Considering a 2014 leb'n hundit

[AzBob_imp]

You want a Moto Guzzi. Heads are out in the breeze making them easy peasy to get to, no tupperware to remove (save the Norge) and they are screw and lock nut. Old school air cooled (oil cooled on some, still mostly air cooled) and they are shaft drive.

No dealer network to speak of so you'll do most of the work yourself although you may have a dealer near you. Parts are fairly easy to get except for this time of year when Italy goes on vacation.

They are almost Honda reliable out the door, but sometimes they need some sorting. Once sorted 250,000 miles is duck soup.

So you want a Moto Guzzi. If in doubt, take one for a test ride. A nice long test ride (they take a while to warm up to you).

The CB is a nice bike too.

That is most interesting.

Now, is that pronounced "Guzzy" as I learned about 100 years ago in jr high? Or, is it pronounced "Goochy", or is it "Gootsy".

If it's affordable, I shall look into one of these.
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That valve adjustment is pretty spendy if you have the shop do it, you're right.
I hear that doing it yourself isn't necessarily that hard, but takes a bit of time.

That's probably the one feature I wish they'd put on this bike like the old Nighthawks, the hydraulic valve lifters so you in theory never have to service the valves. I've read (possibly a comment on this forum, don't remember where though!) that the Japanese manufacturers believe the bucket/shim to be the superior setup in terms of tolerance/performance. I wouldn't have minded sacrificing a little bit of performance for that, though, given that I don't use 100% of the bikes available power anyhow... that's just me though.

Either way, I've had nothing but a good time on this bike! Kept everything stock so far, too.

Yes, "spendy" at 700, for sure.
But I will always question Honda's desicion as to why they 'did' this.

I think Japan could have come up with a far superior way to adjust valves,
by now. I know they used to use a more conventional way.
I think the only thing here is motivated by their greed.

Cheaper to build 'this way', and rake in extra bucks at the service dept.

I alerted my local jap bike dealer to this fact, and I've never seen a service tech, look up anything on his computer, and say "WHAT? !?"
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Dear Honda,

You need to redo the valve system on this bike.
Your sales on this bike, will suffer. Or, they'll be lower than expected. OR you'll not ever have seen the true potential of what it could bring you.
Yes, I know you have made more internal combustion engines than anyone else on the planet, but you make them for the same people, the majority who need such a minimal break, like the valve system issue.
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I was about to write a check for this bike, but thankfully I was alerted to this 'problem', and I stopped. Especially after the service tech was alarmed at the news I brought to them today. This is as bad as the Sportster losing the trap door in 2003, for easier tranny access. Then, in 2004, they added rubber mount engines. COME ON HARLEY! What's the problem? Not enough money?
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Why are motorcycle companies behaving like this? Is it really about the true greed involved? Streamlining the assembly line?
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Mr. Leb'n Hundit
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Your logic is flawed. Honda doesn't make a dime from the valve adjustment work.

The interval is short on this bike because it's air-cooled. The interval on my liquid cooled shim-under-bucket is double (16k miles). Still, actual adjustments are rare. Also, it's a naked bike, so doing the inspection is pretty easy: just prop up the tank and pull the valve cover off. On my CBR it's a huge PITA: take off the lower, and two mid-fairings, remove/prop the gas tank, air box, intake plenum, radiator, and then, finally, you have access to the head.