V11 Sport Rocks the Ozarks!

[Guest geno929]

So my buddy and his Kawasaki ZX10 and me and the V11 Sport, (stock and only 800 miles on her) hook up with 15 or so riders in the Missouri Ozarks on Sunday. Mostly the other guys were on Honda CBR1000's and Suzuki GSXR1000's. Left south out of Potosi on route P to DD to 32 and on to Bixby for lunch!

Hung back to see just how the guys rode, having never ridden with them before. Well, after 2 or 3 miles of watching those guys ham fisted attempts at smooth cornering (breaking hard at corner enterance and full throttle accelleration at every straight) I started to pass them. Now, the V11 doesn't have much power compared to the Jap bikes. So what I find myself doing is avoiding the brakes on corner enterance, being smooth at apex and pass on the inside and outside with smooth accelleration. The V11 just rocked! Caught and passed 13 of 15 in the first 7 miles. Couldn't pass the really fast boys at the front, but kept right up with them all day. Until they all binned it on Hwy. C. Three down, no one hurt and they all rode home sans plastic! Oops!

The big Itallian twin really showed her stuff today. Easy turn in, mid corner stability, smooth accelleration, and good brakes when needed. She Rocks!

 

YEAH!

[antonio carroccio]

Our rookie here, is our hero today. Applause for this guzzista

[Mike Stewart]

 

The V11 does pretty well in skilled hands, key is to be smoooth!

 

I had the same thing happen when I first purchased my 03 Rosso Corsa, with 500 miles on the clock, I went out with a small group of Ducati ST riders. My speedo saw 137 mph on the straights and she could do no more. The Ducati's do have a better top end. I was still learning the bike and when we got into the tighter turns, I noticed hey, this bike handles really good. Then the turns got really tight and steep, I throttled out of one turn up this hill and the front end lofted off the ground. I then passed three bikes in one swoop, ST2, ST4, 900SS and then had to wait for them on the top of the mountain. At lunch, I just told them it was push rod technology!

 

Another time I went to a Ducati May Madness rally. I hooked up with my buddy (he was on his ST2) and we did a small group ride up in Weaverville California to the Coast. I was riding two up so they had me lead to set the pace. Little by little I would accelerate harder out of each of the turns as well as going deeper into each turn. It was quite fun watching them disappear in my mirrors. The roads were perfect for the Goose, long and short sweepers, be smooth and you will be well rewarded.

 

Mike

[Guest geno929]

 

 

The V11 does pretty well in skilled hands, key is to be smoooth! 

 

I had the same thing happen when I first purchased my 03 Rosso Corsa, with 500 miles on the clock, I went out with a small group of Ducati ST riders.  My speedo saw 137 mph on the straights and she could do no more.  The Ducati's do have a better top end.  I was still learning the bike and when we got into the tighter turns, I noticed hey, this bike handles really good.  Then the turns got really tight and steep, I throttled out of one turn up this hill and the front end lofted off the ground.  I then passed three bikes in one swoop, ST2, ST4, 900SS and then had to wait for them on the top of the mountain.  At lunch, I just told them it was push rod technology!

 

Another time I went to a Ducati May Madness rally.  I hooked up with my buddy (he was on his ST2) and we did a small group ride up in Weaverville California to the Coast.  I was riding two up so they had me lead to set the pace. Little by little I would accelerate harder out of each of the turns as well as going deeper into each turn. It was quite fun watching them disappear in my mirrors.  The roads were perfect for the Goose, long and short sweepers, be smooth and you will be well rewarded.

 

Mike

85644[/snapback]

 

Well the max. speed I saw was 125 mph or so. My buddies ZX10 saw 168 mph on some stratghts. You're correct that you have to be really smooth with the V11. It's definitly not a beginners bike. But it was really good to show up some of the more powerful sportbikes on the market.

[staedtler]

Guzzi's Rocks at the Central Texas Hillcountry too!!....

