Clock's Ticking Guzzi

[mznyc]

WOW!

Dealer let me take a 1098,848,Monster,and Sport Classic out for a ride today,and all I can say is ,.....WOW!

They had very few miles and it was in the low 40's so couldn't hit it hard but was very impressed.Torque on all were very impressive,especially 1098 and monster.They both had Termi's,Hi flow filters and were a blast.The Monster was very comfortable ,more so than a V11,not a lot,but much more neutral position.The Sport was a little closer to a stock V11.

I never though twice about Monsters but came away impressed.I also like the fact that they and the SC's are similar in looks to the V11.The excuse from Guzzi that they are small and can't compete is getting old.Ducati was about the same size in the 70's and 80's and they re-invested their money into racing and R & D and it is paying off big!

I'm gonna give Guzzi a year or two and if they can't come up with a MODERN,classic looking bike ,I may have to look elsewhere......

[WitchCityBallabio]

The only problem with buying a Ducati is being associated with (for the most part) a bunch of trend humping, fashion lemming poseurs. Don't take my word for it....go to any Italian or European motorcycle show and watch them all strut around in their thousand dollar track suits that always look like they came off the rack the day before.

[rocker59]

Same for me, MZNYC.

 

If Guzzi doesn't produce something like the MGS-01 in the next few years, you'll see me on an 848 for sure.

 

What were your impressions of the 848 ???

[mznyc]

The only problem with buying a Ducati is being associated with (for the most part) a bunch of trend humping, fashion lemming poseurs. Don't take my word for it....go to any Italian or European motorcycle show and watch them all strut around in their thousand dollar track suits that always look like they came off the rack the day before.

Ya I hear ya WCB,similar to the harley cult,but the thing I'm most concerned with is performance and quality.Some of the trim and detail stuff on the Ducks was a little shoddy,but from all reports they are much more reliable than early 90's Ducks.

Mike the 848 is like,uh,umm let me see,,....

Do you remember the first time you had sex?,.........

Well,it's like the second time,now your sure you like it and you want to go back for more,....

it feels and has a lot more torque than the V11,excellent progressive feel brakes,taunt but not harsh suspension,light clutch feel,and a very committed sport position,I could maybe do 100 mile+ days,but for me that would be easy to do on all twisty stuff,no lights or traffic here in the Catskills,

Michael

[Ouiji Veck]

I campaigned a 95 900 SS for 3 years and kept it for a year after

getting my LeMans. I think Ducs are the finest made tool of any kind..including Dewalt.

First "trip" I went on was a 450mi first leg. No problem..I WAS surprised.

My friends 900M is the most fun road bike I've ever rode outside my LeMans.

The fit and finish on both bikes is exquisite. Working on them is a snap, including valve adj.

The tanks flip up and changing an airfilter, battery or assortment of tinkering is

done easily. I put 40K mi om my SS and it never failed me or even hiccuped once. Belts are $40 and take 40 minutes to do every 12000 mi. Nimble, fast, torquey, dependable, comfortable

and in the case of the Monster, extremely comfortable.

 

So whats wrong with 'em?

There's a kids bike.....a squids bike, a self proclaimed holigan bike.

Always in attack mode (God love 'em) There's nothing under 4Krpm

They're like a constantly barking dog on a chain if your not breaking the law.

bbbbbBBBBBBbbbbBBBRHHHHH FOOOOOOBAHHHHhhhhh repeat.

Which is exilerating and adrenaline pumpingly wonderful...for an hour or so..

Maybe even for a day or two...but day after day after day after day scarring

children and old ladies and attracting the attention of every cop in the valley ..

well it just gets old.

But...I owned one and loved it and will always get a far away look in my eye when the subject comes up. If I ever can afford to have 2 bikes again #2 will be a latter model Monster

with as much HP as I can get in a Desmodue. (pass on the Quatro)

I love the OEM Dial-a-Wheelie feature.

