Author Topic: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road  (Read 7403 times)

Offline Lee Davis

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Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« on: June 15, 2017, 08:23:51 PM »
I live in New Mexico, just south of Albuquerque, and have lived in Virginia, Rhode Island and Hawaii. Been riding for 47 years now. But, I have never seen a Moto Guzzi out on the road. I have taken 6 long road trips (Alaska and Canada), but never saw one.  I know they are out there, but must be reasonably scarce in NM. That will change, I am sure, when I go to the Datil get-together in August (100 miles from me). Maybe I will no longer feel like a forlorn Guzzi rider. I personally have 8 of them right now... 6 are projects: 1970 +- Ambassadors and Eldorados, and a V9 and Stelvio. I look forward to the day when I can spot another out on the road... anxious to hear from other riders nearby, of course (and, by 'nearby', I mean within 600 or 800 miles)...
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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2017, 08:27:05 PM »
 Hmm , you own 8 MG's , no wonder we never see other MG's on the road  :laugh:

 Dusty

Offline Ncdan

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2017, 08:32:51 PM »
I just got back from the Myrtle beach rally and never saw another guzzi out of thousands of bikes. I did have several folks ask what the Calvin was and most were complementary of her. I could care less what the other ones thought either way;)

Offline vintagehoarder

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2017, 08:45:02 PM »
Was kind of the same around here, but we are finding each other. four of us showed up at our vintage bike night last night.  Four Guzzi's in one place a rarity! 

Going to the Virginia Rally next week hope to see a lot more.



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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2017, 08:45:02 PM »

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2017, 09:56:16 PM »
That's a damn shame, Lee

You meet some pretty odd birds flying aboard the Eagle of Mandello...  Hope you find some like minded old coots...  Sounds like you have the right idea to locate a few!
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Offline Unkept

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2017, 10:45:46 PM »
I was in London not too long ago, and I saw five Moto Guzzi's (mostly V7's, but I also saw a Breva 1100 and a Stelvio!)

When I lived in the states, I only saw a few Guzzi's except the ones at the rally's of course.

Mostly V7's in cities as well, but nothing like what I saw in London.

Germany has a fair share of them, I saw a beautiful early V700 ride through Garmisch a few weeks ago!

-Joe

Offline Turin

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2017, 11:49:11 PM »
Funny, I was in Taos for a weekend last year and saw a T-3 café out on the road.
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Offline tris

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2017, 04:13:47 AM »
This quote from the late Douglas Adams may help - just replace "people" with "Moto Guzzi"  :thumb:

“It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.”
― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe


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Offline guzziownr

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2017, 05:57:10 AM »
I went to Autozone last week to get touchup paint for the Eldo and there was a 2013 V7 parked in front.  The young owner was deep in conversation with a white haired gent who owned a 2002 Cali.

"Izzat a Greezo?"

"Yep"  :)
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Offline toaster404

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2017, 06:30:13 AM »
I suppose I've seen a relatively large number.  One at Newfound Gap in the Smokies.  A group of 4 at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort.  Hmmm.  That's it.  I've never passed one rolling.   Encouraging local big shop to pick them up.  Must say, the big California attracts lots of attention.

Offline Lannis

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2017, 06:33:03 AM »
I live in New Mexico, just south of Albuquerque, and have lived in Virginia, Rhode Island and Hawaii. Been riding for 47 years now. But, I have never seen a Moto Guzzi out on the road. I have taken 6 long road trips (Alaska and Canada), but never saw one.  I know they are out there, but must be reasonably scarce in NM. That will change, I am sure, when I go to the Datil get-together in August (100 miles from me). Maybe I will no longer feel like a forlorn Guzzi rider. I personally have 8 of them right now... 6 are projects: 1970 +- Ambassadors and Eldorados, and a V9 and Stelvio. I look forward to the day when I can spot another out on the road... anxious to hear from other riders nearby, of course (and, by 'nearby', I mean within 600 or 800 miles)...

Here in Virginia, I never see any "random" ones ... by that I mean Moto Guzzis just out on the road, not going to the same rally as me, and not someone I'm meeting for lunch.    There's no room for them ... the motorcycling space here is completely taken up by identical Sons of Anarchy wanna-bes, extended-swingarm Busas and Gixxers, and 50cc Deweys.

However, if you make as many monthly state breakfasts and lunches as you can, and go to a rally or two, your faith in the existence of Moto Guzzi will be restored!  You will no longer feel that you are all alone in the world .....

Lannis
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Offline Two Checks

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2017, 07:14:39 AM »
I thought about buying a HD to be different like everyone else who did so. Things really are different on a Guzzi.
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Offline blackcat

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2017, 07:22:06 AM »
I was sitting at a traffic light waiting for the light to change and a guy on a then new V11 Sport was attempting to rip his arm off waving at me from the opposite lane. It was funny.

The best one for me was seeing Mr.Hagen heading north from Atlanta and me heading south towards Atlanta on our newish red 2007 Norge's. I had never met Bill, but I new it had to be him and we simultaneously waved at each other.
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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2017, 08:11:17 AM »
I've seen a good number on the road in Madison, WI, over the years. Maybe five.

I also understand Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco have more than their share.

My conclusion is that Guzzies are preferred by the pinko Commies that tend to live in such places.

Moto

Offline Jake

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2017, 08:15:27 AM »
It's been rare in my travels to see another Goose, and less often do I see the vintage stuff like I ride.  Rarely see any here in Central Ohio.  Heard of a couple over NW of Columbus, but so far, just a rumor, lol.   Kind of a stealth brand, don't you think?
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Offline Dilliw

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2017, 08:22:31 AM »
Charlotte, NC has a swarm of them.  Went to the local bike night and met these two.  Decided to park right next to them :)


Actually the last time I went out to Carlsbad I saw a Breva on the road from El Paso.  They are out there!


