Centauros

[JJ]

Boys & Girls...Here is my 1998 V10 Centauro GT...one of about 245 made....I have owned it now for >5 years...

It has 17,000 trouble-free miles on it.  It has all the mods / upgrades available. 

It has been ridden to the New Mexico State Guzzi Rally in Datil a few times...the Cottonwood, AZ N.A.R. several times...and the Lake Henshaw, CA Guzzi N.A.R. several times. 

It is the most fun Guzzi (I have owned 5...) that I have ever owned...   95HP...Fuel-Injected...8-valve...525 pounds...excellent braking and handling....

Like my buddy Ducati-Mike says:  It becomes a completely different motorcycle over 70 mph.....(Yes, indeed....)

It is nicknamed...."The Yellow Horse...."   

[rschrum]

My green one.

[Joliet Jim]

I'm beginning to think every 98 GT is still on the road.

[Turin]

That color matched Lemans fairing looks great on there. 

[JJ]

I'm beginning to think every 98 GT is still on the road.

Actually, that is an interesting question....

Of all the 1,918 Centauro's made, or the 245 Centauro GT's made, how many are still on the road and running?

For our '67 Mustang Coupe, over 325,000 were made that year, and they estimate that about 1/3, (over 100,000), are still on the road.  That's pretty good!

[steven c]

My 97 that’s getting new fork seals

[JJ]

My 97 that’s getting new fork seals

I had my fork seals done last year....

Just normal, ongoing maintenance of the poor 22-year old Yellow Horse...

I have to replace the belts next, and before next spring... 

[Tusayan]

I notice the Centauro is included in Dueruote Magazines list of the most iconic Guzzis of the first 100 years. 

https://www.dueruote.it/news/moto-scooter/2020/11/27/moto-guzzi-best-of.amp.html

I also note that nothing designed by Aprilia or Piaggio is included until the V85TT.  17 years without a top ten hit, but maybe after one success the takeover specialists will finally figure out what this iconic manufacturer is all about.

[redhawk47]

One sold recently on Bring a Trailer
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1998-moto-guzzi-centauro-v10-2/

[Joliet Jim]

I had my fork seals done last year....

Just normal, ongoing maintenance of the poor 22-year old Yellow Horse...

I have to replace the belts next, and before next spring... 

yeah mine could use new belts too, but I want to focus on the Trident to get it running again.

[CT Dharma]

Here is mine, only one I have ever seen with the dark grey inserts [not the normal silver] on the maroon body

[JJ]

yeah mine could use new belts too, but I want to focus on the Trident to get it running again.

Speaking of cool "Cult-Classic" Tridents, here is what I rode when I lived in Germany 2004-2005.

1993 Triumph Trident 900.  3-cylinder / liquid-cooled / 100HP / 6-speed

Fabulous sport-touring bike!!  I had it set up nicely!  It was in mint condition...bought it for 2500 Euros...sold it two years later before I moved back to the states for 2500 Euros!!

[steven c]

[JJ]

 

The poor Centauro...dissed by many...unloved, (except by those who own one...), and highly under-rated...

[Joliet Jim]

oh hell, as long as we're posting pics

[Phil G]

👍😎 love hate thing... but love it most of the time

[JJ]

I always thought this particular MCN review was...(AHEM...)... a big "skewed!!"

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/moto-guzzi/centauro/1996/

[Joliet Jim]

I always thought this particular MCN review was...(AHEM...)... a big "skewed!!"

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/moto-guzzi/centauro/1996/

I might have to disagree with some of those points

[JJ]

I might have to disagree with some of those points

I thought the same thing...

[AH Fan]

Yes very hard to explain how spectacular they really are to those who have never seen one up close or ridden one of these monsters.
Many thx M/G     

[JJ]

Yes very hard to explain how spectacular they really are to those who have never seen one up close or ridden one of these monsters.
Many thx M/G     

 

[Huzo]

The red Sport is always the one I wanted to have.  Not too many for sale these days.

If you stare at a Hyabusa long enough, these things start to look attractive. The longer you look, the better looking they get.
But there just seems to be nothing as pretty as a red V11 Sport, like Dave Swanson’s.
I snapped this pic outside Agostini’s in 2019.



Maybe he cut a bit too much away, but it did lighten the look a bit.

[blackcat]

If you stare at a Hyabusa long enough, these things start to look attractive. The longer you look, the better looking they get.
But there just seems to be nothing as pretty as a red V11 Sport, like Dave Swanson’s.
I snapped this pic outside Agostini’s in 2019.



Maybe he cut a bit too much away, but it did lighten the look a bit.

That bike looks much better without the extra plastic.

[steven c]

 That's nice, they just trim off the plastic below the seat line. Really lightens up the bikes looks.

[steven c]

 A few years back I sold a Convert frame to a guy in NYC he was going to weld the front part to a modified Centauro so he could mount a LeMans gas tank to it. I told him thats was so wrong but I wonder how it ended up.

[JJ]

If you stare at a Hyabusa long enough, these things start to look attractive. The longer you look, the better looking they get.
But there just seems to be nothing as pretty as a red V11 Sport, like Dave Swanson’s.
I snapped this pic outside Agostini’s in 2019.



Maybe he cut a bit too much away, but it did lighten the look a bit.

Never seen an orange Centauro like this!!  I like it!!

[Luap McKeever]

The one I should have never let go. I really miss my old Centauro.

[blackcat]

A few years back I sold a Convert frame to a guy in NYC he was going to weld the front part to a modified Centauro so he could mount a LeMans gas tank to it. I told him thats was so wrong but I wonder how it ended up.

That sounds like my friend Greg. If it's the same guy, the project never went anywhere and he is currently selling the Centauro for $3K. Low mileage bike, needs work but it's mostly all there. Just needs a belt change and I believe it has a Creedon chip.