1st timer rider, bought 2014 V7 racer

[Dskjl]

New to motorcycles, just passed the rider safety course and written test.   Found a used 2014 V7 racer at a local shop, build plate 999 and bought it.  Put 30 miles on it today (1st) ride and have to say it’s fun but intimidating as hell.   All in all a good experience but struggled with getting started without stalling and kept hitting neutral instead of 2nd.   8700 miles on the bike, 30 miles day 1, plus almost 60 years  on the rider.   To much fun, to little experience.

[fotoguzzi]

You came to the right place! Welcome.. wear protective gear.

[Ncdan]

Welcome to the forum and the motorcycle world. Number one rule for a new rider. Never over ride your experience level and you’ll be ok.
One more thing, ride like every other motorist on the road hates you and wants to run you over😂😂 just kidding ..... somewhat😉

[Dskjl]

Just bought a riding jacket with pads, elbow, shoulder, spine etc...  ordered some tall riding boots, gloves, and a helmet.   Living in Alaska means some online purchasing is required as we have very few motorcycle shops and inventories are limited.   No Moto Guzzi dealer here so I’m going to have to learn to wrench a bit. 

Thanks for the advice;  In safety riding class the shared with us that paranoia pays.

Be safe

[Kiwi_Roy]

Welcome to the forum.
Why not alter your profile to show where you are located, I'm sure there are other Guzzi riders around, I know there is one in Whitehorse.
Otherwise keep in touch with other riders from your safety course, you have something in common.
Your gearbox is still quite new and stiff, you will notice it start to free up as you add miles, just keep your clutch cable adjusted with a little free play in the lever.

[malik]

As Roy says, the clutch cable can be adjusted to help smoother shifts. Wind the register at the handlebar out a bit more. The free play there should only be a couple of mm - width of a small coin, then the clutch will start engaging the rear wheel when the clutch lever is further out from the handlebar rather than closer in. Note that the clutch cable does NOT need lubrication, it's stainless in a Teflon liner.

There's a fair amount of useful information, including maintenance, in the 'Files" section of the
Moto-Guzzi-750@groups.io forum.

[Blaufeld66]

Welcome!!! 

[Muzz]

No Moto Guzzi dealer here so I’m going to have to learn to wrench a bit. 

Thanks for the advice;  In safety riding class the shared with us that paranoia pays.

Be safe

Good advice.

As far as servicing goes, the Guzzi is a very easy bike to work on and is a very simple motor.  There are many years of combined experience here on this board; at some stage in our motorcycling careers we have all had to start where you are.  Feel free to ask and someone will help walk you through it.

[SIR REAL ED]

New to motorcycles, just passed the rider safety course and written test.   Found a used 2014 V7 racer at a local shop, build plate 999 and bought it.  Put 30 miles on it today (1st) ride and have to say it’s fun but intimidating as hell.   All in all a good experience but struggled with getting started without stalling and kept hitting neutral instead of 2nd.   8700 miles on the bike, 30 miles day 1, plus almost 60 years  on the rider.   To much fun, to little experience.

Welcome. 

IMO, your primary focus now should be situational awareness.  If possible find an experienced rider and ride behind them.  I recently took a Newbie on a training ride of about 70 miles thru all kinds of roads.  He followed me and I was always pointing out things to be aware of.  Grass in the road, dog in the yard, slick spots in the road, children close to the street, etc.

When we stopped, I asked him "Did you notice x, y, z, etc.?  He got most buy missed the Frisbee on the roof.  He loved it and found it extremely helpful and confidence inspiring.

Practice low speed stuff to gain confidence.  Above 20 mph, the bike drives itself.  Low speed skills build confidence which help you relax, focus and enjoy.

Just like a puppy, you might gain more from several 15 minute practice sessions than marathon training sessions.  Don't hesitate to go to nearby parking lots for short session.

Be visible.  You can buy safety green or orange mesh vests with reflective material very cheaply.

Enroll in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, and of course there are tons of books and material available.

Learn from everyone else's experience and mistakes.  Enjoy.

[chuck peterson]

Welcome...good to hear people are still taking up the sport at our age. I’ll throw in 2 cents worth..

With 20/20 hindsight I’d suggest there are Two distinct parts to learn.

One is muscle memory building with the bike. Start stop shift brake acceleration. All four parts of your feet and hands learning wtf to do. Restart after stalling in gear. Looking at mirrors. Looking at speedo/tac. Heads up scanning down range. Tons of stuff there.

