Introductions thread...Introduce yourself to the group !

[Bill Hagan]

gave up transit bus driving - bought a bike - wanna hit the road next week. (V7 Stone).

The suspension is still so tight I want to call it police suspension.
This is the cleanest it'll be because it's 4200 miles round trip Tucson AZ > Venango County PA and that doesn't include
side trip to Kennywood Park or Flight 93 memorial or anywhere else.... like Montauk Point NY.
I wanted to start at Fulton Beach in San Fransisco and stay on I-80 to Long Island NY but that's dreamin' big time.
The GoPro will clamp to the left side of handlebars or maybe left turn-signal mount arm.

****

Congrats on the new Guzzi ... and retirement.

Some funny lines in  your post.   

Have fun on the trip, tho I-80 coast to coast is my idea of a nightmare, not a pleasant dream.  IMO, the V7 is a charmer on the back roads, but out its element droning for days on the slab.  But, obviously, YMMV.

The roads in and around Venango County are worthy of a ride from anywhere. Best wishes for a fine ride to, around and back from there.

Bill

[shaka]

Welcome!

Both of those bikes will do anything you want to do.    The Convert is sometimes an "acquired taste", since with its torque converter it "feels" very different from a transmission bike.    You give it lots of throttle from a stop to keep up with traffic, and the engine sounds like it's running way faster than it needs to, but "faster" is the sweet spot for a Guzzi engine and they are great both in town (where you don't have to paddle along shifting back and forth from first to neutral in stop-and-go traffic to keep from overheating the clutch) and on the highway, where they just cruise happily all day long.

The '98 has 20-year-later suspension and brakes, and a lot of people think it's the "best of breed" for the EV touring bikes.

If you can, ride them both and see which one "speaks" to you.   If you can't, then flip a coin; you can't lose!!

Lannis

Lannis,
Thank you for the welcome and for your opinion on my Guzzi choice question. I didn't consider that the suspension/brake technology would of course be improved on the newer model.Thank you for providing that insight; I think that it might influence my decision. I haven't appraised the Convert yet, but the 1998 EV looks and sounds virtually new. I  haven't ridden it, so I'll see how that goes.

[jumpmaster]

Welcome!

Both of those bikes will do anything you want to do.    The Convert is sometimes an "acquired taste", since with its torque converter it "feels" very different from a transmission bike.    You give it lots of throttle from a stop to keep up with traffic, and the engine sounds like it's running way faster than it needs to, but "faster" is the sweet spot for a Guzzi engine and they are great both in town (where you don't have to paddle along shifting back and forth from first to neutral in stop-and-go traffic to keep from overheating the clutch) and on the highway, where they just cruise happily all day long.

The '98 has 20-year-later suspension and brakes, and a lot of people think it's the "best of breed" for the EV touring bikes.

If you can, ride them both and see which one "speaks" to you.   If you can't, then flip a coin; you can't lose!!

Lannis

+1 to Lannis' response.  As an "approaching elderly" rider myself, though, I will throw in one more piece to the equation.  While you won't be likely to encounter many of any flavor of Guzzi on the road, except at or near a Guzzi rally, I always enjoy the feeling that I will encounter probably NO other bike just like mine on a ride in the neighborhood or going across the country.  I can't be the smartest, the best looking, the richest, or the most skillful rider on the road, but I can still be one of the most unique.  For that reason alone, in your shoes I'd lean towards the Convert.  I borrowed a 72 (I think) Ambassador for a 3-day weekend ride early this summer & found the riding position & suspension to be fine for "gentlemanly" riding even on very curvy roads so, unless you still harbor some boy-racer tendencies, I think the suspension shouldn't be an issue unless you plan to do a significant amount of 2-up riding.

[Lannis]

..... I always enjoy the feeling that I will encounter probably NO other bike just like mine on a ride in the neighborhood or going across the country.  I can't be the smartest, the best looking, the richest, or the most skillful rider on the road, but I can still be one of the most unique. 

This is very true for me too (I was going to say "sad but true" but it's not really sad, it's just the way things are).   It's why, when I'm on the road, I'm always riding something that there's almost NO CHANCE that I'll see coming in the other direction.

Some people are influenced by other bikes and riders to be as much the SAME as possible as they are, hence the thousands of apehangers, batwing fairings, and OCC styling cues, so that they will be identified with all those others.   

I'm influenced by other bikes to be DIFFERENT THAN they are (not riders so much, my gear is 100% practical, 0% style.  I think.).    So I ride a Guzzi or a Norton or a BSA, and every time I stop, or if I'm sitting at a light, someone is usually saying "What is THAT over there ... "?

