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Halas, while the new BMW GS-1300 is being reviewed, tested and compared to other "adventure" motorcycles, the 2024 Moto Guzzi Stelvio is nowhere to be seen! It could be Piaggo's decision to have a dedicated media presentation at some point early next year. This is what they did with the V100 Mandello after all. I am inclined to think the reason maybe they are simply behind with the assembly schedule, and the Stelvio shown at EICMA were either prototypes, pre-production. I am told the Stelvio will hit the dealerships next year end of Q1. We shall see.

@audiomick Those unlimited German autobahn always are a magnet to your European neighbors. I remember that German drivers were really observant of traffic, each time I was there. I suspect that habits have changed there too. Concentrating on driving is no longer compulsory. Well, here at least you never expect anyone to use their turn indicator. That keeps you on your toes. It is not so much the brake lights of the car in front of you may indicate a left or right turn, but the same is true for the incoming traffic. You can't see the brake lights, and the driver may be cutting your lane to turn. This is something I had to learn. In France, you can never cut a continuous lane to turn. Here, continuous lanes only indicate you cannot overtake. But you can turn if you want to. It is more accident prone, but that's the rule. I found that when speed is involved, even if you are not the one who made the mistake, you have to share the responsibility since the insurance always assumes you may have been able to avoid the accident. But this is new. The unspoken rule, is that you have to do defensive driving, and help to prevent other's mistakes. Well, on our motorcycles, we know it is part of survival. I expect that traffic rules are going to be less and less respected. I think people wear out of abiding by the rules. I can see this where I live. There is a school nearby. When school buses unload the children, they have those stop signs that come out. All traffic must stop. Today, some cars just proceed! no more respect...

That should be easy to correct; I personally disagreed on the rule that you only receive one of the round patch for your first participation and 25/50 stops completion; successive completions will only yield the millesime rocker for that year. He has so far, no provision to get more than one round and rocker patches. I contacted him on the first year of participation, suggesting that some of us have more than one jacket, but his answer was, the majority have a single garment where they put their patches on. Is this how it works for everybody? I also suggested to have either a 5/10/15/20...years tour finisseur rocker or patch. He said he would look into that, maybe. I am planning to run the tour for as long as I am able to.

This is a very sad illustration of the reason why people should never drive (a lot) faster than the traffic ahead of them. This video clip has been released by the German police for education purposes. The motorcyclist is legally going at 300 km/h, however a vehicle in front of him failed to notice him prior to changing lane at 120 km/h. The motorcyclist can't avoid the collision. The narrative said he survived but was seriously injured. I inferred that he did make it; if not, the police would not have posted the video. Would a Tesla's driving assistant be able to detect the incoming motorcycle at this speed? I don't know, but I doubt it. When we drive our cars, we usually only give a quick glance at our rear view mirror. This accident proves that when difference in speeds are consistant, glancing is not sufficient. You need to probably scrute for several seconds. Last but not least, your rear view mirrors should not show the side of your car, but as outward as possible, to minimize the blind spot. Another question I have, how far does the radar detection goes for those that have the blind spot warning on their mirrors on on their HUD? I don't think it goes that far behind... Because of the way "X/Twitter" works, you may have to copy the link and paste it in your web browser to see the video. It is only 20 seconds long. https://twitter.com/PolizeiMFR/status/1729123505353167305

I found out the hard way that USPS is not irreproachable, unfortunately. I already have had several occurrences of surface mail lost, including a passport. Usually domestic postal services work well, worldwide.

How many of us, do a thorough check of their vehicles before using them? In my company, we had to actually verify the car before each drive, no matter how short. Of course we had to record it in a log book, later record it electronically. Invariably, it can lead to rubber stamping. But when you are about to drive into the desert to reach an drilling rig, when there were no GPS systems, no Satellite phones, you never wanted to gamble on your life. I still check the basics before I go anywhere, starting with tire pressure. We do not have pressure indicators on our old motorcycles, old cars. This should be the very minimum I think. Agreed, since TPMS is standard now, it also helps drivers to not forget. I still take the dipstick out of my cars to check oil level, from habit I guess. But all the modern technology aims at making you less aware of the few compulsory checks you can't ignore, Including checking your mirrors before you change lane or you turn. In today's world, I do not even fully comprehend what "learning to drive" means any longer. I guess it is just a matter of being able to put the vehicle in motion?

@PJPR01 I got it now! So we had three Moto Guzzi representatives: a California 1400, a Le Mans, a Norge. There seem to be a lot of trikes and three wheeled Harley's.

