A lovely story

Ash

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Copied from the Moto Guzzi National Owners Club.

By Dori Faulkner..

Too many words - but this is my Guzzi Story...

The story of Luigi
You know that story of the guy who finds an ultra-rare, collector’s edition, mint condition, covered in dust but otherwise perfect, old motorbike in a barn out in the middle of nowhere? Well, this is almost that story.

I first met Walter on my second solo motorcycle trip through Alaska and the Yukon (my first trip was thwarted by floods and forest fires so I didn’t make it much past Whitehorse). I had rolled into Dawson City via Top of the World Highway – I was wet and cold and muddy. I parked Betty (the 950) up against the boardwalk and went about getting the lay of the land (where to camp, where to eat, where is gas, anything best avoided?). When I returned to my bike, she was being examined by an old guy on an old BMW with sidecar. I smiled and said hello – and he said, ‘Who’s bike?’.
‘Mine.’
‘No way. You can’t ride that thing, its too big for you.’
‘Well I rode it here from Vancouver.’
‘Not possible’, said Walter.
I was kind of used to that – Betty is a big girl and although lots of women ride bigger bikes, not many ride the tall KTM’s. (In my defense, it was really only a problem when I had to stop and put my feet down – and riding is more about the going than the stopping.) Anyway, I gave Walter the icy whatever glare and he left.

The next summer, somehow, I ended up in Dawson City again (that town has some crazy magnetic pull that just draws me up north every time I pack my tent on my bike). This time I had slightly better conditions on the Top of the World Highway – but I’d already spent a week exploring Alaska, the old Denali highway, did a 10k footrace in Palmer (Running with the Muskox 10k – check it out!), and had a few other pocket adventures along the way so I was ready for a night away from my tent. Again, I leaned Betty up against the boardwalk in Dawson – just as Walter pulled up.
‘You still riding that thing?’ he asked.
‘Yep.’
‘Hmph. Come by later. We are having a party.’

And that is when I met my Moto Guzzi. Dusty, buried in partial repairs and assorted stuff, but deeply loved by Walter. The Guzzi had belonged to Walters best friend – they had ridden all over everywhere with their bikes – and then his friend got sick and died.
Walter had promised to keep the bike and give it a worthy home.
Walter often teared up when he talked about his friend – and later on Walter would tear up as he told me stories of his parents in Germany, what happened to them and his leaving them as a very young man.
Walter told me he would never sell the Guzzi, it could only go to a good home, a motorcycle home …

Over a few years, Walter and I became friends and he let me ride the Guzzi around his yard and even in the Discovery Day parade! After I left, we kept in touch by phone – he always wanted to know where I was riding to next.
When Walter got sick, he got in touch with me and told me to make plans to come and get the Guzzi – because it needed a good home.

I picked it up in Tagish, YT last year, dusty and tired, but still running – and I got a few more hours with Walter.
It’s funny how some people’s eyes reflect you in just the way you need, just when you needed that reflection.
That’s what Walter did for me –

Luigi is a Moto Guzzi 850T built in August 1974 so registered as a 1975. Apparently the 850T was only built for one year – so they’re kind of rare.
The T stands for Tonti which is the frame designer – the frame is a bit of a legend, too.
There are all sorts of quirky things with the bike and lots of elegance, too.

And the name? Keeping those two carbs, each with individual idle screws and throttle valves and fuel petcocks running smooth – it’s a constant juggle! So Luigi – as in ‘Hey! Luigi! Whatsa matter for you?!!’

I think he had a lot of stories to tell – I remember calling him from Silverton Colorado the year before he died, he lit up over the phone and told me about his mining adventure when he had been in Silverton …

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mgnoc/permalink/10160265891858709/

:)
 

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My first ever Guzzi was an 850T , followed by a T3 , Mk11 Lemans + T4 , 1100 Breva, V11sport(1) , 1200Sport, V11sport(2) still miss owning a Guzzi, always run over to see one if I see it parked , just yesterday, 2 V750's parked up in Callander, Perthshire..
 


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