Life updates and V7 Question

[Levi]

Hello everyone!
I hope this message finds you all doing well and getting plenty of time to wrench and ride.
That said, I have not been very active on the forum and just wanted to touch base, update everyone about a recent acquisition and (you guessed it) ask a couple of questions of folks with more experience than myself.

As some of you might recall my fiance, Allie, and I were rear-ended while riding my California back in March. We are both teachers and due to the shut down found ourselves with quite a bit of time to wrench and ride. Trouble is, at the time I had several things to wrench on but nothing to ride. Long story short we called off all our wedding plans, bought a new bike, and eloped.  She recommended we try for a Stornello with fewer than 1k miles for sale near us. I have drooled over that bike since '16 and probably bothered a forum member down at bikes on the bricks a couple of years ago when I ran over like a little kid and asked a million questions of the owner. Anyway, we went up to Tulsa bought No. 452 for a song (pun intended).

We rode it all over and when the courthouse finally opened up we eloped and plan to honeymoon on it once things get back to normal a bit more around here. I have included one of our "wedding" photos.

The bike is awesome and being married to the best partner I could ask for is even better. My only issue is fueling on the V7. It is very erratic when I start it. It'll barely idle and sometimes dies. Other times it'll act as the throttle cracked open for a bit then slow down then speed up again, then stumble out. On the road, it feels fine at higher rpms and speeds, but at slow speeds, even when warm she is snappy and makes me feel like a newbie. This problem is also kind of intermittent, meaning some days it is worse than others. I ride 365 (unless there's ice or I have to haul something) so not only is this niggle annoying it can be a bit dangerous if I am in a rush. Don't get me wrong, I always warm up my bikes but this process is a bit more random and extensive than that.

I have read here on the forum and elsewhere that a remap will work wonders and that I should go the Beatle route (a member here I believe). That said, from what I understand I need something that will allow me to talk to the ECU. Would you guys recommend a powercommander? or is there a better brand for guzzis? And if so, is there a model you've had luck with and what does the process look like? My apologies for all the questions, this is my newest vehicle by quite a bit so

I am new to the mapping game.
Anyway, thank you in advance for taking the time to read this. If any of you are ever in the Joplin area, let me know and the pint/coffee will be on me.





Kind regards, - Levi

[Dirk_S]

The Beetle map just makes it even more efficient. The bike shouldn’t be having issues with the stock. I’d get the sensors checked out, but that’s always my go-to answer with this sort of stuff. Probably because it ended up being my (V7) bike’s issue when I was experiencing erratic idle and lagging RPM at certain speed. Ever since, I’ve not experienced abnormal performance, and I ride in New England weather.

Also, woot to another scrambler owner! And congrats on making things short, sweet, and cheap ;)

[oldbike54]

 Kinda wondered where you had been Levi , thanks for the update .

 Search Guzzidiag here , that will provide the solution .

 Oh , congratulations 

 Dusty

[Shorty]

Congrats! Long and happy lives together!

[bikeridertim]

Congratulations!!! And a great photo!!

Ride Safe!

[jrt]

Great photo- I hope ya'll have a long happy life together.

I haven't done mapping either, but it sounds simple in principle.  You need a laptop (most people have windows), a USB connector (lonelec is a British company that sells highly-regarded, appropriate USB/bike diagnostic cables- I don't know which one yours takes) and finally you will need the software- Guzzidiag.  Available on...www.griso.org, I think. 

[fotoguzzi]

Happy days! That photo looks like an advertisement for eloping , or Moto Guzzi.

[Off @ 90]

Check your air box for eng oil beneath air filter.  They are quite sensitive to overfilling and may lead to symptoms you describe . Re mapping a good idea too but should run reasonable well stock .

[delrod]

Congratulations, I am only thirty minutes away and have cables for guzzidiag that I could loan you.  Shoot me a PM if you are interested. Doug

[Kev m]

AWESOMENESS - on both counts.

Have fun, ride safe, avoid tasteless accessories ya know like "Live, Love, Laugh" decor.   

[Markcarovilli]

congrats on your life travels....

celebrating 48 years today with my lovely wife and looking forward to many more celebrations.

Mark

[CapitalGoose]

Hi Levi,

Congrats to the both of you!

I cannot recommend enough the quality of a Beetle map (see, Griso.org). Mark has a whole bunch of maps for the V7. My wife bought me a set of Agostini cans for my birthday, which made my V7ii SUPER snatchy and surge-y. After doing a ton of research, I came to the conclusion that I should at least try one of Mark's maps before going the power commander route (especially after all the recommendations for a Beetle map I'd read here). I spoke with Mark and told him how my bike was set up. He recommended a particular map from his site ($100 USD), which I purchased. I also bought two cables from Lonelec in the UK on his recommendation. The cables took a little while to arrive. Again on Beetle's rec. I used the drivers that links on his website provided (not the ones that come with the cables).

After that, everything was super easy. Download the GuzziDiag software (free), follow the VERY detailed tutorial that Beetle created, find and download the proper reader and writer for the ecu on my bike (MIUG3), and BAM! She now runs like a dream. Power for days, no low spots, and idle is smoooooth.

FYI, I did the upload of the new map this past weekend over the course of about 45 minutes.

I tried to contact him yesterday to thank him, but he seems to have disappeared, or changed his username...

