belfastguzzi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmNmSkxg2bE

The music in the Ferrari factory conservatoire is more sophisticated http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdcoVurVY30

Looks pretty easy really. Don't know why there isn't a spring and a couple of bolts left at the end though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMhqTR6-Ku8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3mpDjFTLdw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yjIJ8ibOs8

I need to do this on the Griso head too, as the Service Agent stripped one of the rocker bolt threads. What do you mean by PO and spare parts? As I understand it, the problem about fitting Helicoils is the expense of the fitting tool: so you need to find someone else who can do it, or pay a high cost to buy a tool for one or two uses.

March meet will be at new venue, see first post. A new person was there on Tuesday - new owner of SP 1000 – after seeing info on web. Anyone else? Come on along.

and you saw the state of the tyre that came off Stirling Moss' car? Like a really bad shag pile rug.

I am quite serious that the brand image that Moto Guzzi have been projecting in recent years (through its product delivery, its service, its customer relations and its general communications) – as much by default as by intention – has been out-of-touch, out-of-date and more trashy than it should be. I believe, though others do not agree, that such an image is not attracting customers, nor creating any great excitement among the loyal previous customers. I have tested this on various Guzzi forums over the past year and more – and the feedback and comment confirms it, to me. Perhaps the REALLY enthusiastic people are just keeping quiet for some reason, or they don't visit forums; and they are out there, buying new bikes in secret. I understand what you are saying about why Guzzi thinks it's good to produce below-par offerings and stop-gap products. I'm just saying that I (as a customer, committed supporter, observer) don't think that it is good enough: and it's a short-termism that ultimately may just be confirming the hopelessness of the brand rather than turning things around and acting as a crucial step to ensure its survival. Let's face it: nothing HAS to go on for ever. There comes a time when it's better to finish on a high note, rather than slump into decline and keep whimpering along ignoring the circumstances (customers). For sure, Moto Guzzi are not good at the communications business (major understatement) – so maybe they actually have a cunning masterplan and maybe they will surprise and delight in 2013. Looks like we'll have to wait until then to see.

I previously put an article that I found onto a web page > Development of Road Racing in Ulster – Between the Hedges Here is some old Pathé news reel film of the Ulster TT, on the web Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss > http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39722 Ulster International Trophy Race video newsreel film. Stirling Moss, Mike Hawthorn, Fangio, Ferrari - silent > http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=62032 This 1950s Ulster promo Includes Ulster TT, mentions Ards, shows some Antrim Coast Road, has motorbikes at the end 7mins 40 Dundrod again, 250s & 350s > http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=78594 And, for a bit of Italian: Car Racing in Italy, Nuvolari at Naples > http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=82921

Ulster International Tourist Trophy Not sure if I posted about the Ards TT races before? Don't see anything on a quick search. The last race was in 1936, when the road course was abandoned after 8 spectators were killed and 40 injured in a crash. Map of Ards TT Course After the Ards races ended because of the tragedy, the Ulster Tourist Trophy races moved to Dundrod, in the 50s. Dundrod road course was 7 miles 732 yards long and undulating between 500 and 1000 feet above sea level and was reckoned to be one of the best road courses in Europe. The race was run under Formula two rules - 500cc supercharged and 2000cc unsupercharged and it was compulsory for all drivers to wear a crash helmet with goggles or a visor and to have reached a high level of physical fitness. The new Dundrod circuit was used for the first time in 1950, won by Peter Whitehead in a Ferrari at an average speed of 84.32 mph; the 1951 race was attended by the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret and was won by Farina in an Alfa Romeo (91.46mph). In 1952 the race was the last to be run under Formula 1 rules with two BRMs driven by Moss and Fangio (neither finished): the winner was Taruffi in a Ferrari (81.43mph). The '53 race was won by Mike Hawthorn in a Ferrari with Ken Wharton second in a Cooper Bristol. I came across some old film: next post >

