Orson

If my tach DIDN'T fog up now & then...I'd begin to worry something was wrong! Great write up Rich It's just like having an onsite Guzzi factory test riderwith you around! I appreciate the tips

From my experience, driving habits are the same all over the Italian peninsula & southern Europe. Every Fiat Punto is driven by a Mario Andretti wannabe To allow yourself to be passed or to not drive at fastest speed possible would somehow imply a deficit of virility and/or manhood. The latin macho male mentality rules the day. I really enjoyed it & within half a day, I was riding just like a local. La dolce vita

I would think this should have fallen under the area of "dealer prep". The dealer should have tightened everything before it went out the door.

Jason... I was wondering about those agroturismos! Thanks! I'll have to give them a try next time. Dave... Regarding the Moto Guzzi museum...when I was there, they were only open from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM though, you mentioned a "special event" there so, maybe they'll be open longer.

OOPS!...I forgot! September + Alps = COLD & maybe SNOW! Oh well. Plenty of good roads to the south. Also, the rental outfit I mentioned. I have heard no references on them. I only pointed them out because they rent Moto Guzzis From reading their web page tho, it seems like they have their act together. No idea if their prices are competitive. Dave, I think you said you were in Greece last year so, you kind of know what to expect from the drivers. Forget everything you've learned in the States. Bikes rule in Europe. No waiting in line at construction zones or stop lights. Go to the front of the line Cops turn a blind eye unless you're being a total hooligan. After half a day, you'll be riding just like a local

Hi Dave, From Mandello to Venice can be done in about 3 hours via autostrada or make it an all day ride by sticking to the back roads. Going east from Mandello will take you into the Dolomite Alps then, you can cut south to Venice. That route would probably be 8 to 10 wonderfully scenic hours. Remember that everything in Italy shuts down for 3 hours during lunch time so, be sure to top off the tank around 11:30 AM. Some stations do stay open but, better be safe & fill up ahead of time. Speaking of lunch, the Italians love a long leisurely lunch so, if you stop, be prepared to spend at least 1 hour. Of course you can find a McDonalds but, that seems kinda heretical to me. Sometimes I'd just take a roll from the Hotel's breakfast buffet & make a sandwich & stuff it in my tank bag. Daylight is precious & you have all those wonderful roads to ride As far as accomadations, I just played by hit or miss method. There's always hotels around. Some days, I'd get lucky & score a NICE 3 or 4 star hotel. Other days, not so lucky & slept in truck stop type places. I've found if you book ahead, you can spend hours trying to find the dang place as opposed to just stopping at the first place that looks nice. On Lake Como, Bellagio is a very nice town (I thought it was a Casino in Vegas) across the lake from Mandello & there's a ferry linking you to the otherside. You can have the missus scour the web for a nice place there. I don't think there are many hotels in Mandello itself. I found one in Varenna, just north of Mandello. The train to Paris sounds nice but, with Mandello being right at the foot of the Alps, the question is...WHY? I guess it WOULD keep the spousal unit happy Sienna is a a Tuscan town that holds a famous horse race in the town square that pits neighborhoods against each other and is full of dastardley subterfuge. I think it's in August tho so, you'll just miss it. here's a link: Sienna Of course, seeing Florence goes without saying. I haven't been to Rome so, I can't help you there. South of Rome, I've heard the Amalfi coast is stunning in its beauty. As you probably know, traffic in Italian cities is chaotic to say the least. Just go with the flow. Fall in behind a fast moving moped & let him clear the way for you. Remember, anything goes. Even the center stripe is an "unofficial" bike lane. Also, be prepared to get lost once or twice a day. It happens. Don't let it frustrate you. Italian roads aren't as well marked as American roads. You basically have to go from town to town, looking for a sign to the next town on your route. The roads have numbers but, they only exist on the map. It's another reason I don't try to schedule my stops. That way I don't HAVE to be at a certain place at any time Last but not least here is a link for a place in Milan that rents Moto Guzzis as well as Ducatis & Beemers: Mototouring I think they'll even pick you up at the airport. I think I've typed too much Have fun!

Nice rant! I don't think it's so much complaining as it is "airing out" frustrations. Like Jason's punching bag in his garage. Most guys here work on their own bikes & we all know how things can sometimes "boil over" As we're all Guzzi owners here, I think we can see where we're all coming from

Rich, Glad to hear that your Italian hussy played your heartstrings & rendered you a helpless puddle of lovestruck goo You're a valuable member of the forum & your loss would have been keenly felt. Welcome back to the fold

Glad everything went well Gavin! We need pictures! I rode from Italy to Portugal in late May / early June. Only problem being having to replace the rear wheel bearings with 16,500 KMs on the odometer. Otherwise the Goose was a rock

Gosh, I'm feeling guilty here. I've only suffered the foggy tach and the timing chain cover oil leak...oh & the rear wheel bearings but that was a quick fix. Rich, I hope, like Al says, you get re-enamoured on your ride to the Virginia Rally. I hope the weather is great! Al, I bet after your bike gets a few thousand miles under its belt, it will straighten up. Remember, these bikes aren't happy in city traffic. Maybe time to call in sick? Call in and say you have SARS & you need 2 weeks to recover Well, I'll shut up & go sit quietly in the corner.

