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  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by damian View Post
    I don't know much about the new one but to all those making snide remarks about reliability..

    I have an acquaintance who put two MILLION kilometres on a lemans. I can't remember how many times he rode around Australia.

    I rode mine as everyday transport for years. To work through the week and scratching/touring whenever I could.

    The only bike I know of that can eat miles with less work is a K series BMW. The twins break and need more maintenance and $$$! than the old guzzi twins.

    Anyway the bike at the top is pretty but if I were to miraculously get my sight back I's be looking for a cali stone. Footpegs and minimal decoration. As long as you can keep the FI and electrics sorted they are a delight to ride and you can't kill 'em with an axe.


    While I have no doubt at all that the K series of BMW motorcycles are about the best in the business as far as reliability and longevity go in the motorcycle world, I would hold extremely grave doubts about the V twin series of Moto Guzzi's being better than any of the flat twin BMW engines.

    I've had 14 flat twin BMW motorcycles, with many of them running around 300,000 klm's before I've moved them on. At the higher end 350,000 klm's was the go before they really start to fall apart, while up to 150,000 klm's is roughly the starting period of ancillary equipment starting to need severe maintenance or replacement. I have logged slightly over 1,5 million kilometres on BMW flat twin motorcycles on 14 individual BMW machines, then there are the other machines which take my motorcycling to slightly over 2,000,000 kilometres over a 53 year period of riding; I sold my last motorcycle last year.

    I personally know of one R1100GS owner with well over 450,000 klm's on the clock, bought new and entirely maintained by the owner. While it is running very well, the maintenance schedule, which is normal for high kilometreage machinery is fairly intensive. The throttle bodies usually require a rebuild around every 150,000, I could go on, but that is the norm for any high kilometreage machine.

    Guzzi's are pretty remarkable, but they do have their foibles. The V7 Ambassador (700cc) was able to run almost forever, but one had to be reasonably careful to not over tax it from a cold start, otherwise one could and did strip the chrome bore lining, don't ask how I know this. The next V twin model with a slightly larger engine capacity of 750cc was probably a better machine overall and as long as it wasn't flogged to death by high revs and hard cold starts one was fine. The 850cc V twin was picked up by some USA Police forces. They were terrific, except for when they were sitting on the roadside waiting for a speeding motorist. With a cool engine then a start up and high revolutions, the bores of these machines soon started to fall apart. I personally saw two of these engines from wrecked ex USA Police force bikes brought to Australia.

    I rode a V50 Monza through Western Europe, it was the sixth (if my memory is correct) off the production line, the first unit is in their factory museum; which is certainly worth a visit. It was a brilliant machine and was ridden hard through western Europe then brought to Australia where it finally died with various terminal problems at the ripe old age of 170,000 klm's. Basically it was just falling apart everywhere. The best part of the Moto Guzzi bikes was their integral braking system, really good for what it was at that time in motorcycle braking development.

    I could give you a timeline of what falls apart on BMW flat twins and what falls apart on Moto Guzzi V twins, within reason they are similar up to around 150,000 klm's, from then on the BMW's start to be better. I've never seen a V twin with over 200,000 klm's, although I have no doubt they are around.

    I've travelled around Australia 13 times on motorcycles, and as for the notorious south road (Adelaide to Alice) in the sixties and seventies I lost count around trip number 20. That south road was quite a hard road to traverse in bad conditions, wet sand in the southern section would eat bearings, brake liners and brake pads and discs on the more modern machinery. While the very hard sections around Cooper Pedy in dry conditions made mince meat of suspension components.

    Attached is a picture of when I stepped off after encountering very thick gravel and running out of power to keep the front wheel from sliding away. I was two up and as you can see, heavily loaded. Four litres of water stored over each cylinder didn't help, neither did the two spare tyres on the rear. Lost about an hour or so getting things running and patched up, then continued on for the next couple of months; as you do. South road north of Cooper Pedy.

    The other picture was typical of the conditions found in many places in the seventies after rain, just mud, mosquitoes and copious sweat in the humid conditions. North of Blackall.

    Mick.

    South_Road_Sturt_Highway_1978_Web.jpg North_Of_Blackall_In_Black_Mud_1976_Web.jpg

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  3. #17
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    Nov 2004
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    The main problem with the old Guzzi's was the electrics - the motor was not that stressed and did not give many problems. Since my brother replaced the wiring hardness its run faultlessly for about 6 years.
    Fifty years ago most Italian motrocycles suffered from a poor reputation as far as their electrics were concerned. British bikes leaked oil, Japanese bikes had a hinge in the middle of the frame and I don't wish to travel down the American "Hardly Ableson" road, but by the time I had the 750-S3 the electrics were vastly improved. The main instruments were actually the same as BMW (but half the price). However, this leads me on to a little story.

