Nicely done.
The red transfers now make a nice red circle around the rim when moving. Kind of cool. Sure, the red valve covers are also $$$ bling but hey, guilty!
I’m hoping the shocks are right. So far it seems bad. People seem to always go to “race” crap and I want touring comfort like the V100S delivers. That and I specifically told them COMMUTER and 165 pounds wet weight with gear. There is no way to get the sag right with the current spring rate (32 N x 2) unless the pivot points are stiff…but I was told NO LUB on those and they are to be tap on tight, not loose. And, they are indeed that. The shocks “float” on inserts around the eyelets.
Best,
Galen
Getting sag correct along with other suspension aspects has always been a challenge for me.
Elk,
Well if I have to change the springs I’ll have a hell of a time removing the shocks off the posts. Probably a bearing puller of some sort. They tapped on (hammer and cloth over the shock eye), but there is no easy tap off!
Galen
A challenge, certainly.
A steady diet of Big Macs will soften up the ride.
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Got it done. I went to Harbor Freight and got a three set of two arm bearing pullers. The smaller size fit good enough to pull the shocks off the posts. I cleaned the posts of paint and crud and used emery cloth to enlarge the aluminum Ohlins posts some. I figured that’s better than altering the steel posts as the Ohlins are undersized and not the steel posts oversized. I worked on the Ohlins just enough to let them slide on…and OFF! I added anti-seize compound to the posts, too.
Now I need to wait for the two spring collar wrenches needed to set the sag. I can’t do that as they didn’t send the needed tools for a $1,300.00 shock set! So I order them from Ohlins (not too expensive, more a reason to include them!) and wait.
In the mean time I added a USB port under the set and wired it in parallel with the heated grips on the switched outlet. Comes in handy when the phone is at 15% power. Opps! Cable sits under the set as needed. I just route it out and up to my pocket.
No rush. The bike is a project and not an end to one. It is done when it is done. Forks are in the mail. Be best with the center stand installed.
Galen
Well done.
Unfortunately there is no good substitute of which I am aware for the proper size collar wrenches.
Yep, close is a pain on those shock pre-load collars. I had “close” but got The Ohlins as the fit makes life so much easier.
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OK, got the Matris F15K forks installed. The crazy Italians keep changing stuff for the better, but the directions are out dated! You can figure it out but…? So only one, not two, plastic spring washers. And the lower compression piece is no longer needed as the F15K damper rod is machined to that fit. The silk screen on the top of the forks is nearly invisible but once they are on, you know right is rebound left is compression.
I used 6.5 / 35 mm diameter springs (see chart) and 15 “clicks” of compression and rebound with six rings of preload. 5 weight fork oil.
The ride is far better than the emulsion forks even though the fork pump at a stand still feels near the same. Moving? Not the same at all. More bumps aren’t bumps. Less shudder across multiple jumbles of irregularities.
I’d say for the money the Matris F15K was worth it. Pretty easy to install once you get past the lower allen screw that holds the damper rod in place. A vise and a 1.5 foot cheater bar got it done. The first leg was 1.5 hours with one hour being “discovery”. The second was half an hour. No stuff is modified so it can all go back to stock.
If you have emulsion style forks, this is a decent kit to get true cartridge design with three way adjustability. Just be true to how you use the bike and don’t ask for “race” suspension because the Italians mean business on that end (stiff). I expressed COMMUTER suspension and 150 pounds. It feels great.
Ohlins thinks people weight 200 pounds and keep sending WAY, WAY too stiff springs. I’m on the third attempt with them. The new forks really tell you the rear is banging along. They aren’t yellow, but black. I’ll powder coat them this winter if they are the right progressive spring rate.
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Excellent progress.
I installed the 46/230/Prog12-14.3N/mm (Black) springs. Hey, the rear wheel MOVES now. The original Ohlins spring were 32 N/mm monsters. Yes, the spring that seems to be actually working is 66%-50% lighter (progressive versus straight wound). I wish it was YELLOW but, nope, black. Not awful looking and probably a preference thing, but I liked the yellow. I can powder coat it bright yellow this winter I suppose.
