ferguzzi

A mate had one for a couple of years. Both bikes seemed quite similar. The BM was uglier,didn't sound as good(mind you it had stock pipes), had a better hard pannier system(although it made the bike veeery wide), about the same wind protection, and it seemed to vibrate more. And it was a shitty orange colour.

I know they're uncomfortable, small, expensive, totally impractical... But I still want one. A 998 though, the 999 is just too ugly. Hell, I've already got a relatively practical bike that tours nicely. What's this about a 1200cc 999 replacement though?

Something completely different, impractical, but a beautiful classic? I'm hankering after a ducati 998.

I have the Arai signet Adamo replica that I bought in Boston about 6 years, still use it too. They don't make it anymore.

Derry does have an ils though, at least it did. Ballykelly doesn't. However I see the flight wasn't strictly a ryanair aircraft, it was a wet lease from a small irish charter operation, flying a320's, not that that's an excuse, what I said earlier still stands.

Well, I have to admit I have enjoyed the odd Barbie once in a while, but I don't think we're talking about the same thing.

I've landed in Derry, and I know about the possiblilty of that happening, But I didn't think anybody would be stupid enough to give it a go. Theres a write up on the paperwork warning you against it, but it should really be teaching your mother to suck eggs.I think the army base is Ballykelly? What it meant was the ryanair boyo's landed visually, ignoring any istrument indications, which as professionals is more our bread and butter. It takes a lot of effort to do something that silly, and I can quote the few times it's happened to a big company. American airlines landing in Frankfurt thinking it was Brussels comes to mind, back in 1994. Ryanair's an accident waiting to happen.

I was in Halfords the other day getting oil for the car, and they seemed to have a decent choice. I think there might be 2 in Dublin, I was in coolock. Are you new to the bike? I was in Ducatidublin a while back and they mentioned a v11 was doing an advanced training course there, there's not many of us about! Feel free to give me a shout if you fancy a spin.

Finally saw the movie last night in London. I have to agree with all above, it's a great story , but the movie itself is good too, you don't have to be a biker to enjoy it. Hopkins really pulls it off. It reminded me a bit of "the straight story". I'll watch it again.

Did nobody else think this was a copout, or am I just a relatively young cynical bastard? An office in London, SAS train ing in self defence, 3 months preparation,2 support trucks with at least 10 people, they still got the timing wrong and did the road of bones in the back of a train,for Chrissakes! And the there were quotes like"We've been on the road a month, and I really miss my family, and have forgotten what normal life is like", or something to that effect. In my experience of long trips, and I'm sure there are people on this site with more then me, It takes about a month just to get into the mindset of a long trip. If obi wan had wanted a press and publicity free trip, which he kept harping on about, why didn't he just wheel his BM out one cold and frosty morning, with credit card ,toothbrush and all the essentials but less of the broohaha, and do the trip, without all the ancilliary BS. Just because he's a film star doesn't mean he can't. I've done it. Lots of other people do it. It's not rocket science. Theres a long 10 part or so documentary made very amateurishly by, oddly enough, 5 english amateur guys who spent over a year going around the world on I think japanese 175 dirtbikes. Now that was the real thing. I've seen it on UK tv a few years ago and it might have been call "round world trip", or "mundo" something... It really puts the jedi knight in the half penny place.

Jeez Helicopterjim, why don't you get an engineer to do all that for you. A standard conversation on the A340 goes something like this.... ME: The wotsit that does the thing isn't doing it anymore. ENGINEER: right. have you tried resetting it? ME: No, I'm a scaredy pilot. ENGINEER: Well lets do it then, and if that doesn't work, we'll power down the whole aircraft. ME: All hail the infallible engineer! Doesn't always work 'though. We had a 3 hour delay last week due to a plane witha u/s apu. Not normally a problem on an aircraft with 4 engine genys, but with all the screwing around doing a ground assisted start, the computers decided to have a brain fart. 12 hours later in Tokyo, we have a plane that won't accept a gpu, an engineer who refuses to use the batteries because they take so long to recharge, and the aircraft refuses to open it's cargo hold doors. 2 hours later the passengers eventually get their bags. Bring back the boeing, all is forgiven....

