The F1 was down all winter due to a stripped exhaust manifold port stud and needing a new clutch. I finally cleared enough space in the shop to remove the cylinder head and have Nichols Sportbike Services install a helicoil in the head and a new stud. While I was at it I checked the valve clearances in that head (they were perfect) and replaced the timing belts with the Kevlar impregnated, updated version, and a new clutch pack.

Yesterday the weather was glorious here in the Bay Area and I got to ride her for the first time in months and she was ever bit of the magnificent that I remember. I rode with a friend who owns a 916 and MV Augusta F1 so I let him take the 851, and we swapped back and forth. We both agree that the F1 is more fun to ride, and has a quality hard to pinpoint, but which is extremely compelling.

At Alice's I noticed something loose in the exhaust and when I got home and it had time to cool down was sad to discover that the internal baffle on her Verlicchi exhaust is loose. I suspect the welds have broken after years of use.

Is there a remedy for this? I haven't removed it yet, but it would seem that this sort of thing is hard to repair. Has anyone else experienced this situation?

Ciao!
-tj in los gatos