Author Topic: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?  (Read 9458 times)

Offline not-fishing

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Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« on: February 04, 2016, 02:33:57 PM »
A question on Norcalguzzisti got me thinking.

What's the longest one way drive people have made to pick up a new, to them, Guzzi?

What's the longest Fly-N-Ride?

What's the oldest Guzzi that you might have Flown-n-rode home?

For me it's a little less than 500 miles one way for my G11.  I'm hoping on improving that to 800+ miles one way for another Guzzi.  I haven't done a Fly-n-Ride.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2016, 02:34:23 PM by not-fishing »
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Offline Matteo

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2016, 02:48:23 PM »
May 07, 2400 miles Seattle - Anchorage. Add 600 through Oregon for break in on 07 Norge.
66 Stornello Scrambler,77 Lemans,80 CX100,16 V7II,21 V85TT Centenario
Gone to new homes: 84 LM3, 82 1000SP, 00 V11Sport, 84 V50III, 84V65, 00 Jackal, 07 Norge

Offline rocker59

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2016, 02:53:13 PM »

Driven:

650 miles to Chicagoland, for a California Bassa.

630 miles to Indianapolis area, for a LeMans 1000.

350 miles to Lindale Texas, for a Quota 1100ES.

330 miles to Farmers Branch Texas, for a V7 Special.

120 miles to Tulsa, for a V7 Classic.


My record, though, is driving to Lima Ohio for a Ducati E900 Elefant.  Just under 800 miles distant.
Michael T.
Aux Arcs de Akansea
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"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt

Offline Demar

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2016, 02:59:19 PM »
Fly-N-Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to pick up my 2012 Stelvio from Pro Italia. I had a 4-day mc trip already planned so I did about 750 miles by the time I got home. I had never ridden a MG before picking up the Stelvio.
I'd much rather ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2016, 02:59:19 PM »

Offline BMWDavid

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2016, 03:34:17 PM »
Vincennes Indiana to Acworth Georgia and back. 850 mile round trip all in one day to pickup my '03 V11 LeMans. Me and a friend took his pickup truck and towed an enclosed M/C trailer. That was a long day.
2002 Moto Guzzi V11 LeMans
2003 Moto Guzzi V11 LeMans
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Offline malik

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2016, 03:39:46 PM »
Only 2,745 miles fly n ride to Tassie to buy the V7 Special, then up to the Sunshine Coast for a funeral. Not in one day. Fly n Ride is highly recommended.
2010 V7 Classic, 2014 V7 Special
1996 1100 Sport Carb (in NZ), 2004 V11 LeMans (in UK)
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Offline Cool Runnings

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2016, 04:19:02 PM »
15 Miles for the Norge.  :boozing:

Offline Kiwi Dave

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2016, 04:23:07 PM »
Auckland to Los Angeles for a California 1400 (twice), and also for a 1100 Breva (once).  6500 miles (one way) each time.

Offline Guzzistajohn

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2016, 04:29:37 PM »
180 miles to Harper's no biggie. I did ship a Scura from Missouri to New Joisey does that count?
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Offline alanp

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2016, 04:38:21 PM »
I have done a bunch of fly and rides, all of them on the order on 1000 miles one way, ending around Denver:

LA to pick-up a new 2003 California Special
Rochester, MN for a 2002 California Special
Seattle to pick up a new 2007 Griso
Wilmar, MN for a 2002 V11 Lemans
Dallas for a 1998 Trophy Trophy

Why so many?  It is the most fun way to buy a bike IMO.  I love these trips, and probably wouldn't have purchased some of these bikes if they had been local - what's the fun in that?   :grin:
The only issue I had on any of these rides was with the brand new 2003 California.  The speedo stopped working and I had to drive back to the dealer to have them reconnect the cable. 
Niwot, Colorado
'08 1200 Sport - Black
'16 V7II Stone - Black
Previous Guzzis
'07 Griso, '07 Norge, '03 California SS, '02 California SS, '02 V11 Lemans,  '83 Lemans III, '77 Lemans

Offline inditx

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2016, 05:09:07 PM »
650 Miles KC to KY.
Brea 750
Nice “little” bike but didn’t keep it long

inditx
inditx

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Offline Kiwi_Roy

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2016, 05:50:53 PM »
1900 Miles to pick up my EV, of course I had the added inducement of Rockers Ouray Not a Rally.
Fly and Ride, the only way to meet a new Guzzi, she knows you are committed (or should be)
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Offline Aaron D.

