rocker59

Sean, that looks like an oil catch-pan to me. Required in racing to keep oil off the track. On the street all they basically do is collect gravel, dirt, and grime. Water, too, if it's raining during your ride... A buddy of mine has one on his Ducati Monster. He ended up drilling a couple of drain holes in it to keep the water out. You ought to see how much dirt and gravel that thing collects between oil changes!!!

Beautiful bikes. It sure is a shame that nothing like the MGS-01 is available from Mandello in the current lineup.

www.wildguzzi.com/forum MG Cycle Moto Guzzi Classics Harper's Moto Guzzi

http://www.motoguzzishop.com/Big_Daddy/Big...ys_Workshop.htm Valve clearances for V11s are .15mm intake and .20mm exhaust.

MV Agusta does not make aeroplanes. Agusta does. AgustaWestland builds helicopters. They are two different companies and have been for decades. The current MV Agusta has no real relationship to the original... MV Agusta: "The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company which was formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo, Mario and Corrado. Count Vincenzo Agusta together with his brother Domenico formed MV Agusta (the MV stood for Meccanica Verghera) at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm and also to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation. They produced their first prototype, ironically called "Vespa 98", in 1945. After learning of that that the name had already been registered by Piaggio for its Vespa motorscooter, it was referred to simply by the number “98”. The company successfully manufactured small-displacement, quintessential Café racer style motorcycles (mostly 125-150 cc) through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 60s small motorcycle sales declined, and MV started producing larger displacement cycles in more limited quantities. A 250 cc, and later a smart 350 cc twin were produced, and a 600 cc four-cylinder evolved into a 750 cc which is still extremely valuable today. Following the death of Count Domenico Agusta in 1971 the company declined and by 1980, it stopped producing motorcycles altogether. Cagiva purchased the MV Agusta name trademarks in 1991 and in 1997 it introduced the first new MV Agusta motorcycle." Agusta: "(now part of AgustaWestland) is an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It is based in the Varese province of Italy, with its main manufacturing plant being at Cascina Costa. It is a subsbidiary of Finmeccanica. The company was founded by Giovanni Agusta, who flew his first airplane in 1907. From 1952 the company got involved in helicopter manufacturing, first licence-building Bell helicopters, but later Sikorsky, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas products as well. The company also had ambitions to design and build its own helicopters. The Agusta A.101 and the Agusta A.106 can be considered the best of its earlier attempts. Others included the AB.102, A.103, A.104, and A.115. It also produced a small line of aero engines such as the GA.70 and GA.140. Developed in the 1970s, the Agusta A109 has undoubtedly been the company's biggest success. The A109 is a commercial and military twin turbine helicopter, of which the latest variants are still in production, hundreds having already been sold. In 1983 the Agusta A129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter partook in its first official flight engagement. It was the first attack helicopter to be designed and produced entirely within Europe."

There were Helibars available for them back in the day. They will never be as high as a V11 LeMans because of bar to fairing clearance. It just ain't gonna happen unless you start cutting on the fairing, but you don't wanna do that...

A low-mounted rear caliper is not uncommon on modern motorcycles. Triumph, Ducati, etc. have them on some models. The early Daytonas came equipped with a torque arm that ran from the caliper to the frame in order to reduce or elliminate wheel hop under braking. Later, the torque arm was eliminated, but the caliper remained in the same place. It was just a decision made by the engineers at Mandello. Only they could answer for sure "why" they did it...

You left off a number on the HD production numbers. They peaked in '05/'06 at around 350,000 units. MY '08 is supposed to have been 328,000... About 90,000 are exports, so that leaves about 240,000 units sold in the USA...

I haven't, but I've thought about it. The cool thing about H+B is that all the bags fit the same racks. I've seen these Ali bags in black, too...

Great seeing you, Sean, and Fred today! Nice LMI he's got!!! Had a smile on my face all day, even with hitting an owl, having a flat, and all that rain!!! Hope to see you again soon.

What route are you planning to take to the lunch? From Neosho back to Bella Vista: South on HH > turn right (South) on H > turn left (East) on D > turn right (South) on E to the State line. There's a store at the intersection of Hiways E and 90. You can stop there for drinks and gas if you need to. After crossing the State line back into Arkansas, you can either take AR-340 to Bella Vista or AR-94 into Rogers via Pea Ridge.

OK, this follows along the lines of the "Oklahoma Chowdowns" of a few months ago... I've been PM-ing with Michael D and we've been talking of meeting somewhere along the border for a lunch meet-up. Fort Smith/Van Buren, Arkansas and Noel, Missouri have been considered, but here's what we've settled on for this time: Saturday, 9 August. High Noon. Undercliff Grill & Bar 6385 Old Highway 71 Tipton Ford, MO 64804 (between Neosho and Joplin) http://undercliff.net/ They have a screened porch and also an outdoor patio if the weather isn't too hot. If it is, we can relax "under the cliff" where it's always nice and cool. If you have an old license plate you don't want, Mike the owner will take it and add it to the wall. One of my old plates is hanging there. Lots of fun memorabilia hanging on the walls and ceiling. Nice menu with good food. They don't backstock a lot of stuff, so getting there by noon is always a good idea in order to have a good menu selection. Lots of curvy possibilites coming and going from Tipton Ford !!! Put it down on your calendar and plan on attending !!!

It would be cheaper and easier to source replacement carbon bits...