 

This weekend there was a big Chopper Rallye right on my backyard...literally,

http://www.rivercitybikefest.com/

held at the Alamodome....what a crowd

Anyway, as expected, lot's of these rolling couches were clogging the backroads this weekend...

Out there at the waterhole in Luckenback (1hr away) the scene was pretty amusing...everyone in their best Gay Pirate Regalia.. there were no helmets in sight, just mine...everyone is looking real tough, until their wifes or significant others start taking pictures of them, like they were in Disneyland or something like that... this one dude noticed me smiling at the whole scene from across the road, i guess he didn't like it, because he told his wife to stop it with the pictures and told his buddies it was time to go... (i love it)

so the group, 4 chromed out couches and 2 choppers, round up to take off, btw, the owner of one of the choppers was even better, I'll say late thirties early forties, thophy wife/gfriend, cell phone handy at all times, the whole corporate hotshot, no gay pirate attire though , i bet he drives a Beemer M6,... i don't know how much that rolling sculpure cost him, but i'll say a good 50 or 60k, I'm sorry, but what a waste of money...

 

...I tried to contain myself, but since i had nothing better to do...I could not help it, I had to follow them,...

so they take off (making so much noise is kind of funny), I geared up and took off after them, about what...4-5 min. behind

 

well, i caught up with them way too soon, pretty boring too, I don't know what was i thinking, they're doing something like 50-60?? there was no fun in that...

so here we are doing mid 50's and then they slow down even more because of an old car in front of them...and they are not overtaking it! and granted there are blind turns and all but is pretty mild really...well I had to get the hell out of there, i thought "i'll just slow down and let them go, (any slower i'll need the side stand) or turn around", well right when i was in the middle of that the road opens up a bit and they start overtaking the car....the biggest grin got drawn on my face, evil one btw... well, downshifted a couple of times and twist that thingy on the right clipon i will say it was about a couple of hundred yards tops? maybe a bit less.. by the time i was passing the two choppers (which were on the front of the line) they were just going back to the right line, i was just shifting into 5th, i glimpse down to 120 something, crested the hill to a blind righthander and almost put my knee down... that was fun...never saw them again..it made my day...

 

yes, yes... very Squidly of me, i bet they all were thinking.."hey, this is not a recetrack, you're gonna kill yourself, or somebody, or blah...blah blah..."

oh well, i try not to do those kind of things (too often.. )

 

PS: I know is not a big feat to pass a procession of furniture on casters, but it's fun sometimes

 

Guzzi's are Alive and well in the Hillcountry

 

 

[Guest geno929]

I know exactly what you're saying. I can't believe they would pay $50-$60 grand for those loud, obnoxious, rolling couch's! Of course if I just rode from bar to bar to get a poker card I might .....Nah what am I saying! I'll never get the whole "cruiser/Harley thing". I'm not into image, just performance.

[Guest trispeed]

Let's not hail this guy as some hero/ role model; racing on the street is for morons, period. Show your stuff, (or lack of) on the track; it's the ONLY place where it counts.

You can have a lot of fun at 7/10ths on the street, however. That's about the fastest street pace humanly possible.

Do some track work, you'll get humble, quick.

[staedtler]

i do...

 

[orangeokie]

Let's not hail this guy as some hero/ role model; racing on the street is for morons, period. Show your stuff, (or lack of) on the track; it's the ONLY place where it counts.

You can have a lot of fun at 7/10ths on the street, however. That's about the fastest street pace humanly possible.

Do some track work, you'll get humble, quick.

85663[/snapback]

 

I didn't want to use the word "moron," but riding as described with a "gaggle" of morons is exactly a recipe for disaster. Lest any unsuspecting "new" V11 rider try to emulate this feat, it was one such "gaggle" that caused me to "buy the farm" on my aprilia when I came over a "blind hill/curve" in Loess Hills of western Iowa last Spring. They were scattered all over the place and I had no where to go but the far ditch (which was 10 feet across and 8 feet deep.) Result was a totalled SL mille and a broken left wrist for stupid me.