 

Once I got the Guzzi the Duc became a Sunday afternoon 100 miler, neighbor hood bike..then less and less. Eventually I felt rediculous and silly on it at my age on such an aggressive bike on the public byways. My buddy on his M me on the SS...using them the way they're intended to be used. Nothing to be proud of.

 

That being said, no rider should go a whole life time without one for at least a season or two.

One just for the track would be the best idea. That's where they belong. They insist on

acting stupid. I swear they really do insist and ya just can't talk 'em out of it.

I can make my LeMans go just like the Duc but I can also back it down and get all kinds of grins and giggles at a little more reasonable speeds or even clunking around @ 45-50.

I really like it...even more than the SS. Just wish it was as simple and trustworthy.

(It's only not trustworthy from reading this $%$# forum )

Well...that's my Duc lecture..

Drinking and posting......again...

 

p.s. I don't see any more jerks on Ducs than anything else ('cept Guzzis..that's another thing. Guzzi riders are the best of fellow riders I've met)

[Slavomir Musilek (R.I.P.)]

local VOXAN dealer promised me to swap bikes on some weekend, I'll let him ride my V11 (as soon I put it all together ) and he will let my ride his Voxan Black Charade

 

 

as you can see, it is really close to V11 LM but... the technique.... It really thrills my heart

[Guest rosso mandello]

The only problem with buying a Ducati is being associated with (for the most part) a bunch of trend humping, fashion lemming poseurs. Don't take my word for it....go to any Italian or European motorcycle show and watch them all strut around in their thousand dollar track suits that always look like they came off the rack the day before.

 

You are right, it is the same in Denmark. I went to an Italian Track day, where all the expensive DUCATI's got smoked from and old Guzzi driver on an 20 old T5, they had the bike, he had the guts.

 

GUZZI is about a feeling, but I agree that we could use som of the power from theese bikes

 

summer is up, greetings

 

Rosso Mandello

[antonio carroccio]

and he will let my ride his Voxan Black Charade

better choose the best camouflage you can get before rising on that....that...vehicle.

I would never and never be recognize during riding that thing.

 

I would ride the Solex of TX in place of…

[Slavomir Musilek (R.I.P.)]

better choose the best camouflage you can get before rising on that....that...vehicle.

I would never and never be recognize during riding that thing.

 

I would ride the Solex of TX in place of…

 

:D

[Paul Minnaert]

the fairing looks like a v11 le mans copy.

[Slavomir Musilek (R.I.P.)]

the fairing looks like a v11 le mans copy.

 

that's why I like it so much!

 

Another GREAT looking bike in tons of average desing from the east

[Guzzirider]

My Monster S4Rs was great fun- but I used it too little as it had no real practicality in the real world, with less than a hundred mile tank range. 130rwhp is pretty metal though!

 

I love Ducatis and I will get another one- probably a used cheapish 749S just for track days. Nobody loves them 'cos they are the old model and in some eyes not very pretty, whcih makes them cheap for those in the know.

[Tom M]

If you're really interested in the 1098 you should give this a ride too:

 

 

The bike! RC8 test: http://www.biketestusa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=6090 ,

 

 

I'd probably go after an 848 if I was in the market for a new sport bike. Even though I think the MGS is the coolest Guzzi ever, I don't think it could compete in the sportbike market with a 120hp air cooled motor

 

Slavomir, please let us know what the Voxan is like once you've ridden it. I like that one and the naked version, but have never seen a post from someone who's ridden one compare it to a Guzzi. I doubt I'll ever see one for real on this side of the pond.

[stogieBill]

I guess I'm in the same boat with a lot of you guys. Still looking for the bike that hasn't been made yet. There's a lot of things I like about the new Guzzi's, Ducatis, Aprilias and KTM's. Unfortunately, there's enough I don't care for to keep me from "jumping" into a new model.

 

I want the classic looks, with the modern materials and reliability. I need a bike I can be comfortable on; a bike that thrills my soul and satisfies the young kid that still lives in my head. The older I get, the harder this dilemma is going to be to solve.

 

The clock is ticking and I'm still looking.

 

[orangeokie]

I would like to add this duck to the stable . . .