Lex

Gavo, Nice video, made me miss my V11 Even more. Too bad you couldn't get some of that beautiful exhaust music in the recording. Also, points for going to a rally and camping like a real motorcyclist. (seldom heard from these days) Lex

If more advertising showed this much talent and effort I wouldn't use my DVR so much. Lex

gstallons, Not being a petroleum engineer (and thinking lamedog may be one or something close) I should keep my mouth shut but I'm weak. The short version is that you have been sold a load of BS. California is the extreme but all the fuel sold in this state is made by three or four refineries, it isn't much different in the rest of the US. All fuel sold in the US is formulated under the control of the government. I don't know about the UK and EU but I doubt it is much different. Yes, additive packages very a bit but the differences are minor. My father spent 28 years making gasoline for Chevron, he found people who thought brand X gas was better then brand Y to be pretty funny. While putting alcohol in gasoline is a very dumb idea it isn't done without control, vendors can't just add whatever amount of ethanol they feel like. "E10" is very close to 10% ethanol, have you noticed all the furor over the EPA wanting to allow E15? That is only a 5% difference. If retailers could add whatever amount they want it wouldn't have been an issue. That doesn't mean one engine might run better on one brand, given the crap that gets called gasoline today combined with ECUs set up more for the EPA then what the engine wants one brand might be better then another since all (stock) engines are running close to the edge. A significant difference like the winter/ summer blending lamedog talked about and, while less likely, the tiny differences in additive packages can make a difference in how an engine runs. Feel free to buy your gas at the name brand places is it makes you feel better but don't stress if you get stuck and have to buy a tank Jiffy Mart gas. I very much doubt you or your engine will notice any difference. Lex

One of my favorite ridding buddies used to regularly get 50 MPG out of his ST2. I don't know about the ST3 or ST4 but I've been told that was normal for an ST2. Not a very fast bike but nice, smooth power great for long days on the road plus that great Ducati sound. Between the 6 gallon tank vs the 5 gallon on the V11 and 50 MPG Vs 32 MPG from the Guzzi he could almost gas up every over time I had to stop on the V11. Lex Something isnt right there, that bike should get closer to 50mpg. Gas is $3.85 here, unfortunately I've had a cast on my hand and will have until the 19th of april so I cant ride right now I cant imagine having to pay $35 or more to fill up my bike like you guys in Europe. there is no such thing as a 50mpg Ducati in the last 20 years I've ever heard of. The whole ST line gets around 35, not overly fuel efficient just a simple motor in a similar way to the Guzzi's, not to mention mine has the upgraded(more fuel) ECU, open exhaust and pretty sure a chopped air box, all suck MPG's

Richard, First, my deepest sympathy about your job loss. The last thirty years have been tough on the working people of this country. It's funny how that has coincided with 30 years of (mostly) Republican control of the government. I'm lucky enough to be employed in a manufacturing company that is actually profitable and exporting our good outside the US. Best of luck on replacing your job. Second, yes, I'd like to believe Motus did some research but I haven't seen any evidence of that. I think the reason I respond so strongly to these start-ups is I'm sick and tired of getting excited about a new motorcycle company coming along, hiring a bunch of people and making promises and then laying the work force off and disappearing. The people who get screwed are, for the most part, the working people. The Hanlans (spelling?) didn't seem to be hurt at all when Excelsior-Henderson went bust, just the people who worked there and the people of the state that loaned them millions. The only semi-succesful start-up during my life, in the US, has been Victory and they don't make any bikes that interest me. The rest have all crashed and burned. Again, I'd love to be wrong but this looks like the same old story, half baked engineering with a side of delusional marketing. JMHO, Lex

Richard, First, my deepest sympathy about your job loss. The last thirty years have been tough on the working people of this country. It's funny how that has coincided with 30 years of (mostly) Republican control of the government. I'm lucky enough to be employed in a manufacturing company that is actually profitable and exporting our good outside the US. Best of luck on replacing your job. Second, yes, I'd like to believe Motus did some research but I haven't seen any evidence of that. I think the reason I respond so strongly to these start-ups is I'm sick and tired of getting excited about a new motorcycle company coming along, hiring a bunch of people and making promises and then laying the work force off and disappearing. The people who get screwed are, for the most part, the working people. The Hanlans (spelling?) didn't seem to be hurt at all when Excelsior-Henderson went bust, just the people who worked there and the people of the state that loaned them millions. The only semi-succesful start-up during my life, in the US, has been Victory and they don't make any bikes that interest me. The rest have all crashed and burned. Again, I'd love to be wrong but this looks like the same old story, half baked engineering with a side of delusional marketing. JMHO, Lex

