Same Engine Comradery

[willowstreetguzziguy]

I bought my first BMW in 1977, it was a 1975 Daytona Orange R90S. I really enjoyed the character of that bike and the exclusivity of the brand. You didn't see BMWs on every corner.

I also enjoyed the comradery revolving around everyone riding a horizontally opposed twin engine. I attended many regional rallys including several national rallys in 1982, 83, 84, 88, and 89.

Since then BMW has manufactured many different engine designs and styles of motorcycles. Their ownership has grown tremendously and the exclusivity factor is gone.

1985 was the start of this three and four cylinder K bikes and it grew from there. I bought a new K 75 and had variations of it for 27 years

As I look back, there is really something special about everyone riding a similar type bike with the same horizontally opposed engine, much like Harley Davidson with their V-twin.

 I bought my Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport in late 2013 looking for that character, exclusivity factor, and comradery. It didn't take much riding to realize  Moto Guzzi had the character and exclusivity. After attending the national rally this past summer in New Hampshire, I've found that camaraderie that was lost with BMW but even better!

Growth?... Just be careful what you ask for.

[cookiemech]

Gotta say I agree with you. I was a BMW guy (still am) starting in 1986, and attended many of their national rallies. Remember guys in the campground with the transmissions pulled, doing spline lubes and so forth, and lots of friendly and informative tech chats. At some point (I'd say around 2000), the rallies became meetings of people with financed high-tech bikes and vendors hawking the latest "farkles" (God, I hate that word!) Owners tended no longer to work on their bikes or know the technology involved, but seemed concerned about how they looked and whether they were Iron Butt material. Stopped going to their rallies.

I see the same thing on the Harley forum I frequently read (never been to an H-D rally and likely never will). There does seem to be one good H-D tech forum, though.

The WG forum makes me feel right at home, though I ride my Guzzi very little. I like being around people who actually know how their bikes work, and who do some or all of their own work.