Introduction Thread

[mik]

Hi, I am a little late filling out this introductory thread by at least a week...sorry.

I'm married, over fifty, am a grandfather and have ridden motorcycles for going on forty years, give or take. To me, what has happened in the past isn't as important as how much time there is left. At some point the glass goes from being half full to half empty.

I live in the U.S., in the northern part of Illinois in a town that is considered a suburb of Chicago. I live 30 miles south of that city. This MotoGuzzi LeMans is the first Guzzi I have owned , although I have desired one since the mid-seventies. I have been riding Triumph for the most part and have done so without regret. One ride on the LeMans sold me on buying a Guzzi...it's Italian like me and is a joy to ride. I look forward to touring on it this coming year and for years to come.

I'd like to thank the administrator(s) of the website for it's existence as I feel it is a place where I can learn about my new machine and share with other owners and riders their experiences and knowledge about the V-11's. cheers, mik

[Mr. Bean]

Hi all,

 

Just a note to say howdy since I've been lurking for a while now. This is truly a great site! I looked around quite a while to decide what my next bike would be and the info I found here was one of the reasons I ordered a silver 04 Ballabio from Moto International.

 

It took a while to receive it even though MGNA had it in the warehouse...turns out some of the "restructuring" that you all have been talking about there took it's toll on the order communications. Dave at MI took it a bit higher in the organization and now I have the bike. No problem, my last ride was a MZ Skorpion Traveller, so I'm very used to relaxed importers!

 

Looking forward to being able to ask lots of questions from the experienced Guzzi owners here.

 

Randy

[Admin Jaap]

and the info I found here was one of the reasons I ordered a silver 04 Ballabio from Moto International.

Should I bill Moto Guzzi for a 10% commission?

[Mr. Bean]

I think you have good case for it!

[Guest slopoke-sv]

Hi, new member here and NOT A GUZZI OWNER! At least, not yet. . .

 

Just rode my third Guzzi in less than a year. I keep coming back for more . . . guess there's something beyond the looks. Those damn things call me on like swarthy Mediterranean sirens!

 

First test ride was a Y2K Sport Naked. Liked the torque, loved the looks, but dealer wanted a little too much for it and I needed more wind protection. Second ride was from a private seller with an '02 LeMans. What a beautiful bike! I hit 115 MPH on a blast down a rural highway. I thought for sure it was love but chickened out when I realized it really had no pillion space to speak of (this was back when it was at least a potential concern).

 

Now, third time's here. A friend of a friend has an '02 LeMans for sale. Beautifully maintained, lovely to look at, dyno-tuned and lightly modded. Just might have to go for it.

 

My current ride is that lovely Ducati knock-off from the Land of the Rising Sun, the Suzuki SV650. Since I am soon to be divorced, I'll be looking to get into some long-distance mind-clearing rides, and that's the only thing my cafe'd - out SV doesn't do very well. I'll keep it as a canyon bike.

 

Nice to see you folks have a good community here. I'll be looking forward to lurking here. Even if I pass up this latest find, I have a feeling there's a Guzzi in my future.

 

Bill

[Guzzirider]

Hi there!

 

I have just reserved a brand new V11 Le Mans Rosso Corsa which I collect on 1st March 2004. This will be my 5th Guzzi and will replace the 1100 Sport Corsa which I sold over the winter.

 

I also ride a Jackal which is a great town bike and much faster than it looks.

 

I'd be interested to hear from any other Rosso Corsa owners around the world.

 

Happy riding

 

Guy Lewis

Huddersfield UK

[Admin Jaap]

Congratulations! Those 2,5 weeks are going to be the longest of your life!

[amazon]

Am I the only girlie Here? Ok here goes!

Wanted a bike all my life, got fed up of being told girls don't do that, so got a divorce got a new man and got a bike test! New man didn't last bike test did! Been riding bikes now for roughly 16 years.

Had a couple of Kawasakis then my new hubby bought a Spada NT - hated it at first - well sitting on the back is no fun is it! Grew to love it and decided I had to have one of my own. Bought my Mille nearly 7 years ago and she is ace, never lets me down, is red and beautiful with a full fairing, cut down seat and jota bars - hand stitched the seat myself! Rode a V11 Le Mans 2 1/2 years ago at the V Twin Rally and fell in love - God I bored people to tears about it! Finally I've got one - 2003 model in black and I can't wait to put some miles on the clock! The roads in Powys are superb biking country! Shame about some of the other people on them!

 

Am I really the only female here (not really a girlie as I am too old)?

Mal, when is your 40th? I'm 50 this year!

[Admin Jaap]

Am I the only girlie Here?

No, we have at least one other female member: Aussie Kim. She's Australian and lives in Texas.

[Guest bmo]

To prevent me getting cleaned out of the forum - "Hi!"

 

I own a 2000 v11 sport, and have been lurking about the forum for a while learning heaps from you blokes - so thanks!

