What is the attraction?
- Thread starter Captain jack
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Is that a standard light on the MK1 ? I don’t remember the sticky out bezel
I think that was the USA version. happy to be corrected if wrong. Personally I rather like the look of Oldrats Mk2. One of my all time favorite looking Guzzi's. I believe they were a Coburn & Hugh's special. Again happy to be corrected.
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Is that a standard light on the MK1 ? I don’t remember the sticky out bezel
They stuck out just a little bit but that one looks weird.......(PS No such thing as a MkI ....... )
Andres
They certainly ain't for everyone...
Especially if you've only ridden modern bikes.
They are noisy, smelly & heavy...
But if you want involvement, character & like to tinker then try one.
Not just an hours test ride as you'll probably dislike it..
I've owned, rebuilt / refurbished 5 now & ridden a few more
Test rode the new V85TT last week & absolutely loved it.
I Recently purchased a Breva 1100V, being my first modern Guzzi & have spent the last couple of week fettling it.
And I can tell you they are certainly different from the older models by a country mile IMHO.
Having spent this weekend riding it on all road types, town, country & city.
Handles superbly, much smoother than older models, more powerful.
I'm lucky enough to have a BMW F700GS, Strada 1000 & the Breva.
The BMW is great at all things, but its soulless, reliable but soulless..
Having a Rotax engined that are known for reliability & longevity.
Guzzi's are for the most part well made, but are seldom trouble free.
Especially if you compare them with Japanese bikes.
Those of us that get them, love um
Especially if you've only ridden modern bikes.
They are noisy, smelly & heavy...
But if you want involvement, character & like to tinker then try one.
Not just an hours test ride as you'll probably dislike it..
I've owned, rebuilt / refurbished 5 now & ridden a few more
Test rode the new V85TT last week & absolutely loved it.
I Recently purchased a Breva 1100V, being my first modern Guzzi & have spent the last couple of week fettling it.
And I can tell you they are certainly different from the older models by a country mile IMHO.
Having spent this weekend riding it on all road types, town, country & city.
Handles superbly, much smoother than older models, more powerful.
I'm lucky enough to have a BMW F700GS, Strada 1000 & the Breva.
The BMW is great at all things, but its soulless, reliable but soulless..
Having a Rotax engined that are known for reliability & longevity.
Guzzi's are for the most part well made, but are seldom trouble free.
Especially if you compare them with Japanese bikes.
Those of us that get them, love um
I am on the verge of Guzzi-ism.
I've had lots of GSs, but my fondest have been the airheads. When I first rode a GS (R100GS Para, ex Howard Millichap, remember him?) I thought it was the strangest frikkin motorcycle I'd ever been astride. And it probably was. But after a few 100 miles, that was it and right now I probably miss my airheads more than anything else. Gorgeous things.
I suspect Guzzis are the same. Awful, noisy, smelly, quirky, whatever... but at the same time absolutely engaging, visceral, REAL.
I've had lots of GSs, but my fondest have been the airheads. When I first rode a GS (R100GS Para, ex Howard Millichap, remember him?) I thought it was the strangest frikkin motorcycle I'd ever been astride. And it probably was. But after a few 100 miles, that was it and right now I probably miss my airheads more than anything else. Gorgeous things.
I suspect Guzzis are the same. Awful, noisy, smelly, quirky, whatever... but at the same time absolutely engaging, visceral, REAL.
I still remember the ride home after buying my first airhead, a R80/7. I was distraught. The handling was disturbing and the gearbox was awful. It didn't take long to get used to it, and to enjoy it, but my initial impression was awful.
I had a Le Mans MKIII in the past and a few years ago I got a V11Le Mans Tenni. The amount of spannering and electrical fiddling involved in getting them to start and run well means you can't help but get to know the bikes intimately.
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True the very first Le Mans weren’t designated mk1’s. Pretty sure they had that seat and “different” looking rear mudguards/light but soon changed to ones that rolled over onto the mk2’s.
Attachments
I headed off to a Guzzi meeting not far from me today. I got as far as my local petrol station to fill up then the f****r wouldn’t turn over and had to drag the wife out so I could get my trailer. Still love it though. Solenoid had come loose and battery was dead. Always seems to be electrics at fault which is typical as that is my nemisis. This one is reminding me of the MGB I bought about 35 years ago. It broke down on most journeys during its first 12 months with me. After that it was almost trouble free for another 8 years. Hopefully this bike will be the same.
My first MG was a V50 monza in 1984. Loved it, tiny thing, seat like a plank and loved to be thrashed. I buggered up servicing it one time and didn’t get something back on properly and killed the big ends. Then a few electrical problems and I decided not for me. Beautiful thing though.
