Still in love

[Admin Jaap]

The bike that started my love for Moto Guzzi. On the bike show in Utrecht I spotted  Sophia Loren amongst hundreds of occasions.

[4corsa]

Now that the V11 is 25 years old, I would love to know where it stands in the transverse V-twin Guzzi model ranking of post 1965. I realize there is no scientific way to determine this, but even with all the lovely models since 2000, none of them have tempted me to part with mine. After selling my first V11 Scura, I bought a V11 Le Mans a few years later, and still love it. But by all means - those of you with a good knowledge of post '65 Guzzi road bikes, what is your top 5 ranking?  (because this is the type of shite we do to pass the cold off-riding season days). 

[docc]

Day one with mySport, August 2000 . . .

Top 5 Moto Guzzi picks since 1965?

V11 Sport/silver, V11 LeMans Tenni, V11 Sport "carryover"/burgundy, V11 LeMans/black, V11 Coppa Italia

I mean, hey @4corsa, you're asking the other inmates on the ward!    

[guzzler]

Yeah, I feel the same with my V11 Sport mate. I've owned it for 15 years or so now and still look forward to every ride and can just sit and look at it at times.....

My tops.... The V11 Sport / Mk 1 LeMans / Mk 3 LeMans / 1200 Sport / V7 Sport ( original ) and the  Griso if allows a sixth!

Cheers 

  

[guzzler]

Forgot to mention V11 Sport in Green ..of course!

Now that I think of it there was a V11 LeMans in Coppa Italia colours which was the best LeMans I've seen!

Anyhoo, the V11 Range are definitely at the top of the tree as far as I'm concerned!

Cheers  

[audiomick]

Top 5?

V35 Imola, because it is so very pretty, and the riding position is close to perfect for me. And it's fun to ride. And I still love it after about 14 years. EDIT: I just had a look at the documents. I bought it in 2013, tried and failed to get it registered in 2014, and finally succeeded with the registration in 2015. So about 10 years. Doesn't matter, every time I ride it, I come home with a smile on my face.

Mk III Le Mans. The first Guzzi I rode. It belonged to a bloke I shared a house with in Melbourne. Also very pretty, and a riding position that I liked.

V11 Le Mans. Similar character to the Mk III Le Mans, but with most of the niggles sorted out. If mine didn't have so many problems as a result of poor maintenance by previous owners, I would love it. Or maybe I do anyway,  in spite of that.

Not sure about the other two spots. Maybe a Norge, but I haven't ridden one. Maybe a Griso or a Sport 1200, but I haven't ridden either of those either, and I'm not rapt about the styling of either of them.

There is also the Breva 750 i.e. . Probably not accurate to put it in a top 5 list, because it is, after all, actually just a mid-sized commuter bike. I wouldn't say I love it, but I'm getting used to how it looks, and enjoying riding it more and more.

Edited 12 hours ago by audiomick

[guzzler]

Mate, mine had a few er niggles at first which took a while to sort and gave me the shits at times! This was the era of Power Commanders to try and sort fueling issues as the ECU couldn't be altered directly back then. There were a few others too.

But once sorted.... And this forum has been a godsend in that, she's a bike the like of no other and irreplaceable!  

Actually, even then I still loved the bloody thing as could always see the potential!

Cheers 

 

[Lucky Phil]

On the topic of popularity it's strange how the V11 Sport/Le Mans series is in terms of what people are prepared to pay for them on the second hand market probably, well almost certainly the least popular BB V twin Guzzi. Here the SH market price for them is very poor. Even old T's and T3's are selling or asking for far more. Even 16 inch front wheel Le mans is worth more on the SH market. Very strange to me.

Phil  

Edited 16 hours ago by Lucky Phil

[gstallons]

49 minutes ago, docc said:

Day one with mySport, August 2000 . . .

Top 5 Moto Guzzi picks since 1965?

V11 Sport/silver, V11 LeMans Tenni, V11 Sport "carryover"/burgundy, V11 LeMans/black, V11 Coppa Italia

I mean, hey @4corsa, you're asking the other inmates on the ward!    

Did you realize this was going to become such a part of you when you purchased this ?

[docc]

4 hours ago, gstallons said:

Did you realize this was going to become such a part of you when you purchased this ?

Haha! Love is like that, isn't it?  

The experience of being part of the community that has grown out of these loves reminds of this quote by John Ruskin:

"The highest reward for a man's toil

is not what he gets for it,

but what he becomes by it. "

[4corsa]

My top 5:

- V11 Le Mans Nero Corsa (surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, with the Ohlins and lightened flywheel)

- Daytona RS (4 valves!)

- Mk 1 Le Mans 

- V7 Sport (original)

- V7 750 Ambassador (I mean, the gas tank alone...)

Edited 16 hours ago by 4corsa

[guzzler]

Can't believe I missed the 1100 Sport....

Doh

[gstallons]

Uhhhh. Choosing the best V11 . No way . All of 'em ! 

 

[docc]

Just think. If it not for this moment, and this fine fellow, we would not be here together. I am SO thankful!! 

[audiomick]

3 hours ago, guzzler said:

Can't believe I missed the 1100 Sport....

Yeah, I know what you mean. That, and the Daytona. I didn't mention them because I haven't even been close enough to stroke either of them, let alone ride one. But they are definitely amongst the, if not the, prettiest Guzzis ever built.