orangeokie

Wow! Talking about "where are the V11's for sale" . . . two Rosso Corsas, a Nero Corsa, a MGS-01 replica V11 and a Coppa Italia on ebay right now. If one was ever going to buy one of the Ohlins V11s, now would be the time.

Be sure to take some pics if they do.

Cowboys chalk up another win at Texas A&M. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a-goa46d2I AP Poll Moves Cowboys up two spots to #5 Record Pts Pv 1. LSU (42) 4-0 2. Oklahoma (12) 3-0 3. Alabama (5) 4-0 4. Boise St. (1) 3-0 5. Oklahoma St. 4-0 6. Stanford 3-0 7. Wisconsin 4-0 8. Nebraska 4-0 9. Oregon 3-1 10. South Carolina 4-0 11. Virginia Tech 4-0 12. Florida 4-0 13. Clemson 4-0 14. Texas A&M 2-1 15. Baylor 3-0 16. South Florida 4-0 17. Texas 3-0 18. Arkansas 3-1 19. Michigan 4-0 20. TCU 3-1 21. Georgia Tech 4-0 22. West Virginia 3-1 23. Florida St. 2-2 24. Illinois 4-0 25. Arizona St. 3-1 Others receiving votes: Michigan St. 51, Houston 38, Auburn 25, Iowa St. 21, Ohio St. 15, Kansas St. 14, Utah 12, Penn St. 9, Georgia 8, Washington 4, Notre Dame 3, Tennessee 3, Navy 2, Southern Cal 2, Mississippi St. 1, Missouri 1

The genuine MG cf parts are rare as hen's teeth and worth hundreds.

Cowboys are now 3-0 after our thunderstorm-delayed win over Tulsa. Kickoff didn't go 'til 1:15 am eastern time due to lightening. Lord knows Oklahoma needed the rain, but I fell asleep waiting for the game to start. Cowboys move up in the polls to #6! Cowboys Defeat Tulsa, 59-33 OSU forces six Hurricane turnovers in late, late contest. Joseph Randle rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns against Tulsa. Sept. 18, 2011 TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Brandon Weeden threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, Joseph Randle ran for 128 yards and three more scores and No. 8 Oklahoma State waited out a three-hour rain delay before beating Tulsa 59-33 Sunday in a game that didn't start until after midnight. A change in location, an extended weather delay and a much later than usual start did nothing to change the results for the Cowboys (3-0) in a rematch of a 65-28 win against Tulsa (1-2) last year in Stillwater. About the only thing missing was a 100-yard receiving game from Justin Blackmon. The Biletnikoff Award winner's NCAA record run of 14 straight games in triple digits was halted. He had a 4-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter but had only 57 yards when the game ended at 3:35 a.m. The NCAA doesn't keep records showing where the game ranks among the latest to start or finish. The Cowboys built up a 45-6 lead less than 6 minutes into the second half, then seemed to sleepwalk at times as the Golden Hurricane (1-2) - with starting quarterback G.J. Kinne injured in the first quarter - rolled up 365 yards rushing. And who could blame them? Coach Mike Gundy said he's usually asleep by 10 p.m., and this game never had a chance of getting over by then. The teams were prepared to play a little later than usual, with kickoff originally scheduled for 9:10 p.m. Tulsa's band already had played the national anthem and kickoff was only a few minutes away when fans were encouraged to seek shelter on the concourses, at the Reynolds Center basketball arena or in their vehicles because of the approaching storm. Increasingly heavy rain moved over the stadium soon after, and only one man remained in his seat as the stadium got soaked in what ended up being a 3-hour delay. Tulsa offensive tackle Stetson Burnett's long brown hair flopped around as he jumped up and down to try and rile up the fans when the players jogged back onto the field for pregame warm-ups a few minutes before midnight. Before the coin flip, referee Randy Smith asked the team captains: "Are you guys ready to finally play some football?" The kickoff didn't come until 12:16 a.m. - after one last delay when whistles sounded just as Kevin Fitzpatrick approached the ball and officials reset the play clock to 25 seconds. After all that, Oklahoma State didn't make the thousands of fans who stuck around wait long to see some excitement. Shawn Jackson intercepted a tipped pass by Weeden to set up Fitzpatrick's 25-yard field goal for an early 3-0 Tulsa lead, but Justin Gilbert ran the ensuing kickoff back 96 yards to put the Cowboys ahead to stay. Weeden hooked up with Hubert Anyiam for a 36-yard score on a flea flicker on Oklahoma State's next drive, and Randle took over from there with Blackmon bracketed by defenders. Randle had scoring runs of 1, 5 and 11 yards in his third straight 100-yard rushing outing and backfield mate Jeremy Smith added a score from 6 yards out to make it 45-6 in the third quarter. Oklahoma State won its fifth straight in the series, but for only the third time in its last eight visits to Tulsa. Tulsa lost Kinne to an apparent knee injury on the play after Anyiam's flea flicker touchdown, and redshirt freshman Kalen Henderson struggled to settle in while replacing him. He had trouble handling snaps and threw two interceptions before he got the Golden Hurricane offense going in the second half. Henderson hooked up with Bryan Burnham for a 43-yard touchdown as Tulsa scored twice within 8 seconds midway through the third quarter. Ja'Terian Douglas zoomed down the right sideline for an 80-yard TD run, then Kwame Sexton recovered an Fitzpatrick's pop-up that ended up as an effective onside kick. By then, though, the Golden Hurricane were still down 45-19 and it was little more than a reward for the few home fans that were still in the stands. Henderson wound up with 104 yards on 6-for-20 passing with two TD passes to Burnham. Douglas had 173 yards rushing, including another long touchdown run from 42 yards out, and 159 yards rushing with two lost fumbles. Beyond cancellation, there weren't many options except to wait out the rain and play into the wee hours of the morning. The teams don't share a weekend off this season, leaving limited options to postpone the game. And both teams face ranked opponents next Saturday. Oklahoma State opens Big 12 conference play at No. 9 Texas A&M while Tulsa is at No. 4 Boise State.

