After a great ride on Queenies birthday with some from RSA and others who are not RSA but known from the days of the overclockers whom have moved from hideously high powered sports bikes to the awesome BMW multi functional ride that we know we should own but are just too cheap to invest in such technology. Monday was a fantastic day on two wheels MrsD and I enjoyed the ride immensely it was the lead up for a lazy Tuesday.
So there we have it Desmo was a little disgruntled in missing out on a Tuesday ride due to no one’s fault but my own, I sat there that night dreaming of Moto Guzzi, the latest acquisition. This all plastic cafe race replica seems to draw attention unlike any other bike I own. A limited numbered edition to celebrate Guzzi’s 90th year of motorcycle production. It is under powered at just under 50 BHP though with the Arrow slip-ons they claim it adds another 3-4 ponies. Shod with a semi budget suspension setup consisting of non-adjustable 40mm Marzocchi forks up front and fully adjustable Bitubo rear shock absorbers can have the ride wanting in the high speed apexes. All plastic bits and tank make the bike lighter than it looks but a single four-pot Brembo calliper on a 320mm front disc means if you push the bike even moderately hard you run out of braking power quickly.
Still the little 750 two valve has that feel of old world bikes. A vibrating 90 degree V-twin has the pull from low revs required when rolling on the throttle. Even though the bike is still in its first 600Km Desmo has been feeding the fuel to it seeing the run in described in the manual is “Twisty roads and gradients are ideal to run the engine in” I couldn’t agree more and even though it does not specify a certain RPM range I have kept it below 5500 for now. This obviously has the effect of semi sluggish performance notwithstanding the machine has satisfied to date with better that expected handling.
So I really wanted to test Moto Guzzi’s latest offering on some of the playgrounds best twisties just to confirm if it has a claim to some modicum of the history it is meant to represent being released as a 750 racer from one of Italy’s iconic marque. The post went out Desmo’s first RSA, SOMR after a lengthy hiatus from such offerings. The response was much like he encountered in the early RSA days when membership was in the tens not hundreds. Still this was to be a blessing as the odd photo stop broke up what turned out to be an awesome day in the playground.
After the quirky start procedure of the V7 racer crank for ten seconds turn off for thirty then vroom, you have to love that Italian old school idiosyncrasy built into a modern fuel injected machine. Though I am told it is not meant to be like that? Any way that is the way it is for now and I can live with it as part of the charm of the bike. So warm the Guzzi’s air cooled engine before entering into the light morning traffic heading east on Greenhill road to the meet point. First stop the BP servo for some 98 octane to fuel the days outing. On arrival the first of the day’s admirers was there in the door in the form of the servo manager who rides bikes and we talk often about machines but never has he come out of the shop to look at them normally peering through the window is sufficient. Today as soon as I turned off the engine it was “WOW!! You did a great job of restoring the old Guzzi you can’t buy bikes like that anymore” I was pleased to inform him that for less than the cost of a Jap thou you could be the happy owner of the all plastic V7 racer. Slightly confused he found the plastic chrome tanked beast still acceptable, I guess being a Guzzi gave it the required cred for such heresy to be over looked.
From there it was a short ride to TPND top car park where in fifteen minutes I had two 40 Burnside blonds stop and say how pretty the bike was, an old gentleman stopped his Hyundai came over for a look see and stray dog that sniffed the wheel without cocking its leg to pee.
10:15 came and went I figured the likes of grasshopper would just be dreaming of such a perfect winter’s day with no wind and sunny clear skies I sure was not going to waste another moment on that thought. Depressing the starter and heading to the hills face the first of many apexes had Desmo on the throttle and leaning the V7 where the entire Pirelli Sport Demon tryes to the side wall are exposed to the bitumen. I have been using the entire tyre since taking possession of this bike finding them super stable with plenty of grip. The run up Greenhill was to set the tone for the day no traffic to impede Desmo intent on finding out just exactly what he had procured. As the throttle bodies opened the sound of the Arrow slipons gave a crisp bark. The pseudo clipons give a more upright ride position with the appearance of that classic race guise. A glimpse of the speedo showed just over the posted speed with no need to slow for the corners riding the sport demons to the edge of the tread gives the thumbs up for agility at moderate pace. The Guzzi loving the tight stuff responding predictably to all thrown in its path, the run down the rest of Greenhill was equally as agreeable with slightly less severe chicanes and smoother road surface providing some fluid direction changes that gave the sensation of seamless progression.
