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@Kostarika posted this pic in his Gallery, but a lot of members don't pay attention or comment there. This stunning image deserves front page news, IMO . . .

Yes, she feels at home. 1day today, NOT FOR SALE. NOT much for total original. Duc 900 faring? Original paint tank, sidecover. 17500m. [emoji16] [emoji482] Cheers Tom Sent fra min SM-A525F via Tapatalk

What's that noise? Oh the sound of 60 million Italians groaning "Mamma Mia" and palms hitting foreheads. Ciao

@MartyNZ shared this with me to link for those interested in this beautiful piece. I know @VtwinStorm recently expressed interest . . http://www.magni.it/v11_fairing.htm

Considering Harley just released a water cooled bike in a similar vain, it seems like Guzzi is following instead of leading! I do like the swingarm.. that’s a nice touch. Maybe it’s just me, but all these screens and electronics don’t need to be on a motorcycle. You think in 20-30 years time there will a forum dedicated to trying to fix those long out of production and unobtainable parts? People are paying many multiple of thousands to replace ECM’s on 360 Ferrari’s as they are not serviceable. I’ve grown weary of this disposable wave of the future. Just in the last week I had to send the circuit board from my dyer to a specialist to have it repaired. Both my GPS units were also sent in for repair. Now I find out Sunfire is out of business and the subwoofers I have are now very expensive door stops as they are no longer repairing anything. So if you have any working Sunfire speakers etc.. now is the time to get rid of it… I’ll be busy listing my crap on eBay this weekend… I’ll stick to older stuff thank you!

@VtwinStorm Agreed. Back then, a Moto Guzzi was an inspiration. The V11 lignée had that charisma no many bikes could arouse in anybody riding one. I am not going to be judging the V100 just yet. I know it is not love at first sight, but I do not trust my judgement to be unbiased. I am too much of an old lace and I am no longer able to see beyond the past. The more I progress, or rather digress, the more I am looking behind instead of ahead. I do not think this bike was conceived to thrill the people on this forum; rather trying to appeal to those who have heard of Moto Guzzi but never considered one because they looked ancient? I read in another article that (new) British riders were into Royal Enfield.

You mean at Piaggio? I bet the Moto Guzzi steering is happening at Pantedera, not Mandello del Lario.... I agree with you about the Le Mans; somehow, I am pretty sure they have a Le Mans in the pipe using that engine.

"Hopefully" the jelly mold bodywork is just a ruse and they are going to stun us with something distinctly Italian, even if it is polarizing. Who could love the era of auto styling likened to a month-old bar of soap?

“full digital engine management (injection and ignition) was a Guzzi trademark long before being adopted by other makers.” Well, I for one didn’t take this as an absolute literal claim of being the first in “using EFI long before anyone else” - but more in making the point it was a feature, that was commonly adopted as a “trademark” feature before most other manufacturers had switched over to adopting EFI. In fact, is that “anyone else” quote actually accurate or has it been somewhat paraphrased? Anyhow, the article got far more right than wrong in capturing the V11’s qualities, in this case the Scura, and my absolute favourite line was one of the photos captions... Bravo! Give that man a cigar!

Excellent choice of machine. Went on a ride out around Derbyshire today with some friends, I was on my Griso 8V, seen here parked next to a friends fabulous MK1 Le Mans, whilst we were stopped for tea & bacon butties

Looks like it comes in the original colors, so I assume it is made for the red-framed bikes. Does anybody happen to know the cost or whether it will also bolt up (without modification) to a longer, black frame? As exhaust, I have not heard the Magnis, but I've heard Mistral and Staintune. Those are nice, but the best sound, (IMO) is from the Moto Guzzi Factory Titanium Racing cans. Sadly, if you want a set of those, you probably have to buy a motorcycle that already has them.

Neat. Some old gals don't lose their beauty. Now why can't new V7s and V9s look this good?

