Hi All Like some on this thread, I have been riding for about forty years and have had numerous bikes, recently parting with an FJR1300A. During the years I have owned a 850 Mark 111 Le Mans and a V11 Scura, both bikes like all Guzzi's having a unique character and soul to them. I am looking to buy a Cruiser / Touring in the near future at this stage looking at a Harley Road King or The Califorina 1400 Touring, if you can give me a centre stand, 25 litre tank and Italian red paint, I'd pull the trigger on the Cali now. Having recently done a 9 day tour of Vietnam with the better half on the back of a 150cc Lifan Cruiser the wife would like something more comfortable at home, so I'm looking at the Road King or California 1400 Cheers Auldy
The only problem with Guzzis is you can never own just one. Ask any Guzzi owner. I'm already hunting down an EV11.
Ubelievely beutiful bike Honda should make a copy of this bike and remove some of it's farkle and it would turn into a damn good bike!
Honda couldn't make a Harley, so what makes you think they could produce something so unbelievably un-complex as a Moto Guzzi. I fear the day Moto Guzzi tries to produce a Honda. Oh yeah, it IS a beautiful bike.
I don't want to turn this thread into bashing thread but I consider that honda was quite successful with cx series? Honda bought the patent of linked braking system from MG and implemented it into their products. Honda is very successful company since there is no company who are putting out as many bikes that honda does. Honda has at least twice implement parts of MG design into their product. Imagane a griso with no pulsing vibration, top modern engine with low fuel consumtion, without any hickups,great suply of dealer and parts and ABS, wouldn't that be something great? Honda is the one who can supply al this in one package. I think the griso is beutiful and the old cali vintage and the new one.
You really don't "get" Guzzi. But that's alright. Millions of Honda owners don't get Guzzi, either...
I agree about the bashing. I respect your opinion but most of the things you list about the Griso endear me to it. I've had plenty of Hondas over the years but few of them had much personality. I guess I'm a bit of a romantic but getting somewhere in style means more to me than getting there at all. Hell, I've been eyeballing a Ural Gear up lately. Must be something wrong with me.
Honda could never live with a bike that makes the Griso cool. They would Hondaize it and take out all the Griso. Some don't understand Guzzi...most of them have never spent any time with one.
Moto is the first part of the name in Moto Guzzi. They seem to hold close to their philosophy. Honda, with their multitude of products, makes their general philosophy to be something for everyone but it ends up being like a general anesthesia.
I own a 2013 Honda F6B. Honda was unable/unwilling to cure the low speed/cold stutter in the GL1800 engine in my bike. Not all F6's have the stutter/hesitation but mine does. Lost a rubber gasket/spacer that holds the oil check cover panel for the F6. Honda dealer had to special order it. I ended up buying 5, because I lost it multiple times and the dealer never stocked it. ABS not available on the F6B in the US and only on the upper end of the Gold Wing line. But ABS is available on the CBR250R ABS. ABS availability is marketing related not safety. Honda is not a wonder company that builds only wonderful bikes. Honda can kiss my big butt!! I really wish I had rode the MG California.
I've been riding since '52, up till now have never thrown a leg over a Guzzi. Saw a '98 EV11 for a good price, thought "why not". I've taken several extended rides on it so far, definitely a keeper.
The only cruiser, or cruiser-tour bike I 'd consider owning and riding is that Guzzi ^^ above. Maybe in time it'll happen but first, after owning a V50 Monza, I'd rather own a Griso, Centenuro (sp?) Norge, Breva 1100, V7 classic, '90 1000S, Daytona, early LeMans, 04 era LeMans, early 70's Ambassador, or a 1000SP. It seems I'd enjoy 90 percent of what Guzzi produces vs about 10 percent of what Honda makes.
I like that Guzzi is doing good things. I would like to own anothe one. But they make it difficult. The nearest dealer to me here in upstate New York is close to 8 hours away. I watched as dealers in the central part of the state opened and closed soon after. At one place the owner seemed to be in love with Guzzi. He actually rode one prior to obtaining the franchise. But he only made it about two years. I may have an work opportunity in Wyoming soon. So maybe the network will be better out there. I know I can order most things, and I can do much of the work myself. I am also aware of Wild Goose and Guzzi Tech. But every now and again, it would be nice to spend an hour or two, or even three. To arive at a Brick and mortar building. You know one with some beautiful Italian iron parked out front. Truthfully there are not many models I don't like. But I think at present the V-7 leads the pack. Folloew closely by the Norge or the Griso depending on the day. I was quite impressed with my Quota. That bike was ahead of its time. I took it to a BMW MOA Rally in Gillette Wyoming a few years back. And in that sea of Beemers the Quota always had a crowd around it when I returned to it. Notice the shape of the tent. The night before some really bad weather rolled through. Collapsing many tents and nlowing over many bikes. I had not arrived yet and was safely tucked in a hotel to the south pictured below. Guzzis can be prone to doing some stupid things. Like the oil filter inside the oil sump. It can spin off lose pressure and cook your engine. But in reality, it is a known, has been for a long time. And the fix is so simple it is ridiculous. Change your filter and tighten a stainless clamp around the outside of it so it can't spin off. Done! When you look objectively at the issues other manufactures have. Guzzi problems are pretty small by comparison. They ooze character, are decently simple to maintain, and a fun riding experience. I bought my Quota used, sight unseen from a guy in Denver. This is me getting ready to depart his house and head to the MOA Rally in Gillette, WY. Always a little nerve racking. Jumping on a bike you have never seen before. And heading off into parts unknown. Especially when the first thing you do is merge into rush hour traffic in Denver when you have no idea where you are going. But the Quota just took it all in stride. The bike ran flawlessly up