al_roethlisberger

That is weird, I wonder why they told you that? Anyway, keep us informed. I hope you get the bike back. My bike is "going on the truck" this weekend, on its way to NC. Hopefully it will arrive in one piece. al

That's right... apparently with modern Guzzi(Marz) forks, you can have your cake, but ya can't eat it... well, all of it Depending on year range, you either got assymetric rebound and compression adjustment, but no preload adjustability. Or you got preload and rebound, but no compression adjustment. - 00-02 forks were Marzocchi 40mm, dual adjustable USD forks with Compression adjustability in the left leg, and Rebound on the right, if I recall correctly. But there was no preload adjustment. - 03+ forks are Marzocchi upside-down fork, 43mm, extension(rebound)/preload adjustable, and have a newer large diameter hollow front axle. They apparently do not have compression adjustment. The Ohlins equipped bikes have similar dimensions per model year, but are fully adjustable. al

Agreed... get an honest 90rwhp stock, reliable, and in the MGS bodywork.... at a reasonable price.... and MG would have a hit on it's hands. They probably couldn't keep production up with sales. Go to any "generic" motorcycling forum, and the MGS is always on the list of "dream bikes" people post. Everyone just loves the thing. Although, I'll say it again... it's not really my cup-of-tea, but it is damned good looking. I'll give it that. al

...yeah, an odd thread for sure I know many of the guys on WG don't ride V11 Sport/LeMans models, don't pop in over here much(if at all), and thus may not know Mike. But I too thought the "tone" of the thread was a little on the negative side, and seemed a little elitist at times. What's funny is that through the discussion, it was obvious that none of them realized that Mike is probably more of a "Guzzi guy" than many of they are, but they didn't even take the time to check They also didn't seem to deign to offer any fig-leaf either once it was clear Mike was "OK" by their Guzzi standards.... no "oh sorry dude, I see you own like 4 Guzzis and probably ride more than I do in a year" Don't worry though Mike. I've got your back. If they've got a problem with you, they've got a problem with me. ...now, there .... they should be shaking in their loafers We'll just have to take the Oakland and San Jose "clubs" over to their neck of the woods and have a "conversation"

Excellent news Joe!! ...let's hope this is "the future" of MGNA. Customer service

Just to add another "wishful thought": wouldn't it be "a hoot" if there were a new street 4V engine that produced similar power as the bumped displacement 4V in the Corsa version? I guess we'll see whether this rumor is true, and to what degree, in time.... in time... al

...same here, great work al

....wow, that's one purty bike BTW, with regard to Martha.... I think Karma got her. You really have to know her history to appreciate the "come uppance" she received But even if technically one would point out that no matter how "evil" she may have been prior ... legally only issues relevant to the case should contribute to the verdict.... ...keep in mind the post-Enron atmosphere here in the US, and her "bad timing" with her trading decisions. She really should have been more conservative considering the scrutiny everyone was under during this timeframe. Based on the admittedly little info I have, I think she was guilty BTW. al

...that's what I say I've ridden it to work a few times, and around the neighborhood, but with it having been in the shop from December to May, the timing is awful. I had put the bike in during December knowing we'd be moving this Summer, such that I hoped I would get it back in time to get some riding in before the move. ...but here we are, June already I go on call next Monday for two weeks, so can't leave town or go more than about 30 min away from VPN access to work. Then after that, we'll be in the last week of June, almost July. And the house has to be basically "done" by then to go on the market that month, painting, fixing... you name it has to be done. I have the bathroom ripped out right now, so I have to finish that this week. I painted the kitchen just the other week, and this weekend will be Denise's birthday, and landscaping. Yeah, bad timing, and time is flying past. I can't believe it is June already. I really can't. al

BTW, here's the specific link to the BARF "bike theft database": http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/features/thefts.php al

...sounds like fun, but I'm pretty sure my bike will be "on the truck" heading to my friend's house in North Carolina by June 12th My other problem is that with the house going on the market so soon, it's hard to justify an entire day trip when there's soooo much to do We'll see though.... oh wait, I'll be "on call" for those two weeks. Scratch that, can't go al

... the "good stuff" stays on, it's just the weird glue MG used that seems to give up. al

...not normally, but huge bumps, emergency stops, and who knows what.... could cause one to put a whole lot of weight on the bars, and "strip" them either way. But I agree that a retaining "key" can be machined into the setup to alleviate this. al

See the following thread on Wildguzzi(MGNOC Discussion Group): http://wildguzzi.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=37300#37300 I asked for clarification if this meant that this was *it* and no more were coming from Italy *ever*, or if this was just a lull in inventory. Check back to the thread on WG for their response, if they even know. al