The valving has to be WAY off with such a stiff installed original spring. So back to Ohlins on the body for a re-valve with the lighter spring in mind. I sent them a note as to what valving they would put in with the lighter spring. As is, I’m just 2 or 5 clicks from full OPEN out of 25 so no range of adjustability.
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Hey @kcleveland123 I love this idea of a motorcycle category Your BMW R1200RT is awesome 
Those Wunderlich covers are great & I bet the Akrapovic pipe amazing. How do you like the changes you made?
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Perhaps. Let’s give it a bit
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Seems awfully familiar…
SEE
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More fun changes. After 12,700 miles on the V100S, It just didn’t GEL with me. Too much SPORT and not enough TOUR. It was designed to blow the pettles off the roses as it goes by. I wanted to smell them. So, what to do. I love the engine in the V7, so smooth and tractable for the “system” of engine, clutch and transmission. I wanted that kind of motivation in the V100S. The V100S engine system has a lot more drive-line snatch and with the power so abrupt to rev, it was a handful to be smooth on.
I bought a Moto Guzzi TRAVEL and turned it into a STRADA model (added 10 pound lighter cast wheels, DUNLOP road oriented dual sport tires, inner front lower fender, removed the bash plate and installed the standard exhaust covers). I did this verses get the STRADA because of all the extras cost more to get; heated seat & grips, GPS, rear rack, hand guards, better windshield, improved six axis safety nannies and all that.
Did it work? Yes, it is a so, so much smoother riding bike. The more powerful 80 HP TRAVEL’s air cooled engine (V7 is 67 HP) is just as integrated and of one piece as the V7’s. The suspension, for my weight, is the best I’ve been on. Power is plenty (80 HP) for what I do. Air management is the same as near as I can tell. I drove 200 miles when it was 42 F and did fine. Seated position is perfect.
Best, this bike is so, so, so much cheaper to run. I can do all the stuff myself after the warranty is off. The V100S was due for a 15K service that was over a grand to do and it is way too complicated to work on with special tools and diagnostic PC interface. Not new for a “modern” bike, they all share that attribute. I can buy a bike like the V100S any time. The V85TT is a near EOL decision so I went for it.
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Good choice.
Whiplash! So “just” 2 Guzzis in the garage? Nice move. I’ve never owned an ADV bike but have ridden a few that were among the most comfortable perches I’ve experienced. The Ulysses XB12 X/T was the most comfortable bike I ever spent time on.
I’m kind of pie faced on this one since I made fun of ADV bikes in general. Sure, the TRAVEL is the least ADV outfitted per say but the 7" travel suspension and seated position won me over big time. I’m just going along most of the time on the street, and I just don’t miss that extra 35 HP the V100S had. 80 HP is plenty. The TRAVEL’s added comfort benefits exceed that loss for me. The TRAVEL is a sweatheart bike to be on for hours. Long term it is way cheaper and easier to keep it top notch, too.
Ya, the V7 is my hot weather bike and short trips. I love the ZEN stuff the V7 tosses out. It is just so fun to be on that bike as it plugs you into the road perfectly. Not too visceral and not too insulated. The 850 engine can do anything, torque it up or rev, your choice. The bike is replaced by a feeling that the bigger TRAVEL can’t get away from…the bike is always there. The V7 is sublime to be on. Sure, over hours that rougher edge wears you out (wind management and more limited suspension) but inside 225 miles or so it is great. The V7’s seat is the long distance champion, though. Need that on the TRAVEL!
The TRAVEL eats the big trips and strangely, the TRAVEL has the big fat catalytic under the engine like the V100S but it doesn’t suffer the HEAT, lots and lots of HEAT, that the V100S does. Much more comfy to be on the TRAVEL when it is hot out. I didn’t expect that at all. Over 80 F and the V100S bakes you really, really bad even moving. My take is the heat must be routed under the bike from the V100S’s radiator is all I can figure. The TRAVEL is air cooled so that heat source is gone.
Galen
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