Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Scout63 on June 24, 2023, 07:02:47 AM
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I seem to buy bikes based on the following important criteria:
1. How beautiful is it?
2. How does it sound?
3. How jealous will other riders be?
These factors are big drivers in choosing bikes. But in choosing what to actually ride, comfort, reliability, ease of starting, weight, power characteristics, BRAKES, and comfort are more important.
Right now the only two bikes that I seem to ride are the Vitpilen and Ducati 860. Other than the Duc’s glorious sound, neither bike is a clear choice under the first three criteria.
How do you choose what to take out of the garage on any given day?
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They are all hammers.
Pick the one that best performs the task at hand.
(Task at hand is the hard part to define as it is both physical and emotional)
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I just alternate, 1, 2 ,3.
-AJ
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My criteria are vastly different than yours, most important are:
1. how cheap is it?
2. how easy is it to work on/how likely is to need work on a regular basis?
3. did I already had one?
I do like nice looking bikes, so no Multistradas, KTMs or Vitpilens for me. :evil:
I really don't care what other riders might think.
In choosing what to ride, we are more in line. Comfort and reliability are paramount, ease of operation is also key. I've gotten spoiled by the Convert and now all other bikes pale in comparison. :wink:
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I have to agree with Charlie, on this one...Cost, ease of operation, simplicity in maintenance, and comfort are paramount to me. I really dont care what other riders think, so these days, my Convert keeps coming out on top. Its pretty hard to beat overall ! :thumb:
Rick D.
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I seem to buy bikes based on the following important criteria:
1. How beautiful is it?
2. How does it sound?
3. How jealous will other riders be?
These factors are big drivers in choosing bikes. But in choosing what to actually ride, comfort, reliability, ease of starting, weight, power characteristics, BRAKES, and comfort are more important.
Right now the only two bikes that I seem to ride are the Vitpilen and Ducati 860. Other than the Duc’s glorious sound, neither bike is a clear choice under the first three criteria.
How do you choose what to take out of the garage on any given day?
Hmmm….I can relate to that.
#1 MV Agusta F4
#2 Conti equipped Ducati Darmah
#3 MV Agusta F4
None of which I kept for more than 2 years…
The Vitpilen sounds like a tablet you’d take to treat bleeding heammoroids… :undecided:
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How do you choose what to take out of the garage on any given day?
1. Which of the 7 are running. :wink: This is an important one.......
2. Local or long distance?
3. Which is near the front of the garage and doesn't require moving 6 other machines......
What to buy?
What I've always wanted to try, affordability, availability, condition.
-Stretch
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My criteria are vastly different than yours, most important are:
1. how cheap is it?
2. how easy is it to work on/how likely is to need work on a regular basis?
3. did I already had one?
I do like nice looking bikes, so no Multistradas, KTMs or Vitpilens for me. :evil:
I really don't care what other riders might think.
In choosing what to ride, we are more in line. Comfort and reliability are paramount, ease of operation is also key. I've gotten spoiled by the Convert and now all other bikes pale in comparison. :wink:
Abandoned the V7 for touring? :embarrassed:
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#1 Must be beautiful in my eyes. (Rules out most ADV bikes, but includes most Harley's)
#2 Unique (Rules out most Harley's and most Japanese bikes)
#3 Reliable (exceptions made for much older bikes that I fancy)
#4 Pleasurable riding experience (If it doesn't bring a smile on my face each time, it's days are numbered...)
YMMV, so don't bother your moderators. :afro:
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My Monster for OP's reasons 1,2, and 3. My Cal for the same reasons, and Mrs. larrys wants to go for a ride.
Larry
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Abandoned the V7 for touring? :embarrassed:
V7? I sold my '69 V700 to a gent in Philadelphia over a year ago. The '69 V750 Ambassador has been in "mothballs" since 2018 - it has 111,000 miles on it and needs a little attention. I hope to "recommission" it later this year, depending on how quickly I recover from the accident a month ago. So, not "abandoned" at all. The '71 Ambassador belonged to the late husband of my friend Pat and needs a total rebuild due to being rear-ended at the Michigan Guzzi Rally in '85.
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They are all hammers.
Pick the one that best performs the task at hand.
(Task at hand is the hard part to define as it is both physical and emotional)
Well said.