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #12 on: February 04, 2016, 05:53:13 PM »
Fly&ride is the best way to get a Guzzi. We did that with her Jackal, from Raleigh to our humble home in Massachusetts.

Offline dsrdave

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2016, 06:10:04 PM »
1200 miles each way last sept. To p/u the centauro...
2-850T, 2-1000 convert/hacked, V11 sport, V50, centauro, '97 sport 1100, '71 V7 ambo, '76 850 Lemans,CX100,"83 LM III,1000SE, '91 LM V, '07 Griso, '53 super alce,moto parilla, zigolo, Lodola 175, Lodola 235,  '07 norge, '67 stornello, 57galletto, Nuovo Falcone, stornello ISDT, 52 Airone sport

Offline travelingbyguzzi

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #14 on: February 04, 2016, 06:27:24 PM »
In 2000, Gail and I flew to Arkansas and rode back a '73 Eldorado. It was not without incident, tho.
Kerl Werth rode back to Seattle with us. Between the two of us and some cell phone conversations with more knowlegable people, we made without needing a truck or trailer.
In 2005, we rode the same Eldo to the National in West Virginia.
Round trip ftom Seattle. No worries.
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Offline fotoguzzi

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2016, 07:29:28 PM »
Mpls to Fargo ND 235 miles

 

but once I drove thru a sleetstorm end to end on a 36 hour down to Texas and back for an eldorado.. looking for the pics.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Offline radguzzi

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2016, 07:53:49 PM »

I did a Fly and Ride from Chula Vista, CA to Phoenix, AZ to pick up the Stelvio.  An hour and eighteen minute flight over and a little over four hundred miles riding back the next day...  :)

Stroudsburg, PA to pick up the Quota, 428 miles each way...

Livonia, NY to pick up an EV...  549 miles each way...

Current:
2004 EV Touring
'99 EV Hack
'76 V1000 'Vert
'80 SP 1000
2013 Harley FLHTC
'75 Triumph T160 Trident
'78 Triumph T140V Bonneville
'78 Yamaha XS 650
'88 Honda Hawk GT
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Offline NorthRider

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2016, 07:54:03 PM »
914 miles round trip to the great state of Wiscinsin to get an 850 GT. (Really it's more of an EldoVert GT5! Lol)
2013 Suzuki TU250X
2009 Buell Ulysses XT
2009 Kawasaki Super Sherpa
2008 Honda Goldwing
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"What is that"?
  "It is a Italian Enigmatic Poly-cylinder dual sport".
"Huh"?
  "A Moto Guzzi Quota".
"What"?

Offline El Pescador

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2016, 09:00:28 PM »
Spring TX to Murfreesboro, TN for a flynride. California Touring.
Fair winds and following seas

Offline willowstreetguzziguy

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2016, 09:09:18 PM »
Took a terrible bus ride 1,400 miles to Tulsa, OK in November 2013. Looked at a beautiful black 1200 Sport, test rode it, bought it and rode it 2 1/2 days back home in 40 & 50 degree weather.
2008 Guzzi 1200 Sport 
1993 BMW K75S Pearl White (sold)
"Going somewhere isn't why you ride, riding is why you go!"    Moto Guzzi... because the only person I have to impress is me.

Offline EldoMike

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2016, 09:17:40 PM »
Years ago drove to Idaho from Tennessee to pick up a VW powered Loopframe...

