Thinking of adding an 1100 sport to the stable....suggestions?

[bigbikerrick]

Hello Folks, I have lusted for an 1100 sport for a couple of years now. what year is recommended, or is less desireable? Carbed ,or Fi 97? do they all have straight cut gear boxes? Anything other than the regular "guzzi stuff" to look out for when considering a bike? any advice/suggestions/heads up, much appreciated.
There is a yellow 97 for sale locally, that I may take a look at this weekend.Its a 2 owner bike with around 85K miles on it.
Thanks
Rick

[Hymes Inc.]

Can't offer you anything by the way of mechanical advise, but I can push you in the direction of Yes you should buy another motorcycle.

[Craig in Alabama]

My '95 silver Spot was my favorite bike ever! I had no trouble with the carbs. It always ran well and got pretty good gas mileage to boot! My riding buddy got a yellow FI model and regrets selling it. Mine died an ugly death or I'd still have it. So that's a "go for it" from me.

Cheers, and let us know what you think after a test ride!

Craig

[Travlr]

I like the blue ones!

Ride it to Datil next year.

Mike

[Kiwi_Roy]

What about a VII Sport or Lemans, Scudd on ViIILemans.com has several for sale
I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything he has laid his hands on

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20113

[Turin]

An injected Sport would be my choice. The WP front suspension is a nice upgrade. I was watching that one, didn't realize it had that many miles.

[yogidozer]

I prefer carb., myself

[Chuck in Indiana]

They're all good. They are Guzzis.. mechanical things don'tcha know? Not for the timid or inexperienced rider.
 

[rustyhub]

The '95 model I had was a bit ...agricultural. First gear is way too tall and 5th gear has issues at high mileage. A soul stirring machine, though.

[arveno]

What about a VII Sport or Lemans, Scudd on ViIILemans.com has several for sale
I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything he has laid his hands on

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20113

Are those prices in pesos ??? Ah ah

[arveno]

Hello Folks, I have lusted for an 1100 sport for a couple of years now. what year is recommended, or is less desireable? Carbed ,or Fi 97? do they all have straight cut gear boxes? Anything other than the regular "guzzi stuff" to look out for when considering a bike? any advice/suggestions/heads up, much appreciated.
There is a yellow 97 for sale locally, that I may take a look at this weekend.Its a 2 owner bike with around 85K miles on it.
Thanks
Rick

Only the carbed ones have straight gears, and rear 18” wheel rim.

I like 1100 carbs but I am a dinosaur....

[tazio]

Early FI were straight cut.

[voncrump]

Some of the early Injected models still had a straight cut gearbox. Some people will say the WP inverted forks are an improvement but that's not my opinion. They may look more modern than the Marzocchis but the Marzocchis work well. I have had zero issues with the carbs on my Sport 1100. I have replaced a clutch and while it was in bits I had a look at the gearbox. It was in virtually perfect condition except for the splines on the output shaft. The bike has never let me down. It is hugely involving to ride and is very easy to look after. The odd shaped tyre sizes on the carb model are a pain, you have to use sport touring tyres. I am only a small person but I find the bike to be very comfortable as long as you are traveling at a good speed. They don't like going slow. The throttle pull on the carb model is like two handfulls to get full throttle. Believe me it is fun to get them on full power especially to feel the pull all the way from 3000rpm to 8000rpm in the high gears. By all means get one of these bikes, they don't make them like that any more.





russian pic hosting


Cheers, voncrump

[arveno]

Early FI were straight cut.

OHHH sorry i did not know that , did not mean to give wrong info , thanks for point that out.

[MedicAndy]

I would recommend that you go for it. I have a couple of carbs and EFI's, and I like riding both types. The carbs will probably give you less headaches, since the EFI system on the 97's (at least with me on my bikes) can be touchy at times. I also agree with another member that the 1100's are much better out on the open road than big traffic or city riding.

I almost had a small stroke when I read that the bike that you are looking at has 85k miles on the clock... I knew that those little tractor engines would last for a long time, but wow..... I guess I better start eating a little healthier, since I have a lot of riding to do (plus I better have a lot of life left in me, like 500 more years or better), before my bikes engines apparently give out!









I didn't like yellow as a bike color at first, but yellow does look good on the 1100's, in fact so good that I was not able to say no to a second yellow 1100 purchase when one showed up for sale locally.   

[Tusayan]

Carb and injected models each have their ups and downs.  One not mentioned so far is the Digiplex ignition on the carb Sport - not terribly reliable and unobtainium.  There are aftermarket solutions should yours fail, but they are fairly expensive.  By comparison ECUs for the injected Sports were fitted to a lot of other bikes and aren't too hard to find used.

Overall, I'd say the carb bikes have more potential to be a 'real' elemental Guzzi that's like a classic race bike, with some work and money invested: Guzzi knew they were 'kit bikes' when they sold them but they ran out of time and money to develop them fully.  They also knew people would buy them anyway and resolve the bugs in a way that wouldn't have been legal for an OEM even in '95, so they pushed them out the door. The later EFI bikes are more refined, reflecting more development, with more expensive components like WP suspension (also hard to find parts for BTW) and Marchesini streamlined spoke wheels in more modern sizes.  The injected bike wasn't intended to be a 'kit bike' any more, but regardless of intent they still needed some sorting out.  Both are wonderful sport bikes of the pure, elemental kind that will never again be sold, but neither is perfect even when fettled into its best form.  User friendly perfection for the average retail consumer is not really their gig, they are traditonal Italian hot rods, or actually Italian American given the John Wittner origins.