You inspire me!

P Thankyou, that Ducati pleases my eyes. Welcome back to the forum

12 SEP 2011 ebay link Someone just got a great deal on an ebay Coppa Italia in Maryland - $7,900 with 5500 miles. Nicely done. Was it somebody on the forum here?

Front to back: START, LIGHTS, NEUTRAL, ECU, EFI

Tom, Hopefully we can get quite a few more to pitch in and post up. Sept. 11, 2011 1. Oklahoma (44) 1-0 2. Alabama (8) 2-0 3. LSU (7) 2-0 4. Boise State 1-0 5. Florida State 2-0 6. Stanford 2-0 7. Oklahoma State 2-0 8. Wisconsin 2-0 9. Texas A&M 1-0 10. Nebraska 2-0 11. South Carolina 2-0 12. Virginia Tech 2-0 13. Arkansas 2-0 14. Oregon 1-1 15. Michigan State 2-0 16. Ohio State 2-0 17. Florida 2-0 18. Arizona State 2-0 19. Auburn 2-0 20. West Virginia 2-0 21. Texas 2-0 22. South Florida 2-0 23. TCU 1-1 24. Baylor 1-0 25. Mississippi State 1-1 Dropped out No. 19 Missouri (1-1, lost to then-No. 23 Arizona State 37-30 OT), No. 20 Penn State (1-1, lost to No. 2 Alabama 27-11). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Others receiving votes Michigan 97; Central Florida 49; Houston 43; Northwestern 31; Penn State 29; North Carolina 23; Missouri 21; Tennessee 21; Georgia Tech 9; Maryland 9; Clemson 8; Washington 7; California 6; San Diego State 3; Georgia 2; Iowa State 2; Brigham Young 1.

Welcome to the #1 V11 forum in the world. I recommend you ask your questions about the LeMans in the 24/7 forum. It gets lots of looks.

