Guzzi Dealership-Rome

[g.forrest]

so its false! that you have applied for a mac's and motorbikes franchise for bungendore..

What is wrong with this shop? Why, just because it is in an inner city back street covered in graffiti is this considered to be a bad thing?

 

Do you know what floor space costs in the centre of Rome?

 

Look, you could come into my workshop and be perfectly horrified. It's full of broken bits of motorbikes and oil cans and, and, (swoon!) DIRTY STUFF!!!! Oh! Horrors that a vehicle could actually produce dirty stuff! and worse yet the owners of the vehicles should have, very occasionally, to see it! You lot are worse than the bloody Taliban!

 

While having a spotless workshop and a seemingly clinically clean work environment may be appealig it is, I'm afraid, usually a sign that not a whole lot of *work* is going on. Don't get me wrong. If I need an area to be clinically clean I can make it so, but I'll be buggered if I'm going to make my place look like an up-market knocking shop simply to attract the sort of cock-heads who think that everywhere has to look like a Microsoft Corporation advert before it can be any good. In my experience ther is a direct correlation between those who want *Smart and Shiny* and the inability, sorry, unwillingness to settle their bills. Don't judge a book by looking at the cover or, especially with Guzzi, you'll probably find your bike being *worked* on by a grumpy first year apprentice with fantasies about an R1 who thinks that Guzzis are obsolete bits of shit and just wants it out of his hands. Your bike, your choice.

 

Pete

87246[/snapback]

[jihem]

i'm often out with ducati bikers, and for them guzzis ppl look more like the last real motorbikers, the ones with the spirit as it used to be...

 

coming from ducati fans, i'm not sure it's a positive comment

[Guest randy]

What is wrong with this shop? Why, just because it is in an inner city back street covered in graffiti is this considered to be a bad thing?

 

Do you know what floor space costs in the centre of Rome?

 

Look, you could come into my workshop and be perfectly horrified. It's full of broken bits of motorbikes and oil cans and, and, (swoon!) DIRTY STUFF!!!! Oh! Horrors that a vehicle could actually produce dirty stuff! and worse yet the owners of the vehicles should have, very occasionally, to see it! You lot are worse than the bloody Taliban!

 

While having a spotless workshop and a seemingly clinically clean work environment may be appealig it is, I'm afraid, usually a sign that not a whole lot of *work* is going on. Don't get me wrong. If I need an area to be clinically clean I can make it so, but I'll be buggered if I'm going to make my place look like an up-market knocking shop simply to attract the sort of cock-heads who think that everywhere has to look like a Microsoft Corporation advert before it can be any good. In my experience ther is a direct correlation between those who want *Smart and Shiny* and the inability, sorry, unwillingness to settle their bills. Don't judge a book by looking at the cover or, especially with Guzzi, you'll probably find your bike being *worked* on by a grumpy first year apprentice with fantasies about an R1 who thinks that Guzzis are obsolete bits of shit and just wants it out of his hands. Your bike, your choice.

 

Pete

87246[/snapback]

what's (apparently) wrong with the shop has nothing to do with cleanliness or "Presentation". i think we're all wise enough nowadays to appreciate storefront reality over facade. but the next thing we'll notice is what kind of community is gathering/ loitering/ living around the store- where's the "Guzzi Parking Only" sign? or simply, where's a parked Guzzi? granted, parking space must be HELL for them, and i love scooters more than most red-blooded men but, where's a parked Guzzi? maybe there's a back alley...

 

but mmm yes, to see Mandello

[Dan M]

My wife and I are just recently returned from a week's stay in Rome.  Yes, Rome as in Rome, Italy, the Mother Country, the homeland of Moto Guzzi, of all things pasta and Italian.

 

During our stay I, of course kept my eyes peeled for the vital signs of our beloved marque.  Sadly I must report that during our week's stay I saw a total of FIVE (5) Moto Guzzis...yes, I kept count.  I saw more Brit bikes (Speed Triples seem to be very popular) than Italian.

 

In anticipation of this trip to the homeland I had packed my favorite "Moto Guzzi" T-shirt hoping to gain some glory from the indigenous population and to help endear me to them.  Nothing.  I engaged locals in broken English/broken Italian motorcycle conversations and managed to work in that I actually owned a Guzzi and showed them pictures that I had also packed of my beloved Le Mans...to almost no affect. 

