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V7 Situation

v7flier

Tuned and Synch'ed
GT Famiglia
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
55
Location
Northern CA
2013 V7 Stone. I love to pay for good advice here. Here's the situation.

23K miles on the bike. I've changed the oil/filter, tightened some bolts, and aired up the tires.

I ride it to work and home each day (about 2 months now.) Total 30 miles round trip. It's hot here right now, over 100F most days. Garaged between rides, which is also very hot.

Bike runs very nicely, mostly. It's fun. Love the rumble. (Road a Indian Scout for a 200 miles recently, and was glad to get back on my V7.)

Concerns:

1. Tough to get into N from a stop. If I shift into N as I'm coasting slowly it's easier. Seems like no pattern, sometime it smoothly slips in, sometimes it simply will not go. Also, sometimes it's hard to find 1st, but no pattern with that either. I personally don't mind, seems like part of the personality of the bike. But someone told me this might be serious.

What would you recommend I do? Shall I schedule into the shop? Or is there something I can do?


2. The dash LCD says "MAI nt". From the manual this means ...

"The word 'MAInt' is shown on the left LCD Display (1) after the mileage correspond- ing to the first servicing or any subsequent servicing is exceeded."

Well, I bought it used. I don't know what service was actually done (was told it was all done.) If this light was ever reset, I don't know. I don't remember seeing it when I bought it, but I wasn't looking either (silly me, live and learn.)

Should I respect that warning? Or reset it? How to reset? Perhaps a shop service to baseline it?

3. The mirror position is poor - looking at my shoulders. Can flip under, but they hit the tank.

Any recommended replacement mirrors that I can mount under and not hit the tank.

I would prefer to learn how to service my own bike. If not, I would just take it to the shop.
 
1. Clutch adjust issue, or now destroyed throw out bearing and related. I've replaced close to ten of them now on 2013 V7 models with varying mileage. I seem to be one of the only ones that cares to fix them correctly... instead of taking $100-200 from you for a simple and incorrect clutch adjust for something that stems deeper.
2. NAInt = yes, maintenance. It's speedo mile related, and cannot be reset until it comes on. There's a how to reset it in this section, or in your manual.
3. Which mirrors do you have?
 
1. Clutch adjust issue, or now destroyed throw out bearing and related. I've replaced close to ten of them now on 2013 V7 models with varying mileage. I seem to be one of the only ones that cares to fix them correctly... instead of taking $100-200 from you for a simple and incorrect clutch adjust for something that stems deeper.

You aren't close, otherwise I'd schedule it now.

2. NAInt = yes, maintenance. It's speedo mile related, and cannot be reset until it comes on. There's a how to reset it in this section, or in your manual.

I could reset it, sure. But, is that wise? It runs nice, but I don't know if it's safe. Though a shop guy once said, if it runs fine with no issues, it is fine. Perhaps I just reset, and ride.

3. Which mirrors do you have?

Here's a pic
IMG 0201
 
You can cut 25mm off the bottom of the mirror stem to drop them down a little. Up to you if that then puts them into a better position for you.
 
curious idea with the mirror, thx.

I guess I'll reset the Maint

remaining issues is this clutch issue. what to do...
 
Here is how much i cut off and what the difference looks like on the bike. This only a temporary thing for me until i find what bars ill use and then pick some mirrors from there. Its free though and looks better than standard.
Re your clutch problem....have you adjusted the cable at the lever? You should only have a small amount of movement at the clutch lever before you see cable movement at the gearbox end. I had your symptoms within the first week or so of owning my bike from new. Quick adjustment and all fine.
IMG 7372 IMG 7375
 
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I've used mirror extenders on most of my last few bikes, but find the new V7 III mirrors are just fine.
 
I have mirror extenders on my stone and I moved the mirrors so they butt up as close as possible against the grips.

both mods work well for me.
 
Clutch - will try a basic adjustment.

Mirrors - would like to put cafe racer bars on my bike, which will change the mirror choice too. Perhaps bars first, but which ones.

Maint - going to just reset, not sure if it's wise, but at least I have oil in the engine and air in the tires, and it seems to run nicely.
 
Update

Clutch - Tightened. Left 2mm at widest point = furthest from the bars. No more finding-N problems. Changing gears is smooth now, even when stopped. Big thanks there.

Mirrors - Took off, and apart, tried many combos. Looks like adapters alone will hit tank. Will need to find smaller/shorter adapters, go bar end, or change my bars completely. I'd like to go with cafe drops, and was thinking just flip mine over. Perhaps after that, there will be a way to make the current mirrors work.

Anyone flipped their bars upside down? Care to comment.

BTW, I'm going to donate for the help in this chat right now.
 
Update

Clutch - Tightened. Left 2mm at widest point = furthest from the bars. No more finding-N problems. Changing gears is smooth now, even when stopped. Big thanks there.

Mirrors - Took off, and apart, tried many combos. Looks like adapters alone will hit tank. Will need to find smaller/shorter adapters, go bar end, or change my bars completely. I'd like to go with cafe drops, and was thinking just flip mine over. Perhaps after that, there will be a way to make the current mirrors work.

Anyone flipped their bars upside down? Care to comment.

BTW, I'm going to donate for the help in this chat right now.