"The heart has reasons of which reason knows nothing!"
No point in caring what other riders think. They're not riding my bike!
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A picture is worth a 1000 words.
(https://g4.img-dpreview.com/9268903BC42A4C1C8320019D42E83EF6.jpg)
It also has the best exhaust note of any bike too.
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The older I get the less I care about looks, sound or having GP like HP. Importance to me in no specific order
- Long travel suspension
- Big fuel range
- Good handling
- Good wind management
- All day comfort
I've been hooked on Adventure Bikes and even the times when I've had multiples in the garage at the saem time they were all set up a bit differently so whatever the days task was the bike best matched to that task was taken.
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A picture is worth a 1000 words.
(https://g4.img-dpreview.com/9268903BC42A4C1C8320019D42E83EF6.jpg)
It also has the best exhaust note of any bike too.
Who makes that fairing?
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It must be nice to have a choice. Unfortunately the dilemma is decided for me. I’m only allowed one bike at a time :laugh:.
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My criteria goes something like this:
1 - is it something that interests me? ( Extra points for an oddball or a hot rod).
2 - Do I find it attractive ? can I stare at it for hours ?
3 - how cheap is it ?
4 - How much of a pain in the keister is ownership going to be?
5 - Do I fit ? ( no Bimota DB1's in my future)
This explains why I like Guzzi's and early Hinckley triumphs, and why I don't seem to hold onto Ducati's for very long.
I'd still love to get my hands on a MZ1000S.
That Greenie V11 sport is gorgeous and would be my pick out of all of the V11 series.
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Who makes that fairing?
Guzzi. Someone smashed the windshield on it at work a few years ago. Just after I gave out the annual work appraisals. The carbon was fine, just the windshield.
Anyway, I nearly ordered a Givi windshield and during the order I discovered it was a Guzzi. $100, that was 10+ years ago. Think I got it from the guys in Houston at the time. Not a chance now. Perhaps Gustafasson would make one?
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The older I get the less I care about looks, sound or having GP like HP. Importance to me in no specific order
- Long travel suspension
- Big fuel range
- Good handling
- Good wind management
- All day comfort
I've been hooked on Adventure Bikes and even the times when I've had multiples in the garage at the saem time they were all set up a bit differently so whatever the days task was the bike best matched to that task was taken.
agree that all those things are key. What've I've noticed, if it looks good, it probably rides good. The Green bike rode just like it looked and I knew that before I rode it. In fact it felt and handled like I thought it would. I did get a little weave at 80+ around semi in traffic turbulence and it took some time to work it out.
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Just fantastic…
(https://i.ibb.co/8X0mcsf/IMG-4422.png) (https://ibb.co/8X0mcsf)
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My criteria are vastly different than yours, most important are:
In choosing what to ride, we are more in line. Comfort and reliability are paramount, ease of operation is also key. I've gotten spoiled by the Convert and now all other bikes pale in comparison. :wink:
Oops! I know you probably have a bad taste when you think about it right now - because of the accident - but you said in at least one prior commentary a few months ago that you were nominatng your "new to you" K75 as your default touring bike. :laugh: Having said that, my short test ride on your Convert convinced me that one of those would be a welcome addition to my small herd, if I could find room in my garage for it!
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For where I live and the roads I ride, it is tough to beat the Suzuki DR650. Nothing fancy or flashy, just day to day competence and versatility.
A friend who was considering buying a motorcycle asked about motorcycle theft. I replied: "Who would want to steal a DR650? You can leave the keys in it wherever you park it!"
It will be my pick-up-the-keys-first bike probably until the day I give up riding.
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Oops! I know you probably have a bad taste when you think about it right now - because of the accident - but you said in at least one prior commentary a few months ago that you were nominatng your "new to you" K75 as your default touring bike. :laugh: Having said that, my short test ride on your Convert convinced me that one of those would be a welcome addition to my small herd, if I could find room in my garage for it!
Even though I enjoyed the K75 the short time I was able to ride it, in reality most of the time I was wishing I was on the Convert instead. The K75's smoothness and higher mpgs were about the only advantages.
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A friend who was considering buying a motorcycle asked about motorcycle theft. I replied: "Who would want to steal a DR650? You can leave the keys in it wherever you park it!"
