Steve G.

Oh PLEEESE!! I say be off with him! Go away. Ciao, Steve

May I recommend a light bulb to keep things warm. On my dad's old 50 ft ship, we used to keep a 40 watt light bulb in the lower portion of the engine bay [heat rises] to keep things warm and dry. And this was at dock on the ocean. I think less dangerous than a heater. Ciao, Steve

I'll be there Saturday around 11:00am. Managed to score free tickets again Then there will be apres show at Pyramid across the street. Ciao, Steve

Of course Guzzi can do it. But it won't be with the 2 valve air cooled lump they have now. Remember, the R1200 BMW engine is liquid cooled, it's just oil instead of glycol. Plus they have 4 valves, and a high powered ECU. And an R&D department that shares secrets with the automotive division. Ducati?? Well of course they have the Desmodronic valve actuation, they are able to take advantage of drastically different and agressive cam profiles. Ciao, Steve

An incredible offer from the lads!! Surely 2500 miles on the oil could'nt have caused this. Was the sump dry? What kind of oil was it? I would really like to know what to avoid doing, or not doing. Ciao, Steve

I tend to go overboard studying a future purchase. Such is the present case with my quest for the best hybrid [the best of motocross with the comfort and weather proofness of street boots] boots available. This search has led me to the Sidi Discovery. For the money, it is the one. However, if money was no object, Vendramini would be my only choice, the best hand made old world manufactured boots available, still hand made by the Vendramini family! Ciao, Steve

Probably has a loose oil filter!! Ciao, Steve

If only you knew how tough it is to order stuff out of Europe. I ordered boots from Altberg, and specified North American size 11 pleasantly, but extremely strongly. 2 1/2 months later, friggin' UK11's show up. Plus, you can forget returning anything back! I'm amazed how clueless some companies are, in their own specialty. Ciao, Steve

Scotty Parker, Chris Carr, etc, they are all little guys, as most motorcycle racers are, on 100hp race bikes, not 55hp puddlers. Look, they are girly bikes, everyone knows it, just admit it. Defending a Harley Sportster only confirms gender confusion with the defender!!! They are a frickin' joke. A guy who buys one is either getting one for his little woman or is a poser without the scratch to get a full sized pig. Ciao, Steve

You know, it seems for decades now, I've had such a bad taste in my mouth for this whole "Harley thing", the stereotype alot of people find so distastfull, the chaps, beenie helmet, attitude, that I have trouble stomaching anything Harley powered. My thoughts regarding anything Sportster? Another sterotype from what we all actually see; It's a friggin' girls bike!! You know the scene, the ol' man rides the BIG bike, and the little woman gets the Sporty, and rides behind him. It's all so pathetic really . Especially when you consider that the Sportster is quicker and better handling than the "bigguns" from HD [ you only have to be a 3 when the others are a 2 ] . Have you seen a full grown man on a Sporty? It looks comical. Ciao, Steve

Ah yes, Ojai, Ca. is quite a hotbed of motorcycle afluent residents. Guy's collection was one of many collections we took in last spring at the Inter. Laverda Rally hosted by Ojai resident and great guy Bob Andren, also a lover of Italia, and crazy about Laverdas. The man himself Piero Laverda and his son Giovanni rode in with the rest of us on around 50 Laverdas to this collection, which was my favourite of this time in Ojai. Guy's collection of MV's is truly spectacular for me, and I would sell a kidney to have an 850 America in my garage. This video brings back very good memories. Ciao, Steve

Any squid can be a hero with 150hp. Ciao, Steve

The Shoei Syncrotec is the best that's for sure. Actually, for 2007, they will be replacing it for another. Ciao, Steve

