After years of Japanese fours I decided to buy a Guzzi this year, a V7ii and to say it's different is an understatement, lots of quirks and character, it's not quick but it does make me smile every time I go for a run out....
I have 4 bikes, but my two favourites are my Griso and Z900RS, both full of character in different ways. The Griso is a wonderful machine - the two bikes are so different, yet make you feel the same way. Thanks for sharing.
Love Griso, had it six years now and it's a keeper. Looks great, goes.well, good handling, excellent brakes and sounds sooooo sweet. Best thing is there's nothing like them in all the identikit bikes out there. Enjoy yours
We’ve all done it mate, don’t feel bad. Thanks for posting. Always fancied that Griso, but for some reason never pulled the trigger. Perhaps it’s the dearth of a decent dealer network in the States. I applaud you being able to settle back in the U.K. after being in Oz for so long. I left England in ‘75 and even though I try to visit every year I could never live there again. All the best, Ian in Putnam Valley.
Loved the video. Thanks. I have both a Griso 1200SE and a Z900RS. Both have the soul of a classic bike, with all the character, grin factor and performance of something more modern. I have two other bikes, but these two are heads and shoulders above anything else I have ridden. And they're reliable! Cheers.
Had a ride on a friends 1100 Griso while touring in France pre COVID. My memory is of the wide handlebars and the low down power delivery. It was an absolute hoot to hustle through the countryside. Loved it
I did something similar. Downhill on a gravel road & I'd just closed a gate. I jumped back on the bike, pulled the clutch in to start the bike, the bike rolls forward into the back of my leg & over we go. I understand what you say about the "Guzzi's" handling. I bought the Tiger 800 XCA as a retirement present to tour around Queensland & Northern NSW back roads. I thought it would be a hard work on the twisties, given it had a 21" front wheel, long wheel base & tall. I was pleasantly surprised.?? You returned from Australia, there must be a story. I'm from the North of England, personally moving to Australia was one of the best things I ever did. Thanks for the videos I enjoy them immensely.
Awesome ! , we never got these down here . But after my ES2 Norton got stolen a good friend had a 1000cc Californian like the one shown here and I loved riding that bike , so smooth and a sound that was spine tingling !
I went to Oz in 1980 when I was 23, stayed in Qld till 2005 when I had to return to look after mum afte my brother died, I bought a brand new Jota in82 it was the last one in Oz, really enjoyed it, I nearly bought a Le Mans in 77 but being just over 6 ft I found it a bit small, but nevertheless they were a lovely bile. I bought a new Fatboy lo Special in 2017, very heavy , not good handling buy puts a smile on the face every time. Really enjoying your vlogs, very nostalgic , stay safe & all the best 👍😎
WE'VE ALL DONE IT...WHOOPS! POM from Lancashire here. Left the UK in 1970. My bikes were a 1966 BSA LIGHTNING and a TRIUMPH 500 DAYTONA. Great to see the welsh mountain ride, my old stamping ground. I did two Dragon Rallies, '69 and '70. I bought another 500 TRIUMPH once I got to Australia and rode it all over from Darwin to Sydney and Melbourne and around Tassie. Great bike on crap roads but loved every minute of it. Still riding at 73, present bike yamaha 1100 XVS. l Love your clips keep it up; ride till you drop, but don't drop the bike!
The side stand thing Mike does happen, I have left foot drop(veteran) so had to weld a little tooth of stainless onto my side stand so my boot sole could catch it MUCH more easily as I did nearly the same move as you did. Cheers Mate.
Love your content. I'm an old cafe racer tragic and also have a very soft spot for Guzzis. I bought a new LM Mk 111 in 1984 and had it for 7 years before I wrote it off. I missed it so much I got a LM Mk 11 a few years later . I'm also a big fan of the Griso and almost got one 4 years ago but I was a bit wary of the reliability after the stories about the cams circulated and my wife convinced me to buy a new Thruxton R . For me it was a very good move. Really good real world power and torque and even with the low clipons that go with the beautiful fairing it's comfortable for 500km days. Wonderful handling and a very nice note with the standard mufflers. Not quite the same as a Guzzi with a nice can but I can live with that. Anyway, I hope you keep your channel going strong for many years, it's a classic.
Love Guzzi’s, ridden several models but unfortunately finances never allowed me to own one, had to settle for cheaper sister Aprilia, my time will come! Love the videos by the way.
