BMW riders

[frozengoose]

I’m not surprised at all. Always felt to me like a large portion of Guzzi owners are old farts stuck in their ways.

….and now we are putting members here down, based on aging?? Really?

It's not really a put down if it's true! I go to Airheads meetings occasionally, cause the Guzzi riders up here don't want to do much except complain they don't have enough free time to ride!

[Moparnut72]

This is it exactly.  The old school airhead guys love Guzzi’s.  I restored a ‘71 /5 years ago, and rode it for 10 years.  Took me 5 years, and way too much money to build.  I dragged it out of my HS buddy’s shed after a couple decades. Regret selling that one

Exactly the same color scheme and tank as the '70 I had. The '76 90/6 was a much better bike. The very early /5's were over geared. Supposedly they were setup for the autobahn, that's what we were told anyway.
kk

[PJPR01]

At what age exactly does a young fart turn into an old fart?   

Out riding today, and at my local stop was a nice Guzzi V7 Stone, a Triumph Bobber, 2 Harleys, 1 Yamaha and an old Goldwing.

Was cool to see everyone enjoying and asking everyone about their bikes...as good as it gets.  Perfect day of riding after the last 2 days of storms....

Life a fart in the wind...gone in a second!

[Huzo]

BMW…
Vanilla ice cream served on a wooden spoon..(with a personality to match..)
All washed down with a nice glass of German distilled water.

[faffi]

BMW…
Vanilla ice cream served on a wooden spoon..(with a personality to match..)
All washed down with a nice glass of German distilled water.

Many prefer that

[SIR REAL ED]

That’s a hell of a lot of responses in two days…!

That's how reflexes work Bro!   

Even with Old Farts!   

[JHBettsSr]

Hmm..., I ride both. Wonder what kind of fool that makes me?

[SIR REAL ED]

….and now we are putting members here down, based on aging?? Really?

Never once in my life have a met an Old Fart who felt they were being put down when someone called them an Old Fart.

Same goes for Rednecks.  Both labels are Badges of Honor!

[SIR REAL ED]

It's not really a put down if it's true! I go to Airheads meetings occasionally, cause the Guzzi riders up here don't want to do much except complain they don't have enough free time to ride!

Old people.... they're all like that!   

[SIR REAL ED]

For any who are having trouble discerning the dividing line between curmugeondom/Old Fartdom, Andy Huggins has a tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ37S7Osf8U

If you don't need someone to explain the jokes to you, you know which campfire you are sitting around...

[Clifton]

I've been around a few BMW snobs same as some of the Harley, Goldwing, dirt bike, or any others. But I find most riders accept others no matter what they're on.

[Motormike]

It's not really a put down if it's true! I go to Airheads meetings occasionally, cause the Guzzi riders up here don't want to do much except complain they don't have enough free time to ride!

When I go to one of bobrebos1 lunch runs, always at least as many BMW's present as Moto Guzzi's, if not more!  Draw your own conclusions.

[bad Chad]

All brands that tend to follow a certain ethos, ie  HD, BMW, Guzzi have developed tropes about their riders.  In many cases they are accurate, but far from all.   If you have spent even a little time around long time a time Guzzi riders, you should have a pretty good idea what Guzzi riders are known for.

[wirespokes]

I rode airheads for 27 years, but was always curious about Guzzis. One day I found a T3 and bought it. A few months later, the T3 was the one being ridden and the PD stayed at home. The beemer is great for traveling and long trips. I've crossed the country several times on them. But now they feel awkward to me - tall, handle funny, different power curve...
Like all things, they're not perfect, so you pick what's important and go with what checks the most boxes. Learn to live with and deal with the imperfections.
Several years back I got a 72 Norton Commando project and joined the Norton Club for help. They're a bunch of old guys, a lot of them riding Nortons since they were young. They don't care that I ride to the meetings on a G5, 87LM or the 1000S copy. We all park in front of the pub - 20 or 30 bikes - and one month the news-letter cover photo showed the string of bikes and foremost in the frame was my 1000S copy. One of the members told me he really wanted a 1000S back when they were new. We have all manner of bikes showing up besides Nortons - Triumph, BSA, Ducati, Vincent, Indian, BMW, Harley, Suzuki... Anything and everything, with many members owning several different brands.  They may be a bunch of older guys, but they've still got fire in them and they like to ride.

[faffi]

But now they feel awkward to me - tall, handle funny, different power curve...

I would be very interested in learning about the power curve differences.

[TN Mark]

It's not really a put down if it's true! I go to Airheads meetings occasionally, cause the Guzzi riders up here don't want to do much except complain they don't have enough free time to ride!

Do you have to dress like a Power Ranger when you go to the airhead meetings? Or is that more for the GS crowd?

Asking for a friend.

:)

[flower_king001]

I’m generally surprised that anyone on the Wild Guzzi website, would diss BMW riders, or any others.

Absolutely!!! I have 3 Guzzi's in the stable and 1 BMW. I for one love all bikes but do have my preferences.

[flower_king001]

I caught up with a bunch (gaggle? flock ? mercy?) of BMW riders today.Talking at fuel stop, one asked me why I ride my Guzzi .
I actually couldn’t bring myself to tell him,
would you be the bee that tells the fly that honey tastes better than shit ?
MH

Really?

