Author Topic: First work trip on the Norge, San Diego bound (Read 5647 times)

ratguzzi · « **on:** May 10, 2018, 05:44:20 PM »

I bought a decent Norge from a friend in Florida and did a fly and ride home. Got the bike set up with risers from AF1, Mistral muffler and booster wire from MG Cycle, etc. Runs out great. I left Monday morning and burned it 820 miles to Texarkana and the risers really took the body load off my wrists. Tuesday, I rode to Corpus Christi to the Army Depot to finish up loose ends on a previously installed heat treating furnace. I finished earlier today and rode to Del Rio, TX. Getting hot! Tomorrow I plan to US90 it to El Paso. Then somewhere in Arizona Saturday and then my hotel for 6 weeks in San Diego.
I will be due for tires before I return home. I will be wanting Michelin Road Pilot 3s. Not sure if a good local source in San Diego or I may buy them online and ship them to Moto Guzzi Classics and ride up on a Saturday to mount them and BS with Mr Etheridge.
A bit easier to roll on miles on this than a few of my other bikes!
The bike does send a lot of heat to the legs, though.
JB

Kiwi_Roy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2018, 06:11:40 PM »

Ratguzzi, living the dream.

bad Chad · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2018, 06:17:31 PM »

What a posser. Get a real bike, like a sweet Hyabussa with an extended swing arm , then I could take you seriously.

guzzisteve · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:03:38 PM »

What the hell is a Booster wire?

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:03:38 PM »

bad Chad · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:09:42 PM »

Yea booster, what is that, a turbo?

ratguzzi · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:11:18 PM »

Quote from: guzzisteve on May 10, 2018, 07:03:38 PM

What the hell is a Booster wire?

It goes in line with the temp sensor in the airbox to tell lies to the computer. Mistral makes it to work with the muffler. Bike runs clean and pulls 6th gear from 50 mph.

Guzzidad · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:20:39 PM »

This is just my opinion. I ran a set of Michelin PR4's on my 12 Norge and got 13,000 miles out of them. But i hated them from day one. And, I usually like Michelins. I have them on my EV and like them fine. Now I have Pirelli Angel GTs on my Norge. Totally transformed the bike. I actually considered selling the Norge with Michelins. Now it's a keeper. Might not get the same mileage out of the Angels but the handling is worth it. BTW, I get no heat from the engine, even here in FL. I realize your engine is different from mine. I know your bike, have actually ridden it a short distance.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:26:16 PM »

I really liked the Angels on the Norge, too.. but as usual, 6K miles was about it.

Rebochi · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:35:43 PM »

What sort of lies does the booster wire say?

kingoffleece · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:51:18 PM »

Agree on the Angle GT's. 6K but great feel.
My Norge (14) is also hot on the legs. So much so I don't ride it in dead of summer. Just too hot.

ratguzzi · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2018, 07:57:17 PM »

Quote from: Rebochi on May 10, 2018, 07:35:43 PM

What sort of lies does the booster wire say?

Just richens things a tad

kingoffleece · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2018, 08:09:50 PM »

.................he re it comes.............. .hang on

ratguzzi · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2018, 08:21:01 PM »

Quote from: Guzzidad on May 10, 2018, 07:20:39 PM

This is just my opinion. I ran a set of Michelin PR4's on my 12 Norge and got 13,000 miles out of them. But i hated them from day one. And, I usually like Michelins. I have them on my EV and like them fine. Now I have Pirelli Angel GTs on my Norge. Totally transformed the bike. I actually considered selling the Norge with Michelins. Now it's a keeper. Might not get the same mileage out of the Angels but the handling is worth it. BTW, I get no heat from the engine, even here in FL. I realize your engine is different from mine. I know your bike, have actually ridden it a short distance.

Very cool! If I want to have fun in the twisties, I will ride my 2002 EV powered 75 850 T. This Norge is a top heavy slug which I can still ride hard but it is more work than pleasure. That said, I want tires that last. This bike is for work travel at 55 cents per mile. The tires on it have almost 10k now and are still decent. I want the same things as with them I can still grind down the center stand in the twisties even with the rubber grommet trimmed down.
JB

kingoffleece · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2018, 08:46:17 PM »

I've seen a few of those New England boys ride that "slug" past, around, and away from all kinds of sport bikes.
I refuse to ride that hard on the street but a Norge in the proper hands needs offer no apology. YMM, as well as safety, V.

kingoffleece · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2018, 08:48:23 PM »

But I do wish it wasn't so hot on the lower legs and feet. For the life of me I can't get how other owners don't feel it. Must be me.

Kent in Upstate NY · « **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2018, 09:13:32 PM »

Load up on fish tacos. Heck, load up on any Mexican food in San Diego. That is the one thing I miss about living there.

