Joined the ranks of Moto Guzzi

[bubba zanetti]

I have lived with my Norge for nearly 5,000 km now and can honestly say I really like the bike. The legroom is still a bit cramped for me - I plan on fitting a gel 1 inch seat pad under my sheapskin and that should just about do it, and the fueling is still a bit snatchy down low, I really only notice in stop and go traffic, and the suspension is overwhelmed by my bulk when fullly loaded. So it will take a little sorting yet. This is an interesting bike. It rides and appears quite modern and yet still has that feel of a bit of a classic in it. It sounds wonderful and even the moreso now with the addition of an tri-oval GPR pipe. Thanks Thunderbox !!  

The suspension I will save my loonies for and buy a Penske shock this winter and a spring kit for the forks. The seat I will muck with and if I cannot get the height I need ( I already have added lowered pegs Thanks Steve  !) then I will get a custom seat built. But nothing new here. Everybike I have owned has required such fixes and tailoring and I have really bonded with this bike. I have changed the oil and it is a breeze and sunday I will check the valves and assume that will be a breeze similar to my R100RS experience. So yeah, this is a hell of a bike and has that wonderful Moda Italiano and is a really fun bike to ride quickly or just amble along. For $8,000 it is a screaming good deal andI am really happy.

 

Hmmm .. Guzzi has some mighty MoJo ... just as I wrote that, the rain and thunder stopped and a nice rainbow appeared.    No Kidding !

[alphabet man]

I have lived with my Norge for nearly 5,000 km now and can honestly say I really like the bike.

TI have really bonded with this bike. I have changed the oil and it is a breeze and sunday I will check the valves and assume that will be a breeze similar to my R100RS experience.
 

 Wow it 's sounds almost as nice as a LeMans    except more suitable for you older less agile guys

 Valves are a breeze, give yourself an hour or 2 at most, but I would suggest having an extra set of gaskets  before you start. Not sure if the head/valve cover is the same shape as the 1064 but I have a gasket here if you get into trouble

 Edit:  the 2 valve engine seems two have two different specs for gap, US and - others (European ? )   The US is tighter probably something to do with noise restrictions, I use the looser specs and she seems very  happy with that. And mister Roper agrees so it must be the best way to go  

 I just completed the valve gap adjustment on the Duc   was a wee bit more difficult than the Guzzi, all 4 openers had to be adjusted, wet sanded them all as I didn't have any new shims which worked pretty good, with my micrometer I could get them spot on,  thankfully the closers were good, it runs soooo much smoother  now  

[ducatosh]

Dave, here's the link to the after market shim kits:

www.emsduc.com

The fellow who runs this little business is Mike Guidera(sp?), a good guy who provides a great service.  I see him every year at the Ducati ST rally and just last week said that his business continues to grow.  

You can buy individual shims or he sells complete kits with a variety of shims.  

[bubba zanetti]

 Wow it 's sounds almost as nice as a LeMans    

Wait till you hear it. Nearer my squid to thee, I ... er ... removed the DB killer in the GPR exhaust ... er ..  

I removed my DB killer and I like it !  Lyrics by Squidy Perry  

[mikebr]

Wait till you hear it. Nearer my squid to thee, I ... er ... removed the DB killer in the GPR exhaust ... er ..  

I removed my DB killer and I like it !  Lyrics by Squidy Perry  

And where are the pics    Suspension wise if I have to change will be looking at Hyperpro.

[Orson]

Wait till you hear it. Nearer my squid to thee, I ... er ... removed the DB killer in the GPR exhaust ... er ..  

I removed my DB killer and I like it !  Lyrics by Squidy Perry  

Guzzi engines can be addictive  

The locked embrace, the stumble round
I say go, she say yes
Dim the lights, you can guess the rest
Oh oh catch that buzz
Love is the drug Im thinking of
Oh oh can't you see
Love is the drug, got a hook in me
Oh oh catch that buzz
Love is the drug Im thinking of
Oh oh can't you see
Love is the drug for me

[bubba zanetti]

Who knew Roxie Music was writing about Guzzi's ?  

Now I am stuck with that song in my head .... better go start the bike !  

[bubba zanetti]

And where are the pics    Suspension wise if I have to change will be looking at Hyperpro.

