I used to work in more than a few Guzzi/BMW shops. My boss's used to have me tell the customers why I rode a Guzzi. It's like this " Do you want a 1/4 of a V8 or a 1/2 a Volkswagen" The Guzzi motor reacts to tuning exactly like a V8. It just makes sense for a gearhead to ride one.
The V8 correlation was a big part of my early transition into Moto Guzzi and it remains relevant. Bevel Ducatis require a certain unique set of skills, knowledge and tools. Japanese bikes have a range of their own “building a better mousetrap” specifics. Older HD are very simple but they’re not a V8 car platform. After years of doing cars, my V7 Sport required very little new thinking compared to other motorcycles. Since then, nothing has rivaled my Guzzi.
Now I just like them, at least the old round head bikes. Everything after that becomes increasingly foreign to me. Never got into the outlier “something no one else has” mindset that many tangent to the marque seem to enjoy & cultivate. Too many of those self-identified aficionados are happy to poo-poo on my imperfect bikes that should be brought up to their standards. Life is too short for that stuff.
An old Guzzi is a great machine.
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