Your first ride on a Guzzi...

[guzziart]

I was working for a multi brand dealer in the late 90's that carried Guzzi's.  I prepped an EV, rode it (1st time on a Guzzi) and hoped to never have to experience that again.  Shortly thereafter MG came in and pulled the franchise from the dealer.  I now own 3 Guzzi's and enjoy them all.   

[LowRyter]

2020, about a month ago.

I test rode a brand new V7III Stone Night Pack at a dealer. I followed the salesman on a pretty lame loop around the dealership for a few miles. It wasn't better at anything than the bike that I rode there on, except for comfort.

A month later I'm on a Guzzi forum and I don't even own one. Yet.

There are lots of choices on Shakedown Street, you just have to poke around.

http://www.mgnoc.com/classifieds.html

[guzziownr]

Cut and pasted from a similar thread in 2016:

I decided (in 1989) that owning a car in NYC was impractical so I learned to ride a motorcycle, a friend's Kawasaki 440 custom, which I piloted around the Brooklyn Navy yard. Having researched used bikes I determined that a used Moto Guzzi V65 would be an economical and reliable choice. The price was right at $1,500 but sadly, at 6' 4" and 225 Lbs., I was a poor fit. The nice man at Ghost Motorcycle sales in Port Washington NY suggested an Eldorado and offered a pristine white example formerly owned by local resident Billy Joel. I demurred due to the rock star price premium and eventually located a well used 1972 Eldorado and made arrangements to pick it up at the Finger Lakes Guzzi Rally.

I drove up in my Father's 1982 Cadillac Fleetwood accompanied by my then girlfriend "that crazy redhead". The plan was for me to ride the bike back to the city (150 miles?) with the redhead running chase in the Cadillac. Obstacles included the fact that I had never ridden ANY bike on the highway and an adjustment to the Eldorado's upside down shifting pattern.

We left the rally in good form, I stalled the bike once at a stop sign but adjusted to the clutch and heel and toe shifter quickly. We were soon on NY Route 17, a deserted stretch of two lane marked at 55 MPH. With an eye on the Veglia speedometer I cautiously ran the bike up to 45 and looked back at the redhead. She smiled and waved so I shifted into third gear and was almost immediately at an indicated 60 MPH on the dial. The bike was rock solid on the road so I glanced back once again to see the redhead making a shooing motion with her hand.

It was a gorgeous Sunday in June, an empty road and a thrilling sound from the exhaust. I shifted into fourth gear and saw 75 MPH on the dial. The road wound along above a river gorge and the Guzzi tracked happily through the gentle curves. I took in the limitless blue sky, the puffy clouds and checked the mirror to see the huge chrome grille of the Fleetwood uncomfortably close. The redhead was riding my tail and waving at me to go faster!

At an indicated 75 I had no intention of going any faster but she continued to wave and make faces at me.

That was when we heard the siren.

Behind the Fleetwood was a NY Highway patrol car with lights on and siren wailing. There was a scenic pull-off just ahead and I eased the Guzzi into it as the officer whipped past at warp speed giving me a scornful look as he passed. I was very shaken up and happy to get off the bike for a bit. The redhead informed me that I had failed to exceed 45 MPH and was wondering if there was something wrong with the bike!

Further testing revealed that the speedometer, plainly marked MPH, was reading in KPH. We proceeded on our way and I kept the speedo around 120 for the rest of the trip without further incident.

After years of riding Eldorados I still have one in the garage next to the GRiSO. It provides a nice contrast to the G12 and reminds me how far we (and Guzzi) have come in forty years. This is the '72 post restoration: 

[jumpmaster]

Cut and pasted from a similar thread in 2016:


The redhead informed me that I had failed to exceed 45 MPH and was wondering if there was something wrong with the bike!

Further testing revealed that the speedometer, plainly marked MPH, was reading in KPH. We proceeded on our way and I kept the speedo around 120 for the rest of the trip without further incident.