Had the 1200 Griso a few years ago, thought it was a really good characterful bike. In a lot of ways I regret selling it. I now have a Hd Xr1200 and it scratches the same itch sorta thing, and maybe a bit better if, more spirited riding is your bag. Enjoyed the video 👍 Safe rides 🏍🏁
I once saw a lady Harley rider do exactly the same thing. We were at a Wednesday evening bike meet. She rode into the carpark and about a hundred bikers watched as she parked her brand new Sportster up, got off it and walked away..... She'd forgotten to put the side stand down. It seemed to hover for a second before keeling over, there was such a cheer went up! Never saw her again..
Always loved the Griso. Very nearly bought one a few years ago but instead went for a Guzzi V11 sport. It is my favourite bike out of the many I've had. Super cool machine!
Love it! Very nice vid! *Had to pick up my 640 lb FJR the other day. Bike choked & tipped making a hard right off a stop sign 😁 SUCKED!! 8 years in, still love her best. *Had my Griso 2007 1100 2v about a year & a bit. Done a bit of farkling, EBC HHs, Exan pipe. Handles & brakes great, peppy enough to be fun. Replaced my long owned & much farkled 2000 Busa. Griso quite a contrast, but truly a character bike, well suited to a retired 68 year old mechanic, riding since 1966. Cheers from Vancouver, Can! 😎
Nice video, I’m mid 60s and a Griso owner for 14 yrs,. The MG still stirs the soul and a reliable mount. I’ve found additional happiness riding a Bete 500 outfitted in lite ADV for exploring near by back-country. Keep riding gents!
Yeah....we've all done it. Interesting comment about sounding like a pair of spitfires. I had an old friend (95) who was a Spitfire pilot. When I pulled up at his place on my V7 (with a 2 into 1 and a loud can), the first thing he said was "God! That sound like my old Spit taxiing!" By the way, you mentioned on more than one occasion that it's not a fast bike. It may not be as fast as a lot of other bikes, but it's still faster than most people can ride it. (Yes, i know you're an ex racer). Brilliant channel (?) BTW.
Hello from 🇦🇺 Recently discovered the channel and working my way through some of the older videos. Yes, we still pay a premium for Moto Guzzis here and in my state there is only one dealer if you want a new one. I persisted and found a good condition, used V7 Special. So much fun to ride. Keep up the great work Gang!
My brother did the same side stand 'trick' after getting off his bandit with vertigo after a spirited ride through Kangaroo Valley NSW. Not only did he drop the bike but vomited in his helmet as well! I nearly did the same with my busa but thankfully caught it in time!
'Mint sauce!' The old ones are the best...except when they're not! Great looking bike, some of the paint schemes on the later ones (especially the Tenni green) are jaw-dropping
I have also wanted a Gizzi my self but i wood like a early 70s Eldorado ! My favorite bikes are English . Ive had many triumphs , older ones . I am not a Harley fan any more and I am American . Ive rode Harleys for years but wood love a. BSA lighting
Love your channel! Another expat. Living in OZ and watching old European bikes on lovely European roads. I loved the TT footage, and can't wait for the Ariel Square four episodes. Cheers!
What you did at the end, I did exactly the same on my Hinckley Trident in front of an audience!! It happens. Great video, thinking of a Guzzi to replace my VFR. 😱
Well Mike, don't call yourself too many names, I rode a friend's big new "dresser Harley" a few months ago, got on a side road, and laid it on it's side, because of a drop, gravel, and losing balance. It must have been a thousand pounds or so, but it took help to get it off it's side. I used to be "middle aged", not so sure anymore. Thanks for sharing this!
Mlnt sauce . I saw that episode of The Goodies too . Sounds like you need to get another Guzzi Mike. Sold my 1975 850 t3 FB 20 years ago , got a V11 jackal 8 months ago. It had been left in a shed for 10 years, took a bit of fettling but it's back on the road and I'm loving it . The more miles I put on it the better it runs. As good as my memory of the T3
My Mum was saying Mint sauce way before the Goodies they must nicked it off her, the Jackal has a Tonti frame so basically very similar to the T3 Have you seen our video on the California ?
