mojohand

Myers in Asheville is still working on Guzzis, but not the 05-06 and up bikes like the Griso & Breva. Still doing Guzzi work and well reputed at it, so I don't think you'd have problems atall.

I test-rode the bike yesterday. Great bike, solid, no issues...but it just didn't fit me. Having the easier throttle cable was nice, its responsiveness came fluidly, and its steering was quite stable. However, I'm a tad too tall at 6'0" for it...found that I got some pain in my left 'blade and wrist after 30 minutes. Too, I felt topheavy on it. So, for me, I had to pass. Yet I think it's well worth the $4900 or so he's selling it for (maybe a little less with cash). If anyone's looking for a great deal on a solid Sport 1100, contact Kirk at KELGroup@aol.com for this bike.

Nope, that'd be West Virginia.

I just spoke with Progressive. I'm interested in picking up a bike on Sunday. The owner has agreed to a 30-mile guided test ride. I asked Progressive whether my policy I have with them (on my Breva 1100) covers me. They said, "Yes." They also recommended that I call Progressive before Sunday, add the (potentially) new bike onto my policy effective at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. If I don't buy the bike, I can call them back and cancel it within three days for no charge. So, that's what Progressive says, anyway.

Tibetan Side of Town Bruce Cockburn ough rutted winding streets of Kathmandu Dodging crowded humans cows dogs rickshaws - Storefronts constellated pools of bluewhite Bright against darkening walls The butterfly sparkle in my lasered eye still seems To hold that last shot of red sun through haze over jumbled roofs Everything moves like slow fluid in this atmosphere Thick as dreams With sewage, incense, dust and fever and the smoke of brick kilns and cremations - Tom Kelly's bike rumbles down - we're going drinking on the Tibetan side of town. Beggar with withered legs sits sideways on skateboard, grinning There's a joke going on somewhere but we'll never know Those laughing kids with hungry eyes must be in on it too With their clinging memories of a culture crushed By Chinese greed Pretty young mother by the temple gate Covers her baby's face against diesel fumes That look of concern - you can see it still - Not yet masked by the hard lines of a woman's Struggle to survive Hard bargains going down When you're living on the Tibetan side of town. Big red Enfield Bullet lurches to a halt in the dust Last blast of engine leaves a ringing in the ears That fades into the rustle of bare feet and slapping sandals And the baritone moan of long bronze trumpets Muffled by monastery walls. Prayer flags crack like whips in the breeze Sending to the world - tonight the message blows east Dark door opens to warm yellow room and there Are these steaming jugs of hot millet beer and I'm sucked into the scene like this liquor up This bamboo straw Sweet tungba sliding down - drinking on the Tibetan side of town

Great notes, Mike. Gives me more idea. I'm thinking that, since I own the Cortech tail bag already, buying the matching side bags makes sense. But I'd certainly like more info on the Givi mount. Pics are always nice. Thanks to all for the advice/comments!

Great shots. I noticed in the Yahoo! photos I sent that it looks like the original owner put in a breather tube in the final drive. I hear that's a good thing. The tank is metal, right? so if I wanted to put a magnetic tank bag on it, I could. Right now, for my Breva, of course I've got a thre-point strap one. I thought about bringing my Cortech Sport tail bag and my tank bag out, plus maybe buying the Cortech side panniers. Mike, didn't I see a picture of your Sport 1100 with a Givi trunk bungeed on? How'd you do that, and how well did it work? I've got one for my Breva...maybe I could use that with a big tank bag...

There is this 96 Sport 1100 in Scottsdale going for around $5K: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/kelgroupco/alb...385046239#page1 It's got 42K miles, it's not the injected model, and it looks pretty nice. Ideas? Comments? Price?

Great pics & report, as always, Bill. It was also great to see you in Stupidville er, Steubenville. Great folks up there. Best of luck in getting the Ballabio repaired...maybe it really is time to get your ducks in a row for a Norge...

Because of the way the exhaust comes into the catalytic converter right under your feet, and because the body work coupled with the alternator fan (alternator's now mid-engine & high), heat gets poured onto your crotch & lower legs. It's damn hot, I gotta say. You might browse the forum here: http://www.phpbbforfree.com/forums/mggriso.html

2001 Cal Spec. white, 16,000+ miles with accessories. motophile owned. fresh svc. pristine. $5695 2004 V11 sport naked. 4000. miles. risers, rack, gel seat. motophile owned. 99.9999% perfect. I'm not with Myers, but I had a nice chat with Todd from there. He said they're still very much into Guzzis, but just not selling new ones. Anyway, he'd called me because last year I'd talked about a possible Ballabio. Didn't pull the trigger on that one. Here's info if you need it: http://www.myersmotorcycles.com/index.html

Anyone using a Roadgear bag? I've got the map case, the laptop/courier bag, and some glove from them. Very impressed by manufacture & features. But I've not used their bags. On my Breva 750 I have the Guzzi bag system, and on my Jackal I had the Marsee bag--the Marsee worked very well. As I ponder getting a Cafe Sport (perhaps more wishful thinking financially now), it'd be nice to keep bag ideas in mind.