Very good Doc! That's my take too... Royal Enfield had a single representation, and I only saw one Ducati: the Desert X; I could not find your entry @PJPR01

The Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas made a kaleidoscope of the photos taken by the participants. Interesting to have a view of the people that do the tour, some of them returning each year. As you would expect, there is one brand which is majorly represented, many trikes too. Which brand is the least represented? if you have the patience to watch the video until the end, let me know;

My point was, that Dunlop has provided racing tires for motorcycles during the past two decades. Manufacturing tires for racing helps to perfect the tires you sell for the general public, as well as general exposure. I am not implying that because Dunlop exits the MotoGP, their tires will automatically be less performing. Pirelli was probably more agressive because they have a lesser known reputation in motorcycling. They are also aiming at replacing Michelin in MotoGP. Similarly, Bridgestone left MotoGP, and their commercial tires are still used by many...

2023 50 stops rocker patch arrived to ornate my decades old jacket.... (purchased in 2003). Photo at the top in the reporting thread. Looking forward to 2024!

Since we talk about Dunlop, you may be aware that Pirelli replaced Dunlop for Moto2 and Moto3 starting from next season. For both tier, Pirelli is supplying tires that are also available to the public. https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/motorcycles/pirelli-s-philosophy-in-moto3-and-moto2-involves-not-bringing-their-entire-range-of-compounds-available/ar-AA1kLS2A Incidentally, during the tests in Valencia last Monday, Moto2 improved one second from the race week-end on the Dunlop. https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/motogp-lopez-holgado-top-combined-moto2-moto3-pirelli-test-at-valencia/ I know that it is all academical, we will see when next year's season resume. I am currently getting a Michelin road 6 front on my Le Mans.

I always liked Junior Brown; he get a lot of music out of minimal foot print. Look at the drummer's kit... his wife at the rhythm guitar, upright bass, nothing more required. Close to be a one man show.

Just for the sake of the discussion, with regards to the Martin / Marquez collision, from looking at the video, Martin attempts to squeeze in the inside past Marquez. Marquez sees it coming, and release the brakes; Martin no longer has the ability to pass Marquez, however because of his residual speed, he can't make the turn. He would have had intended to be in front of Marquez, not behind. Marquez could have let him go through, and pick him up as Jorge Martin would have not been able to keep the apex anyway. For Bezzecchi and Marquez, I could not find a replay of the crash; Here's a YT video showing some stills. It appears that Bezzecchi is ahead of Marquez.

Indeed; the public started to mess up at that point, not having the help of reading the music at the same time. I found that the quarter rest at the end of each bar, before the one, was a big help. I had no problem if keeping time with my foot. However, if not using anything but my "sense of time", I was rushing with the triplet feels.

Test your skills to keep time, for those of us versed into music; Try to clap your hands on beat 1. It is one of this odd meter: 7/4; typically Music is mostly written in 4/4. The numerator is the number of beats, the denominator the duration of each beat. In a 4/4, you have four quarter notes per bar. In a 7/4, you have a seven quarter notes duration per bar. Here's the exercice: it seems easy, but as varies the rhythm and beats duration and arrangement, always respecting the 7/4 meter, clapping on the one beat becomes challenging.

@GuzziMoto This is an interesting topic. For which there will never be a single answer; Marquez was not really pursuing anything if excepted to get the most forward achievable position. Was it ethically correct to resist an overtake at all costs, given the speed at which Martin came back on him? Marquez did nothing illegal by attempting to prevent Martin to pass him. He did not try to make it easy, but according to Martin, he went out of his way to sabotage it, as he released the brakes to prevent Martin to go through unscathed. I agree with you that Marquez did not have to help Martin to make the pass, but as he was going to be overtaken, he chose to risk a hazardous maneuver that ended in Martin having nowhere to go, and clipping Marquez' rear wheel. Marquez said it was a racing incident. It was. Marquez defended his position at all costs, well aware that Martin was desperately trying to get back to the front. In any case, this was a moot point, since Francesco Bagnaia's position within the first 6th would not have changed the title situation. You are correct about Zarco; he had said before the race that he would have helped Martin if the situation had required it. He would have let him through or win. Now would he have also tried to prevent Francesco Bagnaia to pass him at all costs if Martin had been heading the race, and Bagnaia behind Zarco at the 7th position, needed to be 6th to become champion? this is how I am looking at it when I analyze what Marquez did. I don't pretend that I am right in my opinion, but I think it would have been the appropriate way for Marquez to behave. Not facilitate the pass, but not jeopardize it. That being said, I do not think Jorge Martin lost the title at Valencia; he did before that. Jorge Martin should have not trusted MM93, and should have waited to make a clean pass. By the way, MM93 was 100% responsible for causing Bezzecchi to crash, and got away without any penalty. Something that Bezzecchi reported as two tiers justice when it comes to Marquez.

