They get you in the end . It starts with a test ride, then the curiosity starts slowly at first, the rocks when you start , the noise of the dry clutch , the clunk of the gear change, the sound of the engine. Then before you know it it's got you, that Guzzi addiction .
Last year I test ride the SM650.Loved the feeling but then I checked the MG V7 and fell in love with the torque and the rumbling at low refs. Welcome to the Guzzi world 😊
Good Morning Dave , tbf i was very surprised when you got rid of the SM 650 after making all the changes to it ie panniers & foot controls + pipes , but hey its your bike at the end of the day & i'll will always watch your channel mate the main reason is your content & the beautiful ride outs in the dales , so as always take care & ride safe
Thank you Dave for taking me along on adventures. I really love the British countryside. Beautiful scenery. Ride safe as always and keep the rubber side down. Cheers from the States.
Thanks again for filming a great ride out in this Picturesque part of the country. I look forward to watching these. I had a Poxy 🙂ride out myself yesterday on the A4059 in the Brecon Beacons. It began overcast but, after about ten miles in, the rain really came down with mist: visibility was Bad. There was no choice for me but to turn back.
Thanks for another great video TBW, I really like the look and sound of the Guzzi and the torque reaction rock when it's revved in neutral, I had a Bee-em R100S back in the eighties that used to do the same thing. Regarding Pateley Bridge pies, I've always enjoyed a nice Growler or two from Kendall's further up the high street, lovely pork pies with lots of different toppings 😋. You are definitely my proxy rider at the moment as I'm currently restricted to the car because of a dodgy hip. Roll on hip op so I can get back on two wheels. Keep up the good work, cheers.
If a big doesn't gel with you then there is no point in keeping it. I found the same with my CB500X it was an absolutely faultless bike and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a mid sized road biased adv bike but it just didn't tickle my danglies and it had to go.
Precisely! I bought a triumph 400 scrambler and could not tell you a single bad thing about it. But it just did not do it for me. Sold it after 4 weeks. Yet I love my 411 HIMALAYAN , although it is objectively inferior in every way. Discuss.😮 BTW, I have a V7 and a 350 classic too😊 Must be my age (65 + VAT)😂
@@oldguzziguy One man's meat is another man's poison as they say. I had a CB500X and a CBF1000. Both fantastic bikes but a bit souless. Now I have a Bonneville T120 and a R1200GS neither of which are the fastest things in the world but they both have character and just the right amount of thump without being annoyingly vibey. I have always had a bit of a hankering for a Guzzi particularly the V85TT but never quite pulled the trigger on one.
@@Grumpy-Goblin I just want to throw a small word of caution if you ever decide to buy a Guzzi.... if your main dealer mechanic or your trusted mechanic do not know their way around Guzzis DO NOT BOTHER TO BUY, as the bike will cause endless troubles, if not taken care of properly. I am telling this based on my personal experience. My V7 850 classic was nearly ruined because of the incompetence of Official MotoGuzzi dealership mechanic. These are not made like Japanese bikes, Guzzi are very different, so you have to know what you really are doing before wrenching on them.
@@ivanbaldacchino6339 thanks for the info. I do know a dealership that has a good reputation with Guzzis that is not too far from me so I'll bear that in mind if I do decide to switch from the GS.
Hi Dave. I gotta say my love affair with my 650 Royal Enfield Super Meteor continues. Just over 900 trouble free riding to Cornwall, touring around then back home to Hertfordshire. Definitely a keeper in my opinion. Safe cruising to you sir 👍😊...