I looked 'em up on the motoguzzi-us.com site: CASWELL CYCLES 768 North Highway 65 Mora, MN 55051 320-679-1383 So, they are a Guzzi dealer...at least as of now.

Did you notice the Buy-it Now price: Buy It Now for US $9,999.00 Not to be a spoil sport, but isn't that the list price of a new Billybob?

Nice Bike Not a dealer, but the bike is AT a dealer...

And, ironically, we just saw Bill Kirchen (CC&LPA guitarist) on Sunday in Richmond!

I'm a big fan of Cruiserworks boots. I wear the Sidezip, which cost about $225: Indeed, I like 'em so much that I bought a second pair when the original owners were going to close the business (they didn't--instead, some Cruiserworks fans bought it and are continuing the business). Warm in the winter (I ride down to about 30-33 degrees F), they also breathe in the summer...and are quite waterproof! Riding to the MGNOC National rally last May in the rain, I never felt my feet get wet.

I'm quite partial to my MSR Hubba Hubba (yes, that's the name) tent: An interior camera-phone picture of the tent It has doors on both sides, and its vertical ends allow you to sit up in more of the space: And the tent fits in one 30-L saddlebag (with room to spare), while my sleeping bag fits in the other (thanks to compression straps). Clothes go on top in the Cortech tail bag:

Well, no, the best way to avoid a bike injury is not to ride in the first place. But that may be a choice we riders are unwilling to make. So it all comes down to mitigation of risk. Will a DOT/Snell-approved full-face helmet allow you to survive if you crash head-on at 160mph? Probably not. Do MotoGP racers ever crash at 100+mph and walk away? A lot of the time. So the idea that ANY crash on a bike will kill you, therefore wear shorts & flipflops & no helmet, is just plain er, ill-thought-out. Wearing a helmet is about risk mitigation. Wear a beanie helmet and protect yourself from a low-speed crash where your head impacts on its crown. Wear an openface (3/4) helmet and protect your crown and temples. Wear a full-face helmet and protect your chin, nose, crown, and temple. Wear a tshirt only and protect your torso from lowspeed rash (sort of). Wear a long-sleeved heavy flannel shirt and protect your arms at low speed. Wear a fabric/mesh jacket with CE armor and protect most of your arms and torso and joints from road rash and most bone breakage. Wear leather with armor and back protection... And so on. Point is, what's a REASONABLE risk mitigation to make? We combine our own choices along with those that, as a society, we feel is a level all folks should make.

And here it is in the "wild," with the man hisself.

Union Cycle 5807 Hwy. 74 West Indian Trail, NC 28079 704-821-3719 Sales@UnionCycleNC.com

Another radio station I like is Triple J from Syndey, Australia: http://202.6.74.107:8060/triplej.mp3 I like their humor, their iconoclastic style, and their mix of music that I'd normally not listen to.

Right now I'm listening to Liz Phair's new CD, "Somebody's Miracle." Fabulous! I've been a fan of hers ever since I lived in Chicago in the mid-'90s. Others I listen to a lot: Rory Gallagher The Nighthawks (http://www.thenighthawks.com Nils Lofgren http://www.nilslofgren.com Jimmy Thackery http://www.jimmythackery.com/ Anders Osborne Well, these are just a few. There is really so much good music out there...just not on mainstream radio. You can also try out http://www.paragon.com--you can set up your own 'stations' and they try to fit in music that's similar to what you start with. It's actually kinda cool.

I too would be interested in luggage options. I've seen the Cortech system that Hagan uses on his Ballabio...I have the tailbag now, thanks to Mr. Farley. But what about hard luggage?

Jason Speaker (http://www.speakers-cycles.com) listed today the following: 006 Breva 750 Touring $8,990 due in May 2006 Nevada 750 Touing $8,990 due in May 2006 Breva 1100 $12,490 due in January 2006 Griso 1100 $13,490 due in May 2006 California Vintage $14,990 due in September 2006 Norge $15,490 due in September See http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=867.0 for discussion on it. Seems they told Mike one thing then immediately postponed another month. Frankly, I just don't believe 'em. I'm strongly tempted to buy a Cafe Sport at the sale prices if I can find one....