Silly, I know, but it's all part of life.   Some people SAY they aren't influenced at ALL in their choice of bike by what other riders have or what their friends are riding, but I never believe them.   Either negatively or positively, conscious or unconsciously, we're all influenced in some way .....

Lannis

[Scud]

While you won't be likely to encounter many of any flavor of Guzzi on the road, except at or near a Guzzi rally, I always enjoy the feeling that I will encounter probably NO other bike just like mine on a ride in the neighborhood or going across the country.

Just having a Moto Guzzi puts us in the "unusual" category. For any serious distance, I'd lean toward a newer bike with more modern brakes and suspension.

Recently, while passing through Prescott, AZ on my LeMans I actually saw another V11 Sport headed the other way - a lovely Greenie. And I've been seeing more V7s on the road lately.

[jumpmaster]

Just having a Moto Guzzi puts us in the "unusual" category. For any serious distance, I'd lean toward a newer bike with more modern brakes and suspension.

Until this past June, I'd have agreed wholeheartedly.  However, in June I met a couple from New Zealand in Prince George, British Columbia,who were riding their 1960s something BMW two-up from Vancouver to somewhere around Ft. Nelson. I passed them on the road about 4 times, but they'd catch up & pass me every time I took a gas/food/or pee break.  I guess, with 1960s level technology it is more your tolerance for the possibilities for needing roadside repairs (not that likely if your bike is properly prepared for the trip) & the need for packing really light if you have a passenger than it is a matter of more modern suspension, etc.  My tolerance (& my wife's) isn't that high, so we were NOT on my Guzzi.  On many of the roads up there, however, I wished I was.

[Scud]

Excellent points Jumpmaster.

A restored (or well-maintained) older bike will go across country today just as well as it did when it was new. And if something breaks, you won't need a computer to fix it.

[Joep7]

Hello all!
Joe from west Michigan.
Currently ride a 2007 Breva
Engineer for a company that makes motorcycle parts Harley, Indian and a few after market companies.
Looking at purchasing a early 70s 850 T
Spent a lot of time in Italy and fell in love with the guzzi history and then learned to really appreciate the bikes.

[TobyJug]

Toby Jackson, 58, Kamloops, BC, Canada.
Used to live in England until 1997.
Former Electrical/Software Engineer.  Currently the TV at the local hospital.
Rode a V50 in the late 70's/early 80's.

Currently ride a 2014 Norge.

[DavidEJM]

Hi everyone

Just signed up!

I'm David Martell, 48 and living in a village just outside Oxford in the UK.

Been riding a Ducati Monster for some years and have been building and restoring cars as a hobby. One of my biker friends mentioned that he knew someone that was selling a sad looking and much beaten up Guzzi SP2 that he bought as a project to turn into a cafe racer. I was told it has a LeMans engine (yet to be confirmed though the carbs are PHM40s) and that it went well but most of it was rough, dirty and in need of restoring. I started pulling it apart and will be fulfilling the cafe style rebuild.

I will, no doubt, have lots of questions that I will be asking to try to learn about these characterful machines.

Thanks David

[andy350gts]

Hi I bought an unseen 350gts for my sins...must have been mad!.....I have now got it running!!!!....and now no charge....melted wires in the handle bars...duff light switches...and it goes on.....but strangely enjoying it...

[Chuck in Indiana]

You'll fit right in.. 

[Graham UK]

Apologies for not getting round to posting on this thread when I joined the forum last year.

I'm Graham Heath, aged 55, and married with two grown-up children.  I've been a Baptist minister since 1986, serving as pastor of Ashby Baptist Church since 2009 - that's in Ashby de la Zouch, near Leicester, United Kingdom.

After a gap of many years, I took the opportunity to return to motorcycling in 2008 with a BMW 850, which I traded in for a 2004 California in 2011; I was hooked, but when it needed more attention than I could really afford in 2013, my dealer let me trade it in instead for a low mileage 2005 Breva 1100; however, by June 2014 funds had recovered enough for me to seize the opportunity to buy a  low mileage 1999 Cali as a second bike.  Motorcycling and being part of the Guzzi family are privileges I never cease to be grateful for.

[Mooney78865]

Dan Burns
Clovis California
Asst Director Physical Operations
Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino
Likes:
Adventure riding
Slalom Skiing
F3A Precision Aerobatics (Pattern)
I'm new to the forum and currently riding a KTM 990 adventure.  3 years and 45,000 miles, 30-35%off road.  Have done all but one of the BDR routes and multiple combination trips.
I'm going for a test ride on a new Stelvio this week, armed with much information from the folks on this site!