Gliderjohn · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2018, 09:20:05 PM »

Agree the Angels are worth the lack of tread life. It is what the 8Vs anyway came with from the factory and guessing what Guzzi set the bike to. The big girl will dance well in fairly tight twistys with those tires if you do your part.
GliderJohn

chuck peterson · « **Reply #17 on:** May 11, 2018, 05:19:35 AM »

I don't know....have you drilled holes in the screen yet? Lots of little ones...some crazy guy on a guzzi site tried it once and it seemed to solve a problem like that...

Alternatively some j b weld? Might work for the first 100k this year...

Just what motorcycle God have you pleased to get this job anyway? I need to go see them...

Scott of the Sahara · « **Reply #18 on:** May 11, 2018, 08:00:46 AM »

The Heat on the lower part of the Norge works well in the winter to keep me warm. I keep my legs close to the fairing.
In the summer I ride with my knees about 3" away from the fairing and my body doesn't overheat.

kingoffleece · « **Reply #19 on:** May 11, 2018, 09:11:00 AM »

Yep. tried that. it must be me. Wouldn't be the first time............... ..

bad Chad · « **Reply #20 on:** May 11, 2018, 10:10:36 AM »

Angels were updated a year or so back, to a duel compound, claimed to offer significantly longer life. I am running them now but to early to say for me.

kingoffleece · « **Reply #21 on:** May 11, 2018, 10:55:14 AM »

I had them. 6K at best. Got them again now.

not-fishing · « **Reply #22 on:** May 11, 2018, 12:26:46 PM »

6 Weeks in San Diego? Geeze I get bored in anything over a week.

BUTT (always the big butt) I would visit Point Loma Seafoods http://pointlomaseafoods.com/assets/plsf_menu_pdf.pdf

A working man's seafood market.

Old memories of the Dad, Granddad, Uncles and brothers fishing 180 miles off coast in Ol' Mexican waters for Tuna and Marlin.

ITSec · « **Reply #23 on:** May 11, 2018, 12:59:40 PM »

I'll have to disagree on tires with some of the earlier posts.

Whether using Angels or PRs, the GT series is the way to go - the rear is designed for the heavier load of a large sport touring bike. My Norge did over 50,000 miles on Angel STs and then (when they became available) the Angel GTs. The GTs were an improvement, life on the GTs was about 30% better at 10,000 miles. I then switched to the PR4 GTs when they came out and started getting good reviews - and I've never looked back. I get about 13,000 from a set, though it becomes very clear in the last 1000-1500 that the best of the tire has been left on the road. The Michelins fall into a turn better (for my taste), and handle better overall, especially in the rain. BTW, the PR4 is a very big improvement over the PR3 (which are too old to use now based on manufacturing date even if you found some). The PR5s are claimed to be better still, but I'm waiting for the real world reports. At this point I have over 75,000 miles on PR4 GTs (total miles on the Norge about 135,000).

However, the best tire is the one that makes you feel confident on the bike - no matter what brand or model.

radguzzi · « **Reply #24 on:** May 11, 2018, 01:19:44 PM »

JB,
l can recommend Clairemont Cycle Shop over in the Clairemont Mesa area. Great folks, I bought tires from them twice while working there in San Diego.
On one tire change over, they allowed me to pull the V11 into the shop and pull the wheel for them to change it, again, great shop.

Have fun out there. Where are you staying...?

Rob

https://www.clairemontcyclesupply.com/index.htm?&referrer=https%253a%252f%252fwww.google.com%252f

radguzzi · « **Reply #25 on:** May 11, 2018, 01:33:55 PM »

And when you get new, scrubbed in sneakers on, try out Eastern San Diego County roads... Wow. Ortega Highway coming down from Lake Elsinore is cool but a slog up 215 to get there. Mount Palomar and Lake Henshaw rides are awesome. Envious Old Man, have a blast.

antmanbee · « **Reply #26 on:** May 11, 2018, 04:58:54 PM »

See if you can hook up with a couple of the San Diego area members and have them show you a few of their favorite rides.
I lived there for about 12 years and there are some really fantastic roads. Go about 20 miles east from the coast and the fun begins.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #27 on:** May 11, 2018, 06:35:55 PM »

Scud would be your man on the scene..

ratguzzi · « **Reply #28 on:** May 11, 2018, 07:09:54 PM »

Great stuff from everyone, thanks! Especially about food! I am in El Paso today and have a route planned for tomorrow but nothing too spectacular. I have ridden a few of the suggested routes from trips in the past. I am working at the Navy base on Coronado so I have a Quality Inn booked that's near by.
JB

jdgretz · « **Reply #29 on:** May 11, 2018, 07:53:35 PM »

I'm also running the Angle GTs - moved to them from the Dunlop Roadsmarts in 2015, and now have around 30,000 miles with them. Getting about 12-13K per set.

Never tried any Michelin tires on the bike. I liked the RoadSmarts, but they had a much shorter tire life until the latest version, but I didn't like the feel of them.

I've never felt the Norge was that hot - but when riding in 100+ temps, what comes off the engine does not make that much difference.

jdg

News:

Author Topic: First work trip on the Norge, San Diego bound (Read 5647 times)

Wildguzzi.com