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Life's too short to own a motorcycle that you're not excited about, either visually, aurally or when you're behind the bars.
Say no to appliances.
Time for a new ride... (ideas welcome!)
- Thread starter Priller
- Start date
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Life's too short to own a motorcycle that you're not excited about, either visually, aurally or when you're behind the bars.
Say no to appliances.
Pretty much these thoughts when I grabbed my Merc. Can't stop driving it now!
Priller
Well-known member
Pretty much sums up why I went with the Guzzi. I've always loved the quirkiness and determinedly old-fashioned but still kind of forward looking nature of the brand, but was always shopping too much on the sporty end to seriously consider one.
In the end, it came down to the R nineT, Speed Twin 1200 and the Griso (apologies about the sport touring blind alley I sent everyone down with my initial list. I did very much appreciate all the amazing suggestions!), but those were both too much of a callback to a specific style for me, while the Guzzi is totally unique. It's simultaneously futuristic and old-fashioned, and the design is so Italian that it may as well guzzle espresso and get unreasonably angry about regional food being made a specific way.
Almost all the other bikes I looked at were definitely more practical, but none gave me that little giddy buzz I get when I look at a bike that really, really does it for me. My Hawk GT did that, but my ZX-14 did not. The Griso definitely does. I find myself sneaking out for a peek, just to admire the cool design details. The three silver Allen bolts in the triple tree, the two-tone valve covers with the tiny Guzzi logo molded in, diverging curves of the seat cowl and the seat itself over the back wheel, and the massive long beams of the frame that give the impression of being merged with the tank. Add the sound, the raspy burble, the way the bike gives a little shove to the side when you blip the throttle, and as you can probably tell, I'm smitten.
To make it less self-obsessed and more universal, I think motorcycles are such objects of passion, especially somewhere like Canada where they mostly offer terrible practical advantages, that nobody should own a bike that doesn't give you a bit of a charge, or make you quietly say 'woof' to yourself when you open the garage. I mean, bikes like 999R's in Xerox colors exist purely to evoke emotion. If for you that's the pure honesty of a V-Strom 650, or the fearless terrier-like 'let's go get 'em!' of a Street Triple, or the low and slow of a cruiser, as long as it floats your particular boat.
Anyway. Enough rambling. It's just nice to be in love with a bike again. Even if I've only ridden it surreptitiously around the block because buying a bike on a holiday is a really bad idea if you're as bad at being patient as I am ..
Me too! I think Euro emissions regs killed all the air-cooled big block Guzzis in the end. They brought back the Stelvio with liquid cooling, though, so it's possible!
On second thought, scratch that. Last thing I need right now is a new Griso trying to get a grip on my wallet...
Priller
Well-known member
That is sexy as F…
I love it. What a great looking bike and that thing will be a hoot to ride. Congrats!
Did it come with a tank bag too?
Priller
Well-known member
Thanks! October is going to seem far too short, that's for sure.
No tank bag, but what I think is an SW-Motech evo locking ring as the tank is actually plastic. Reminds me to ask the seller what type it actually is...
So shiny! Congrats!
It is SW-Motech, but not an Evo, it's the next step up, the Pro tank ring. The guiding system is magnetic and is the same technology as the Fidlock magnets on helmet clasps.
You can choose from these tank bags:
PRO tank ring and tank bags from SW-MOTECH
Simply better - The new PRO tank ring and the new generation of PRO tank bags for your motorbike.
www.pro-tankbags.com
Dirty Frank
Well-known member
Little late but the eccentric chain adjustment is cool as it can be used to vary ride height and to a lesser extent geometry
Priller
Well-known member
He started at $9500, but came down to $8500 after what I assume was a few weeks with little action. I was able to get it for a good bit less than that, though if getting the best deal possible was my goal, I could probably have squeezed a bit harder. But I really wanted the bike, and there was a market of one to choose from. And I'm not really a haggler at heart, so didn't push my luck. I know as a seller, if someone pushes too hard, I'll often cut them off out of pride, even if I end up selling for the same or less to someone who's less irritating to deal with.
A 2015 in the less desirable (for me) copper colour sold on Vancouver Island a few weeks ago for $7k, but that's a different market than Toronto, and things often sell for less in smaller cities.
The bike isn't *quite* as mint as he claimed, though, with a few minor nicks and scratches in the finish. Nothing awful, though there is a small yellow stain on the passenger section of the faux suede seat that'll drive me nuts unless I can get it out. The black bits of the body are also matte, so a pain. Will be picking up some matte finishing spray today...
sburns
Well-known member
Cool bike, congrats enjoy!