A couple of comments: "if you buy a motorcycle and at that time you probably arent thinking about DTUPC at all." No but the most important word in DTUPC is "P", price. I bet you think about that when you buy a bike. Every time you make design decision that add increases "C" "P" goes up at a rate of maybe 300% to 500% percent of increase of "C". The result is a reduction in the number of people who can afford your product, it doesn't matter if the product is a toaster or a motorcycle. With limited production ("hundreds, not thousands"), heavy R&D costs (amortized over a small number of bikes) and the strange engineering these guys are heading to a very expensive product and very small pool of buyers. Maybe you are rich but for most of us paying $35K for a bike that doesn't perform any better then a $14 to 18K Yamaha, Honda or kawasaki or a $20K BMW is tough to justify. Its all about the size of your bank book, mine can't stretch that far. If yours can I'm envious. As an example of why I'm so mystified by these guys, will the people who can afford this very expensive product really find hydraulic valve adjustment a compelling feature? Ducati types don't seem to care about the Desmo and rubber band cam drives. The engine would almost certainly be cheaper, need less R&D and make better low end with solid lifters. "I mean Harley keeps putting out that same old dog every year and people still buy them" Not directly relevant to the Motus but: If you put my 2006 Road Glide next to a 2009 they look pretty much the same, unless you are a Harley guy*. However, the bike has been almost completely redesigned. The only significant parts not changed are the luggage, front fender and fairing. A partial list: Front wheel and tire (from 16" narrow wheel to 17" wider wheel, tire bias to radial tire); forks (stiffer springs and better damping); frame (totally new, much stiffer); gas tank (5 to 6 gallons); engine (longer stroke, improved oil pump, cam drive and oil distribution); transmission (5 speed sliding gear to 6 speed sliding dog); new swing arm (stiffer); wider rear wheel and bigger, radial tire; shocks have stiffer springs and better damping and a long list of minor changes. My point here isn't that Harleys are great or to make fun of you. My point is that the motorcycle market Motus is entering is very tough. Harley (and BMW, Ducati, etc.) got by for years sitting on their ass for the most part, not any more. BMW is probably as close as any company to Motus competitor, take a look at how hard they are pushing development. Motus has to build a bike to meet a moving target and then keep pumping money into R&D to keep up. This is really tough for a small company making one product for a fairly small market (sport touring). Anybody want to guess why BMW has expanded from its strangle hold on sport touring? It ain't because it is a huge market with unlimited customers. "You have to change the direction of drive somewhere" No, you don't. 90% of the bikes on the road don't change the direction of the drive. The crank, transmission shafts and rear wheel are all parallel. The rule of thumb says that turning the drive 90 degrees is a 3% power and milage decrease without changing a thing in the engine or power train. With a transverse engine Motus would have that 3% plus less R&D, less weight and a considerably shorter engine front to output sprocket distance. This should allow more the engine to be moved forward for more weight on the front wheel and a longer swing arm, both considered a good things for handling today. "Lots of things make no sense, doesn't stop us doing them" Finally something I can agree with. I really hope I'm missing it completely and the Motus is a huge success. I just think they picked a really tough task and made some choices that took it from very difficult to borderline impossible. JMHO, Lex *One of my friends at work is a life long motorcyclist and hard core Harley guy. He was really upset when the 2009s came out. If you look under front of the gas tank just in front of the engine there is a small bracket that wasn't on the earlier FL frames. The fact that the guy thought that was a major thing gives you some idea of how hard Harley has to work to improve their product while keeping the exterior the same. Like the old story, redesign an apple to be an orange without changing the exterior.