I went through this same process back in 2005 when I first joined this forum and had just lost my aprilia SL mille to a get off. The LeMans Rosso Corsa had always been my favorite when I first saw it back in 2003 in a shop in Orange Co California. At the time I couldn't justify the purchase of a new bike ($14K). I ended up with the used aprilia, but the LeMans stuck around in my head. When I was seriously looking for a replacement I joined this forum and read horror stories from some of the owners about clutches blowing up on the Scuras, paint peeling on the engine cases on the 2001-02 models, and various electrical gremlins. But all in all, most owners were very satisfied with their purchases. The general consensus was that the 2003 and forward LeMans were the best sorted and had the fewest issues, so when I saw a really plum Rosso Corsa on ebay, not too far from where I was working at the time, I decided to buy it. I could not have been more pleased with that bike. Most of the owners on here are enthusiasts and if they do decide to sell, you can rest assured they will have their bikes well sorted and reliable.

How did it handle before the change? Exactly what parts did you change out? Can you post some before and after pics?

Very cool video. Had not heard about the Duke engine. I'll keep my eye out for it.

Wow, have you opened up a can of worms!

So how are we doing with our V11 Forum Fundraiser? Post up if you are a financial support. Be sure to tune in on Thursday night on ESPN to watch my #7 Oklahoma State Cowboys take on the Arizona Wildcats. SEPT 6, 2011 1. Oklahoma (43) 1-0 2. Alabama (9) 1-0 3. LSU (7) 1-0 4. Florida State 1-0 5. Boise State 1-0 6. Stanford 1-0 7. Oklahoma State 1-0 8. Texas A&M 1-0 9. Wisconsin 1-0 10. Nebraska 1-0 11. Virginia Tech 1-0 12. South Carolina 1-0 13. Arkansas 1-0 14. Oregon 0-1 15. Ohio State 1-0 16. Michigan State 1-0 17. Mississippi State 1-0 18. Florida 1-0 19. Missouri 1-0 20. Penn State 1-0 21. Texas 1-0 22. Auburn 1-0 23. Arizona State 1-0 24. West Virginia 1-0 25. TCU 0-1

There is a "final option." I settled on this option when the stock header pipe, on my Rosso, cracked. Very high quality, and the motor ran smooth and strong without the cross over pipe. (clic the pic for details)

Welcome to the forum Mark. Be sure to post some pics of your Rosso on the registry.

Thanks. Good to know. Couldn't open the direct link but went to the main page and also found the Marchesini (out of stock/sp order), about half the price of Arieta: http://www.motowheels.com/ITALIAN/myProducts.cfm?parentcategoryid=532%7CSpare%20Wheel%20Parts&productID=2922&showDetail=1&categoryID=532|Spare%20Wheel%20Parts&vendoridtodisplay=0&filterFor=&collection= What's the plus for Arieta? Did you have any experience with them? I replaced my stockers when I changed tires. Real quality product and with the 90 degree stem makes adding air a breeze. Different colors add bling.

Arieta is the way to go.

I would start by reading this "sticky" thread on the 24/7 forum.

If you are a fan of the V11 Coppa Italia paint scheme, you are sure to like of a Coppa Italia Griso.

