You come out and they're staring at your Guzzi. Conversations that develop...

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Have you ever come out of a store or restaurant and find someone is staring intently at your Guzzi?  It happens to me several times each riding season. It's interesting because you never know in what direction the conversation is going to go.

It happened to me again yesterday evening. I went for a beautiful 75 degree evening ride and grabbed a burger at a fast food chain. When I came out, across the parking lot, a couple in there early 40s was staring intently at my 1200 Sport. I said hi and the lady responded "I love Italian motorcycles". She said she loves the look and sound of that V twin engine, especially when it's Italian. I explained  a little about the bike as she listened intently.  Her partner seemed to be just tagging along and was nodding occasionally. She asked if I could start it up and when I did she said "You made my day!"   It all sounded good until twice she seemed to bring up Gold Wings as an Italian bike!?!

The other week I stopped by a Honda/Yamaha dealer in my area as I was driving back from a job. After a while the sales lady asked me what I ride. I said a Moto Guzzi. Without hesitating she replied "Cool, Yea we see a lot of those around here!"

Anyone else have an interesting conversation to share?

[JJ]

Sept. 2016, Pine, AZ, the guy on the other side of this gas pump, smiled, gave me the thumbs up, leaned over the pump and said:   "There's nothing like the sound of a Moto Guzzi..."    :1:

[kballowe]

We parked the Gold Wing outside of a convenience store, then returned to discover a perky, red-headed 12-year-old, slowly walking around the bike, with a studious look on her face.

"When did Honda start making motorcycles ?" she said.  We had a short chat, and she climbed into a Honda mini-van with her mother, and off they went.

With a Guzzi, there are nearly always questions. 

[Guzzi Gal]

All the time!  Some know what she is, others think she's restored vintage, but most are clueless and just love the chrome. 

[JACoH]

Ditto, I have been asked what year my 2017 Special is, thinking it is a restoration. The bike that got the most interest, tho, was my Indian Scout. Too heavy and terrible riding position for me, tho.

[jas67]

A lot of parking lot conversations have been started by the two V7's I currently own, as well as the 2009 V7C I had earlier.   I've had the same experiences with my vintage bikes of all makes.

Most think the V7's vintage bikes.   

One particular instance does stick out in my mind.   I'm on the 2009 V7C waiting for a traffic light to change when this elderly Italian man runs into the middle of the street, very excitedly gesturing with  his hands.    In a thick Italian accent, he tells me had "had one just like it about 40 years ago back in Italy".    The light changed, I didn't get a chance to talk further with him.  In retrospect, I should've pulled over, I'll bet I'd have gotten to hear some stories.

[stonelover]

Folks on the street often think that my 2016 Stone II and 2013 Suzuki TU 250 X are restorations and are surprised to hear that they are relatively new.  Pulled into a shopping center parking lot on my V7 last year and a fellow came running up to say that he "loved the sound"!  Stock mufflers--Made my day.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

A lot of parking lot conversations have been started by the two V7's I currently own, as well as the 2009 V7C I had earlier.   I've had the same experiences with my vintage bikes of all makes.

Most think the V7's vintage bikes.   

One particular instance does stick out in my mind.   I'm on the 2009 V7C waiting for a traffic light to change when this elderly Italian man runs into the middle of the street, very excitedly gesturing with  his hands.    In a thick Italian accent, he tells me had "had one just like it about 40 years ago back in Italy".    The light changed, I didn't get a chance to talk further with him.  In retrospect, I should've pulled over, I'll bet I'd have gotten to hear some stories.

Similar thing happened 2 years ago. My wife and I were riding back country roads of Amish country. Pulled off to the side of the road to watch 10 hot air balloons in the sky. An elderly guy comes running out of his house, arms waving �Don�t leave! He yells. Said he�s owned several Guzzi over the years and we talked for a few minutes!

