Weight

[richard100t]

Hello Pete,

What Ben is telling you is that he actually owns both a v11 AND an Aprilia RSV. He isnt comparing how they are similar, just describing his riding experiences from each bike.

[guzzipete]

Perhaps this is more appropriate...

 

[guzzipete]

Hello Pete,

What Ben is telling you is that he actually owns both a v11 AND an Aprilia RSV. He isnt comparing how they are similar, just describing his riding experiences from each bike.

 

True, but they are apples and oranges.

 

[DeBenGuzzi]

True, but they are apples and oranges.

 

true, but its still lighter than the bmw I've test rode and the HD and the Victory and all the cruisers really, the V11 isn't a overly heavy bike at all and yes I was just stating my own experience with the weight and how it works for and against you the guzzi cruises well, the aprilia not so much, its a cafe cruiser she is no sport bike but I don't love it any less.

 

also youre going to have to try harder than that if you want to catch up to the likes of me or BFG in post count

[guzzipete]

also youre going to have to try harder than that if you want to catch up to the likes of me or BFG in post count

 

LOL, give me time! (notch up one more)

 

[gavo]

I own both a GT1000 and V11 and I can say the Ducati is definitely a "sportier" bike in that it accelerates faster and requires less effort to get it to perform and I am not as tired after a day of hard riding. I also find that I am roughly 10mph more confident in the twisties with the GT.

 

That being said, I appreciate riding the Guzzi precisely because it requires greater effort and provides "exaggerated" feedback compared with the Duc -- engine rumble, brake feel, momentum in the corners, seating position,etc. I just feel like I'm melding with the bike more. Plus, it feels better planted.

 

yes and the GT1000 is not even the sporty model the fact is any sportsbike sold new now should weigh under 200kgs. A lot of the bikes on petes list are oldish when 220-250kgs was common I would class the guzz as more of a sport tourer as many of the bikes on said list. I don't know what the roads are like where everyone else lives but in OZ the goat tracks we call roads really show up the guzzi's eerrr -plumpness

[muddy1100]

Plumpness!!!.... nah mate - just heavy bones...

 

Fun to watch a Jap something in front of you ricocheting around on these goat tracks while the ummm heavier,

 

somewhat portly Italian matron just cruises on by...

 

mud

[guzzipete]

A lot of the bikes on petes list are oldish when 220-250kgs was common....

 

Yes you're right, the bikes in that list are oldish - and oldish on purpose - see prior comment re: Guzzi being old school.

 

As I've said before, compared to bikes of a similar technological era it aint heavy, for it's their brother.

 

One might think there is a recurring theme of being old here, but I tend to like the term traditional or sport classic as a better descriptor.

 

A heritage, heart, and soul you will not find in the lifeless modern rice burner. Cookie cutter sports bikes soon forgotten about like yesterday's news.

 

The Guzzi draws comments like no bike that I've ever owned before. From old timers reminiscing to wide eyed teenagers wondering what the hell it is.

 

There's not a thing I would change about it.

 

P.S Before somebody dares suggests German build quality, what fun would there be in a bike that you didn't need to tinker with? For me that's part of the love affair!

[Baldini]

what is this obsession with classification? sports/sport tourer/traditional/naked(???)/adventure sport(!)/cruiser etc etc etc - seems increasingly everything in the world has to fit in a neat labelled box - so we don't have to tax thought or imagination? From motorcycles to music & pictures in galleries - all clearly sorted for easy consumption. "i have a sports bike" ? Ain't they all? Give me & my mate a C50 each & let us out for a ride - sport bikes sure enough. Course a Guzzis heavy - but wether it's a sports bike depends what you do with it. that a sports bike? Pah. A cruiser's what you cruise on, a tourer's what you tour on, A naked's ...well yes i dunno. Run whatever you enjoy, however you enjoy it - just a motorcycle.

 

KB

[Dan M]

P.S Before somebody dares suggests German build quality, what fun would there be in a bike that you didn't need to tinker with? For me that's part of the love affair!

 

Now I'm with you Pete. The satisfaction of a perfectly running motor after careful tuning, or the added confidence inspired by a well handling bike after properly setting up suspension is especially gratifying if you do it yourself. Not to say other bikes don't need sorting, the MG just seems to respond to it. Perhaps that is suggesting that they are poorly put together to begin with. That's OK though, I'll finish the job.

 

I must add though, much of my tinkering has been to make her be and feel lighter.

[d-rock]

I know Moto Guzzis are heavy. I don't think this is any great disadvantage. How much does the Moto Guzzi engine and transmission unit weigh? I think that may be where most of the weight is. It must weigh over 200 lbs maybe 250? Please post the weight if you know it.

 

What about the wieght of the spine frame. It must not weigh more than about 20 lbs?

 

A Ducati ST2 owner sat on my V11 last week and said it felt lighter than his Duc. I am sure it isn't, but maybe the weight is a bit lower.

 

Nigel

 

I used to have an ST2. I can't speak for the weight (though one could look it up), but the big difference is the feel. I rode a friend's Coppa Italia for four days then got home to my ST2. The Ducati feels more open, more "throaty", and more unrestrained. Whether it is actually faster I can't say. In some ways I liked the Ducati better (and later bought a Multistrada after the ST2 started to shed parts), but the V11 is a better city bike and oozes character and charm.

[Guest ratchethack]

Front-to-Rear Weight Bias of the 2000 Guzzi Sport

 

FWIW, here's wot I came up with, from a post nearly 3 years back. Had to look it up myself because I couldn't remember.

 

Measurements were made one wheel at a time, with wheels blocked up even and level.

