Ray

I came across this on an apparently internal Guzzi document on a fileshare site. Haven't been around here much recently, maybe I'm rehashing old news, given it's an old photo. Streetable MGS-O1, updated Sporti? http://issuu.com/guzzi34/docs/essai-pour-issuu

FYI, Mine has been contacting the forks since about 04. I don't see it as the tank swelling but the two forward tabs of the tank on either side of the headstock distorting outward from age, heat, and and tank sucking. I have aluminum debris rubbed onto the tank and some grinding of the plastic underneath on the mount where it meets the bumper on the frame up front. I assume with time it will rub through and will start leaking. Bike has about 25,000 miles.

First year in a while I did not go. The USCRA events at the old Gunstock track were my favorite, watching the geezers on the old hardware, but that has been suspended indefinitely, from what I hear. I've got my eye on the Moto Giro D'Italia - working on some basket case Aermacchis... Maybe I'[ll drop in at a race day and say Hi.

Set of used bags and mounts on EBay NOW. Cheap at the moment. 35000467068

And here's a link for the windshield for the Airtech Magni from Gustafsson. If you look on the Airtech site, they provide links to Gustafsson and Zero Gravity. http://www.bikescreen.com/products.asp?pg=20

Airtech streamlining is now making them. From Magni they require lower clip ons, etc. but with the cheaper raw fairing @ $175, it might be shoehorned in... http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/vintag...airingshalf.htm page down to Magni.

I think it could be nicer than a Thruxton - with some tweaking. clip-ons, rearsets, ccs. Benchmark are the Ducati Classic and the Trumpet. Bet they come up with a big brother if there's interest.

Hardly boring. One of your pix is the Saguenay ferry... Did you stop in Tadoussac? See the whales there? Have a few Belle Guelles? One of these days I'm going to do it again and head up to the Manicouagan Reservoir. Sounds great, weather looked great too. You should write an extended report - this is one of the great rides in the northeast. The mountain roads shocked my shock, and I pogoed my way back to Maine from one of those inland roads on the way to Forillon. Food isn't too bad either, huh?

Or go down to Van Brunt Street in Red Hook and see if you can pick it up in person... RevIt is in the neighborhood! Worth a try if your heart's set on it. Maybe a sample or something.

I've traveled up there on the way to and from Newfoundland. The jumpoff point to Newfie is North Syndey, NS, which is a nice town in itself. The east coast, Peggy's Cove, Lunenberg, etc., is most heavily touristed, and coming from Maine, it didn't really differ that significantly from the Maine coast, but it is more rustic. The Cat ferry is a real highlight, like being on the starship Enterprise, beautiful titanium fittings and a contemporary design icon. For me, Cape Breton was the spot I would have liked to spend more time, as we were heading back and in a rush already by then. We had traveled up the east coast, then back down the Cabot trail. Up in Cape Breton, there is a Celtic College that teaches Gaelic language and literature, and they have a music school as well. You might check and see if there are any events. It seemed pretty great and utterly authentic, and none of my forebears even remotely honked on a sheep's bladder or hopped a bog. Think the wesxt coast is the spot. Southern NS is fairly remote and unpopulated above Yarmouth through to Halifax. Bypassed Halifax, but heard it's fairly cosmopolitan. Another thought-the town of Shubenacadie hosts vintage motorcycle races in late August or early September, way up in Cape Breton. You might find an event; there are tons of riders who will appreciate idiosyncratic machinery. Canada is the place to ride, but watch out for wildlife and prepare to forsake fresh vegetables and cell service on the remote stretches. Find a way to keep your batteries charged on the bike - I would have liked to have more camera life, but I usually tent-camp. And bring a good rain suit. In Portland, the younger euro bike cafe crowd hangs out at Amigo's, just down the strip from the ferry, tucked in on Dana Street. I will be in Maine next weekend, but not the next when you are there. We should do a NYC meet at some point too. I'm in Cobble Hill around the corner from the movie theater. Best wishes. And don't forget to write up a ride report for us.

Or get some of the southerners to come up to Skowhegan... That Maine riding, lonely two laners newly resurfaced, nary a frost heave in sight. Wasn't Rt 2 just redone? Maybe I can cut class for it.

