly luscious green rain-soaked hillsides. Then continued solo for about 100 miles of high-speed sweepers, wide open spaces and one of my favorites climbs into Los Padres National Forest. I desperately wanted to ride Highway 33, but it was closed due to landslides. I visit the snow. The snow doesn't visit me. Then I paid the price with about 40 miles of lane-splitting through Los Angeles on the way home.

Even though it's green it's worth keeping. :-) I bought a complete low-mile trans recently for less than a rebuild would cost. This is fixable. No more talk of parting that beauty out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The vent is in front of the swingarm. There's a picture in my recent clutch and shifting problem thread. I don't know if you will need to remove swingarm and subframe to get to the vent. But I had to so I could remove clutch slave. I also posted a pic of the rear trans casting on Lucky Phil's thread about the output shaft seal. Haven't figured out pics. From Tapatalk yet. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The red is a surprisingly good match. That's hard to do. Especially with free shipping... And surely you jest. I live on the slippery slope. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Surrender to the dark side, Chuck.

I wheely don't know, docc. It's still going to be a while till this is a runner.

Well Chuck, to each their own. I think I would have put black gaiters on the Aero Lario. But if you want some audacious... I put the side-stand on and wheeled this one out into the sun. ...and now that cylinder head paint doesn't look so good...

That's a fair day's work, for sure. The grey cover goes with the tailpiece, but I agree that black would be better. So you use the HF tire changer without the top arm? That's a good idea. I always fight with that thing. Off with it...

You mean these...