Baldini

We can't know if it's a markedly better bike til it's been around a while & any problems/faults show up. I had a brief ride on one & a good look over it. Gearchange is much slicker than V11, as good as Jap. Shaft is enclosed. S/a is much longer & rear end set up makes V11 feel crude. Handles well. Motor is moved forward in frame which must improve weight distribution & consequently handling (V11's carry wt too far back). Motor feels like it has slightly less power & less bottom end than V11 (but I'm guessing that could be sorted w/in/ex mods). All round it feels smoother. FI set up on one I rode felt spot on (Dealers personal bike). Seat is extremely comfortable. It looks & feels very thoroughly thought out & well put together but only time will tell. It's not expensive. It must have been built down to the price but it's hard to see where. Looks are subjective & can always be altered. It looks better in life than in photos. I have had Guzzis over 20 yrs. I felt like Pete towards the new bikes (spines) & it was only the Ohlins kit & the knock down price made me go for one. I love my old Tontis, but since I've had the Scura the old bike's hardly been out of the shed. I think the Breva is a significant step forward for Guzzi. It's dealt with problems that needed sorting & whatever the diehards say it's still a real Guzzi. KB

Yeh - just checked forecast - says Wed better than Thurs. So we'll stick to Wed then? Tomorrow, 9am, for breakfast at Ponderosa cafe, top of Horseshoe Pass on A542 just North of Llangollen. Anyone had problems getting petrol? Heard rumours that there's gonna be blockades of refineries? Everyone's filling up = maybe queues & no petrol? KB

Been a beautiful hot sunny day here today. I can do 9am Ponderosa Wednesday. Forecast I've seen gives Wed as pos showers, Thurs & Fri better (I could do Thurs not sure about Fri). Suggest we confirm tomorrow, check forecast again. Wed would still be good for me but I can't be arsed riding wet roads if it can be avoided. See ya Wed....or Thurs.... KB

Not from what I heard - everything Warne & Ponting said in defeat & the oz commentators been nothing but good humoured & saying how they were proud to be a part of a great sporting event etc...no sour grapes or whinging - just pride in taking part. Compared with the football I usually watch it's a real breath of fresh air. Good on both teams for the pleasure they've given all of us who watched or listened, & I really ain't got much interest in cricket... KB

Weather permitting, Wednesday would be best day for me. Weather in Wales can be very localised. It's a fine sunny morning here now. Orson, what sort of roads do you like? What sort of speed do you ride? There's a mixture of everything here, from blind gravel strewn single tracks to smooth grippy open sweepers, & plenty of different scenery - any preferences? KB

Battery on my 02 Scura was scrap after 12months - original fitment battery manuf by Hawker but low spec & not up to job, subject of MG service bulletin. I replaced w/ Hawker Odyssey. It is my understanding that you don't run trickle chargers on gel batteries. KB

With Ti/ECU kit mine ran v rich across revs. PC111 & dyno sorted it - now pulls pretty clean from around 3k to rev limiter, picking up around 4.5k - more power, more torque, more driveable - but also more noise.

there's a surprise

Bollocks. KB

Redline Shockproof Heavy - improved (smoother action) gear change & no more oil leak from box (which it had done from new, pos from back plate or side plate collecting on xover). I also spoke to Redline tech (UK). Rec'd the Shockproof Heavy. Nogbad - you can get it mailorder from Or Redline will give you a local distributor - email: Some people have suggested that heavy oil can wreck bearings by causing balls to skid in races. I dunno - I meant to ask Red line about this but haven't got round to it. KB

Exactly. I just can't believe what I'm seeing on the TV news. It's like those folks in NO have just been written off...Sure, I don't know the logistics of it but surely something should have been done to get them out by now...far as it seems on UK news there's little or no help coming in for any of the Gulf Coast. It's hard to credit that this is the USA. The poor sods trying to run local rescue seem to be totally overwhelmed, God help them, cos no other fucker seems to lifting a finger. As to aid? Is money any good? Red cross? Who? It's the USA for @#!#$#'s sake - surely money isn't the issue. KB

Quite??? It's heavy. Unless you're built like, & have latent riding skills same as those honed thru years of experience by, Martin 'Adonis' Barrett I think a lighter, more manageable & less quirky bike would be easier to learn on. Having said that the power characteristics of a Guzzi motor are great for a first timer. What about the Guzzi Breva (750 or 1100) - more manageable, or the first model Suzuki sv650 was a good looking V twin. KB

It's too early to say on reliability/build quality but if it's solid as it looks, the new Breva has got to be the way forward. All new gbox is far better - slick as Jap. The rear s/a/drive is much more sophisticated & lets the rear suspension work much better. Weight is moved forward which must improve handling. It's very comfortable, seat feels great. Pannier brkts are neatest I ever seen, it even has angled tyre valves std. It looks a very well thought out bike. I didn't think the Breva felt as torquey or powerful as a V11, but not by much & I'm sure that intake/exhaust/PC111 could improve that. Looks better in life than in pix & body work, bars etc can be changed. I'd like to see a sports version using new running gear. I'm keeping my Scura. I love the looks, & it goes well. I don't do much touring or town. Ridden hard, handling is limited by the short s/a, heavy drive box & rearward weight bias but it's nonetheless pretty good & very stable under constant throttle in fast turns. The fact that the new bikes have a completely redesigned gbox makes me wonder how solid mine is longterm. V11 has had some quality control issues & these may be sorted now for the new models, but who knows. But whatever Guzzi you may get, essentially they're more similar to each other than to any other bike out there. If you get on with it you'll love it. KB

If you're heading into Wales anyway, how about meet at the Ponderosa Cafe at top of the Horshoe Pass just North of Llangollen. I'd like to take a day out & come along. KB

