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I admit this California specimen is really stun looking! If anyone is interested, I am going to post the eBay link here below; the "buy it now" price is USD 7,500; there is one bid at 4,995.00 USD "reserve not met" and 5 more days to go. https://www.ebay.com/itm/364678986881?hash=item54e88fbc81:g:hw4AAOSwQX9lnyD-

It had to happen, sooner or later! Piaggio wants to have an entry level bike for Moto Guzzi as every other brand is currently purporting; only it will not be one with the legendary V twin; rather, it would use the Aprilia RS 457 parallel twin, and final chain drive. This is not 100% confirmed, it is just a guess: https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/moto-guzzi-retro-roadster-spy-shots/ Whoever came up with the idea, I think it is a mistake. Moto Guzzi must remain special and different. I am not certain, slapping an Aprila power plant on a Guzzi chassis will do much to promote the brand. The Guzzi identity must be preserved. Why couldn't they take a V7 and make it a V5?

I doubt Piaggio would do that; it would be sacrilege... I think that since the 70's, Moto Guzzi has been known for their engine's typical architecture. I realize it's pretty standard to give multiple uses to a power plant, and it also saves the cost of developing a mid-size engine that would only be useable on a Guzzi? while a vertical dual cylinder may fit a Guzzi, the opposite may not go well on an Aprilia. Personally, an Aprila powered Moto Guzzi would not appeal to me. Modernize the V35 to V50 keep it air cooled and voilà! no? Triumph, BSA, Royal Enfield do it. Triumph just came out with a completely new 400cc power plant... https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/triumph-speed-400-exclusive-first-test-review/

I found a Texas based review of the Red V100 Mandello... What is hilarious, is that the reviewer could not get the windshield to move up. That generated a follow-up video by a real Guzzi owner, who kind of shamed him for not doing his homework before posting his video. I am not going to say anything about him messing up gear changes... This is the initial video shot around Austin Texas. I recognized the "highway" limited at 55 mph. Below is the counterstrike... a little sarcastic...

I have not seen any so far. I have seen vintage photos when bikes would be completely assembled at a single post. I think I read somewhere that the new V100 power train was not manufactured at Mandello del Lario. I could guess that Piaggio/Aprilia have better facilities and ship the units completed and tested to Mandello. This has to be verified though. As Moto Guzzi, Aprilia's historical manufacturing plant was in Noale Italy. Piaggio who owns the two brands has a state of the arts facility in Scorzé Italy. I would think that Piaggio's assembly line is pretty much a carbon copy of that of Ducati. I can see that in the long term, Mandello del Lario will become more a sanctuary than a very active Guzzi headquarter. Sort of an empty shell. It may remains a Museum of the Moto Guzzi brand. I am planning to find out this summer, as I am thinking of heading to Italy on a memory tour.

Actually, Moto Guzzi has a well established history with engines that aren't sideways V twins. It is fairly recently, in Moto Guzzi terms, that they became known for the sideways V twin. That said, I am fine with other engine layouts as long as it doesn't end up being simple badge engineering. If they just slap MG badges on an Aprilia, that will suck. But if they use an Aprilia engine in a new Guzzi I am fine with that.

Today looks perfect ! 4degress F and 2'' of snow on the ground .... Plus our heat went out sometime Saturday night.

Oh, on the topic of cold, tested the new pellet stove this weekend in the shop while working on greenie. 5th form of heat I’ve tried now in the old shop. (Can’t do a mini split in that location, so have been trying everything else for last many years). The old wood stove is great but a hassle if not spending the whole day out there. Turns out the pellet stove can’t keep up with the 14 f deg temps in temps. Bummer. Users of that stove say it heats their little houses plenty hot, but a poorly insulated metal building on a concrete, cold soaked slab is a different animal. So back to the good old wood-stove for the real cold days, like this weekend. After an hour with the wood stove I had to strip off layers as I was too hot. But for most typical oregon winter days, I think the pellet stove will be fine. Just not the real cold snaps. Keeps those pipes from freezing, and me too.

I think i may have just had too much of this delicious Reynvaan Stoneessence Syrah wine, as it appears i just read a thread about John Day, and then Kazakhstan, Atrayau, Texas eclipse, and something about Siberian winters. This is some good wine!

Interesting and odd week for all, including us Oregonians…(activepop) i left Great Falls Montana Wednesday, where it as 42f when i arrived day before, dropped to 11f but with wind when we left (that wind is a killer), and by friday it was -31 there at Great Falls plus a nasty breeze. -5 at our office in Fairbanks, which is a balmy day for them, but to have so many places down south be colder was the weird thing. But then i saw its snowing out your direction Docc…. Now thats what gets my attention. back to gray and rain soon here in Oregon, but not quite yet. Gotta head to denver soon to stash a new-to-me v85tt till the weather breaks in the spring.

Overnight here in the "Sunny (U.S.) South", they forecast 4-6 (four to six ) inches of snow overnight. Our alternative "English" speaking brothers might pronounce that "far t' sex " (and just hope it ain't so . . . .) letitsnowletitsnowletitsnow

there are a slew of 'concerts' labeled 'live at Paste Studio on the road' I've been listening to. They do a good job.

Quite apart from the music (yes, it is good....) that was very interesting. I'm convinced that one is hearing microphones at the positions that are clearly visible. I'd love to know what is really inside the housings. Somehow, I can't really believe that they are as old as the housings look. Or maybe something new in "retro" style. Also interesting that the recording is pretty much mono, although the two mics lower down should be sufficient for a more-or-less stereo image. Not really important, all of that, but interesting. I reckon.

I worked there, I mean in Atyrau, on the Caspian Sea. My German colleague purchased an Ural side-car and went on a craze. Kazakhstan is beautiful, absolutely! Today it is more open than when I was there, until 2009. You can get a visa on arrival good for 15 days. Don't go there in winter, unless you like Siberian temperatures!

some of the usual suspects. yummy bass player.

Well surprisingly today was another beautiful day, which meant of course, that I had to get in another ride today...180 miles on different roads than normal. Tomorrow and the next few days promise to be quite chilly, so it was nice to get another ride in before the cold snap...lots of other folks with the same idea! Seems like winter will finally arrive tonight!

Do not miss the RUSH StarMan sticker on the back of the pickup truck window at 2:41 . . .

What a beautiful day to ride…blue skies, cold and crisp, little traffic, very few motorcycles out today…fair weather riders…probably too cold! Several layers, balaclava and good gloves makes the riding very enjoyable. Good music in the helmet…just perfect! 140 miles on the Scura through the forest…halfway thru stopped for a Peppermint Latte to warm up! Still feels like the holidays! Scura runs like a champ!!

I'm getting nostalgic. Friends of mine from back in the day.

Here's a favorite country picker of mine Johnny Highland to illustrate the technique difference with Matteo Mancuso. Check Johnny's right hand. He holds a pick with his thumb and major fingers, and claw the rest of the strings with index, ring and annular fingers. Some pickers have a thumb pick which does not require a second finger to lock it, so they can use four fingers for the picking. When he solos, he continues to use hybrid picking for speed.

My daughter is in Austin and I checked the forecast. Looks to be a super cold front. At least it doesn't look like the last freeze which was an ice storm. She was without power for days...which meant no heat or cooking. She had to run out and get a Coleman stove to cook.