I don't give a shit either way. Ciao, Steve

Actually, when the Magni fairing for the V11 became available, I thought they had copied to a tee the factory option Futura fairing available for 1981 and 1982 Jota's. Futura was a company just down the street from the Laverda factory in Breganze that made bodywork kits for alot of bikes, and went into a gentlemens agreement with the Laverda family on this. #17 of 100. Regarding the encumbrances which may be evident, Ryan hit the nail on the head. As former Rhodesian comedian Benny Hill once said in one of his skitts, " why buy a book when there's a thrivin' lendin' library in the town"!! I'm 47, been engaged to be married, lived with two ladies, blind dates regularly, no grey, well a bit. But, not yet. The picture? Well, as I was sweeping the crap out of the garage, my old Austrian neighbour Lou Partzer was cleaning out his gutter with his ladder. He said he would take a picture with his ladder If I set up the bikes. The two most recent bikes? Well, I was recently willed, no, given a bike. A '70 Beemer R75/5, a nice ol' cream puff. The gent who gave it too me I've known for years. He told me long ago he had the bike going to me in his will, but I told him he'd never croak. Well, as he is now 90, and with both knees broken from a ww2 bomb in France while a dispatch rider for the English Army, he was having trouble holding the bike up. He decided to hand over the keys. I was extremely flattered, and I shall treat the machine with much respect. The other bike is, a GSPD, one to replace the GS you see in the background, of which I had an extremely bad incident in California. I can't go into details right now, but the machine is in need of as much healing as the owner. Harley's. Well, I can see myself with an old 45, suicide shift, flat head, cast iron head, original leather saddle, with no tassles, very very cool. But the modern Harleys [there's an oxymoron], I'm sorry, but no, no, no. Totally pretend cookie cutter bikes. Ciao, Steve

Thought I'd show everyone the great lump behind the name, and the runners he gets to look after. I've added 2 more since this picture, sorry, not Guzzis. Ciao, Steve

Actually, in my quest to look for the best boots at the best price, I have found that much like Toyota, IPod, and other notables, Sidi has but a small group of official outlets, and has them under strict control regarding price, whether they are a shop, or internet outlet. That price is $249.99 U.S.. The best I could do was at the BMW shop in Boise when I was there last month, which reluctantly would throw in a BMW cap, but no movement on price. Of course, retail outlets in Canada are simply out of touch, with the going rate of $500Cdn, friggin' stupid prices up here. The big Beemer dealer in Fife Wa. has the Sidi's for 249, that probably what I'll end up with. Ciao, Steve

I find myself in the unique position of agreeing 100% with Ratchethack on his comments above. The school system is indeed an indoctrination process run by the indoctrinated. The result is a youth without the most basic common sense to run their lives without the help of "higher purpose persons", and of course "big brother" himself. Kids coming out of school think that a slotted screwdriver is for mixing their Starbucks coffee, think that there's a button to turn on a tape measure, and have "McDonalds drive through syndrom", the belief that anything, any service, is but a 3 minute crawl to the pay booth. I see it every day when 20 yr olds come into my shop, and are shocked that the installation of their windshield in their '05 Acura will take longer than 10 minutes. We can all thank the socialist thinking that has corrupted the teaching system. Ciao, Steve

I can't read German. What's the story on that thing? Is that 500bhp on tap? Ciao, Steve

I liken the political situation in many free countries these days [mine included] as a soft dictatorship, interupted every 4 yrs or so by one day of democracy [voting day]. 50% plus 1 vote, gets all the power. Ciao, Steve

I've heard of that model. I don't think they make them any more, replaced by the Discovery. It's probably what I'll get, I'll pick it up at the Seattle show. Ciao, Steve

I think you're just looking for a 'word scrap'. Am I close to being right? Just stirring it up I think. Must be bored down San Diego way. Ciao, Steve

I've always thought the new Guzzis were too much money, and at 1500$ off, still a bit much. Ciao, Steve

Hi Docc, I checked that picture, and it looks bad when you expand it. If you want, I will e-mail it to you, and you can try to expand it. PM your e-mail, I'll send it right away. BTW, it's a scan of an old original Laverda advertising poster/booklet from the late 1970's. Just like Norton, they used fine looking ladies to sell their product. Ciao, Steve

Yup I know what you mean. I was recently talking to the salesman at the big BMW dealer in Seattle [Rides West, talking about Sidi Disco's actually] and Baja. He went last year, and hit snow coming back north near the U.S. border!! He said he froze his ass. I guess there's no guarantees. Unlike yourself, I can handle the heat, but cold makes me nervous. Ciao, Steve