Joined and Hello

[AGL]

Hi, Greetings from the UK. I bought a Moto Guzzi Le Mans new for £2000 early in 1978 (it wasn't known as a Mk 1 then, of course), riding it from a dealer in South London back to the Manchester area. After being knocked off that at the end of 1978 by a kind driver who drove straight across a STOP sign, I bought a restored 1978 Le Mans Mk 1 eighteen years ago and still have it.

 

[john zibell]

Welcome to the forum. Glad you survived the stupid car driver. I've had a couple get me and it isn't fun.

 

[GTM®]

After being knocked off that at the end of 1978 by a kind driver who drove straight across a STOP sign, I bought a restored 1978 Le Mans Mk 1 eighteen years ago and still have it.

Glad you got back on the horse. Please post some pics and your info to our Registry below. Enjoy the site!

BB TONTI REGISTRY and pic thread

All, like in the other sections and just for fun. A Registry of California 1100's listed below. Post all of your info in this thread, as formatted below, and I'll update the list as we go. Cal Vin: VIN#ZGUKDH0056M111184 - @Hane - City, State? - D.O.P. ? - Pic HERE VIN#ZGUKDU0047M111574 - Mike...

www.guzzitech.com

 

[AGL]

Thank you, John. I ended up sat on the deck with my back against his front bumper (fender), like an outsize ornament. The bike was underneath the car, totally trashed at the front up to the frame. I had it taken into Sports Motorcycles at Manchester, which at that time was a Moto Guzzi dealer but also prepared the Ducatis for Mike Hailwood's return to Isle of Man racing. The repair took three months and when I went to collect it, I was in full leathers and ready to go. I took a look at the bike, which looked like new, and asked them to make me an offer for it, since I realised my heart had gone out of it. It took years before I felt ready to own a big bike again. I hope that you were luckier!

 

[john zibell]

Thank you, John. I ended up sat on the deck with my back against his front bumper (fender), like an outsize ornament. The bike was underneath the car, totally trashed at the front up to the frame. I had it taken into Sports Motorcycles at Manchester, which at that time was a Moto Guzzi dealer but also prepared the Ducatis for Mike Hailwood's return to Isle of Man racing. The repair took three months and when I went to collect it, I was in full leathers and ready to go. I took a look at the bike, which looked like new, and asked them to make me an offer for it, since I realised my heart had gone out of it. It took years before I felt ready to own a big bike again. I hope that you were luckier!

Not luckier, but kept riding. One took 5 shoulder surgeries to correct the problem.

 

[AGL]

Not luckier, but kept riding. One took 5 shoulder surgeries to correct the problem.

Ow! Hope that all is as well as it can be after that. The roads in much of the UK are now cratered with potholes after fifteen years of neglect as our maintaining local authorities have been starved of funding and not permitted to raise more funds locally. They are in a worse state than I can recall from 55 years of riding and that was before most of the UK's motorway system was built, so in those days the ordinary roads were taking the bulk of all traffic. They are a major reason for my being very careful of when and where I venture out, since it is easy to split a car tyre open or smash an alloy wheel or road spring (I have suffered all of those multiple times in recent years), so the consequences for a motorcyclist can be catastrophic. Daylight and dry roads are needed as that small puddle of water can conceal something far worse. When I think of how I used to ride hundreds of miles at night on unlit roads, I shudder at the thought of trying that in the 2020s.

 

[scottmastrocinque]

Complimenti e benvenuto!

 

[Mayakovski]

Welcome

 

[GTM®]

Ignored.

 

[Bacongrease]

Ow! Hope that all is as well as it can be after that. The roads in much of the UK are now cratered with potholes after fifteen years of neglect as our maintaining local authorities have been starved of funding and not permitted to raise more funds locally. They are in a worse state than I can recall from 55 years of riding and that was before most of the UK's motorway system was built, so in those days the ordinary roads were taking the bulk of all traffic. They are a major reason for my being very careful of when and where I venture out, since it is easy to split a car tyre open or smash an alloy wheel or road spring (I have suffered all of those multiple times in recent years), so the consequences for a motorcyclist can be catastrophic. Daylight and dry roads are needed as that small puddle of water can conceal something far worse. When I think of how I used to ride hundreds of miles at night on unlit roads, I shudder at the thought of trying that in the 2020s.

Did you receive some compensation for injuries?