Moto Guzzi V11 Sport - Road Test Another Guzzi First: Mandello Moto Mavens Create A "Retro" By Updating A Current Model From the October, 2000 issue of Motorcyclist By John Burns Photography by Kevin Wing I Don't know why we like Moto Guzzis so much, really, as there hasn't been all that much reason to for about a quarter century now. Must be all those years drawing Hot Rod-inspired bikes in the back row of class. This is how a motorcycle should be laid out, according to the eyes of a motorhead weaned on heavy American metal: a bank of cylinders (OK, a cylinder) jutting out at 45 degrees from either side, a big heavy engine block, a thick shaft driving the rear wheel(s). When you hit the starter, you know you've set something in motion. Buh-boom. Big is what this Guzzi remains. If the nakedness of the new V11 Sport led you to expect something light and nimble along the lines of a Ducati Monster or Triumph Speed Triple, your eyes have let you down again. As a matter of fact, our scales say losing the half-fairing resulted in the Sport gaining a few pounds over the 1100i with which it shares an engine: 546 pounds full of fuel makes this Sport a Hayabusa-class cruiser. A Ducati Monster weighs 100 pounds less. Looked at from a different perspective, if you think of Guzzi as "the Harley-Davidson of Italy," which it more properly is, the V11 Sport is downright svelte. It's 100 pounds lighter than a Dyna Glide Sport, and Guzzi's hoary old pushrod twin makes a bit more power than Harley's cutting-edge Twin Cam 88 in spite of spotting the Hog 386cc. Interesting. Using that drivetrain made it impossible for Guzzi to make the bike light, so instead the attempt was made to make it feel light. The skeleton remains the same, with a rectangular steel spine tying steering head to engine cases to rear swingarm plates. In this case, the head's raked at 25 degrees instead of Guzzi's usual 26, resulting in a very sporty trail figure of 92mm. The bike's wheelbase didn't tighten up as much as you'd expect because, in an alarming display of progress, Guzzi engineers came up with a new gearbox that's 70mm shorter, lengthwise, and then used the opportunity to outfit the bike with a 50mm longer driveshaft/swingarm compared with the 1100i. That longer shaft reduces even further the dread "driveshaft jacking" which used to be the scourge of shaft bikes, but hasn't really been a problem on Guzzis since Dr. John Wittner introduced the torque arm to the Guzzi Daytona a decade ago. (Wittner retains his Guzzi connections from his home in Pennsylvania.) Heck, there's even a new ring and pinion back at the end of the driveshaft: an 11-tooth pinion driving a 32-tooth ring gear increases contact area, for greater reliability, and lets the shaft turn fewer rpm, which is easier on its universal joints. One thing we've counted on throughout these turbulent times has been the Guzzi gearbox. Shifting through it has given motojournalists the world over a reason to go on living. Box of rocks, more false neutrals than Switzerland, throwing railroad switches... all these seemed-clever-at-the-time descriptors have been used to describe the bike's dysfunctional old five-speed. My God, man. This V11 Sport has an all-new six-speed gearbox that allows it to be shifted like a normal motorcycle-sometimes without the clutch! Instead of the usual input and output shafts, this one has four shafts-based on "Formula One concept technology," Guzzi says. And when you do use the clutch, it's no longer like prying open a bear trap or docking the Queen Mary by hand. It's hydraulically actuated now, and light. Overall, this Guzzi is shocking in its modernity. Shocking, anyway, until you hop on it and hit the starter. There's nothing else like it is there? Come to think of it, the usual sideways twitch as the engine turns over feels far less pronounced in this Guzzi, and it picks up revs easier in neutral.... Could it be the new, lighter flywheel? Perhaps the revised intake ports or the reshaped pistons and combustion chambers? Or maybe the modifications to the injection and ignition curves? Feels almost, ah, sprightly in the way it revs-an adjective never previously applied to a Moto Guzzi far as we know-and pulling in the clutch and dropping into first gear is a gnashless, painless, nearly Japanese event. Sweet. Like all recent Guzzis, carbureted and injected, this one doesn't respond to throttle too smoothly until around 3000 rpm, which is only a problem of course for those who insist on plodding around down there. Slip the two-plate dry