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Do I own a real Guzzi

S

sandy

Cruisin' Guzzisti
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
156
Location
London, England
Well last Tuesday I collected my new V7 Racer and am blown away by it.
It's my first Guzzi and I am totally hooked.
The other day I went to a local bike meet and recieved some really nice compliments from various people, but there was this one guy who was quite cutting.
He owned a California and his friend was with him who had an old Le Mans.
I expected to be recieved as one of the family by these guys, but nothing could have been further from that.
They were both implying that my bike wasn't a proper Guzzi and was rubbish compared to the older bikes.
One of them said, how much did you pay.
When I told him he said you could have bought a proper Guzzi for that sort of money.
I was devastated.
I had looked forward to joining the owners club and and feel I am a Guzzi convert, but if this is the sort of attitude I am likely to experience, I think I'll steer clear.
So perhaps I can make some sense of this here.
Is my bike a real Guzzi or not.
Feeling dispondent
:(
 
Just because someone is riding a Guzzi does not mean they can't also be a jackass.

Don't sweat it and welcome, hope you love your new bike!
 
Hi Sandy,

don't worry, it's a real Guzzi.
Many, many years ago, I bought my first Harley. A Softail with evo engine.
The shovelhead riders said the same to me :twisted: . "It wasn't real, many japanese parts and so on..."
Now 2 evo's later, I'v been riding more than 100.000 mls with them.
These dummys now are riding new Twin Cams with stock exhaust (they still think the injection can't be modifeid...).
They ride and sound look like every japanese sucker... :woohoo: :mrgreen: :sick:
Now the "old" Guzzi riders may think my Griso isn't "a real" Guzzi...
I'm not worrying, they only can see my back getting smaller very fast... :laugh:

Ad B
 
:geek: Sandy Ive got an old plonking guzzi I've had for 30 years (I know theres some wots had em longer)that was my marriage Chariot, that I took out for a quick spin this arvo. I've also got a 8v Griso that I'm always looking for an excuse to ride. I've owned hondas and yamahas and enjoyed them aswell. I ride with anyone who likes to ride and doesn't ride just to display their most recent aquisition or their rare older mount. I certainly wont ride with people who try to restrict my ride to some formula or rules. Sure sometime these overlap some
The purpose of riding is for the pleasure or practice of riding and or the company it sometimes provides, not the denigration of anothers choice of mount, clothing or company.
I am a notorious critic of the well known riding club in Australia that has thousands of members and a hundred rules of riding and a thousand club rules, but I also occassionly ride with people who are members of this club and we get along just fine.
Some times the dinosaurs can be brought round to looking at things a little differently with patience and persistance but only if you can be bothered B) B) B) B) B) B)
 
Hi Sandy, I've owned 2 each of both those old clunkers and I'm about to purchase a modern version. I rode a 750 Breva some years ago and thought it to be one of the sweetest 2 wheeled devices that God has allowed to grace this planet.

I only bought the Cali Stone on that occassion due to a massive discount on the demo. Now a Bellagio is about to become my 54th Birthday present to myself (all donations and gifts received with much gratitude).

The 750 Guzzi's are viewed by the media as "A Girls Bike", much like the 883 Harley. I say the two cretens you had the misfortune of bumping into are the losers. I have advised many a young lady to look closely at the Breva/Nevada/V7 as a real alternative to the barge arsed Honda Shadows, the Guzzi's light weight and low seat height is what makes them such a sweet ride.

Enjoy your "REAL" Guzzi, and enjoy the company of "REAL" people, even if they ride a Harley. :sick:
 
Does it say Moto Guzzi' on the tank? well? Doesn't that answer your question?

I personally think the Racer is horrid. That is MY personal opinion and as such is entirely irrelevant to any argument as to whether the bike is a *Real* Guzzi or otherwise. I certainly don't hold myself up as any arbiter of taste. Good God! I wear pink leathers, (They were cheap, OK?) so my personal opinions, as with this pair of clowns, should have no relevance as to the enjoyment of your motorbike.

Sod 'em! Who did you buy the bike for? You? Or a pair of crusty old farts with huge beards with birds nesting in them?

If you love it? Just get on with enjoying it! It's your bike, not theirs. Stop looking for support and positive reinforcement for your decision and just go ride the tits off it.

Pete
 
sandy said:
Well last Tuesday I collected my new V7 Racer and am blown away by it.
It's my first Guzzi and I am totally hooked.
The other day I went to a local bike meet and recieved some really nice compliments from various people, but there was this one guy who was quite cutting.
He owned a California and his friend was with him who had an old Le Mans.
I expected to be recieved as one of the family by these guys, but nothing could have been further from that.
They were both implying that my bike wasn't a proper Guzzi and was rubbish compared to the older bikes.
One of them said, how much did you pay.
When I told him he said you could have bought a proper Guzzi for that sort of money.
I was devastated.
I had looked forward to joining the owners club and and feel I am a Guzzi convert, but if this is the sort of attitude I am likely to experience, I think I'll steer clear.
So perhaps I can make some sense of this here.
Is my bike a real Guzzi or not.
Feeling dispondent
:(
Click to expand...
Sandy

You met up with 2 very,very small percentile of "AWOG"'s Ass Wipes on Guzzis.

I saw a V7 Racer at Moto Nexus in North Carolina pictures don't do it justice. Join the Club really really a great bunch of people, come to rally you don't have to be a member.

Where do you live ?

