I'm Dayv - a petrol head and tech geek. I've been talking about tech on RU-vid for a while now on my channel Constant Geekery, and I wanted to share my passion for motorcycling... welcome to CG Rides!
I'll be reviewing bikes and gear, talking about road safety and sharing some of my favourite routes with you all.
Im currently in Portugal, and unfortunately, I had to lay my 2021 RT LE on its left side after losjng my footing on some gravel. Same issues, damaged Cylinder Head Cover, and side pannier. Somehow i managed to get it upright again on my own. Thanks for the video. I will definately just order the parts and do it myself.
I think it's a moto guzzi v100s mandello,green with the brown seat. I will be ordering a guzzi v7 special edition next month,like you not a fan of the dash,but love the arrow pipes,red shocks etc.
Thank you for sharing the whole story over this long time. I got a V7 stone last year and had more luck - great bike and I enjoy every ride😊. Waiting for your next story ...👍👋
I tried the V7 last year and I felt in love with it. This bike is alive, easy, charismatic. Just great and different. I’m just a bit worried about reliability, and the fact that there is no more dealer close to Brussels (closest is 100km away). I fully agree that you should make the distinction between the bike (or car) and its brand. I own a Tesla and I don't agree at all with Musk’s opinions. But the car is fantastic, I enjoy driving it every day. So, yes, the V7 will certainly replace my old 19 yo BMW. If I find a dealer...
I feel your pain when your bike gets wet and muddy. Takes me an age to clean mine and I am a bit ocd too! Never ridden a guzzi but I do like them, along with bmw boxers, quirky, characterful bikes.
I am fortunate to have had many motorcycles, a few of which have been Guzzi's. Got to admit I was mortified when Piaggio took them over, as the way they had obliterated the history of the Gilera marque when they took it over made me fear for Guzzi's future. What you said in your summing up about company policies has made me perhaps consider a V7 at some point. :)
I've just chopped my V7 850 special in for a BMW r1200rs. Had the Guzzi for a year or so,did some good runs round Scotland and enjoyed it very much. But, needed more oomph and I'm finding the bm ideal. Nowhere near as much character, and I don't get surrounded by old blokes for a chat about it. I may get another in a year or two, for Sunday rides out. Bye bye Guzzi, its been fun.
lol really 94 pounds a year, thats a bargin. im paying $800aud per year on my speed twin 1200 and $576aud for my honda ct125. for something like the V7 it would be around $700 for insurance in australia. im 34 if anyone wants to know BTW what was the fuel range.
V100 Mandello S in the only color available? Well I know that it comes in grey as well but why? I do the same thing by the way just with old bikes. I have a 1992 Kawasaki GTR for touring and a 1990 Suzuki GS 500 for shits and giggles. Been thinking about upgrading the Suzuki to the V7 special that you're riding but only in the blue. fantastic looking bike. The only reason I'm considering the change is for the shaft drive. Every time I ride my Suzuki I'm thinking, what the hell is that noise? It's the chain!
Great review Dave, I've owned several modern V7s. Now including the 850 like yours. The issues you've mentioned in your video can be avoided by simply riding and using the bike more often. Our humid climate causes lots of electrical issues especially near the switched and other relays. I tend to treat my machines like a living mammal almost: I try to take them out for a ride or commute as often as I can, similarly if I had a pet dog. It will keep the joints healthy and prevent problems in the future 😅
Just got a new in 2023 Ducati. It is a Scrambler with 800 CC. NICE, LIGHT AND FUN ride. Had about 10 other rides and it was time for the lighter and more manageable ride. Plan to ride A great deal here in Central NC. Get busy living or get busy dying
I love my '22 V7 Special which I bought to recapture my new "75 850 Interceptor. I also feel a bit of a dweeb wearing my Arai adventure bike helmet which I bought for use with my BMW-GS. I appreciate the long bill. I live in mountains and traveling through the woods you can be blinded going from direct sunlight into a shaded corner, so the bill makes all the difference in the world. Worth it even if I look like a seventy year old Imperial Storm Trooper
Owned 2 V7's.My first one was a mark || stone,pretty good just 10hp short and if you would start riding withing the first minute after start up it would die 😮 owned the same special as you do in this video and power was on point 👌 but drove it in the rain and frost a couple of times and it already started rusting everywhere. I bought it because of the shaft drive and big tank (of course the looks) ideal comuter bike... Absolutely not,it's a fair weather bike to go on light trips. And before people start saying I didn't take care,I wiped it down and even cleaned it if I had to after every ride. Far a 9000 euro bike the quality is just not enough...
I took delivery of a brand new 2023 V7 Special (1 mile) in April. I had the first service done at 900 miles before the service light came on. The tech said I should have waited for it to come on before bringing it in for service but said he could help me over the phone to reset it. Oddly, it never came on before or after service. That troubles me!
I wish I had given this bike a look before buying my '24 Speed Twin 900. I'm very happy with it, but this may have been even more to my liking. Maybe I'll find one I can test ride someday.
If it's any consolation Mr CG, I would feel just as aggrieved as you did had I bought a brand new bike which then displayed a check engine warning light. It was a fault, end of. With regard to your comment about sportsbikes and not being able to use the power/traffic volume problems etc, I think it depends where in the UK you live. Luckily the area where I live has superb twisty rural roads, hardly any traffic, and very little Police presence, but I'm not gonna say where that is! Sorry to hear the Guzzi is going, as it is what first attracted me to your channel. A beautiful looking bike, I hope I get to own an identical one some day! My guess on the new bike is an Aprillia RS660 in black/red. Whadidiwin???
I have often had a ‘last ride’ before changing bikes, I tend not to nowadays because the bike always feels lovely and I wonder why I’m doing it. I’ve had Guzzi’s and they are very fondly remembered.
