Growing old with a Centauro

[Joliet Jim]

Alright i know just turning 58 today makes me a youngster out here, but it does have me giving some serious thought that it might be time to sell the Beast. I took it out for about 3 hours yesterday for a nice ride along the river, and it performed flawlessly as usual. But the knees really didn't like the bend even with the lower Buell pegs. A frost or heat heave i didn't see until too late sent a shock through my already bad back and left me in pain for most of last night and this morning. I'll play with the rear shock adjustments before i take it out again, but i find myself enjoying the old stone with it's simpler pleasures more than i do the Beast. It was the opposite last year where the stone saw very little riding except when it was too cold to take out the Centauro with it's small shield. I hate the thought of getting rid of it, but i also hate seeing it not being ridden like it should. Just not enough time anymore to justify the two bikes. That said they are both long ago paid for and insurance is cheap so maybe the issue is i just need to ride it more :) 

[Stormtruck2]

I hear ya.  Welcome to the boat.

[Nic in Western NYS]

It's a bike, not a child - do whatever the heck you want to do with it - ride it, polish it, put it on a pedestal, run it in the mud.
And you aren't old!

[kidsmoke]

first off...



I've become pretty interested in going the spine route lately, so it's valuable to hear someone who loves one speak so well of the red headed step child Tonti Cali as you do.

I'm with those that say if you can still get joy from it and it costs you 10.00 a month ins. and the occasional oil change to do so, Just do that

[Joliet Jim]

Thanks KS, the Tonti may have been the best and worst thing Guzzi ever did. (why buy a new guzzi when the old ones do so much and last so long) The bikes are tremendously modifiable and run forever. Move the pegs, different handlebars and the ride is totally different. Pull a sidecar or cafe it. A used Tonti is probably the best value in motorcycling. Other than maybe a set of new tires, I'd ride it cross country tomorrow and its 15 years old.

[guzzisteve]

Happy Birth Day Jim !!!  We are the problem!!  Not buying a newer bike they make.

[mjptexas]

Alright i know just turning 58 today makes me a youngster out here...

I was 58 once. 

Make some modifications, and take an Alleve before you ride.  Actually, I find the more often I ride the less it hurts.
(everybody needs at least two running motorcycles, preferably three or more)

And Happy Birthday.

[Tom]

Ride them!  Don't overthink it. 

[Travlr]

It's a bike, not a child - do whatever the heck you want to do with it - ride it, polish it, put it on a pedestal, run it in the mud.
And you aren't old!

   

[John Ulrich]

 Happy Birthday!    Go buy yourself a present....some Ikon shocks.  Enjoy your day.   

[bad Chad]

Not sure what to say. The body does change, hours in the Cent tuck might be pushing it for you.

Or you could stop acting like an old grandpa, and make a rally next year, it will do you good!

Im a few years younger than even you kid, and I'm beginning to understand the advantage of the v9/1400 Cal series!  Even the B1100 takes its piece of flesh from me after enough miles!

[twowings]

Jim:

Have you thought about trying yoga and some stretching exercises before/after you ride...may be the thing to attenuate that knee and leg discomfort...just a thought...

[Lannis]

I was 58 once. 

Make some modifications, and take an Alleve before you ride.  Actually, I find the more often I ride the less it hurts.
(everybody needs at least two running motorcycles, preferably three or more)

And Happy Birthday.

With a Rich Maund seat to raise me up and set me back JUST a bit, and the bars and controls swivelled to where I wanted them, my Centauro was an extremely comfortable bike to ride, any distance at all ...

I'd still have it if it weren't for the strange handling quirk that no combination of suspension settings, brand of tires, tire pressure, etc would eliminate ....

Lannis

[Joliet Jim]

well to be totally honest with myself, losing the 40lbs i gained while rehabbing the knee before destroying the foot a year ago is probably the biggest problem. finally getting back to full mobility on the right leg after two years of on and off crutches and rehabs.

chad i agree about the rallies, I really do need to go to them again and quit just sleeping in a rv

[pete roper]

If you sell it you'll regret it.

If it's giving you a hard time it's time to spend a few $$$ on suspension work. The WP stuff on the Centy is well dated now but it's still adjustable and a good suspension tuner should be able to improve both performance and compliance out of sight.

Right now I'm really being given a workout by my worsening arthritis. I have no need for more 'Performance' as in power or speed from my Griso but the latest round of suspension mods have revolutionised it's comfort level! That, along with tailoring the riding position, (Onur's 15mm risers and Spaceclam's dropped pegs along with the Corbin seat and possibly a handlebar change soon.) have meant that my dread of having to stop riding it has been given a serious reprieve.

Getting a decently valved shock with the right spring is vital for back comfort. Likewise properly set up forks will render hand, wrist and neck/back pain to the dustbin for at least another few years.

Thing is Jim the thought of you selling the Beast fills me with the same sort of goggle-eyed dread I got when Rocker started banging on about selling his Sport C a few years back. It's obvious that for some people there is a machine that they develop an almost symbiotic relationship with, (I feel that way about the Griso!). If the decision is made to sell there's no going back and there will be ample time to regret!

I say keep it. Anyway, it's a Centy! They're about as popular as syphilis! (Dunno why? I love 'em!) you wouldn't get what you think it's worth and it would probably end up going to some spotty college kid who was looking for cheap transport who'd beat it to death in three months!

Pete

[twhitaker]

Well said, Pete.

[Chuck in Indiana]

With a Rich Maund seat to raise me up and set me back JUST a bit, and the bars and controls swivelled to where I wanted them, my Centauro was an extremely comfortable bike to ride, any distance at all ...