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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2017, 11:45:19 AM »
Over the years, I've seen a few in the wild.  :smiley: Maybe 20 or so.. One time, I stopped for gas 2 miles from home and saw a Hot Dawg and Mustard EV. He was clueless what a HD&M was, and I've never seen him again.
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Offline Sheepdog

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #17 on: June 16, 2017, 12:08:31 PM »
When I lived in Albuquerque, I met a bunch of Guzzi riders, including a cool neighbor with a love of Italian bikes and a co-worker who introduced me to the Datil Wells gatherings. The hook was set and when the California Vintage was brought to America I could fight it no longer. After seeing one in person at the Atlanta Int'l MC Show, I bought the first one in Tennessee in February of '07. I met all manner of eccentric Guzzi folk here in the New Orleans area (which is sorta bizarre as the nearest dealer is 190 miles away), one the original owner of an Eldorado and another who had five Guzzis.

Perhaps it's the company I keep...
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #18 on: June 16, 2017, 12:22:15 PM »
Over the years, I've seen a few in the wild.  :smiley:

I was trying to think of the right way to say "I saw a Moto Guzzi that was not at a rally or a breakfast meet out on the road and didn't know who it was."

You've got it!

Lannis
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Offline Dilliw

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #19 on: June 16, 2017, 01:11:30 PM »
I was trying to think of the right way to say "I saw a Moto Guzzi that was not at a rally or a breakfast meet out on the road and didn't know who it was."

You've got it!

Lannis

Lannis you've been to our former employer's Charlotte office.  I pulled up on my EV and parked right next to a 1400 Touring on several mornings.  Never knew who's it was or what company he/she worked for.

Like I said a swarm in Charlotte.
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #20 on: June 16, 2017, 01:14:13 PM »
Lannis you've been to our former employer's Charlotte office.  I pulled up on my EV and parked right next to a 1400 Touring on several mornings.  Never knew who's it was or what company he/she worked for.

Like I said a swarm in Charlotte.

Now that you mention it, I used to part right next to an EV at our Lynchburg office every day ....

Maybe there's more than we think there are, now that we're talking about it ....

Lannis
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Lcarlson

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #21 on: June 16, 2017, 03:40:52 PM »
In these parts, I see Guzzis on the road regularly, but infrequently.

Offline Devildog

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #22 on: June 16, 2017, 03:53:30 PM »
A silver Griso two up passed thru our little town while I was walking the dogs last year. The dogs did not understand my excitement.
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Offline bad Chad

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #23 on: June 16, 2017, 06:29:59 PM »
I have only been riding Guzzi since 1999.  Yet, not counting Guzzi rallies and breakfasts, and weird bike get togethers, I have seen lots.

Nothing even far from aproaching common, but I would bet just riding around northern IL, I have seen 30 or more.  Could be some of those where the same bike,  but most were not.  Just my experience.
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Offline nobleswood

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #24 on: June 16, 2017, 10:25:55 PM »
It's been rare in my travels to see another Goose, and less often do I see the vintage stuff like I ride.  Rarely see any here in Central Ohio.  Heard of a couple over NW of Columbus, but so far, just a rumor, lol.   Kind of a stealth brand, don't you think?

Jake,
Over here in Columbus there are a few Guzzis that come out now & then. The best place to find them is at Eurobike night, 2nd & 4th Tuesday nights in Grandview.
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Offline Tom H

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #25 on: June 16, 2017, 10:40:17 PM »
Except for when I go to the Guzzi shop near me. In the past 2-3 years I have seen two that I can confirm on the 405 in the Long Beach Ca. area. One was about a week ago. There was another unconfirmed sighting about a week before that. When your closing from opposite directions at about 100mph, we pass in a blink. Otherwise it's seems about a year or more between sightings. Maybe if I went to The Rock Store I might find a few more, been a while since I've been to that area.

Tom
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Offline Muzz

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #26 on: June 17, 2017, 12:10:36 AM »
There aren't many out here, but they can be seen. When I lived at the top of our South Island I used to see them on a regular basis. Still not common though.
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Offline GuzziNZ

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #27 on: June 17, 2017, 06:13:31 AM »
Every time I see someone riding a Guzzi on the road I chase them down and wont let them go until they give me there contact detail.
So far I have about 18 owners with 24 Guzzi,s between Nelson, Blenheim and Greymouth.

They have all recovered after undergoing therapy !




Catch up for coffee in Nelson.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2017, 07:25:23 AM by GuzziNZ »

Offline Yukonica

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #28 on: June 17, 2017, 11:06:31 AM »
This thread seems to confirm my belief that Yukon has the highest per capita Guzzi ownership on the continent.
I know of six in Whitehorse and three more in Dawson City. (I've never seen any of those three on the road so I keep prodding the guy for his sidecar). Our Territory is known for attracting independent souls; seems to fit the MG mindset.
Last week I saw a Stelvio in with a Beemer headed north; had some US plate. Caught a glimpse of a purple/orange colour?
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Offline Tom

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Re: Never seen a Moto Guzzi on the road
« Reply #29 on: June 17, 2017, 11:32:08 AM »
Had a guy come over to me in the parking lot.  This was after work.  I was about to get on the Strada.  He starts to tell me about another Moto Guzzi that he's seen parked in the lot.  I told him it's mine.  He says "Not that one."  He starts to describe it in detail after about 7 long minutes.  He ends his monologue.  Me - "It's mine."  Him - "No.  Not that bike."   :grin: :grin: :grin:  He tries to add more detail to the description.  I get on the Strada and he tells me that I should try to find him 'cuz there can't too many Moto Guzzis in town.   :grin:  I tell him that I'll keep my eye open for him.   :wink:
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