clutch a tad and you're right past there and blasting off with the same torquey swagger as an old muscle car. Yes, It's true, the next gear snaps in with a simple flick of the toe...can this be? The ergos are fine, thanks, with adjustable clip-ons riding on risers that lift them a good two inches higher than the ones on the 1100i. The seat's nicely shaped; skinnyish where it meets the fuel tank, and thick, and there's enough legroom. The usual 40mm Marzocchi fork adjusts for rebound atop one fork tube, compression damping on the other, and you can reach down on the fly to adjust the WP shock's compression damping (getting to its preload collar is a major tank-removal exercise, unfortunately). Both ends, springs and dampers, combined with the bikes substantial heft, give up a nicely compliant, never harsh ride as you burble along, sighting above the classic white-faced Veglia tach and speedo. We bitched about the Dell Orto carbs' way-too-heavy return springs and Guzzi gave us good fuel injection. Now they give us a good gearbox, what's left to complain about? Only vibration. From about 3500 to nearly 5000 rpm-which equates to 65 to 90-ish mph in top gear-this Guzzi sends some pretty heavy vibes coursing through those new clip-on bars. The risers must be the culprit, since other Guzzis that use nearly the same engine and frame are fine, smooth cruisers. This Guzzi's bars just seem to come into some sort of resonance with the 90-degree engine's secondary imbalance at that speed, and an hour of cruising along is about all most hands can take. It's particularly tough limping home all shagged out after a few hours wrestling the bike around in the twisties. In Europe it wouldn't be a problem; crank the bike up to 95 or so and everything gets smooth again, but you wouldn't last long in the home of the brave and the land of the free riding that way unless you're a policeman. (Or cruise along below 65-not an option for us.) Shorter final-drive gearing would help, but of course the shaft makes that a bit of a project. Guzzi's already shoved some pretty hefty weights inside the bar ends, and we were going to strap on more weight to experiment, but couldn't find any bolts the right diameter and thread pitch. Guzzi says the vibes get better as the engine breaks in, and with 1300 miles showing it does seem to have subsided slightly-that or our nerve endings have died. In any case, that's our main complaint and it seems like a fixable flaw. And speaking of wrestling mountains, the Sport works just all right in full curvy-road sport mode. Again, it's still a heavy motorcycle, slightly heavier than its 1100i sibling, and in fact the i works better as a sportbike. For one thing, all Guzzis start out with a rearward weight bias thanks mostly to the shaft drive, we suppose, and the Sport's higher bars means there's even less rider weight pressing down on the front wheel. Given those things, we don't know that shortening the bike's trail to a supersporty 92mm was necessarily the way to go. Just cruising along in a straight line over bumps, the Sport's front end sort of waggles to and fro like the tongue of a dog sticking his head out a car window-never alarmingly, but just like the front tire's not exactly what you'd call planted. Ridden sportily on a tight, curvaceous road, then, the Sport has little of the i-bike's defining stability. It turns quick, yes, and in fact the higher clip-ons give enough leverage that it feels like if you weren't careful you could steer the front wheel right out from under the heavier part of the bike that follows. Faster, smooth corners give the Sport more confidence, but faster bumpy ones verge on hairball, and you're glad Guzzi saw fit to stick on the Bitubo steering damper under the triple clamps. Jacking up the rear end with more spring preload doesn't help much (because the fork springs are too soft to begin with), and on tighter roads, neither does the fact that a little more driveline lash than usual remains. Throw in that most bikes with 92mm trail also sport bank-vault-stiff frames, and well, this Guzzi just doesn't encourage its rider to aggressively attack corners in the way a Ducati Monster does. Or Guzzi's own 1100i, for that matter. On the positive side, the new freer-revving engine and truly functional gearbox provide a huge gulp of fresh air. It's easy enough to keep the engine spinning along with the new gearbox, and there's a big burst of delicious twin-cylinder power once the needle clears 5000 rpm; from there, it revs surprisingly hard up to where the