From Balhannah road to Echunga it was boring as the government has decreed that this section of road shall be a revenue raising tax with the decrease in speed from a sensible 100 to 80 KPH. I am really starting to dislike the current labour government with its blatant money grubbing mentality. I believe if we all stopped using the roads for two weeks it would blow such a big hole in their budget that they would have to find another way of filling the fiscal holes other than an ongoing abuse of the powered vehicle user. Things got better though with the start of the Mackie road and the Guzzi thriving with some tight apexes and short straights. Pushing into the series of chicanes after Flaxley showed just how adept the V7 package was in the under 100KPH range nothing surprising just sure footed handling that had boots scraping through the bends all the way to Mackie.
Happy with the test so far and feeling the confidence in the bikes budget suspension it was time to take it up a notch on some 100KPH roads though to be cynical I feel it will be just a matter of weeks before our absurd nanny state restricts these to the lower limits also. On the sweepers the Guzzi is at home comfortable and stable soaking up the road surface imperfections with ease and predictability. Enter the Bull Creek a test of the bikes true worth with open road limits on sinuous blacktop. Today was perfect no wind sunshine and zero traffic the first run up the creek was a green light affair and the subsequent two more found the Guzzi only once lacking composure on the final run back towards Ashbourne when running down hill into the last set of tightening apexes through the wooded run along the creek where the road surface has been patched on the entry left hand sweeper. In fifth gear throttle wound on to just over 5000 rpm tip the silver streak in holding a tighter than normal line the Guzzi gets some air, revs blip to 6000rpm before traction is regained. The Marzocchi front end wallows with sudden compression but remains composed enough to straighten and tip though 70 degrees for the approaching right hand corner. With revs around 4500 winding the throttle on through 5000 to just below 6000 had major grin factor happening on Desmo’s dial. While not the pinnacle of race bread technology the basic geometry of the bike is sound. Happy with the outcome all that lay ahead was a pace fuelled run down the Ashbourne road. It was a blast rolling the throttle on and off in fifth gear enjoying the ideal winter conditions that had Desmo leaning to the bead of the sport demons through the long right sweeper before the final series of chicanes that bring you into the straight run before the last left to coast happily into Strath.
Of course needless to say it was off to the motorcycle Mecca in the south Marylou’s “Garage” and coffee with fellow biker enthusiasts that frequent there. We all had stories to exchange from the days adventures on two wheels with a Trumpy and 1098 rider keen to hit the road we took off for a re-run of the Ashbourne and Bull Creek. I am happy to report the little Guzzi faired respectably in the presence of some big bore machines while obviously lacking in the HP stakes the fact in that you can only go so fast around corners meant that in the wash up even with keeping the Guzzi under 6000 RPM fleeting glimpses of the other two out front were maintained until the more open curves and straights of the Bull Creek still resulting in an advantage of maybe 3 seconds. As by the time I was exiting the last left hander of the creek I saw the red 1098 starting the assent towards Paris Creek turn followed half a second later by the 900 Triumph I would say those boys were on the pipe for 85% of that run. Happy with that effort I headed for some tight stuff around Meadows and with the shadows growing long on the return ride down Mackie road I headed for home having explored the vulnerabilities of a little V-twin Guzzi also surprised with its capability to maintain equanimity in adverse situations making me think of the possibilities once the first 1000Kms are done that the V7 could be more than a gentleman’s weekend ride through the hills.