This was my happy place when riding my V7 Sport when I was younger. There was little to no interest or even knowledge about what it was, so I had few concerns about what may happen to it. So I enjoyed it with a certain amount of abandon and impunity. Pretty sure if I treated it the same way now, it would promptly end up in lots of pieces on eBay or fbmp…
At this point, I like what I have, have what I like and don’t have a burning urge to always get more bikes anymore. I ride the bike that’s tagged. V7 Sport, 1974 FLH or 1984 Sportster. They’re each a unique experience and aesthetic. My 1990 FLHTC was a really nice bike, but kind of blah- it didn’t make me as happy as rising my old FLH. Thankfully I was able to repurchase my sportster, which I sold to pay for the FLHTC.
So the FLHTC turned into the CX100.. I’m hoping it will be more of a long-term positive impact when compared to my V7 Sport while still having less stolen motorcycle potential than something like a 850 LeMans or LeMans II.
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I like Charlie's answer.
I'm not trying to impress anyone, but I do like pretty bikes - something aesthetically pleasing. Others might not agree, but who cares? I never would have bought the 87 LM1000 because it's such an ugly gosling, had it not been such a good deal. Despite its homeliness, I fell in love. Still don't care for the looks but do love that bike. Probably do a make-over one of these days...
Functional, simple, cheap to operate, good brakes and enough power for normal highway use. 650 to 1000cc is plenty. I've owned and ridden BMW R65s and quickly got over the macho thing that only wimps ride small displacement machines. Those smaller bikes are a lot of fun!
So, yeah, the right hammer for the job. Or what grabs me at the moment (a pick of three Guzzis - 84LM, 85LM/1000S, 87 LM 1000).
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Very few motorcycles suit me anymore. I'm down to 2 thumpers. If I'm in the backroad hills, and I'm riding alone, I take the little 350. No need to keep up with anyone. If I'm gonna do any highway riding, or ride with others, I take the 650. It goes as fast as I dare. :wink:
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I have everything from the most practical bike ever made IMO (early R100GS) to a bike that I own mainly because of its esthetics (Ducati 996 with ultra low miles). They all have their place for me. I do like a bike that splits the middle too - my LeMans is that but it’s largely been replaced by a Ducati ST that’s a quicker sport tourer and has factory bags. Meanwhile my V85TT has become the great pretender in my garage: it pretends to be an R100GS but with its electric smog pump, dealer only service light, ABS, traction control and all the rest it’s just a corporate clone Aprilia with a Guzzi badge. I think slowly it’s going to come apart in my garage and be reborn, the potential for what I want is there just not the realization.
The V11 Sport was for sure a good one, pre-Aprilia Guzzi’s last and best functioning bike but the plastic fuel tank has always held me back.
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I own bikes that fit into the type of riding I want to do. The V 85 is my big bike that handles touring, mild off road and day rides. The DR 350 is
my dual sport and the Van Van is for taking along camping and going out for half hour rides to clear my head at the end of the day. I have
always appreciated the aesthetic in cars and bikes, but it doesn't seem to be as important as it once was. Same for sound: as I have aged I
take into consideration that not everyone wants to hear loud or "wicked" sounding motorcycle. If it has decent intake sound like the V 85, that
is good enough for me. As far as how jealous other riders will be, that has never entered into the equation. I am assuming you might be tongue
in cheek on that point. I want the bikes I own to offer different riding experiences. Form follows function for me. I will say that smaller displacement
motorcycles are more interesting to me at this point, 350 to 600 cc bikes.
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I think slowly it’s going to come apart in my garage and be reborn
How so ?
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How so ?
I'd like to eliminate the CANBUS based electronics and use a custom tunable ECU. No TBW, no catalyst, no SAS, no ABS, no TC, simple tank vent hose, different instruments and so on. Basically strip the bike to nothing and rebuild into a very different bike that looks the same.
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I'd like to eliminate the CANBUS based electronics and use a custom tunable ECU. No TBW, no catalyst, no SAS, no ABS, no TC, simple tank vent hose, different instruments and so on. Basically strip the bike to nothing and rebuild into a very different bike that looks the same.
My palms are sweating and my heart rate is up just reading that. Fight or flight response I think. Maybe think about getting a bicycle.
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Maybe think about getting a bicycle.