Found here: https://wide.piaggiogroup.com/en/articles/events/moto-guzzi-presents-the-unique-futuristic-project-for-its-new-factory-and-museum-in-mandello/index.html

Heh don't put that shit on us, that little dodge was first thought up by the Japanese. Apple are a disgrace and I'd never purchase any of their products. Don't get me wrong they look amazing and apparently work well. It's just a matter of principal that if I can avoid purchasing from a company who will screw over their own customers I will. Take a newer I Phone to replace the battery to a non apple shop and find features on the phone mysteriously stops working after replacement. Circuitry within the battery, is paired to other chips on the phone. So unless Apple replace the battery (at an exhorbitant cost) the phone loses features. Oh and the chip suppliers have a deal that they only supply to Apple. They also had to come clean that when you upgraded to the latest OS on your older Apple phone it became very slow was a deliberate strategy. I'll get ma coat

Just as the '55-'57 Chevys had 90º V engines, so also did Moto Guzzi's own '55-'57 GP racer. But, while racing could tolerate liquid cooling and frequent replacement of consumables, the road bike owner would likely not. I see the Ducati Apollo and Ariel Square Four being examples of too many air-cooled cylinders, given the heat dispersion and lubrication abilities of the day. So, why not cut the cylinder count down to a more manageable level, give them fins and rotate the cylinders out in the air stream? There being no O-ring or X-ring chains at the time, and given the bike's intended use, the air cooling and shaft drive made perfect sense. Particularly since a bevel drive would have to be added to use a chain. The design made such sense at the time, that Honda famously copied emulated it (probably claiming Lilac inspiration, but come on) with a new twist of the heads and the liquid cooling that the V8 possessed 20 years earlier. Laverda also gave a tip of their hat to the basic layout in their V6 test mules. By way of truism, as it is with all things that are, the V11 is what it is. Motorcycling history is littered with the carcasses of various men's brilliant ideas - ideas which were doomed for a variety of reasons. We have our idiosyncratic bikes through the persistence of the human will.

He also sells a pretty sweet set of cans http://www.magni.it/v11_exhaust.htm Got a pair on my 1100 Sport and they sound pretty dammed good Only problem with Magni is trying to get him to reply to your mails, it might take several attempts (Don't ask how I know)

Yes, hope springs eternal. I am sure they will build another worthy successor to carry the LeMans name. It can be Guzzi's flagship halo bike. This machine, though? It's not lighting my fire. I'm sure it's great, but it seems a bit too much of a bland styling exercise and has none of the verve that Guzzi bikes are known for when you look at them. You could throw "HONDA" on the tank, and call it the CX100, and I wouldn't know the difference. Don't give Honda any ideas! EDIT: Okay, it looks a LOT better in motion on film. It looks damn high quality, but the style is a bit interchangeable with so many other bikes (aside from the engine, of course). I have high hopes for the new Guzzis!

So, even with as many commonalities we can name between the Moto Guzzi "Big Block" and the beloved American V8, the Guzzi motor is a thing of its own, purposefully designed, and elegantly executed. " . . . with the presence of a Norman horse . . . "

Alright, alright, I apologize about about the whimsy of that last one especially after such genuine, quality, and refined musical posts. I probably posted this before, but on the eve of heading to the Seventeenth South'n SpineRaid, and to acknowledge those SpineRaiders who have tried, but could not arrive, I am reminded of this ballad of The Last Chance Texaco. A place we have all been to. I still hear the forlorn whine of the trucks flying by . . .

A good friend just sent me this recently re-posted article from motorcycle.com. Very enjoyable read best paired with a glass of red wine or Peroni. Enjoy!: https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/moto-guzzi/church-of-mo-2002-moto-guzzi-v11-scura.html

It's been discussed many times in the past, so I'm surprised no one has mentioned it here. The guzzi engine is basically the last 2 cylinders of the old Chevy 350 V8, ie. 90 degrees, low compression, 2 small valves, pushrods, rocker arms, going back to a dry clutch, tranny and drive shaft. fwiw

Little be it known that the engine was not intended for something so plebeian as a tractor. It was actually to power Italy's locomotives, adding engines in series as needed for the Alps. It was decided that the power impulses would frighten the rail passengers.