[flower_king001]

When I go to one of bobrebos1 lunch runs, always at least as many BMW's present as Moto Guzzi's, if not more!  Draw your own conclusions.

Sure thing...for the most part I'll ride my BMW to  a Guzzi gathering and a Guzzi to a BMW gathering. It's all about fellowship and not what brand you ride!

[Dirk_S]

What we’ve got here, is a practicing of the fine art of taking the piss (leave it to an Aussie)…
…and responses from those who don’t like piss anywhere near them.

[Perazzimx14]

I would be very interested in learning about the power curve differences.

Not a direct comparison but if you look at a Buell Ulysses 1200 and a Camhead R1200 (both air cooled 1200cc twin cylinders) on paper the HP and torque numbers are almost identical. If you throw a leg over either and grab a handful of throttle you'll find where and how they make power is very different. The Buell makes power right off idle to about 5500 PRM and feel like a its going to rip your arms off your body. The BMW makes power starting around 3500 to 7500 RPM's and is far more linear making it deceptive.

[Clifton]

..... The '76 90/6 was a much better bike. The very early /5's were over geared. Supposedly they were setup for the autobahn, that's what we were told anyway.
kk

Interesting because the 76 R90/6 I had felt under geared, simply too low (high numerically) given the nice power and torque the engine made. I bought it used in the 1980's and it was a homely brown color. The owners manual showed two final drives available with mine having the lower 3.09, the taller being 2.91 (I believe). When I asked my dealer about the optional taller FD he said all the 90/6 that Germany had sent to them had the lower gearing because of our 55 mph speed limit, and probably US cycle magazines obsession at the time with 0-60 and 1/4 mile times.

[Moparnut72]

I had a very early /5 with the very high gearing. It would go almost as fast in as it would in 4th. The /5 only had a 4 speed whereas the /6's had a 5 speed so probably one difference in the gearing. I was told by my dealer that the gearing was changed in short order. I would have liked to change it but it was way too much $. The 90/6 was a much better bike, I upgraded to one several years later after 100K on the /5.
kk

[PilotJet]

I never road a Beemer but my friend and next door neighbor, who recently passed away at 87, was a BMW / Triumph guy. He had several of both currently running and a long list of past owned. He was such a likeable guy and I never saw him turn his nose up to anyone. Boy I miss hanging out with him in the garage.

[Tkelly]

The old time bmw riders are not the problem.Like some new er Harley owners some new bmw riders think they are cooler than riders of other brands ,maybe because they have more money?

[frozengoose]

Do you have to dress like a Power Ranger when you go to the airhead meetings? Or is that more for the GS crowd?

Asking for a friend.

:)

If you mean high tech and expensive gear, well I don't have any unless you include my new Bell helmet and it's not a top of the line one in iridescent colors. Reading some of the posts here, I'd guess there's more "power ranger" gear worn by Wild Guzzi riders than Fairbanks Airheads. Here's a pic from last falls meeting; I'm on the far right and the v65 is parked next to the blue barrel.

[faffi]

Until now, I was unaware that you could get the R75/5 and R90/6 with the 2.91 final drive ratio - I thought it was only used standard on the R100RS. You learn something every day. AFAIK, the standard FDR for the R75 was 3.20, the R90 used 3.09, the R90S 3.00 and the R60 3.36. You could order your new BMW with any of the ratios they offered for sale, though, if you wanted taller of lower gearing. Personally, I love tall gearing in order to bring the revs down. If I need more power/revs, I can simply change down a gear or two.

[sdcr]

If you mean high tech and expensive gear, well I don't have any unless you include my new Bell helmet and it's not a top of the line one in iridescent colors. Reading some of the posts here, I'd guess there's more "power ranger" gear worn by Wild Guzzi riders than Fairbanks Airheads. Here's a pic from last falls meeting; I'm on the far right and the v65 is parked next to the blue barrel.

Big Jon,

What is the light blue, or silver bagger, parked on the right side of the scooter. Maybe  a Moto Guzzi SP ?

[frozengoose]

Big Jon,

What is the light blue, or silver bagger, parked on the right side of the scooter. Maybe  a Moto Guzzi SP ?

That's likely a BMW. I've only seen one other Guzzi at the Airheads, a brown T upgraded to T3 specs, and don't think he was at this meeting. I was talking to the "pink lady" about her fancy new scooter when they took the pic. The bagger probably wasn't anything interesting enough to remember; if you've seen one BMW, you've seen'em all!

[Clifton]

Until now, I was unaware that you could get the R75/5 and R90/6 with the 2.91 final drive ratio - I thought it was only used standard on the R100RS. You learn something every day. AFAIK, the standard FDR for the R75 was 3.20, the R90 used 3.09, the R90S 3.00 and the R60 3.36. You could order your new BMW with any of the ratios they offered for sale, though, if you wanted taller of lower gearing. Personally, I love tall gearing in order to bring the revs down. If I need more power/revs, I can simply change down a gear or two.

faffi I know there was a taller ratio option from the 3.09 that mine had but you're right I was going from memory it probably was the 3.00 rather than 2.91. That would make sense as that is what was in the 90S. My 81 R100RS had a 2.91 which I far preferred over the 90/6 3.09.

Yes I prefer wide ratio, taller gearing on most motorcycles. Unfortunately many 6-speeds now have the same spread (or even less) as what 5-speeds often had, we don't get a low 1st or tall 6th, instead we just have to shift more often.