2:48 on the gopro I think it's one of those things were they became popular and spread to become the default go to, but unfortunately they are not as good as the company would have us believe, yet because of their positioning in the market they are ingrained especially with vlog people ect, typically tec situation, but if a device is not consistently able to do it's primary function it's basically expensive crap 💩 🤷🏻♂️
Hehe, aye, the Guzzi's got you, Dave! Right propper old-school bikes, aren't they? My 750 Breva always brings a smile, even riding around in suburbia. 👍
Morning Dave, chuck your Go-Pro’s on FleaBay, get yourself a DJI OA4 😉On the RE front, the 650 engine is brilliant, and I too loved my 3 years on my Interceptor, but since buying my 350, I barely rode the Interceptor so it had to go. That said, I would be tempted with the Shotgun…..which incidentally I need to get out on again sometime. I think the “Light my Fire” song was by The Doors 😉
Hi Ian yes the Doors originally but the Jose Feliciano cover was my era. I’ll see what the Osmo 5 pro is like when it breaks cover but the 4 just doesn’t have quite the image quality of the Hero 10 and 12 to my eye
Great summing up regarding the SM. I was lent one on an extended test ride by a RE dealer and although I'm not a "Cruiser" guy I found the riding position comfortable( I had superscooters years ago) better for me than the Inteceptor but the rear shocks were too harsh over poorly surfaced roads. Together with the weight and dulled performance it was enough to put me off. You make a good point regarding the character of both the Guzzi and classic 350 engines there is something special about them and I enjoy riding both, neither are leaving my garage! Unfortunately a lack of funds and room means no more new bikes for me, although I did like the BSA 650.
Missed you the other day! 😖 And you rode past our caravan park too. Could've lobbed a shoe at you as you went by 😂. Love Pateley. Staying here for the whole of July. Had a pork & blackpudding pie from Weatherhead's yesterday... stunning! Wish l'd brought the bike with us but unfortunately the Mrs won't tow the van and allow me to follow on 😢. Great vlog Dave thanks. Regards, Mo 😊 👍
Never been keen on cruiser type bikes myself , so out of the four bikes I reckon the Super Meteor 650 ,was the right one to ditch . As for camera mounts on helmets , I have noticed all the posh bike vlogers , with the posh up market helmets tend to have chin camera mounts . At least it’s better than the old nob head position on top of lid , that made them look right 🔔ends . Your ride out vids look ace on my big smart TV as if I was riding bike myself . 👍
You are exactly right about the rear shocks on the SM650. I have swapped out the rear shocks for aftermarket and that has solved a lot of the harsh stiffness. The original shocks would literally would knock the breath out of me on rough roads. Royal Enfield really needs to address the rear shock issue to help future sales.
You are so right, l've had my bike 10 months after wanting one for a few years, l love cleaning, polishing, meddling and looking at it, but.......we've just not bonded out on the road, l knew from the first ride really. I took pics for Ebay today and l was looking at it wondering why it is, and l haven't a clue but it's going. A Guzzi may well replace it.
Enjoyed my early morning ride across the Moors Dave. Love the lazy beat of the Guzzi's engine, nice relaxing sound. With regard to the Camera positioning. l tried the GoPro 'Chesty' mount...Camera normal mounting... Camera upside-down, then reverted to chin mount. Both myself and a riding friend agree the chin mount was better and gave a superior third party view. Apart from anything else it is easier to maintain a level horizon..especially the mount type that sticks directly to the central position on the Chinbar.... suggested a type on early video.... rather than the complicated articulated side mounting......l use a dedicated HJC helmet to film rather than use my Shoei 'flipup'..... You sure have some wonderful areas to film ....
I found the rear shocks on my Interceptor pretty crashy as well, and recently changed them for some YSS ones which have transformed the bike. The front didn't worry me all that much but I figured I may as well put the YSS upgrade kit in the forks too. I live in rural Australia and regularly ride poor back roads at 100-110kmh and until I did the upgrades I'd been considering selling the bike on account of that rear end, now it's staying in my collection with the RE Classic 500 and the Honda ST1300. That was the only thing killing the Interceptor for me, everything else was sweet, so I'm well pleased.
I have to agree the little 350 is a nice looking bike but where i live in the us you need to be fast or get run over on our large and fast roads. That brings up another point as it pertains to necked bikes, a windshield or small fairing is helpful given the speeds on our roads. I can relate to the pitfalls of having multiple bikes. A lot to keep track of and spend money on.
What I remember from my visits to USA is the large slow roads. 70 MPH in the eastern states and on the west coast. Very few states have 80 MPH like we have in most of Europe. I often ride in Germany where the speed is free on many stretches. 50 HP is more than enough and you need your helmet in free air to avoid buffeting noise.