Ha!  Reminds me of my first highway ride on my 73 Eldorado, riding on I-270 and US-340 over to Charlie Mullendore's to get new tires put on the bike.  I was going an indicated 60-65 most of the way, but people kept passing me like I was riding backwards.  Charlie was amused by my story but only said "Guzzi speedos can be a bit unreliable" or something like that.  A couple of days later I put an older GPS I had laying around on the bike and took it back out on the highway and discovered that an indicated 65 was just barely over 50.  I went home & got a copy of the published Eldorado rpm figures at various speeds and calculated the road speed for each 1000 rpm increment, and confirmed that my speedo was off at an indicated 30 mph and WAY off at 65 mph, confirming my GPS information!  Anyway, shortly thereafter I sent the speedo out for recalibration and now it agrees, within a mph or 2, with the GPS at least up through 65-70 mph.  Wasn't cheap, but it was worth it to have an accurate speedo in the land of speed traps and predatory traffic enforcement.

[guzzied]

My first ride on a Guzzi was in 2001, I went to the BMW/Guzzi dealer in Oakland Ca. to buy a bike cover for my 1994 BMW 1100RSL, I saw a GREEN V11 Sport in the parts department and I had to own it!  I went home and told my wife I wanted this bike, she asked did I ride it, I answered no.  Went back and purchased it and rode it home after it was prepped. Boy, what a feeling!  I rode it a year then decided to sell the BMW as it was never ridden again!

The first day I owned the Green V11 Sport, I went to fill the tank at the local gas station. As I was filling the tank, a guy circled around the block and drove up to me, he said he saw that bike at the Bay Area International Motocycle Show and it was Beautiful!

[della moto]

There are lots of choices on Shakedown Street, you just have to poke around.

http://www.mgnoc.com/classifieds.html

That's what I was thinking. Thanks for the link.

[PeteS]

Bought my '76 LeMans in '78 from the original owner. I had owned my 750 Norton already for 7 years and my first impression of the "big" twin is it had no torque. Took me awhile to get used to power band but gradually realized the Guzzi picked up where the Norton left off. Above 80 the Norton was getting into white knuckle territory due to questionable handling of the isolastic frame. The Guzzi just got more stable the faster it went. Still have them both.

Pete

[Demar]

Mine was on my new 2012 Stelvio leaving Pro Italia in Glendale, CA. I did a fly-n-ride from SF. I got on the Slelvio at the dealer and didn't get off until I stopped for gas 170 miles later. Then I rode another 300 miles to Mammoth Lakes. About an hour before I stopped for the day I felt a rock hit my left boot. It wasn't until I got on the bike the next morning that I realized it wasn't a rock but my left-side amber turn signal lens. It came loose from the mirror and the wind sent it into my boot. When I got home I installed the Euro turn signals. The first day I stopped for lunch in Lone Pine and I was sitting on a bench on my phone outside the restaurant and a father and son pulled in next to the Stelvio. They got out and walked over to look at it and the father said "that's a bad ass bike."

[Moparnut72]

My first time on a Guzzi was in 1969 or 1970. I was looking for a new bike. I had a BMW R50/2 which had a a fine bike when I lived in Conn. But I was now living in Colo and due to the altitude and high passes it was less than adequate using all of it's 26 horsepower to just maintain any kind of speed. I was planning on a new R75/5 but I wanted to try a Guzzi before getting the Beemer. I rode an Ambassador and liked the bike but I felt the Beemer was a bit more sporty and nimble so that is what I bought. I had the R75 for quite a few years and miles but replaced it with a R90/6. But I always maintained a soft spot in my heart for Guzzis.

I quit riding for a few years and then wound up on the Harley bandwagon with a Sportster for a couple of years, then a Twin Cam which unfortunately was lost in a fire. Upon looking for a replacenent in 2017 I test rode an Eldorado. I liked the bike but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I was really interested in the Audace on the foor way in the back. The dealership said it hadn't been serviced and couldn't be ridden. I actuality I don't don't think they wanted to move a bunch of bikes to get it out. So I bought a Harley Slim S. After a couple of years I got tired of the poor suspension and a few other things and started looking for an Audace again. I found one and traded the Harley for it. It turns out it was the same bike I had looked at 2 1/2 years earlier.