[mach1mustang351]

Dan Burns
Clovis California
Asst Director Physical Operations
Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino
Likes:
Adventure riding
Slalom Skiing
F3A Precision Aerobatics (Pattern)
I'm new to the forum and currently riding a KTM 990 adventure.  3 years and 45,000 miles, 30-35%off road.  Have done all but one of the BDR routes and multiple combination trips.
I'm going for a test ride on a new Stelvio this week, armed with much information from the folks on this site!

I just picked up my Stelvio on Thursday. It has 1200 miles on the clock and I couldn't be happier. I was close to buying a 990 Adventure in 2007 and got my V strom instead. The sales guy at the dealer (who sold ktm and Suzuki) said "get the v strom, its not twice as good as the KTM."  As it turned out, I loved adventure riding and immediately regretted not getting the KTM. Now 8 years later, I think the Guzzi will make me forget the mistake of not getting that KTM. Enjoy the test ride, and welcome aboard.

[sincolita]

Hi, I'm Kim. I'm 46 and a music librarian in Philadelphia PA USA. My husband and I just upgraded from our Ninja 250 'starter bikes' -- he got a Thruxton and I was considering a Bonneville, but I test rode the V7 and instantly fell in love. I got it on August 28th and I've already put 1100 miles on it. Glad to be a new member of the family.

[Walter]

Good day! As you can ell from my user name, my name is Walter. I live in Chilliwack BC with my wife of many years. I'm closer to 60  than 50! My real job is paramedic and I am a drummer/bass player for fun.
My two previous bikes have been Wings, the last of which I sold a couple of years ago. Wasn't intending on riding again but I started looking around and saw this little Breva 750 and the rest is history! I would have liked to get back into a bigger bike but our government insurance company sets premiums by displacement and as you get over 750 and then again over 1100 the rates get crazy.
Anyway, good to be here!

[oldbike54]

Hi, I'm Kim. I'm 46 and a music librarian in Philadelphia PA USA. My husband and I just upgraded from our Ninja 250 'starter bikes' -- he got a Thruxton and I was considering a Bonneville, but I test rode the V7 and instantly fell in love. I got it on August 28th and I've already put 1100 miles on it. Glad to be a new member of the family.

 Good choice Kim  A music librarian , that sounds interesting .

  Dusty

[sincolita]

Good choice Kim  A music librarian , that sounds interesting .

  Dusty

Thanks, Dusty. I loved my little Ninja, but our relationship was a means to an end. I'm definitely in it for the long haul with the V7. Over the next few weeks it'll get a Dart flyscreen, crash bars, Pazzo levers (my hands are small) and Mistral "Cygar" slip-ons. I can hardly wait.

And yes, the job is interesting. Another long term affair. I'm very fortunate.

[oldbike54]

Thanks, Dusty. I loved my little Ninja, but our relationship was a means to an end. I'm definitely in it for the long haul with the V7. Over the next few weeks it'll get a Dart flyscreen, crash bars, Pazzo levers (my hands are small) and Mistral "Cygar" slip-ons. I can hardly wait.

And yes, the job is interesting. Another long term affair. I'm very fortunate.

 Very funny nom de plume 

  Dusty

[sincolita]

Very funny nom de plume 

  Dusty

It has several layers of meaning, all involving irony and/or sarcasm. My Chilean spouse is to blame.

[oldbike54]

It has several layers of meaning, all involving irony and/or sarcasm. My Chilean spouse is to blame.

 You are gonna fit in really well here  Don't let the sometimes overly psuedo-macho tone on WG cause problems , we really love our female members 

  Dusty

[cognosticator]

Hello all, I just bought my first Guzzi this past Saturday from Riders Hiil in Dahlonega GA  1 new 2013 Stelvio then put 550 miles on it on the way home in Savannah

66 years young and loving the bike. I currently have a 2011 Triumph Speed triple and a 2003 Harley Heritage Classic.

I am looking forward to meeting fellow riders. I would love to get to Suches this weekend for the rally but I can't make it. Went there for the last 3 weekends though.

Here I am at the top of the Dragon

[sincolita]

You are gonna fit in really well here  Don't let the sometimes overly psuedo-macho tone on WG cause problems , we really love our female members 

  Dusty

  I'm accustomed to not-so-pseudo-macho, so it's all good.