Though serious thought may have to be given to suspension upgrades I guess the next few months will tell when one can get the bike on the pipe and really push it on the weekday rides. I know it will always come up short on the real world of sports bikes but for now I am just happy with the way it looks.
Desmo.
So there we have it Desmo was a little disgruntled in missing out on a Tuesday ride due to no one’s fault but my own, I sat there that night dreaming of Moto Guzzi, the latest acquisition. This all plastic cafe race replica seems to draw attention unlike any other bike I own. A limited numbered edition to celebrate Guzzi’s 90th year of motorcycle production. It is under powered at just under 50 BHP though with the Arrow slip-ons they claim it adds another 3-4 ponies. Shod with a semi budget suspension setup consisting of non-adjustable 40mm Marzocchi forks up front and fully adjustable Bitubo rear shock absorbers can have the ride wanting in the high speed apexes. All plastic bits and tank make the bike lighter than it looks but a single four-pot Brembo calliper on a 320mm front disc means if you push the bike even moderately hard you run out of braking power quickly.
Still the little 750 two valve has that feel of old world bikes. A vibrating 90 degree V-twin has the pull from low revs required when rolling on the throttle. Even though the bike is still in its first 600Km Desmo has been feeding the fuel to it seeing the run in described in the manual is “Twisty roads and gradients are ideal to run the engine in” I couldn’t agree more and even though it does not specify a certain RPM range I have kept it below 5500 for now. This obviously has the effect of semi sluggish performance notwithstanding the machine has satisfied to date with better that expected handling.
So I really wanted to test Moto Guzzi’s latest offering on some of the playgrounds best twisties just to confirm if it has a claim to some modicum of the history it is meant to represent being released as a 750 racer from one of Italy’s iconic marque. The post went out Desmo’s first RSA, SOMR after a lengthy hiatus from such offerings. The response was much like he encountered in the early RSA days when membership was in the tens not hundreds. Still this was to be a blessing as the odd photo stop broke up what turned out to be an awesome day in the playground.
After the quirky start procedure of the V7 racer crank for ten seconds turn off for thirty then vroom, you have to love that Italian old school idiosyncrasy built into a modern fuel injected machine. Though I am told it is not meant to be like that? Any way that is the way it is for now and I can live with it as part of the charm of the bike. So warm the Guzzi’s air cooled engine before entering into the light morning traffic heading east on Greenhill road to the meet point. First stop the BP servo for some 98 octane to fuel the days outing. On arrival the first of the day’s admirers was there in the door in the form of the servo manager who rides bikes and we talk often about machines but never has he come out of the shop to look at them normally peering through the window is sufficient. Today as soon as I turned off the engine it was “WOW!! You did a great job of restoring the old Guzzi you can’t buy bikes like that anymore” I was pleased to inform him that for less than the cost of a Jap thou you could be the happy owner of the all plastic V7 racer. Slightly confused he found the plastic chrome tanked beast still acceptable, I guess being a Guzzi gave it the required cred for such heresy to be over looked.
From there it was a short ride to TPND top car park where in fifteen minutes I had two 40 Burnside blonds stop and say how pretty the bike was, an old gentleman stopped his Hyundai came over for a look see and stray dog that sniffed the wheel without cocking its leg to pee.
10:15 came and went I figured the likes of grasshopper would just be dreaming of such a perfect winter’s day with no wind and sunny clear skies I sure was not going to waste another moment on that thought. Depressing the starter and heading to the hills face the first of many apexes had Desmo on the throttle and leaning the V7 where the entire Pirelli Sport Demon tryes to the side wall are exposed to the bitumen. I have been using the entire tyre since taking possession of this bike finding them super stable with plenty of grip. The run up Greenhill was to set the tone for the day no traffic to impede Desmo intent on finding out just exactly what he had procured. As the throttle bodies opened the sound of the Arrow slipons gave a crisp bark. The pseudo clipons give a more upright ride position with the appearance of that classic race guise. A glimpse of the speedo showed just over the posted speed with no need to slow for the corners riding the sport demons to the edge of the tread gives the thumbs up for agility at moderate pace. The Guzzi loving the tight stuff responding predictably to all thrown in its path, the run down the rest of Greenhill was equally as agreeable with slightly less severe chicanes and smoother road surface providing some fluid direction changes that gave the sensation of seamless progression.
