Two bikes for the price of one

[Mike Stewart]

The Supertwin that was at Moto Italiano a few years ago was from Britalia. John McCoy was the owner of Britalia before Jason of Moto Italia purchased the shop. John was the importer of Ghezzi and Brian in California. I was offered the Silver with blue striped Supertwin for $14,000 just before John sold his shop. I should of bought it but the timing was not right for me to shell out $14,000 cash. I also was not sure I wanted to deal with the bike being not street legal.

 

There are a few G-Bs that have got through the California system. How, I am not sure but I think it is worth a shot. I know Tom Irwin in Southern California had one that was street legal, I will talk to him hopefully this weekend at the Guzzi Rally.

 

Here is what the owner of the Supertwin had to say,

 

Hi Mike and Janice,

 

The Ghezzi is registered off highway.

 

I ordered the bike through Britalia Motors in 2001 and

let them manage the California registration. The bike

can be made on highway with a brake and light

certification. It is registered as a moto guzzi.

 

In 2001 I let Nolan Woodbury from moto-euro ride the

bike to Laguna Seca as he was writing an article on

the bike. His article will give you an idea of how the

ST1100 compares to the V11/Corsa. The bike has been

garaged ever since.

 

http://www.moto-euro.com/sample_article_7.htm

 

I have a 2000 V11 sport with a stucci crossover and

mistrial carbon fiber frictionless pipes and it's

performance doesn't compare to the ST1100.

 

The Folgare is pretty much the same bike as the ST1100

except the exhaust system is a bit different.

Basically it is the same modified 1064cc twin and 5

speed transmission. The gearing is almost identical.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Mike

 

 

There you go,

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

A few guys here have made them street legal I've heard, but I don't know the details *shrug*

Question:  If it was sold in the South Bay, wouldn't it have been sold new by someone like Moto Italiano(who had a SuperTwin for a while), the Moto Guzzi dealer, as opposed to Britalia in Santa Cruz, who before MI bought them about a year ago, were not a MG dealer?? 

 

I understand G&B are not MG, but.... 

 

al

46999[/snapback]

[supertwin1]

Hi Al-no the only dealers in California were Britalia and they informed you "to be used only for racing". Only a couple were sold. Moto Guzzi wouldn't warranty any "bastard son" and most Guzzi shops wouldn't carry 'em. Then Cyclone Cycles in Denton(importer)brought 30 of the 50 made into Texas where they were DOT'd and sold with a Texas title. Now unless I'm wrong this bike is the same bike on page 34 in the Wildgoose Chase visitor pics and when I last spoke w/him he was unable to register it for the "street", hence the 300 miles! Man I enjoy riding mine so much and I've got 22,000 miles on it. How can you not ride a bike but 300 miles in 3 years? You either hate it or it doesn't fit!

[JBinMPLS]

So, I've read the glowing and fun review of the GB from Moto-Euro and now I've really got the bug, it's haunting me already.

 

I can't help but wonder how much the V11 is worth solo, 5K sounds about right for most markets, I think I could fetch that in Minneapolis.

 

What is the penalty if you're caught riding this bike on the road, and is it just Cali that has a problem with it, do to exhaust issues? If I swap my guzzi plates over to it I should skate just fine for most run-ins with Johnny Law, as long as I'm not picked up for reckless riding . Of course, i'd have to explain that a GB is a customized MG and thats why its registered as an MG. Probably better to work on finding a way to ride it legally. What is keeping it from being street legal in Cali and what was done to make it pass in TX?

 

10K for a custom Italian sport bike with 300 miles on it - hell, it's new but for a few years of SoCal storage, hopefully low humidity. It does sound too good to be true.

 

300 miles, and perhaps 100 to 150 of those were put on the bike by the Moto Euro writer who seems to have ridden it to Monterey and back.

 

 

I'll have to put my thinking cap on and start working on a rationalization plan to convince my wife that this is a good opportunity.

 

Thanks for the drool time, makes my day go very fast! !

[Skeeve]

  How can you not ride a bike but 300 miles in 3 years?  You either hate it or it doesn't fit!

47009[/snapback]

 

He may just not want to lose it: CA has a whole pack of nasty laws that were originally intended to get the really cr@ppy polluters off the street, given that such cars were almost universally non-registered being driven by unlicensed/uninsured drivers.

 

The net result was that the CHP/local police forces don't bother impounding the scofflaws that they pull over, figuring it's too much bother for something that only has scrap value, but something nice like the Ghezzi&Brian? Heck, they'd scoop that up & confiscate it in an instant! The state legal system is so corrupt that they've already given themselves carte blanche to sell such "contraband" within hours of taking it, & "oops!" there's NO RECOURSE for the legal owner, who can't even get the money the cops extracted from their (illicit, if not "illegal" ) sale of their property, should the courts decide looooong after the fact that "the cops done you wrong."

 

CA was once the garden of Eden, but it's gone way downhill since I was a kid.

