Another new guy on the block

[Guest RoMoMoTo]

New here but not green. About me: 40 years in the saddle, pretty competent shade tree mechanic. Among the dozens of bikes I've had over the decades, my one keeper has been a Norton Commando I've had since 1982. Burned up in a garage fire last year, I'm nearly finished restoring it.

This year I bought a CX100 basket case, which I'm almost done assembling. So, I'm pretty comfortable with wrenching, fiddling and keeping an old machine running.

As a motorcycle tour company operator - and tour guide - I need a good bike for about 10,000 miles per year. I've been using a Suzuki DL650 (V-Strom) for this purpose, and though it's comfortable and reliable, it has no soul. So I'm thinking about replacing it with a Guzzi - not a new one, but one that's been broken in and had any initial glitches addressed. I tend to be an old school, cafe racer kind of guy, and have developed a serious jones for a V11 LeMans. I have my eye on a 2002 LeMans with low miles.

I've done some reading about breaking tranny spring, overloaded relays, etc., and that stuff doesn't really scare me, though I don't like a breakdown on the road while leading a tour. Also, I need pretty reasonable all-day comfort, and I'm not a young buck.

While the LeMans is sexy as hell, the Quota is probably a bit more versatile, as it should be more content on the occasional dirt/gravel road. But it ain't sexy...

I sure would be happy to get your learned opinions on the suitability of the LeMans I mention above, or maybe a Quota, for my purposes. I'll eliminate the California and related models right off the bat, as I don't like cruiser styling.

Thanks for any/all feedback.

RoMoMoTo

[waspp]

Welcome! I may have the perfect solution to your situation. Hire me as a motorcycle tour guide, buy a Quota and we can switch bikes for half the season. Love my Rosso Corsa but wouldn't mind a Quota now and then as well.

 

Hal

[Guest RoMoMoTo]

Welcome! I may have the perfect solution to your situation. Hire me as a motorcycle tour guide, buy a Quota and we can switch bikes for half the season. Love my Rosso Corsa but wouldn't mind a Quota now and then as well.

 

Hal

 

Hal, that's a right creative idea! Are you sure you could give up sunny Albany and the mighty Hudson for small town Colorado and twisty mountain roads with no traffic?

 

RoMoMoTo

[waspp]

Hmmmm lets see we have a high cost of living, soaring income taxes, lots of cold weather, soaring property taxes, people who don't know how to drive a car, and a Governer who wants to give licences to illegal aliens! (thankfully hes backed away from that for now) Did I mention high taxes! Fortunately i'm north of Albany where there are still more cows than cars1

[Ryland3210]

Welcome aboard! Coincidentally, I also have been riding 40 years, and until I couldn't risk kick starting my '70 Norton Commando any more, it was my favorite ride for 30 years. Loved that bike, and it never let me down. Life goes on and I'm happy to have bought an '04 Cafe Sport two years ago.

 

Take a look at the Ballabio & Cafe Sport models. The main difference is Ohlin suspension on the latter. These models are somewhat more comfortable than the LeMans. They have the 6 Speed transmission without the tranny spring problem. Better relays available now, and better load distribution. Design defects are minor, and with the help of this forum, you would quickly learn how to remedy them. There's a list somewhere among the posts.

 

[Guest RoMoMoTo]

Welcome aboard! Coincidentally, I also have been riding 40 years, and until I couldn't risk kick starting my '70 Norton Commando any more, it was my favorite ride for 30 years. Loved that bike, and it never let me down. Life goes on and I'm happy to have bought an '04 Cafe Sport two years ago.

 

Take a look at the Ballabio & Cafe Sport models. The main difference is Ohlin suspension on the latter. These models are somewhat more comfortable than the LeMans. They have the 6 Speed transmission without the tranny spring problem. Better relays available now, and better load distribution. Design defects are minor, and with the help of this forum, you would quickly learn how to remedy them. There's a list somewhere among the posts.

 

 

 

Ryland, thanks for your comments. I've been away from the forum for a couple of weeks due to other demands. Just today I got my CX100 running - first fire inside in four years. Sounds great! Thanks for your perspectives on the Ballabio and Sport. I do need to have an all-day comfortable bike, and will look into them.

RoMoMoTo

[Guest RoMoMoTo]

Hmmmm lets see we have a high cost of living, soaring income taxes, lots of cold weather, soaring property taxes, people who don't know how to drive a car, and a Governer who wants to give licences to illegal aliens! (thankfully hes backed away from that for now) Did I mention high taxes! Fortunately i'm north of Albany where there are still more cows than cars1

 

Wow, you make upstate New York sound great! I do like the barge canal, though...

RoMoMoTo