limiter cuts in at 8250. Nope, 80 horsepower's not a lot, but on a bike like the Guzzi it feels like more. And this being an Italian Harley, you know there are a few aftermarket items out there to make more power. Heck, adding a tad more racket is nearly mandatory in the case of any 90-degree twin, particularly one complemented by just the right amount of tappet noise. Those are pushrods, son, and none of them half-ass hydraulic lifters either. (The V11's solid lifters want adjustment every 6000 miles, according to the manual. Do it yourself; it's easy. Scratch that. It looks easy. And now you can even change your Guzzi's oil filter without dropping the whole oil pan.) If the Sport's not as good a sportbike as the 1100i, it turns around and kicks its brother's behind when it comes to the sort of prowling around-town duty it's more focused upon. If your early morning sojourns are more casual amble for coffee than they are frantic adrenaline rush to the top of the mountain, then this Guzzi is a nearly ideal machine. Bikes like this one are as enjoyable to burble along on as they are at ten-tenths-unlike a 996 Ducati or R1 Yamaha, for Instance-and it's a nice bike to park in front of your local pub and contemplate. Is it really ugly or really cool? Who knows? But people do notice it, and most of the nouveau gauche Harley crowd don't know what the hell it is. Their women seem envious. Then you get to drop that it's a lot cheaper than their Harley. It's a bike that makes you feel almost mature, for God's sake, and seems to give you a little historical perspective on the world of motorcycles. Progress is sometimes a while in coming at Moto Guzzi, and sometimes Guzzi progress has a slightly regressive quality to it-but overall this is a fine piece of work in need of a little owner involvement or maybe just tolerance. Expect to hear more from Mandello in the next few years: As of 30 August, if all goes well, Moto Guzzi will be owned by Aprilia, there will be a large cash infusion, and Moto Guzzi will be back in a big way. This V11 Sport, though, wants you to know Guzzi's never really been away. Cheers & Jeers Moto Guzzi V11 Sport Engine 8 Sweet Italian pushrod twin, dodgy at low rpm Drivetrain 8 Amazingly good; slight driveline lash Handling 6 OK if you're not in a big hurry Braking 9 Big Brembos need 111/42 fingers Ride 9 Nice and compliant; almost an old guy's bike Ergonomics 9 Better the older we get Features 7 Veglia gauges, hydraulic clutch, real gearbox! Refinement 7 Still a little rough after all these years Value 8 Seems reasonable by H-D standards Fun Factor 7 Entirely dependent on the length of the ride Verdict: A huge step forward for Guzzi, followed by a couple of large minces rearward in the form of handlebar vibration and (a slight dearth of) sporting prowess. Moto Guzzi V11 Sport MSRP $11,900 Warranty 36 months,unlimited miles Colors green, silver, black ENGINE Type air-cooled 90-deg. V-twin Valve arrangement pushrod, 4v Bore x stroke 92.0 x 80.0mm Displacement 1064cc Compression ratio 9.5:1 Carburetion Weber-Marelli injection Transmission 6-speed Final drive shaft Chassis Frame rectangular box-section steel Weight 546 lb. (wet) 511 lb. (fuel tank empty) Fuel capacity 5.8 gal. (22L) Suspension, front 40mm cartridgefork adjustable forcompression andrebound damping Suspension, rear single shock adjustablefor spring preload, compression and rebound damping Brake,front dual four-piston calipers,320mm discs Brake, rear two-piston caliper, 282mm disc Tire, front 120/70ZR17Pirelli Dragon Tire, rear 170/60ZR17 Pirelli Dragon Details, Details Hooo! It's got a centerstand! Taller knees may disagree with the cylinders What toolkit? All metal except the plastic bits Don't often pass yourself Beats your Harley, and cheaper Performance Corrected 1/4-mile* 12.18 sec. @ 110.9 mph 0-60 mph 4.00 sec. 0-100 mph 10.37 sec. Top-gear roll-on, 60-80 mph 5.14 sec. Power to weight ratio** 8.95 lb/hp Fuel mileage (low/high/average) 37/45/40 Cruising range (exc. reserve) 192 miles Test Notes Speedo error:60 mph, actual 56 Yes, indeed: a traditional, two-valve V-twin power curve. There's more than 50 foot-pounds of torque from 2000 to 8000 rpm, with no large peaks or valleys between. Performance with test-session weather conditions corrected to sea-level standard conditions (59 degrees F, 29.92 in. of mercury) **Wet weight plus 170 lb. rider divided by measured horsepower Read more: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadtests/122_0010_moto_guzzi_v11_sport/viewall.html#ixzz1WhcaX94F