[brider]

I told the story here in a post a year or so ago, but I park my Cal II at work next to a clueless woman who rides a Suzuki DR150 (?) as her first-ever bike, never EVER mentions one word about my Guzzi, but talks all the time about hers, like the $700 for plastic enduro hand guards she paid the shop to install. I once, out of fear for her life, pointed out that her front tire was completely flat (zero pressure, most of you with experienced eyes can tell at a glance). She'd been riding like that since she could remember.

We both park next to a giant Harley, and a guy in a ratty minivan caught us both standing next to our bikes, and he gestured to the HD and said "You need to get a real bike, like that".

[SmithSwede]

2013 V7 Stone.  I too have repeatedly experienced people assuming the bike is a restoration.  Typically ask what year it is and are surprised to hear “2013.”

Last weekend in Harrison Ark a fellow on a Victory insisted on taking a photo of me by the Guzzi.  Why?  Because his apparently elderly uncle used to ride a Guzzi back in the day.

The other odd thing about a Guzzi is that both the sport bike crowd, and the Harley folks, seem to appreciate a Guzzi.  I’ve had plenty of Harley folks say “cool bike” when I’m on the Guzzi.  I don’t hear that when riding more sport like bikes (BMW, Japanese).

[Lannis]

It all sounded good until twice she seemed to bring up Gold Wings as an Italian bike!?!

It COULD be that the young lady was way ahead of you.

The Aermacchi Ala d'Oro (Gold Wing) of 1968:



You just never know about these things until they happen ..... !

Lannis

[willowstreetguzziguy]

It COULD be that the young lady was way ahead of you.

The Aermacchi Ala d'Oro (Gold Wing) of 1968:



You just never know about these things until they happen ..... !

Lannis

You may be right!

[brider]

I’ve had plenty of Harley folks say “cool bike” when I’m on the Guzzi. 

I have NEVER had this experience, and maybe it's just the region I live in. I think honestly, though, most don't know what to think or what to ask, so they keep quiet and just ignore it.

OR, maybe my poor Cal II really IS that unimpressive to look at.

[fotoguzzi]

someone (from WG?) left their gopro rolling and captured this which I edited just for fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DjBw7sO5h8&feature=youtu.be

[JoeKirby]

My favorite conversation generally goes like this:

"Cool bike, what is it?"

"Moto Guzzi"

"who makes it?"

"Moto Guzzi"

"yeah... but who makes it?"

[TimmyTheHog]

A lot of parking lot conversations have been started by the two V7's I currently own, as well as the 2009 V7C I had earlier.   I've had the same experiences with my vintage bikes of all makes.

Most think the V7's vintage bikes.   

One particular instance does stick out in my mind.   I'm on the 2009 V7C waiting for a traffic light to change when this elderly Italian man runs into the middle of the street, very excitedly gesturing with  his hands.    In a thick Italian accent, he tells me had "had one just like it about 40 years ago back in Italy".    The light changed, I didn't get a chance to talk further with him.  In retrospect, I should've pulled over, I'll bet I'd have gotten to hear some stories.

Similar thing happened 2 years ago. My wife and I were riding back country roads of Amish country. Pulled off to the side of the road to watch 10 hot air balloons in the sky. An elderly guy comes running out of his house, arms waving �Don�t leave! He yells. Said he�s owned several Guzzi over the years and we talked for a few minutes!

also a similar thing happened to me.

Last summer as I just got home and was getting to wash my bike from a short trip around the trail, a group of family walked by my drive way.

One of the older gentleman which I assumed was the grandpa started to walk toward me and asked me how old the bike was...I told him 2015 and he said his dad had something similar when he was living in Italy back in the 80s...and also he noticed the eagle shape badge.

we were going to start a conversation but one of the younger lady (guessing his daughter) started calling him and dragged him away...

oh he was looking so sad...I am guessing he is one of them giving up motorcycle for the family type...

[kirb]

"Does Moto Guzzi still make bikes?"
Well, I didn't make this one myself...

"My <insert person here> had one of those in the 70's"

This one was asked of me on my Stelvio AND Motus:
"What kind of Honda is that?"