    It was the early part of 1980 and I was waiting for my visa to emigrate to Australia with the new Aussie wife. I had sold the car and the Guzzi was our only means of transport. This particular day we were dressed up on our way to the christening of a friend's child. SWMBO was wearing a voile dress with a satin lining (important for the story, but relax as it does not get any more explicit than that) and I don't know what I was wearing. Nobody cares anyway. I remember Michael Caine commenting that in the love scenes (that's a euphemism for sex scenes ) he usually left his trousers on under the bed clothes: Actually, I am a little pleased about that.

    Back to the story. We were pottering along on the inside lane of a three lane motorway doing a leisurely 50mph: Just enjoying a pleasant spring day and feeling relieved it wasn't raining. At some point a Jaguar E-Type went screaming past in the fast lane. I recognised the blue car as my mate's vehicle containing he and another friend and pointed this out to SWMBO who until that moment had been sitting contentedly on the pillion. As I did not know exactly where the christening was being held and Google maps was not yet a byte in an IT nerd's Commodore 64, I reasoned that he knew the venue so I rolled the throttle around the clip on and gave chase. It took me a while as he had a pretty good start and was travelling as if his life depended on it.

    I caught him just before he exited the motorway and followed him to the church. When we stopped SWMBO grabbed hold of me and explained, slightly shaken, that I had nearly lost her off the back of the bike. It transpires that she had not seen me indicate my friend's car and the bike's sudden acceleration had caught her by surprise. She was barely able to grip me to hold on. The satin slip had not assisted in this regard (see, there was a point to the clothing). Now to the second point and it was that the Guzzi's speedo had given up the ghost ( ) and the rev counter was my only real indication of speed. I asked my mate with the E-Type what speed he had been travelling at and he explained that they had thought they were late and had never gone below 100mph the whole way. I had caught them.

    Under different circumstances I would have been rather pleased with myself, but as it was I was little chastened. To this day I still shudder when I think of what could have been.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  4. #18
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    Jun 2005
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    Helensburgh
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bushmiller View Post
    Japanese bikes had a hinge in the middle of the frame
    I think the Kwaka 1000 my mate rode had two hinges, a truly evil thing on a rough corner.
    CHRIS

  5. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Parks View Post

    I think the Kwaka 1000 my mate rode had two hinges, a truly evil thing on a rough corner.
    Chris

    The 900Z1 was probably the bike that got Kawasaki on the map and was the forerunner of your mate's 1000. I can remember walking out of the London motorcycle show and watching a kid gun his 900 up the road and recalling that it could achieve 60mph in first gear: I think the kid easily made it. However I believe it was the two stroke "triples" that were really lethal. Couple a power band with attitude to the flexible frame and it was a recipe that would bring all but the experienced undone. I think the 750cc version had trouble cooling the middle pot too.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  6. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Optimark View Post

    I've travelled around Australia 13 times on motorcycles, and as for the notorious south road (Adelaide to Alice) in the sixties and seventies I lost count around trip number 20. That south road was quite a hard road to traverse in bad conditions, wet sand in the southern section would eat bearings, brake liners and brake pads and discs on the more modern machinery. While the very hard sections around Cooper Pedy in dry conditions made mince meat of suspension components.

    Attached is a picture of when I stepped off after encountering very thick gravel and running out of power to keep the front wheel from sliding away. I was two up and as you can see, heavily loaded. Four litres of water stored over each cylinder didn't help, neither did the two spare tyres on the rear. Lost about an hour or so getting things running and patched up, then continued on for the next couple of months; as you do. South road north of Cooper Pedy.

    The other picture was typical of the conditions found in many places in the seventies after rain, just mud, mosquitoes and copious sweat in the humid conditions. North of Blackall.

    Mick.

    South_Road_Sturt_Highway_1978_Web.jpg North_Of_Blackall_In_Black_Mud_1976_Web.jpg
    Mick

    I am in awe of your exploits and am currently standing to attention. Sir!

    (Standing easy now). I agree the linked brakes were a good feature and that was the "3" in the model number for the discs: One front disc and the rear disc operated by the foot and the other front disc operated by the right hand brake. I loved my bike, but it had a serious failing in that it was trying to be a cafe racer. Whilst it looked fine, the riding position was poor. The clip on bars were too low and the riders foot pegs too far forward. Added to that the designers could not decide whether it was a single seater or a two seater and the result was a seat that was neither a racing bum stopper or a full size with pillion. Fortunately in those days I could fit around it, but today you would have to winch me on and off.

