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It was an evening meeting last summer, and starting to get a little cool, I guess by then some folks were needing another layer Here’s a better view of the V50

Since there was so much traffic about "the Grappa", I thought I might share some of my stories regarding Travel, Guzzis, and Grappa. I first of heard of the drink from Bad Chad (WG) at the National Rally in Iowa a decade ago. A few years later I went to the biggest liquor store in town to procure some for Dusty's Cedar Vale Rally. The closest drink I could find was Grape Brandy, best I could tell it's the same stuff but with some actual grapes in it. Anyway, not many takers at Cedar but at the next rally at the Okla Campout, a few folks (Rudy) got a taste for it and it was gone. Anyway, I'll move forward in time a half dozen years. One thing I can tell you when traveling, if you aren't wearing a nice suit when going to a nice a Italian restaurant, whether in NYC, Rome or Cinque Terre, wear a Moto Guzzi (or Ducati) t-shirt. Someone, usually working on the floor, will appreciate it and get you a nice table or suggest something on the menu (or even show you their motorcycle helmet). I digress, so the story moves to the Rhine Valley where the Mrs and I were taking a tour of Europe. Myself, along with half dozen newly befriended fellow travelers ended up at bar. The local specialty was Riesling wine. I confessed to the group, I had never cared for it since my samplings always had a bad aftertaste. This was confounded that no one of the group liked White wine anyway. As a result of that, the wife and I were presented a challenge of drinking a Flight of Riesling. We were gifted a Flight, while they all drank Red. I must say, the wine was incredibly good and each glass better than the other. This was to the amusement of the group as we raved. I think they were a little jealous. So our traveling group finally made it to Italy. The entire group of 20+ were assembled for a meal in Florence. A couple of things came up there that allowed me to explain to the group about dinner that came from my experiences with the Guzzi crowd. First, our meal of Spaghetti Carbonara was made from bacon and egg sauce. Next, when the aperitifs were offered after the meal, I explained the origins of Grappa. I will say that no one but the Mrs and I had any taste for it. And that turned out to be a good thing, since we both got more than our share of Grappa throughout many subsequent meals. So the moral of the story, going to Guzzi rallies are educational and wearing Guzzi shirts can be social passports. Now, let me share that although Grappa is a Guzzi tradition, we might enhance it. I would guess the national drink of Italy (at least in Venice) is the Aperol Spritz. Aperol is an Orange Liquor that's mixed Prosecco (cheap dry Italian Champagne). So for your next Italian cookout, I'd suggest the Spritz to start with, Carbonara for the meal, followed by Grappa at the end. Not much of a story but I'm snowed in (and the news on the TV makes me sick).