As Fabio Taglioni of Ducati said circa 1985 in relation to the Japanese manufacturers “I build difficult bicycles, they build easy cars”
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As Fabio Taglioni of Ducati said circa 1985 in relation to the Japanese manufacturers “I build difficult bicycles, they build easy cars”
Well played. :bow:
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Depends if it’s a ‘modern’ motorcycle, in this case it’s what’s the best tool for getting me see and experience places, two up it’s what is the most comfortable motorcycle for my wife to ride on, has the best pilot seat, backrest, luggage capacity for her stuff, etc…..
For solo riding what’s the most comfortable and pleasant for me to ride, luggage capacity, range, weather protection are top on my list. The K1600GTL answered the first scenario but I have sold my trusty KLR 650 having owned several, but my off pavement days I think are done so my next solo bike may be the V100 with luggage.
For vintage my first requirement is it must be Italian, 70’s or earlier, have something unique in its engineering, appearance, history etc. my Eldorado is my go to all around bike but my Ducati 860 GT is the most fun to ride followed by the Moto Morini 500 for being so light and easy to ride.
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I'd like to eliminate the CANBUS based electronics and use a custom tunable ECU. No TBW, no catalyst, no SAS, no ABS, no TC, simple tank vent hose, different instruments and so on. Basically strip the bike to nothing and rebuild into a very different bike that looks the same.
Holy hell…!
Still fuel injected ?
Is your V85 relatively new, or acquired as a repairable write off at a bargain price ? A very bold move to tear into it as you intend, but absolute kudos to you. I’m quietly confident that you’ll achieve anything you attempt… :bow: :thumb:
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My palms are sweating and my heart rate is up just reading that. Fight or flight response I think. Maybe think about getting a bicycle.
I think you drastically underestimate him Sir…
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My V85TT is in fine shape but that means it’s an under $10K used production motorcycle, not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things and its ‘modern’ (meaning automotive inspired) ‘technology’ (meaning computer and network crapola) makes it less interesting to me, to the point where my choice is sell or change. I’ll probably do the engine related stuff first to ensure that it’s going to work before tearing the bike apart, and then go from there. Multiple sources are claiming 80 RWHP with external changes only and that would be a nice start versus the 68 it makes stock.
What I described is not much greater a challenge than restoring an old bike or building a racer once you consider that it’s just taking ‘everything’ off and starting over with the systems. The biggest challenge in what I have in mind is coming up with a cable operated throttle body that can interface with a custom ECU. Might have to make something there. Another one is coming up with the low fuel warning light that you need with an injected bike. I did briefly consider twin carbs but there’s no room and the single throttle body is a good solution.
I’d like the thing to appear as stock as possible so as to show what Piaggio could have done if they’d wanted to go in a more traditional Guzzi direction. MoTs/TüV inspections or whatever are not a factor where the bike is registered, so I don’t don’t have that constraint.
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I think you drastically underestimate him Sir…
I am incapable of underestimating him because I don't know him or his apparent extensive talents. What I do know is that some of the
complexity of current motorcycles that Tusayan is not satisfied with is mandated by governments to comply with emission and safety standards such as catalytic converters and ABS, to name a few. If someone wants to take a modern motorcycle and strip off all the complexity and roll it back literally decades, to virtually make a new motorcycle old, I don't understand the premise. Everything Tusayan seems to want can be found in older, existing machines, including
easily attaining 80 hp. Now, if this is purely about the creative challenge of creating a vision and employing his talents to achieve it, have at it. I just
don't understand why one would purchase a new bike in the first place if so many properties and components of the machine he finds to be a negative.
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I already have a lot of capable older bikes and no, you can’t buy an older ‘adventure touring’ bike that has all of what a new bike has in terms of chassis stiffness and engine development, combined with the compelling simplicity of older bikes that has been largely outlawed in new bikes sold to many markets.
That said if I could get a new 1988-style R100GS to replace mine for let’s say $20K I’d buy one because they were very good. Mine has done 108,000 hard miles worldwide and I love it but the V85TT has the potential to be the same and in some ways significantly more (having much more power, stable handling and big double disk brake). Nothing else on the market (new or used) has the same titanium valved performance potential while also having the practicality and autonomy potential that could come with e.g. 2V/cylinder, an air cooled twin, single throttle body, single cam/pushrod/screw valve adjustment, single rear shock with no rear shock linkage, non-jacking shaft drive, good comfort two up, factory hard bags, potentially maintainable forever without dealer visits and also reasonably good looking - no Darth Vader plastic. The networked electronics and smog gee-gaws screw all that up, but with (a lot of) effort I think it’s possible to get the best of both worlds. I see the stock bike conceptually as a wasted opportunity for my preferences and use.