I'm afraid I see the Motus as the new Excelsior-Henderson. The design makes no sense to me. Why would anybody want a inline motor with chain drive? The only compelling reason to build a bike with an inline motor is to reduce drive line losses with a shaft. Why would anyone build an expensive, complex push-rod valve train and then top it off with a two valve cylinder head? Gee, expensive and inefficient. I must admit I do appreciate the self adjusting valves but with valve inspection periods ranging from 15 to 27K miles in modern motorcycles valve adjustment is hardly a major problem for the average rider. By the shape of the valve covers the valves are parallel, i.e. a "wedge" head. This shape limits the size of the valves and pushes the spark plug over to the side of the combustion chamber. Hardly a recipe for a modern, efficient combustion chamber. After limiting power with these bizarre choices they spend big bucks on direct injection, why? You can make power with an inefficient engine design if it is big enough but you will pay the price in terms of fuel milage, bulk and weight. Why would anyone put a 90 degree power turn between the engine and transmission? Other designers are stacking transmission shafts to make the engine/ transmission shorter, these rocket scientists are putting an extra part (a heavy, expensive part to boot) between the engine and transmission making them even longer then required by the in-line placement of the V-4 engine, why? A chain driven sport touring bike, Why? Chains are efficient, cheap, light and allow easy gearing changes. The 90 degree power turn kills the efficiency, low cost and light weight but I guess they keep easy gearing changes. Maybe this is the next big thing but all I see is a bunch of parts that look like they were picked off a menu with no overall plan. I can't see these guys having a design review or using DTUPC (Design To Unit Price Cost, a method of controlling costs in a finished product) like we do where I work. Did they do a market survey and find a huge demand for this strange combination of features? I hope I'm wrong, I'd like to see another choice for US built motorcycles but I have trouble seeing these guys being around in five years, more likely less. Oh well, it sounds good in the video. Lex

Not trying to hijack the thread but the Diavel does look better in the flesh. The Carbon reminded me of a big, black bull, all the mass in front. For the new bikes, I guess I'm just an old school Guzzi guy, neither does much for me. The new California might be beautiful but it doesn't look it from this picture. The V7 is just another attempt to flog a few bikes with minor changes. If I was Guzzi, at least here in the 'states, I'd be putting money into a better dealer network and better parts support. Now that I'm an outsider I hear what just about everybody says about Guzzis, great bikes but few dealers, even fewer worth the name, and terrible parts supports. I'd love to own another Guzzi but it isn't looking likely these days. Lex Wow, I wouldn't have guessed that from the pictures. The Diavel looks absolutely hideous. I'm (kind of) glad to hear it though. More power to them (ha ha) if they can make it work. I'll reserve judgement on the Guzzi's as well until I can seem them. the 750 (scramber?) looks like a Ducati knock-off, but I'll wager she doesn't have the HP.

Skeve, I'm not sure where you are so they may be a difference in our version of English but where I live one rides a motorcycle and drives a car. When I hear some one say "driver" for a motorcycle operator generally also hear them make statements that indicate they know nothing about motorcycles. "I my neighbor drives the fastest motorcycle ever, it is a Harley really loud pipes!" or "I'd never drive a motorcycles, them motorcycles kills everybody that rides". No, I don't blame the person speaking. I am old enough (sadly much more then old enough) to understand the difference between a narrator and writer. Belfast, Thanks. I had trouble placing the accent but just thought it was my tin ear. I'm fairly sure it isn't Italian. Lex

Great video, too bad they didn't find some one to edit the narration who had a clue what they were talking about. Misspelling Benelli in the title? "Driver" for rider? "Gear Shaft" for cam shaft, "Ken Carruthers" for Kel Carruthers? I caught a few more, there are probably more I missed since I don't know much about Benellis. I'd make a joke about Italian quality control but the narrator sounded British. Lex

I'm still laughing about my friend's story from Stugis. Having ridden to South Dakota from California he was hanging out at a hotel when trucks pulled up with fully loaded touring bikes in the back/on trailers. The guys in the trucks got out, unloaded the bikes (no word of trailer mounted odometers) and rode into the rally with their fake touring bikes. I get a little tired of people putting down Harley riders but some of them deserve the derision, they are 100% posers. Guzzi-less Lex

Somebody call Best Buy, some of the Geek Squad is missing. God, that is the ugliest clothing I've seen in a long time. People really pay for stuff like that? Lex

Yep pretty bad for allot of people in Chch Nz.100,000 houses pretty much stuffed and up to 300 after shocks so far. every one is on edge. We live 300 odd k away and are pretty bussy with friends getting away from the after shocks.Mates 916 hit the garage floor durring the quake. Anyway it will give the building industry a boost. Zappa, I've spent some time in Christchurch, a beautiful place with some great people. I was really sad to hear about the 'quake. On the plus side, I know Kiwis well enough to know Christchurch will be rebuilt better then ever. You guys are much to tough and creative to let a little thing like an earthquake keep you down. Also living on the Ring Of Fire, Lex