Part two, very different from part one, is staying alive in traffic. Positioning, speed, relative speed with others. Here, you’re subjected to the life threatening herd of elephants (cars trucks) while you have the agility of a gazelle.

I suggest separating the two new to you activities

Use lots of parking lot time to build skills #1. Avoid #2 until you’re more confident of #1. Any time spent on #1 might save your a$& in # 2

In traffic anywhere can be life threatening. As a beginner the speed limit is your friend.

Have a great time! Go do circles and ovals in a vast empty parking lot! Figure 8, etc. Have your skills w handling the bike build before challenging the elephants..

I should have been dead from what I didn’t know...gratefully riding after 45 yrs and 300k.. lucky, too

[s1120]

Some great info here by the posters before me!  All I agree with strongly. Ill add that when on the road ALWAYS leave your self a way out..  always look, and scan for places you can excape if issues come up. NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE CAR BEHIND YOU when coming to a stop light or sign!!!!  Get ready to go and use that excape plan you had looked for if they dont stop!  The amount of time I cringe when out on the road, and see a motorcycleist boxed in dead center at a stop to the car ahead of them, with cars coming up behind is frighting!! 

Last..  Dont go fixing something with the clutch/shift before you know if its a problem, or if its just a matter of learning to ride. Get some parking lot time in..  learn to start/stop and take off...  Dont be a shoe scuffer. Put in the time to learn the slow speed basics.

[Wildroamer]

I think you bought a great bike! It's easy to just move your eyes, but get in the habit of pointing that chin where you want to go! You have just changed your life, my friend!

[pebra]

To much fun, to little experience.

You're a lucky man!
More of either one will give you more of the other! 😁

Welcome, I hope you will enjoy your bike for a loooong time!

“Paranoia pays..... ".... I like that! 👍

[Tkelly]

If the bike is stalling it may need an upgraded chip,unless it is due to inexperience.We saw a v7 rider in Anchorage last summer,not a racer.Start a local club.We need to stick together and no group is as friendly.

[drdwb]

Welcome to the club. I didn’t get my first bike until I was 21 cus I figured I’d kill my self or be seriously injured like a couple of close friends in our teens. Now that I’m 66 I look back and think there are times I or car drivers still scare the hell out of me and I’m lucky enough to have enjoyed and survived the last 45 years of riding. Just take your time and as a couple of posters have stated, find a competent riding partner and follow at your comfort level. Also invest all you can in the best gear you can afford, which it sounds like you are. Avoid group rides cus you never know the skill level or drug alcohol level of the riders around you. Get to a Guzzi rally and sit around with the old coots who will thrill you And scare the sh.t out of you with some real and some exaggerated experience. Most of all enjoy the ride.
Dave
 

[Dskjl]

Thank you all for your advice and kind words of encouragement.  It's raining here now and expected to do so for a few days, but once the roads dry out i'm headed to the school parking lot to practice my turning, stopping and keeping my eyes and chin pointed in the direction i want to go.   

The bike didn't come with an owners manual so i have been reading through it online, until i can find one for sale to keep with the bike.  I also need to find a tool kit as it to was missing.  I was successful at getting the Celsius converted to Fahrenheit so that was a win.  I also now no the stock pipes have been replaced with pipes that are a bit louder that OEM.  I also noticed that at bout 40mph the handlebars quiver at a very high speed and my index finger immediately starts to tingle.  Not sure if its my riding position, glove or grip, i suppose it could be the bike but i'm not experienced enough to better.

I received a nice invite from the local club today fo ran event this weekend, looking forward to meeting the locals folks, thank you for the invite.

I'm headed out to the garage now to clean and dust the bike and enjoy/admire my new toy.

Thanks again.

Ride safe,

[Matteo]

Welcome aboard. Good link to manuals;

http://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_small_blocks_owner-s_manuals___rider-s_handbooks___use_and_maintenance_manuals.html

[Kev m]

There's not much of a reason to carry the OM or the OEM tool kit with you. Neither of going to be much help on the road.

[Kremmen]

Nice first bike. You go where you're looking, don't forget. Might be a problem in Alaska, you'd have lots to look at!

Some great advice here, in most forums there'd be at least one clanger by now, this place's different. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I haven't seen what I consider the most important advice to a new rider in traffic. Never.. never forget that you are invisible. Any time you make a car slow down or change course you are screwing up. Another thing. Tests have shown that very experienced riders automatically look 14 seconds down the road for possible hazards.
All the things people are saying will become second nature to you. Take them to heart, and have a long enjoyable career of riding. 
Welcome to WG, btw..