Responding to this and other comments in this thread requires more time — and adult beverages of many choices — than the former, at least, permits just now. That said, I’ll take a quick stab before heading down to the Moto Grappa, donning a HAZMAT suit to clean the place, and finishing the service on the V7 III. This could just as easily have gone into @LowRyter ’s new thread about travel & grappa, but as I started it here, but will try to respond to some of his remarks here, too. Oh, this also descends in TLDR territory, but I do include some pix and even vids for the moto-visuals here. As for @footgoose ’s "provoked thoughts," here, in seriatim, are some comments: * First, apropos the mention of Putin, which I presume was understandably prompted by calling that beribboned bust by that name. That “yard art” was a gift from a sculptor friend many years ago. We only noticed the resemblance when I took the photo. I think I’ll change out the Italian ribbon for a blue & yellow one. This photo — taken earlier this morning at our front gate — should clear up any ambiguity of my view of current events … * PPK - Think that Walther was Steve’s, but I was on KP duty and missed most of the chatter. There are no special “gun nuts” in that group. OK, maybe one, who has been on History Channel for his artillery! I took this pic at his place as he fired one of his smaller toys … *Stelvio has a belt - Yes, alternator belt. Changing out the one on my Norge was, while not best done at the side of the road, much easier than on the Stelvio. * Curious Italian passers by. We wondered about that. One of my retired USAF friends was adamant that I was “wrong” to fly the Italian flag on the main pole. I told him that our property was — during MGTD, at least — Italian soil. This same guy is a great friend, but a widower with fixed views. He once told us that we had too many magnets on our refrigerator! Anyway, no doubt those flags and banners attracted attention. Anyone here know or care to guess what those two 3x5 flags are at the gate? * "And then, there's the possibility of the moniker "Moto Grappa" having a back story of some depth?" Yes. But, first, I’ll address @p6x ’s noting no grappa in the MGTD pix. Actually, there were at least two photos with grappa in them, but his point is well taken. Lest, however, anyone doubt my credentials — for enjoying, not knowledge — of grappa, see these … The first three pix are of "on hand" grappas; the last -- in the Moto Grappa -- are some that are dry but provided great memories. The Alexanders are gifts and, arguably, not even grappas ... but close enough even if "too smooth" for my peasant tastes. I tend to like the more “rustico,” even “bruto,” grappas over the more refined — I won't say effete, but that’s what I mean — ones, and I’ll say why, below. Now ... back to naming the Moto Grappa. The short version of “Why Moto Grappa" is a combo of these great bubbas and the “Carb Bar” on Caserma Ederle … [It’s possible I have gone over the top with that since …] … and Alpini reunions, mostly in Vicenza Province. This last was the clincher. It was the late 1970’s. These really old WWI veterans — I am about their ages now! — would gather, reminisce, and quaff grappa. What I knew about the Austro-Hungarian front in WWI was pretty much limited to Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms.” Well, here were The Guys who were there. Even when discounted 50% by time (and grappa), their stories were amazing and inspiring. That, BTW, is how I learned how to appreciate “homemade” and other more crude grappas over the fancier sort. While in Italy, I went on a “staff ride” of the battle here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mount_Ortigara. Though then 60 years later -- now more than a 100! -- we saw as we walked all sorts of debris of that struggle. I have a slide somewhere of a boot with a mountain flower blooming in it! The original foot that wore that boot most likely resides in the Ossuary at Asiago, https://www.venetoway.com/en/military-shrine-of-asiago/ OK, if you are still “here,” and even if not snowbound as is @ LowRyter, you might find these worth wandering through. https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/italy/71-strada-delle-52-gallerie-italy.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_front_(World_War_I) As for comments in the replies that I found “thought provoking,” this of @p6x ranks first: "Lots of students coming to earn a few bucks, and housed on the domain too... no further comment.” You can’t just stop there. Off now to the Moto Grappa! Bill

Ouzo is not anything like Grappa or Marc; I was based in Kavala for a little while. I was very fond of the Thassos Island... by the way "Marc" is pronounced "Mar" not like Marc Marquez. The "c" is mute. So you can order it from a bar the next time you are around there. Ouzo is more like Ricard, Pernod 45, Pastis 51; what is better known as "French Pastis". Pastis is a long lived tradition from the South of France. This is an aperitif that precedes any lunch. You can add some other liquors into it, to give it an accentuated licorice taste. The Mauresque; you get it by adding Orgeat Syrup in Pastis.

+1 more on overhead straps. If the bike comes down on me, I have other problems, because the dining room table is next. I'm using the Canyon Dancer tie down (er, up) device, which is really convenient.

I cut the grapes in Bourgogne, Gevrey Chambertin; Dupont-Tisserandot domain. Throughout the day, we had access to Marc and other wines, local food for the entire harvest. Cutting grapes is a real hardship, you are bent continuously, using pruning pliers filling up baskets after baskets. The Marc helped to keep pain in tow. It is actually a good thing the harvest only happens once a year, and depending on the extent of the domain and the number of people harvesting, it can last several weeks. Giving you the possibility to sample a lot of different wines, and foods. Lots of students coming to earn a few bucks, and housed on the domain too... no further comment.

Good morning -- or whatever it is when and where you read this -- from the top of Virginia where we are still tidying up the battlefield and shooting the wounded after the latest iteration of Moto Grappa Tech Days. The slideshow and its captions tell the story without more, so I'll just post the link with the only intro being that it's mostly about wrenching, bench racing, competitive eating, bourbon, beer, and BS. As with my other Smugmug albums, the link opens in "landscape collage," meaning you don't have to slog through every one of the (yes, I know, too many ) pix to see all or the ones, if any, that might interest you. Hover your cursor over individual pix to see captions if you care. MGTD MMXXII Bill Logged

Noted!