Fast forward 35 years and the V85TT appeared on the market and I simply had to have one. Love it, so much the gsa never got used and it’s been sold. My gsa had plenty character and was/is an awesome bike but the V85TT is just so much nicer to be on. It’s less powerful, doesn’t handle quite so well, but somehow it is better and nicer. Maybe it’s just newness but the V85TT is the first bike in ages I just like to look at and polish whenever I can. It’s got under my skin.
I also had a two day loan of a V7 while the V85TT was being serviced. It’s very small and on paper underpowered but along the 100miles of back lanes between Thirsk and Garstang it was in its element. Loads of low down chunky torque making the bike shudder and shake but it loped along on tall gearing. I loved it. Crap on the open road though where 60mph was an ordeal. Suspension was rubbish too. Otherwise a cool looking bike ideal for an urban environment or back lanes and for someone under about 5’10”.
Fast forward 35 years and the V85TT appeared on the market and I simply had to have one. Love it, so much the gsa never got used and it’s been sold. My gsa had plenty character and was/is an awesome bike but the V85TT is just so much nicer to be on. It’s less powerful, doesn’t handle quite so well, but somehow it is better and nicer. Maybe it’s just newness but the V85TT is the first bike in ages I just like to look at and polish whenever I can. It’s got under my skin.
I also had a two day loan of a V7 while the V85TT was being serviced. It’s very small and on paper underpowered but along the 100miles of back lanes between Thirsk and Garstang it was in its element. Loads of low down chunky torque making the bike shudder and shake but it loped along on tall gearing. I loved it. Crap on the open road though where 60mph was an ordeal. Suspension was rubbish too. Otherwise a cool looking bike ideal for an urban environment or back lanes and for someone under about 5’10”.
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Well, I compared them to boxers not BMs.The Germans were just sensible enough to realise that they had a winning formula and stick with it when others did not. Nor was I mocking, just being humorous and inverting a well known cartoon much used by Guzzisti. The fundamental formula is big twin torque with a cylinder arrangement that minimises vibration. Guzzi simply took their own approach to that. Other arrangements have their attractions but two cylinders and lots of mid range torque is where "character" is formed.
I could easily get into Guzzis. It's finding the space in the garage that's the problem!
That's a very serious answer, I was only mucking about
It's interesting though as in many ways airheads and old Guzzis ought to be very similar but, IMHO, they are not........Maybe because of the image thing
When I got into bikes BWMs were, even then, old man's bikes, sensible, functional, reliable. Guzzi's were Italian exotica, sexy, high maintenance and characterful........ in MY head that hasn't changed much really and whilst there is a crossover both brands still attract a different sort of rider. But I'm not sure it is just that, they really are very different bikes to ride (obviously) but when on paper at least there are many similarities I'm hard pushed to know why They certainly ain't for everyone...
Especially if you've only ridden modern bikes.
They are noisy, smelly & heavy...
.................
Ah yes, smelly! Get my Cali good and hot, get home and bung her in the garage and the smell in there of warm oil and hot metal is just marvellous as is the sound of her tick tick ticking away as she cools...........
I've obviously never met you Paul but I get a sense from your posts on here over the years that you'd absolutely love an old Guzzi
Andres
That's a very serious answer, I was only mucking about
Andres
Yeah but it's an interesting question, this "character" thing innit? Part of it is the psychology / image thing, as you imply and partly it's practicality. I was put off Guzzis and Ducatis by stories in road tests about crap electrics, but I never rode one. I seriously considered a T3. Instead, I was given an R90S to ride and that was it! If I'd been able to road test a Guzzi, I might have been sold on them, who knows?
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Ah yes, 'character', undefinable and yet one knows it when when one sees it ~ worthy of a thread all of it's own
Andres
Thanks for the replies. I have a couple of long term friends who have always had guzzi who pretty much say tye same thing but interestingly have never been evangelical. They just stick with them. Ash and his Breva thread has got me going as did my mates latest cali rebuild which in six months went from unloved wreck to pristine thing of beauty.
Now then which will go the gsa or the softail? I think it might be the gsa.
Now then which will go the gsa or the softail? I think it might be the gsa.
Headlight is US spec. There was a requirement to fit sealed beam units that needed more room. Rear mudguard is a "LM1, series 1" factory item IFAICS. Silencers are Lafranconi Competizione.
I've obviously never met you Paul but I get a sense from your posts on here over the years that you'd absolutely love an old Guzzi
Andres
It's as if my whole biking life has been leading me towards this conclusion..... I'm ready!
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