Florida Guzzi dealer

[Chet Van Aken]

I was at Adventure Motorsports a couple days ago getting my new (used) BMW serviced. I got the strong impression they are dropping Moto Guzzi and will be adding a couple Japanese Brands. I've been to a few dealers over the last year and, like Adventure, they still have the V9's on the floor at a discount. I wouldn't be suprised if these were from the inital roll-out. Its hard from me to understand this as it is a beautiful bike at a fair price. These guys also have a beautiful 2012 Norge brand new on the floor.

It is a nice shop but I could not make a deal with them for my California and ended up at Sloan's in Tennessee. I don't know what all the problems are and I know its been discussed at length but Moto Guzzi is missing something.

 

[davethewelder]

I'm late to the party here, but it's 2022 and im in SW Florida and we have Bikes and Trikes in Fort Myers FL, Next Ride in Tampa and one more in Jacksonville

 

[Larry Malinoski]

Bought my V9 at Bikes and Trikes in Fort Meyers. Been to the dealer in Tampa, closest to me. did not buy anything and a bit "strange" for parts and service there.

To me the new Moto Guzzi bikes are a bit "strange". Just rode my 1980 R50 a bit last week. Neat bike but the last of the old "Gooseses" I have owned. Too small for me but still fun. The new V9 runs great but also, too cramped for my 6 ft. body. Even with the seat built up the distance to the foot pegs is way too close. Puts my knees up high. Too high for a normal riding position. The V7 is worse. The V85 is too high to touch the ground easily, get on and off and when on also seats close to the footpads.

Strange how the upright riding position of my old Triumphs and the one BSA I have left has been lost on Moto Guzzi today. Even the big touring bikes do not have the riding comfort of say my Harley Fat Boy.

Just thinking Moto Guzzi has decided that a cramped, sport-bike position is desirable. Might be for midgets but a person with normal 6ft. or more height is horribly cramped on the new Moto Guzzi bikes. Sad. That's my take on one reason they do not sell well.

 

[William H.]

Huh..
I'm 6' 170lbs and I recently took my Triumph Adventurer on a 50 mile (round trip ) run and thought I was going to be crippled when I got off of it. I've been spoiled by absolute comfort of my C1400 touring w/gel seat. Before the Cali I could ride my Triumph for a few hours at a time without cramping up, Now I feel like I'm hopping on a a kids tricycle when I take her out for a run.

 

[Larry Malinoski]

Lower the footpads on these bikes to increase the distance from seat to peg. Reads like common sense until some kid starts yelling that would reduce the cornering clearance and scrape under hard cornering.

Who the heck in their right mind "scrapes under hard cornering" when taking a pleasant, fun ride? Maybe the kid that runs off the road pretending he is a "Ricky Racer" while threatening himself and others with his antics.

I have studied out the footage placement on the V9 since getting it. Cannot figure out a reasonable way to do it. 50 miles a ride is about 10 miles into cramped pain and trouble lfiting my leg to shift and just getting the leg off the peg to hold the bike up while stopping.

 

[scott_m]

You cannot please everybody…

Personally, having owned 2 Fat Boys and several other Harley-Davidsons, I think they are the most horribly uncomfortable pieces of shit ever made.

I sold them and do not miss them. I will never own another.

Besides, I ride them daily in my workshop after repairs and I still think they are horrible.

I’ve ridden all the new Moto Guzzis and I find them all, supremely comfortable and couldn’t disagree more with Larry.

There is nothing “sport bike” about them at all. They are comfortable “standard style”motorcycles to me.

 

[DeadEye]

At 6’ 3” I find the V7 III quite comfortable, the V9 definitely has a lower seating position and might be better suited those of restricted growth .
It’s a bit odd that the V7 would be too cramped and the V85 too tall, maybe your just an odd size ?
Long waisted, with short legs perhaps ?

 

[davethewelder]

I'm 5'8" and I think the V85 TT was made for me! Traded a Vstom 1050XT. Vstrom seat should be illegal, it was that uncomfortable kinda like thinly padded 2 x 4! Really glad I bought a Moto Guzzi!

 

[Larry Malinoski]

You cannot please everybody…

Personally, having owned 2 Fat Boys and several other Harley-Davidsons, I think they are the most horribly uncomfortable pieces of shit ever made.

I sold them and do not miss them. I will never own another.

Besides, I ride them daily in my workshop after repairs and I still think they are horrible.

I’ve ridden all the new Moto Guzzis and I find them all, supremely comfortable and couldn’t disagree more with Larry.

There is nothing “sport bike” about them at all. They are comfortable “standard style”motorcycles to me.

Put me into some perspective. I bought my first motorcycle in 1956, a Harley 125. Then multiple Harley's, BSA's, Triumph's, Royal Enfields (real ones), MZ's, mega BMW's, Honda, mega Moto Guzzi's and more. I also have about 500,000 miles on BMW big twins touring the world - Europe, Asia, Africa, all North America , Central America and parts of south America. Few of you have been escorted by Russians at gunpoint out of the country while on a motorcycle ride, shot at and ... oh well ... I am an experienced motorcyclist. Also spent much time disappointedly trying to be flat track and road race competitive. I know and did ride racing bikes of all kinds.