The smallblock platform is paid for. It makes good economic sense to freshen it and get as much life from it as possible. While I agree that streamlining to a big block only lineup might show some economies of scale, the 850s weigh the same as the 1100/1200 bikes and really won't appeal to those wanting a small motorcycle. I wasn't aware that the SV650 was sold mainly to introductory shoppers. Older sportsbike guys is who I see on 'em. Lots of 'em at trackdays, too... I've never heard of the SBL, but I'd imagine this bike's 805mm/32-inch seat will knock most of them out if they're looking at lowered Sportsters with 24-inch seats. I think this retro-styled bike will sell to both new owners and Guzzi faithful. Yes, and that is why European bikes' sales volume is a fraction of what HD and JapCo are. Guzzi's imports to the USA are in the 1,100/1,200 units range. No one model is imported in very large numbers in any given year. I would be pleasantly surprised if the V7 Classic was imported in a volume exceeing 200 units for MY 2009. What effect is it that Guzzi would like this new bike to have here in the USA? I've not seen any mission statement. I think it will be a nice addition to the lineup, but I don't believe it will be the sales leader by any stretch. I don't know what kind of bike could be a "homerun" for Guzzi in the USA, but it would probably have to be a really kick-ass big block. Either a 1000S-type bike or an MGS-01-type bike that was priced competiively with Ducati's SportClassics... Good discussion we're having here. I'm hoping that the V7 Classic is a "toe dipped in the water" of the market and that we'll see its big block sister at EICMA this fall...

Crash bars will be available. The ones pictured below look classic. H+B have some for the Nevada that will probably fit the V7Classic.

OK. First off, I guess by "standard size", you mean 120/70-17 front and 170/60-17 rear? I would agree that those are "standard sportsbike sizes", but if you look at the bike's competition none of them have those sizes. Bonneville and Sportster. Bikes like Ducati's SportClassics do come in "standard sportsbike sizes" with spokes and tubes. It's nothing new, because so did Triumph's Thunderbird Sport ten years ago. A big block version of this bike would list for $13490 here. There is no way Guzzi could sell a big block in the USA for $9k. I really don't consider the liquid-cooled SV650 naked sportsbike as competition for the V7 Classic. A customer shopping for a lightweight japanese sportsbike will not be cross-shopping the Guzzi. Also possibly riders who are into vintage bikes, but would like something reliable for everyday use... My guess is that, as usual with Guzzis here in the USA, this new small block will sell mainly to the Guzzi faithful. There may be some defectors from the Bonneville ranks. Possibly a few n00b riders who have been cross shopping Sportsters, but who are not faithful to the HD brand... The person shopping for something European. Something standard/traditional/retro. Something lightweight. Something affordable. That will be the V7Classic's customer... I can't imagine Guzzi bringing more than a hundred, or so, over here the first year. Selling them should be no problem... I guess we shall soon see...

Tell us more... What's its price? What's its competition? What's its competition's price?

Try Harper's Moto Guzzi for some billet replacement levers. http://www.harpersmotoguzzi.com/brakebleeding.htm

gauge bracket. I'd like one, too. My Nero Corsa has the ugly purple (faded black?) metal one. I've seen 'em a time, or two on Ebay, but haven't won one yet.

It is not an implication, but a fact, that my Nero Corsa returns a couple mpg MORE at 4500 in sixth than it does at 4000 in sixth. I don't know where you live, but in the mountains where I live, cruising down the road at 2000 rpm in sixth gear with my 230 lbs aboard would be, as Hack says, Guzzi abuse. What is that? Something like 40 mph in sixth at 2000 rpm ??? Sorry. The V11 powerplant has NO POWER at 2000 rpm. Cruising around in top gear at 2000 rpm is nothing, if not foolish... But hey, ride your ride...

That is true of under square engines with lots of flywheel/crank shaft mass. 5th is .9655 to 1 6th is .8619 to 1 Anything less than 1 to 1 is "overdrive".

Don't feel "told off". You're just hearing from a couple of people who've been around Guzzis for a long time... When I used to sell bikes at a Euro store, I sold a 1998 Ducati 900FE to a guy who'd been riding an HD Sportster 1200S. A couple weeks after delivery, he called me complaining that his new Ducati had no power, it was a dog, and he was real disappointed in the bikes roll-on performance at 50mph in 6th gear... Key words: 50mph in 6th gear... I asked him why in the world he was lugging the motor like that and he started talking about Harleys... Look I've owned Harleys over the years. I love Sportsters. The engines couldn't be more different in performance characteristics, though. Ducatis and Guzzis don't start running until 4000 rpm, while the Sportsters can chug along all day at 2500... HDs (and most cruisers) are "undersquare". Bore is smaller than the stroke. European bikes are the opposite. They are "Oversquare". Bore is noticably bigger than stroke. Undersquare engines like the HD are known for low RPM performance and good fuel economy. Guzzis are known to run best between 4000 and 7000 rpm... On the highway, the V11 Sport/LeMans will get its best fuel economy between 4500 and 5000 rpm.

I have no idea how you guys can ride these bikes as low as 2k to 3k rpm in 6th gear!!! You have to be practically coasting on flat or downhill stretches of pavement because the bikes make no power at that rpm and the gearing they have is pretty darned tall. Honestly, I've tested it, and at a steady 75mph, my Nero Corsa returns slightly better fuel economy in 5th than it does in 6th. At highway speeds of 75-80mph, the bike really is most comfortable above 4500rpm. That means 5th gear until around 80mph...

shock proof heavy