 

 

Here was my baby . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here was the gaggle . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's what I saw moments before the chaos . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here was the point of impact . . . (note brown stone just above the point of impact) . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here was a memorial placed years earlier, just 10 feet from the point of impact . . . Cop told me she was a passenger on the back of a Hardly that didn't make the turn . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here was the result to my bike . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here was the result to the "moron" who rode with the "gaggle."

 

[Guzzirider]

I think that often the guy riding with you who zooms off into the distance is not necessarily a fast rider- just somebody who is willing to take more risks.

 

I must admit I am slowly turning into a boring old fart and trying to concentrate on staying alive, although am still prone to the odd moments of madness.

 

Guy

[Ouiji Veck]

I'm real shure I could carve my way around 80% of

the bikes/ riders out on the road on my Guzzi. but then again

I could do it on an EX 500 too. Knowing that takes away all desire to do so.

Then again I'm not 24 anymore. When I was, I was a pretty big idiot too.

Boys will be boys but it's best to get it out of your system @ the track...

It's ALL rider....all rider. What a blow it would be to the 1100xbzyrzzx market

if that gets out.!!

I'm glad you waxed some xyz tails with the big Guzzi. It musta felt great.

Too bad you didn't get to sit around and bask in the glory with them. (shock and awe)

These things can "Git 'er done" in the right hands and are a joy to do it with.

Some day it will all get digested and you'll just ride around with a stupid grin on your face and a feeling of satisfaction in your heart, dragging your kickstand through

that last left hander, like us old guys. The trick is making it that long in one piece.

After a while it becomes a matter of "I love riding too much to risk crashing

and missing next weeks/ months/years rally "

Aww...I'm just an old fart. It's definately a dangerous game...and what do ya win?

Oh ..there's definately a pay off. It's just what the pay off is.. ain't worth it, except

@ the track...where it's safe...and everyones going in the same direction and have

some talent.

Shut up Dad!

ok...ok...

have fun

[Guest ratchethack]

Some day it will all get digested and you'll just ride around with a stupid grin on your face and a feeling of satisfaction in your heart, dragging your kickstand through that last left hander, like us old guys. The trick is making it that long in one piece.

After a while it becomes a matter of  "I love riding too much to risk crashing

and missing next weeks/ months/years rally "

Hey Weej - sounds like y'got some real Road Geez potential...

 

Well said!

[staedtler]

Shut up Dad!

ok...ok...

85673[/snapback]

 

 

[Mike Stewart]

I only ride at 70% on the street and probably only at 80% at the track, how things change with age. If I am riding on unknown roads, I would be the first to back off if I don't know what is over the rise. I have scared myself way to many times when I was younger by going way too fast into a turn.

 

But that still does not keep me from having any fun Each rider must know their limits and if they do reach them, they should back off a few notches. Humm, I wonder why so many new riders crash.

 

I have been behind other riders and know that they are riding over their heads (crossing over the double yellow when taking turns too fast for them), I will back off because I know either they will get hurt or they will do something stupid and I will end up getting hurt as well.

 

I like to ride and I like to push it when the traffic allows wheather by myself or with other riders. Safety always comes first.

 

Mike

[supertwin1]

Guzzi's are Alive and well in the Hillcountry

Ditto what Staedtler said 'cept I was 80 miles south of Luckenbach on the 3's(335,336 & 337)for a fuggin' perfect day(350 miles)with temps in the mid-60's crossing the "hills" into Leakey and back to Vanderpool...it doesn't get any better.

Met a gent at the Lone Star Cycle Museum who had a "prepped" Yammy R-1 from Blackys' in London, it was prepped for the Isle of Man but wound up being sold to this gent...sorry no photo. Here's a few photos gettin' high!

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