My previous bike was a Suzuki GSXR1000K4 (fun on the road is between 50-160mph) but I always loved the looks of the Moto Guzzi California Audace 1400(fun on the road is between 20-130mph). After a court case I knew my sport bikes days are over. So it took me a year to find an Audace to test ride. And before the ride I told myself that if it rides as well as it looks I will have it. And put it this way when I got back from my 30minuts ride I knew my Gixxer days are over. The things that blow my away were the brakes (radial mounted 320mm Brembos plus the handling is unreal for such a big and heavy motorcycle. It rides more like a big naked (XJR1300 or GSX1400) then a tipical cruser! I love the character of the engine. You can ride the torque from (2700-4000rpm)but keep the bike spinning and compared to the normal cruiser where there is nothing above 5000rpm the Audace is most fun from 4000-7000rpm when it really shifts!! You have no problem keeping up with big ADV bikes moder nakeds or even 600cc sport bikes! Plus you have all the eletronic goodie one can want from a moder bike. Abs switchblade traction control cruise control difrent riding modes. My first motorcycle was a BMW R1100S so this bike is very similar to ride exept the riding position obviously! If You ever get a chamce to ride one go for it You will be surprised how good it is!
Great video , i had a Griso 1100 for 3 years and really liked it. I sold it to get an 8v Sport, the Guzzi bug had bitten.I've done 50k miles on it now and it's been the most reliable bike i've had in over 40 years of riding.Keep on keeping on.
Hello from NZ. Owned a 2007 Griso, probably my favourite. Found leg position hard on my old knees, bought California 1400 custon next, also wonderful bike. Have just put deposit on a V85tt.
You will love it Dave has one as his every day bike most of the “following” shots in this series were done with a camera on the back of it with me riding Brilliant bike
I've owned two Moto Guzzi's, a 1980 V50 Mk2 and a 1980 SP1000 Mk2, I also used to own a 1980 Laverda 1200TS. I still have a 1980 Benelli 900 Sei Mk2 that I've owned since 1986, there's certainly something about 1980 Italian machines that I like
In the past I broke Guzzis for a living. During that time I also owned a Griso, Cali t3, Lemans2, 72 V7, and Sport 1100i Corsa all at the same time. Loved the Griso , bought as a rear end right off to break but rebuilt it and was glad that I did. Sold it to a chap who hassled me until I said OK I'll sell it! Big mistake that, but still have the Sport Corsa. Now that's a nice old school sports bike, lets me know that the new bikes of today are very clinical. When I ride it, I put her away and then right my Bonnie 1200 to see the difference, chalk and cheese engine wise in feel and grunt.
I almost bought a Griso 1200 a few years ago but I wanted to buy something new since this would be my only time I will, I bought an RnineT/5. A really good bike... But the Griso was so tempting especially coming off a Buell, love the V-Twin, and also an owner of vintage a vespa. The Griso was ahead of its time in certain respects. If they would have made them new when I bought my bike I would have checked them out. I will own a Guzzi someday probably a modern V7 750 or a V11 or Eldorado. Moto Guzzi makes some great bikes!
Among 3 Guzzis, I have had a Norge 1200 2V. A bit beefy, kind of GT with a light touch sport and anyway the most enjoyable sound of any motorbike I had in about 50 years, even with stock exhaust.
Thanks for the great video. I want a MG but have no dealerships in Florida USA at all; one is listed on the website but they appear to have no stock. They are available in Las Vegas but no service here in my neck of the woods. By the way, I've dropped a Buell on my self twice, it can happen to anyone.
Lucky you didn't break any fins on the engine. I had a 78 Le mans 1 and a 84 Le mans 3, great bikes. Test rode a Griso, enjoyed it but too heavy for me. Now thinking of a Triumph Street Cup, a modern retro that reminds me of the Le mans 1. Another wonderful video, cheers.
Looking at the video I was lucky I didnt snap my ankle Yeah lovely bike but pretty heavy my brother John loved it except for low speed walking pace thats when it shows its weight
I had a 1981 Yamaha Xj550 when I used to live in Germany (my first brand new bike I bought in 1981) and it had one of those side stands that where spring loaded. So as soon as you upright the bike the side stand would flick up automatically. Great idea for not forgetting to put it up, not so great if your not watching it and leaning the bike over thinking the stand is down when its not :) I don't think there is a bike out there now that has those but back then....
Well I watched right through to the end - Oh dear ! I bet your mates were very supportive and no piss-taking though, like they always are ? Love the sound and feel of that torquey Griso though ...
