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Why are Moto Guzzi considered quirky?

senecagreen

Tuned and Synch'ed
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Messages
36
Location
Oklahoma City
The thing I admired about Guzzi for years was the engine layout and character. That was the whole attraction to me. That's what made Guzzi different from all the rest. The first time I saw one on tv was one of the dirty harry movies towards the end. I don't remember which one but I do remember, what is that?

The thing that kept me from owning one for a very long time was their reputation for being quirky. That owning one mean't you had to be a dedicated owner basically. That a lot came with ownership.

The V9 roamer was the 5th bike I bought last year. I always admired the california and eldorado and the roamer was a standard style bike and the weight was right and it had that motor.

I haven't seen a guzzi on the street here. The ones I see are at the local shop. I know because of that there are other owners but I dont see them out and about. The bike is very interesting and I learn more about it all the time. The first thing I bought was a service manual. I work on my bikes...

Is it quirky? I think yes but in an endearing kind of way. It has a lot of character..all my bikes are some kind of twin cylinder and this is the most interesting engine. The transmission is noisier than other bikes I have had but I don't think any is really wrong with it. 3rd is the loudest but the rest are less so.

I enjoy riding it and having something different. I am going to take the body panels off this week and get the tank fenders and side panels painted. When I get done I will post the before and after pic. I have a vision for it and look forward to the finished result. Now is a good time to have it down before spring.
 
There will always be objects around the world that would be considered this... which often falls into a cultish status if it's a well engineered product, and double that if it involves any type of thoughtful evolution, and triple it if it has deep history. Guzzi is the trifecta. Consumables take people in a different direction... i.e. Most of the modern UJM brands. Simply put the answer to your question is this: Not many people are willing to own things where they don't have easy access to keep things in service (pick the device really). The internet certainly has made life easier for most, but as a true moto individualist, I simply don't care to see what I own everywhere. That makes for a boring life to me. So the quirkiness falls on the owner, not the machine. If you're willing to tackle what it takes to own something unique, that makes you one too I guess. 1921-2021 is an incredible history for anything outside of, well, food and drink. Onwards... Forza Guzzi.

Enjoy.
 
Millenials have a word for that: yesn't
I have to say that V4 sound is intoxicating too
I agree that many people don't want something that they have to outsource parts outside of autozone.
I can't stand that. it definitely dulls the experience in having to research and look further into finding parts
 
If Moto Guzzi is quirky then how would MV Agusta be described? I like the Turismo(not the price) and the Stradale.
One or the other may end up sharing the stable with the Norge.
 
I'm not saying that bikes with fairings aren't real - :) some are gorgeous !
I would would like to have a few more, If I had too much money!
MV Dragster 800RR
I might like it - I saw one locally ( different paint/stickers) but the Engine isn't much to look at...

I went to a Guzzi because I wanted one where I could see its heart

I was suggesting that being Italian might be contributing to the quirky thing.
 
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I think much of the quirky reputation came from the 2V Californias (particularly the V1100) in large part. Integrated brakes, heel and toe shifting, floorboards (really different foot controls in general), uniquely sized 30 mm handlebars on later models, a copy of the “Jiffy Sidestand”, and a weirdly shaped teardrop fuel tank. To top it off, it did not have the performance characteristics of other bikes in it’s class, trading a strong midrange and higher rpms for the low-end torque sported by it’s competitors. At first blush, quirky was an understatement! However, the more time you spend with these underrated classics, the better they feel. Guzzi seems to develop their bikes in a vacuum; using their own problem solving to arrive at a given product innovation. Perhaps quirky is the wrong word. I prefer “unique.”
 
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