Better "flickability"

[Murray]

What has been said previously + consider steering dampener removal makes a difference from completely backed off.

[rocker59]

Hello everyone.

I have a 2003 Rosso Corsa which I just love, I must admit that I enjoy riding my 97 1100i sport MORE. Why, because it seems to be easier to flick it into the corners, to tell you the truth, I was suprised, my warped view was that since it was older...

Anyway, the V11 seems to be a little more work to get it into the corners, I'd love it to have the flickability as the 1100i yet I don't want a nervous front end. I've seen some bearing kits that decrease the rake by 1%, will that help? Any other suggestions please.

 

Thank you.

-john

 

I suggest "pointy" tires.

 

I've liked the Bridgestone BT-014, but lots of people like Michelin Pilots and some of them are pretty pointy in thier profile.

 

You can also try a 60- or 65-series front and/or a 170-section rear.

 

What tires are you currently running? Personally, I'd try changing tire type. If that doesn't work, change the size/profile.

 

I suppose you could also lower the front end a little.

 

The change that a good set of tires will make might surprise you.

[windchill]

"Maybe I misunderstand how you mean - intuitive...but I'd say riding my Guzzi is entirely intuitive especially my old Tonti, it goes where it wants & I know where it's going to go. If I have to fight it then I'm either not paying attention, or I'm trying too hard. Mine likes to be ridden smooth.

 

If clearance is OK, surely only thing that limits lean angle is tyres & confidence?

 

'dych chi'n siarad Cymraeg? "

 

Ydw wir: Cymraeg y Gogs!!

 

Fight it as in 1980s style riding, as in it doesn't just drop into a turn when you think about it: there is a degree of, very rewarding physical effort, involved. Like my old Triumph Daytona 900 too. The rider has to think about lines and smoothness, the bike doesn't just take over and drop in - predictability perhaps.

 

Turo wants it to be as flickable as a Sporti, not as flickable as a hypersport speed triple.

Hey power ranger, do you change wardrobe to ride your speed triple? LOL

 

I don't "DO" matching leathers!! Black / yellow go with red Guz, blue Trip, yellow Daytona (Triumph that is) - oops, colour co-ordination creeping in!!

[dlaing]

I don't "DO" matching leathers!! Black / yellow go with red Guz, blue Trip, yellow Daytona (Triumph that is) - oops, colour co-ordination creeping in!!

Black is more fashionably safe

[Richard]

Richard, how much did you drop your yokes?

 

I only dropped them a little. They are now sitting at 12mm from the top of the fork, rather than the approx 5mm they were sitting at.

[mdude]

two things to do: tighten rear spring nearly all the way up, from the factory its adapted to nearly invisible dwarflike testpilots, then change rear wheel.

 

my 2001 Sport has at least +4cms rear and a 160 rear wheel now. At last it feels sorted, safe and "falls" into corners. No wrestling needed.

It also stays on course

 

Dropping the fork is also nice, but you compromise ground clearance. Which for a sturdy guy (like me) is an issue. The tightening of the rear will also eliminate bottoming out.

 

its bloody winter here, I want to ride!!

[BrianG]

I'm with Ratchet on this. Set the sags to determine proper springing, then lift the rear with the "preload" adjustment up to 2 cm (1 cm of shock extension). Get the narrower rear tire as well.

 

"Preload" is a misnomer and only sets ride height until the system tops out, so there is easily 1 cm of adjustability in the shock for most riders.

 

If you want to get radical you can chop 1" out of the spine and steepen the steering head angle 1 degree, and end up with a real motorcycle.....

[tripletom]

On my Scura my handling mods went as follows-

Back steering damper off fully.

Replace aged and horrid BT020's with Pilot Road 2CT's (180 rear)

Set front and rear sag to be the same.

Drop front by 15mm

It now drops nicely into corners/roundabouts and is more pleasant to steer out of junctions. There is still a slight weave in a straight line so I will be removing the steering damper. I have already checked head bearings.