    The predecessor, the V7, was a better bet for riding comfort with it's low rise handlebars instead of clip ons.

    Moto Guzzi V7.jpg

    as was the successor, the 850 Le Mans, where the riding position was just better.

    moto-guzzi- le mans.jpg

    I don't think I would have any of those criticisms with the V100.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  7. #21
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    Perth
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bushmiller View Post
    . . . . However I believe it was the two stroke "triples" that were really lethal. Couple a power band with attitude to the flexible frame and it was a recipe that would bring all but the experienced undone. I think the 750cc version had trouble cooling the middle pot too.
    I watched a kid on a 500 Kwaka at the drag races attempting to race the vehicles on the track. He was doing this sans helmet on the road alongside but outside the track, separated by a fence and many dozens of vehicles containing spectators parked nose in against the fence. Just when he was almost up to full speed a car backed out of its parking spot and the head ended up as mince between the bike and the centre pillar of the vehicle. The force almost drove the centre pillar of the vehicle one third of the way into the car. We were close by and one of our party was a Nurse and she ran straight over but she came back white faced about half a minute later, "nothing to do there" she said.

  8. #22
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    The H1 Kawasaki triple from 1969, was a fantastic bike, pretty much the best bang for your buck, period.

    If you checked out your rear shock absorbers so that they were about the same for each side, then it handled reasonably well, not terrific but pretty damned good. Ground clearance with the relatively wide engine was a bit of an issue, but if one was a little slower around corners, you could literally blast past anything else when the revs hit the magic 6000 rpm through to power drop off then change gears and do it all again; just wonderful. Also one of the few two strokes with a very nice exhaust note.

    There was one issue with regards to racing, the front drum brake faded relatively quickly, as in, really faded. It faded faster than the Suzuki Cobra 500 twin, which is saying something. Bit of a problem for circuit racing and anybody doing a mountain descent where continual front brake usage made life interesting.

    Fuel consumption when pushed, was on par with the Suzuki Cobra. With a full tank and flogging the absolute guts out of it, one could be walking for fuel after relatively short km's had been travelled, personal knowledge from both the Cobra and the H1.

    Then came the H2 which was in the unbelievable territory, and finally, the 903cc Kawasaki triple four stroke. Remember the advertisement for the Kawasaki 750 triple? "The only thing faster than a Kawasaki 750, is a Kawasaki 900."

    Pops Yoshimura worked his magic on the 903 Kawasaki and with the attainment of near perfect BMEP (Brake Mean Effective Pressure) he transformed the 903 Kawasaki four stroke triple into one of the best performance motorcycles ever. The 903 Kawasaki was also supposed to have a bending frame, but what many people don't realise was that these machines were so powerful and so fast that in their initial days the tyres available were struggling to keep the machines pointed where their riders pointed them to. Meanwhile the rest of the machines from almost all other brands were so far back it wasn't funny. Perspective!

    From memory the arrival of the Pirelli Phantom motorcycle tyre was the tyre that transformed the Kawasaki 903 into a super winning combination. That tyre was used in some pre-production racing by production racing motorcycles on a very limited basis on or around late 1976 in Australia. It was at this time in my life when I sort of started to understand how much tyre surface temperature could be important. From memory, once a Phantom tyre became quite hot in production racing, one needed to get the tyre surface temperature up to around 53ºC before it would become sticky enough to race again. easy as on a hot summer day, but decidedly tricky in the wet in winter.

    Mick.

  9. #23
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    Nov 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Optimark View Post
    While I have no doubt at all that the K series of BMW motorcycles are about the best in the business as far as reliability and longevity go in the motorcycle world, I would hold extremely grave doubts about the V twin series of Moto Guzzi's being better than any of the flat twin BMW engines.

    I've had 14 flat twin BMW motorcycles, with many of them running around 300,000 klm's before I've moved them on. At the higher end 350,000 klm's was the go before they really start to fall apart, while up to 150,000 klm's is roughly the starting period of ancillary equipment starting to need severe maintenance or replacement. I have logged slightly over 1,5 million kilometres on BMW flat twin motorcycles on 14 individual BMW machines, then there are the other machines which take my motorcycling to slightly over 2,000,000 kilometres over a 53 year period of riding; I sold my last motorcycle last year.
    Same story I've heard over and over. Different year model guzzis have different problems, and of course there is DPO syndrome, but once you settle one down 3-500 k kms is trivial. If you give them new rings every 100k while you re doing the timing chain you should have no unusual problems for at least 500k.