Offline JoeW

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2016, 09:21:51 PM »
Several years ago I flew to Gainesville Fl from Chicago, and rented a truck. I bought a T and T3 and a pile of used parts, in Gainesville. Stopped in Athens GA and picked up a T and then stopped outside of Atlanta to get an 03 Stone, 2200 miles round trip. Then last March I drove Delaware to pick up 2 V7 Sports, 1700 miles round trip.
Joe Walano

Offline LowRyter

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2016, 09:37:09 PM »
OKC to Omaha for the EV

OKC to Indy for the Sport
John L 
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Offline welshrob

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #23 on: February 05, 2016, 01:13:17 AM »
I`ve only ever owned one Guzzi, my current V7. when I discovered it online, it was located 550km away in Munduberra which is duelling banjo country. I had a fair bit of dialogue with the owner and the bike was exactly what I wanted and the price was right but the only thing that stopped me pulling the trigger was the distance. There are no high speed multi lane highways to get there either, just shitty, badly surfaced single lane country roads. I was planning to go up in my ute and throw it in the back but the distance was putting me off.

In the end the owner, a one time member on here, suggested picking me up in his Cessna and flying me up to Munduberra and I would ride the bike back. So that is exactly what happened. A few days later, a 40 year old Cessna turned up at my local flying club and I got into it with a bloke I`d never met, to fly to hillbilly country in extremely bad weather to pick up a bike I`d never seen!

I got a good vibe from him when we chatted, I trusted my intuition and it turned out OK. He was a very experienced pest spray pilot, top bloke and the bike was perfect, just as described!

This was hitting thick cloud just after take off. We climbed to over 10,000ft to try and get above it and had to get the oxygen out. I am NOT a fan of light planes!



Just about to get on my new Guzzi and ride 550km! It was fine up there so the first 150km was a nice ride. Until the torrential rain started!

« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 07:59:58 AM by welshrob »

Offline malik

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #24 on: February 05, 2016, 01:40:41 AM »
That's the proper way to fly n ride, Rob, you really know you're flying - well done!
2010 V7 Classic, 2014 V7 Special
1996 1100 Sport Carb (in NZ), 2004 V11 LeMans (in UK)
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Offline Ighani

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #25 on: February 05, 2016, 06:08:21 AM »
1500 miles...Dallas to Philly on a Centauro.

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #26 on: February 05, 2016, 06:46:29 AM »
My 12 year old son and I flew down to Melbourne from our place near Sydney and rode the long way home on the EV. About 750 miles. We got home on Christmas eve. Good Christmas present :laugh:

Offline swordds

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #27 on: February 05, 2016, 07:20:44 AM »
When you do a Fly-N-Ride to pick up a new bike do you just ignore the break in and the first 1,000km service?
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Offline charlie b

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #28 on: February 05, 2016, 07:29:48 AM »
Just a suggestion.

If you haven't ridden longer distances before then plan on making the trip back in 2 or 3 days.  Little things like a seat that isn't right, pegs/bars wrong, etc can make a longer ride a bit of a chore.

If it's a new bike, I would plan on the first day or two just a ride in the local area to get the miles for a first service.  That way the dealer can also look the bike over again and fix anything that you find.
1984 850 T5 (sold)
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Offline rocker59

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Re: Traveling to pick up a Guzzi - longest trip made?
« Reply #29 on: February 05, 2016, 09:45:43 AM »
When you do a Fly-N-Ride to pick up a new bike do you just ignore the break in and the first 1,000km service?

A lot of guys will fly in, pick up the bike, ride around for a couple days, get the bike serviced, then ride home.

One day, I'd like to do a fly-and-ride out of Moto International in Seattle, and that's what I'd do.

Fly in, spend a couple days riding around Washington, have the bike serviced, then get started on the 2100 mile ride home...
Michael T.
Aux Arcs de Akansea
2004 California EV Touring II
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt

 

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