Member meet up, big Guzzi and a spirited ride

[the Ferret]

A couple weeks ago the new Guzzi dealer in town invited me and my brother out to ride the new 1400cc Moto Guzzi Eldorado when he got one in. This is the same dealer that Guzzihoarder...er I mean Hondahoarder bought his latest Guzzi from. I was going to ride up to see him the day his new California came in bit timing was not right. Anyhow I asked the dealer if he had gotten his new bike and they said he had, and that he had traded in his CB1100 and that they had already sold it. Anyhow my brother and I got there at 10:20 and another customer was just taking off on the Eldorado for a test ride. We would wait. An hour later we decided to go het some lunch as the tester had not returned yet.

After lunch we came back and the Eldo was there, but there was also an old Honda K in the lot. Either 79 or 80 I figured as it was a DOHC. Walk inside and lo and behold, there sat Hondahoarder. That was Curts 81 CB that he keeps up here to ride around on. Apparently he had just returned from Italy and had stopped in to chat with the dealership guys having only had the time to put a whole 60 miles on his new Guzzi. Hondahoarder says HI to all his CB1100 forum friends.

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Anyhow my brother was now in the batters circle and he would soon be riding the Guzzi

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He really liked the big Guzzi. Said it was very comfortable, handled nice ... easily dropping into turns, transmission was smooth, brakes were very good, comfortable seat, good ergos and he loved the heel toe shifter. Seemed to have plenty of giddy up and go too. It did shake like a junkie waiting on his next fix under 20 mph but smoothed out nicely as speed climbed. They offered him basically nothing for his FZ-1 in trade ( he was keeping his Triumph) and they wanted 16 large for the Guzzi. I elected not to test ride it after all. So we left without it. Impressed though.

After leaving the dealership, my brother and I took a spirited 100 mile ride. He on his Bonnie a me on the CB both delighted with the bikes we were on. At one point, after a period of silence in our intercoms, my brother simply said " I can't believe I just test rode a sixteen thousand dollar motorcycle" and we both had a good laugh.


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[redbirds_imp]

Good write up Ferret. Sometimes less is more. Those big Guzzis are handsome though.

[the Ferret]

Thanks Birds. I guess I should have mentioned when my brother and I were in the business back in the early 70s our Yamaha dealership took on Moto Guzzi. After setting a few up and test riding them my brother liked what he saw and purchased a 73 850 Eldorado new from the dealership. He really beat the snot out of that Guzzi, power shifting, wheelies, dragging the footpegs and the centerstand. He blew several universal joints (his fault) and the bike only left him stranded once in an all day rain in Georgia when the distributor condensed and the points quit firing. The seat on that Guzzi was the most comfortable seat either of us have ever felt on a motorcycle and he rode it from Cinti to Key West Florida straight through once with no seat burn. Truly a great motorcycle for it's time, and the reason for todays test ride, to see how the new Eldo compared with his old one.

[Cormanus]

Nice write up a Ferret. Like the look of the Guzzi.

[rboe]

I'm really attracted to the 1400. Leaning towards the Touring model though.

[Novice_imp]

I like Guzzis. If the CB weren't so good and there was a Guzzi dealer close, I'd probably have one. Maybe in the future.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Yep good write up. Interesting, if you let your mind wander back a little ways, I think it's not so hard to echo your brother with his thoughts on a "sixteen thousand dollar motorcycle". But then again I could once buy a beer with a dollar and have some change!

Cheers, and you shoulda rode it .

[the Ferret]

Rboe that's what Curt bought, the California. They had one in the showroom. They also had a Griso and a Norge. My brother really liked the Griso, I preferred the Norge.

Ptero .. Right on all counts. Although my brother (and dad when he was alive) like floor boards and heel toe shifters, I really care for neither, or the feet forward riding position, and that was enough to convince me I didn't really need a test ride.

[hondahoarder_imp]

Good write up, it was great running into you too buddy, we'll have to catch up at the Root Beer Stand on Wednesday! Hey to all the rest of you, you're not forgotten!

I did finally get out this weekend heading over Indiana way, and put my first 200 miles on her, it's official we're in love. Very happy with my purchase.

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