I'm moving on.

[tris]

After probably 15 years of Guzzi ownership I've decided to move on.

The snatchy throttle on my Roamer plus the lack of main dealer or specialist support that didn't require either a night away or my wife driving to collect me finally did for me

I looked for an alternative Guzzi with no success:-

• V85/Stelvio too tall
• I just don't love the V7 family
• I don't want another litre bike like the V100

So I've gone over to BMW in the guise of a 2019 F800 GT SE with 8.8k miles on the clock
BMW main dealer and a good specialist about 30 minutes away

However I like to thank all those people on here that have freely given their knowledge and experience over the years
It was very much appreciated in every case

So if you're out and about in the UK and spot a black F800 give a wave as it just might be me!

Cheers
Tris

[Tom H]

You don't have to say goodby. Stick around.

Enjoy the new bike!

Tom

[michaell32]

I guess I have a different mindset than most.  When I buy a bike the last thing I take into consideration is dealer support.  I prefer to buy vehicles that I can maintain myself and are reliable enough to never have to visit a dealer.  To each their own though.

[Ncdan]

Thanks for being a great member here Tris and I’m sure BMW will serve you well. You may want to consider sticking around WGC as there a lot of folks here that have a lot of experience and knowledge with the Beemer brand and your adventures are just as entertaining for us as ones bike of choice.
Be safe, as the hazards of riding does not change with brands, nor the satisfaction of the wind in your face.

Dan

[Huzo]

I guess I have a different mindset than most.  When I buy a bike the last thing I take into consideration is dealer support.  I prefer to buy vehicles that I can maintain myself and are reliable enough to never have to visit a dealer.  To each their own though.

Yep.
Most dealers are virtually useless…

[guzzisteve]

Thanks for the time & contributions here, there's always older model Guzzi's. I understand. Stop back & say hello sometime.

[blu guzz]

good luck and you never know, you may be back as a rider.

[Bulldog9]

Congrats on the new bike!

Won't say good bye because you'll be back 

[Motormike]

Yep.
Most dealers are virtually useless…

Worse than useless.  You should have seen how badly a BMW dealership cross threaded the left side spark plug in my GS! 

[Perazzimx14]

Life is too short to have a bike you don't like for any number of reasons. Hats off to you for getting something else to try. I hope the F works a treat for you and provides many 10,000 of thousands of trouble free miles for you, enjoy!

[tris]

I hope so too

Here's a picture of the beast all black and shiny.





The question is whether it goes out tomorrow and gets covered in clag, or stays snug and warm until the spring.

I'm leaning towards a days cleaning after an hours riding.
Does the group agree??

[Perazzimx14]

I hope so too

Here's a picture of the beast all black and shiny.





The question is whether it goes out tomorrow and gets covered in clag, or stays snug and warm until the spring.

I'm leaning towards a days cleaning after an hours riding.
Does the group agree??
 

I'd go for the ride. You have all winter to get it cleaned up.

Nice looking bike 

[Tom H]

Do it

Tom

[John A]

How is the weather in the UK? Here it’s cold and snow flurries. -4C .They treat the roads with corrosive crap so that’s when I quit until spring. Winter gets long here … I’d sneak out for a ride . A kid on a small dirt bike just rode by and it made me think maybe it’s not too bad out there. Let us know how the new bike is! If I didn’t do my own service, I’d make the change to a different brand as well.

[azccj]

The best time of the year for riding just started here in the Phoenix area. Sunny, mid 70s today. Earlier this year I sold my F800gt. Nice small bike and good in the corners.

[bronzestar1]

I get that, with less than 30 dealers in the States, my heart definitely overruled my brain when I got my '23 V7 and '24 V100.  "Luckily" for me, the closest Guzzi dealer is about an hour's drive away, so there's that.  I had an '07 K1200S, great bike, comfortable, more than fast enough for me, and the closest dealer was maybe 20 miles away.  Common sense told me to keep it, but having owned more Guzzis than any other brand over the last 40 years, it was inevitable that I'd circle back to Guzzi. 

[tris]

It's cold (by our standards )here circa 4C/39F so the gritters have been out hence my  being unsure
However I think that P14 has it right as I have until spring to get it clean and it's unlikely to dissolve into a pile of rust after one trip out.

I was astonished how light it felt lifting it off the side stand compared with the V9 despite being 15kg heavier.
I guess that comes from the tank being under the seat and not having 2 cylinders sticking out the side

[Huzo]

I hope so too

Here's a picture of the beast all black and shiny.





The question is whether it goes out tomorrow and gets covered in clag, or stays snug and warm until the spring.

I'm leaning towards a days cleaning after an hours riding.
Does the group agree??

Damn right Tris.
That is one sweet ride Guv… You’ve always been a great addition here and stay in touch bow:

[tris]

Damn right Tris.
That is one sweet ride Guv… You’ve always been a great addition here and stay in touch bow:

Cheers H, the feeling is mutual





So here it is all mucky.
It's a great bike and totally different to the V9 so my riding style will need "adjusting " 😁

I had it on comfort suspension setting  and it was like a magic carpet ride, I found myself aiming towards poor road surfaces just because 

I need some more miles but I think that it's going to put my old B1100 at risk of being demoted from favourite bike

[Guzzistajohn]

Oh no, not the dreaded “snatcy”  enjoy your BMW

[Brand X]

I really like the F-800. You can work of them pretty easy, and software work is possible too..The Rotax is so solid, and great MPG out of them..Bike has a dual character to it.. Putt around all day, but get on the pipe out on the open road it is surprising. There is about nothing similar to a Breva 1100 in my mind except both have two wheels. 

