Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: swooshdave on November 21, 2016, 12:15:22 PM
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(https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5528/31124164996_d0f7f4659c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/PqktUq)IMG_0288 (https://flic.kr/p/PqktUq) by swooshdave (https://www.flickr.com/photos/37683022@N08/), on Flickr
Friend of mine went to the show. I told her to take pics of any Guzzls. None in the show but this was outside.
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Just like real beasts; Not allowed inside!
Looks pretty cool. I wonder what frame/base model that is.
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That sold on ebay a few months back, there was a thread about it at the time. very helpful I know.... no further info
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Wasn't that bike featured in a Cycle World American Flyers series some years back? Ten or twelve years or so ago?
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Yup and yup. I have that magazine around here somewhere, and it was at the cycle world motorcycle international show too.
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Wasn't that bike featured in a Cycle World American Flyers series some years back? Ten or twelve years or so ago?
Would you believe almost 17 years ago ? :laugh:
Dusty
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Time goes by when you're having fun!
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Not real practical as an all-around do-anything bike. Looks like a fair-weather ride to me. My fenders are much more complete, and guck still gets everywhere. I have a hard time seeing something as aesthetic when it isn't capable of doing what it's supposed to do. Kind of goofy having a bike that can only be ridden on days when it, for sure, won't rain the whole time it's out. And in Seattle, no less!
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It's Candy It doesn't need a point.
I like it.
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put it in the living room and be done with it. :boozing:
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Not real practical as an all-around do-anything bike. Looks like a fair-weather ride to me. My fenders are much more complete, and guck still gets everywhere. I have a hard time seeing something as aesthetic when it isn't capable of doing what it's supposed to do. Kind of goofy having a bike that can only be ridden on days when it, for sure, won't rain the whole time it's out. And in Seattle, no less!
I have been part of many motorcycle forums since Al Gore invented the internet and I have never seen a forum so full of people so into fenders.
If you are riding in the rain and get road crap on your bike, can't you just wash it? I wash my bike every time I get caught in the rain anyway and the road grim comes off easier then bugs or tar.
I have a café T3 with no rear fender and open stacks on the carb but I wont ride it if I know it is going to rain. I have other bikes for that. And now that I am older, and don't commute on my bikes anymore I usually will blow off a ride if it is raining. I don't feel like that makes me less of a "biker".
You said "I have a hard time seeing something as aesthetic when it isn't capable of doing what it's supposed to do." Well my café bike is supposed to look good, and to me I think that it is very capable of that. Some on the café racer sites get all caught up that a cafe bike is supposed to be all about performance, but I can throw many thousands of dollars at my 41 year old bike and still get it's butt kicked by a bone stock Ninja 300.
Every bike is compromised in some way and there is no way to justify most bikes other than it is the bike you want for the riding you want to do.
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So there R332 , how do feel about seats , also unnecessary on a motorbike :grin:
Dusty
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So there R332 , how do feel about seats , also unnecessary on a motorbike :grin:
Dusty
in some cases, yes :azn:
(http://d6trials.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2010GasGas1.jpg)
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That sold on ebay a few months back, there was a thread about it at the time. very helpful I know.... no further info
I've been searching for the thread, any clues? Key words?
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There are narrow spectrum bikes and wide spectrum bikes and bike shaped objects .
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If you are riding in the rain and get road crap on your bike, can't you just wash it? I wash my bike every time I get caught in the rain anyway and the road grim comes off easier then bugs or tar.
I have a caf� T3 with no rear fender and open stacks on the carb but I wont ride it if I know it is going to rain. I have other bikes for that. And now that I am older, and don't commute on my bikes anymore I usually will blow off a ride if it is raining. I don't feel like that makes me less of a "biker".
You said "I have a hard time seeing something as aesthetic when it isn't capable of doing what it's supposed to do." Well my caf� bike is supposed to look good, and to me I think that it is very capable of that. Some on the caf� racer sites get all caught up that a cafe bike is supposed to be all about performance, but I can throw many thousands of dollars at my 41 year old bike and still get it's butt kicked by a bone stock Ninja 300.
Every bike is compromised in some way and there is no way to justify most bikes other than it is the bike you want for the riding you want to do.