Anyway I have often wondered how my bike riding would gone if I had chosen the Guzzi instead of the Beemer those many years earlier. Someone, earlier in this thread mentioned Harry's in Denver as a dealer for MGs at one time. I have been unable to remember who the dealer was back in those days but after hearing about Harrys I think that may have been the dealership I visited back then.
kk

[nsmith]

Yesterday My brother in law and I went out for his first ever European motorcycle experience. I live the Ozark  mountains of Arkansas, About 20 miles on my R1100RT we stopped and he was pretty excited about the experience. We traded rides, now he's on my 2007 Breva 1100 with a very nice Corbin saddle. 25 mikes later we came to a stop and he jumped off the seat "DUDE, I will NEVER spend money on a Harley again" I have known  him for 35 years and never seen him this excited. I mean like a kid in a candy store with topples waitresses serving free beer. Next he said I think I need to get me a new bike. He has owned 3 Harley bikes and a Harley trike. "No wonder you like these so much" "I mean the BMW is great but holy crap that Guzzi is unbelievable!" I said "y'all thought I was shitting ya when I said you don't know what your missing but you just had to have your Harleys." he said never again will he spend a dime on Harley. I only wish I had him on video. When we got back to the house he was still talking it up. Some folks ya just gotta prove it to them.   

[Huzo]

.  So....the F4 was not a “keeper”? People drool over those bikes, including me. I have never ridden an F4 before, but it seems like something that I just have to experience. I sometimes wonder if the F4 is nothing more than an Italian version of a Honda. Except with all the downfalls of Italian machinery. Good looks, no heart and soul, no reliability? I just find it surprising when people sell their F fours and don’t keep them.

It’s just a chance to open your wallet and show off.
Probably more of a status symbol than anything…A “look at me” bike.

[bigbikerrick]

As far a

It’s just a chance to open your wallet and show off.
Probably more of a status symbol than anything…A “look at me” bike.

I have a friend that owned a 2009 F4 for a few years. I rode the bike quite a few times, and It did feel like a big inline Honda 4 cyl, like a CBR 1000. It also felt top heavy, and had a "heavy" feel to the steering.  It was a beautiful bike, but not fun to ride, like a Guzzi, IMHO. The paintwork on the F4 was also pretty fragile, and would scratch easily. Cool looking bike, though, and those 4 pipes sticking out the back, are as sexy as they come!   

My first Guzzi ride was on an 01 Rosso Mandello. a different friend bought one new,and I ended up trading him the Rosso, straight across for an Isuzu trooper I had. That was it, the hook was set.What awesome torque! I guess you can say I swallowed the hook,line,and sinker!
Rick D.
Rick.

[Dukedesmo]

Boring answer because my first ride on a Guzzi was in 2015 when I bought my LM2 and, to date it's the only Guzzi I've ridden.   

[blu guzz]

In 2004, a friend of mine bought a left-over 2001 Jackel in the winter.  When the weather got a little better, I got a ride.  I didn't like the seating position, but loved the engine and the balanced feel in the handling that only a Guzzi has.  Unfortunately, it had a factory defect in the clutch and dealers were dropping like flies in those early days of the 2000s so he sold it off pretty fast (he has always been lucky).  When we got Cadre, my next ride was on a V7 II while my BMW was in their shop around 2015 or 2016.  The same great handling was immediately apparent and this bike had a much more modern feel than the Jackel. But, I wasn't in the market then.

[ital4me]

I was in Alaska serving in the military 1978. A friend let me drive his 1976 850 Le Mans. Wow! I have been riding Italian bikes ever since. Maybe one or two exemptions.

[Tkelly]

In spring of 79 I bought a 73 Eldorado in Chicago for 850$ ,the customary used bike fmv in those days.I had a Kaw 900 and a r60 bmw and a Honda 400 four,so the ride ,handling,and power didn’t impress me much,especially the brakes.That all changed when I bought a t3 in the fall,I thought I would never want another motorcycle.I got rid of the kaw and bmw and bought my wife a new v50.We moved to WI and got rid of all the bikes after I hit a cow with the  eldo in 84 and we started having kids.Got back with another 800$ T3 in 97 and haven’t looked back,have a Stelvio,SP,T3, same V50,another r60 and a 175 kaw dirt bike,too old to buy any more but wish I could.

