belfastguzzi

Re your avatar – trust a Tenni rider to park across a race track like that! You guys are desperate for attention. Can't figure it out myself. They just don't make threads like they used to, before the war. Luckily, there is one decent thread on this board. There's actually one more, but I'm keeping its location a secret.

yeh I might mean that or maybe my granny made me say it "it's not a real bike if it don't have a chain, anyway!"

30 miles per minute! No wonder he's flying

and you know what TIME it is....

– that's why you didn't want us to ask.

Well, here's one of the threads anyway. fitting cans and another

Not in every way, but in some ways that I think are important. Partly explained here. It's only a personal, particular viewpoint, not scientific and not 'correct'. The Griso looks like it is just a touch too artificially enhanced. The design is notched up a click too far. It's not entirely fair to judge from photos though. It is potentialy longer lasting than the Breva's look/design. I just think that machines get to the point where a combination of becoming too designed, too technically complex, too expensive means that they are comfortably functional, as long as they work; are beautiful, until they swiftly fade from transient fashion; are economical, until they have to be scrapped and more made and purchased; are fit for purpose, until you want them to be a bit more flexible and fulfil a few more purposes than just one. Modern cars blah blah blah... I know what I mean, but it will take all night to explain, so I'll not. It's screwdrivers versus pozidrives. PS the last real/proper means of home music reproduction Linn Sondek LP 12

What about this picture from Stephen Davison's new book. Sums up the special (and mad?) nature of this sport. "Experience the ragged edge of road racing – the most extreme of extreme sports. Man and machine hurtling at 170mph between hedges and stonewalls, balancing speed and risk at every corner. But behind the adrenaline-charged race scene there’s another story: the long hours of the monotonous day job that pays for the racing; the longer nights in small, draughty sheds building the bikes; the banter of the paddock; the struggle to overcome the pain of crash injuries; the abject misery of defeat and the sheer joy of the podium. In Ragged Edge, Stephen Davison, author of bestsellers Joey Dunlop: King of the Roads and Beautiful Danger, tells that story. In over 120 stunning full-colour photographs he gives a thrilling and personal insight into the road racing scene and the lives of the riders. He draws the reader into the world of current and former road racing stars like Joey and Robert Dunlop, David Jefferies and John McGuinness, Martin Finnegan and Ryan Farquhar, as well as lesser-known racers like Kenny McCrea and Dean Cooper. Through Davison’s photographs we share in their moments of bravery, disappointment, pain and triumph, and enjoy a roadside view of the incredible racing action they create in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Macau. These photographs and the stories behind them are a compelling testament to the trust and intimacy that exists between Stephen Davison and the riders. Ragged Edge is the ultimate road-racing book, combining the thrills and spills of racing with intimate portraits of the riders and insights into the dangers they face."

And, it will still be a real Guzzi. 65807[/snapback] It might be more of a real Piaggio? But – there are two different tracks here. One is the 'real Guzzi' notion. The other is about: is the new real Guzzi still a real proper motorbike, in the way that the V.11, despite its shortcomings, is (according to some)? It's like: the C21st Freelander is a real Land Rover, but is it a real proper motor in the way that the real proper pre-electronics Land Rovers were/are? The old Land Rovers have many deficiencies, like the V.11, but in so many ways they are more 'the perfect vehicle' than even a modern top-of the range Range Rover is.

Wowsie. Bike's looking pretty sharp Martin. Reminds me of a Kawasaki. What's the big shiney silver bit at the side? Giant chocolate bar or giant crash bar, or are you doing that Griso thang? Will it do a hundred mister?

So many bikes all headed to Montana. Dental Floss technicians convention?

This bit is a cover version or cheap reinterpretation of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Will the real Viv Stanshall please stand up? "Hi there, nice to be with you, glad you could stick around. Like to introduce `Legs' Larry Smith, drums And Sam Spoons, rhythm pole And Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell, bass guitar And Neil Innes, piano. Come in Rodney Slater on the saxophone With Roger Ruskin Spear on tenor sax. I, Vivian Stanshall, trumpet. Say hello to big John Wayne, xylophone And Robert Morley, guitar. Billy Butlin, spoons. And looking very relaxed, Adolf Hitler on vibes. Nice! Princess Anne on sousaphone. Mmm. Introducing Liberace, clarinet With Garner "Ted" Armstrong on vocals. [Jazzy scat singing] Lord Snooty and his pals, tap dancing. In the groove with Harold Wilson, violin And Franklin McCormack on harmonica. Over there, Eric Clapton, ukulele. Hi Eric! On my left Sir Kenneth Clark, bass sax. A great honour, sir. And specially flown in for us, the session's gorilla on vox humana. Nice to see Incredible Shrinking Man on euphonium. Drop out with Peter Scott on duck call. Hearing from you later, Casanova on horn. Yeah! Digging General de Gaulle on accordion. Rather wild, General! Thank you, sir. Roy Rogers on Trigger. Tune in Wild Man of Borneo on bongos. Count Basie Orchestra on triangle. [CBO:] (Ting!) Thank you. Great to hear the Rawlinsons on trombone. Back from his recent operation, Dan Druff, harp. And representing the flower people, Quasimodo on bells. [Q:] Hooray! Wonderful to hear Brainiac on banjo. We welcome Val Doonican as himself. [V:] Hullo there! Very appealing, Max Jaffa. Mmm, that's nice, Max! What a team, Zebra Kid and Horace Batchelor on percussion. A great favourite and a wonderful performer of all of us here, J. Arthur Rank on gong."

Hey Bill, can I order one of those groovey mugs? PS I notice in your pics that the reverse-angle gusset is missing. If you're lucky it might be rolling around the garage floor somewhere.

Yes, possibly. It wouldn't cost too much to mail across the Atlantic, would it?

You're right, fit and finish isn't great for such expensive items. Sound is quite fine though and the bike runs well: probably the way that it should be supplied in the first place. There are at least a couple of threads with some photos about different approaches to positioning the pipes. They can be got into pretty good shape with a bit of work and learning from others' mistakes (no names, no pack drill). I'll see if I can find some.

Are you still in warranty? Can't remember if you said before where the bike came from.

Martin, please get a life and DO keep up! Read the Scura Forum (ok, thread) again and pay attention, especially the bit where Jaap pleads to be allowed to join.

The concept of time doesn't interest me

Of course, I could be wrong.

It's time for a new dawn. Let the pruning of the Moderators begin.

Despite the quite correct views put forward, I think there is still merit in the opinion that the V.11 is the last 'real' proper motorbike from Guzzi – unless some surprises come along. That's not the same as saying that the V.11 is perfect, or that it is a very well executed design – not at all. There's more to motorbike than that. Further reasons are given elsewhere, probably in the Breva bashing thread amonst others.

In combination, then, you're a complete a*se! Perfect.

Cor! What's the 1100 like?

Please post these pictures in the Scura thread so that the cognoscenti can examine it.