Recent Posts

1

General Discussion / CF Moto - Piaggio

« Last post by TN Mark on Today at 02:41:18 PM »

Last week when I was in FL, I saw aMoto Guzzi dealer with interesting signage.

A large square CF Moto sign with much smaller Moto Guzzi and Aprilia signs on either side of the CF Moto sign.

Is there any collaboration between CF Moto and Piaggio? Did CF Moto invest in Piaggio? With the less than impressive state of Moto Guzzi sales, where’s the money coming from to completely upgrade the Moto Guzzi facts in Mandelo de Lario?

But the time I got to the FL dealer they were closed. The Atlanta dealer was really a Royal Enfield dealer with Vespa and a couple of Moto Guzzis.

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General Discussion / Re: New Royal Enfield Bear

« Last post by guzzisteve on Today at 01:58:42 PM »

Drop in a 900 Kit w/cam & will blow those Chinese V85's down the road. Flat track pipes too. Comes from WI, what's not to like!!

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General Discussion / Re: The State of the Undervalued, Used Moto Guzzi Market...

« Last post by Kev m on Today at 01:48:44 PM »

That's pretty much why I've stayed away from Ducati's. Three of my riding/touring buddies used to own ST3's. They loved everything about them except for the maintenance costs.

Ed Milich of Guzzi Power/DucPower, always seems to have Monster 620's up for sale on CL and FB in the $3k range. Getting a Monster would really be just to "scratch that itch". I did that a couple years ago when I was Airhead curious. I found a 1983 BMW R65 in TN. The previous owner took it to Rick Jones of Motorrrad Elektrik in AL for me to make sure it was road worthy. As much as I enjoyed the 1200 mile ride back home, I knew the R65 was not for me. So five months later I sold it to a friend and got my V50 II as part of that deal.

I'm fortunate that I get the opportunity to try out different bikes. I don't consider buying a motorcycle to be an investment or a life long commitment, just having fun exploring what various bikes are about.

Ok, so arguing the other side - Milich has a great reputation and if he says the belts and shims are good you could go quite some time on them....

We little just got back from Jenn's first ride of the year on her beloved 696 and she's as happy as ever so there's that.

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General Discussion / Re: The State of the Undervalued, Used Moto Guzzi Market...

« Last post by Kev m on Today at 01:44:51 PM »

Why is the same sort of pressure not on other brands? Every manufacturer states service intervals and specifies what is to be competed at these intervals. If an owner chooses to stretch, omit or neglect services that does not make them go away.

Because:

* Any monkey can change oil
* Many monkeys can even inspect valves (and change shims)
* Though it seems just monkeys just ignore shim and bucket valves on JAPanInc brand bikes and the major US brands mostly DO NOT HAVE ANY valve adjustments.
* And just about no OTHER monkeys have desmo valves, never mind TIMING BELTS that are supposed to be changed as frequently as every other year
* You can cross entire states in the US and not find an independent shop to do those things on a Ducati.

So with the possible exception of BMW owners paying dealer ask on the most recent model maintenance, MOST MONKEYS aren't going to have to spend 1/3 of the cost of their bikes on routine maintenance.

That's what makes a Desmo Ducati an outlier among outliers.

Jeezz why was that concept so hard to understand?

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General Discussion / Re: The State of the Undervalued, Used Moto Guzzi Market...

« Last post by vxn750 on Today at 01:22:52 PM »

*WARNING*

Monster 620 (or any used Ducati Desmo with some miles).

Unless you're happy replacing timing belts (and tightening them until they produce the right sound on a decimeter) and checking/swapping desmo valve shims, then a used Ducati might not be as cheap as it seems.

*WARNING*

Meaning even if you buy a 620 for $3k you can easily double the price if you pay a dealer to perform that service, which is most likely why the bike is only $3k in the first place, the owner is selling it without doing that.

That's pretty much why I've stayed away from Ducati's. Three of my riding/touring buddies used to own ST3's. They loved everything about them except for the maintenance costs.

Ed Milich of Guzzi Power/DucPower, always seems to have Monster 620's up for sale on CL and FB in the $3k range. Getting a Monster would really be just to "scratch that itch". I did that a couple years ago when I was Airhead curious. I found a 1983 BMW R65 in TN. The previous owner took it to Rick Jones of Motorrrad Elektrik in AL for me to make sure it was road worthy. As much as I enjoyed the 1200 mile ride back home, I knew the R65 was not for me. So five months later I sold it to a friend and got my V50 II as part of that deal.

I'm fortunate that I get the opportunity to try out different bikes. I don't consider buying a motorcycle to be an investment or a life long commitment, just having fun exploring what various bikes are about.

6

General Discussion / Re: Michelin Road Classic tires

« Last post by rocker59 on Today at 12:47:05 PM »

Michelin Road Classics performed well on the '04 California EVT I owned for a few years.

The Triumph Bonneville guys also seem to like them.

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General Discussion / Re: Michelin Road Classic tires

« Last post by kingoffleece on Today at 12:07:26 PM »

I have them on my Jackal.  Excellent tire.

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General Discussion / Re: 2009 V7 Classic – right cylinder knocking / lower compression

« Last post by MattP on Today at 11:57:22 AM »

oh sorry the oil in the intake port and  all over the valve is confusing you ok? so much oil in the combustion chamber carboned up valve to the point of leaking the oil contaminated compreshin charge by the intake valve. ok ?

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General Discussion / Re: 2009 V7 Classic – right cylinder knocking / lower compression

« Last post by MattP on Today at 11:39:37 AM »

looks to me oil  l
coming from scored bore piston and or rings ,pull cilender have o look nothing in the photos of head stuff would cause  knock . ristpin bush piston slap deteation from oil ect. look at piston in your photo no carbon on  out side of piston top. black oil rite from blowby , you are there pull the clinder then you will know , piston bore isue and or wrist pin bush  or rod  big end. two min.s to check.    Or  put it back to gether and start all over . you are there  do it

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General Discussion / Re: Michelin Road Classic tires

« Last post by mr_pacman on Today at 11:34:46 AM »

I put the Road Classic's on my 2014 V7 to replace the sport demons. The Road Classics seem great with 1 season of riding on them. I agree, it's getting tough to find good tires these days.