[Lannis]

It has several layers of meaning, all involving irony and/or sarcasm. My Chilean spouse is to blame.

We might better get a Spanish lesson for some training in the vernacular, because those of us with nothing but Spanish dictionaries and no context think it means "not having a rump".

Not that there's anything wrong with that; as Dusty says, we are very .... non-macho around here ... most of the time.

Lannis

[sincolita]

We might better get a Spanish lesson for some training in the vernacular, because those of us with nothing but Spanish dictionaries and no context think it means "not having a rump".

Not that there's anything wrong with that; as Dusty says, we are very .... non-macho around here ... most of the time.

Lannis

Hi, Lannis.

Sin means without; that's more or less universal.

Colita is the diminutive of cola, which literally means tail, as in the tail of an animal. In Chilean vernacular it most commonly means not rump, but another anatomical item which males have and I, being female, do not (nor have I ever, for the record; nor do I have an actual tail, sadly). I'm no linguist, but I would swear that Chileans have more words for this particular anatomical item than the Inuit have for snow.

Colita in many vernaculars, including American English slang, also means marijuana cigarette (said in the voice of Nancy Reagan); reference the first verse of 'Hotel California'.

There you have it. Now I have to go pull the library's vinyl copy of 'Too Tough To Die' for Pope Francis. That guy is full of surprises.

[Lannis]

Hi, Lannis.

Sin means without; that's more or less universal.

Colita is the diminutive of cola, which literally means tail, as in the tail of an animal. In Chilean vernacular it most commonly means not rump, but another anatomical item which males have and I, being female, do not (nor have I ever, for the record; nor do I have an actual tail, sadly). I'm no linguist, but I would swear that Chileans have more words for this particular anatomical item than the Inuit have for snow.

Colita in many vernaculars, including American English slang, also means marijuana cigarette (said in the voice of Nancy Reagan); reference the first verse of 'Hotel California'.

There you have it. Now I have to go pull the library's vinyl copy of 'Too Tough To Die' for Pope Francis. That guy is full of surprises.

I appreciate the explanation.   Having said that, I'm almost sorry I asked ... sometimes you get too much insight into what's important in a culture!   

And, as always - "Someone who has a passion for their job will never work a day in their life ...."

Lannis

[sincolita]

"Someone who has a passion for their job will never work a day in their life ...."

Hear, hear! 

[romanoaf]

Roman R

28, Southwestern Ontario, Engineering

Just bought my first bike:
http://i.imgur.com/DPQPWLi.jpg

I wrench on everything I own.
Past: BMW M3, Porsche 911, Multiple SAABs,
Current: Audi Allroad, BMW 328xi wagon(wife), Moto Guzzi V7 Stone

[Revan]

Hello, everyone.

New Guzzi owner here.

My online name is Revan (real name is Derek).

I just moved to Oklahoma City, where I work as a Domino admin.

I'm a bit of tech-geek and an introvert, but I have a great passion for motorcycling (been riding for about 20 years). So, when I'm not engrossed in a good video game, or reading up on something tech related, I'm usually out riding.

I just bought my first Guzzi....a 2009 Norge GT. I've always liked twins, especially air-cooled twins, so when I saw the sale price on this bike, I had to grab it (it was just too good to pass up).

The bike is great, but could use a little TLC. It looks as if the previous owner bought it on impulse, drove it for a little bit, got bored and just parked it.....it only had 5200 miles on it.

It is still fully stock (even has the original tires) so I'm already looking for ways to spend money on it that I don't have.

I know that coming up here in the near future, I'm going to have to do the valve adjustments...which I can probably handle on my own....but I am thinking of taking it somewhere to have the rest of the bike checked out (things like the fuel filter, the secondary spark plugs, etc...). I'm just not sure how comfortable I feel doing them myself at this point.

Also, I'm not sure where to take it around here. I know the nearest dealer is over in Tulsa, but I have no way of dropping it off and leaving it there, so any work that I may need would all have to be done in one day....unless I could get a loaner.

Other than that, everything is about perfect on the bike. It handles great, and the ergos fit me well. So, my main goal is to just get a few odds and ends for it, maybe get an aftermarket pipe and definitely update the fuel map....it is running REALLY rough and lean (hard starting, snatchy throttle, massive decel pop, etc...)

Thanks for the forum invite, and any help/advice anyone has is much appreciated.

I promise to not start any oil-threads .....and I am looking forward to having a Guzzi in my garage for a long time. 


Thanks.

Revan.