I'd still have it if it weren't for the strange handling quirk that no combination of suspension settings, brand of tires, tire pressure, etc would eliminate ....

Lannis

Uhhh, what strange handling quirk? I never had any.

[Lannis]

Uhhh, what strange handling quirk? I never had any.

It might have been just me, but ....

I used to get about 5000 miles out of a front tire and 3500 out of a rear.   (I get double or triple that with the same load, riding style, tire brands and with more power on my Stelvio?) So I had plenty of opportunity to try about 10 rear and 5 front tire combinations in the time I rode it.

The "glitch" would happen whenever I lost traction for a second on the front, by running over a little patch of gravel, a "tar snake" or bare tar spot, or maybe a little patch of diesel.   It's the kind of thing that happens all the time in real-world road conditions, and on any of my other bikes at the time (any of my BSAs, my Eldo, my SP, or the Cal III) it was not an issue.   The front end would "step" to the side an inch or two, traction would be regained, a minor correction, and on you go.

But it was always a knuckle-whitening, seat-puckering event on the Centauro.  I felt like the bike was halfway down to the road in a low-side before I could catch it.   The forks would twitch to the side the bike was leaning, and when it caught traction, it would shake and complain.   

I'm not a suspension expert, but did my best to try combinations of settings to try to address it, but I never could.   I liked the bike, I had installed a crossover, brass temperature sensor holder, C4 chip, and learned how to balance the TBs .... it ran perfect, and pulled hard.   I really liked it, and was willing to address the potential oil-pump issue and keep running it.

But it got to scaring me so bad that I didn't trust it.   It got to where the problem might have been ME, and my reaction to the "twitch" was making it worse.   But rather than call in a psychiatrist or hypnotist to address the issue, I went ahead and sold it ...

Lannis

[Tom]

well to be totally honest with myself, losing the 40lbs i gained while rehabbing the knee before destroying the foot a year ago is probably the biggest problem. finally getting back to full mobility on the right leg after two years of on and off crutches and rehabs.

Wasn't going to say anything about weight but that would help plus any stretches before/after riding.  I loss 15lbs. since I last saw you.  Mauri loss 20lbs.  Don't know if it helps but I don't have to buy new clothes.    (Guzzi owner content)

[Nic in Western NYS]

It might have been just me, but ....

I used to get about 5000 miles out of a front tire and 3500 out of a rear.   (I get double or triple that with the same load, riding style, tire brands and with more power on my Stelvio?) So I had plenty of opportunity to try about 10 rear and 5 front tire combinations in the time I rode it.

The "glitch" would happen whenever I lost traction for a second on the front, by running over a little patch of gravel, a "tar snake" or bare tar spot, or maybe a little patch of diesel.   It's the kind of thing that happens all the time in real-world road conditions, and on any of my other bikes at the time (any of my BSAs, my Eldo, my SP, or the Cal III) it was not an issue.   The front end would "step" to the side an inch or two, traction would be regained, a minor correction, and on you go.

But it was always a knuckle-whitening, seat-puckering event on the Centauro.  I felt like the bike was halfway down to the road in a low-side before I could catch it.   The forks would twitch to the side the bike was leaning, and when it caught traction, it would shake and complain.   

I'm not a suspension expert, but did my best to try combinations of settings to try to address it, but I never could.   I liked the bike, I had installed a crossover, brass temperature sensor holder, C4 chip, and learned how to balance the TBs .... it ran perfect, and pulled hard.   I really liked it, and was willing to address the potential oil-pump issue and keep running it.

But it got to scaring me so bad that I didn't trust it.   It got to where the problem might have been ME, and my reaction to the "twitch" was making it worse.   But rather than call in a psychiatrist or hypnotist to address the issue, I went ahead and sold it ...

Lannis

That's a really interesting experience.  I wouldn't be missing my Centauro half as much if I had that happen to me.  Mine felt very planted.

[Stormtruck2]

My (Chucks old one) feels very planted. Ask anyone who has happened to have ridden behind me, it handles great.  My yellow one not so much right now, but the rear shock needs to be rebuilt.  Sorry to hear about the challenge yours posed.

[Joliet Jim]

As usual Pete is full of wisdom. I'm only kidding myself if I say I could sell it and not regret it. Symbiotic is right-on. It may not be a child, (thankfully since they cost me a hell of a lot more) but it has become part of me. I'm not the type to get rid of bikes and regret the two I had that I let get away. the 78 Bonnie and the 80 SR500. Neither bike survived long after my ownership of them. So sad. I guess if I want to get a Frazetta Moon Maid tattoo because of the Centaur, it means I've become part of the machine or vice-versa.

Long live the Beast

[John Ulrich]

I'm not the type to get rid of bikes and regret the two I had that I let get away. the 78 Bonnie and the 80 SR500. Neither bike survived long after my ownership of them.

Sounds like you sold them just in time!   

[lucky phil]

As usual Pete is full of wisdom. I'm only kidding myself if I say I could sell it and not regret it. Symbiotic is right-on. It may not be a child, (thankfully since they cost me a hell of a lot more) but it has become part of me. I'm not the type to get rid of bikes and regret the two I had that I let get away. the 78 Bonnie and the 80 SR500. Neither bike survived long after my ownership of them. So sad. I guess if I want to get a Frazetta Moon Maid tattoo because of the Centaur, it means I've become part of the machine or vice-versa.

Long live the Beast

How many miles has it done? The cylinder heads are high wear and expensive to rebuild and parts are getting rare.
Ciao