Wildguzzi.com

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Phil/TX on June 12, 2021, 09:39:15 PM

Title: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Phil/TX on June 12, 2021, 09:39:15 PM
At the gas station on my V85 tt. Guy ask, what is that? Says I, an Italian motorcycle, made by Moto Guzzi. He says, oh, one of those exotic motorcycles! What did it cost you $ 60,000. No, but I guess it is an exotic.
So how wrong am I, low production, very few dealers, kinda like Ferrari, so now I just tell people it’s not a weird Yamasaki, it’s an Italian Exotic.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: kingoffleece on June 12, 2021, 10:50:48 PM
Not exotic until a pole dance is involved, perhaps?   :evil:
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Tkelly on June 13, 2021, 06:07:08 AM
PeterEgan wrote a story listing real bikes and toy bikes.Guzzi ,real bikes ,Ducati ,toy bikes.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: blu guzz on June 13, 2021, 06:41:07 AM
yes.  it is practically hand-made in italy in one very old factory and very scarce in this country, it qualifies at least as "boutique" if not exotic.  in the 80's i sold the jaguar xjs 12 cylinder coupe and would say the same thing about that and add that it was downright inexpensive as exotic or boutique machinery went just like MG.  aren't most hand-made italian vehicles really expensive?
i agree with the OP, let's enjoy our exoticness.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Huzo on June 13, 2021, 08:39:14 AM
Yeah, like Joe.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Tonyblaze on June 13, 2021, 08:55:44 AM
With the scarcity of dealers I'd say they are definitely exotic.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Ncdan on June 13, 2021, 09:02:22 AM
With the scarcity of dealers I'd say they are definitely exotic.
Now that’s a good point Tony👍
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Guzzistajohn on June 13, 2021, 09:28:02 AM
Doesn't hold a candle to all those exotic Harley's running around  :grin:
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Mike Craven on June 13, 2021, 09:51:29 AM
They're exotic if you *don't* own one!  And, they're not exotic if you do own one (well, most models!).  :laugh:
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Testarossa on June 13, 2021, 11:01:43 AM
Peter Egan was right. Guzzis have been used by police and military agencies around the world since the Thirties, and the V-twins were sold in the thousands to governments everywhere. Anyway, the ignorant consider it a tractor engine, not an exotic.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: PhilB on June 13, 2021, 11:58:11 AM
Peter Egan was right. Guzzis have been used by police and military agencies around the world since the Thirties, and the V-twins were sold in the thousands to governments everywhere. Anyway, the ignorant consider it a tractor engine, not an exotic.
But it's an *exotic Italian* tractor engine.  Remember that's how Ferruccio Lamborghini made his fortune, and there are still Lamborghini tractors about.  ;)

PhilB
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Testarossa on June 13, 2021, 01:52:23 PM
Here's exotic farm equipment:

(https://i.ibb.co/MZpw66F/Laverda-M304.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MZpw66F)

upload high resolution photos (https://imgbb.com/)
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Canuck750 on June 13, 2021, 02:05:15 PM
The motorcycles are not as exotic as the folks who own them😀
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: cloudbase on June 13, 2021, 05:37:45 PM
Had a guy refer to my Quota as a sport bike.  That's exotic!
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: TN Mark on June 13, 2021, 06:06:23 PM
It depends what your definition of ‘exotic’ is. Scarce, unusual, rare: yup. Exotic, mm, not so much.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: cliffrod on June 13, 2021, 06:22:55 PM
Not sure exotic is the right word. 

I can (and have) told the drunkest redneck or Live to Ride Harley 'tude dude that it's like they chopped off the rear two cylinders of the 350 in his pickup truck and used it for a bike- including the flywheel, clutch, trans, driveshaft and ring & pinion.  They usually say, "aw h---, that's pretty cool!" and the whole "what is that!?!?" attitude just goes away. Toss in the belt drive generator heritage and they're buying the next round. 

The same thing doesn't happen when you try to explain a bevel drive Desmo or Parilla high cam, which I would more easily classify as exotic.  I think the older external flywheel singles are exotic. the V twins? Not so much.

Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: twowheeladdict on June 13, 2021, 09:28:10 PM
Peter Egan was right. Guzzis have been used by police and military agencies around the world since the Thirties, and the V-twins were sold in the thousands to governments everywhere. Anyway, the ignorant consider it a tractor engine, not an exotic.