Higher. The little Monza The Kid took over will just sing. I would say it is the sweetest running Guzzi engine I've ever operated. Maybe the best handling Guzzi, too. There is something very special about that bike that doesn't make a whole lot of sense if you look at the sum of it's parts, but it is definitely there. To get the same engine without the 10 years long search for a Monza, (!) look for a Mark III. FWIW, when I asked The Kid if he wanted me to save the Mighty Scura for him, he said, "No, but don't sell the Monza."

Inspirational as usual, and at the right time. Thanks thoughts provoked: Putin PPK Stelvio has a belt Curious Italian passers by. And then, there's the possibility of the moniker "Moto Grappa" having a back story of some depth??.. sounds a bit Guzzisti, no?

Nice! That level of accessibility makes me think . . .

If you don't know about the Goodwood festival, you should. One of the best event about motorsports worldwide. Waine Rainey will participate on his racing bike adapted to his condition by Yamaha. But the festival is much more than just that. Just check their website, and if you like West Sussex (who doesn't?) and live within reach with your Guzzi, you should go. It is incredibly friendly and a once of a lifetime experience. One of the things Britons are incredibly good at organizing....

The flag of Lecco Province in the foreground and the flag of the Lombardy Region beyond . . .

might need a handydandy ‘triangle protection system’ to keep crud off it

could it be fitted t’other way round..?

yep. It rides similar to a v11, without the mad grunt obviously, but still shifts Very Nicely. Very light, very low slung, just lovely really

Back in 1981~82 I had a girlfriend who rode a blue Monza. At that time I rode Honda’s hi tech answer to a Guzzi - the CX500 (aka the plastic maggot). Liquid cooled, 4 valve heads which were turned through 22 deg to move the carbs away from your knees. I recall Hondas publicity at the time claiming it was the first liquid cooled V twin ! But it lacked the purity & charisma of the V50. However good unmolested CX500’s are rare these days….

Nice story John. 90 year old grandmas in Italy and here in the US of Italian origin are fond of putting a little grappa in their morning coffee. When I was a student at the university, I rented a room in a house, owned by the chancellor's secretary and her 90 year old mother from Sicilia (Palermo). She was an amazing cook, making gnocchi by hand, fantastic chicken and pasta dishes, and every morning started out her routine at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and some grappa. She would always offer some to me just before I headed out to class on my bicycle... Years earlier, on a long family trip trekking around Europe in 1978 in a MB 207D van my Dad had bought, we spent a lot of time in Bolzano and surrounding areas (village of Brez), Bassano del Grappa and Trieste. Needless to say, the elders of the village were also quite fond of their various types of grappa. It certainly warms the heart, and lots of great stories can be made over a favorite liquor!

If Fubo TV shows NBC based channels like CNBC you should be fine. But, as mentioned, MotoGP is no longer on BEiN. Hasn't been for a little while. But the BEiN coverage was great.

Those teardrop holes do seem logical - and a I have a spare airbox lid that I can modify, and keep the stocker in case I don't like it. But it sure seems that the effort of expanding the inlets is a waste of time if you add the holes on the top. Some funny stuff, and some well reasoned stuff in that thread. One funny (to me) comment was - "...30mm snorkels won't supply 50mm throttle bodies. That is a no-brainer." And it seems brains were, in fact, not used for that statement. If you reason it out, a piston only draws air on one of four strokes. A 30mm intake is open 100% of the time, while a 50mm throttle body is drawing air only 25% of the time... so the math works. The purpose of the large airbox is to have sufficient volume of air already past the filter, and the bikes still run just fine with the snorkels smaller than the throttle bodies. Will I do the teardrops? Marginal increase is peak power? meh; I don't ride that hard. Smooth out a flat spot, OK. But do they make a cooler induction noise with the snorkels removed and the teardrops? If yes, then I am all-in.

How do you get to the adjuster with the airbox in place? Ciao

Wow and, and,and...

+1 on the v50. There was one on BaT a while back and I was really tempted, but was brought back to earth by "financial responsibility"...😏

That sure is "purdy",and if I were that deep I'd be greasing the driveshaft...

Pretty sure I just did . . .

The Greek version of Grappa is Ouzo? But flavored with anise, perhaps to mask the harshness? Someone should invite @p6x to the South'n Spine Raid. I think he would fit in swimmingly, enjoy the ride and environs, while bringing a special "element" to the occasion.