through Colorado and into Gillette. The picture below next to the hotel was from the first night when severe thunder storms and tornados were touching down. I thought it wise to seek the shelter of a building. These guys who were returning to southern Colorado after a three week trip around Canada thought the same thing. Guzzi bikes make great travel companions. I find their relaxed, low drama personality to be a great fit for the road. If you want your bike to race from Café to Café. The Goose may not be your ideal bike. Or if you want to go out early Saturday mornings and drag race your buddies through the twisties you might find the Guzzi lacking. It will do either. But it may not be the best tool for the job. Now, however if you want to just take off and enjoy the day ahead. The Guzzi will make you happy. Want to go for a longer weekend. It will really shine there too. But where I feel the Guzzi comes into its own, is on the open road. The relaxed nature, of the engine, the steering geometry, the ergonomics, all conspire to have you just tooling along enjoying the ride. You will find yourself becoming part of the ride. Instead of just taking a ride. The visceral sound of the enging only adds to the experience. But is not so obnoxious as to annoy you after a few hundred miles in the saddle. After my time in Gillette, I headed up into Montana. The Quota effortlessly hauling me up and over the fabled Beartooth Pass and into Montana. I don't have many good pictures from the top. It was snowing rather hard, so I pressed on. That is the thing about Guzzi bikes. On paper, for those that live and die by specs sheets. The Guzzi will look weak almost everywhere. they will never own one, because on paper it just doesn't look that good. And in reality, that is probably a good thing. If your spec driven, the Goose, any Goose will most likely not make you happy. But these bikes are meant to be ridden, not read about. My trip over the Beartooth was a perfect example. On paper, the steering geometry may look somewhat slow. But pushing a fully loaded and still somewhat unfamiliar motorcycle over an 11,000 foot mountain pass covered with snow seems almost effortless. You will never gain that experience from a spec sheet. It comes from seat of the pants experience. And that in a nutshell is why Moto Guzzi riders are always smiling. After several wonderful days on the Quota traveling through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. It was time to think about heading east. I slabbed it some through the Dakotas. And into Minnesota. Some where around there it dawned on me I had never been the the U.P. of Michigan on a bike. So pulled out my map and devised a route through Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula. If you like paper maps, you might be a Guzzi Person. GPS is a wonderful thing. I have one and I use it. But more to tell me where I am, not where I am going. I like to pull off in some parking area or even a diner. Whip out the map, ask the locals, or a nice waitress. And see what looks interesting and then head in they direction. I hate set routes. I turn where the road looks interesting. And end up where I end up. Then I use the GPs to figure out where I am. And then repeat. The U.P. of Michigan is made for Moto Guzzis. The relaxed nature of both mesh very, very well. Whether it is meandering along the coast of Lake Superior. Or hustling down a road like the one below. The Guzzi will reward you like few other bikes. No Guzzi, at least non built to date, will ever compete with a GSXR, or an R1. If this is what you seek, you will be disappointed. But make no mistake, a Guzzi, any Guzzi, can be riden fast. Real world fast, not psycho-stupid fast. Pick your lines well and stay consistant and you will hustle the Goose down a twisty road fast enough to thrill most mortals. Here I will mention one caveat. I have seen this here and on other sights. This is where many folks say something like the Quota in the right hands will embarass most sport bike riders. Well I'm here to tell you. That I have heard this from GS riders, Sportster riders, and may other riders of many different bikes. And truthfully I have blown off my share of riders on Sport Bikes. But make no mistake, any rider, on any sport bike, worth his salt, will leave you for dead. Period! Example below. "Well I was out on my Ural Patrol side car rig when I came up on some squids on sport bikes., mostly Gixxers and and R1s. You should have seem the look on their faces when I zipped by on an inside corner flying the hack. A Ural Patrol in the right hands will embarass most sport bike riders." put the pipe down, now! My trip was not without the infamous Moto Guzzi Mechanical Disaster. While in The U.P. I stopped and got gas. As I was leaving the station, I clicked the shifter down into first gear. And off I went out into the road. When I went to grab second. I missed the shifter. So I tried again, missed again. I looked down and much to my dismay. There was no shift lever. I remember thinking, Crap, this is going to suck. I already had a plan to clamp, a set of small vice grips from my tool kit to the shaft and tape a stick to it and shift old style tank side. What a cool story right? Much to my disappointment when I found a place to pull over. The shift lever was still attached to the shift linkage. Slipped it back on the shaft. Tightened the pinch bolt and off we went. I did grab some lock-tite and put a few drops on it later in the day. This, in my simple mind, is what I feel the Guzzi experience is like. Not a sixty minute adrenaline filled blast down a back road hoping to avoid the law or a deer. But more like life itself. A journey, not a race. My Quota made me happy from the push of the button in the morning, to the turn of the key at night. All day long, day, after day, after day. Man I loved hearing that bike fire up in the mornings. I actually had a few Harley folks in Minnesota ask me to turn it off and start it again so they could hear it blast to life once more. Well hopefully Casper will have a Guzzi Dealer a little closer and I can be living these stories again. Instead of writing about them. I hope this helps you wanna be Guzzista, and reminds all you current Guzzi owners what makes them so special. I have missed mine from the day it left in a fit of downsizing insanity!
That was about as good a tribute to Guzzi as I've read. Anywhere. The number of internet posts asking/hoping/insinuating for a new Quota with the V7 engine now stands at: 156,672!