Good video Dave, the thing with the Enfield 650s is that they are all roughly the same with cosmetic differences. There’s nothing wrong with them, they are very good but very similar. That’s why you like the Guzzi because it’s individual, different and as you say unique. And they don’t half shift when you feel that way out. You now have a stable of totally different bikes and you take which suits your mood on the day. Additionally you have the advantage of being able to test ride many other models that are available to you. I think that 650 sales will start to drop off but I think the interceptor and continental will always have a good following. ( Fluffy comments over and out )
Greetings Dave! I do so appreciate your honest evaluation of the Super Meteor. That extra 45, or so, pounds of weight has to have an effect on performance. I also think that especially as we age (I'm nearly 67) comfort becomes ever more important. Personally, I'm looking forward to the 650 Classic. I'm addicted to the sweet single on my Meteor 350. Take care!
My own path to M-G was via many decades of owning and riding less and less convincing new models of BMW boxers. Then I rode a new M-G in 2018. I don’t really know how to say what a revelation it was. It took me back to the /5, maybe even the old /2 BMW spirit, but new-age versions of the best of the old stuff and I was totally sold. Now, the whole ridership package has been experienced, including servicing practices and the rider community, and that has doubled down on all the best aspects. M-G is a wonderful riding machine maker. The bikes are just great, unique, and fun. The logistics and distribution aspect could use some help, but also is improving.
Nice video Dave. Interesting to know why you moved away from the SuperMeteor650. I did consider getting one before I got the BSA, I guess the single cyclinder set up (Like the RE350s) just appealed a little bit more... Thanks Dave for the enjoyable vid 😊😊
Lovely bike BW. A couple of friends are big Guzzi men. Both have V7 Sport 750's in their collections. I had a 1949 GTV500 flat single until a few years ago but sold it to get something lighter as although it was a great bike, it was getting a bit heavy to manhandle. Still like Guzzis min. Stay safe and watch out for the tractors 😮.
Here on the Lancashire coast its 14° on the 4th of July and there's a strong breeze making it feel colder still. Is this a normal British summer or is it down to global warming, although I'm sure it should read global cooling. We did get 3 days of summer last week, again normal ?
Hi Dave, Thanks again for sharing your part of the world. Beautiful scenery. Would you mind if I picked your brains about the Guzzi? I am a similar size to you, 6ft with 34in inseam. How do you rate the comfort level of the V7? Gonna try a test ride, but your opinion after having the bike for a while would be appreciated. Thank you, Jim
Hi Jim I find it really comfortable. Legs are tucked up a little but not cramped. You probably have an inch more in the leg than me so a test ride is a good idea
I love the fact Moto Guzzi’s are underrated, It’s like you’ve got the knowledge other motorcyclists haven’t got, superior knowledge or oneupmanship if you will. They are bloody marvellous bike’s, and for the money (they’re almost hand made), they’re superb value. But please keep it quiet.
Good morning Dave I actually prefer chest mount videos because you see the bikes tank and clocks and it’s a stable view I find the camera isn’t then moving left and right all the time But you can have both of course but it’s personal preference 😊😊 You were lucky with that bloody tractor just shows how easy it it to get seriously injured by incompetent people 😮 Sold your super meteor …. Thing is we all get a little bored of bikes / cars etc and that’s why I don’t fit extras to mine normally. My brother changes his bikes twice a year , thing is he buys bikes then fits bits and then sells it. I prefer the interceptor really! The classic 350 yes it’s a lovely machine.. voice overs hope your not trying to say something about someone you know haha 😂 “Cop out “ All the best Phil
Cheers Phil I can see the upside of chest mounts for lots of work just doesn’t give the lofty panoramic view that suits my content…..and my computer soils itself if you give it two camera feeds 😂
I agree on the chest mount. These country roads eliminate the big problem with helmet mounts, the bobblehead effect. Safe riding in traffic demands your head being on a swivel. Unfortunately that makes for crap videos. I got the neck mount and it does fill the bottom of the frame with my tank bag.
