The Italian classic most of us will never be able to RIDE....or AFFORD!!

[JJ]

  ...but maybe if I win..."The Lottery!"

[jas67]

...but maybe if I win..."The Lottery!"

Beautiful!   Though, I'm more of a 90-degree V-twin guy.

I'd rather have:

[twowheeladdict]

Did it have some special provenance to go for that much money?

[guzzisteve]

Sorry, I'm different. I want this Italian          http://bimota.it/en/?p=123

Never could afford one but worked on a few in late 80's early 90's.

[Murray]

Did it have some special provenance to go for that much money?

For the MV thats about the going rate from what I've seen, yet in a small south coast city in regional WA you turn up to the local vintage motorcycle clubs annual hill climb and see the MV and green frame Duc having the snot belted out of them up the hill, next to a 1976 175 ag bike.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Beautiful!   Though, I'm more of a 90-degree V-twin guy.

I'd rather have:

Just the opposite for me - I'd much rather have the MV.

[canuck750]

The MV gets my vote!

[siabeid]

There was one at this year's Washington Vintage Motorcyclists meet at Winthrop, Washington this past summer. It was really something to see and hear it "in the flesh". Most of us had never actually seen one. Owned by a guy from Vancouver, BC, I think. He also rides a Vincent.

[PeteS]

There was an MV like that on the floor along with my '76 LeMans. It was being heavily discounted. I thought they were ugly then and still do. The 750 SS is another story. What a beauty.

Pete

[JJ]

Beautiful!   Though, I'm more of a 90-degree V-twin guy.

I'd rather have:

Except this one is even MORE EXPENSIVE!!

[jas67]

The MV gets my vote!

Heck,if I won the lottery, I'd have both!

Along with this:


and:

[jas67]

Except this one is even MORE EXPENSIVE!!

Which is why, if I won the lottery, and owned the Green-frame 750SS, I'd have one of these to ride on the road:
https://www.veetwo.com/

[Murray]

https://youtu.be/oyrwX6Vqx2s?t=7m50s

[jas67]

https://youtu.be/oyrwX6Vqx2s?t=7m50s

That sounded way better than any inline four I'm used to hearing.   Or, was that the other bike.

[Murray]

That sounded way better than any inline four I'm used to hearing.   Or, was that the other bike.

The is a little of long stoke one lunger int here but 90% is the MV original right down to the open bell mouth intakes.

[Aaron D.]

The shaft drive MVs are pretty ponderous to ride but they sure sound and look great.

But seriously, as a motorcycle the Guzzi LeMans is much better.

[keener]

The shaft drive MVs are pretty ponderous to ride but they sure sound and look great.

But seriously, as a motorcycle the Guzzi LeMans is much better.

So when did you have the privilege to ride a MV , Its on my bucket list forsure 

[weevee]

The MV is ponderous, for sure: its weight works against it.  But in all other respects it's a hell of a machine.  Ridden alongside an early Le Mans, the MV is far less agricultural: its engine pulls like a train from idle to max revs - and despite the noise it makes it's as smooth as silk.  This one's fitted with 27mm SSI DellOrtos and MV's later, higher-compression head: so it's quicker than the Le Mans too.

I rode both of these bikes back-to-back for many years, but sold the MV in 2015 after having become disillusioned with the way Cagiva milked the marque for all it was worth and tarnished for good what was once one of the world's most illustrious brands.  RIP Cascina Costa MV!

Here's an idea of what the MV is like to ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUJB_XX7jhw 

   

[Old Jock]

Tee Hee I wondered when you were going to pop up Steve

Personally my dream bike is an MV too but this one

[Aaron D.]

So when did you have the privilege to ride a MV , Its on my bucket list forsure 

In so many ways, we are fortunate in our friends...

One of my very fortunate friends had 2, a standard shaft drive 750 and a Magni with chain conversion. Rode both, and as I nearly had bought one in the late '70s when their were fairly inexpensive new ones available I was glad to learn that the standard bike isn't to my taste.

The Magni however was truly a great handling bike. I understand maintenance is more difficult due to clearance issues.

I have ridden a few others thanks to another friend. Always the same-great sound and fun.

Still, for a road-sport bike, a sorted LeMans is the ticket.

[Turin]

The LeMans would be my pick for a 70's sportbike. (Ice blue please!)