On the injectors used on V11's and CARC bikes the o-rings are a standard Bosch injector seal. I just buy them from my local *Better* auto parts joint in Canberra. Just take the injector in and brandish it at the parts interpreter. If they gurn vacantly at you and ask "What's it out of!" Try to resist the temptation to bury your index finger down to the third knuckle in their eye socket, thank them, leave, and go and find a real parts shop where they pay decent enough wages that the staff don't spend half of them on clearasil and wet-wipes.

I didn’t intend to post a anti-progress manifesto. It just tweaks me to see the blatant hypocrisy. Electric vehicles were tried and abandoned 100+ years ago. The same problems that caused its failure then are the same problems today. Henry Ford developed car bodies using hemp and also engines that ran on it. Totally renewable energy source and the bodies were rust proof and durable. See how that turned out…. The ecological damage batteries cause not only in the extraction of the rare earth minerals, but also in the fact that they are not readily recyclable makes me think it isn’t for “saving the earth” The same issue that plagues wind turbines. Read up on the graveyards of those monstrosity’s. Diesel engines are highly efficient (I can personally attest to that) clean burning and can also run on renewable energy (as that was the reason they were invented)

I notice they haven't provided any full side on shots on the drive side. It looks like we are back to the old Pogo style shaft drive and "reaction" system is gone as Pete Roper pointed out in a previous post. I'm always suspicious when a particular image perspective is missing. Ciao

...who are at the mercy of benevolent governments.

I'll bet that up close and personal that green paint scheme will rock. I'd look good on it, but I have my wind up bike.

That green is tasty, and I really like the wheels.

More pictures released. can't be bothered trying to copy them. https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=112212.0 I can't believe they've managed to make something so hideous! The V85 was bad enough. This thing looks like??? I dunno? A grab-bag of every styling disaster from most manufacturers in the last 30 years! What was that awful thing Ducati made? The TL 650? It looks like one of those that's been stuck in a pencil sharpener and sprayed with silage!

I'm sure that upon close examination there would be many differences including the fine details of cooling, combustion chamber design etc, but the op's topic was about guzzi's design being inspired by automotive practices. It definitely appears that at some point, someone in Italy looked at the American V8 and recognized that copying the basic design from the back 2 cylinders to the rear end made a lot of sense in a motorcycle, and it does. fwiw

Docc is a great host. I hope to be back someday. Stay safe y'all.

Word is, there is a Coppa Italia onsite this evening . . . Along with a pristine champagne LeMans and her sweet older sister, a restored white Eldorado. I'm not naming any names, but his initials are @Tom in Virginia.

Likewise. Got a startup video. No smoke, ran and idled like a champ. Took a leap of faith, as I said. At least cosmetics will not need any attention to bring the bike's dignity to where a Guzzi truly belongs. Bike is a 9.5/10... Looks nearly new.

That was a fun read. And the concluding sentence was prescient: "Before the dynamic new management of Aprilia turns the 80-year-old factory into a fashionable and marketable "brand", we can still enjoy a cycle that's really built in the old way, and acts it."

Well, the Pensacola bois pulled that one on me too.... See, I trusted them, so I signed all the paperwork BEFORE even riding the bike. I got there, saw the bike, signed, the "as is", and went on to find out the odometer did not work. According to Florida's law, I had a shot at cancelling the transaction. Despite the "no warranty" since they sold me the bike with a defect which they failed to disclose. All the assurance the bike was in complete working order was on email. Hence, one of the reason I always recommend to negotiate in writing, not by phone. I still spent about $400 to fix the ITI/Hur... At least I got a video of the engine running, before I closed the deal.