From Balhannah road to Echunga it was boring as the government has decreed that this section of road shall be a revenue raising tax with the decrease in speed from a sensible 100 to 80 KPH. I am really starting to dislike the current labour government with its blatant money grubbing mentality. I believe if we all stopped using the roads for two weeks it would blow such a big hole in their budget that they would have to find another way of filling the fiscal holes other than an ongoing abuse of the powered vehicle user. Things got better though with the start of the Mackie road and the Guzzi thriving with some tight apexes and short straights. Pushing into the series of chicanes after Flaxley showed just how adept the V7 package was in the under 100KPH range nothing surprising just sure footed handling that had boots scraping through the bends all the way to Mackie.
Happy with the test so far and feeling the confidence in the bikes budget suspension it was time to take it up a notch on some 100KPH roads though to be cynical I feel it will be just a matter of weeks before our absurd nanny state restricts these to the lower limits also. On the sweepers the Guzzi is at home comfortable and stable soaking up the road surface imperfections with ease and predictability. Enter the Bull Creek a test of the bikes true worth with open road limits on sinuous blacktop. Today was perfect no wind sunshine and zero traffic the first run up the creek was a green light affair and the subsequent two more found the Guzzi only once lacking composure on the final run back towards Ashbourne when running down hill into the last set of tightening apexes through the wooded run along the creek where the road surface has been patched on the entry left hand sweeper. In fifth gear throttle wound on to just over 5000 rpm tip the silver streak in holding a tighter than normal line the Guzzi gets some air, revs blip to 6000rpm before traction is regained. The Marzocchi front end wallows with sudden compression but remains composed enough to straighten and tip though 70 degrees for the approaching right hand corner. With revs around 4500 winding the throttle on through 5000 to just below 6000 had major grin factor happening on Desmo’s dial. While not the pinnacle of race bread technology the basic geometry of the bike is sound. Happy with the outcome all that lay ahead was a pace fuelled run down the Ashbourne road. It was a blast rolling the throttle on and off in fifth gear enjoying the ideal winter conditions that had Desmo leaning to the bead of the sport demons through the long right sweeper before the final series of chicanes that bring you into the straight run before the last left to coast happily into Strath.
Of course needless to say it was off to the motorcycle Mecca in the south Marylou’s “Garage” and coffee with fellow biker enthusiasts that frequent there. We all had stories to exchange from the days adventures on two wheels with a Trumpy and 1098 rider keen to hit the road we took off for a re-run of the Ashbourne and Bull Creek. I am happy to report the little Guzzi faired respectably in the presence of some big bore machines while obviously lacking in the HP stakes the fact in that you can only go so fast around corners meant that in the wash up even with keeping the Guzzi under 6000 RPM fleeting glimpses of the other two out front were maintained until the more open curves and straights of the Bull Creek still resulting in an advantage of maybe 3 seconds. As by the time I was exiting the last left hander of the creek I saw the red 1098 starting the assent towards Paris Creek turn followed half a second later by the 900 Triumph I would say those boys were on the pipe for 85% of that run. Happy with that effort I headed for some tight stuff around Meadows and with the shadows growing long on the return ride down Mackie road I headed for home having explored the vulnerabilities of a little V-twin Guzzi also surprised with its capability to maintain equanimity in adverse situations making me think of the possibilities once the first 1000Kms are done that the V7 could be more than a gentleman’s weekend ride through the hills.
Though serious thought may have to be given to suspension upgrades I guess the next few months will tell when one can get the bike on the pipe and really push it on the weekday rides. I know it will always come up short on the real world of sports bikes but for now I am just happy with the way it looks.
Desmo.