Welcome to the board. I've not ridden the Daytona, but owned a Rosso Corsa LeMans (my first love) for a few years and loved it. Sold it last summer in a moment of weakness and regret it. It was a very comfortable and pleasing ride for me. I'm sort of an old codger (late 50s) and I've read of people who complained of the "aggresive" riding position on the Lemans. They must has short arms, because it was very relaxed to me (6'3"), in comparison to my aprilia SL mille I owned before the LeMans. I would buy another LeMans except I just bought a replacement V11 for which I have had an eye for years . . . a Coppa Italia Sport. As you know, it has handle bars, vs. the LeMans clip ons. Definately a different riding position. With the LeMans you get the larger fairing for more wind protection. The LeMans can be set up with bags and a trunk for true long range touring. If I were new to the V11 game, I would not hesitate to pick up a LeMans for "sport touring," with the emphasis on "sport."

2005 Moto Guzzi V11 Coppa Italia | Motorcycle Review Jeff Buchanan 03/01/2005 Motorcycle with Charactor When the powers-that-be in Tinseltown are presented with a talented, yet unusual thespian who doesn't fit their idea of a leading man or sex symbol, they are quick to categorize him with the ingratiatingly backhanded label of “character actor.” However, with the fickle history of movies as proof, it is quite often the character actors who leave an indelible performance etched in celluloid, while the stars they supported have long since withered from memory in ephemeral wisps of stardom. Well, if the roads of the world were the silver screen, and motorcycles the actors that populate them, then the Moto Guzzi V11 Coppa Italia would undoubtedly be the character actor among them. Like their cinematic counterpart, the Coppa Italia is at first hard to classify. It tends to defy most enthusiasts' idea of what constitutes a sportbike. However, shaking the tree of racing history to see what falls and what remains in the branches reveals Moto Guzzi's rich legacy of road-racing championships, which stand as testament to the brand's serious competition roots. (Click image to enlarge) Guzzis—as they are affectionately referred to by their clan—were at the epicenter of the Italian motorcycling movement in Europe in the '40s and '50s. Stateside, the exotic Moto Guzzi, by name and looks, helped propagate romantic notions of quaint Italian villages dotting motorcycle-friendly routes weaving through picturesque mountains. Brand loyalty among the “Guzzi-este” have helped the manufacturer survive where so many have perished. Moto Guzzis possess a unique persona in both design and performance. The legendary air-cooled V-twin motor, in the famous configuration that brings the massive cylinder heads up on either side of the gas tank and in line with the pilot's knees, serves to constantly remind the rider—with stimulating awareness—of what's between the legs: horsepower and torque, delivered with a primal, guttural exhaust note. A Moto Guzzi sounds like what we grew up expecting a motorcycle to sound like: distant thunder of an approaching storm. In our case, the storm was enhanced by the addition of Moto Guzzi's performance titanium slip-on exhaust cans that allow the engine to breathe a bit better. Helmet: AGV Ti Tech Rossi VR46, Leathers: Dainese S.F.C. jacket with Firefly pants, Gloves: Dainese Tenshyn, Boots: Dainese Mig-Touring. (Click image to enlarge) The Moto Guzzi company spares no expense in equipping its motorcycles with the finest components: Öhlins forks, shock and steering dampener, Brembo Gold Series brakes and alloy wheels, excellent control levers and a tasteful touch of anodized parts. The Coppa Italia's massive engine and driveshaft give the illusion of bulk, however, this erroneous assessment is dispelled with great alacrity as soon as some speed and lean angle are entered into the equation. The Coppa Italia purrs through corners as if the wheels were hooked on a rail. The engine is the most responsive just off idle and at lower rpms where the twin's torque is available in abundance. The 1,064cc engine delivers 91 horses in a smooth, predictable power band, without sudden, unwanted peaks or valleys—just usable, tractable drive. Gear ratios on the Moto Guzzi's six-speed transmission are spaced evenly and succinctly to get the horses to the pavement. The Coppa Italia grows on you—fast. The bike's tricolor silver, red and green paint scheme and bikini fairing are visually alluring, but it's only after you experience the performance of the V11 that the machine begins to take on the affectionate terms “sexy” and “beautiful.” Another experience unique to the Moto Guzzi is when you ride one, you are automatically, tacitly inducted into the Guzzi family. You will be welcomed into the inner sanctum of this loyal crowd whenever you pull into your local motorcycle meeting place. My time with the Coppa Italia helped me to see why it's been said, “Once you own a Guzzi, you usually stay with a Guzzi.” (Click image to enlarge)