I'm stuck with work through that week but weekend or from early evening maybe OK or pos take a half day. roads are much better weekdays, w/e's get busy. I could point you to some roads eitherway.....I don't go out in the rain. KB

Andrew, I got an old T3. They're great bikes & should do what you need it for. Like Jaap says WildGuzzi is a good US forum mostly concerned with the Tonti (the type of frame on your bike still used in the latest cruisers Guzzis) bikes. Also try Guzzi Exchange forum (Australia) & www.GuzziTech.com forum (USA). Sorry I don't have link but search should show them up. Most any question your likely to come up with's probably been answered there sometime. Recently on WildGuzzi Pete Roper has been doing a series of posts on stripping the motor ... Also there's a book called Guzziology by Dave Richardson (USA) that's a mine of information. The Haynes manual is good for basic rebuild info tho as I recall there's a couple of specs wrong. Bike's been in storage for 13 years - Dry or Damp? -big difference. You need to change Engine, gbox, drivebox oils, eng oil filter & brake fluid. Watch drain plugs, level plugs don't strip threads (a little WD40 might be good). Brake pistons could be seized. Front engine mounting bolt also habitually seizes in the case on these (bottom of timing cover). Depends how it was when it went away....Drop float bowls & clean. You'll need battery: Hawker Odyssey are good but expensive. Tyres? Stick with 100/90 front, 110/90 rear - don't be tempted to fit bigger sizes: wrecks handling. I like BT45's. Good luck, KB

Pete - have you ridden a Breva? Motor's moved forward, longer (rising rate?) s/a is loads more settled on the road than the crude, direct Tonti & V11 ones, gearchange is as slick as anything outa Japan like no other Guzzi before (Yeah, really). Seems to me Guzzi addressed the weaknesses of the spine frame models, sorted the things that needed sorting. Sure they haven't produced a revolution but (if it proves reliable) it's a hell of a step forward in many ways. Credit where credit's due. Move on.... KB

Dr Gil, Even if it looks good - strip it & have frame, s/a, wheels, forks/triple clamps, motor/trans mounts etc checked before insurance settlement. As Carl found, things can look fine but the only way to be sure is to pull it apart. I crashed R80GS, hit the r/h head hard, insurance paid for bits I could see damaged, but wasn't till I came to refit s/a that I found knock on motor must've twisted the frame. Some frame straighteners can do job with motor etc in situ, just removing front end to access headstock. If it didn't hit anything & didn't flip, hopefully it'll just be cosmetic.... KB

Like the wrinkly red tyres on that 999.... orangokie - is that you on the Aprilia?

Pride? PRIDE? For now you've fed your delusions, bought into some sportrider image, just like the tassled ones buy some outlaw image. Enzo - it's not what you ride it's how you ride. You can't buy it. Join the rest of the suckers! Or get out on a track & do it for real. KB

If you haven't already, get PC111/FI set up on a dyno. Some reckon stucchi xover sorts midrange - I did both same time so I don't know. KB

Guzzis aren't so undemanding as BM's but have much more character. A few niggly initial faults are not uncommon but most are usually easily fixed - if you're not happy easily fixing niggly faults a good dealer is essential, preferably one who's got a line to the factory (dealer who specialises in Guzzi is better than a multi-franchise - will know the bikes & likely be quicker on any warranty stuff). Of course you may be lucky & get no niggly faults at all.... They're great bikes that reward long term commitment. Torquey, rock solid, 10k miles before they're run-in. Handle slow but very stable. Fast enough for the real world. Quality fittings: Brembo brakes/wheels, stainless lines & fastenings, Rosso Corsa has Ohlins. A lot of people fit less restrictive cans/crossover/filter, PC111 which smooths out the power & gives a bit more. But they go good std if you get FI well set up. If you take a test ride make it a long one - they take a bit of getting used to. The new Breva seems very well made, rides well & is a good price too. Not so much presence as a V11 tho.... Check this forum - there's loads & loads of stuff - but obviously slanted towards problems cos that's the job it does. I'd guess the majority of people who buy them love them, but some can't get on with em ...for many there's nothing else like a Guzzi. KB

Yeah, Piaggio have Aprilia so who needs fast Guzzis? well apart from us few... Guzzi club meet, a bloke was asking about the Ti cans - I mentioned improved ground clearance - this other bloke listening says Doesn't sound like a Guzzi owner so he asks me a couple questions, then inspects me tyres, mumbles something into his beard & moves on... For me one of the great things about Guzzis is they confound peoples expectations - every time: They do handle, They do brake & to some extent they do move...V11's, Brevas, Calis, all. There's a sports bike to be had out of the Breva (well, sports in the Guzzi sense). 2 valve MGS01 would be real world fine for most people - trouble is doesn't hold up in the spec sheets/pub brag ( ye wha?! a 1100 sports bike wi 80HP! - fact that you can actually use every one of those 80 rather than totter round on 150hp potential nervous on half throttle max til you get to the next cafe car park to change underpants doesn't count). Guzzi have got a great racing tradition. You can never take that away. Thing is Piaggio doesn't need a Guzzi racer/sportsbike. In fact from what they say they don't really need Guzzi...tho judging by the thorough design & quality making of Breva someone's putting some effort in at the old company...but it's only reality that with the 2 valve motor you're never gonna match output figures of other sports bikes...& it's printed figures that count...so you aim it where it fits.... ...but then there is the Boxer Cup...so maybe.... KB

Funny....I love me Guzzi cos It's nothing like watching TV... KB

Dr Gil, Sh*t!. I'm sure most anyone's ever ridden much has forgot the sidestand sometime! Hope you & bike get sorted soon. Good luck. KB