That's a very generous offer, and I can respect that it would be nice if anyone on the forum wanted to contribute to a "fund" for his stolen bike. But I bet he has insurance That being said, just for "condolences", if anyone wanted to donate some money to the "cause" in general, I'm for that. I'd donate $20 or so to a general, "man that sucks" fund. But again, as far as replacing the bike, I suspect(hope) he has insurance And yes, I too wonder if JM has heard anything about his stolen Daytona BTW, don't forget to cross-post this to BARF and SBR, and maybe Club Desmo, I'm serious. You will get a lot more "eyes on the road", especially Bay Area Specific, that might turn up your bike. That seat is pretty darned specific. al

You really can't go wrong with an orange and black bike I think they've got a hit on their hands with this bike al

Carl, you aren't allowed to have another Guzzi until you stop breaking the ones you already have

Please don't take this wrong..... but sheesh, soooooo many "old guys" and "cruisers" I think these photos are illustrative of two "issues"(matter of opinion I'm sure) in North America, with regard to Moto Guzzi: 1 - Moto Guzzi *really* needs to get some new blood(young-uns) interested in the brand 2 - MGNOC *really* needs to move into the 21st Century, and away from just a paper newsletter, and website that isn't updated for a year or more, to.... again.... get some young blood injected into Moto Guzzi ....before all the current owners/customers freakin' DIE of old age Nice pictures BTW, and it looks like it was beautiful there

I don't use the lock Actually, my Leo Vince pipes cool down very very quickly, so the few times I have left my helmet with the bike, locking it with the helmet against the pipes hasn't been a problem I usually carry my helmet in with me if I am going to be inside for a while, or if just for a minute, sit the helmet beside the bike. al

Pros: - Looks good(matter of opinion) - Well made - Fit perfectly - Relatively inexpensive - "Works" Cons: - Looks less sporty/streamlined than OEM screen - Is not free I love mine. I had a Targa "touring" screen on my FJ1200 for years, so the "less sporty" appearance wasn't a big deal to me as I was used to it. Although, I have thought about fitting the stocker back on at times just to mix things up every so often Anyway, it's a quality piece, and if you want a little more wind protection, I highly recommend it al

Nice work Gary Cheek(an old, ex forum member) made a few similar versions of these a while back. But the disadvantage is of course that you do often have to opt for new longer various cables, but this isn't unique to this solution of course. These type of riser solutions always leave me a bit nervous though, as they seem like they have at least one point where a lot of torque will be applied with just a very little clamping force But I've never heard of any problems.... al

That's awful news Frankly I too am surprised anyone bothers to steal these bikes, as they are so 'esoteric' and 'anacronistic' to most folks looking to steal bikes. They usually are on the hunt for what they can ride "fanatically" or is in style to sell. The Guzzi usually doesn't qualify for either of these in their eyes. But I'll tell ya, the SF Bay area may be a "rider's paradise" and "motorcycling Nirvana", but along with that comes high theft rates. I have never lived anywhere, or noticed online, anywhere else where bikes just disappear from driveways and parking lots as frequently as they do here It's literally almost a weekly event on local forums where someone posts the sad news that their bike was stolen, or an attempt was made. Drop by www.bayarearidersforum.com (...yes, "BARF" ) and add your bike to their stolen bikes "database". Also do the same at www.southbayriders.com, perhaps in the General or Moto Guzzi sections. You'll get a lot of "eyeballs on the road" attention there, more than here, especially SF Bay centric. Good luck retrieving the bike though I don't want to be all doom an gloom though, so I'll mention that it was only last year where someone on the forum here had their LeMans stolen, only to find it parked a few blocks away because the theives apparently couldn't figure out how to get it started. So maybe that cursed safety switch circuit is good for something anyway BTW, they just announced LoJack for motorcycles recently. I may look into that after we move, as regular alarms are pretty useless. al

I feel the same way.... like I was jinxed because it was my first *NEW* motorcycle... nay... VEHICLE of ANY TYPE ever al

Yes, we are talking about two different things... MSD versus an "amplifier". The Evoluzione unit, and I assume the one Mike found on his Ghezzi, are an "amplifier" not an MSD. ...and yes, your description of the issues with MSD are what I too have heard mentioned before. But there are lots of opinions/camps on this topic to be sure. al

My observations are that the "immediately post Aprilia" bikes seem to have more issues. The 00-mostly01 bikes seem good(although the RM seemed to get some of the 02 badness), and the 03+ bikes, especially the 04s, seem very very well sorted right from the factory, and have exhibited less "bugs". The 02s seem to be particularly gremlin prone, for whatever reason al