+David Jebson actually they gave me a bollocking because I have a very dodgy back and I used really bad lifting technique The the Griso was a lovely bike
Great video as usual. Nice bike, i vote for inclusion with the classics, it looks like a good all rounder with looks to match. Love the no side stand bike topple, great to see people on bikes warts and all very refreshing in this sanitised photo shopped world. I did it twice on my old Kawasaki Z1 in the mid 1980's, only with the engine running. I attempted to save the situation, both times with my throttle hand, thus alerted anyone in the area to my plight as i wound the throttle wide open as the bike inevitably went over and hit the deck. My strait through exhaust made sure nobody missed the main event. OH happy days! bikes can go from the coolest thing to the most embarrassing in seconds. Still love them though!
I nearly bought a Griso years ago,it was either an aircooled monster evo 1100,an XR1200 or a Griso.The XR won,I still have it.The Griso is just a great looking bike ! The XR won out because my poster bike in the 70's was always the XR750 flat trackers 😉
Dave had an XR1200 from the one make race series with all the Harris mods to it It went like the clappers I loved it made you feel like Cal Rayborne If you watch the update video there is a clip of him strafing past me on it
Keppel Gate is a bit beyond the 33rd Mike. I'm from, and live in, Douglas. I have a V7 850 in Centenario colours which I bought new in June. Also a 2017 MT-09, owned from new. I enjoyed the video very much.
Did the same thing years ago, pulled up to a petrol pump first thing in the morning, completely forgot the stand and landed in an undignified heap!! What a tit! Still, it gave the Bedford full of squaddies in front of me a good laugh. C'est la vie. Really enjoying the series Mike, keep up the good work.
Glad you got the 1100 I loved that ....But tried the 1200 ..not for me it revs up quicker less grunt at low revs ....1100 is better for me ..however not all will agree ...and that's good too
Brilliant stuff ! I also love Italian bikes and had a 1200 Griso when they were new but sold it because of the camshaft issues - MG sorted it under warranty but I lost confidence in the reliability - I should have bought the 1100 2v version in the first place - a much better 'all rounder.' I still love Guzzi's and now have a 2011 V7 (small block) Racer and fitted agostini pipes & a booster plug to improve the mixture & breathing - it's fabulous now - the motor really spins up well. It's light / nimble and a hoot to ride.
I have never been a Guzzi fan , however, the Daytona 1000 sure turned my head. Even the later 1100 sport was a good looking machine in my eyes. I guess this is one of the best parts of our hobby. Different strokes for different folks....and I'm pretty "different"
I've just brought a V50 and the side stand on that retracks as soon as you either take your foot off it or when the bikes weight is lifted, I'm sure I'll be joining you on the floor soon 😂
I feel for you when you dropped it. I don't feel quite so silly. I've recently returned to biking after a 20 health related layoff and am nowhere near as strong as I used to be. The long break really makes that obvious. I've dropped my bike 4 times this year. Only ever dropped one once before and that after a long, wet exhausting ride. I'm improving, just as well really!
Bro, I dropped my CRF250L twice the first two months. Hurt my back lifting it (the handlebars were downhill to the tires). Second time it fell over on my leg & I was pinned! Had to work my foot out of my boot, then called a neighbor to help me lift it. Third time I was alone on a dirt road. Managed.
Oh my how i miss my stripped down 2014 California, which I sold to a good friend in 2018. He is smarter than I am I guess since he still owns it and its 2024 in 24 hours. 😊
I love my Moto Guzzi Breva V1100, the naked touring sister to the Guzzi. It tickles all the right spots for me. With a Mistral exhaust it sounds proper. I prefer the Breva's larger tank over the Griso, although the Griso feels more muscular. Guzzi really makes great bikes, I love all of them.
Mint Sauce! Great production Mike. Not all Guzzis are as interesting (to me) as the Grisso. Generally considered a Marmite Bike here in Canada, but personally I find them compelling. I suppose as a Beemer owner, anything with two large sticky-out pots makes music to my ears.
HAHA - loved the "sticky-out pots" bit too, also have an R1200RT. Thought the Griso description, sounded pretty gravelly, more of a tractor sound to it, perhaps it was the sharp microphone picking up engine thrashing noises too much. "Marmite Bike" - another good description - not everyone's cup of tea.
I just Beetle mapped my California Custom 1400. I couldn’t be happier. Mark is great to deal with. Always loved the Griso. It’s on my bucket list. Love to see a vid on Ducati ST 2/3/4S.
Also there is a great channel called Andys Motorcycle Obsession where he does a series of getting an ST3 sorted for touring He also has a fantastic rebuild series on his 900SS highly recommended
Always thought Guzzi's were owned by interesting eccentrics. I met a woman with a California in 1981. I had a Honda. She told me she never vacuumed. Don't you get crumbs and stuff on the floor? Nah. The mice take care of that. Drooled over the compact beauty of the Le Mans for years, too.
