Scud

Spine Raid in my garage!! It's a fun puzzle to put this bike back together with the best of whatever bits I have... I grabbed the rear axle from the parts bike today, because the Champagne's rear axle had clearly been overheated, probably during a wheel-bearing failure. And the clutch and brake reservoirs and brackets from the Scura (from when I put those pretty Rizoma tanks on).... and... and... and... now I need to "re-organize" and get myself some working space again.

You just have to degrease things really well. They'll sandblast, but they want to start with clean parts. You also have to carefully think through where you would like them to mask. Obviously all threaded parts and places where you will need to install a gasket, but there are some mating surfaces or other places where the thickness of the powder can interfere. If you find a good shop, they'll help you figure it out.

Oh - I just place an order with DigiKey for the Omrons - and the website said it was on backorder. Is it important that they are sealed? I mean for application on the V11, they are always dry under the seat. Do we know anything about the Panasonics?

Haha... I recently told my wife that I had found two projects that I wanted to do. She was busy and said something like, "Interesting, ok..." which I obviously translated as "Fantastic idea, go for it." Then when this bike showed up a couple days after I drug home another K75s, I needed to remind her about that conversation, and she said "Oh, I'm going to have to start paying closer attention." The moral of the story? Ask when she's distracted. If you think you'd like the bike, I'd be honored to finish it up with you in mind. But the pressure would be on not to bugger it up... sort of intimidating for the apprentice to build something for the master. I'll send you a PM later. In other news, my powder coater was moderately amused to see me again today. Mid bid, a "real" customer walked in and said "How much to do 1,000 of these parts every year?" But they'll still do my little job for less than $300. Apparently the Candy-Apple is a two-step process and costs more than the black. They powdercoat it in silver-flake, then powercoat it again in a translucent red.

That sounds like a good decision - especially if your heart is set on red or black. You might place a "want to buy" ad over at Wild Guzzi. I remember a guy recently having a hard time selling a Nero Corsa. Maybe he still has it and a "wanted" ad would get his attention. If I could set aside my own irrational enthusiasm for my Scura, I would say the Nero Corsa is probably the most desirable model of the whole V11 series. You get the refinements from the end of the production run of the V11s, you get full Ohlins suspension, a super-cool paint job, and the fairing, which you seem to like. Fly and ride is fun.

There is a candy apple red powdercoat that is pretty close to the original red. The shade is super-close (maybe just a touch darker, which I like), but it looks like it has little flecks in it. On the last page I posted a picture with a sample candy-apple washer taped to the porkchop. I think the original paint is some sort of multi-stage process, which would be difficult to duplicate. I'll take a picture of coated one next to an original on my Scura - we'll see how close it really is. The super-sexy red porkchops started in 2002. Before that, they were a solid red, and after that some models got them and others got different colors. I think the red valve covers on the Rosso and Nero Corsa look great - but too bad they are not exactly the same red as the porkchop. I'm going to get them to match on this bike - and toss in alternator cover for good measure. Something about pork and apples just seems right... and champagne. A classy culinary color palette for a motorcycle...

Yes - the porkchops cleaned up quite well, but they are faded in spots, peeling in other spots, and have some chips.

Progress report: Degreased frame and wiring harness - some nasty-smelling old gas spilled out of the fuel lines. Ordered new Wix fuel filter and stainless hose clamps - gonna replace all the fuel lines while it's easy (noticed some cracks). Ordered a set of 5 Omron 5-pin relays; let's just take old relays out of the equation right now...... Told the herd: "sharing is caring." So the Scura gave her Yausa battery to the cause (and she got a new Odyssey). The red LeMans will donate slightly aged mirrors (and get a brand new set). She'll also trade the near-new Hyperpro shock in exchange for the rebuilt Ohlins shock. Just put the Joe Kenny head guards on the LeMans. And it looks like the "parts bike" is giving a motor, driveshaft, final drive, and maybe some clutch parts - all with 12,000 miles (as opposed to the 50,000 on Champagne's odometer and transmission). It seems the red LeMans doesn't play fair and is rather self-indulgent. And a few degreased parts ready for powdercoating.

For Moto Guzzis, what's more iconic than a red LeMans? I mean, besides a black Eldorado... or an original green V7 Sport? And wouldn't they make nice stable-mates? Springtime will probably bring a few more bikes out for sale. For the record, I paid a bit less than $3,500 for my red LeMans with unknown mileage, and it took a lot of work to get it in order. Low-miles and unmodified is worth a premium - especially if you intend to keep it a long time and ride it a lot. $4,000 for a low-mileage Champagne would be hard to pass-up... what to do? what to do? I think that if I someday decide to do a full restoration of a vintage bike that something in the V700, Eldorado, Ambassador genre would be my choice. Yours looks great.

I've got a champagne project going on right now at this thread: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19680 I'm hoping to get it done and put it up for sale by spring or early summer. I expect to price it in the range Chuck suggested - and that will be in 100% roadworthy condition with no deferred maintenance. If the suspension has never been serviced, you might factor that into the price. The rest of the service will be easy, as you mentioned you have done a full restoration of a 1973 Eldorado. Might we get a glimpse of that?

Well buying a motorcycle is not a totally rational decision. So why pretend it is? You SHOULD love it - or don't buy it. But could you let your love wait and find greater fulfillment with a different model? Have you seen the page where all the model year differences are described? If not, here's a link: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5691 The champagne LeMans is so pretty...

