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There were SpineFrames . . .

Still amazed by this bike, after 20 + years. Here picking it up in New Orleans in 2004 on my 50th birthday, an incredible gift from my wonderful wife. The next year Hurricane Katrina would wash this shop away! The Rosso still runs strong....I compare it to my other Guzzi, a 2022 V85 Guardia d Onore, and it has about 100% more Guzzi soul. Yes, both the bike and the wife are keepers for life. Andy

The Coppa Italia has arrived

The bike that started my love for Moto Guzzi. On the bike show in Utrecht I spotted Sophia Loren amongst hundreds of occasions.

A sound of thunder across the Frisian countryside.

Now l have to do some organizing in my shelfs with the enormous amount of parts. Many new, Titanium ex, carbon fender, side covers, complete fuelpump asembly ++++. 10013km, all original. Cheers Tom. Sent fra min SM-S906B via Tapatalk

Just think. If it not for this moment, and this fine fellow, we would not be here together. I am SO thankful!!

And, there was "modernity" . . .

There were Sports . . .

All fresh with new shoes and ready for action.

That people who do things like this should be castrated and choked with their own testicles That is all.

Will indulge in some moto-modeling, since with Goldie finally back on-line, Greenie done, and Red in good shape per usual, was the 1st time the gaggle of geese could get dolled up for a family photo…

Wandering the streets of Roma and Milano you rarely see any Guzzis. Considering they build the things only 65klm's from Milano you'd think they would be commonly seen on the streets of Milano but nope. Here's a few I've spotted. The most common non scooter around the cities? The big BMW GS's in all their forms over the last 15 years or so. Hundreds of them. I've even spotted 2 old BMW K100RS's a blue and a red one both in beautiful condition the same as the new ones I toured Europe back in 84 and 86. Blue in 84 and red in 86. Guzzi's though are rare birds. Off to Mandello tomorrow. Sure to see some Guzzis there, maybe.

Today I received a big envelope with some really nice goodies and letters from the US. Thank you ‘spine raiders’ 🙏 And especially Docc! Hope you had a great weekend.

Purchased another V11 ! Pick it up at the weekend. This one compliments the Rosso Corsa, ie. another “limited edition” model Here’s a clue …

I find it an absolute honor that you would give so much consideration to coming, @Admin Jaap! Perhaps for the Twenty-first . . . SSR XXI . . . Truly best regards, Jaap, from all of us. And thank you, again, for this delightful and important playground you have created for us!

Following a weekend of riding on wet, sodden roads (another appalling wash out of a UK summer), I cleaned the filth off my burgundy V11 today

I worked with him filming "ON ANY SUNDAY" and had the pleasure of riding with him at Bruce Browns Ranch ...Great guy! RIP https://www.cyclenews.com/2024/11/article/godspeed-malcolm-smith-1941-2024/

Summer's last Walz

Yes, finally. My pix of SSR XX. Lots of reasons for my tardiness in gathering, culling, and adding captions, including general sloth and lethargy. These are, if not quite ready for prime time, they are probably "good enough." Even if barely that, consider that I started with 452, and deleted 300+. In other words, could have been worse. As usual with my pix, opens in “collage landscape,” and you can hover your cursor over the individual to see the captions, but those are easier to read in slideshow format. Bill's Pix of SSR XX September 2024 Bill

More from the museum. Met up with V11_meticcio today. He rode his Guzzi up to our hotel in the mountains and we had a nice chat. Very nice guy and very happy to meet him. Grazie Mille, Massimiliano. Phil

Arrived in Mandello today and went straight to the Guzzi museum for a look. Lots of people in town for the Guzzi weekend so lots of enthusiast stuff happening. Here's a Greenie from the museum and an image through the gates of the new factory under construction. Phil

There is "something" beyond definition about riding with these sorts of riders . . . Something that engenders a genuine respect and admiration . . .