Valid points Janusz. On the other hand, a lot of riders never approach the limits of their tire's capabilities. Also, Continentals, being German tires, aren't at the bottom of the rung in the tire world.

So far on my Tenni... 11,000 KM / 7000 miles on the stock front & rear 020's 7000 KM / 4500 miles on rear Diablo

Call me kooky...I kinda of think the foggy tach syndrome is a bit endearing in that "Italian character" sort of way. It's a little harmless trait that separates it from the world of Japanese bike perfection. It makes me smile and makes me recall the decaying factory in Mandello rather than the spotless Japanese factories. Vitto in oily coveralls rather than a production line welding robot. I know everyone has different tolerance levels.

I agree with Al. The Le Mans defintely loves the open road. Ride back into city stop & go traffic and she sputters & hesitates. Maybe the increased heat from the reduced air flow does something. As much as I hate to admit it, something like the Yamaha FZ 1000 might be a better city bike.

I have to admit, it's an efficient use of space

hmm...my Tenni's sweet spot seems to be at around 4250 RPM & 120 KPH.

SATISFIED CUSTOMER ALERT hehehe...just wanna highlight the fact that there are some trouble free Guzzis out there

Alpine Star boots have sturdy soles that seem to take the edge off metal pegs. Just a suggestion.

Same here...I just tuck my elbow in...take a quick look at what I just passed...then let the elbow back out. also...having Italian liscence plates entitles me to use the internationally recognized "Italian driver's hand gesturing system". Other drivers see the Italian plates and slowly nod their heads as if to say,"Another crazy Italian. Dat splains everything".

I think one of the magazines (maybe it was Cycle World) mentioned the fuel light on their test bike was hard to see. I've never had a problem seeing mine. Maybe it only happened on the bikes built on Friday afternoon

I'm 43 years old. I work in the Persian Gulf as a Drilling Supervisor on an offshore drilling rig. I was born in Venezuela. My father was Canadian & my mother is Venezuelan so, I carry a dual citizenship from both countries. We moved to the U.S. when I was in high school. I lived in Pa, Tx, N.M, & northern California. I believe that Marin County is God's gift to motorcyclists and that the designated hitter rule should have been abolished years ago. My parents never would let me near motorcycles but, I caught the bug early from school buddies who rode motocross back in the early 70s. I bought my first motorcycle at 18, right after I moved out on my own. It was a 78 Suzuki GS 750. I took my first motorcycle "tour" when I was 18 and living in West Texas(the far fringe of civilization) and decided to visit a friend in Tuscon, Az. Heck, it was only about 2 inches on the map. Not a problem. 600 miles and 11 hours later, they had to pry my hands off the grips when I pulled up to his house. After spending about 24 hours in Tuscon, I had to turn around and ride all the way back to be at work on time. Thus began my touring bug. Then there was a Husqvarna 250 MX, an 84 Yamaha FJ-1100 (41 states on the trusty FJ), a 78 Ducati Darmah (The guy selling the Darmah also had a Ducati 900SS for sale which I turned down. A decision I regret to this day). Most recently I bought a 00 Aprilia Mille. Then, when I moved to the Middle East, I was looking at purchasing an RT1150 or a Truimph Sprint to keep in Europe, when the Le Mans caught my eye. Being a lover of quirky things, the purchase seems to have been a foregone conclusion. I rode it off the showroom floor in Italy to the Isle of Mann for the TT races. If you have a chance, that's a must do for a motorcyclist. The whole thing is a trip, starting with crossing over to the island on a ferry packed with 400 motorcycles. It's utter madness on the island. You should try to go even if you can't make it on a bike. Sell the wife and kids (kidding) but, once in your life, just go. Other interests are mountain biking and Hobie Cat sailboats. Music- mostly classic rock but, a smattering of everything except rap & country.

You want symmetrical? We're talking Moto Guzzi here. They were probably built with a sledge hammer and a screw driver from a rough sketch off a napkin

A factor to consider that has nothing to do with appearances would be the heat dissipation of carbon fiber. The only time this should matter would be when you have your saddlebags mounted.

hmmm...maybe that was a typo. It probably meant 500 miles / 1500 KM. Reminds me of the funny phonetics in Japanese manuals

Heh...I rode my Tenni off the showroom floor in Parma, Italy, over the Alps to the UK, with a stop in Mandello for my 1500 KM oil change. Guess I didn't get many heat cycles that way Still seems to run fine. Living in Saudi with my bike in Europe just doesn't leave any time for experimenting Get on yer bike and ride! © Freddie Mercury 1980something