Even if the battery goes dead - save it for "originality." Some guy will be doing a full concourse restoration of a V11 in 20 years and will pay big money for an "original" battery.

Probably good for another 15 years.

Not sure whether Roy is using US dollars or Canadian "dollarettes"... but $8,000 US is too much. I've seen the Ohlins-equipped models sell for far less than that. The 2002 LeMans was available in a Red/Grey and a Champagne that could look sort of sandy or silver depending on the lighting.

The sheer scale of the Sierra Nevada Range is mind-blowing to people who haven't seen it before. When you come visit, keep your helmet on so your brains don't splatter all over the place... To me, dirt-biking is about going places and exploring. Where does that road go? Don't know. Let's find out. A while back, I posted a picture of where I got stopped by a snow drift. It was at about 10,000 feet in the mountains that are obscured by clouds in the right of this picture. I turned around after that and rode into the small mountains to the East (the Benton Range, at "only" 8,000 feet), where I found this old Ford. It "ran when parked" and is almost complete, except for the hood emblem, which is currently in my garage. I keep thinking about going back there with my 4WD truck to salvage one of the shot-up doors or the tailgate as "art" for my office.

That's what I'm trying for the first time now on my Scura. Angel GT rear and Angel ST front. I'm hoping that gives me extra grip up front and both tires will wear out at about the same time.

I took this picture of a riding buddy... somewhere in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Good choice for a first dual-sport bike. A license plate opens up a lot of terrain that is not open to Green-Sticker vehicles in CA. You can ride that old DR on the street to the trails, then escape into the woods. A great way to start discovering trails is to go on some organized rides - for example, the Stewards of The Sierra National Forest put on some epic rides between Bass Lake and Yosemite. It'll cost you a registration fee, but they give you GPS tracks and a large group of riders go out at the same time - so there is camaraderie, and the AMA sponsored events have "sweepers" with tool kits and first-aid training. You can download US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps for many regions in CA and other states. Those show everywhere you can legally ride. I carry them whenever possible in addition to my GPS. Funny story on a ride from Flagstaff to Sedona: a ranger stopped me and said I was on a closed trail. I pulled out my current USFS map - said "are we here?" and he said: "Oh I guess it's open for motorcycles" and let me proceed. That particular trail was marked on the map for motorcycles only (not even 4WD allowed) - those are always the best trails. There are many, shall-we-say, "informal" areas or trails that are commonly used, but not on the maps. I know of one near my home that is referred to as "The Hiding Place." As you might imagine, there is not a website for it, - somebody will take you after you learn the secret dirt-biker handshake.

Is that "The Kid's Spot"? I think the Spine-Frame is soooo cool. It's a brilliant design; perfectly suited for the transverse V-twin engine. Stripping them down like that develops an appreciation for the way everything works - and how important the "porkchops" are to whole assembly. Degreasing time ahead for me... not my favorite part, but it's nice to start reassembly with a clean frame and wire harness - and too hard to clean it well when it's all together. @Chuck - I enjoyed seeing how you guided Joe through his portion of the project. I briefly flirted with the idea of parting it out. But it's just too good of a bike to do that to. I hope you and Joe will like what's about to happen.

I run the regular Angel GT, not the A-Spec. I love new tires...

Here's how I solved the support puzzle - just a pair of sawhorses. It doesn't weigh much at this point. I also re-found, and re-read Joe's project thread over at Wild Guzzi. He did a fabulous job documenting his project, and re-reading it just now has been a big help. Chuck - you've been pretty busy on this bike yourself. Anyway, the bike's been sitting since 2014, and she needs to get done... and The Bachelor was on tonight... which means I got a few hours of uninterrupted wrenching. The powdercoat box is getting pretty heavy...

Hmmm, there is that . . . Simple to delete and see what changes in ride-ability. Otherwise, I would think that is a pretty "free-flowing" intake-exhaust set-up. Chuck's Scura has voodoo. Non-comparable...

Thanks guys, I've been on a "vision-quest" to make her darker... to get rid of all the visual clutter and focus on the big, powerful shapes in the original design, which I love. Today was just one of those special, perfect Sundays - right in between rains. Lots of motorcyclists out today. And yeah, sorry about those of you stuck in the snow. I was raised in it upstate NY, so I get it. My mom still lives there in a rural area - sometimes has to wear snowshoes to get her mail. I checked, and the fuel sender unit was connected. Still puzzled... and I swore I would get gas and breakfast today in Borrego Springs - but I was having so much fun I forgot to stop. Buzzed right through town, drawn by the allure of the big open grade up Montezuma Highway... started heading home, then hit 140 miles on the tripmeter and still no low fuel light... then I thought "Aw shit, I'm gonna run out of gas 2 days in a row... but this time it's gonna be difficult." Switched to high-gear, low RPM fuel-saver mode. Barely made it to the next station, just when it was starting to miss. It took 5.3 gallons at about 150 miles... talk about running on empty. I think I was not being very easy on the throttle (30MPG). I didn't realize how much I rely on that light. Anyway... long answer to your short question. I think the connector was not pushed all the way in. I just pulled it apart and reconnected it. It seemed to go in further and I heard the reassuring "click." One more tank to tell for sure... and one more bolt tightness inspection. I found two loose bolts after my first shakedown.

I released her into her natural habitat today. Mountain and desert passes... 200 miles of