:1:
What's wrong with a fair weather ride?
I've got 3 of 'em, unless I'm unlucky enough to get caught out. After 40 years riding I've got nowt to prove.
If you enjoy rain riding, good luck...I just got fed up with it after the first 20 years.
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Fenders are useful for more than protection from rain and road muck. How about hot tar? Rocks? Dirt clods? Race bikes look cool with minimal fenders, but that's the race track. And, yes, a trials bike has no seat to speak of, but that's a trials bike - you're not supposed to sit down. That's the problem here - comparing apples to apples.
I'm not going to argue the cafe thing - there are those who think no (or minimal) fenders are good, big giant oversize tires or even dual sport tires look and work good, and seats with 1" of padding finish it off. And, of course, the checkered racing stripe down the middle of the tank.
When I was 16 I liked the sound of open pipes, but that got old after a while. And I also thought it looked cool with no front fender. By the way, no front fender doesn't only affect you in the rain. Sometimes there's a section of road that's wet - someone watered their yard and the water ran across the road. The road grime flings up and now you're covered in muck visor to nuts.
Me, I like the look of fenders that fit the bike. Some were ugly from the factory and the trick is fabbing something that looks right.
There are some cafes I like, but most of them do nothing for me.
If you like having a bike that only goes out in nice weather for a Sunday afternoon ride - that's your thing. I like having bikes (sport or touring) I can take out for several days and not worry if a couple hours away I'll hit rain. And that happens around here. I recall one beautiful spring day four or five of us rode 60 miles up the gorge to Hood River, then up to Mount Hood. Before we made it up the mountain it started raining and didn't stop till we got to Rhododendron. Boy was that miserable! The rider on an RS was the only one enjoying himself.
That's how it is out here. Of course there are some nice twisty roads five miles away, but I've ridden them so many times I don't feel like pulling the bike out just for that. And, you know, riding a bike without fenders and all the other mods is close to the same experience (except for the sore butt) as having one with all the normal equipment - it just LOOKS cool to others watching or who see it at the cafe.
I like looking at hot rods and race bikes, but for something practical, I prefer a real seat, fenders, horns, and all the normal things I expect on a road-going machine.
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Fenders are useful for more than protection from rain and road muck. How about hot tar? Rocks? Dirt clods?
Sorry, I just have never had issues with hot tar, rocks or dirt clods. Maybe the roads I ride.
Race bikes look cool with minimal fenders, but that's the race track. And, yes, a trials bike has no seat to speak of, but that's a trials bike - you're not supposed to sit down. That's the problem here - comparing apples to apples.
The problem is that you see all fruit as apples
I'm not going to argue the cafe thing - there are those who think no (or minimal) fenders are good, big giant oversize tires or even dual sport tires look and work good, and seats with 1" of padding finish it off. And, of course, the checkered racing stripe down the middle of the tank.
When I was 16 I liked the sound of open pipes, but that got old after a while. And I also thought it looked cool with no front fender. By the way, no front fender doesn't only affect you in the rain. Sometimes there's a section of road that's wet - someone watered their yard and the water ran across the road. The road grime flings up and now you're covered in muck visor to nuts.
My last café bike didn't have a front fender and that never happened to me. You can slow down or move over when you come across a puddle. Again, it was a second bike, didn't go out in the rain if I could avoid it. Didn't leave the city much, so the roads are clean, just full of pot holes
Me, I like the look of fenders that fit the bike. Some were ugly from the factory and the trick is fabbing something that looks right.
There are some cafes I like, but most of them do nothing for me.
If you like having a bike that only goes out in nice weather for a Sunday afternoon ride - that's your thing. I like having bikes (sport or touring) I can take out for several days and not worry if a couple hours away I'll hit rain. And that happens around here. I recall one beautiful spring day four or five of us rode 60 miles up the gorge to Hood River, then up to Mount Hood. Before we made it up the mountain it started raining and didn't stop till we got to Rhododendron. Boy was that miserable! The rider on an RS was the only one enjoying himself.