@@BlueRidgeRider Yes I bought a helmet mount and all I saw was me being ultra careful and my head was bobbing left to right all the time Didn’t like the video At least with chest mount you can see what your riding and can raise or lower it 😊😊
@@MindfulMotorcyclist Hi Sean The shirt is the Merlin yes they’re good I would like a different colour had that 2 years Cheaper than buying bikes 😂as with one of my black biking jacket same 😊😊 quality
funny to see this, because I have a buddy who just bought a Super Meteor 650, and while it's a great bike overall, the foot-forward position would instantly be a deal-killer for me. I have short legs, and there is nothing more uncomfortable than having them fully-stretched out to reach the foot controls. It's just wrong. Yeah, they now offer the Shotgun which solves that issue, but I think I'll stick with my '18 Guzzi V7 iii Milano which, as you clearly state, has a special character all its own. I am anxious to see the new Himmy when they're finally here in USA. I had the 411 Himmy for a year and really liked it. I hope the quality control on the new 450 is a step up, though. Cheers!
Please flip your mirrors "outwards." 180 degrees. My V7 SE has the same bar end mirrors, and they are flipped out. Remember Jurassic Park? Objects are closer than they appear ? Im sure your mirrors are "upside down" ??? Thanks as always for your rideouts, musings, and scenery.
I think ‘Light my Fire’ was The Doors Dave? Totally get why you moved the Super Meteor on for the CF Moto, makes sense. Three really different bikes to play with now 👍🏻
I made the same cruiser mistake when I bought a new Yamaha Virago 750 in the 1990s. It was comfy and reliable but at 6ft 3in I looked a tit which made me feel like one and traded it for a Yamaha XJ900. My present bike is a Honda CB1100RS for Summer use only, but as I enjoy the occasional winter ride and given the worsening state of our rural back roads, I'm in the process of buying a new, heavily discounted RE Scram 411. I see you had one about a year ago, why did you sell it ?
Totally understand the rationale behind letting the SM go. As a RE Interceptor owner I’ve often thought about switching to the Classic 350 as my Mrs likes to come along for the ride with me nowadays & I know that the 350 would be much more comfortable (as no upswept exhausts). Problem is every time I look at my Interceptor I fall in love again & simply cannot part with it! 😂 When RE bring the Classic 650 out then I just know in my heart that this will be the time…but RE know that this Motorcycle is exactly what the Public want so they will tactfully keep bringing out more motorcycles which are NOT the Classic 650. If they continue to do this then who knows… I may well purchase the 350 but only as a second bike! 👊
Lovely scenery Dave but really disappointed that you didn’t show us the porkie pie or sausage roll..another excuse to come back up😂Safe riding. Richard
OK, Dave, I certainly remember the summer of 2012, it cost me my job. I'd been working for Marshalls PLC in Halifax for ten and a half years, the terrible summer meant that Marshalls sales were drastically down and the West Lane Works yards were full of unsold stock so jobs had to go, Within twelve months 75% of the West Lane staff had lost their jobs, me included. I was 56-years-old at the time and I found it hard to find another full-time job, after being messed around by employment agencies for a couple of years, I decided to retire early aged 58.
Funny how sometimes our illusions are changed. I always wanted a Buell Lightning and bought a stunner. Unfortunately, as it's a rigid, the vibration at low speed made my eyes bounce like a demented gonk!! My other half has it, now...I swapped it for his Laverda 750 Formula, which is pretty cool 😎
Ah Dave i was in bill Smiths Motorcycles Chester late this afternoon trying to make my mind up.... on a second-hand 2-year-old black Moto Guzzi, versus 650 Interceptor, BSA 650.... i got my leg over a couple of the three 50s and the low sloan 650 s me to your and shotgun but I'm not liking those laid back bikes.... but I'm still trying to make up what I will buy.... it is interesting though that many of us older guy....consider these retro's.... but I notice all motorcycles general size is much inflated vs the motorbikes we rode back in the day.... anyway I just want something to have a bit of fun on without of fun on without going like a rocket
I love my sm 650, I've done around 2500km and his name is Clyde😂, i went from sport type bikes to a cruiser, was abit of a risk but i love the cruiser style so much now i would never go back, the sm has attached to me more then any bike I've ever had.
