BLIGHT

A fly and ride is priceless Don't like hotels then take a tent. Welcome to the forum. Roy Thought I was signing off, but here's a bit more rationale: I would potentially do it guys, but I have zero time for the next 2-3 months... I have 3 very large engineering projects to complete. Again... I'm self-employed and have very demanding clients. They help support my motorcycle habit! If I was retired, or without work, or even working for some 'chump' boss and calling in 'sick' for a few days, then I could possibly do it, eh? Even then, retired and unemployed folks might find the airfare and other costs a bit steep just to get a motorcycle home. Oh... and BTW let's be clear, there is no way in hell I would let some stranger ride my bike 1000 miles as some have volunteered.... c'mon, really??? It would still cost me 600+ clams, which is more than just shipping it inside a van. I'm sure I've ruffled some feathers here (sorry) but it seems some of us are just of a different mindset on my particular situation with fly-ride. I've shipped and received a dozen or so bikes in my life (one to Italy) and have had excellent results and zero damage. Cheers! BLIGHT

No brainer? Well, it really does not 'pencil-out' if you use your 'brainer.'.. Motorcycle shipping is $400 from GEG to MRY. If I do a 'fly-ride' road-trip to GEG it's $300 for airfare one way from MRY, and I can stay at my friend's house, and he would pick me up. Gas for return trip on the V11 for 1000 miles is almost $100 Ride the 1000 miles @ 500 miles/day in 2 days = one night hotel @ $100 (including free bedbugs, DNA, head-lice, dander & fleas) Be aware.... ALL hotels have this stuff to some degree. I've seen some black-light illumination of hotel rooms in the dark... scary! Splooge everywhere...better to sleep in a cozy tent next to your warm bike. Think how many heads have laid on your snuggly pillow! ughhhh Hotels seldom wash the pillows... just the cases. Tire wear for 1000 miles is about $75-80 (based on 3500 mile tread life x $275 for the pair) Mechanical & financial depreciation by adding 1000 miles to the engine with only 9600 miles on it... $$ XX??? Probably looking at $575-$600 minimum total for a 'fly-ride' scenario, compared to just $400 for a motorcycle shipper. BTW, I'm also self-employed and totally swamped for the next few months on big projects. If I don't work, I just don't make any $$ in billable hours to pay for the trip time up and back home... or for food, etc.! I am however, rethinking just waiting for the bike.... I have 6 or 7 reasons to go ahead and just ship it now....I won't go into all of them. Just want to get the bike soon and enjoy riding it, getting to know and love it, and personalizing it to my own taste on weekends and evenings. Signing off for a few weeks now.... I should have the bike in 2-3 weeks and I'll start posting pics of my tasteful styling and some performance mods too. Cheers, BLIGHT

Thanks Chuck.... it'll be a kool chopper, right!?

Nice video.... thanks for sharing the link! I did squeeze in some time today to show my '06 Triumph Thruxton at the Quail Lodge Motorcycle Gathering. It's the blue/silver one with cast wheels. Always a great show with a neat mix of about 400 bikes... great food too. This year I paid more attention to Guzzi's and got a few pics in the mix. It was freezing cold and really windy today, not usual Carmel Valley sunny warm weather.... we got chilled to the bone. Anyhow, here's a link to today's photo album: https://goo.gl/photos/SobNgk9hHngh3fRQA Check out the Moto Guzzis especially... BLIGHT

I'm gonna wait. Still buried with work, and I just don't like to fly anymore. Plus, 1000 miles of WA-OR-CA crappy roads on one of these will likely not be the most fun I've ever had. Nobody's fixing the roads anymore....this winter devastated them. Even a 200-300 mile ride can knock your fillings out and detach a kidney. Thanks for all the ideas though! BLIGHT

Hey dudes.... That sweet V11 Sport was delivered to my buddy today in Spokane, and all payment vs. paperwork transferred..... I'm a proud Moto Guzzi owner now! Woohoo! Here are a few more pics after it was delivered across town: BLIGHT

Riding it does make me feel younger... BLIGHT

Here are a few of my VFR1200 project (non-Guzzi!) pics.... it was pretty fugly when I got it from seller in NC.... It was the odd red/silver paint scheme, all faded and scratched up, and I thought it would be much more classy in all metallic silver.... Chromed the wheels too for a little 'bling'. [/url] [/url] [/url]

My bike pipes from the headers to the crossover measure 45-47 mm, and the outlet from the crossover steps up to 51-51.5 mm where the mufflers slip on. Nice bike BTW. Thanks.... the muffs I have are 51mm ID on the inlets, so they hopefully will fit! I have an expander tool if needed.

I think I smell a project... Looking forward to it. I got my first Guzzi just a couple years ago... and it has proven to be the start of a not-insignificant obsession. Welcome to Club Guzzi. Your 2003 model year bike will have a lot in common with the 2002 models so you'll want to get familiar with the transitions. For example, the 2002s have a tank pad and external fuel pump - but the 2003s have a smooth tank and internal fuel pump. Your lovely burgundy sport was probably sold as a 2003, but has the same tank and pump as the 2002s. Hello Scud, Interesting.... it has the upper tank pad for sure... visible in the pics.... so a 2002 tank, eh? External EFI pump actually allows for another fuel tank option if I feel like it! I like the alloy M4 cans in the pic, but I have some really nice polished SS reverse-cone muffs.... Anybody know the actual OD of the tail-pipes going into the mufflers? I've heard 50mm, but haven't been able to verify that with an actual owner of this model. Any help? A quick check with a caliper please? Once I actually get the bike here and look it over in the flesh, I'll post a photo-shopped image of my overall project plan. I think most of you guys will like it! You should see my 2010 VFR1200... it was banged up and pretty homely when I got, but now it's a freekin' beauty. BLIGHT

Yep, it's mine now. Don't like to fly these days (unless it's on my VFR1200 ) and my good buddy is bringing the V-11 here along with his new bike for the races. He just drove 12 hrs. round trip today to go and pick up an old Yamaha XR-650 for another project! When you're 'older' like me, patience is a virtue! It's only 8 weeks or so before I see it, and then I can start playing. I have some big plans for the bike.... more on that later. Also allows me time to sell a couple of others to make space in the manger. Fortunately.... I have a bunch of other really fun bikes to ride in the mean-time! Cheers, BLIGHT

Hello all, I'm a newbie to this forum.... I live in between Salinas & Monterey CA. Just made a deal to buy a beautiful 2003 Moto Guzzi V-11 Sport, but it's 1000 miles away. My very good friend is going to consummate the deal with the seller and store the bike at his ranch. He'll deliver it to me in July when he's here for the WSBK/MotoAM races over at the nearby Laguna Seca Raceway. I'm 61 years old, and have owned over 60 motorcycles in my life. I've always wanted a Moto Guzzi, and this one fills the bill! It has under 10K miles, and the owner is a great guy, and a tad older than me (a good sign). Nice to know he's not a 25 yr. old squid doing wheelies or burnouts. It has some nice alloy M4 canisters on it , but it's mostly stock otherwise. Below's a pic of the bike (assuming I attached the pic correctly) I'm looking forward to passing on my decades of moto-knowledge, as well as gaining some insight to owning a Moto Guzzi! Cheers, BLIGHT