[adri]

I have a 2019 BMW F750GS, same motor, tuned a little different. I think you'll love the bike!

There are so many reasons to love a 2019 BMW F800!

There are even a few reasons to get one in place of a Guzzi... But NONE of those reasons involve dealer support.

My experience as an owner of three BMW motorcycles (currently, plus more BMWs I had in the past), is that the Motorrad dealers, in TWO different countries, are more of a liability than an asset.

Worse than useless.  You should have seen how badly a BMW dealership cross threaded the left side spark plug in my GS!

I 1,000% believe this. In my every interaction with them, they have found a way to make things worse. Not just my BMW dealers in Canada, but the BMW dealers I've tried working with in Italy too. They make my Harley dealers look good.

Enjoy your BMW, like I said, our bikes are cousins, down to the year model, but I just wanted you to go into this knowing the dealers are absolutely the worst part about BMW ownership. I take my bike to a local independent shop that I trust rather than the dealer... because at 8,000 km my valve cover gasket has already failed.

Still beats working with BMW directly. Welcome to the club. God help you lol.

[tris]

Interestingly,  I was talking to a BMW owner in my Blood Bike group  and he warned me off our local main dealer

Happily,  even closer to me is an independent BMW specialist who comes with a good reputation.

Time will tell!

[faffi]

I was astonished how light it felt lifting it off the side stand compared with the V9 despite being 15kg heavier.
I guess that comes from the tank being under the seat and not having 2 cylinders sticking out the side

The actual wet weight of the V9 Roamer is 212 kg, for a stock F800GT it is 214 kilo. I have added a center stand to my Roamer, adding 4 kg in the process. I owned a 2008 F800ST with Ohlins shock and Traxxion Dynamics AK-20 cartridge kit with external adjusters in the fork. The ride was sublime, handling great, and with the Touratech touring seat with a good inch extra padding comfort was excellent.

It had 80k miles on when I sold it in the spring of '23 (age 59), and the only reason it ""had to go was because I rode much too fast too often on winding roads. There was a time in life when the high risk was worth it to me, but with a list of injuries most racers would be "proud" to show off, my body is not up to more unplanned, abrupt stops. The Roamer is a much inferior motorcycle to the BMW in functional terms, but that is also the reason I keep it - it is fun to putter along on, no urge to go fast.

Enjoy your GT - you will get off much more relaxed after a day in the saddle than you would from most bikes. And the bike has plenty of power, handling and stopping in reserve to cope with any type of road riding.

[Perazzimx14]

As for cleaning up the bike If you have access to Mother's Back to Black in aersol form it is like money in a can. Dark dull plastic, rubber hoses and wiring looms is revived with a quick spray and light buff with a clean cloth. Its even okay to get overspray on other plastics, dash or windscreen. It wipes right off and leaves no residue.

Heres a couple shots of the underside of R1200GS I recently purchased and have been working on. I wiped eveything down with a damp cloth and used a paint brush to loosen up and piles of debris then spray with Mothers and buff out any puddles. If a bike is really crusty undenerith I do like to use Tuff Stuff foaming cleaner, brushes, compressed air and micro fiber towels to get the heavy lifting done.

This is about a 30 minute effort on cleaning and buffing and by buffing I mean wiping over the area a few times with a clean microfiber towel.

[Gustav]

Hello. Like Tris, I have moved on also. My 2007 Nevada Classic, in red, had sat on the dealers floor too long and had a bunch of niggling faults. I finally corrected all of them, but something was missing. I found a 1981 Honda Silverwing, fairly close to home, low miles, everything I wanted was already installed. This is my fifth one of that family of Honda. I love it. No drama, plenty of lockable storage, easy to maintain, ten minute air filter change. 9,750 rpm redline. The poor mans Guzzi! Like I said, I love it. Paul

[Bulldog9]

Hello. Like Tris, I have moved on also. My 2007 Nevada Classic, in red, had sat on the dealers floor too long and had a bunch of niggling faults. I finally corrected all of them, but something was missing. I found a 1981 Honda Silverwing, fairly close to home, low miles, everything I wanted was already installed. This is my fifth one of that family of Honda. I love it. No drama, plenty of lockable storage, easy to maintain, ten minute air filter change. 9,750 rpm redline. The poor mans Guzzi! Like I said, I love it. Paul

I've always wanted a Silverwing

[adri]

Interestingly,  I was talking to a BMW owner in my Blood Bike group  and he warned me off our local main dealer

Happily,  even closer to me is an independent BMW specialist who comes with a good reputation.

Time will tell!

Perfect. That's exactly what you want.

[Gustav]

I've always wanted a Silverwing

     Actually, I have two, second one is a 2013 fsc 600. at 540 lbs it is getting to be a bit much.

[Bulldog9]

     Actually, I have two, second one is a 2013 fsc 600. at 540 lbs it is getting to be a bit much.

I'm dreading that day............ I'm still GTG with what I have, and hit the gym regularly, and will do for as long as I can. I figure I have 10 good years before thinking about it, but I've always preferred the 450-600lb range, and was one of the reasons I moved away from the MGX-21. 

When the CARC bikes are too much weight wise, I will go to the Breva and Stornello, and add a sidecar to the Convert.