Indeed: it totally did & totally does. It's very refreshing. That's why Guzzi's output and the message that they are giving to the world about Moto Guzzi is so very disappointing. Guzzi don't stand alone in the world: they are in competition and everyone has a lot of alternatives to compare the brand and the product with. Other brands have moved forward and are producing great products. Guzzi, in so many crucial ways, is giving the message that it is content to be a dumbed down parody (taking these two bikes as the current example). I still don't see how this is attracting hordes of customers. As I have said so many times: it is us, the long-term owners and 'enthusiasts' who are effectively doing the work of promoting the brand, galvanising enthusiasm and trying to create custom for the product. is just not giving us much to work with, either with product, or with service, or with vision for the future. Sure. my enthusiasm for the current brand is running thin. I'll still do my bit and do more than the wretched company system deserves. That 'loyalty' is not likely to stretch to buying another new bike from them though.

It doesn't have a lot: it has an eXceSS – and this is not the early 60s – This is half a century on from then. It has a lot of Disney Dumbo

Those rocker covers must be a styling exercise as it's the same motor as all the rest now. The inlet is styled too. As the whole bike is a Tonka toy pastiche, i'd say it's just done to make the engine look BIGger. I think the clue is in the name: Califiornia Like it or loathe it, Ducati's styling and tech in the Diavel at least had commitment.

That is an amazing list Congratulations. Looks like it will be a fantastic day. There is no possibility of even starting a list like that over in this faraway outpost of Europe.

It's called, clutching at straws! Defining the seasons is a tricky business. What we can say is that due to thermal lag and what-not, winter, as we perceive it, won't really move out until the end of March. However, I have just found these dates, which are very interesting because they agree precisely with my posts/observations. According to the traditional reckoning of seasons, Winter begins between 5 November and 10 November – and by on-bike observation I said 7th November! and it ends between 2 February and 7 February – and I chose the 6th February, just because it's a potential riding day, otherwise it would have been a bit earlier. Spot-on, eh? Appendix: Traditional reckoning Traditional seasons are reckoned by insolation, with summer being the quarter of the year with the greatest insolation and winter the quarter with the least. These seasons begin about four weeks earlier than the meteorological seasons and 7 weeks earlier than the astronomical seasons. In traditional reckoning, the seasons begin at the cross-quarter days. The solstices and equinoxes are the midpoints of these seasons. For example, the days of greatest and least insolation are considered the "midsummer" and "midwinter" respectively. This reckoning is used by various traditional cultures in the Northern Hemisphere, including East Asian and Irish cultures. So, according to traditional reckoning, winter begins between 5 November and 10 November, Samhain, 立冬 (lìdōng or rittou); spring between 2 February and 7 February, Imbolc, 立春 (lìchūn or risshun); summer between 4 May and 10 May, Beltane, 立夏 (lìxià or rikka); and autumn between 3 August and 10 August, Lughnasadh, 立秋 (lìqiū or risshū). The middle of each season is considered Mid-winter, between 20 December and 23 December, 冬至 (dōngzhì or touji); Mid-spring, between 19 March and 22 March, 春分 (chūnfēn or shunbun); Mid-summer, between 19 June and 23 June, 夏至 (xiàzhì or geshi); and Mid-autumn, between 21 September and 24 September, 秋分 (qiūfēn or shūbun). And see http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/badseasons.html

I've got it here. Not read it. I don't really like his attitude: I'll get over that and have a go.

It's another way, to get there, but not 'just' another way. I was wondering about that too. Walking is – another way. As is the horse, or a bus or a car. All different experiences. For each way, the combination of sensations felt and knowledge referred to and skills exercised and challenges overcome, make each unique. With the motorcycle, intimate proximity to unstable machine + speed + internal combustion + places makes potential for something special. Beyond Nick Sanders, as a first thought, who is writing and creating pictures about 'the motorbike song' today? A few years ago we debated 'The Perfect Vehicle'. I didn't find it completely convincing, but out of all the bike travel books out there, it came close-ish to reflecting on the machine. Charley & Ewan, for example, don't really do that at all, do they? Maybe web blogs are doing it now?