You seem to be asking about a fim star. I don't know what a fim star is , so I'll guess you mean fin star. That leaves.... Flipper! or Willie! ( as in free...) or Jaws! My bet's on Flipper though.

When is this Italian day? I 'm coming over to the island, visiting the inlaws, about the 10th of june for 10 days, and wouldn't mind having a look. I won't have the bike obviously, but it will be an excuse to stretch the legs of the corvair. I presume it's on in Vancouver itself, any details?

Hmmmm, blatant kiwiism. That must be a first for the forum! I didn't know about that Price chap, I must do a little searching around. I vaguely remember something about an Italian, or possibly frenchman who may have beaten the wright brothers as well.

I can't figure that either. I used to be a big f1 fan, and we'd go to at least one race a year, but I'm all better now. I suppose partly because I used to be a jordan fan, the quasi irish team, which no longer exists, but mostly the racing is just plain boring. I don't understand why anyone would have an interest in getting involved except for the money, and surely Vale isn't stuck for that. Greetings from a cold, and frankly slightly hungover, Tokyo, by the way.

The Cuban police force use 750 nevadas. I didn't get a photo, but they're reeeal badass, mirror shades and kneehigh boots as well. Very chips. Not very friendly either.

Just to be clear, somebody misquoted me as having slagged off the U.S. I didn't. I think it's a great place, I go there about twice a month, I've seen about 40 states and intend to see more, I've lived there for over a year and I'm actually a quarter american myself. I just think the present leadership sucks. And it's foreign policy, for quite a while now, even before the present gobshite. Democracy allows me, and other nationalities, to say that. Feel free to take potshots at my government if you wish, God know, we do enough of it over here. That is,of course, if you know who the Taoiseach is, and are capable of finding my particular peace of real estate on a map.

lot of bull on this subject, and ignorance. The picture of the p39 airocobra in russian colours can be interpreted in more then one way, which I'm pretty sure the gent who posted it didn't realise. That's what we call an own goal in these parts. I'm not going to go into it, but do the research if you're that bothered. Being Irish, nobody saved my ass in ww2. or ww1 for that matter. Or Napoleonic, Norman, crusader or the Roman campaigns, so possibly some people might get a perspective on history before claiming to have saved the world. Bush is an idiot. If you think differently you are in the global minority, which I think is proving to not be a good thing. This is a guzzi forum. A healthy dose of politics does no harm( Shit, it's all we talk about around here. Well apart from women, beer, football, beer, religion, beer etc...), but am I wrong in saying the vitriol and racism... sorry, patriotism, could be kept to a minimum?

I'm gay, and so is my wife.

Hmmm, I think age and bike knowledge will really show on this one, but I'll give it a go, and in no particular order, if i could fill my dream garage.... 1 Ducati 996. obviously. 2 ducati pantah, circa 76. Because my big brother had a poster of one. 3 benelli tornado tre. Because I like green Italian things. 4 Guzzi Centauro. in red. 'cause it's mean looking. 5 Suzuki gs1100 Katana '81. It was the mutts nuts when I started reading about bikes. 6 MV Agusta f4 1000. Because of the pipes. 7 Buell firebolt. I rode one once and thought it was a riot. 8 Norton commando. because it's beautiful. 9 Ducati 1000 ds. Because someday I might actually get one. 10 Well, my Tenni obviously! Only 9 to go then. Must go talk to my bank manager... This concludes the votes from the Dublin jury.

I spend far too much moolah on gas guzzlers. I keep a ford ranger pick up diesel ,which is about the only practical thing I own. My other toy is a an old porsche 911 964, great fun, but it's not a bike, And in Vancouver I own a 1965 Chevy Corvair. It's a 2.5 litre rear engined flat six soft top, which gives me a real reason to visit the in-laws!

You're right there, mate.

American Norton?

Um, I think that should read Gaelic football. Garlic football is a french game.

To hell with the football, I'll settle for the cheerleaders anyday. BY the way there's: 1 American football, 2 soccer, 3 Rugby football, 4 Aussie rules football, which is a derivative of...., 5 My personal favourite, Garlic Football, an Irish invention where amateur hairy madmen play for the county's pride in an extremely fast and tough game. Vaguely rugby, mixed with soccer, played with a round ball. And older then the lot. I think.