The original Hunter UAV utilized a Moto Guzzi engine to turn the propeller. 
Quote
The RQ-5A Hunter unmanned air vehicle is a fixed-wing, twin-tail boom aircraft with a dual rudder. It is propelled by two Moto-Guzzi petrol engines, each developing 60hp.

https://www.army-technology.com/projects/hunter/
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Huzo on June 13, 2021, 10:50:38 PM
For me one of the main drivers to something becoming “exotic” for our purposes, is the perceived inability of the common man to procure one.
That may be due to artificially inflated $$$ value or downright rarity. Most mainstream Guzzi’s are not particularly either.
Many exotic vehicles are used as a tangible symbol of a person’s status on one or more levels.
If I saw a Vincent on line and the price had crept up to $98,000 dollars and was slowing down with two days to go and folks here began wagering on the eventual purchase price and I swept in and made an offer of $145,000 for immediate sale, most here would have an immediate opinion of how I must be travelling wealth wise.
It may be the last dollar I had to my name, but the aura would remain.
If I was stranded in Death Valley without water, badly dehydrated and I came upon a CB250 Honda Hawk that starts and runs or a Vincent in pristine condition that won’t fire..
Which one is the more valuable ?.. :popcorn: :popcorn:
Exotica is bestowed by human thought process and driven by a sense of desireability and the less hope you have of obtaining it, the more exotic it will appear if you desire it.
Guzzi’s are not exotic if you take on board any of the above, but they are somewhat rare and so make a statement about themselves and about those who choose to ride them..
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: JL Rich on June 14, 2021, 03:07:44 PM
You are correct Phil, in deep East Texas Guzzis are quite exotic. 
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Phil/TX on June 14, 2021, 09:30:33 PM
So right Jim, but there are two of them in Wildwood!
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: cliffrod on June 15, 2021, 06:17:00 AM
....If I was stranded in Death Valley without water, badly dehydrated and I came upon a CB250 Honda Hawk that starts and runs or a Vincent in pristine condition that won’t fire..
Which one is the more valuable ?.. :popcorn: :popcorn:..

after all the stuff I've hauled home, this one is a no-brainer-


(https://i.ibb.co/FDqqZ9X/image.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FDqqZ9X)



Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Testarossa on June 15, 2021, 09:26:16 AM
Until Archangel sold his Stelvio, our town had about 230 Guzzis per 100,000 residents. Of course we only have 1300 residents.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: drdwb on June 15, 2021, 01:17:59 PM
Probably 8-10 yrs ago my wife and I were traveling to her mothers in Salem SD. We were at a restaurant  about 15 miles south of Watertown SD (home of the Guzzi dealer The Motorcycle Shop ) and a couple Harley riders wanted to talk about Mary’s Stone and my EV, they were interested in the weird V twin and drive shaft, one of them was just baffled and commented about our Exotic bikes and where we got them. I asked where they were from… of course it was water town, Dougs shop is right on hiway 81, they had to drive right past it to be where we were. This post reminded me of the occasion thanks, I still occasionally chuckle about it.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Scout63 on June 15, 2021, 09:13:05 PM
To me Guzzi’s are exotic.  Not MV Augusta exotic, but well ahead of anything else that I can afford.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: DesertPilot on June 15, 2021, 11:15:08 PM
Oh, that was an 'x', not an 'r'.  I was worried there for a moment!  :grin:
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Murray on June 16, 2021, 04:38:21 AM
The aren't, until you want parts in a timely fashion, then they most definitely are.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: Philnewbike on June 16, 2021, 12:10:44 PM
Good question. When I park my Breva 1100 motorbike blokes usually come over and admire the tractor like engine. No one looks at a Honda like that. From my UK point of view I'd say Ducati are analogous to Alfa Romeo cars (I have an Alfa, love Italian style) and the Moto Guzzi is analogous to a cross between Alfa Romeo and Morgan Cars, i.e. Italian style and ancient (but wonderful) engineering. I would say the Kawasaki H2 is closest thing to a Ferrari.
Title: Re: Are Guzzi’s Exotic
Post by: berniebee on June 16, 2021, 03:08:05 PM
If not exotic, then for sure quixotic!