New 20 ounce tumblers available now! Forum donation credit with purchase. https://www.wildguzzi.com/Products/products.htm#Tumbler
I'm suprised people think the V7 is an "around town" bike. I must be well hard to have ridden mine (ok it is a B750) 53,000 miles with trips as far as the Pyrenees and back from Roscoff, Scotland and back from Plymouth, etc etc...
Who can Guzzi afford to hire that they would listen to?
Piaggio should roll a V7 and California 1400 into Strokers in Dallas and let Rick Fairless do what he does so well. Rick would also very likely offer a ton of free design advice to Piaggio if they'd listen. They should also roll these same bikes into Arlen Ness's shop and let Cory and Zach Ness have their way with the bikes as well. I forgot the name one of the top American designer from years past at Yamaha. Gary something??? He also had some excellent designs. Roll a bike into Paul Yaffe's building and see what he'd come up with as well. Sadly, this will likely not happen. Why? Because everyone of these guys would ask where's the 'big' motor line since they're so used to the larger motors in the H-D, Honda, Yamaha, Victory and Polaris Indian that take up so much of their current time. But they'd sure know how to redesign the Guzzi frames to offer bikes with 26" seat heights. I don't currently own a Guzzi so I don't have a dog in this. But too many of the V7 variants and the V9 are as exciting as an itch. And too many of the 1400's look more like an assembly of parts than a designed motorcycle. More than anything, the American dealer network is beyond an embarrassment. No matter what Piaggio does with the bikes, it won't make a dent in the US market with their current dealer network. At some point, Piaggio will be forced to either stop supporting the Guzzi brand and close it or actually put money into reviving it. Piaggio can't continue to support a money losing niche brand indefinitely. And forget any Marketing strategy on winning races decades before most of the current owners and buyers were even born. This is still the 'what have you done for me lately' crowd. When someone who's interested does find a dealer, all too often the dealer will know nothing about the bike or the brand. Plus they may have 2, 3 or even older brand new bikes sitting on the floor. It's hard to say 'sales failure' more strongly than with a brand new 3 plus model year old bike being offered at below wholesale pricing. Maybe Piaggio should take a year off and forget anything 'new' for model year 2020. They could simply concentrate on getting feedback from people who have a successful history of designing exciting motorcycles. Then come out strong with some fully designed and well engineered models for their century line in 2021. And yes, grease all the bearings, every one of them!
I think the right track for Guzzi is showing up here. Stay with the current engine configuration, tweaking it where possible. Accept the HP limits and then work within that. Guzzi was developed and lives in the world of twisties. Guzzi needs to go with that. Put their emphasis on hanldling and dependability (which is there by design if they can just get build QC to a higher and CONSISTENT level) and develop a REAL dealership network with REAL and PROPER support. GliderJohn
Sadly I agree with the above because Guzzi no longer build competitive motorbikes. They, or their masters, have decided that the 'Brand' should only build fashion accessories that appeal to those who like the *Idea* of a motorbike without actually knowing or understanding anything about them. It seems to be a viable business strategy as they continue to build and 'Develop' the miserable smallblock platform rather than shit-canning the whole lot and starting anew.Pete
MGS-01 or Panigali ? MGS-01 any day of the week! It’s still the koolest looking bike in the world...! I’m only 55 and have my eyes set on getting a sport bike with lots of character. The MGS-01 is the one I want. But, I guess I’ll have to settle for a Daytona. If I can ever find one!
Give the V7 10 more HP, and maybe some paint options that are shiny... really other then that, they have a pretty WOW line as it is... IMHO the best looking for many years.. the key with MG isnt the line.... its the fact that noone knows they are in the US, or how to buy one...
And here I thought the Ness family's design cred had dried up along with the Tuttles. You think there is still interest among young/new customers for choppers? I'm not sure Guzzi survival would be worth it at that price....
Was it Tamburini that waved the wand over the MGS ?It looks reminiscent of the BMW R 1100 S, Ducati 916 and the F4 MV's. He is the master stylist IMO.
You... need to get out more. There is a HUGE underground chopper/custom scene for young riders... I can attest to it, firsthand. Come on by, I'l lbring you to a couple of ride-in/rallies. Now, that said... Ness/ The Tootles and the like? Not even close to having a finger on the pulse of the current chopper/custom scene.