Guzzimax

That’s a very nice black red-framed V11. Here in the UK they’re rarer than hens teeth. I cannot remember ever seeing a black one here. A few silver ones, the odd greenie, but never black. I’d be interested to know the no’s of each color that were made. It looks terrific with that bikini fairing. Enjoy

A Guzzi (and non Guzzi) ride out last Sunday. My silver V11 next to the Cali. The days are getting shorter, and fall is starting

Another afternoon of bike cleaning and then treating with ACF50

Apparently Yamaha Motor Corp declined to import the MT01 into the US, claiming there wasn’t any market for it

Hi Kane & VTwinStorm, No longer have the Speed Trip 1050, sold it a couple of years ago, loved the bike, didn’t mind it’s bug eyed headlights, but I found it too easy to ride like a hooligan, and decided it would be a license looser sooner or later. I’d bought the Speed Trip when it was just a year old from a guy who’d just picked up a speeding ban I think my current favourite is the Griso 8V. Difficult to pick a favourite V11, I don’t feel any stronger attachment to any one particular V11, I genuinely enjoy riding the 1999 Greenie/Silver red frames as much as the Rosso Corsa. I don’t currently have any Triumphs, following many years of riding Hinckley Triumphs. I'm going to try a 1200 Scrambler to see how I find the big parallel twin. Did have a Hinckley Bonneville 865 a few years ago but couldn’t really gel with that bike, it just felt a bit too characterless, dare I say it even a little bland. I’ve yet to try the new 1200 Triumph Twins These are my 3 V11 Sports, and the MT01 tucked away behind them

Never tried a 1200 Daytona, I did own a few Hinckley Triumphs a few years ago before getting submerged in the world of Guzzi’s. The polar opposite of the V11 was a Speed Triple 1050S with a full Arrow system. It was a fantastic hooligan bike, felt like a genuine street fighter, but it encouraged very fast riding, I felt like I had to be pushing the envelope all the time, and eventually I sold it around 3 years ago before I lost my license Where the Speed Triple was short & flickable, the V11 feels long and stable. The weight bias is towards the rear being a shaftie. The brakes are excellent and even the non ohlins machines handle well. However if you are used to a multi cylinder bike the V twin could feel raw & unrefined. Close the throttle and the engine braking is immense. I find that part of the attraction of the Guzzi. Whilst it’s been said a thousand times before, the V11 is a motorcycle of character and rider involvement. They have been hand made in Mandello del Lario in relatively small nos. Where I ride Truimph Speed Triples, Beemer GS’s, Gixers, R1’s etc etc are everywhere. A V11 is a rarity. Heck every Guzzi with the exception maybe of V7’s are a rarity around here It’s a motorcycle with soul, the sensation of the transverse vibration. It’s unique, but not for everyone 1429

I appreciate your point that one tends to prefer that which one is bonded to. I personally arrived in the strange situation of acquiring 5 V11’s because I was genuinely interested in discovering the subtle differences of some of the main sub-models, and I couldn’t bring myself to sell any, so the collezione just expanded over the years. My justification to myself in buying a Greenie this year, when I already have a silver red-frame, was that Greenie had Mistrals, a belly pan, tail tidy, and various mods whereas my Silver is entirely stock, and apart from the future addition of a Roper plate will remain that way. I don’t really have any strong preferences of one derivative over any other, but I’m sure that there are some folk out there in Guzziland who have both red & black frames, and I’m interested in hearing other’s opinions. My local Guzzi community is awash with various Calis, 1200 Sports, various LeMans, Stelvios, V7s, and a growing no of V85s; even a Spada, but only one 1100 Sport, and no other V11. It’s like the Spine era was bypassed. I was seriously looking at an 1100 Sport earlier this year, but I decided that I just couldn’t get along with the hardcore riding position….

So is there a consensus amongst the Guzzi community about their preferences? Short red frame & short tank (chinpad) long black frame & short tank (chinpad) long black frame & long tank (internal fuel pump) On balance I find black frames feel a little more planted in corners. Must be the 20 mm longer wheelbase plus all the extra bracing around the swing arm / subframes. I don’t feel the fatter 180 rear tyre has much of an effect in slowing the black frames turn in. I have a 2002 transition model (registered in 03),and the extra 20 mm of frame visible behind the steering head doesn’t bother me. I don’t find it aesthetically less pleasing than a long tank

Have to agree with Pete Roper about the 8V’s. Elsewhere on another forum I’ve just written a comparison between my Greenie, Griso 8V and Yamaha MT01. I love V11’s - I’ve currently got five of them, everything from a Greenie to a Rosso Corsa, but IMHO the Griso 8V raises the bar. When the 4V motor has run out of puff and fells revved out, the 8V just keeps on pulling & pulling; the Griso’s frame also feels rock solid, and when riding hard on a twisting B road the red frame starts to feel “edgy”, the Griso feels more planted. I can’t disagree that aesthetically there still isn’t much to challenge the cohesion of the V11s looks, but I’d encourage anyone to try a properly mapped 8V, as an old school air cooled V twin it’s about as good as it gets

Last week, same location, same ride, my Griso parked behind the Beamer R1150, my fluorescent backpack resting on the then cold exhaust

If anyone from the UK is reading this post, this is the pavilion car park in Matlock bath, this afternoon