belfastguzzi

Oh and there's that other V Twin. Shoulda held onto yours and another 850-ish T5-ish

Here's Christmas present As I wrote on FB: "Amazed to find Bill Mason's Waterwalker film from 1984. In pre-internet days, sourcing and obtaining Mason's canoe books was a precious joy. Now, all that stuff is just there. (And this with a Bruce Cockburn soundtrack.)"

Phew!!! That was a close one Happy festive friendly Christmas to V-chums.

Prodigal Bill's new romance, eh. Very nice.

Less bikes... or more bikes? Text from a couple of places on the web: € euros Austria 1.35 Belgium 1.44 CzechRep 1.32 Denmark 1.47 France 1.48 Germany 1.49 Greece 1.59 Hungary 1.19 Ireland 1.50 Italy 1.63 Latvia 1.24 Luxembourg 1.32 Netherlands 1.55 Norway 1.78 Poland 1.22 Portugal 1.50 Slovakia 1.46 Slovenia 1.31 Spain 1.33 Sweden 1.48 Switzerland 1.38 UK 1.58 Quote > Italy has been run into the ground by the previous administration (the flamboyant Berlusconi), and the current Prime Minister is stuck with the bill. It's a bit like getting to the dinner table at an expensive restaurant for dessert, and finding out you're stuck with the bill. Italy has been trying everything they can to stave off bankruptcy, and one way of doing it is to bleed its citizens to tax death. Since most Italians love motorized vehicles (just look at the biggest & sexiest manufacturers of cars and motorcycles), the one area they can get money from is fuel. This year alone already saw 3 gas tax hikes, and now the new Monti government has added €0.10 per liter to an already very high fuel price (already Italy in October had the 2nd highest fuel price), making it Europe's most expensive gas price (regional authorities can add an extra €0.01 local tax). With a public transport system that is cracking under the pressure, with no money to pay for fuel for their cars and motorcycles, it's going to be interesting to see how things progress in Italy in 2012. Will an Arabian Spring Revolution hit Italy? Or will the Italians shrug their collective shoulders and continue the way they used to? But one thing is for sure, there will be a lot less motorcycle buying, and motorcycle riding. Which is a pity. -------------------------------------- Quote > Italy’s new Premier (and his unelected government of technocrats) calls the massive 30 billion euro ($40.5 billion) austerity package “Salva Italia” (Save Italy) and it’s all in spending cuts and tax hikes (blood and tears). Today the government further raised taxes on gas and for the fourth time this year (three times by the previous Berlusconi government); so in 2011 while financing cultural projects, helping fleeing immigrants from war torn Libya and paying for effects from the devastating Tuscan and Liguria flash floods in November (and still paying for the 1935 Abyssinia War and the 1956 Suez Crisis), now drivers and riders in Italy will now have to dish out an extra 10 cents (including VAT) per liter to help save Italy from default. Regional governments can also slap on extra one cent to help pay for public transportations costs that were cut in a previous spending bill, but it doesn’t stop here because on January 1st, the Monti government has already programmed another tax hike on gas. I think that Italians can forget the Ducati 1199 Panigale or any motorcycle, because the only two wheels many Italians will be riding next year will be bicycles.

Ah ha! Good thought: which album could it be? Something more clever/interesting than Drive By Truckers (DBT immediately springs to mind). C'mon y'all

From old health & safety manual

Tools vs insight From Seth Godin's blog, today

riding Tennis

Do you have Joyce's phone# ? If you want it, it's in Tino's pocket.

Worst ever

Interesting. I've just asked them what their aim is, in terms of bringing the bike to market.

Good man, Carl. I wet straight to Old Tractor and got The Griso chart. Thanks for your work. D

Of course: that is one way of viewing and one way of engaging. It can be a good & useful approach, but it doesn't mean that other conversations can't be had. Ignoring things is sometimes ok and sometimes not the best thing. I wish that the motorbike dealer who owes me parts wouldn't keep ignoring me or the issue. Sure, he's got the bit he digs (the sale, my money) and he's ignoring the rest. Good for him - but short sighted. That's why Piaggio Guzzi is down the tubes in many places. To me, ignoring the state of things and always slapping on more gloss emulsion isn't gonna hold the wall up. Mostly we enjoy and enthuse. Sometimes it's worth a slight poke to see what's under the paint, don't you think? The hard reality of modern life is that you have to put on a "show".Motorcycles are a luxury and leisure item and you have to appeal to a certain degree to the "lifestyle" and as most buyers will have a partner, them as well. Doesn't matter how good the product this is a necessity or you will be dead in the water with the leisure/luxury market. Once apon a time you could rely on the quality selling the product and generating a certain image,now its the other way around. Not saying I like it this way just that's the way it is. As for the show I would just love to be back in Mandello again an have a look in the factory.The rest would be a bonus. I have principle when it comes to the majority of dealers......Once I leave with the bike they never see it again unless I have a major warranty issue and then I keep them on such a short leash its better for them to treat me well than mess me about. Minor warranty stuff,servicing and tuning I will deal with myself.Generally better to keep things away from the "oil change specialists" that 90% of dealerships claim are technicians. ciao Yeah, you're right about all that.

Of course: that is one way of viewing and one way of engaging. It can be a good & useful approach, but it doesn't mean that other conversations can't be had. Ignoring things is sometimes ok and sometimes not the best thing. I wish that the motorbike dealer who owes me parts wouldn't keep ignoring me or the issue. Sure, he's got the bit he digs (the sale, my money) and he's ignoring the rest. Good for him - but short sighted. That's why Piaggio Guzzi is down the tubes in many places. To me, ignoring the state of things and always slapping on more gloss emulsion isn't gonna hold the wall up. Mostly we enjoy and enthuse. Sometimes it's worth a slight poke to see what's under the paint, don't you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMZPTHxCYFw

Ha ha I think you'll love this one Baldini Have a good day now

Bikes here that do good talking. Including 306, 310 and others A Kind Of Passion EDIT got it on Youtube. I'll repost in new topic

Harley design stance Nice video: sorry, Vimeo again > Same Stance, New Generation You'll also find Benedict Campbell's new Wall Of Death movie on there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJD92H7oADs I wonder what this is saying about motorbikes (and it's a bit hard to spot the bikes in there) and about Guzzi? Only wondering a little bit, mind, not a lot. What does it say to you?

Interesting comment Baldi, as I'm just about to post a video of GMG 2011 and say that it doesn't say anything about, or point to, Guzzi's future. I wouldn't go far as to say that it all looks like fiddling while Rome is burning...

Breathtaking beauty

You might like to look back at this Topic, with Lodola etc > ol' bits n bobs