Here you go ...  Gonna ride this way with the new Norge Mike ?

I do not see a supplier in North America for Hyperpro .... ?

[Croak]

I'm sure Wild Guzzi or Guzzitech folks can point you to their preferred NA vendor, but I suggest you contact AF1 Racing as well.

They added MG this year and they carry Hyperpro stuff for the Aprilia line (using a HP spring on my Tuono) so I'm sure they can get it for the Guzzi.  Great service, a huge warehouse, an excellent website with diagrams, fast USPS/Canada Post shipping that's reasonably priced.  

I can order on a Sunday and have the parts here in Vancouver before Friday with the cheapest shipping options, it's actually faster (and much cheaper) than going through the my local Aprilia dealer.

[mikebr]

Here you go ...  Gonna ride this way with the new Norge Mike ?

I do not see a supplier in North America for Hyperpro .... ?

Hi Jim, looking at heading your way next Wednesday so PM if you are around.

I brought my Hyperpro from Klaus and very impressed with it so have no problems installing one again.

www.EPMPerf.com  

[ToadRide]

Allright guys. Here she is:

Hahahaha. I'm just fuckin with ya. That's my loaner till I pick the bike up tomorrow.
Man! How could anybody drive one of those things?

[Kootenanny]

Allright guys. Here she is:

Hey Toad...uh, geez, has it been raining?

[ToadRide]

Ya Koot. It had just started and turned in to a total heavy downpour  that just kept coming. Should be reaching you guys about now. And what a fun ride on that bike!

[Kootenanny]

Ya Koot. It had just started and turned in to a total heavy downpour  that just kept coming. Should be reaching you guys about now.

Yup.  Started last night, forecast for the next couple of days.  Thanks...




Oh...BTW, that's an odd looking Guzzi

[ToadRide]

Mebbe you'll like this one better. Snuk it home between rainstorms

[bubba zanetti]

Mebbe you'll like this one better. Snuk it home between rainstorms

And ... so ... welll ...  lets here about the Stelviio ??!!  

[ToadRide]

You really wanna know? OK. Here goes. It's one heavy Muffafunkker! Before I bought it I read that it was actually shorter by an inch than the F8. They forgot to mention fatter. Cause it spreads my 30" inseam out wider and takes away any height difference. It shake a lot more  but all but disappears at five grand. Got in a 60km ride between the rain and was getting my head bounced around by wind buffet . Stopped and put up the adjusting screen and that fixed that. OK, here's a big positive. That big fat honkin seat is Sweeeeet! No more sore butt. Like bein kissed by angels.
After the short hop I decided to have a look under the side panels for GPS and Heated grip wiring. Dumped those silly clear wind deflectors right away. Removing the panels I found both front plastic mounting tabs crushed and split by some drunken Italian, I guess. Gonna be telling them to order me up a couple of replacements right away. Also found a badly routed lighting wire resting and melting against the header. Rerouted and fixed that. One of those panels also doesn't fit up the same as the other one. And today I looked down on the adjustable wind screen to see that it is waaaay out of whack. Sideways sort of.
So, after my short ride yesterday and a glass of wine, evil thoughts started entering in. Even contemplating taking it back. But I figured that was the wine talking. Give it a chance, my better half said. So, with the sun out this morning, I headed off to put some real miles on it. And, I gotta say, I was lovin it more and more. Gotta love that sound. And six gears the sixth of which you don't even shift into till 120kph. This is a high speed highway girl who is gonna want to really strut her stuff. And the Angels kissed my butt all day long. Got down to about a 1/4 tank and put $33 worth of high test in her. She sure can drink!
So for the time being she is definitely a keeper. Full of quirks but she's a big fat Italian. A lover not a detailer!  Leave the fit and finish to the Bratwurst bunch.
But if I go offroad, it may be the first time I've ever had to call a towtruck to get her upright again.
She could stand to lose some weight but, Hell, so could I. Hey, there's a thought. My new exercise machine. Literally forcing me to shape up!

[alphabet man]

Mebbe you'll like this one better. Snuk it home between rainstorms

 Congrats on the new bike Doug    Are we going to see it in the Kootenay's this summer?

[ToadRide]

U bet, Dave. The BB&B fer shure. I lookin to buy out there so I may even be earlier.

[bubba zanetti]

   Buy?