Another successful Tech Days !

Well no ride report yet but it sure is purty This model has single adjustment for compr/rebound which is fine by me Straight from their facility in France < $500

I've always wonder what these "pork chops" were and what they did. Personally, I prefer "pork steaks". Not quite as dry. I like to grill them with a full hickory smoke box with chips and pellets. Sometimes with BBQ rub but otherwise with garlic powder, onion power, salt & pepper. Juicy but well done. No, I never drill or put holes in my pork steaks.....since pork chops can be dry, perhaps?

I've come to regard the V11 "Stilettos" as elegant devices of magnificence . . .

I'm going to experiment with 45-63mm reducing silicon rubber elbows. 63 is too big to fit in there but may work after trimming to fit. I like the idea of long induction pipes to help collect cool air ahead of the engine. A downward bend should reduce the road spray, grit, and bumblebees getting to the filter.

Guzzi belt and braces. The sleeve installs from the drive side and the circlip is security in case it's interference fit ever degrades but it also supports the sleeve from getting displaced when big stupid apes with lump hammers fit disk side wheel bearings. You know who you are. For the Ohlins damper try fitting an oring around the spherical bearing to limit it's ability to flop around and stop it hanging. You choose a dia and cross section that goes around the outer half of the bearing and rides on the inside of the bracket so when the steering is turned and the spherical ball rotates to compensate for the angular displacement it also compresses the oring and keeps the whole thing firm but still moveable/flexible. Ciao

I removed the stock rubber snorkels. I'm tempted to bell the inlets like Docc did. What are Phil A's teardrops?

...and the wheels bearings finally arrived. All Balls bearings were way less expensive than any other option, so worth the wait to have a roller again. Isn't it amazing how much extra garage space you need when the wheels, tank, exhaust, and bodywork are off? All brake lines replaced, and all calipers rebuilt. Rear master also rebuilt - the spring was noticeably compressed and weaker than the replacement part. New Galfer rear rotor, new carbon front fender. Brakes still feel mushy, so there must be some more bubbles hiding in there. I like how the Arashi rotor carriers match the Brembo calipers. The Brembo carriers are a different shade of gold. Now she's back on the lift new to finish her spa treatment. I'm digging the glossy black wheels - good fit for the Nero Corsa. I think open pipes are cool... maybe I'll get a denim vest with a huge patch that reads "Loud pipes save lives"

New steering bearings are in. That's my second time doing them - it's really quite fun with the freezing of the steering stem, heating up the bearing, dropping it in place and then seeing it pressure fit. But it's a one-shot deal. If it doesn't go all the way down, you're probably hosed. And seating the races in the frame is fun. Had the lower triple clamp powder coated, along with the fairing frame, dash panel, and various brackets and baubles. Really happy with the powder-coat gloss-black bar-end weights. They were peeling a bit and now they look better than new. Test fit the Speedhuts for entertainment value. And question time... the Ohlins damper bracket is rubbing on the plastic air dam. I don't recall that being the case on my previous LeMans. Do they all do that? I checked the parts diagrams and can't find anything I did wrong. It doesn't seem to affect the operation, since the bracket only moves a little in relation to the plastic part. But if I missed something, I'd like to correct it. And another question... this one is just curiosity, not a problem to solve. Earlier in this thread I asked about removing the center of the rear wheel. I assumed it would come out since there is a huge spring clip that appears to be holding it in place. I had to spend some time with the Dremel removing powder so the spring clip would seat properly. But I found myself wondering why that spring clip is there at all. Can somebody explain the rationale behind this spring clip?

Wheels and bar-end weights in gloss black... and two boxes of goodies in flat black...

I know we all are getting dependent on computers more and more, but for Pete Roper's sake, who needs a MacBook for drilling holes in the airbox lid?

Thanks for the vetting! I remember watching MotoGP on Fubo TV several years ago since I no longer want to have anything to do through MotoGP.com subscription. Should I understand that Fubo TV does not provide any mean to watch MotoGP any longer? ESPN? EuroSport?

FuboTV shows all the races through BEIN in the USA; they have a seven days free trial, if anyone wants to give it a go; they also have Superbike and Moto America. https://www.fubo.tv/lp/MotoGP/ The Ducati is always the best bike before the season begins and the world championship is won on a Yamaha or a Honda....