That's what I'm thinking docc. I know for sure Ducati beat them by a long way. Maybe I was getting "car" and "tractor" confused. Ciao

Traxxion said they don't have springs to fit without buying their high $ cartridge kit which I'm not interested in. They did suggest a 1.05 rate if I can find springs to fit the stock internals, seems heavy but I suppose all the bikes I've put springs in before have been lighter bikes so maybe he's correct. I'll try Race Tech next. Essentially what I got out of the oil weight post is to go with 7wt, barring all the details regarding the actual viscosity of 7wt differing between brands.

It's a long wait, but I don't even know if there's any way to get it sent from anywhere near the Lodge. Thanks for the offer, if I can't get something else working before then I'll take you up on it.

As I remember, you didn't even give the Mighty Scura a second look. You could have had one of the best V11s in the country..

Thank you....we've resorted to using Triumph's F/I O-rings on our Ducati's w/injector issues. Even come in two sizes....will have to check for fit.

Unsprung weight?

So is there a consensus amongst the Guzzi community about their preferences? Short red frame & short tank (chinpad) long black frame & short tank (chinpad) long black frame & long tank (internal fuel pump) On balance I find black frames feel a little more planted in corners. Must be the 20 mm longer wheelbase plus all the extra bracing around the swing arm / subframes. I don’t feel the fatter 180 rear tyre has much of an effect in slowing the black frames turn in. I have a 2002 transition model (registered in 03),and the extra 20 mm of frame visible behind the steering head doesn’t bother me. I don’t find it aesthetically less pleasing than a long tank

It's for my own good, I've led a bad life. The universe is punishing me. Could be worse, I could have lived in London in 1940. Ciao

You guys rock. Whatever Piaggio does cannot shake The Rock that am y'all.

Bloody hell I must be getting bad, Pete Roper is trying to pacify and settle me down, LOL. Yea I saw the front bearing solution in the BB from those training notes you sent me, not that impressed with that. What I loved about bevel drive Ducatis was there wasn't a single chain in the whole engine and every bearing was replaceable in the average blokes workshop with the exception of the big end which needed a press and some engineering expertise to do. I didn't like the transition to cams running in the head material either. Kawasaki 900's used plain replaceable cam bearing but that was abandoned as well. I know it's inevitable the way things are going and it's unstoppable, but rage,rage against the dying of the engineering light I say, You are correct in that just about anything can be saved by an engineering/ machining specialist but you know Pete those people are fading away as well. I wouldn't be at all surprised if in 20 years time they dont exist anymore. Anyway, whats this "retirement" thing I thought you were already? Ciao

As I anticipate that you will be one of the lucky ones to go there, it would be great if you could take some pics of the gathering. Not necessarily the bikes of the Museum, but the crowd of people who share the interest in Moto Guzzi. This is (at least to me) the real treat. Meeting people and learning how they got there.

Me too. Who knew I would be still nursing this sorry-ass, maligned 2000 Guzzi Sport after all this time. It's valve train was supposed to burn up at 24,000 miles. What a piss-poor, sorry excuse for a Guzzi. Just please don't tell her. She doesn't know about the histrionics . . . .

Please don't misunderstand, alternatives are fine with me. I know it's coming. I don't deny progress or inevitability. Doesn't mean I have to like it, endorse it, welcome it, want it, or wish it. "bring on the E bikes?" ok, so the E bikes are here and I'll watch them fail, fail, and fail in sales... until governments prop them up, younger people buy them, and people like me are gone. A friend once said to me, while watching a very bad movie "just because they make a movie, doesn't mean you have to watch it" ...drunk, but wise. There is a bigger conversation to be had about "the environment" and personalities, for one answer "why shite to that"...and that would be a but welcome conversation. People (enthusiasts) my age have the unfortunate advantage of watching the demise of ICE's. Those who welcome/encourage it I would say, don't understand the motorcycle experience the way I do. That's fine too, ... you do you , I do me,.. liberte'. I'm just an end user and don't give a crap about tech or green. All visceral, no pretense. I like to think that's why I'm here.