For Sale V11 Sport

Not the greatest of HP for cc but characterful head turner. Seemingly owned by an enthusiast. Like the colour, wheels and the way you get a sideways shunt when you blip the throttle.
If I was in the market I’d jump on it and ride it away, paying for it first of course

 

Yeah, got something about it. I'd swap out the exhausts for upswept megaphones...

 

Nor entirely my cup of tea as they're not that capable without a good deal of fettling. But it's cheap to buy, run and maintain, a rough diamond with great scope for personalisation, will have oodles of character and with good maintenance should go on forever. I can understand the attraction but for me it would represent a project bike, not a buy-n-ride.

 

Something more slender and as you suggested up-swept would enhance the rear end appearance instantly.
I used to own a V50 years ago it was my first venture into Italian bikes. I was very apprehensive about taking a leap of faith and committing to a Ducati 900ss
Since then it’s been 6-0 to Ducati.

 

Looks a good deal, personally not keen on the colour and the exhausts do look too big but, then most modern bike, standard exhausts do, would suit some upswept, thinner megaphones in the style of the old Lafranconi, Le Mans exhausts.

Not huge power and heavy compared to Ducatis but Guzzis pull well and, in the real world, plenty fast enough for the road.

 

I think the colour is a historic Guzzi livery from the '60's and '70's, so it's authentic. On paper it doesn't do much for me either but paired with some polished alloy it actually works very well and it's very Guzzi. Binning those massive mat black exhaust cans would help enormously. Upswept Lafranconi reverse cone megas is what it's crying out for. If you can still get them..?

 

I like it, bar it's not being yellow enough and the silencers too big and being underpowered.

I rode an 850 long ago. The most interesting bit was the torque reaction. It needed to be a Le Mans.

 

Yep. That's the real deal. Looks better without the red wheels too. The couple of red frame highlights are spot-on and as things should be but red wheels as well is over egging the pudding. That one looks fab. Has that begging-to-be-ridden look about it.

 

The knees fouling the cylinder heads was more of a thing on '80's and earlier Guzzis. Didn't the Le Mans have pads to rest the knees against? 90's and onwards it was less of an issue. I'm 6' and I haven't noticed knee clonking an any modern Guz I've slung a leg over. Maybe more research needed and if possible a similar model found closer to home that you can try for size. A 12 hour round trip is indeed a lot to ask just to satisfy curiosity.

 

Moto Guzzi V11-sport For Sale | Car and Classic

 

It's a shame it's so far away as it's cheap. Typically tidy and ready to ride V11s are nearer 5K by the looks of things. And as it's a club member's bike it's probably been well maintained.
On the plus side I don't think you'll have any trouble shifting the RSV. It's a modern classic and they always sell.

 

Yes, I have an old LeMans 2 and it originally had knee pads on the fairings at the rear of the cylinders but they are more of a hinderance as they make it an even tighter fit if you have long legs so I have removed the side fairings to sport the classic LeMans look.

Here, you can just see the rubber pad on the back of the fairing;



My knees still touch the heads occasionally but, the newer bikes are higher, meaning your legs aren't as bent and the overall geometry is changed so I think there is more room?

I had the seat re-made on mine to be higher and the pillion 'hump' further back plus fitted higher bars all of which helps with the riding position (especially when you're getting on a bit) and improves the knees-to-heads interface but it's still there, especially on the left cylinder (sits further back) so you don't ride in shorts but, on the plus side they help keep your knees warm on a cold day!

But it's still cramped, when sitting on the bike my legs are bent pretty much as far as they go and the bars are a long reach, the bike suits someone with short legs, long body and long arms (a Gorilla?) and, which I think is/was a more common shape in Italy back in the day - I bought mine from a guy in Italy and he was certainly that shape. I recall reading an old car magazine review of Italian supercars, Lamborghini vs. Ferrari and the writer saying that the car suited the 'Italian Ape' build i.e. short legs/long arms.

Those stainless Mistral exhausts are a huge improvement although, for me the slim, upswept, black Lafranconis are the iconic look for a classic Guzzi.

Cue (going slightly off topic) a shameless pic of mine;



I quite fancy a Griso actually but have too much going on at the moment for another bike, maybe in a couple of years when I've cleared some workshop space...

 

Back in the 1990's I had my eye on a Millie GT Guzzi in 3X Motorcycles in Dorset. I had a hankering for a Guzzi but couldn't afford a Le Mans, even the late edition thingie that was all swoopy bodywork and shoulder pads. I liked the classic look of the Millie but when I sat on it in the showroom it was impossible not to have my knees pressing quite hard against the cylinder heads. It was obvious that the first serious bump or pothole would dislocate my kneecaps, especially against the lefthand pot which is closer to the rider than the right.
I haven't ridden that many newer Guzzis but every one I've sat on from the early 2000's onwards doesn't seem to have this issue. The latest ones seem absolutely fine.
I get more annoyed by the sideways cylinders on BMW boxers. I can't push a GS walking alongside it without smacking my shin on the cylinder head at some point. I test rode a 1250 GS when they first came out and the demo bike I was on had stainless cam cover guards fitted. I went to put my left foot down in some stationary traffic and the edge of this cam guard shot up my trouser leg, punctured the fabric and became hopelessly snagged. It was a nasty moment as I was left teetering on a very heavy demo bike on which I'd signed a £1000 damage liability agreement. I managed to get my right foot down instead, taking great care to look what I was doing and make sure my trouser leg went nowhere near the cylinder head. Thereafter on that ride, whenever I had to put a foot down I waggled it out in the breeze to make sure there was nothing in the way before reaching for the tarmac. I must have looked like a bandy-legged ape.
I've never liked GS's since for that reason, though roadster boxers that pitch the rider forward and push the feet back are no problem. I'm actually thinking about buying a gen 1 R nine T but I'll make sure to try before I buy. I don'twant to turn up at my favourite cafe on my first ride and get my legged snagged and fall sideways like a felled tree.

 

Buy it, what's 3 grand these days.

 

Should keep your feet warm on a cold day though?

I have no experience of BMW boxers but, I will say pushing the LeMans around is tricky, as not only does the cylinder dig into your thigh (and smear oil on your trousers) but, being so low you can't lean it against your hip like with my Ducatis so it always feels a bit unstable, that it might fall away from me.

Doesn't help that it weighs about the same as a small car either.