When BMW stopped making one and two cylinder air-cooled bikes, I left them to stay with Moto Guzzi and Harley Davidson. This current FatBoy, shown with my wife, has about 80,000 miles on it mostly two-up. From Cabot Trail to the Western deserts, it has been quite a treat. Mega times I have been challenged two-up on roads like the "Dragon" and other "twists" by riders thinking they could ride with the old man and his wife. One young man I still stay in touch with tells the story of me going my him on a turn, foot pegs scraping sparks and giving him a one-handed wave.

There are few glorious sounds like this bike on "song" with the way I have it set up. It is comfortable beyond comfortable for both of us and flat out runs strong for any reasonable road riding anyone should be doing. This bike is as comfortable for me as any of my BMW R100 RT's, 900s's, 750's ever were. It also can handle quite well compared to them. I am spoiled by the way I set this up years ago and flat out love the ride.

Agree the V9 Roamer is small. Bought it because it was larger than my V50 and more capable than some of the old BMW's and others I still own. The comfort seat on the V9 was expensive but still too low for me. I spend $400 raising up that seat and still too low. Add on the fact that the bike is also more cramped than my old standard BMW, Triumph and BSA bikes and I got a revelation.
If you sit on a bike with your feet on the pegs your knees should be below your waist. if straight out or up, like a sport bike, it is way too cramped for me. I made a mistake buying that V9.

Sitting on the V7 was little to no different but those foreword bars crouched my uncomfortably. My legs are pretty normal in height (32" inseam") for someone 6', 200 lbs dressed. Fact is the FatBoy in the picture has a Harley "Tall Boy" seat as the factory one was too low.

Most Harley's I have owned (many Sportsters, FLH's, Road Kings, U and K models and more were pretty standard, bulky and top heavy. They most all were way better for riding comfort, especially two-up. Now if you were midgets ...

Each of us has their own idea of what is right for them. I like Moto Guzzi because it is still air cooled and just two cylinders.

 

[scott_m]

Whoa Larry... I said you cannot please everybody and that I disagreed with your assesment. It's not personal, just a difference of opinion.

The V7/V7/V85 platforms are not "sport bike" in riding posture (exception being the Cafe Rcer V7). A 2000 vintage LeMans or a 1100Sport, yes, those are sport bike postures on a Moto Guzzi.

I'm glad you like your Harley-Davidson but after owning several, I still consider them to be total piles of shit. They are gutless, have no suspension, ride like a delivery truck, and are ridiculously overpriced for what you get which isn't much at all.

They are also the only motorcycle that you have to grab both Standard and Metric tools to work on the same bike. American made my ass. Partially assembled in the USA from 98% Asian made components.

That's my opinion. Nothing more, nothing less.

The 2012 Street Glide below was my last brand new Harley-Davidson and the 2000 Fat Boy below that was my first Fat Boy. I had a 2007 as well. They are all gone now and as I said, I don't miss them one bit. They sucked eggs.

Be happy.

 

[Larry Malinoski]

My Fat Boy is a 2007. Bought it new for about $16K but quickly added maybe $4k for engine, programming, exhaust, suspension, stainless, seat, windshield and rack/bags. All those mods transformed it from a wimp to quite a surprise on the throttle. Even little things like the Avon grips helped make it "mine". Feet back on the floorboards and I can stand up to handle jumps over bumps, raised tracks etc. Feet out over the boards and I just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I see your bikes had those stock low seats and fat grips. Both turn me off big time. Do like the FL handlebar faring. Rode with lots of them and would have gotten one except I will not ride with a radio, which they all have now. I ride motorcycle to hear and feel it. Love my BSA Victor Special for that experience.

Been literally crippled since early May. Major testing/MRI's and it's not spinal, brain stem, brain, neck nerve damage. Not sure why I got paralyzed but the swelling and joint immobility leads me to a specialist to look for Lyme, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus or something. Meantime I have not been able to ride until some steroids allowed me to function the past week. I could not walk let alone drive a car/truck.

Soon as I found I could function I immediately tried my old V50. OK. Then tried the V9 but had trouble lifting my leg off the footpegs. The Harley was great but I could not handle the weight. Two days later I was the man, or so I thought. Took the wife for a ride on the V9. Dizzy but OK. Took her on the Harley and near fell over twice slow turning and stopping. Actually missed being able to throw that weight around on one turn and really had trouble.

Her I am today on the V9. Picture by my wife who rode with me. Felt fine and handled the bike well. Of course she bitched at every bump and I have modified the suspension and seat to try and reduce her bitching. One thing that did make her happy were the two big holes I drilled in the end of each muffler. Now it sounds like a real motorcycle to her. Too small, too rough ...to her this bike has the "toos". Despite this, today was maybe the most enjoyable ride we have ever had on the V9 and I am thankful for it.


Note how far up I have to move my legs to get them on top of the peg. That puts my knees upward from the waist. Body is erect and arms are out comfortably. That position on the bike is fine. Seat already built up to max and no reasonable way to lower the pegs and controls. Best thing about this picture is the groups of coconuts in the background above my head. It is South Florida you know.