[Bulldog9]

2015 for me. Instant bond. I had been on an FJR 1300 for 8-10 years and was bored to death. Thought I had changed and lost the bug, but the Griso Converted me in the first 100 Feet. Dave Richardson was the best salesman. Told me to go out as long as I wanted. What I really wanted was to get back and seal the deal!

[Vagrant]

1971 My best friend bought a 71 Ambassador from Dolenzo? brothers in Chicago. I rode it and thought it was a pregnant hippo. In 72 when the 850 Eldo was released I got one and there has been a Guzzi in the garage ever since. 3 right now.

[faffi]

It must have been in 1991. Got to try my brother's 1971 V7 750. It had the wrong cam and made little power, vibrated uncomfortably, and not only had the rear brake pedal and gear shifter on the wrong sides, but also a reverse shift pattern. Combined with a massive flywheel that kept the revs up for what felt like a minute during ever gear change, it was the most horrendous ride of my life after attempting to ride a moped with a flat front wheel and a Sachs engine having more neutrals than gears. I could not find one thing to like about the V7 other than its looks.











Next Guzzi ride some years later, again on my brother's bike, this time a Lario of 1986 vintage. Other than a heavenly sound from the LaFranconis, the bike left no particularl impressions on me. It was simply meh.

Many moons later, my brother again bought a Guzzi, a Cali II. For me, that bike had zero positive sides. I found nothing to like, but lots to dislike. Reminded me of the old V7 with worse looks.

A few years after that, he got himself a Cali EV. That was so terrible that if it was the only bike available in the world, and I could not alter anything, I would have stopped riding alltogether. However, it did finally have a decent engine, albeit with a bad midrange dip in torque, and handling that was familiar to me coming from mostly Japanese bikes. Only real gripe, other than the torturous riding position, was a gearbox that refused to engage a gear after sitting in neutral. With a better, taller seat, proper footpegs back where they belong, a normal shifter and brake pedal, plus handlebars shaped to fit a human instead of a monkey, I could easily see myself owning one. Oh, forgot to mention that I'd remove that terrible linked braking system as well.

With all that history, it is amazing I love my V9 Roamer so much. But it is so much better than the bikes above (for me) that they simply do not compare.,

[MerleLowe]

I got a late start.  After 40 years of powered 2-wheelers I got my first sample of Guzzi in late '22 test riding my V85TT.  A few hours later I was riding it home.

Now I have a 2010 V7 as well.

[Shiny Hat]

10-23, 2003 Stone. Handles like a boat anchor, drifts in turns and constantly look for parts falling off. It’s a keeper.

[Perazzimx14]

I bought a new leftover 2007 Griso from Europa Macchina through eBay in mid-July 2011 . I made a low offer and they accepted and I became a Guzzi owner. At that time I had heard the words Moto Guzzi but never even saw one. I can't even remember if I trucked or rode it home?

I put 4,409 miles on it and sold it on 12/21/12 then bought about a dozen more Guzzi's over the next few years.

[Zenermaniac]

When I sold my last bike I thought I was pretty much done with cycling at my age. Turns out I wasn’t. In 50 years of riding I had never ridden a Guzzi and had only seen one once. I believe it was an older Convert. Never considered one and didn’t even know there was a dealer around. I saw an advert for a V7 and was intrigued by the general design and configuration. I found Cadre’s webpage and started looking. He had a used V9 Roamer that I liked the looks of as the profile kind of reminded me of an XS650 I used to have. I called and talked to Enzo for a while and made the deal. He delivered it to my house 90 miles away. Something I’ve never done before this was buy a bike sight unseen or no test ride. So began my journey down the Guzzi rabbit hole.

