Guzzirider

I've used Nitromors for paint removal- works well and is good fun too watching the paint wrinkle up and just slide off.

Your sport touring tyres should be fine I reckon. How about the new Anglesey circuit which is only 20 miutes from the Dublin ferry at Holyhead? If you are talking after July I'd be happy to join you because I am yet to take the cafe racer on track and it needs a good thrashing. Maybe Keith can join us and show us how its done! http://www.angleseycircuit.com/

I saw your Scura in Bruce's garage about a year ago Robin- was shaping up very nicely indeed. Looking forward to the completed pics.

I've always wondered if Jaap was a secret pornmaster in addition to looking after motorcycle based forums. I guess he has to pay for a Ghezzi Brian somehow! Did Ratch disappear to become a full time fluffer for Jaaps USA film productions?

I'm sure young Harry will be joining you on his dirty tatty Rosso Corsa. I can say what I like cos he never posts on here!!

I first read about the bike a few years back- think it was in Performance Bikes and it was being raced at the annual Ducati races at Assen. I likely the used slightly battered and tatty look- mine will end up like that eventually!!

I think the new Norton Cafe Racer SP is quite tasty- nice spec for suspension and brakes but very pricey for what it is- think I'd prefer a sorted old one for a third of the price!

I think that Nevada powered cafe racer thing is awful- and the price!!! Nearly £8k for that?? Ben Part's cafe racer above is, as Keith has said, the real deal- some clever engineering with the home made monoshock too.

I know there will be several forum members at the MGCGB Scottish Rally at Cromarty 29th April to 2nd May if anyone fancies that.

Best off road Guzzi? Maybe this is a bit leftfield but how about a Jackal? It is surpisingly good on rally sites and could cope with mild trails I am sure. Would be hopeless on really tough off road terrain but then again so was my Stelvio which was a good road bike but awful off road. I know superhuman enduro guys may be able to make 'em look good but they are unweildy and very fragile if you drop 'em! My Stelvio fell over when I was cleaning it and smashed brake lever and footpeg, even with crash bars. I've seen pictures of Aussies riding old Tontis on unsealed roads so I guess anything is possible. Give me an old XT600 any day for this sort of thing much better than a GS.

Sounds a bit like a Tory politician talking to the massed press reporters on his doorstep: "I was innocently cleaning my silencers and it was a very hot day so I decided to do this in the nude. And somehow I accidently rammed my male member into the downpipe exhaust hole and it got stuck. And this perfectly explains how I ended up in hospital attached to a heavy Italian motorcycle and needed a team of surgeons with an angle grinder to release my aforementioned organ from the downpipe. With hindsight I do of course wish I had placed a rag in the downpipe as this would have helped prevent my unfortunate predicament. I know there has been some speculation in the media that I have unusual motorcycle fetish but this is utter nonsense. The fact that last year I was also admitted to hospital with an Ohlins shock up my arse was due to another unfortunate freak accident. That concludes my statement and I trust you will now leave myself and my family to enjoy our day in peace."

Yes that Norton has made me want to do a white wee!

Sligichan hotel campsite 2008:

Can't even get my motorbikes up the driveway it is so icy so have had to play with one of my other bikes this afternoon:

What a gorgeous bike! You lucky man!!!

I've owned an 1100 Sport Corsa, and a V11- I think the main difference is that the 1100 Sport has the 5 speed gearbox and is longer. You can raise the ride height if you would like her to steer faster- when Gyles was racing his Daytona RS which has basically the same chassis he relocated the upper rear shock mounting to lift the back end of the bike and sharpen her up. Cheers Guy

I better be careful what I laugh at- Mrs Guzzirider is a good shot with a 12 bore!

I knew he'd crack in the end- they always do.

Google DAVIDA, something to do with them I think...helmets for poseurs... Great! I better buy one!!

They 750s look ok, but they are so gutless- feel like a 250 on the open road compared to an Aprilia 750 V Twin. There are many new V7s sitting unsold in dealers covered in dust- and the laughable price for the new V7 "Racer" is unbelievable. I think the guys in the factory who dream up what they think we want to buy are on magic mushrooms. Give us some proper bikes!!!

I've seen it somewhere before- maybe on a badge in the factory museum. Maybe influenced by the Ancient Latin alphabet where the symbol for U is V?

Not showing on Discovery listings over 'ere. I'll expect it will get here eventually.

Ouch Ben! Glad you are ok!! Maybe a good idea not to rush into choosing your next bike- you can often strike a good deal on a machine over the winter when someone is keen to sell but there are few buyers.

The first two pics are Teckno rails for their semi rigid panniers- not sure if these are made any more. The third pic is a Stucchi rack with a Teckno rail. If you buy the Teckno make sure you get the panniers with it or it will be useless. Cheers Guy