See, I have a bike that is perfect longer rides. I take my Monster on 5 or 6 over night trips and usually at least one 3 day trip each summer. I would never consider that with my café racer. My legs and butt wouldn't take more than 60 miles without a long brake, plus the tank hold less than 1.5 gals.
That's how it is out here. Of course there are some nice twisty roads five miles away, but I've ridden them so many times I don't feel like pulling the bike out just for that. And, you know, riding a bike without fenders and all the other mods is close to the same experience (except for the sore butt) as having one with all the normal equipment - it just LOOKS cool to others watching or who see it at the cafe.
I like looking at hot rods and race bikes, but for something practical, I prefer a real seat, fenders, horns, and all the normal things I expect on a road-going machine.
You are looking at this as someone with only a single bike that needs to do everything. There is nothing wrong with specialized motorcycles. Just as I wouldn't wear dress shoes hiking, I don't have to use one motorcycle for touring, off roading or bopping around town.
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Besides not being able to make sense of the café bike movement , as an old guy with long legs I'm pretty much jealous of younger guys who can fold themselves up using rear-sets , sit on their nuts , and lean on their wrists while they tool around town at speeds that don't allow the wind to take the pressure off .
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I'm not saying guys shouldn't configure their bikes any which way they want - though I never understood ape hangers. LOL
Aesthetics are a big thing with me, and I know that's something very personal. I thought BMW airheads were ugly for the longest time, so never gave them a second thought. But after a friend swapped me his R90 for my old Volvo wagon, my opinion changed. After a couple years I found it to be one of the most beautiful bikes on the road. Funny, how tastes can change.
Anyway, I've got an R1100S and think it's a really good looking bike. It doesn't have much of a rear fender, but it works to keep the guck off pretty much. And the front fender isn't much either, but works. So it's not all about the length of fenders, but the over-all look. I think it's really ugly what a lot of guys have done where the rear fender is missing and the rear of the bike looks like a dog with a bobbed tail - all butt and leg. I just don't find that attractive. And the minimalist look with just a frame, engine, trans, wheels and gas tank - I don't know - it usually doesn't do anything for me.
Now a stock V7 Sport - ooh YEAH! For the longest time I thought the Norton Commandos were the best looking bikes ever. I recall a well done customized airhead with metal fenders and it was pretty. There was a BMW R65 with high pipes, wire wheels, solo seat, dual sport bars, and dual sport tires that I'd love to duplicate.
And I like looking at fenderless hotrods, but can't imagine having something like that taking up garage space for those few days a year I could get it out. Maybe in southern California it would make sense, but certainly not here in the Pacific NW where it's wet so much of the time.
I guess what it comes down to is an aesthetic issue and I'm trying to put it in a practical perspective. Bottom line is that I don't think the fashion of having a bare rear tire hanging out there all by itself looks good. I like having the rear end finished off, and if the fender is shorter, but fits with the overall look, then fine. It's my aesthetic sense.
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I get what you are saying. I am making a XS400 for my wife right now. She rides a Ducati 1098 and it is no fun unless we are in southern Ohio or West Virginia on smooth twisty roads. The XS will be her "bar hopper" (we don't drink and ride). A fun bike to bob around when we cant take a full day to go and ride.
I am mocking up the rear. I got the seat and am getting ready to make a rear hoop. But I agree, not all seats look good without a fender. Her bike isn't going to be a "café" - more of a bratstyle. She wants big chunky tires, but not vintage Firestones. Just something fatter then stock for looks. I am going to use some of the rear fender - maybe a less than in this mock-up.
(https://s6.postimg.org/mkm4tap5d/XS400_seat.jpg)
The seat wont be comfy (but she does say her 1098 seat is fine even after 8+ hours of riding) :huh: .
I actually might have more fun building these bikes then riding them.
Here are my café bikes - cause I am a picture whore. I sold the CB360 to fund a dirt bike that I sold to fund the Guzzi.
(https://s6.postimg.org/nydroloep/CB360_CAFE.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161102/e79b1cc3ce7b6346d95f9e30b7533263.jpg)
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BTW: I go back and forth with the BMW Airheads. Some look great, others look not so much....
My next bike (when I replace the Guzzi) will wither be a vintage German or English bike. Either a airhead café racer or a Triumph street tracker.