Sold a bike, need another one

[Gmc28]

53 minutes ago, swooshdave said:

If another yellow ST2 comes up I may get it.

i talked to a friend of mine who’s had both said the maintenance on the Grand Canyon was a nightmare. He had over 100k on it so he’d know. You have to almost disassemble the bike to get at anything.

I’m still working on another friend to pry a bike from him he’ll never ride.

Hmm.  FWIW, I would strongly differ with your friend who had the GC and said it was Challenging for maintenance, of course with all my requisite caveats of “with all due respect” and all that....

i’ve had 2 Gran Canyons, one was/is meticulously maintained both before I got it and when I had it (my close friend now owns it after I had it for a number of years and many miles), and the other one I bought in rough shape with a lot of miles.  The 1st now has about 30k miles (~50k kilometers), and the second one passed 100k kilometers a couple years ago.  Both run excellent with little effort or headaches, and other than the one time I tore them down for a good going-through early on, both have proven very reliable and easy to work on.

we’re on a v11 forum here, so i’ll Refrain from an overly long post here regarding the GC (or did I already cross that line 😳) but all I can think is that maybe your friend was referring to tank removal with the swollen tanks they mostly all have from ethanol, and access to the rear cylinder for valve check/adjust.  Both of those things are quite reasonably mitigated imho.  And then there’s the typical Italian “gift” of the crappy charging system, which is also easily mitigated with a one time fix (remove the lousy and multiple connectors and replace with a clean run of quality wire to the VR).  And, I have yet to need to adjust a 904 or 916 duc Desmo valve more than once.  Some owners have had to, but after that initial adjustment mine have all always stayed within spec up through about the 50k mile interval.

I’m just a true fan of that whole setup, from 15+yrs of putting miles on 2 different GC’s, both of which are still near to me and in my garage now and then (my son has one, and my good friend has the other).  

I am guilty of evangelizing too much regarding the Gran Canyon.  I laugh at myself for that, but I am fond of them!  What else can you buy that does so much, so nicely, at that price, while holding value, and having just enough of a dose of unique-ness.  Ok, i need to get off my stump :->.   Just stay Italian!

[swooshdave]

There’s another bike out there for almost nothing, a yellow Allazzura. Not running. $1500. I had one before and never could get it running. 

[Gmc28]

12 minutes ago, swooshdave said:

There’s another bike out there for almost nothing, a yellow Allazzura. Not running. $1500. I had one before and never could get it running. 

But a neat one to have in the garage...

[swooshdave]

That’s to you guys and others I’m keeping a wish list going.

Another bike popped up. Norton Commando that was taken apart to get the frame painted. It’s nickel now (not holding up good) and the owner passed away. Friend of mine has it but I know she’ll never get to it.

Of course I’m just now getting my Commando together after an engine rebuild. I’m leaning towards a rideable bike as I always have project bikes.

[docc]

I always wanted a vintage bike. Now my first bike, bought new, is thirty years old and sports an antique plate.

And the V11 Sport turns nineteen in about a month . . .

Not that "nineteen" and "V11 Sport", together,  are a bad thing . . .

[swooshdave]

30? So a young one?

[footgoose]

all Scura goodness, no Scura problems

https://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/d/austin-2004-moto-guzzi-v11-cafe-sport/6914313875.html

[swooshdave]

12 minutes ago, footgoose said:

all Scura goodness, no Scura problems

https://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/d/austin-2004-moto-guzzi-v11-cafe-sport/6914313875.html

Scura? It’s just a Cafe Sport.

[footgoose]

you don't see the similarities? flyscreen .. Ohlins... dark

Cafe Sport- '04 leaves behind the '02 troubles. Much better deal

[swooshdave]

2 hours ago, footgoose said:

you don't see the similarities? flyscreen .. Ohlins... dark

Cafe Sport- '04 leaves behind the '02 troubles. Much better deal

Currently over my modest budget.

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/282288279130014/

man this is clean.

[Scud]

Dave - have you ever considered an Aprilia Tuono?  They catch my eye periodically and I think the older ones are reasonably priced.

Here's one near me:  a 2008 for $2,750 - needs tires and battery.

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/d/wildomar-2008-aprila-tuono/6894426377.html

 

[swooshdave]

1 minute ago, Scud said:

Dave - have you ever considered an Aprilia Tuono?  They catch my eye periodically and I think the older ones are reasonably priced.

Here's one near me:  a 2008 for $2,750 - needs tires and battery.

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/d/wildomar-2008-aprila-tuono/6894426377.html

 

Someone posted an Aprilia earlier. While fantastic bikes they just don’t do anything for me.

[Dave Swanson]

5 minutes ago, swooshdave said:

While fantastic bikes they just don’t do anything for me.

I dare say, if you were astride one while the V4 was in full song, it would do something for you! 

[swooshdave]

1 minute ago, Dave Swanson said:

I dare say, if you were astride one while the V4 was in full song, it would do something for you! 

While true for me that bike is more than just how it goes, I appreciate the history, the collectibility and the nuances (flaws).

[swooshdave]

The good news is that it looks like I may have found the next bike.