Dan
Central Florida MGNOC rep

present stable 07 Norge (for sale), 09 V7Classic, 2011 Griso Tenni SE
 
Sandy, I'm sure that you will soon forget what was said by the people you met. Just before I bought my Breva 1100, I met a customer in a bike shop who told me that the new machines were just as terrible as the old ones (he said that you cannot polish a turd!). So at least, in his mind, the recent bikes were true Guzzis! Luckily I ignored that piece of advice and, for the last 4 years, have enjoyed owing and riding a bike that has exceeded all my expectations.

Of course your bike is a real Moto Guzzi; it has that written on it. Far more importantly, you like it.
Mick.
 
You actually got a VERY Guzzi. Has both a Tonti frame and a Tonti motor. No bigblocks can brag about THAT! :woohoo:
 
Sorry to hear Sandy... there's asshats in every crowd. Thing is, the old-school-cranky Guzzisti/a typically field a elitist/solo-ist attitude. They want to be the only ones that have them. All I heard was jealousy. As Holt said above, it's as Guzzi as a Guzzi can get. Next time anyone asks, tell them you paid half of what you did (they'll still have the same reaction), point at the name on the tank, give them the finger and giggle as you ride away knowing you have a rare one-of-a-kind Guzzi that'll be talked about in the years to come. Just enjoy it. You'll meet up with plenty of others that are thrilled for you. We are.
Any pics to post yet?
 
Yes, you have a real Guzzi. The other smucks were just likely jealous that they didn't have what you have. Ride on, you will love your V7 Racer!
 
I am glad about this.
Not that I bought my bike to please anyone but myself, but I was looking forward to being part of the Guzzi scene, and if I'm likely to encounter people like this on a regular basis, then I'd rather steer clear.
My friend who has a Harley Sportster tells me he experiences similar attitudes.
Apparently, Harely owners don't consider the Sportster to be a real Harley.
The irony of that is that my friend uses his bike nearly every day and travels on it extensively, when most of these so called proper Harely riders get their bikes out maybe once a week during the Summer on a sunny sunday.
Go figure.
:?
Well whatever you think of the V7 racer, the fact is that it has raised a lot of eyebrows in the biking scene in a very positive way.
If I had not had seen this bike, I would probably still be riding around on my Honda Hornet.
If MG's intention with the Racer was to reel in riders who might never have considered a Guzzi before, then if I'm anything to go by, they've done a perfect job and whatever you think of the bike, that can only be a good thing.
 
Sandy, the frame and engine for the V7 have been used by Guzzi for many years, and is their longest running current design.
So....your bike is more Guzzi than anyone else's. The bigger machines are newcomers, mere flash-in-the-pan fads. The 750 is the real Guzzi, with pushrods, old fashioned valves, and a minimum of electronics.

Smallblocks forever!
 
sign216 said:
Sandy, the frame and engine for the V7 have been used by Guzzi for many years, and is their longest running current design!
Click to expand...

Ah right.
Well it certainly has good old fashioned cold starting characteristics.
Read that as, it's a pig to start, just like bikes used to be
:lol:
Interesting you say that.
A local garage near me have a V50 on the bench having it's clutch replaced, and when I saw it I thought, Wow, that's my bike !
Does anyone know if I could switch my wire spoke wheels for the solid items on the V50 ?
I'd feel happier with tubeless tyres.
 
Sandy, some people have talked on the smallblock page about a tubeless wheel swap. Use a tubeless wheel from a Breva, which is a much better fit for the Racer than a V50.

I like the wire look, so I'm keeping mine. Added slime sealant to the tire tubes and I'm hoping that prevents a dramatic blowout at speed.

Others have explored making wire wheels air-tight for tubeless tires. It's a little labor, and it works, although I haven't heard any long term test results.
 
The cold start issue is aminly one of adjustment.

A recurring theme on many boards is the issue of cold bloodedness and hard starting on the V7 smallblocks. I'm waiting for one to come into the workshop with this condition so I can do a short photo essay but the crux of the problem is that the fast idle cam doesn't work if it isn't able to hold the throttle open!

If you look at the bottom of the RH throttle body you will see the cable coming through a screw-lock nipple. Firstly the cam shou;d start moving IMMEDIATELY the lever on the handlebar is moved. Adjust it so it does by loosening the screw on the nipple and pulling the cable through to erradicate free play.

Once that has been done there is a screw underneath the camplate that can be loosened to allow the 'Swinging Plate' to be moved nearer to the opening arm of the throttle body. With the lever in the 'Off' position on the handlebar move the 'Swinging Plate' in towards the peg until it is within a few thou of the opening arm, (Use a feeler guage if you don't trust your eyes.) Lock the plate with the screw and you should now find that when you operate the fast idle lever it will have two steps. Firstly, for cold starting, open the lever fully and hold it. Hit the starter and after a few revolutions the motor should fire up and rev to about 3,500-4,000. after a second the lever can be released and if everything is done right the engine speed should settle down to around 2,000 RPM ands the lever will be at about 1/3rd of the way around its travel. The machine should now be quite rideable and after a couple of minutes the lever can be returned to it's fully 'Off' position and the engine speed should settle to an idle of 1,000-1,200 RPM.

Pete
 
Two things,
1. as everyone said there is always a few narrow minded asshats in every group, you have a beautiful bike, enjoy the Guzzi experience and don't let any one ruin it for you.
2. is there anything Pete Roper doesn't know about Guzzi's? :roll:
 
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