Now to build myself up in the next month, figure out what happened to me, set myself straight and get back on the Harley. If not, a trike of some kind will soon end up in one of the garages. You just have to keep on riding, no matter what it is.

Got soaked even though we were back before noon. First good soaking on the V9. Wet and miserable, we both were reminded why motorcycling can be such a fun adventure. Disregard the "no fun" crash on the Sportster last year that threw us both across the road getting us hurt. No age, even our late 70's, is fun for crashing. I just finished cleaning the bike. We may try Harley tomorrow.

 

[GTM®]

The 2012 Street Glide below was my last brand new Harley-Davidson and the 2000 Fat Boy below that was my first Fat Boy. I had a 2007 as well. They are all gone now and as I said, I don't miss them one bit. They sucked eggs.

Aw man, ha, my turn for some “you kids” stories! While I was starting into road-racing by demand from my Dad’s friends I rode with, one of whom bought one of the very first year EVO FLHs (that I got to ride as a super skinny late teen in the Smokey Mtns often). That convinced me to buy into the HD game in 1990 with the very first Fat Boy (pic added below). After riding the tires off of it, sold it at a massive profit in ‘93 for a Springer softtail, and sold that one for major profit for a ‘94 Road King (I had a choice of carb or injection, and chose the latter!), the last of which was sold again at a massive profit for my first Pro racing debut in ‘96. During those years, I also had a string of BMWs (R100S, K100RS & 1100GS), and a Ducati 900SS I bought new in ‘91. Ah the good ‘ol days.
I work on HDs in my shop on occasion still, but like Scott, I’d never own another. I have significant seat time on the V-Rod, and the new Panamerica ugliness. No thanks. If I was forced to own a cruise liner, Polaris Indian gets the nod. My $.02.

 

[JasonC]

Personally, having owned 2 Fat Boys and several other Harley-Davidsons, I think they are the most horribly uncomfortable pieces of shit ever made.

I'm surprised that it took you owning three or more Harleys to finally determine that: "they are the most horribly uncomfortable pieces of shit ever made."

I find this delayed opinion unusual as I am able to determine whether a particular motorcycle is comfortable or not in less than 100 miles. And if I find a motorcycle that is horribly uncomfortable I certainly would not buy another one.

Jason

 

[GerryAZ]

I have always wanted a Harley, but they don't fit me. I almost bought Buel's attempt at an adventure bike, but did not think it was suitable for the amount of off-road riding I wanted to do. I rented an Electra Glide when my brother came to visit 15 years ago so he could ride my RS (the HD was all we could find to rent). It was a really nice bike with all the options, but the "sit up and beg" riding position does not work for me--I had to stop and stretch every 40 miles because that was all my back could stand. In contrast, I rode the V85TT over 200 miles non-stop last weekend.

People are different--it is great that there are so many different sizes, styles, and brands of bikes available along with many custom accessories to fit everyone's needs.

 

[scott_m]

I'm surprised that it took you owning three or more Harleys to finally determine that: "they are the most horribly uncomfort

I find this delayed opinion unusual as I am able to determine whether a particular motorcycle is comfortable or not in less than 100 miles. And if I find a motorcycle that is horribly uncomfortable I certainly would not buy another one.

Jason

They were a novelty and nothing more.

I could never get accustomed to the “riding a lawn chair” seating position.

I tried but never could. They were all horribly uncomfortable.

I tried to like them. I couldn’t.

Again, just my personal opinion.

YMMV

 

[Raven]

Ever since I was little I've hated Harleys.

 

[Vagrant]

Larry M, are you aware Guzzi had two different sets of driver pegs/mounts for the V9? The other ones might suit you better.

 

[Larry Malinoski]

Larry M, are you aware Guzzi had two different sets of driver pegs/mounts for the V9? The other ones might suit you better.

NO!

No clue there are different pegs for the V9. How do you find that out? The local Tampa dealer is literally uninformed about most anything I have asked. The Fort Meyers dealer is so far away I would not visit unless n urgency.

There just is little to no source of Moto Guzzi information or parts that I can find sort of the old time parts suppliers I have been getting parts from for decades on the old bikes. To my knowledge they don't even mess with the new bikes.

 

[Vagrant]

I'd take and post a close up of your pegs location here. Maybe somebody will come up with the other set for you. Guzzi gave them away with the bikes purchase for a while. Next I'd contact Cadre cycle in Ohio they sold a lot of V9 also AFI racing in Texas, Jim Hamlin and the dealer in Accident, Md. Good luck.

 

[DeadEye]

I'd take and post a close up of your pegs location here. Maybe somebody will come up with the other set for you. Guzzi gave them away with the bikes purchase for a while. Next I'd contact Cadre cycle in Ohio they sold a lot of V9 also AFI racing in Texas, Jim Hamlin and the dealer in Accident, Md. Good luck.

How do they come up with a Town Name like that ???

"Accident is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 338 at the 2020 United States census. Accident has been noted for its unusual place name. A person from Accident is called an "Accidental"."