 

 

 

 

I observed the same thing last summer while riding in central Italy. Saw plenty of Ducatis but not one Guzzi. When I mentioned to one of the Austrians who was with us that I rode a Guzzi, he looked at me like I was just another idiot American who knows nothing about motorcycles. (I am of course, but that's besides the point)

[tikkanen]

I'll echo all the abovementioned. I was in Rome last year with my wife and I asked several people where I could find a Guzzi shop. The answer was always "A what shop?"

 

I also noticed the high amount of speed tripples and Beemers + a few Ducs and not to forget the zillions of mopeds crossing through traffic.

 

We Guzzistis are a dying breed - maybe our fossils can be found in a million years sitting astride our 'medieval motorcycles'

 

I still like my Scura but I'm also in favour of old Jaguars, Austin Healeys and the like so who am I to tell?....

 

Søren

[velofish]

I must admit that I am a bit disappointed, too.

 

I enjoy the iconoclast nature of the Guzzi in this country, but I kinda thought that going to Italy as a Guzzisti would entail being surrounded by people who actually "get it" for a change.

 

And Italians on BMW's? Oh my stars and garters.

 

fish

[Orson]

I must admit that I am a bit disappointed, too.

87310[/snapback]

There are Guzzi's in Italy. I've even encountered another Tenni. They're just no more common than they are in the rest of the world.

 

just my impression.

[Guest bshpilot]

I must admit that I am a bit disappointed, too.

 

 

would you be happier if it were a boutique shop

selling tee-shirts ?

 

its not necessarily shocking to me to find the locals

dont admire THEIR native brand....i mean look at how

many of (USA based) dis-approve of harleys...

 

not too many texans like "lone star" beer either....(shiner

bock however is a different story).

[Keith Foster]

Ha!

It just keeps gettin' wierder donnit?

We're all wackos.....

Good for us!

Still I do delight when finally some one crosses the parking lot

waving and smiling and sayin' "Wow ...a Guzzi...I didn't think they

made them anymore...wow what a beautiful sound when you pulled in".

It happens....once in a while    

87211[/snapback]

 

Like today for me 2 X...in the morning motoring through the parking lot at work I occasionally give the throttle a healthy yank. Later one of the shop guys (a fellow rider) asks "how was your power wheelie this morning?" To which I say "oh you heard me? Not bad, I've done better".

Then later in the day stopping in front of the post office, a 20's-ish lad walking by stops in his tracks...says "That's a really cool bike" ... as I fill him on it being an Italian brand, a 2004, V-twin, yada yada I notice he never looks up to to acknowledge me, his eyes steadily locked on the Nero, taking in the details, he just repeats again "That's a really cool bike" as I walk away, thanking him for the compliments.

[Guest bshpilot]

I now see that in order to be a "real" Moto Guzzi dealer,

we need some graffiti.

87088[/snapback]

 

 

if you like i can come down and paint some SHIT on your

building...you buy the beer ill even miss-align the letters

on your sign <just like the factory story> while im in your hood

[velofish]

There are Guzzi's in Italy. I've even encountered another Tenni. They're just no more common than they are in the rest of the world.

 

just my impression.

87315[/snapback]

 

 

would you be happier if it were a boutique shop

selling tee-shirts ?

 

its not necessarily shocking to me to find the locals

dont admire THEIR native brand....i mean look at how

many of (USA based) dis-approve of harleys...

87322[/snapback]

 

 

Good points, guys. I don't mind the "hole in the wall" shop. My favorite type of shop is the old building, old parts hanging on the walls, old coffee pot perking away, old patrons sitting around/bullshitting. The obligatory saturday morning donut box always has grease on it from the fat mechanics' frantic scramble to bogart the few jelly-filleds.

 

In my little fantasy world, Guzzi would be more appreciated by the folks in the street in the Mother country. Basically, I want hot Italian women to throw themselves at my feet when they learn that I ride a Goose.

 

And while we're at it, the adjectives "balding", "aging", "paunchy" and "hung like a chipmunk" would be aphrodisiacs.

 

A boy can dream, can't he?

 

fish