[MikeW]

I was lucky enough to own three of my dream bikes back in the seventies. Believe it or not but the S3 was the most expensive of the three. The Egli and the MV were dirt cheap and both had low resale values in the late seventies.



Egli fitted with early Kawasaki 900 motor.  A very light and fast bike in it's day (I know it's not Italian and off topic but it was one of my favorite bikes of the era).



1974 MV Agusta 750 GT. No one wanted it so I got it cheap after the importer went bust in 1979. It sounded glorious on full song.



Moto Guzzi 750 S3. The first Guzzi I ever bought and why I still own one today. 

Mike

[larrys]

Beautiful!   Though, I'm more of a 90-degree V-twin guy.

I'd rather have:

I saw very nice examples of both of these at Sturbridge this year.
Larry

[JJ]

The LeMans would be my pick for a 70's sportbike. (Ice blue please!)

Although prices for these continue to increase...dollar for dollar...this is probably the best value for the money of all of them!!

[keener]

In so many ways, we are fortunate in our friends...

One of my very fortunate friends had 2, a standard shaft drive 750 and a Magni with chain conversion. Rode both, and as I nearly had bought one in the late '70s when their were fairly inexpensive new ones available I was glad to learn that the standard bike isn't to my taste.

The Magni however was truly a great handling bike. I understand maintenance is more difficult due to clearance issues.

I have ridden a few others thanks to another friend. Always the same-great sound and fun.

Still, for a road-sport bike, a sorted LeMans is the ticket.

thank you
yes ..good friends are part of what makes life a  great pleasure ....from one of mine i got to ride his 78  Ducati  900ss ...  wonderful motorcycle and i will never forget that day 

[weevee]

Although prices for these continue to increase...dollar for dollar...this is probably the best value for the money of all of them!!

You can only really know a bike's true value for money at the end of your ownership.  I lost money on my Le Mans when I sold it, and had very little real 'value' from it in the way of riding enjoyment.  I put many more miles on the MV - and yet it paid me an indecent weekly amount for the privilege!

[JJ]

Back in 1979, I sold my "mint from new" 1978 850 LeMans for $3800...who knew?

Back in 1985, I sold my "excellent" 1975 Laverda 750 SF2 for $4000....again, who knew?

Can't look back or cry over spilled milk...

[Tusayan]

I paid $800 plus $100/month for a year to buy my LeMans.  $1800 total.  The owner couldn't sell it otherwise, and this was the best offer he got... Italian bikes were much out of fashion in the late '80s.

A few years later I bought my bevel SS for $5700.  I offered $5500 but at the last minute the seller said he couldn't sell it for less than $6K.  We compromised but I was a bit annoyed because Earl and company at Pro Italia told me nobody would be interested in "that old stuff" any more except maybe the crazy Australians who hadn't figured out a new belt SS was the way to go 

I still have both of them.  I'm not much for selling, even if keeping a fleet roadworthy takes a lot of time.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Back in 1979, I sold my "mint from new" 1978 850 LeMans for $3800...who knew?

Back in 1985, I sold my "excellent" 1975 Laverda 750 SF2 for $4000....again, who knew?

Can't look back or cry over spilled milk...

Back in '83, when I was looking for my first Guzzi, one candidate was a '78 Le Mans for $800. Rode it, loved it, had to pass on it due to just having bought a new truck and had just started a new job. A few months later when my tax refund came, I used that money to finally buy my first Guzzi - a well-worn '76 Convert.

I passed on a very nice '74 Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport for $1800 because I didn't like the footpeg position. Doh! I did end up buying an '80 500 Strada for $1200 though.

[jas67]

Back in 1979, I sold my "mint from new" 1978 850 LeMans for $3800...who knew?

Back in 1985, I sold my "excellent" 1975 Laverda 750 SF2 for $4000....again, who knew?

Can't look back or cry over spilled milk...

$3,800 in 1979 dollars is likely the same or more than a mint Mk1 Lemans sells for today.
Sames got for the $4,000 in 1985 dollars for the SF2.


There are many investments you could of made with that money back then that would be worth way more than the bikes are worth today (again, in mint condition).

Motorcycles are not financial investment vehicles.

They ARE, however, investments in good mental health.   Keep then ones you enjoy, sell the rest.