Full disclosure, @Pressureangle is an ATGATT guy, but was just pulling out from breakfast, headed a mile back to The Lodge. I will vouch that he accepts that socks is gear and "all the socks all the time" is the way to roll . . .

It's settled then... we ride old bikes. The first V11 barnfind is documented.

I bought the bike that started this thread. It was REALLY heavy to move around when I got it but adding a little air to the 6 psi tires fixed that up. Oil change got done right away. A new battery was installed with purchase. There are oil drips (not up to leaks yet) from the bottom pan and the front pan (I'm not sure what's behind it yet) gaskets. I started with cleaning the old oil off just to see what was there. I added a Puig universal wind screen for good wind protection. I'm part way through painting covers red to match the tank. New paint is red with silver sparkle underneath. By the time it's done I expect it will look great (to me any ways). There is no stuttering or anything suggesting air getting into the fuel delivery system. Noises are typical for a tractor ;-). The speedo works well. I haven't owned a bike with a Veglia since the '71 Ducati Desmo 450 single I had. The glitter silver was tempting for the Guzzi paint. I thought glitter purple would be too much. In the end I stayed with the deep red. I rode a Yami 600 last year which redlines at 14k. It was always spinning at high revs. The Goose doesn't need to rev at all but likes 5 grand better than 4. 90 miles an hour isn't work for this bike. Suspension is stiff but the bike settles down right away after bumps and feels glued to the road. Tires are from '21 but only have a couple hundred miles on them. They aren't sliding at the speeds I ride at. Plans this year include finishing paint more, checking valves, and changing most oils. A gasket or 2 might get replaced as well. Within 10 minutes I get to some of the nicest riding roads in my area. There is a 60 mile loop that has almost no straight road in it. Bush all around. Gravel on the road at times because of people that go off the pavement so isn't for knee draggers but always entertaining. A ride earlier in the year had deer making me slow down in 2 places. Keep the rubber side down. Grant.

Hi all, picture of my Scura S608 - proud owner and still going strong on trackdays 💪

In Chicagoland the Norton Club has put on an outstanding Antique Motorcycle Show every August. 20 years ago I woke up Sunday morning and hopped on my 1993 Daytona and went to it. Not having had my coffee I was a little groggy and when I pulled into the show someone waved me in. I suddenly thought “Oh Shit I’m in the Show”. I was directed to park with the Guzzi’s. I spent my day bouncing between the show and parking lot looking at cool bikes. At one point I walked by my bike and saw a sign on my seat. Move Your Bike To The Modern Bike Section. So I did. I ended up staying all day until the end. When they announced the show awards they started with Best Modern Bike and called my name. I was in shock and had not realized this was possible. The plaque was nice and I stuck in the back of my pants for its ride home. What happened next was a heart felt note that the award announcer stopped to add a special guy. He said the best Norton award goes to Joe Blow. Now his bike is a beauty but I feel that I need to tell you that everything that has been done to this bike was done by Joe. From rebuilding the engine and trans to painting it. I thought what a nice thing to say. As a baby boomer I remember when everyone did this back in the day. I knew how rare it has become to not farm out the work. I got my award because I forgot to get my coffee and park in the parking lot. My hats off to you Joe for a job well done.

Thanks for the tips, I'm hoping Monday is a little less fraught and we can tour around a bit more. I plan on visiting Agostinis while I'm here just to say I've been there. I've bought stuff off them in the past including the mufflers still fitted to my bike. Images from our hotel room. We're up in the hills. Very pretty up here. Phil

