Got to ride a Breva 11

[pete roper]

If you're interested in a brief ride impression I've posted one up on WG. I think it looks hideous but it's a lovely ride.

 

Pete

[wavey_davey]

Pete,

Thanks for a decent write up. Agree with you on pretty much everything in terms of riding impression (based on an hour and a half around Surrey lanes & London on a Breva). Interestingly, I was in Brussels with work yesterday. On way back to train station popped into a newsagent and scanned a test in Italian mag Motociclismo of Breva vs R1150R Beemer.

 

Obviously couldn't understand a damn word, but 1st dyno and proper performance figures I've managed to track down at the end.

 

Poor Breva only puts out 71bhp at rear wheel, and torque curve, albeit flatter than a V11 (no glitch at 4k-ish) was 10 ft-lbs below Beemer everywhere, not good. This is the price of getting 2 valve air cooled twin through Euro 3 I suspect. Have seen similar comparisons with an R1150R and a V11 (admittedly with the Guzzi Ti pipes) that only had the V11 2-3 ft-lbs behind the BM everywhere.

 

The BM put out 75 ish from memory (too tight to actually BUY the magazine ) which is pretty typical of Dynojet readings. Same mag tested a Scura or cafe Sport a year or 2 back, and got 80, so if the same dyno (I have no way of knowing) then not a low reading dyno at all

 

Interestingly standing quarter/terminal speeds were very similar, mid twelves, 106 ish mph, so ability of Breva to rev (and change gear without written permission ) played a part??

 

This all tallys with my riding impression compared to my 1150GS adventure and my V11 sport (i.e. Quicker than GS due mainly to weight, slower than v11).

 

Oh, and for all those who think the Breva is ugly bugly (not me by the way) check it out next to the german competition here! (If it doesn't work just go to motociclismo.it and go into "Archivio Prove".)

 

http://www.motociclismo.it/edisport/moto/n...46?OpenDocument

 

Me? I'm hoping a Griso (with 4bhp more out of the box) and about 14lb less than a Breva) will respond nicely to a Supertrapp on those meaty headers!

[Guzzirider]

Here you go Pete-a nice automatic bike for ya!

 

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/nav?page=mot...=NEWS_NEW-BIKES

[pete roper]

Poor Breva only puts out 71bhp at rear wheel, and torque curve, albeit flatter than a V11 (no glitch at 4k-ish) was 10 ft-lbs below Beemer everywhere, not good. This is the price of getting 2 valve air cooled twin through Euro 3 I suspect. Have seen similar comparisons with an R1150R and a V11 (admittedly with the Guzzi Ti pipes) that only had the V11 2-3 ft-lbs behind the BM everywhere.

 

Me? I'm hoping a Griso (with 4bhp more out of the box) and about 14lb less than a Breva) will respond nicely to a Supertrapp on those meaty headers! 

63867[/snapback]

 

The bimmer is a 4 valve Hi-Cam engine, it would be a sad and sorry thing if it didn't make more power!

 

I personally don't care about HP figures. As long as a machine has enough for me, and the Breva does, abundantly, the fact it makes more or less than the *opposition* is irrelevant to me. Any speed over about 100-120 MPH is also useless to me, there's no road I can ride at that speed safely for more than a couple of miles at a time and to be truthful I preffer to ride a RACE bike at speed rather than a road bike and we've got one of those I can take for a flog if I feel like it . The Greaso is geared lower than the Breva and weighs less so that should give it a bit more stick through he gears and a slightly lower top speed, sounds fine to me! Like you I also think that there will be ample opportunity to improve output by using one of the aftermarket 'pooters, maps or accessories like a PCIII, My15M, Tuneboy or whatever.

 

The nice thing is that it still feels like a Guzzi and, surprisingly, sounds good, at least when you're riding it. If it's just going by it sounds like a parson farting in the bath but so does any modern motorbike so it's not alone there.

 

Pete

[dlaing]

If it's just going by it sounds like a parson farting in the bath

63900[/snapback]

I like the sound of farting in a bath

[luhbo]

note also this:

 

http://www.motociclismo.it/edisport/moto/N...E2?OpenDocument

 

There was the same comparison in the German MO magazin. They at least drew equal, if not with an advantage for the Breva. And the german mags are very beamerish.

 

BTW, does anybody know a source for the old "Stanley Beamish" serials? Was one of my favourites in the 60s...

 

Hubert

[guido]

If you're interested in a brief ride impression I've posted one up on WG. I think it looks hideous but it's a lovely ride.

 

Pete

63823[/snapback]

what about giving us a link? WG?? blank stare!!

[Martin Barrett]

what about giving us a link? WG?? blank stare!!

64683[/snapback]

WG - Wildguzzi the American based all Guzzi forum

 

The link

[guido]

WG - Wildguzzi the American based all Guzzi forum

 

The link

64685[/snapback]

Thanks for the link! And thanks to Peter for the story. Seems worth waiting for, that's at least something. And my dealer is going to let me have Cali EV while I wait, so life seems to be picking up.

[Alex-Corsa]

I had the chance to ride the Breva 11 in Mandelo after the kind Alise Agostini offered me a free ride. I couldn't get used to the strange steering handlebar thing , but after all I had the impression that this is the best motor Guzzi had build. In terms of responce that it was immediate everywhere on the power band, as well as being quiet and running impressively well tunned.

The overall feel was like toy to ride, very comfortable , as well as flickable in the curves.The long wheelbase was noticable but not disturbing, weight balance is very very well put.

Hade done a video out of it will post some pics latter on.

[Guest Graham in NZ]

Interesting reading. I've now got 3,000km up on my two month old red Breva V1100 and there's no way I'd swap it back for my 2001 V11 Sport.

 

The Breva has a very different aesthetic from the V11 for sure and I think the Breva is the more honest, although the V11 is a very fine cafe racer in the 1960's tradition.

 

I can't say which is the more powerful. Riding doesn't tell me the Breva is any less powerful than the V11 even if the claimed figures say it is. It's certainly much more stable and sure footed, much more comfortable and the rear brake is better too. And the mirrors are fine!

 

The worst feature is the way the centrestand grounds until the suspension is adjusted from the overy soft factory settings.

 

Treasure those V11s because there'll be no more made. They're great bikes - but the Breva is better and here to stay for some time I'll wager.

 

Cheers

Graham