What are the main things about Guzzis that make them so quirky versus their competition?

[ScuRoo]

On 12/20/2021 at 2:16 PM, Scud said:

With the factory nestled in the Italian Alps, they make bikes suited to endless twisty roads, and aren't overly concerned with peak horsepower or 0-60mph times. They build bikes for the real world.

Yep true... bikes for real mountain men.

Men who like mountin’ women!

[gstallons]

54 minutes ago, p6x said:

The refusal to work on a >10 years old motorcycle is relatively new to me. Coming from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, finding someone to work on your older motorcycle seems to be less of a problem. When I left, you still had plenty of "brand-less" motorcycle garages that would perform any kind of repair on just any kind of motorbike irrespective of production year. At least, they would tell you that finding the parts may not be cheap or fast. But they would not turn you back based on your bike's age. Imagine you go to the hospital, and they tell you they are sorry but they only treat patients below a specific threshold.

I think I understood why when I realized that most of the workshops employ unskilled workers, with one serious tech that supervises a bunch of those low pay grade guys.

In 2020, someone did not properly tighten an oil filter. I caught it in time (not my car) as the oil level was low but the low pressure warning was not lit. Of course, human error is always possible.

I am obviously not painting every Motorcycle workshops with a broad stroke, but I can make the difference between MPH and the casual dealerships when it comes to personnel. The workshop is always the first place I want to visit.

The bad thing is , a cycle shop can't pay a mechanic $60k/yr . There is not that profit margin on motorcycle sales/service .

[docc]

1 minute ago, gstallons said:

The bad thing is , a cycle shop can't pay a mechanic $60k/yr . There is not that profit margin on motorcycle sales/service .

When people see the mileage on my >20 year old, uncommon (if not downright rare) Italian (of all places!) funky motorcycle, I am often asked where my dealer is.

I used to reply, "My local Moto Guzzi dealer in Seattle, Washington!" (Which is 2500 miles away. )

Since Moto International closed, I enjoy saying, "Varsseveld, in The Netherlands. Some fellow named FieldHorse."        

[gstallons]

The thing I like about this network of owners , they can discuss any facet of a bike .

 All other owners need someone to check tire pressures .

[docc]

I am also reminded of the motojournalist, Peter Egan, establishing the going rate of reimbursement for an enthusiast restoring a chosen motorcycle at the "usual 2¢ an hour" . . .

[gstallons]

I read this article on The Who . This writer called them "the thinking man's rock" . The same for the Moto Guzzi .

[gstallons]

6 minutes ago, docc said:

I am also reminded of the motojournalist, Peter Egan, establishing the going rate of reimbursement for an enthusiast restoring a chosen motorcycle at the "usual 2¢ an hour" . . .

That is what you end up making .

[p6x]

26 minutes ago, gstallons said:

The bad thing is , a cycle shop can't pay a mechanic $60k/yr . There is not that profit margin on motorcycle sales/service .

I always thought business attracts business.

When I go to MPH, they have a six weeks wait which they hope they can shorten. Their workshop is always full of oldies, any brand.

Of course, Houston is special in that there are a lot of guys with multiple toys and loose cash. I can see why MPH does better. They simply concentrate a lot of business because they do things others don't. But they have those guys which have a lot of experience, and they most likely don't come cheap.

[docc]

5 minutes ago, gstallons said:

That is what you end up making .

My first riding buddy (RIP) was thirty years my senior. I benefited from so much of his wisdom, much well beyond riding and motorcycling. After buying and selling countless motorcycles in his lifetime, Bruce decided that a motorcycle is worth 10¢ a mile in what it gives us in the use and joy of riding.

Having paid some $12,000US for my Sport new, it is now paying me back 10¢ for every mile. And doesn't owe me anything. Not even that 2¢ an hour for all of those countless hours of fettling and fuss.

What makes > my Guzzi < "quirky?"  It is no longer a consumer product, but now more a product of craft, care, devotion, and community.

[p6x]

All and all, I would rather have someone turning me back, than someone telling me no problem, and then flunking the job.

As for DIY, it is not as easy as it seems. You could be a motorcycle enthusiast with little mechanical and technical knowledge. Inflating tires, topping off oil, those are not drawing too much in terms of basic understanding and experience.

Thankfully, you can find videos on Google, and download the workshop manual too.

But there are limits to what you can do that you have never done before, and just reading about it does not tell the full story. Most motorcycle manual draw on the fact that you understand the operation described.

To me, having someone who can at least show you the ropes is important. Including in terms of safety. You don't want to find the hard way that what seemed to be so simple turned out to be a nightmare because you did not understand what it was you had to do.

When I was in my battle tank factory, we used to travel to the regiments for a "train the trainer" job. In the military, all the steps were precisely described and illustrated with pictures. Nevertheless, they mechanics still managed to find new ways to destroy things.

[docc]

9 minutes ago, p6x said:

All and all, I would rather have someone turning me back, than someone telling me no problem, and then flunking the job.

As for DIY, it is not as easy as it seems. You could be a motorcycle enthusiast with little mechanical and technical knowledge. Inflating tires, topping off oil, those are not drawing too much in terms of basic understanding and experience.

Thankfully, you can find videos on Google, and download the workshop manual too.

But there are limits to what you can do that you have never done before, and just reading about it does not tell the full story. Most motorcycle manual draw on the fact that you understand the operation described.

To me, having someone who can at least show you the ropes is important. Including in terms of safety. You don't want to find the hard way that what seemed to be so simple turned out to be a nightmare because you did not understand what it was you had to do.

When I was in my battle tank factory, we used to travel to the regiments for a "train the trainer" job. In the military, all the steps were precisely described and illustrated with pictures. Nevertheless, they mechanics still managed to find new ways to destroy things.

Well said. Truly, my Sport would not have survived without the amazing, and humbling, contributions from this community. This outcome is not by my own hand. I cannot thank all of you enough.

[guzzler]

17 hours ago, docc said:

My first riding buddy (RIP) was thirty years my senior. I benefited from so much of his wisdom, much well beyond riding and motorcycling. After buying and selling countless motorcycles in his lifetime, Bruce decided that a motorcycle is worth 10¢ a mile in what it gives us in the use and joy of riding.

Having paid some $12,000US for my Sport new, it is now paying me back 10¢ for every mile. And doesn't owe me anything. Not even that 2¢ an hour for all of those countless hours of fettling and fuss.

What makes > my Guzzi < "quirky?"  It is no longer a consumer product, but now more a product of craft, care, devotion, and community.

Very well put Doc..

These bikes are SO MUCH MORE than just Motorcycles!!

Cheers Guzzler

[gstallons]

My 86 yr old mentor (James Mariner) has always said , there are better motorcycles , but 99% of Moto Guzzi owners are some type of professional . A craftsman or something !

[Purloined]

On 12/25/2021 at 10:05 PM, docc said:

Well said. Truly, my Sport would not have survived without the amazing, and humbling, contributions from this community. This outcome is not by my own hand. I cannot thank all of you enough.

I heartily endorse what DOCC wrote. 

Grateful for the generosity and spirit of the folk out and about here.

[billgreenman1]

This forum helped me get the courage to work on it myself. Without it I'd either have a piece of static sculpture ( which happens often enough) or I would have passed it on to someone else and I would not have the pleasure of the sensations of this visceral machine.