The difference compared to the VTR1000 I sold is that I need to apply a bit of countersteer. That suits me fine.

I still have my 94 Speed Triple and enjoy hustling that in the same fashion *whistles innocently...

[Baldini]

Re ride height - Bear in mind 03 Rosso is Ohlins bike: measurements from other V11's may not be same. I've not measured anything but just looking at my Scura side by side w/ a v11 LeMans, it sat much higher at back, it may be shock is longer? I also dunno if forks are longer than std Marzocchis, hence dropping front may not have same implications for clearance.

 

Tripletom - is weave over flat going or does it only come over bumps/dips? How much do you weigh? Steering damper works pretty good, I use it (mostly low settings) & haven't found weave on smooth going, only over uneven surfaces pushing on, & I put that down to suspension, wt & frame flex.

Are tyres "Road" 2CT's or "Power" 2CT's - I never heard of "Road" version?

 

KB

[Guest v11rider]

Don't you think it far more satisfying to have to "heave your bike round corners? I like the old fashioned "go where I tell you" as opposed to the almost intuitive way modern bikes seem to take you down and round!

Totaly agree. That's one of the reasons I bought the V11 in the fisrt place.

[Dan M]

If you want to get radical you can chop 1" out of the spine and steepen the steering head angle 1 degree, and end up with a real motorcycle.....

 

 

No need to get radical for this mod, Rossopuro offers an offset steering head bearing set to decrease rake by 1 degree.

As mentioned above and in other posts, dial everything in properly and ride it. I thought the Lemans was a tank at first, less "flickable" even than my RT touring bike! Once I got used to it's "character" (and got the suspension set up), I love it. It does require more deliberate steering inputs in the slower tight stuff than most any other sport bike but I can live with that.

[tripletom]

Tripletom - is weave over flat going or does it only come over bumps/dips? How much do you weigh? Steering damper works pretty good, I use it (mostly low settings) & haven't found weave on smooth going, only over uneven surfaces pushing on, & I put that down to suspension, wt & frame flex.

Are tyres "Road" 2CT's or "Power" 2CT's - I never heard of "Road" version?

 

KB

 

I know I pm'd you KB, but thought I'd post this too.

I'm 100kg all kitted up. Last night I checked sag and was within the guidelines recommended by Ohlins. I had 26mm static sag and 46mm with me on. Preload is 3 turns out.

Yup running road 2CT's.

Front pressure (cold) 31psi, rear 35psi (based on user manual BAR pressures and converted to psi).

Steering damper wound all out.

I ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs and have found it needs foot pressure to keep on track round a bend, similar to my Triumph. For want of a better way of putting it, I'm also at the front of the seat also. I try and keep a light pressure on the bars, but it does need countersteer about halfway through a bend.

The forks are through the yoke to the third band. I had them down further, but it made little difference.

The bike is mint, no sign of crash damage at all.

I want to remove the steering damper as I think it is keeping the bike too stiff.

[Richard]

...I want to remove the steering damper as I think it is keeping the bike too stiff...

Why not soften up the steering damper first, to see how much difference it makes....?

[dlaing]

I'm 100kg all kitted up. Last night I checked sag and was within the guidelines recommended by Ohlins. I had 26mm static sag and 46mm with me on. Preload is 3 turns out.

Is that front or rear?

Those are good front fork numbers for sport touring.

For sport riding you probably want a firmer spring, but that is not bad.

For the rear you would probably want both less laden and unladen sag.

However this is a contentious issue and some believe front and rear should both be set to 15/30%

[GuzziMoto]

Why not soften up the steering damper first, to see how much difference it makes....?

If its anything like the damper that came off my wifes bike(for same reasons) full soft still had too much resistence. Plus hers would bind, resisting movement, and then let go cuasing the bike to weave. Pulled it off and bike 100% better. A bike with that kind of geometry does not need a steering damper anyway. It can only be a bad thing.