Anyway, visit his site, read everything, get a map, and enjoy your new ride and wife!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The Beetle Map totally changed the character of my '13 V7 Stone. It too made me feel like a newbie with the original map - long warm-up time, herky jerky at low speeds, abrupt throttle response, over all weird behavior. Afterwards, it ran like a real motorcycle should! Same with a customer's V7 Special that I remapped - the owner went from hating the bike and wanting to trade it in to loving it and wanting to keep it.

[malik]

congrats on your life travels....

celebrating 48 years today with my lovely wife and looking forward to many more celebrations.

Mark

And a happy birthday to you. Trust you manager to get in a decent ride.

Levi,
DO get hold of Guzzidiag & the cables & put in the appropriate Beetlemap. You won't look back.

And do check the airbox - seat off, air filter cover off, air filter out (check the filter isn't dirty or contaminated with oil). The single throttle body models like yours/ours seem to puke excess engine oil into the airbox. The specified 2L is too much - mine is happy with 1.9L, others with as little as 1.7L. In severe cases the bottom of the airbox is swimming with oil, it contaminates the filter (preventing proper breathing) and coats the insides of the manifold & throttle body, resulting in truly atrocious running problems. Been there, done that, limped home.  Clean out all the oil you can get to with paper towels, and as far as you can get down the manifold. Perhaps spray some throttle body cleaner down there too.  Replace the air filter with new (the factory ones are the best - accept no substitutes), and re-set the ECU's auto learning function (remove the battery's negative terminal for some 15 minutes & re-connect).  If you've had oil through there, the spark plugs will also be fouled. If so, you could try cleaning them, I suppose, but new ones work better.

I always keep spares on hand - spark plugs, plug caps, air & oil filters, clutch cable, levers, rocker cover gaskets, and studded rod ends/helm joints (for the gear linkage - I've had them suddenly fail a few times over the last 340,000km). I've found it convenient to have them immediately available when required.

[Dave Swanson]

Levi, congratulations on your marriage!  Finding one that shares your passions is a rare event in life.  Finding someone that wants you to buy a Stornello!, well there isn't any statistic for that!  It is too rare of an occurrence!    Add in a huge dose of natural beauty and wonderful red hair, I would say you hit the jackpot!! 

Regarding your wedding photo.  It is fantastic.  Moto Guzzi could have sold a LOT more Stornellos using that picture in their ads!



Beetle maps have been well covered.  It will be a great modification.  A set of Lonelec cables, a laptop, map, and and hour or 2 and you will be pleased with the result I am sure.

[twowheeladdict]

Congrats on both accounts.  I don't know what age you both teach, but I'll bet your students think you are the coolest adults they know.   

[Huzo]

Levi, congratulations on your marriage!  Finding one that shares your passions is a rare event in life.  Finding someone that wants you to buy a Stornello!, well there isn't any statistic for that!  It is too rare of an occurrence!    Add in a huge dose of natural beauty and wonderful red hair, I would say to hit the jackpot!! 

Regarding your wedding photo.  It is fantastic.  Moto Guzzi could have sold a LOT more Stornellos using that picture in their ads!



Beetle maps have been well covered.  It will be a great modification.  A set of Lonelec cables, a laptop, map, and and hour or 2 and you will be pleased with the result I am sure.

Very well put TWA...
All your points are valid, but the wedding shot one is perfect..
I fully concur FWIW....

[wirespokes]

Could life be any better???

Love the photo! 

[greer]

Way to go, congratulations!!

Sarah

[pebra]

The bike is awesome and being married to the best partner I could ask for is even better.

What hyperbole! And on this fine forum! 

Congratulations to all involved, I hope the bike will be blessed with its happy owners, taking good care of it and riding it frequently, for a looooong time! 

[moto]

Congratulations!

I wouldn't discount the suggestion to consider sensors. I cured a similar problem on my Buccaneer 250 by simply soaking the engine temperature sensor in 93% isopropyl alcohol for 120 seconds (twice the ECU manufacter's recommended period, and probably unnecessarily long). Made a night-and-day difference, and cost nothing. I should add, however, that I haven't examined the sensor you have, and don't know whether the element is as easily accessible for this treatment.

Moto

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

Congratulations to both of you! Marriage is so much more than a wedding day. Y’all did real good with everything! Be safe and savor the peaks of happiness so you can make it thru the pits of despair!

[Huzo]

This doesn’t happen (to me), very often..
But I feel like I know you both just by the photo, although clearly we have never met. That shot should be enlarged on the wall in the showroom @ Agostini’s.
Lovely...

[Chuck in Indiana]

There's nothing I can add to the congrats except red heads are the best..  Great shot, btw..

[Texas Turnip]

I'm as happy as a sissy on a troop train for you. All the best as it took me 7 wives and a few million dollars to find the right one.
Enjoy 50 years of Moto Guzzi like I have.
Tex

[Huzo]

I may be stating the obvious here Levi, but I saw a brilliant production of Jesus Christ Superstar once and you look scarily like the lead character..
It didn’t end well for him though..

[pebra]

I think some of you guys are infatuated by that photo.

Understandable, but as for me, I'm reminded by this ancient Tuborg ad (from the eighties?)

[Huzo]

Ahhh..
A good old fashioned foot fetish, but I don’t get the implication..
I can draw one conclusion, but I think I’m drawing a long bow...