What did you do to your V11 today?

[MotoKnee]

18 minutes ago, FreyZI said:

@footgoose, this one is more like a sponge.  Do treat with anything, wash periodically, etc.?

I kid, but had similar experience. My wife bought an entire sheepskin at a garage sale and I promptly stole it for seat covers. Some not too stylish, but cool during hot weather and warm on those brisk mornings. Mine also soaked up water, had to strap a plastic bag on top for nights outside the garage.

 

[mikev]

sweet harley

[footgoose]

43 minutes ago, FreyZI said:

@footgoose, this one is more like a sponge.  Do treat with anything, wash periodically, etc.?

 I bought mine new, maybe that helped. The hide does get saturated. The fur gets wet as anything left in the rain, it just shakes out easily. Mine is not left on when not riding so every ride starts out dry. The fur provides air filtration and in my experience dries faster than a vinyl seat cover. I use a cam strap over the top of it. You might research waterproofing for wool. 

[footgoose]

23 minutes ago, MotoKnee said:

sheepskin

that might be Poodle

Yeah I wouldn't leave it out at night uncovered. Even riding in a rainstorm mine would usually only get wet around the edge, and dry quickly in the wind when the rain stopped.

[MotoKnee]

1 hour ago, mikev said:

sweet harley

The Street Rod was my favorite version of the V Rods, I must say I really enjoyed it right up to the day it was totaled in a deer strike.

[Gmc28]

Years ago I bought an “Alaska sheepskin” pillion cover for my Cagiva, and have used now for almost 20yrs as a seat cover for longer rides.  I got some nylon strapping and snap buckles from amazon, and each of my bikes has the under seat strap,mostly hidden out of sight, which i can just attach the seat cover to.  pillion cover was how it was old, but its perfect for all my bikes on front/rider seat. 

gets wet and dries really quick.  has a fairly tight texture, not so shaggy (not that the shaggy i’m seeing in these pics isn’t sexy!)   i’m a big fan.  will even roll it up and bring it on long fly-and-rides, if i plan to be in the saddle for 8hrs or more a day… a butt saver.  

that company that sells them is still there in Anchorage near Spenard.  i think i still ads from them in the moto rags now and then. 

Edited August 18 by Gmc28

[Pressureangle]

[Scud]

Replaced exhaust hanger that had gone AWOL (thanks @MartyNZ for the help), evened out the exhaust height/spacing. Snugged up a few bolts that were loosening (hoping that will stop the small oil seepage problem), swapped stock ECU for the Titanium Kit Racing one, replaced the rubber nuts on the belly pan, gave it a bath and checked the tire pressure, ripped around a bit and topped off the tank. Ready for a proper ride in a few days.

[audiomick]

4 hours ago, Scud said:

 Ready for a proper ride in a few days.

You just washed it, so it's bound to rain. 

Edited August 23 by audiomick

[Scud]

It actually rained just a bit 10 minutes after that photo. But she is dry in the garage.

[skibum69]

Thanks to footgoose for suggesting the Ducati Monster footpegs. They're almost identical!

[Randy]

Changed leaking oil line to the oil cooler.

[audiomick]

Today I took the timing sensor out. Lots of buggerising around: I replaced the breather hose that runs under the spine from the headstock to the back of the motor a while back. It seems I made a "tactical error" in the process. The cable from the timing sensor went up between that hose and the frame, and the connector was hidden under the airbox. The result was that getting the sensor out involved "unclothing" the Le Mans all the way down to unfastening the airbox. When it goes back together, that plug will be nicely accessible on the frame just above the sensor, don't you worry. 

The sensor didn't look too bad, but it will be swapped out. Holding the new one against the old one, and assuming they were both the same length in new condition, it seems the old one has swelled and shortened such that it is about a half a millimetre shorter than new. That would be enough to take the gap from (assuing it was correct) about 0.7mm to about 1.2mm. Going by what I have read here, amongst others from @guzzler's report on the subject, that would be enough to make it run badly. Whatever, the new sensor will go in.

Cleaning up around the sensor was a pain. There were liberal amounts of some sort of silicon sealant involved, and getting that all cleaned up took a while.

Since the airbox is now unfastened, the list of "things to be done now" has grown again. I wanted to just put the new sensor in, and see how that affects the way the bike runs. Since I'm so far in now, it seems sensible to go at the "tank off mainenance" thing again from scratch. I've been through that once already, but it was all a bit perfunctory. Since I've got it all apart again, it seems sensible to go at it again and take a bit more care about it. Cleaning the throttle bodies really properly, for instance, And I've got some new rubbers for between the throttle bodies and the motor. And I've got a new timing chain here, and whilst I'm in there I could repair the two broken screws of the four that hold on the alternator cover.

And the tailpiece is off, to make it easier to get to the screws for the sidecover. Since that's off, I could have another look at the wiring under the seat, particularly on the underside of the relay sockets. And while I'm in there, I could consider adding the additional relay to supply direct power from the battery to the starter solenoid.

The fun never ends... 

Edited 11 hours ago by audiomick

[guzzler]

G'day Mick.

Yep,I had my sensor sorted years ago and think from memory you're right the gap should be about 0.7mm.

I'll dig the paperwork out and check for sure if need be?

Cheers 

Ps yes it will cause running issues if the gap widens!