It’s surely correct that governmental nonsense has driven bikes in a direction I dislike, the newest of my nine bikes otherwise is a 2002 model (it’s a carburated SV650, delightful) and the next newest is the Ducati 996 Mono. Everything else is from the last century and there are no other new bikes that I would buy. I don’t think there ever will be again - I think motorcycles have gone off the rails. Listen to interviews of Miguel Galuzzi (Piaggio’s chief designer) and you’ll hear him say much the same thing, to quote him “something went wrong” but he’s stuck designing them as they are.
A V85TT bought used with low mileage like mine is not valuable enough that I think of it as a significant investment that needs to be preserved as-is, especially given that as a newish bike it’ll depreciate regardless over the next few years. Mine was 10K out the door with three bags, tax included etc. It’s not a bevel drive Ducati, and is fine for me as a platform for engineered mods. I bet in 20 years the result will be more interesting to a used bike buyer than a stock V85TT that Piaggio or whoever owns Guzzi by then will be expecting you to throw away as obsolete.
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Right now I only have the one bike. What I want in a bike is what drew me to Guzzi so long ago. The sound, the feel, and not passing yourself on the road every 15 min. I really dont care for the styl of a lot of newer bikes. Looks are important to me, but what I find as looking good, does not always jive with everyone else. I road a lot of new bikes, from a few different manufactures last month at Anercade, and Ill tell you. None I would trade my Guzzi for, and only two I would have even added to the garage if I was buying today.
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I already have a lot of capable older bikes and no, you can’t buy an older ‘adventure touring’ bike that has all of what a new bike has in terms of chassis stiffness and engine development, combined with the compelling simplicity of older bikes that has been largely outlawed in new bikes sold to many markets.
That said if I could get a new 1988-style R100GS to replace mine for let’s say $20K I’d buy one because they were very good. Mine has done 108,000 hard miles worldwide and I love it but the V85TT has the potential to be the same and in some ways significantly more (having much more power, stable handling and big double disk brake). Nothing else on the market (new or used) has the same titanium valved performance potential while also having the practicality and autonomy potential that could come with e.g. 2V/cylinder, an air cooled twin, single throttle body, single cam/pushrod/screw valve adjustment, single rear shock with no rear shock linkage, non-jacking shaft drive, good comfort two up, factory hard bags, potentially maintainable forever without dealer visits and also reasonably good looking - no Darth Vader plastic. The networked electronics and smog gee-gaws screw all that up, but with (a lot of) effort I think it’s possible to get the best of both worlds. I see the stock bike conceptually as a wasted opportunity for my preferences and use.
It’s surely correct that governmental nonsense has driven bikes in a direction I dislike, the newest of my nine bikes otherwise is a 2002 model (it’s a carburated SV650, delightful) and the next newest is the Ducati 996 Mono. Everything else is from the last century and there are no other new bikes that I would buy. I don’t think there ever will be again - I think motorcycles have gone off the rails. Listen to interviews of Miguel Galuzzi (Piaggio’s chief designer) and you’ll hear him say much the same thing, to quote him “something went wrong” but he’s stuck designing them as they are.
A V85TT bought used with low mileage like mine is not valuable enough that I think of it as a significant investment that needs to be preserved as-is, especially given that as a newish bike it’ll depreciate regardless over the next few years. Mine was 10K out the door with three bags, tax included etc. It’s not a bevel drive Ducati, and is fine for me as a platform for engineered mods. I bet in 20 years the result will be more interesting to a used bike buyer than a stock V85TT that Piaggio or whoever owns Guzzi by then will be expecting you to throw away as obsolete.
OK
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I only have two bikes now, so my only criteria is:
am I carrying the wife pillion or need storage in my big boxes? Take the Breva 1100
am I riding alone or for fun? Take the CX100
I only rode the breva twice last year, and it hasn't seen the road yet this summer... Hey, anyone looking for a sweet deal on a fully sorted Breva 1100?????