Don't buy one with 85K miles unless it's a extremely good deal.  You can still find them with a fraction of that mileage for a reasonable price.

[malik]

Go for it. The Sports are an experience worth having. If your body is a match, you'll probably never sell it. After the first half day ride to bed me in (sore all over -followed by a very hot & very long shower) it was perfect - the most comfortable long distance tourer ever. Learned also to travel lighter. You have to do it now & again, but gravel is not this bike's forte, but all the rest is magic.

[Murray]

Some of the early Injected models still had a straight cut gearbox. Some people will say the WP inverted forks are an improvement but that's not my opinion. They may look more modern than the Marzocchis but the Marzocchis work well.

Cheers, voncrump

The forks might be a bit either way although the Marzocchi's have less opportunity to dial them in the lighter wheels on the FI models are night and day difference. The carbs even when new tended to wander out of tune regularly and had a fairly complex throttle cable arrangement, if you never experience anything else you'll think they are fine. The FI models expect to drop some money on the injection system to sort it out. The FI models also had a much better master cylinder on the front brakes the carbed bikes its a bit underdone.

[Denis]

I would recommend that you go for it.

Listen to THIS man!

[Chuck in Indiana]

The Kid had been riding a gorgeous white Grease O when he ran into an unloved 1100 Spot laying on it's side in a barn. He brought it down and we went through the mechanical restoration. He then did the cosmetic stuff.. broken plastic, etc.
2016-08-03_05-31-54 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr
It's a very early '94. As mentioned above..
 

It is hugely involving to ride and is very easy to look after.

That is his opinion, too.. and it is now his ride of choice. The poor Grease O is sitting, unridden.

Both are wonderful sport bikes of the pure, elemental kind that will never again be sold,

Also true.

Digiplex ignition on the carb Sport - not terribly reliable and unobtainium

I'm not so sure about that. Dave Richardson in Guzziology says he's never seen a failed Digiplex. They *are* available from Harpers.. but you wouldn't want to pay for it. 
So.
Is this the kind of bike you thought it was? If so, get it.

[PeteS]

Rick, have you ever ridden them? I like the looks but thought they handle like a Kenworth. Slowest steering Guzzi ever made. Other than my 850 LeMans the lightest handling Guzzi is the next generation V11 Sport, in particular the first two years offered with the quicker steering. But thats just me.



Pete

[Tusayan]

The FI models also had a much better master cylinder on the front brakes the carbed bikes its a bit underdone

The injected 1100 Sports and also Centauros and Daytona RSs built in 96 and 97 have a front brake master cylinder issue:  if you apply the brakes gently, then release, then apply them gently again the lever will move back towards the grip.  This was resolved by Brembo on the first V11 Sports.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Think how well it will turn when you ditch the trainer wheels..

[Tusayan]

Rick, have you ever ridden them? I like the looks but thought they handle like a Kenworth. Slowest steering Guzzi ever made. Other than my 850 LeMans the lightest handling Guzzi is the next generation V11 Sport, in particular the first two years offered with the quicker steering. But thats just me.

The first V11 Sports did handle lighter than an 1100 Sport due to revised steering geometry, but in my experience they did a weird weavey thing under braking as a result and felt a but insecure when pushed hard.  Aprilia revised the steering geometry again when they took over and reached what many felt was a happy medium.

[Chuck in Indiana]

What about a VII Sport or Lemans, Scudd on ViIILemans.com has several for sale
I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything he has laid his hands on

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20113

As Kiwi Roy sez.. these aren't your run of the mill V11s. Scud is a V11 whisperer  and has had them apart, then reassembled with love. If they need it, they get it. He rode his Greenie to the Sandy Eggo rally, and it was *better* than new. A guy that knows these bikes could see it had hands on. Everywhere. Are they worth the extra dollars? I guess the market will tell.. but if I were looking for a sorted V11 Sport, I wouldn't hesitate, either.

[Craig in Alabama]

Here's one in Nashville:

https://nashville.craigslist.org/mcy/d/rare-1997-moto-guzzi-1100/6345641106.html

Cheers!
Craig

[Nic in Western NYS]

Here's one in Nashville:

https://nashville.craigslist.org/mcy/d/rare-1997-moto-guzzi-1100/6345641106.html

Cheers!
Craig

Wow, asking $9500. I love optimism in bike sellers!
My Sport rode like on rails.  Rock solid, hard to turn.  Most physically involving ride and most stimulating ride I've experienced on two wheels.

[yogidozer]

The first V11 Sports did handle lighter than an 1100 Sport due to revised steering geometry, but in my experience they did a weird weavey thing under braking as a result and felt a but insecure when pushed hard.  Aprilia revised the steering geometry again when they took over and reached what many felt was a happy medium.

you can raise the forktubes about an inch to quicken up the steering some on the carbie's

[yogidozer]

and flipping the clip-ons left to right will make reaching a bit easier

[bigbikerrick]

Thanks Folks, for all the excellent replies! I have never ridden an 1100 sport, but I did own a rosso mandello( my first Guzzi) back in 01 when they first came out, and then an 02  V11 sport naked that I crashed, and totaled. I have spoken to the seller of the yellow 97 in Tucson, seems like a nice guy, maintains it himself. I think I would really prefer a carbed model, as I prefer old school stuff, and like the looks of the  carbed bikes a bit better. below is the CL link to the bike.
Rick
https://tucson.craigslist.org/mcy/d/moro-guzzi/6350183496.html