 

Here's wot I found:

 

DISCLAIMER: I weigh 180 lbs without riding gear. Measurements were made without riding gear. My Guzzi is a slightly modified 2000 Sport. The most significant mods likely to affect front-rear weight bias are replacement of stock mufflers with FBF carbons, and a list o' such trifling matters as the addition of a Stucchi flyscreen, Throttlemeister 14 oz. bar-ends, a smattering of extra relays and heavy gauge wire, a set o' Fiamm Highway Blaster horns, a Stucchi crossover, Roper plate, etc. The latter items I consider negligible to the exercise. Measurements were made with a half-tank of fuel. Laden readings were taken in riding position, as would be the case when taking suspension sag measurements.

 

534 lbs. = unladen

714 lbs. = laden

 

47/53 = F/R % unladen bias

42/58 = F/R % laden bias

 

This^ was actually not as bad as I had expected.

 

Coupla observations:

 

While both the total weight and the weight bias of the V11 design (either taken alone, IMHO), take the Guzzi Sport OUT of the category of modern, nimble-handling Sport machines of today, (some would say it's pretty far out, regardless) It's not all that far out, IMHO.

 

Raising the bars would shift the laden weight bias rearward - potentially a significant amount.

 

Heavier riders than myself would shift the laden weight bias rearward, and lighter riders than myself would shift the bias forward relative to the numbers I got.

 

Ciao.

 

 

Config. as weighed

[richard100t]

Front-to-Rear Weight Bias of the 2000 Guzzi Sport

 

FWIW, here's wot I came up with, from a post nearly 3 years back. Had to look it up myself because I couldn't remember.

 

Measurements were made one wheel at a time, with wheels blocked up even and level.

 

Here's wot I found:

 

DISCLAIMER: I weigh 180 lbs without riding gear. Measurements were made without riding gear. My Guzzi is a slightly modified 2000 Sport. The most significant mods likely to affect front-rear weight bias are replacement of stock mufflers with FBF carbons, and a list o' such trifling matters as the addition of a Stucchi flyscreen, Throttlemeister 14 oz. bar-ends, a smattering of extra relays and heavy gauge wire, a set o' Fiamm Highway Blaster horns, a Stucchi crossover, Roper plate, etc. The latter items I consider negligible to the exercise. Measurements were made with a half-tank of fuel. Laden readings were taken in riding position, as would be the case when taking suspension sag measurements.

 

534 lbs. = unladen

714 lbs. = laden

 

47/53 = F/R % unladen bias

42/58 = F/R % laden bias

 

This^ was actually not as bad as I had expected.

 

Coupla observations:

 

While both the total weight and the weight bias of the V11 design (either taken alone, IMHO), take the Guzzi Sport OUT of the category of modern, nimble-handling Sport machines of today, (some would say it's pretty far out, regardless) It's not all that far out, IMHO.

 

Raising the bars would shift the laden weight bias rearward - potentially a significant amount.

 

Heavier riders would shift the weight bias rearward, and lighter riders would shift the bias forward.

 

Ciao.

 

 

Config. as weighed

I have an enquiring mind, so I would like to know...

If a heavier rider shifts the weight rearward, why would a rider that weighs less shift the weight forward? Given the riders sit on the bike in the same way the weight should always head in the same direction shouldnt it?

[Guest ratchethack]

I have an enquiring mind, so I would like to know...

If a heavier rider shifts the weight rearward, why would a rider that weighs less shift the weight forward? Given the riders sit on the bike in the same way the weight should always head in the same direction shouldnt it?

Good Q, Richard.

 

On the V11, the rider's weight, regardless of number, is always going to center aft of the center of weight of the bike, as the laden vs. unladen scale numbers indicated.

 

My observation above was based on this measurement. To take an exaggerated hypothetical as an example -- by extrapolating from the numbers I got, if a rider weighed half of my weight -- 90 lbs. (somewhere, I reckon there is one ), the laden F/R weight bias would be very close to 45/55 %.

 

Not too shabby, eh?

[gavo]

Front-to-Rear Weight Bias of the 2000 Guzzi Sport

 

FWIW, here's wot I came up with, from a post nearly 3 years back. Had to look it up myself because I couldn't remember.

 

Measurements were made one wheel at a time, with wheels blocked up even and level.

 

Here's wot I found:

 

DISCLAIMER: I weigh 180 lbs without riding gear. Measurements were made without riding gear. My Guzzi is a slightly modified 2000 Sport. The most significant mods likely to affect front-rear weight bias are replacement of stock mufflers with FBF carbons, and a list o' such trifling matters as the addition of a Stucchi flyscreen, Throttlemeister 14 oz. bar-ends, a smattering of extra relays and heavy gauge wire, a set o' Fiamm Highway Blaster horns, a Stucchi crossover, Roper plate, etc. The latter items I consider negligible to the exercise. Measurements were made with a half-tank of fuel. Laden readings were taken in riding position, as would be the case when taking suspension sag measurements.

 

534 lbs. = unladen

714 lbs. = laden

 

47/53 = F/R % unladen bias

42/58 = F/R % laden bias

 

This^ was actually not as bad as I had expected.

 

Coupla observations:

 

While both the total weight and the weight bias of the V11 design (either taken alone, IMHO), take the Guzzi Sport OUT of the category of modern, nimble-handling Sport machines of today, (some would say it's pretty far out, regardless) It's not all that far out, IMHO.

 

Raising the bars would shift the laden weight bias rearward - potentially a significant amount.

 

Heavier riders would shift the weight bias rearward, and lighter riders would shift the bias forward.

 

Ciao.

 

 

Config. as weighed

 

Ok rh , can you tell me where you judged the center line to be and from where did u measure , I have access to a set of scales at work and I'd like to check my bike for a comparison, although I won't have to block wheels as the scale is built into the floor.