Last I looked the new Gixxer made 160 hp, but with 50 more pounds: 425... I think it'll be competitive, more than the VR, and that was equally a departure. I think HD is ultimately following BMW and augmenting the lineup and identity.

Did you see the specs? 375 pounds and 146 hp - even dry and measured at the crank, you're still talking a competitive bike, with all the handling all the frame geometry on the Buell contributes. Pretty exciting really. Wonder which motor - doesn't look like the LC8, and I wonder if they're going to race it? A friend was the manager of the VR team. I'll look into it and report.

Well I was in the area, but running late after stopping in my office in Albany, and I didn'[t have internet access the night before. I was looking for the Friendly's world HQ sign for Wilbraham, but must have flashed by on the Pike at about 11:30 AM. I was looking for it to stop for a bite to eat, but missed the exit sign. As it was, I had a fairly respectable day's ride from Brooklyn up to Maine, via Albany. I'm thinking your club name could be the Red Brigade... Brigado Rosso, perhaps? I'd love to come along the next time or when I can swing it... At least my frame's red. Best, Ray

I'll be in Albany Sat til about 10 AM, then heading eastward to Maine. Love to stop in.

Ironically this happened to me last month, likely on the same road, as I was heading north to Albany on the Taconic Parkway in Chatham. A Bosch, the starter relay as I remember, died as I was riding, and I lost my tach and headlight. I really noticed when one cylinder cut out, and the motor shortly died. When you lose this relay, you also seem to lose your alternator, and you run straight off the battery. I charged the battery up, replaced a relay with one of Dan's GEI's, and it's been running fine. Just keep spares with you, they don't take up too much room, tape them in there if you have to... Lesson learned... I ordered a full set of five from Dan, I'll give you one this weekend if you need it pronto.

I've had a Ural since 1998. It's been quite reliable, as far as what you'd expect from a vintage bike - has a higher maintainence regimen than a modern bike, but it's very user serviceable. Max speed is about 60 - more recent models about 65 with 5 speed and electric start, and most importantly, a disc brake up front. These are cute and quite stable when stopped. When riding, they are widowmakers - pull into oncoming traffic when braking (sidecar is momentum), pull to shoulder when accelerating, at least in countries who drive on the right side of the road, sidecar is drag... Imagine a motor with half the accelaration, a quarter of the handling (wants to flip over on right handers), half the braking, and which takes up a whole lane. That being said, it's a whole lot of fun. But it's not a safe alternative, and it's not anonymous. For some reason, civilians think it cute and unintimidating, people who wouldn't dare speak to you on two wheels. I've used mine most happily on dirt roads when I lived in Maine and Texas, off the beaten track... Mine's a one-wheel drive 1996 model.

Bike's turning 20k miles today.

Clutch slipping on acceleration @ say 5-6k rpm. Am I missing anything, an easy adjustment? Haven't yet had to deal with a hydraulic clutch, any ins and outs I ought to know? What's it like taking this clutch apart? Need disks or a good cleaning? Thanks dudes.

Looks nice. Wonder tank capacity and if they'll make integral luggage for it. Would it cannibalize the Norge market that way? I prefer it to the Norge, at least based upon photos. Ray

Here's a nice one from the web. Google Lake Manicouagan for more info. Once thought I'd take the tub off my Ural and make a cradle for a kayak. This would be the trip for that rig. I've also been around Newfoundland twice, but on 4 wheels only. Pretty frost-heaved and straight roads, but great destinations and people very open to socializing with visitors. Not a Sport/ Lemans trip, more a Norge slab surfer trip. Icebergs are plentiful around late May, before the blackflies. Drove up through Nova Scotia through clouds of blackflies - watch your timing, as you CAN'T be outdoors for a northward moving two-week window without netting and insect armor. Drove back on Cabot Trail, but kept at it on the road and didn't stop at all to smell the flowers. Will be back there too. Ray

Ouija, A place I found on the map, not exactly a secret, I guess, is a place I'd like to visit up there, a perfectly round lake with a wide, round island in the center, a meteor strike, Lake Manicouagan. I'm thinking it would be a neat place to go canoeing, essentially a river that goes around in a complete circle. Up above Baie Comeau. Send back a report. Ray