A couple of pictures from my weekend. We got lucky, probably the last cry of summer this year. About 30°C, sunshine, just beautiful. It started raining just now (late in the night after I got home today), and is going to be wet for the next 3 or 4 days. This is the spot. Don't be confused by the exposure, the two pictures were taken from the same spot, one into the sun, one away from it. It is the grounds of a canoe club, mostly slalom kayaks as far as I can tell. The poles are visible in the picture taken towards the river. Lunch time, half-way through the ride on Saturday. I counted 48 bikes. Two of them were side-car outfits (both Guzzis), and only three were not Guzzis. I was pleased to finally see this bike. The owner and builder has been reporting his progress for a while now in the German forum. The frame is a late model Tonti California frame. Motor is V11 (with ground off fins to look like an older round motor), but carbies instead of injectors. The rest of it, I don't really know. Suffice to say that absolutely none of it is "standard", neither for the frame nor in relation to any of the other parts. I don't like the Cali 2 look, actually, and the paint job is a matter of taste, but the thing is a work of art. There were two V11s there. This one, which I didn't like much. It said "Le Mans" on the side covers, and the colour suggests it may have been a Rosso Corsa. So why would one take off the Le Mans fairing and put on that shitty looking fly catcher? The other one was a Greenie. Not pretty, you might say. I liked it. It belongs to Bob. He bought it in 2005. The bike is loved, and lived, and matches the owner perfectly: a bit tousled and slightly eccentric. Here is Bob on his Greenie, loaded up and about to head off home. I had a great weekend. I hope you all at the Twentieth (XX!) South'n Spine Raid 2024 this last weekend did too.

Anyone crossing The Appalachian Divide should know that "feels like 90º" on The Plains (of Tellico) can "feel like" the upper 40ºs on The Cherohala after a little dampness/shower/fog/cloud ceiling with wind chill at speed. FWIW, I am using the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) and other storm focused weather apps. Places like The Weather Channel™ are, IMO, entertainment focused and will show you a snowflake every chance they get. Snowflakes sell. Meteorology a dull box of cloudy uncertainty. Yet . . . The Cherohala cloud ceiling is real . . .

Luscious beasts! Makes me want to mount up, grab a handful, and experience the intensity . . .

A few items done today…and then a wonderful 100 mile ride. New oil sensor, new plugs (left one nice tan brown, right one a little dark but not sooty), new vent tubes off the tank just for fun, was going to replace the rubber tank stops but the ones there are in great shape. Been thinking about the slight 3k cough or hiccup …wonder if it could be mapped away with a better mixture on the map at that RPM…still running the older version of the Meinolf map…may try the new one. Besides that the bike runs great at all other RPM’s. A quick check with the Carbtune…TB nicely balanced at idle and 4k…time for a ride. Out riding…a song comes on…Riders on the Storm…found a Scura at the end of the rainbow! Time to buy a lottery ticket tonight!!

Seen at Moto International in Seattle in 2015. A nice-looking Rosso Corsa.

In my continuing journey to improve my machining skills I decided to make replacement Titanium bolts and washers that mount the rear bevel box torque arm bracket to the bevel box. One bolt and two washers done one bolt to go. I've also got enough Ti stock to make a replacement bevel box torque arm bolt as well. Phil

At the MGC GB Leicester area local boozer, a sunny evening for once !

I have no problem with it, in fact I encourage it. OEM is by default, a dime a dozen. If someone wants to be creative, why not? It's built for their own preference. Some people follow stick and ball sports when they could follow MotoGP, I'll never understand it, but to each, his own.

Well, ok.. I'll photobomb you.. We were in the path of totality, so had a cookout/eclipse party. My last apprentice, Austin..now the Indiana MGNOC rep, took these pix. As we approached totality, I went to the house and got my birding binoculars. It "appeared" that we could see eruptions around the corona. The temp dropped 12 degrees, colors changed, and the breeze we had been having dropped to dead calm. Crickets cricketed. I thought, "I wonder what it would look like from the air?" Quickly opened the hanger door, did a preflight, grabbed my flying jacket, silk scarf, and aviator cap, kicked the tires and lit the fires. The spring greens were a different shade, and it looked like a wall of rain 2 miles to the west. The above picture is looking west. When we got there, though, it still looked like rain ahead. Not a ripple in the air. Awesome. You can see some of the effect in this picture taxiing in. Shadows appeared to be cut out of cardboard, and the colors were still "off.: Truly a once in a lifetime experience.. it was good for me.