I almost bought your Griso from a guy in Stockport in June 2015! I don't know if it was the same person you bought it from but he had a Vincent race bike as well. I've always regretted not buying it but at the time I was on medication that gave me severe cramps and was worried about the riding position, now that problem no longer exists and I'm gutted that I didn't buy it.
+John Dewsbury mine came from a guy in Worsley the other side of Manchester He had a collection of bikes but not a Vincent I loved that bike and TBH I was also concerned about the riding position but on the go it was not too bad Heavy old lump tho as can be seen from my antics at the end I sold it to my brother who now has a v85 and will probably get a V100
I am also an old guy, recently started riding, and I got a V9 Bobber as my first bike. I expected to drop it at some time, so the first thing I did was install crash bars. My expectations came true a few weeks ago while I was taking an advanced riding course. I had just stopped and down I went. The damage? A bent clutch lever, (replaced already with folding adjustable levers), a scratched mirror, a scratched muffler and a dented crash bar. The rest of the bike was completely unharmed. I hope I got that out of my system. I love my Guzzi, but I'm lusting after the new V100 Mandello.
I have a Norge 1200 it's a heavy old girl to push around but very agile once underway and when it hits about 4000 rpm I giggle like a school girl . I dropped it in the shed breaking a mirror and scrapping a pannier pretty badly . You need a good grip on it . I have a deauville 650 as my everyday do it all winter hack long distance tourer hopefully that's the plan anyway . It's a lot like a guzzi to ride I find . It's a great handling bike the brakes are strong and it pulls along fine for road use it's easy to ride and easy to live with . I carry a spare clutch leaver and front brake lever and the tools to change them under the saddle as I have had a touring holiday cut short by a broken clutch lever .the only thing I find with it is the clutch action is much heavier that the Norge or my Ducati st2 . Anyone who has retired or who works a job that doesn't require much activity would benefit greatly from exercises . Walking cycling swimming are all good but core strengthening exercises and complete upper body dumbbell workout along with lower arm strength exercises and hand strength grips . No need to give up bikes just built up your strength no beer no fags and eat right .It will give something to do over winter if the bikes all tucked away safe from the road salt .
@@LemonDrizzleGang This was the Yahama Champ school, the 1 day course. There was no pass/fail, the intent is to make you a better, safer rider. In essence, the course is how to properly use your brakes, to load the suspension and control your turn radius in corners. Yes, trail braking in corners. The exercise was to stop while turning. When I stopped, the bike flipped over so fast it threw me off. The consensus was that I didn't get my foot down soon enough. One of the things they taught us was to make tight u-turns with your inside foot out, had I been doing that I probably wouldn't have fallen. The best part is that the crash bars worked, Givi if you are curious, and my left cylinder came out unscathed.
It's refreshing to see different bikes being used and talked about instead of the oh look at me I am New bike please buy me. You have no soul if you don't love a Guzzi 😃
Nice bikes,Nice movies also,i used to ride a motoguzzi callifornia2 in the eighties, manihad a good time!,ride safe my vriendschap,HansDuurkoop,Holland
It won't make you feel better , but we all mess-up ! I've always fancied a Guzzi too (never owned one , come close a few times though ) There's a beautiful V10 Centauro for sale not too far from me...very-tempting , got a bit-more grunt than the Griso and handles superbly , I think they are one of the best-looking Guzzi's ever , just superb and very-rare down-here . Dave nz
Guzzi's have charachter by the bucket load. I had a Norge 1200 8v, was really surprised that a 257 kg (dry weight) bike could handle so well. 1100 Griso is a second hand bargin if you find the right example.
The sidestand bit? Done that with my Cali 3, and you know how big those sidestands are... The Griso... definetely my favourite bike from Guzzi in the last 25 years, bar the V11 and Centauro.
By way of a suggested programme theme, I'd be interested in your take on the bike scene in Australia -- like you, I lived out there (in my case, for 3 years from 2002-5), although I'm sure you'll have a better take than me.
I bought a 1200 which was lovely to ride and sounded gorgeous with it Termi exhaust, then discovered they had chocolate cams. MG wouldn't do a recall to replace them with modified camshafts (two per head). They said that if your bike suffered cam failure AND it had an MG service history (mine didn't as it was very low mileage) they would cover the new parts but not the labour (which involved a complete engine strip to get the cam swarf out of all the oilways). So I ended up selling it at a loss to a chap who had a tame MG mechanic who could change the cams for him before they failed. Not impressed!
