Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I have had two.
1974 850T
I was touring that for three years. Working perfect.
That stopped using it was for personal reasons. Not anything eith the bike.

Second one was a California 1989.
Also worked perfect. One issue. Oil seal of gearbox leaked.

All Guzzi owner I now are happy with the bikes.

And a new obe gives new performace, with old style.

And the new ones have the architecture in common with the old ones.
But more or less everything is new.


Like HD with their V twin concept.
Compare a shovel head and a Twn cam.

moto al wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am in the 70s guzzi,s had rubbish electrics

Not on my from 1974.
Very simple electrics. Not much that make trouble.

PeteDuke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:31 pm I am serious looking at getting the V7 I really like it and it suits my height and ever increasing years, and as for my last ever bike it will do me nicely.

As for Italian electrics, in the early 80's I had a Moto Morini 3 1/2 well if I was riding that in the rain and turned the indicators is was pot luck what would happen, some say interesting other said bloody dangerous.

I had a 31/2 and a 500. Indicators worked perfectly...again just needs a squirt of WD40 in the switch each week.

Scott_rider wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:44 pm Looks nice . I've always liked the 1200 sport...but tales of chocolate valves always put me off getting one...

I vaguely considered getting one of them at one point. Interesting, different, character etc. But it doesn't take much reading about them to accept that the 'Sport' label is just that - a label - stuck on to what is basically a fairly heavy roadster. And it doesn't have the power to compensate for the weight. I just knew that I'd like it in the garage and dislike it on the road. I do really like the idea of owning a Guzzi, but I somehow doubt it will actually ever happen - unless someone offers me an MGS01 for peanuts money, which I'd keep for the track and stare at for hours.

Richard Simpson Mark II wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:02 pm

PeteDuke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:31 pm I am serious looking at getting the V7 I really like it and it suits my height and ever increasing years, and as for my last ever bike it will do me nicely.

As for Italian electrics, in the early 80's I had a Moto Morini 3 1/2 well if I was riding that in the rain and turned the indicators is was pot luck what would happen, some say interesting other said bloody dangerous.

I had a 31/2 and a 500. Indicators worked perfectly...again just needs a squirt of WD40 in the switch each week.

My father had a 500. The electrics always worked when I used it. My main memory was that it would do 70 in first and was a right sod to ride in town.

I like the look of that MGS01 . I don't think I've ever seen one before.

Scott_rider wrote: ↑Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:07 am I like the look of that MGS01 . I don't think I've ever seen one before.

Well you won't, probably. Sadly they never put it into homologated production. They did a short run of track-use only bikes. I gawped at one at a UK bike show (Ally Pally maybe) in about 2001? And I told the MG guy there that if you build that for the road I'll buy one - but it never happened (was it my fault..?).

They are now one of those hen's teeth rocking horse pooh things that come up rarely at specialist auctions for rich track-dayers.

However you could always look for a Ghezzi Brian, which as you probably know, are unusual special modified Guzzis with much better power and handling, and share some of the look of the MGS01.

I've never seen one of those either...

Scott_rider wrote: ↑Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:57 am I've never seen one of those either...

Take a look at their web site (under 'our models'). They're really nice.

http://www.ghezzi-brian.com/en/

I've always had a soft spot for Guzzis but have never owned one - yet. Nearest I got was almost getting a V11 Sport around 20 yrs ago, but instead chopped-in my XJR1200 for the new 1300SP version, which I still have. As above, the 'Sport' connotation was really no more than marketing blurb - but I loved the looks, heritage etc.