[swooshdave]

Yesterday at lunch it was two people around the bike. One was snapping pictures and said he loved bikes with shaft drives... The other told me he rode a Guzzi and it had no power... I said I don't have that problem.

[Guzzistajohn]

When they ask who makes those I tell 'em it's a moto-gurnsey, kinda like a cousin to a cowasaki.

[Howard R]

"Who makes that?"

"Italians!"

[blackcat]

I was parking the CX today on Fifth Ave when I was approached by a man and his wife. He just stared at the bike as I was locking my helmet, and in what I assumed was a French accent made his best attempt at inquiring if I would like to sell the bike. Yesterday I would have sold the bike while I was attempting to figure out why it wouldn’t start(crud buildup on the white wire to the ignition switch) but today it was not a problem child so I declined the offer. I would have chatted with him a little longer but his English wasn’t very good and I was in a NY hurry.

[nwrydre]

Stopped by a Harley dealership to check out their bikes.  The salesman asked me what I ride? I told him I have a Moto Guzzi. He asked “what’s that”? [emoji848]


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[Lannis]

also a similar thing happened to me.

Last summer as I just got home and was getting to wash my bike from a short trip around the trail, a group of family walked by my drive way.

One of the older gentleman which I assumed was the grandpa started to walk toward me and asked me how old the bike was...I told him 2015 and he said his dad had something similar when he was living in Italy back in the 80s...and also he noticed the eagle shape badge.

we were going to start a conversation but one of the younger lady (guessing his daughter) started calling him and dragged him away...

oh he was looking so sad...I am guessing he is one of them giving up motorcycle for the family type...

I was riding the Centauro to a motorcycle gathering in rural Virginia a few years ago, got lost and went down a 2-mile "dead end" road.   As I was turning around, an old fellow who was out at his mailbox waved me down and came over to talk.

Man, he wanted to talk!   He used to ride, years ago, "had to give it up" for reasons he didn't specify but hinted at family issues, was now living alone back here with no one within a mile around, and was just dying to chat about bikes.

I put the stand down and settled in ... and about an hour and a half later, continued my trip to the bike gathering (it was actually a summertime pool party) I had started out for.

I was a bit late, but it was worth it!

Lannis

[Huzo]

Hmmm..
Many times in Europe I've been approached and been informed by an observer that..
"Also I have at home the BMV, you like it also, no..???"

[sign216]

I was taking a motorcycle Advanced training class and two of the younger Riders, maybe in their twenties, ask me if Moto Guzzi was a Chinese bike. 

But I can't make fun of them, because they were born natural Riders. Their bodies, their form, was really at one with the cheap little motorcycles they were riding. After a couple of weeks they were better riders than I will ever be.

[fotoguzzi]

someone (from WG?) left their gopro rolling and captured this which I edited just for fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DjBw7sO5h8&feature=youtu.be

come on you guys admit it, this is funny.. or not?

[Kiwi_Roy]

I think I like the original better, two farmers discussing the bike.

[Sheepdog]

I rode my Vintage to meet some college friends at a bar in New Orleans so we could catch up. The bar’s interior was crowded and loud, as a blues band was performing within, so we sat outside. Just as we were in the middle of our conversation, a bar employee stepped outside and started asking who rode the Moto Guzzi. I told him it was mine and he grabbed me and took me to the stage. The harmonica player asked about the Vintage and when I invited him to have a look, everybody in the bar came out with us. Guzzi owners started coming out of the woodwork. As it turned out, the musician had five Guzzi’s and another fellow was an original (and current) owner of an Ambassador. Great night...my Warhol moment.

[Matteo]

I was surrounded by a group of snarky Gold Wing riders in BC one time joking about my Jackal when a bow legged old rider with a union soldiers cap pushed his way into the circle and said to me loudly “Honda don’t have nuthin on Moto Guzzi,I remember seeing that V8 tear down the track at Assen GP at 170, back in the 50’s. Nobody could touch it” silence ensued and I had a new friend that just happened to live in Alaska so we kept in touch.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Let’s toast...  “Stay scarce my friend!”