Thats why I bought the 2 v 1100 Daves 1200 had already been rollerised Nightmare but the 1100 is bang on as its the last of the 2v Big Blocks great engine
Story of why italian bikes (and cars) have always taken 1 step forward and 2steps back, awesome looks,design,and performance. So- so reliability, and the worst dealer network/customer svcs in the history of mankind
@@984francis MG users club took MG to court over it but MG (Piaggio, actually) could afford very clever lawyers so they won. Barstewards. I'd never buy another MG obviously.
Another great bike deceptively quick I had it primarily as a two up bike as my son was coming everywhere with me at the time he is on the back in most of those clips I loved the handling as I was used to tele lever having has an R1200GS in Australia Funnily enough Stewart really didnt get on with it If you like BMs then it is a great bike and a bargain like £2000 for a good one Here is the video I did to sell it R1100S FOR SALE ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4RG_zR21hOw.html
Always loved Guzzis, but where I live now (Iowa) the closest dealer is 250 miles away. Mind you, I currently own an old ‘tuber’ Buell that there are no parts for anymore, so maybe a guzzi isn’t such a bad idea. Had a friend in Penrith in the eighties rode his 850 Le Mans MkI all over Europe and Turkey. Were we harder then? Or just dafter?
Best thing about the Guzzi is you dont really need a dealer just some good tools and a big hammer 😀 Big admirers of the Buell here as well we hope fully have access to a couple of Tubers for the New year And we were younger back then - thanks for watching Mike
It is incredibly more FUN to ride a "slow" bike fast than a "fast" bike slow : ) ALL shaft drives have for me an inherent flaw--there is no easy (or cheap) way to change gearing. You are stuck with what you have. 2-4 times a year I ride north into the Blue Ridge Mtns, 2-4 times make the long flat highway highway ride south to Florida and gear accordingly. It is what it is...
I play "identify the road" with these videos! If I'm not mistaken, at 11:00 you're heading from Llanfair Caereinion towards Welshpool; a road I travelled many times when courting in the 1990s! Mostly in a MkII Astra, but it's a great, twisty road for bikes.
You sir are bang on One of our favourite rides is meet at Llynclys Crossroads - Bala - Dolgellau - welshpool then back home we are very lucky living near these great roads
@@LemonDrizzleGang After courting, we married and lived half a mile from Llynclys Crossroads. I spent many evenings in the White Lion, and what used to be the Red Lion (renamed as the Lime Kiln, but I think that's now closed). My neighbour had a Honda CX500, which I coveted!
@@ParaBellum2024The White Lion sadly closed but it is our meeting place if you look at the clip where Dave and I ride off on the 2 Grisos that is the carpark
@@LemonDrizzleGang Yes, I can see it now (14:39). Didn't spot it earlier. it's a tragedy how many pubs have closed in recent years, not just due to Covid or Brexit, but the decline that's happened over a very long time. I think it's because people buy alcohol from supermarkets, and spend their other disposable income on mobile phones (which is where they also do their socialising), so pubs have been sidelined.
Was that Chris Clarke of Value Bikes Wymondham? He's still there. Here in the South East of the UK, who these days can ride a 100+ BHP bike to it's full potential ? too much traffic, speed limits and cameras eh! 70 to 80 BHP and nice punchy motor with a seat I can stil climb up on and I'm happy enough.
Guzzis *are* classics! They really are charming, reliable, rideable, fixable motorcycles. I have had 30 odd motorcycles over 50 years and one Moto Guzzi, now I have one. The Guzzi. That will do.
Easy mistake to make Mike. I had a mate take off on an old Kawasaki with the steering lock still on. Quite funny watching him do a pirouette before falling over.
Done that twice, forget to put side stand down, thank goodness help was at hand, no way could I lift my 4 cylinder sports tourer, first time a rather large lady lifted it off me at the filling station, 2nd time I was in Onchan, IOM, classic TT week, 2 S African fella's lifted it up., Very embarrassing to say the least.
I've been to the TT and the classic , I've never managed to get round the course all in one go , the road always gets closed somewhere because someone does something stupid ( your little drop doesn't qualify , we've all done that yer daft bugger LOL) I've never had an Italian bike , I can't get away from the stigma of spaghetti electrics , I suppose it's not true these days but mud sticks , I do like a Guzzi though and I did fancy that Ducati retro they made some time back .