[Grabcon]

My first Moto Guzzi Ride

August 1, 2023 is the date, Its was my first ride and ownership of a 2020 V85TT. Since 1967 I have only owned Hondas and one Suzuki 2020 650 VStrom. I have owned a half dozen or more CB750 SOHC’s I kind of love them because they are a simple machine. I also have owner more modern Hondas, the last one was a VFR1200X. Then I downsized to the VStrom.  In July of 2023 my wife and I were at the Top O Rockies BMW rally in Paonia CO. I saw 4 of these V85TT bikes there and fell in love. I spoke with all of the owners and they were from all parts of the US and all had doing but good to say about them. That was the start of my research and from mid July to August 1 is the time it took to find one, ride it and buy it.

Now I live in south east Arizona about 6 or so miles north of the border. The bike I found was in Denver, a bit over 800 miles. We drove up to Denver, completed the deal on the bike and took the back way through the mountains back to home. We left early afternoon and clocked 200miles before stopping for the day. Day two clocked 560 miles before we stopped because the Jeep broke down a 100 miles from home. Got a tow for the Jeep and completed the trip on day 3.

5 1/2 months prior to this trip I had screws and rods put in my back L3-L4, L4-L5. So major back surgery. The doctor said a one year timeframe for total recovery. Well I didn’t listen since two weeks before the wife and I did 1800 miles to and from Paonia and now another 800 plus miles on a new bike.

Since August 1 I have clocked over 6000 miles on the V85TT. I guess I like the bike. It always puts a smile on my face. And like the CB750 SOHC it is a simple machine. I do my own maintenance and this was a key factor in buying it. Anyway that is my story and I am sticking to it.

[jumpmaster]

I saw my first Guzzi, a 69 Ambassador, in 1969 at a dealership just outside of Ft. Gordon, GA.  First ride didn't happen until decades later when I rode a V50 for a day on a RetroTour weekend in Pennsylvania.  I'd been riding a 75 Norton for many years by that time and although the V50's handiing was great, I missed the low-end torque of the Norton.  A couple of years later I rode the RetroTour's Ambassador on an overnight tour and liked it overall, although I remember that I struggled a little to adapt to the 1-up, 3-down shift pattern.  At any rate, after riding the Ambassador I stumbled across a 1990 Mille GT not far from my home and bought it.  Loved the low-end torque and styling, and although the handling wasn't nearly as quick as my Norton, it was still moderately fun on curvy roads and felt rock-solid at highway speeds.

Started looking for an Eldorado 850 after the Mille GT started getting too uncomfortable to ride for extended periods & found one to my liking a couple of years later in 2018.  Turns out that the Eldo's handling sort of splits the difference between the Norton & the Mille.

[drdwb]

"How come you remember when you bought your first Guzzi but you can't remember our anniversary or my birthday." asked my fifth wife.
Texas Turnup.

I love this comment. Thanks  for the morning chuckle.

[Huzo]

"How come you remember when you bought your first Guzzi but you can't remember our anniversary or my birthday." asked my fifth wife.
Texas Turnup.

I love this comment. Thanks  for the morning chuckle.

After having had 5 of them, I’d be surprised if he could remember her name…!

[hzbloke]

2016. My Honda Deauville had been written off by insurance after a very minor accident and I was looking for another shaft-drive bike. The Breva seemed the most practical (and best looking). One appeared for sale in a town (Traralgon) 400km away so we went for a drive.

It turns out the owner was 84 years old. When the bike fell over in his shed and he couldn't pick it up by himself he decided he needed a lighter bike. He bought a KTM 350 I believe.

I took the bike for a test ride, liked it, bought it. We had dinner in the pub, stayed the night in a motel and I rode it the 400km home the next day.

[Huzo]

2016. My Honda Deauville had been written off by insurance after a very minor accident and I was looking for another shaft-drive bike. The Breva seemed the most practical (and best looking). One appeared for sale in a town (Traralgon) 400km away so we went for a drive.

It turns out the owner was 84 years old. When the bike fell over in his shed and he couldn't pick it up by himself he decided he needed a lighter bike. He bought a KTM 350 I believe.

I took the bike for a test ride, liked it, bought it. We had dinner in the pub, stayed the night in a motel and I rode it the 400km home the next day.

Great story, I love that stuff…
Have you still got it ?

[hzbloke]

Great story, I love that stuff…
Have you still got it ?