I had the same bike which I bought from new and sold it three months later. Too many faults and quality issues. A great bike to ride, but terrible to own.
If a company has a bad ethos - the Apple ones you mention are prime examples - it does affect my feelings towards the products and would taint my potential enjoyment of it, so I don't buy their products. I certainly don't feel that I'm punishing myself. There are plenty of alternatives to choose from.
If you buy Italian you know that you’re rolling the dice, I have a v7 special but if something goes wrong il just deal with it, maybe you should trade it in for a Honda Rebel 500.
I'm sorry you got trouble like this with your Guzzi. By the way: I proudly owned a Guzzi 850T in 1974 (one out of two in Germany at that time). I loved it.
Aprilia Tuono V4.. Red I guess. I would have said the 660 but more power was mentioned. I would get the RS 660 in the shitty nappy yellow colour(great look). Always liked the V7 special. Clean look. Reminds me of the Yamaha RD’s styling I rode back in the late 70’s.
Hi Dayv, just found your channel, really good. I'm very close to buying the BMW 1250RT but deciding factor is how easy is it to lift when dropped particularly if I'm on my own could you advise please (I'm 6' 4"). Thanks a lot. Stu
Hi Stu. It’s a heavy bike, and I think it would be hard to pick it up on your own. That said, it won’t lie flat due to the cylinder head, so if you’re a bit stronger than me, it might be possible. I don’t think I could do it. I dropped mine pulling out of a petrol station, but it was due to a difficult camber and some idiot speeding - I either stopped and dropped or I’d get hit. I’ve done several thousand miles on mountain roads, fully loaded, in the pouring rain, and on some unpaved roads, and I never dropped it there. It’s very manageable. I’ve lost a lot of weight in the last 6 months, and I am now finding it more fatiguing to get in and out of the garage, and to hustle it on winding roads. So, I’m sadly going to need to get something lighter. But I never had an issue before the weight loss. I’d certainly recommend a decent test ride to make sure it suits you.
Hi Dayv, thanks so much for your time and reply. You're help is really welcome. Unfortunately on my recent mantrip had several things go wrong and even maneavering the bike became an issue (triumph rocket & over 60) overall it was a really bad experience so looking for a lighter bike myself. Again thanks for your help and keep up the great work on the channel. Stu
@@stuartstapleford Sorry to hear that. I’ve been trying out mid-size adventure bikes like the F850 & F900 GS, and the Tiger 900. Great comfort, all the toys available, and easier to manhandle. Not quite the same presence as a Rocket though! Thanks for your support, and hope you find something that works.
I bought a BMW R1250RT a few years ago. Check engine light came on early in my ownership experience. After 10 weeks at the shop all they could say was "electrical anomaly". I couldn't risk that on a planned 8000 mile ride in the middle of the western U.S.. Traded it for a Goldwing. I am giving BMW another chance with a R1250R. I also have a Mandello V100. So far, I am really enjoying it. The transmission is clunky, but I can live with it. I discovered a secret about the handlebar vibrations. The black Guzzi crash bars work well as vibration dampeners.
New bikes not giving access to the error codes is a real problem, I have a friend with a v85tt that has a similar issue, this is an adventure style bike for going on long journeys and suddenly you have no idea why the engine light is on, therefore another trip back to the dealer to check what code it's displaying, only to be told it's a throttle response issue or a oil pressure issue or a cruise control fault, all of which are no longer present. Therefore all confidence in the bike is lost and the round the world tour is on hold for ever as these issues are not likely to ever get fixed as they are so intermittent. For me new bikes have become overly complicated, in the old days the only light you would ever see is the oil light, no other warnings at all. The only way around this is to buy an obd2 reader and even that can't reset the engine light, it will just tell you what error you have, unless you pay out over £300 for a specific piaggio one. Manufactures need to at the very least offer a diagnostic on the bike to display the error severity, so at least you know if the bike is ok to continue riding. I love Moto Guzzi but they are really not convincing me to buy a new one anytime soon, along with this issue is the constant changing of dealerships that can service them. My guess would be you are buying the V100.
@Paulcooper5610 You can tell the severity of an engine light by common sense and reasoning. If you're not hearing any abnormal noises and the bike is otherwise running fine, fluids are at proper levels, etc. it's very likely not serious. If the engine sounds like a roll of quarters in a washing machine, or it If can't stay running, it's time to phone a friend or a tow truck. Long distance touring is a game of no guarantees. If you're not prepared to be broken down on the side of the road for any number of reasons, you have no business setting out in the first place. I agree that dealers should make it easier for riders to read codes, but how will that help you when you're in the middle of nowhere?
I am also 100% with you on your "Apple" statements!!! Oh... as for my guess for your next bike, I wish for you to buy a MotoGuzzi V100 Mandello, as it is the most enjoyable bike I 've ever ridden (although a bit heavy). But my bet is that you will buy an Aprilia Tuono 660.
In fact this is one advantage of modern classic bikes over the sportier ones: they handle similarly when you have a pillion and you can as well enjoy the ride the same. Having a pillion on an ultimately sport bike just ruins the way it handles.
I have the same V7 as you, that blue colour is stunning, the Special with its lovely proper clocks I find reminds me of the bikes I rode when I learnt to ride in the early 80’s. It’s a proper bike and it’s lovely to ride around the roads of the Lake District where I’m fortunate to live, where roads and sheep prevent fast riding! I’m keeping mine forever! I have 2 other bikes to tick the other boxes! Nothing beats the looks of the classic Guzzi in stunning blue, it’s stolen my heart!
The Moto Guzzzi community is a plus. Many owners do their own service and are very helpful and enthusiastic IMO. But I'm guessing you will get an Aprilia.
