Daytona RS?... call me smitten. Who has one?

[Scottie]

This might come as amateurish but I just became acquainted with the Daytona RS (no, not to ride, I wish!)... but am seriously contemplating selling my kidney for one. Is there anyone here that would be willing to talk a bit off line about some real first hand experience with an RS? I'd love to hear more, and whether it's worth selling my soul.

 

Cheers

[pete roper]

This might come as amateurish but I just became acquainted with the Daytona RS (no, not to ride, I wish!)... but am seriously contemplating selling my kidney for one. Is there anyone here that would be willing to talk a bit off line about some real first hand experience with an RS? I'd love to hear more, and whether it's worth selling my soul.

 

Cheers

 

Gladly. email me.

 

motomoda@optusnet.com.au

 

Do be prepared to spend.

 

Pete

[epiantedosi]

i have one in Plymouth Ma,

[TDF]

There's one on Ebay right now. It's a beauty, but pricey. It's in Alabama. Search for Moto Guzzi, you'll find it.

 

TDF

[Scottie]

Definitely the one that spawned my interest. Definitely also seems pricey. A BMW HP2 Sport can be had for not much more (I know sacrelige but seriously...)

 

There's one on Ebay right now. It's a beauty, but pricey. It's in Alabama. Search for Moto Guzzi, you'll find it.

 

TDF

[raz]

You can (sort of) get one cheaper by buying one 1100 Sport i.e. and one Centauro, then swapping fairings and subframes and selling the "Centauro 1100 i.e." or keeping it as a tourer. Everything fits, people have done this before. It won't be the real thing of course, just very very close. I'm not sure the Centauro have Carillo rods.

 

I've been thinking of this myself as Centauros sometimes come ridiculously cheap.

[pete roper]

You can (sort of) get one cheaper buy buying one 1100 Sport i.e. and one Centauro, then swapping fairings and subframes and selling the "Centauro 1100 i.e." or keeping it as a tourer. Everything fits, people have done this before. It won't be the real thing of course, just very very close. I'm not sure the Centauro have Carillo rods.

 

I've been thinking of this myself as Centauros sometimes come ridiculously cheap.

 

while doable I would of thought that the fairing of the sport would foul the Hi-Cam heads? Could be wrong. Ceantauros have 'Rilos and all the fruit.

 

Pete

[Skeeve]

while doable I would of thought that the fairing of the sport would foul the Hi-Cam heads? Could be wrong. Ceantauros have 'Rilos and all the fruit.

 

That's where the bonus of getting a dropped 1100 Sporti comes in: you can buy the Airtech repop fairing for the Daytona with the money you saved on the rashed Sporti...

 

Actually, all the pics of the RS I've ever seen looked like Mandello kind of hacked away the standard Sporti fairing to fit round the square 4v heads, so I wouldn't be afraid of cutting on the stock fairing to make it fit if I knew I was never going back [ie, selling the Centauro w/ 2v motor to some unsuspecting suck^H^H^H^H, er, "customer..." ]

 

Bonus to going the "convert a Centauro" route if you're Stateside: you get the same lo-po cams that you would have had to replace w/ the C-kit in the RS anyway, but you've got the cool anthracite engine paint and improved 5-speed if I'm not mistaken. Too bad the EFI is still all wonky, but there are still PC3s in the system for the WM16 to be had.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

There's one on Ebay right now. It's a beauty, but pricey. It's in Alabama. Search for Moto Guzzi, you'll find it.

 

TDF

 

It's still for sale!

Daytona RS on eBay

 

But I'd rather have this bike!!

Laverda spaceframe endurance racer

[tikkanen]

There's one on Ebay right now. It's a beauty, but pricey. It's in Alabama. Search for Moto Guzzi, you'll find it.

 

TDF

 

It's still for sale!

Daytona RS on eBay

 

But I'd rather have this bike!!

Laverda spaceframe endurance racer

 

Wow! Two mint bikes, I must say. The Daytona, particularly, looks better than new! Me want one....

 

Søren

[GuzziMoto]

This might come as amateurish but I just became acquainted with the Daytona RS (no, not to ride, I wish!)... but am seriously contemplating selling my kidney for one. Is there anyone here that would be willing to talk a bit off line about some real first hand experience with an RS? I'd love to hear more, and whether it's worth selling my soul.

 

Cheers

I don't have an RS, just a plain jane Daytona. The one I have I bought from a friend and it was the first Guzzi I ever rode. I went with hime to buy it way back when and he let me ride it a few miles after he had bought it. Obviously a good friend. I told him right then and there that if he ever sells it I want it. Many years later that finally happened and now that same bike is mine. Daytonas aren't perfect, the gearbox is not as smooth as the V11 six speed box, and the fuel injection is not as nice. But like most Guzzi's, once sorted they are fantastic, with the Daytona's possessing a feel like a hot rod tractor. I am sure the new 8 valve bikes are great, but the older 4 valve per cylinder Daytona's are my favorite motorcycles ever and if you have a chance to ride or own one then sell a kidney if you have to.

[Gino Rondelli]

I had an early Daytona up until September last year when I made the decision to part with it, sad but not using it enough and its a bike that doesn't appreciate being laid up. In my opinion the V11 is a far nicer bike to ride on a day to day basis, my pal has an RS which I've ridden, same bike really but with USD front forks, once again I prefer the V11 BUT if you fancy an adrenalin rush then the Daytona's the baby.

[leafman60]

I'm the guy in Alabama with the Daytona RS that sparked this thread ! lol

It did sell and for the price stated. It's a bargain and that bike is a museum-quality piece.

 

I have/had a bunch of motorcycles and several Guzzis. I sold a pristine Scura a few months ago too. I'm paring-down my collection to a more-manageable number.

 

About the RS.

 

Compared to the V11 series and other later model Guzzis - the Daytona is a much much much and much more visceral machine. The later bikes are much more polished and refined. However, there is nothing that provides the same reward as a spirited ride on the RS down some curvy road. You get invigorating feedback from the motor. The sound, the pulling force, the sight of the skinny red tank between your knees are all never-ending excitement on the Daytona. The added rpm range is also noticeable compared to lesser Guzzi motors.

 

Remarkable also is the handling prowess of the RS. I had the suspension dialed-in perfectly for me and not many bikes would hold a curve as well as the RS. I have a BMW R1200S that I consider my best handling bike and the RS was very close to nipping on it's heels ! The RS has a longish wheelbase combined with clip-ons so it is certainly not twitchy but once you commit it to a line, it sticks like its on rails. Great fun is listening to the big block grumble as it muscles around and out of tight curves and twists.

 

The Daytona RS is a great bike. Its a vanishing piece of motorcycle history and a true icon for the Guzzi marque. Time will judge it and it's owners with prosperous returns.