I've never had a longing for a cruiser type, more sport touring and mid sized adv bikes. With the R shock upgrades the suspension is vastly improved. Most vlogers owning them have confirmed this. Maybe R E should take note and address this to improve the bike and keep people from changing to another brand. My 350 and GT was added to my 3 BMW'S garage. All different styles so depending on my mood, I can change to the proper 🏍 that day. Sometimes I'll ride 3 in one day and "really" notice all the differences between them. Sort of like having more than one wife. Make adjustments to each one and enjoy them all. LOL.
For me the helmet mounted cameras used on you tube make me feel a little sick. Its the turning of the head and looking at the dials, etc. i think your chest mounted camera is good. Put it to the vote, ask people
@@thebingleywheeler Its the rotation or rather the lay of the crank which determines it. In the Guzzi case it's a longitudinal engine as the crank lies fore and aft, with transversely arranged cylinders.
If you are not a cruiser type of guy, and you look a right tit on a cruiser, why on earth did you buy a Super Meteor 650? The Interceptor is a much better bike in every department ...... like the V7 but prefer the 85TT or Stelvio..... lovely countryside where you are riding .... nice
Heyup, I've mentioned 2012 many times this year , most people look at me "gone out" . My mate used to come up for the summer with bikes on trailer specifically to ride the dales with me , after 2012 he sold his mobile home near Caton and that was all she wrote , he lives near Norfolk and sold his 2 road bikes after 6 months because the roads down there are "flatter than a witches tit" and he asked me to stop sending pics of my rides up dales the year after . it was mainly the temperatures in 2012 ,,never got above 16 Celsius . Tommy Tickle
PS I was on that road yesterday ,,disappointed that the road from middleham to kettlewell was shut , no sign until 7miles towards kettlewell and we found that there's no way to get past closed part ,also 2 diversion signs had fallen over.
GoPro 🙄. I've got a Hero 8 Black and it's Ok (ish). I stopped my GoPro quick subscription recently and on holiday last week had all sorts of connectivity issues. I resubscribed in and lo & behold it all started working again. Now, the conspiracist in me would suspect all this was purely intentional. They do like to keep taking £50 off me annually. Also, it gets very hot and drains the battery really quickly even if I'm only downloading videos to my phone for editing. Not impressed to be honest. We have a Super Meteor 650 now Dave as you know. Kelly and I love it for it's longer legged ability over our "Ernie" the Classic 350. But my-oh-my those rear shocks are painful. Riding solo and weighing only 70kg myself it's difficult not to be constantly thrown out of the seat. Two up, it's slightly better - but not much. A conversation with the very nice people at Hagon and I'll be getting a pair of their fully adjustable shocks - with the rates customised for our 90% pillion use with enough adjustment for luggage when we add it too. Less than £300 for the pair (delivered including vat) is a bit of a bargain to be honest 👍
Totally with you Dave. I've always thought that cruisers and choppers look great until you put some big old fat git with a big beard like me atop them, then the whole thing changes for some reason. Loving the Guzzi though and as for little Norman, well... nuff said. There will always be a bit of room in the garage for a little Norman.
I'm just the opposite. I really like my Super Meteor which is in the shop now to have the RE side cases installed. I've looked at the V7 III and the new V7 (took 2 different bikes out for test rides several months apart). The V7 just does not do it for me. 3 strikes and it's out. I've looked at the V85TT hoping that it would be a lighter weight replacement for the Stelvio 1200NTX I owned and I couldn't even get it off the side stand because it was so top heavy. I rather miss the Stelvio but I got tired of dealing with the weight and tall seat height. I've switched to the mid-weight Triumph Tigers for ADV bikes (I have a 2015 Tiger XRx and a 2022 900 GT Pro).
Do what I've done on all my bikes since I started riding, back in 1958. Open the tank, shake the bike, assess if it needs fuel for the journey or not. It helps you get in tune with the bike, to know its capabilities. Present bike is a 2005 Guzzi 750 Breva; I've never had a bike with a fuel gauge and have never run out of fuel.
Just zero the trip every time you fill up and you'll soon know when to fill up without having to do any complicated mental arithmetic. The bigger problem these days is that petrol stations are getting less common in rural areas. There used to be one in every village but not anymore. Maybe we need to buy bikes with bigger tanks. Stay safe everyone and keep riding.