 

I live in the Top End of the Northern Territory, about 100 kms south of Darwin (see map below). As you can see Australia is a big place - I'm live a long way from the nearest Guzzi dealer, who is located about 2,500 kms south (in Adelaide). The news of the V11 recall was a real treat!

 

Out here there are no speed limits outside the towns, and there is a beautiful national park (Litchfield NP) about 30 kms away that is not only full of fantastic waterfalls and swimming holes (that I'm told are generally croc free!), but is also great riding.

 

I'm enjoying my Guzzi, and appreciate this forum. Onyas!

[Steve G.]

After reading most of the introductions hewre I find myself a bit like a fish out of water, with most of you being doctors, engineers, or artists. This guy is blue collar, in retail glass, you will find me hanging off a downtown glass tower in the morning, and installing a windscreen in your Mercedes in the afternoon.

Born and raised in the Vancouver suburb of Cresent Beach, I was a little beach bumb till we moved out to the 20 acres and got into horse competition [rodeos] at an early age [9].

The parents did the wrong thing by getting us a mini bike when I was 10, and the horses went to the back row after that. I got my bike endorsement just after my car, at 16. Can't believe I survived those early years, I took alot of fast chances.

Now 43, 6'4", 250ib, I know if I crash it will hurt my pocket book as much as my body, so ride smarter, and am a better rider now, and try to keep those 6th senses fresh, the ones that keep you safe in commuter traffic. I average 26,000-30,000 kms a year shared between most of my bikes, and my weekends and holidays lately are enjoyed on a bike going somewhere, or renting a bike when at a destination.

My V11 is my first Guzzi, am enjoying it very much so far [22,000kms in 10 months]. I very much like the style of the bike, and bought it because I enjoy it's unique character and decent performance for a pushrod air cooled twin. I enjoy and admire many bikes. I certainly respect and admire those who are totally committed to one brand of bike, but it is not for me. One cannot survive on just chocolate pudding, one must have a balanced meal, and try many things. I have had several types of machines, and currently have a unique group that I like to swap back and forth on. I have owned my current machines for a long time, considering them keepers, and unless my Moto Guzzi starts acting like a fragile Ducati, it will be in this garage for a long time.

If any of you are riding through this area, look me up, I will show you the good roads around here!

Ciao, Steve G.

[Baldini]

I am another on the roads of Powys. Been riding since I was a lad with a Tiger Cub I blew up twice. Me dad & me brother both had bikes. Run Guzzis since 1984. Love em. I'm a painter, with a wife & young family. 47 years old, & it feels it. Cymru am byth! An englishman living in Wales!

[Guest bob.davison]

I guess I need to climb out from under my log - at least temporarily. I'm a big time lurker on this site, but Jaap is flushing me from cover with his Spring Clean-up.

 

I've been a big fan of Guzzi since reading Greg Field's 'Guzzi Big Twin' book in '97- what a great read. Since then I've owned a 77 LeMans, lusted after an 1100 Sport and a Centauro and am currently riding an 02 LeMans - at least when it's not winter here in Minnesota. My alternate bikes are an '00 BMW K12LT and a '51 HD FL (all original, including the paint - second owner).

 

Thanks to all you regular contributors - there is a wealth of information to be found here thanks to you folks. I like having a bike that I don't see coming down the road toward me every 5 miles - but it's also good to know I'm not alone.

 

Now , back to the lurking....

 

Bob Davison

Burnsville, MN

bob.davison@comcast.net

[badmotogoozer]

Just joined the list. I've had my 01 V11 new since this last spring. Just finished the usual mods, FBF airbox, Stucchi X, Mistral pipes & PCIII. Fun Fun Fun!

 

Also have a 70 Tri Bonny cafe racer and am working on a 74 Duc 750 cafe racer.

 

cheers,

 

Ryan

[ferguzzi]

Well, if everyone else is doing it....

My name's Fergal, I live in Dublin( you know-the real one, in Ireland) and at 33 I'm only a young lad compared to some of the experienced guzzisti above. I live with a canadian wife from Vancouver,and 2 dogs, one Alaskan, the other Belgian.

I've been flying airplanes for a living for the last 15 years, and am in the middle of switching companies, and onto 747s.

I,ve been riding 10 years, my first bike was an xv 535 virago that I bought in New York, and then spent 3 months and 13000 miles riding across the states. It was a great experience, and a sharp learning curve-I wouldn't do it over Winter again! I covered about 30 states, but have seen another 10 since then.

We travel and tour a lot, and on a dirty weekend in Florence I happened to drag the mrs. into a bike shop to check out the Ducati st4 I thought I was going to buy, when we spotted a V11.

I live in a country where it rains 13 months a year, the roads are the worst in Europe, bikes cost more then anywhere else and there are no moto guzzi dealers.

So obviously I bought a Le Mans Tenni.

Logic doesn't really apply,does it?