    Every time a BMW twin owner starts boasting out their milage I quiz tham and gradually the truth come out about all the "routine" work they have had to do..

    And of course all those miles you're riding rubber custard while paying off the 200 special tools you bought to do the work yourself.

    Don't misunderstand me. I don't hate the BMWs. I've even thought of buying one from time to time. It's just the riding experience isn't what I want adn there is no advantage that I can see, apart from price of entry. Tontis have become stupidly expensive. Even if I could still see I'd be afraids to use mine for fear of theft or crash.
    I'm just a startled bunny in the headlights of life. L.J. Young.
    We live in a free country. We have freedom of choice. You can choose to agree with me, or you can choose to be wrong.
    Wait! No one told you your government was a sitcom?

  10. #24
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    Kawasaki triples.


    Many years ago a friend and I were riding home from a classic bike rally. Freeway, speed limit. We gradually closed on a bike in front of us and were alarmed to see it flapping about. We were about to pull up the rider and advise there was something terribly wrong with the bike when we saw it was a kawasaki 750 triple.


    We just kept riding....
    I'm just a startled bunny in the headlights of life. L.J. Young.
    We live in a free country. We have freedom of choice. You can choose to agree with me, or you can choose to be wrong.
    Wait! No one told you your government was a sitcom?

  11. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    I watched a kid on a 500 Kwaka at the drag races attempting to race the vehicles on the track. He was doing this sans helmet on the road alongside but outside the track, separated by a fence and many dozens of vehicles containing spectators parked nose in against the fence. Just when he was almost up to full speed a car backed out of its parking spot and the head ended up as mince between the bike and the centre pillar of the vehicle. The force almost drove the centre pillar of the vehicle one third of the way into the car. We were close by and one of our party was a Nurse and she ran straight over but she came back white faced about half a minute later, "nothing to do there" she said.
    Do you think a helmet would have saved him ? And do you think he'd have wanted to live in that state ?

    edit: This might be read as a snide remark. It wasn't meant that way.

    Guzzi riding positions:

    I rode an S3 all over the east coast, commuted scratched. Most comfortable bike I've ever owned. People are different. Probably the last bike I will ever ride was a cali special just before my strokes. Lovely bike but rode from gosford to brisbane just before the covid in one day. I could barely walk the next day. It was probably fixable, but I would have had to change some stuff. Oh, I had a sheepskin on it..
    I'm just a startled bunny in the headlights of life. L.J. Young.
    We live in a free country. We have freedom of choice. You can choose to agree with me, or you can choose to be wrong.
    Wait! No one told you your government was a sitcom?

  12. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by damian View Post
    Do you think a helmet would have saved him ? And do you think he'd have wanted to live in that state ?.
    Helmet - nope, it would have done zero. I only mentioned it because it hinted at the attitude of the rider.

    RE: sheepskin.
    On a ride around Tassie in 1976/7 on my trusty R60 beemer, I broke my coccyx - having no other means of transport back to WA I rolled my sheepskin seat cover and rode home with the rolled up sheepskin under my thighs and leaning a little further forward for balance.

  13. #27
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    I love the Guzzi's especially the 850 Le mans but trouble is you are tall you have your knees are bagging on the cylinder heads. So I guess thats why I ride the best bike there is and that of course being a BMW 1200 GSA. And yes I know everyone is shaking their heads thinking he is right they are the one and only bike to own. lol

    Good place to put some YouTube links for their favourite bike builders.

  14. #28
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    My guzzi, bought it when I was 20. Lap of Australia 2 up in 86. Sold it a few years ago after owning it for 35+ years and 200,000klm. Restored it beforehand. Getting too old for the head down bum up riding position. Enjoy my Harley's and Old Honda fours these days

  15. #29
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    Dec 2004
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    Rushworth, Victoria
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    At 61 I’ve decided the v100 is for ( put a deposit on one even) me after lusting for a Guzzi for the last 45 years. When I was a kid I saw a lemans with 240 kmh on the speedo and thought it was the fastest thing on the planet. Wish me luck with the electrics.
    "World's oldest kid"

  16. #30
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    Yep, at 56 have realised my body is just not up to spending hours cramped into a sports position, almost have to roll off my FZR 1000 to get off it these days and feel it for hours after so am also currently restoring in order to sell. Also scares the living hell out of me these days, am not 21 with no sense of mortality anymore !

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