[Huzo]

  I also noticed that at bout 40mph the handlebars quiver at a very high speed and my index finger immediately starts to tingle.  Not sure if its my riding position, glove or grip, i suppose it could be the bike but i'm not experienced enough to better.

I haven’t seen anyone ask about this so for clarification..
What do you mean by “at 40 mph the handlebars quiver at very high speed...” ?
You may understandably not want to do this, but if you get to know someone who is very experienced that you trust enough, let him/her take the bike for a run up to 70 mph or so and ascertain if the feelings through the ‘bars are normal.
Then you will know if you’ve something to sort out or not..

[malik]

About the handlebar quiver - first check the bolts on the clip ons are done up, then that the tyres are pumped to 36psi front and rear.

I've found the bag of tools under the seat to be useful on occasion. I keep in there the following:-

- a tube spanner for the spark plugs -
- a screwdriver, Philips & blade
- Allen keys - 3mm (for the rear brake reservoir), 4mm (for the sidecovers), 5mm (for lots), 6mm (for the tank bolt), 7mm (for the front caliper), a 2inch section of 14mm (for the front axle - came with the V7C toolkit, but missing in the 2014).
The 8mm (for the rear wheel & various other) and the 10mm (for my handlebars, and a few other places) I carry elsewhere.
- ring/open end spanners - 10mm, 13mm, 14mm, 8mm
- open end spanner - a 13/17 & a 17/19
- feeler gauges - just the 0.15 & the 0.20mm on a key ring
- a tyre valve extraction tool (small & compact)
- a C spanner for my aftermarket rear shocks (rarely used).
- a couple of spare tube valves, a few fuses, a length of electrical wire (just in case), a new spark plug cap (if it fits in)

If it's all too much so the seat doesn't close, you might have to take some of these out & find another place to carry them. Or do without. Experience will end up being your guide here.

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

Good advice from everyone. I would add that you may want to google “smith system 5 keys” for defensive driving. It is mainly for commercial drivers but I use those keys more riding my bike than I do driving a tractor trailer.
As for the front tire quiver check your air pressure. Simple and easy and most overlooked. The tingle in your fingers is a result of v-twin vibrations and/or a death grip on the bars. As you gain experience and comfort and your muscle memory grows you’ll relax. Which is why building good habits initially is vital. Gets a lot harder to kick bad habits once ingrained.

Enjoy your awesome bike and be safe!

[Huzo]

Even after all this time, on some bikes I get a numbness in my ring and pinky fingers of my right hand. The jury is out on the benefits/drawbacks of a numb right hand, but for coordinated use and manipulation of brake and throttle controls, it’s best to avoid it..!
I find that jamming your twistgrip into the webbing between the thumb and forefinger is a contributory cause, due to the presence of a nerve that passes through there apparently.
 Try to develop a light touch on the grip.

[Bert Remington]

Print service version of the MG chassis service manual here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Moto-Guzzi-chassis-service-manual-2014-V7-Stone-V7-Special-V7-Racer/264849823132?hash=item3daa47959c:g:QaMAAOSw2gxYp-HX  They typically offer engine service and parts manuals too. I've been happy with their manuals.

My old hands like Grip Puppies.  A Helmet Hook is handy.

A useful article explaining how your eyes see the road and other drivers see you is https://www.portsmouthctc.org.uk/a-fighter-pilots-guide-to-surviving-on-the-roads/

If your tires are more than three years old, replace them.  Consider adventure/trail type tires such as Avon Trailrider (just one of many).  The modern tread patterns and compounds provide good paved road performance as well as decent non-paved road handling (eg, gravel driveways).

In my experience, there is no "liking" riding motorcycles.  You either love riding or you wander away to something else.

Best wishes.  Send pictures.

[Guzzi Gal]

Dskjl,

Did you come to the right place!  I joined as a new rider in '17 and will be forever grateful for the connections made and info gleaned from this rowdy but dedicated bunch of Guzzisti. 

I would suggest reading Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling, 2nd Edition and Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well, Updated & Expanded 2nd Edition by David L. Hough. 

Now go out, find a good view, take a pic or ten of you, your bike or both and post it!  We love pictures around these here parts.

Welcome to the madness!