New Guzzi Sport

[Guest ThomasH]

 

Wow, that's gorgeous. I'd think about buying one if they could have a production mdoel look like that. Simple, clean, beautiful and strong!

 

Uh, but maybe too clean? What makes the rear wheel go around? Is there supposed to be a shaft hidden in there somwewhere? Some kind of magnetic drive? :-)

 

And I'll have to wait until I see it with turn signals, mirrors and plate holder before I put down my deposit, but boy-o-boy that is one sweet-looking moto!

 

- Thomas

[Guest jackal_guzzi (jeremy)]

Here is the drive shaft.

 

 

[callison]

I like that rear rack. I like Rich Maunds too, but I'm betting this one is a bunch cheaper . What in heck is it bolted to though?

[callison]

Hey! They've got movies of these bikes at Intermot...

Intermot Moto Guzzi Movies

[callison]

And just in case you missed it, some truly horrific accessories for the V11. Tawdry, cheap and ugly come to mind, but I'm biased

 

V11 accessories at Intermot

[Guest ThomasH]

Hey,

 

I just talked to a fellow in Sales at USA Moto Guzzi, and he said they are leaning toward making the Sport Prototype as a "limited edition" in around a year or so. They are thinking about a production run in the 300 area, with a price just under 15,000 US$

 

What do you think?

 

Whatever you think, why don't you call them up and tell them?

 

I begged them to make this model a reality, although I'm not sure I'll be able to get one if it ends up being such a "limited edition".

 

The other topic I discussed, and about which I encourage all of you to give feedback about, is how they would add the street legal components; the turn signals, tail-light, plate-holder and mirrors. My main concern is the mirrors, I'd like them to be round black conventional units with round metal stalks that mount to the handle bars, NOT those black plastic "antenna" style mirrors that mount on the wings of the fairing. In My Not So Humble Opinion I think those would look awful, shake as to be useless, and leave scars if removed.

 

What do you think?

 

Thomas

[dlaing]

Carl, the one accessory I did like was the muffler placed where the crossover is to allow for a narrow exit pipe. Great idea, (of course I thought of it before I saw that picture )

Thomas, the mirrors that shipped with my V11S were not great looking, provided no vision behind me, but did not vibrate too much. They definately need something better. Your idea does not sound bad. Aerodynamic signals and mirrors could look good, but be expensive to replace if Genuine Guzzi.

[callison]

I have plastic mirrors on my Sport 1100i. If you break one, they're $68 from MG. I don't know of a second source for these. I do like the looks of them though and they are the best mirrors I've ever had on a bike. Eventually they start to loosen up though and there is no easy fix for the ball joint as it is cast at manufacture and has no adjustments.

 

There is a feedback form at MG's Intermot site for the various models. The MGS01 has one and you can make suggestions there. Their suggested/query price is 19,000 Euros. That may not be too far out of line considering the Daytona's listed for around $17,000 and there is a lot of new assembly in the MGS01. Kind of a high price for a Guzzi though, even though it would probably cost near that to produce it (especially only 300) and I doubt seriously that they could, or would, price it for the $15,000 price point.

 

Styling the bike for street legal attributes would be a job (that I would love to have). The tailcone is too minimalist to provide for much in the way of attachment points for plates, taillights etc. Subjectively, I think the muffler an exhaust tip are esthetically lacking and in rectifying that, the opportunity exists to provide for street legal attributes.

 

I am concerned about those tawdry add ons for the V11's though. MG already has a plethora of chromed trim pieces for the EV's to accomodate the Harley wannabe crowd. To take the V11 and load it down with a lot of superflous tinsel takes a real lack of understanding about the kind of people that buy these bikes and what they want and need for them. Engineering and production facilities dedicated to these items would be better served by producing foot peg relocation kits, higher handlebar adapters, or gee, just about any of the things that have been posted at this forum as want items for the V11LM's, V11S's etc. I personally, don't want to see energy expended on parts that make the bike look garish and trashy and serve no usefull function. Instead, I would like to see some progress along the lines of integrated bags, larger capacity fuel tanks, better horns or just about any item that upgrades the usefullness of the bike.

 

Subjectively, I think the underslung muffler is as ugly as a Pontiac Aztec. But I'm an old phart, and my idea of a good looking exhaust follows the lines of the Norton Commandos, Dunstall pipes or the sensously curved exhaust system of the Benelli race bikes of the past. The current trash can exhaust canisters are an emulation of race track mufllers that were added to meet noise specs at race tracks. On race bikes, form follows function and there was no need to make the mufflers esthetically pleasing as they were never intended for the street to begin with. But, people like to imitate their heroes or winning race vehicles or whatever and the canisters hit the street and now we get all kinds of things done to make better looking, more unique or different canisters. You know, titanium, brushed aluminum oval cross section, and so forth. It's still just a can, and you can only do so much to make a can look good. Worse I suppose, is that a can mounted low looks just plain awful, yet that is the only place where it would allow for some real bags. As a result, all canisters get mounted up high, compromising some of the bike utility. Granted, there is more clearance for cornering when mounted up there, but good engineering can acheive much the same if applied correctly to lower mounting positions. It is possible to design a good looking and functional exhaust system but it would add too much to production costs of the bike. Half of the owners would discard it anyway to buy something louder with that canister look. I guess that the logical progression for exhaust systems is from the canister to the underslung one. It works for all of the four wheel vehicles because they don't display their exhausts. I guess we can look forward to obtaining replacement mufflers at Midas. It won't harm the appearance of the underslung variant a whit. Italians excel at producing sensous looking vehicles. It's too bad that they can't also extend that flair to the exhaust system because the current popularity trend exludes good looking exhaust systems. Rant mode off for this old phart. Gotta go ride the V11TT.

[jrt]

If you want Guzzi to import (heck, manufacture!) these lovely machines, then let them know! Aprilla is still soliciting opinions on the intermot (?) site.

http://www.combattiva.it/guzziintermot/def...fault.asp?lin=2

While I probably wouldn't buy either the MGS or the Griso, I really like the Griso tag line-

'The birth of a new species' Kind o' like Miles Davis (Birth of the Cool).

I really hope they import the Breva. The Jackal is a bit heavy for my wife, and I bet the Breva would be ideal. Plus, it looks cool.

Cheers,

Jason

[dlaing]

Great Rant Carl!

I agree with everthing you said except I kinda like the Aztec and I really like the semi hidden muffler/crossover. I like the Aztec and the pipes mostly as a matter of function. More room for bags AND more ground clearance (double inuendo for both the Aztec and the pipes).

[dlaing]

Fun with PhotoShop!

What do you think?

I kind of have mixed feelings about the style, but it is unique(for now).

[Guest voigtstr]

where is the oil cooler on the ghezzi and brian Guzzi's?

[callison]

More fun with PhotoShop. Tell me you don't think Conti's look good on

this bike.

 

 

Now imagine them on the V11S. Room for bags and still svelte in style.

[dlaing]

I really like it. Slim taper should keep excellent ground clearance. But I really like the look of the Mistrals for the Californias. Well have to do a photoshop mock up to make sure it looks as good as the Contis.

Question: How difficult would it be to fit California or Tonti framed Guzzi mufflers to V11 Le Mans, etc.?

I would like to be able to use an 'X' type crossover(preferably Stucchi), rather than the 'H' type crossover. But would consider NO crossover.

[callison]

I've considered it, but I think the pipe diameters are way different. While they could be made to fit (bigger hammer?), they would likely choke the engine half to death.