Mick, if we believe what was reported, Marc Marquez knew Jorge Martin was behind him, and Jorge Martin said that he, himself, knew that Marc knew it. Simon Crafar who is a Dorna employee as well as notorious former motorcycle racer, said that Marc's behavior had been appalling, as he should not have gone out of himself to make it arduous for Jorge to get by. Not implying that he had to let him go through, but not pulling all the stops to prevent an overtake, given that Jorge was fighting for the world tittle, and Marquez was not! (does it ring any bell?)... I understand that racing is racing, and you do not have to accomodate anyone's aspirations, and only follow yours. However, by and I state Jorge Martin's comments: "he released the brakes purposely when he got what pass I was attempting", he also gambled his own race by finishing in the gravels. That after he sent Bezzecchi back to the garage. Whenever there is some controversy going around, often Marc Marquez name appears. Besides that, he surely is a fantastic racer.

Today, Tuesday 28th of November 2023 were the first testing session for 2024; many pilots were discovering their new bikes for the first time. Including Marc Marquez which sported an absolutely incredibly gorgeous livrée, both his Ducati Gresini and his racing suit. I don't know if this is going to be final, most likely not as there aren't yet any sponsor shown on the fairing. I guess the red was symbolic as being the Ducati racing identity. As for the competitiveness, I don't think anyone will be surprised when they look at the time sheets. As anticipated, he is within the best, even if we are not going to judge anything since it is a test session where is only discovering his new team and motorcycle. I am also guessing that having your brother on the same package, inside your garage is a plus. I include the link to his first ride.... you need to click on "watch on YouTube" as Dorna needs the stats to register.

Good catch! Indeed; however the previous owner of the team, the company "CryptoData" is staging a fight in front of the tribunals, publishing a letter stating that Dorna was abusing its dominant position in wanting to replace them with a new US based sponsor, which was a better fit for MotoGP, since it may provides future opportunities to increase its popularity in the USA. Here's the letter CryptoData sent to Dorna: https://www.gpone.com/en/2023/11/27/motogp/cryptodata-replies-to-dorna-its-like-a-comedy-movie-well-see-you-in-court.html?refresh_ce So they seemed to have been pushed out for repeatedly breaking MotoGP sponsorship regulations. I don't know what those rules and regulations are, but there were some rumors of the team members not receiving their salaries on time. I don't know if this is true.

I apologize for slightly polluting the thread in posting non Guzzi contents, however you may like it, did you? Which one out of all, would be your favorite passenger? I am happy I do not need to make a choice, because my Le Mans is strictly single seat exclusively; the cowl never comes off...

Unfortunately, Jorge Martin got desperate and confused speed with haste. Clipping the back of Bagnaia one time should have been a warning, but he ignored it. So he deprived the public from a grand finale by exiting the race quickly, taking Marc Marquez with him for good measure. Marc Marquez already had a first race incident with Marco Bezzecchi resulting in Marco crashing. Jack Miller was looking good to win the race, that would have been a MotoGP win on a third different bike brand. That same turn 10 that had just previously caused Binder to lose top spot was fatal. Another DNF. So the last race did not live up to the build up and expectation. It fell flat on its face. Bagnaia did a home run, even if FDG came back to challenge. Let us see tomorrow what is going to happen when Marc Marquez tests the Ducati GP23 for the first time.

To be fully sincere, I will not purchase an electric motorcycle; not even a good looking Guzzi. I will keep on my current herd, and possibly adding one more Guzzi, to be determined which one, but possibly not one of those equipped with the new V100 engine. In one of the magazine I received, there is a comparative of what we called "mid-size trail bikes". The Moto Guzzi V85TT came on top. Since I really like the "evocative" graphics, it may be this one.

Francesco Bagnaia will be 2023 MotoGP world champion if: if he finishes within the 5 firsts, independently of Martin's position. if he finishes between or at sixth to tenth position providing Martin does not win the race if he finishes between or at eleventh to fourteenth position with Martin finishing no better than third if he finishes fifteenth or worse providing Martin is outside of the podium Jorge Martin will be 2023 MotoGP world champion if: If he wins the race and Francesco Bagnaia finishes no better than sixth if he finishes second and Francesco Bagnaia finishes no better than eleventh if he finishes third and Francesco Bagnaia finishes no better than fifteenth. I don't see how Bagnaia can lose the championship if not for a race incident. Martin has no leeway. He will have to attack for the win. Bagnaia only needs to administer based on Martin's position; to play it safe, he only needs to be fifth overall, and the victory is in the bag.

14 points between the two leaders and title contenders. Apparently another (wrong) tire choice allowed Martin to win the Sprint and Bagnaia to finish fifth. Valentino Rossi got the solution; he said that for the main race, Bagnaia should simply copy whatever tire choice Martin will make. He also said that in today's MotoGP, a slightly under-performing tire adds the tens of second which put you out of the reach of the front runners.