 

Sic transit gloria mundi

[Skeeve]

What is the penalty if you're caught riding this bike on the road, and is it just Cali that has a problem with it, do to exhaust issues?  If I swap my guzzi plates over to it I should skate just fine for most run-ins with Johnny Law, as long as I'm not picked up for reckless riding .  Of course, i'd have to explain that a GB is a customized MG and thats why its registered as an MG.  Probably better to work on finding a way to ride it legally.  What is keeping it from being street legal in Cali and what was done to make it pass in TX?

 

10K for a custom Italian sport bike with 300 miles on it - hell, it's new but for a few years of SoCal storage, hopefully low humidity.  It does sound too good to be true. 

47058[/snapback]

 

Wrt the "low humidity" storage: don't bet on it, Sta. Cruz is a coastal city. Better figure on at least *some* corrosion.

 

Yes, the problem is likely that CA doesn't recognize G&B as a manufacturer, & consequently it can *never* pass smog [CA is stupid: they have testing stations that can verify if a vehicle emits too much pollution, but this is not adequate for certification: only vehicles that have met CA's standardization tests [ie, manufacturers have enriched the state to the tune of 10s of thousands of $$$ for testing no more complex than can be done by the corner mechanic w/ electronic exhaust sniffer] can be registered here as "new." Now they've even banned 50cc 2 stroke scooters from being sold here! D@mn tree huggers [that's unfair: "D@mn urbanite Sierra Clubbers"...] are ruining this state for anyone.

 

So anyway, what's keeping it from being street legal in CA is a CA problem: TX [or any of a number of other more enlightened states] will probably let you register it as a "home built custom" or "collector/show vehicle" or somesuch. At least, it's certainly worth checking out!

 

Ride on

[Alex-Corsa]

The best piece of advice I have for you if you buy this bike is...:

[DeBenGuzzi]

ITs funny, I think everything is legal in Texas. and nothing in CA we need a two pistol weilding emoticon. like ole yosimitie sam. and why are there two smilies that are the same? <_ src="%7B___base_url___%7D/uploads/emoticons/default_glare.gif" alt=":glare:"> ?

[Anthro]

I just wish I had the money for both...

 

I actually was in CA last week... I did not know about the laws there and the police's way to apply the Law ... I guess the virtual Gobernor is too busy to worry about real issues .

 

I do not believe Texas is an example of nothing positive... I ride my MG though Texas City while commuting to work, and the refinery fumes sometimes are so strong that I feel sick... but they are smart: visible gas only when is foggy or cloudy ... nobody seems to care here... Talking to natives seems like environmental thinking is like being against them or the Texan economy, it looks as bad as the word Tax...

 

I believe that with some care the MG G&B can be registered almost any where but California... (may be borrwing the catalitic converters of a newer street legal Guzzi).

 

I am definetely buying a Lotary ticket this weekend

 

Anthro

[Admin Jaap]

and why are there two smilies that are the same?  <_ src="%7B___base_url___%7D/uploads/emoticons/default_glare.gif" alt=":glare:"> ?

Now that you've discovered the forum's secret, I'll have to shoot you.

[callison]

He may just not want to lose it: CA has a whole pack of nasty laws that were originally intended to get the really cr@ppy polluters off the street, given that such cars were almost universally non-registered being driven by unlicensed/uninsured drivers.

 

The net result was that the CHP/local police forces don't bother impounding the scofflaws that they pull over, figuring it's too much bother for something that only has scrap value, but something nice like the Ghezzi&Brian? Heck, they'd scoop that up & confiscate it in an instant! The state legal system is so corrupt that they've already given themselves carte blanche to sell such "contraband" within hours of taking it, & "oops!" there's NO RECOURSE for the legal owner, who can't even get the money the cops extracted from their (illicit, if not "illegal"  ) sale of their property, should the courts decide looooong after the fact that "the cops done you wrong."

 

CA was once the garden of Eden, but it's gone way downhill since I was a kid. 

 

Sic transit gloria mundi

47085[/snapback]

 

Just some of the reasons why I'm removing myself from the state of California. If I had the accident money back, I'd be picking this duo up and taking them where they'd be appreciated. By me mostly, but certainly not sequestered in fear of the legal entanglement system that passes for government in the formerly fair state on the Pacific.

[supertwin1]

Yes-the scenic state of California is awesome to us cycle riders, but I moved away from deep in the heart of redwoods, Monte Rio 15 years ago due to impending legislation on what you can and cannot ride on the streets in that great "police" state. I chose Texas as my "base" of operation in order to own whatever I desire to ride, wherever I choose, California included. Things will only get worse there as the smog "nazi" will continue to enforce their laws on those people. Scenes from ROAD WARRIOR come to mind.

[Guest 2minimalist]

Thank you so much for the info. Does anyone have a phone number for the seller? I have not been able to reach via email.

 

david

[Guest 2minimalist]

All set with phone number, thank you