Good that your shifting is better now with the clutch adjustment...this is probably one of the biggest complain/miss I have see (researched) with this bike...

as for the upside down bar, I have no tried myself, but just by looking at it with the bar fully cranked, I would suspect the bar to hit the tank...unless someone actually did it, I would caution against it.
 
Just happened to go back & read your original post & saw this:
"I ride it to work and home each day (about 2 months now.) Total 30 miles round trip".

Just be aware that riding a Guzzi for 15 miles then shutting it off may break the oil down faster.
The engine does not get hot enough to burn off the moisture & that will degrade the oil.

Be on the watch for any kind of a cream colored goo on the dipstick or around the air filter box especially after a fast ride.
If you see the goo you have moisture in the crankcase & oil & it needs to be changed.

By the way: I'm happy that you are putting hands on to solve the issues, these machines like an intimate relationship with their owners.
 
Hi Trout, very interesting. I'll keep an eye out. I do know this bike has the sump extender, and I did have to add nearly another liter to fill it up. I've been checking it regularly, and still looks clean and full - no goo. ;)

Does riding it hard, like somewhat aggressive acceleration, downshifting, then rev'ing up again, from the light to light, and generally going at or a little more then the speed of traffic, which is 40-50 on most of the streets make a difference? Oh, and do RPMs make a diff. I often feel like I should be in 5th, but perhaps I should stay in 4th, and keep the revs up.
 
Fellow 2013 owner, had it since new.

1. Adjust clutch, probably no big deal.
2. Reset it. Means almost nothing. It's just a mileage based reminder and to add insult to injury the morons at the factory didn't reprogram the dash for the new longer interval. Anyway, service your bike by time and mileage and ignore the maintenance light.
3. Mirrors are a personal thing. I went with the OEM mirrors used on a bunch of Piaggio and other brands. Look for Breva1200 Sport mirrors or the equivalent if you want to keep stock bars. But yes, if you're changing bars do that first and reassess.

As for riding 15 miles and shutting down that's fine when the ambient is hot, perhaps a concern if it's closer to freezing.

Sump extender is awesome and gives me warm and fuzzies.

Ride safe!
 
It's hot. Seems rarely under 100F here. And, hotter in the garage. And really hot on the bike. Gotta keep moving.

Might try flipping my bars this weekend. Then if goes well, some easy rides, slow for awhile.

The one nagging thing for me is I don't know it's true history. Certainly don't know last service. Do know oil and filter are good, air in tires, clutch adjusted, runs nice, and smooth. Doesn't like to start on first try when warm, generally 3rd or 4th. When cold, starts right up. Seems backward.

The nagging thing is I feel I should take it to someone for a baseline service, then start counting from there. But, it's running so well, I'm hesitant because I want to learn how to do the maintenance over time.
 
Well duh, you should conduct or have done a baseline...

It should start without any issue.

It may stall if it doesn't warm up, but it should start.
 
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would you pay $750 for a baseline service? I'm not worried about the amount, more the value. (Will call around too.) If I can do it all myself, I'd rather. But, I don't know what I don't know. My trend at the moment, is ask question, learn something, donate to site. So far so good. Perhaps I can learn it all for $750, that way. Perhaps I'm nuts.

oh, never stalls by the way. And once started, idles at ~1200 RPMs.
 
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would you pay $750 for a baseline service? I'm not worried about the amount, more the value. (Will call around too.) If I can do it all myself, I'd rather. But, I don't know what I don't know. My trend at the moment, is ask question, learn something, donate to site. So far so good. Perhaps I can learn it all for $750, that way. Perhaps I'm nuts.

oh, never stalls by the way. And once started, idles at ~1200 RPMs.

Not just no, but hell no. Of course other people don't normally service my bikes so there's that, but even if they did a typical service shouldn't be that much.

Also on the hard starting, fwiw mine stumbles/stalls more when it's warm out than cold. I think it might have to do with the poor contact the temp sensor makes with the head. But it literally fires up right away and then starts to stumble a few seconds later.
 
Hi Trout, very interesting. I'll keep an eye out. I do know this bike has the sump extender, and I did have to add nearly another liter to fill it up. I've been checking it regularly, and still looks clean and full - no goo. ;)

Does riding it hard, like somewhat aggressive acceleration, downshifting, then rev'ing up again, from the light to light, and generally going at or a little more then the speed of traffic, which is 40-50 on most of the streets make a difference? Oh, and do RPMs make a diff. I often feel like I should be in 5th, but perhaps I should stay in 4th, and keep the revs up.

Guzzi's are the bad girl friend they like to be ridden hard.
I have always leaned towards a lower gear & higher rev's.
I like to keep the bike so the power band is "close to hand".

One reason for this is that many times twisting the throttle instead of hitting brakes has gotten me out of some bad situations.
If you are riding close to the power band then reaction time & results come quicker.

I am constantly aware of traffic around me, front, sides and behind.
I look past the car in front of me & try to see two to three vehicles ahead.
I am also checking on coming traffic, I have moved over into incoming lanes more than once to avoid being side slammed.

Many times when I tell folks this is how I ride I'll get the response(s):
You're riding in fear. How can you enjoy riding doing that much thinking. You're paranoid etc.....
If you practice awareness it becomes second nature, you don't think about it you just do it, similar to martial arts.
 
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