:!: Local UK content :!: This Saturday's brightening of the sky, blue emerging from the grey; a hint of warmth along with daylight stretching to 5 o'clock… something about the sight and the feel of the air gave a sensation of change. Is this the endpoint of Winter's grip? I checked back to see what the date was, when I had noted that it felt like a definite change into winter time. It was a ride on Sunday 7th November: post 'The event of Winter's arrival' = http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16286&view=findpost&p=175178 Counting the days from that Sunday up until the shortest day – and then on forwards to now: it's almost the same number. Next week it will be the same number. We are equidistant, on this other side of 21st December, on the side of lengthening days. It's a total period of 3 months, a quarter of a year. So, despite the continuing cold and promised rain, will next weekend mark the practical end of Winter and feel like the entrance of a new season?

What I meant was that the very same description could equally have applied to Eric, Jack & Ginger = Cream and particularly the latter two.

~ adding counterpoint to Docc's singing bike thread ~ While watching-listening to Roddy Woomble on stage this afternoon, I thought about how a good song could be like a good motorbike journey, taking mind and emotions to experience new or well-loved places. Such thought association was partly brought about because I was hankering to be out on the bike at the time, as winter's sky was brightening, though still cold: and was also prompted because Woomble's song and music conjured emotions of place and people and journey (of Scotland – farms, hills, harbours, islands and A87 Road to Skye). Conversely too, a good motorbike ride can, perhaps should, be like a good song. A ride is not just about hammering along focused exclusively on the technicalities of the bike and road: as music isn't just about the notes. A good motorbike ride, through everything that the bike enables in and for the rider, can open new and unexpected experience; create enriching engagement with place(s) and people (and weather); and feed the spirit with a multitude of transports and reverberations. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Roddy Woomble... what the? Folk! Indie folk would be the farthest you could stretch. He sure wasn't singing rock'n'roll. So how can there be any connection to a motorbike experience? Motorcycling tends to be identified with a narrow genre of raucous, rowdy riffs. I suppose it was the early symbiosis with Rockers. A little later, Easy Rider actually had a fair spread of sounds: however the broad catalogue of film, bike rally and now youtube soundtracks is dominated by yer basic, heavy rock'n'roll, is it not? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ What motorcycle waltzes are in airwave transmission? Any valve train rolling in six eight or seven eight? Saddlebag sonnets, or five speed free verse?

Oh - interesting that you say that, as I just noticed last week that is what has happened over here: the 'Demo' tag has gone on. It seems that's a likely plan when the new engine comes out (if that's true, see other New Engine thread). Even so, future pie in the sky doesn't diminish the present disappointment that Guzzi thinks it has to demean itself with such shockingly hopeless and irrelevant designs in 2011. I understand what Pete is saying and I know there's a a case for 'needs must' in order to make a Euro or two in hard times, but should Guzzi not have gotten beyond this by now? Triumph still have some lardy bikes in their catalogue, probably for the $$ market – but they're not the shop window, they're not what gives the marque its credibility and desirability. They brought the Street Triple to market and knocked the socks off press, buyers and competitors. Guzzi gives the world the V7 bubble car. Now, 2011, Triumph have the new 800 real world on/off road performers and the superb new Speed Triple. Probably a new Sprint tourer coming? Guzzi presents... the 'scrambler as toy' and 'Mr Porky California'. KTM, Aprilia, Ducati: European bikes are right there at the leading edge of design, performance, popularity. Moto Guzzi digs itself into a deeper backwater hole.

Was it Jack Bruce and/or Ginger Baker who said that?

rhythm and melody makes a classic combo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl6NzgK7C5I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrO4_nyamZs

Well, you just know that loads of the faithful are going to have a Pavlovian response of "Oh the beautiful genius of darling classic Moto Guzzi!" Those 'products' make me think: why would you want to be associated with contemporary Moto Guzzi any more? Proud Eagle flying into the future? More like confused Ostrich lost in a sandy wasteland. Sad.