Steve G.

Fun video, and with practicing a couple times, backing into corners is cool. I'll give you full agreement as to the capabilities of this bike. I don't think any sport bike can keep up to supermoto and duel sport bikes in tight pavement. One note though. Does any KTM, with their "unique" styling, warrant the important [to me anyways] garage appeal. That appeal which describes looking back one more time as you leave the garage. In my personal feelings, I am saying a big 'no'. Ciao, Steve G.

Whidby Island! What a great place to own a motorcycle!! Are you in Bellingham or on Whidby? Ciao, Steve G.

Ahhh, the Lost Coast! What a great diversion. Is the road quality still....................rough? I've done it many times, but not on a naturely harshly suspended spine frame. The way I normally do that road, I would be pissing blood from the harshness it the Lost Coast. Did it last year on the way to Moto GP. A bunch of guys from where I live were in squadron, with chase car with all the luggage, and the majority were on machines regarded as supersport big Japanese. My brother and I felt hindered so quickly passed the group. Two of them broke away to try to stay with us, and before we got to the shoreline one had disappeared from my rear view mirrors. It wasn't until we pulled into Fort Bragg hotel later, did we see the results of putting a full on sport bike through that route. A mint 954 Honda with 6 pounds of ducktape holding it together dragged it's ass into the hotel with all his buddies following. They avoided us after that. Will be running through there again in early July as part of a Road Rider Magazine ride pictorial. And Happy Camp, etc, etc, etc,. Ciao, Steve G.

Airheads are common above 200,000 miles. Ciao, Steve G.

Mine went away when I put harder SBS pads in. Ciao, Steve G.

Time to store a tire repair kit under the seat! Ciao, Steve G.

Geez, I always thought the Skirtster [sportster] was the girls bike. Ciao, Steve G.

I will agree that the first Morbidelli was an ugly duckling. The one above however, series 2, was a nice looking machine, glorious engine by anyone's thought. Ciao, Steve G.

Gosh, A Corsa, nice. I would have thought that with your home town'n'all, you'd be on an H.D. thingie. Fuel mileage on these bikes is all over the map [no pun]. Most of it has to do with how many miles the bike has on it. They get alot better mileage when you stsrt racking up over 15,000 miles. My bike now with 34,000kms [22,000 miles] is regularly getting 300kms [200 miles] to a tank, which is kind of working out to 48mpg [imperial gallon, 4.54litres]. I'm not shy about using the throttle. My idiot light has never worked since new, so my opinion would be to say the reserve fuel light should not be trusted at all!!! Oil? Why they are saying 5w-40 I can only say it must have something to do about this new kick about fuel economy, and internal engine resistance reduction through thinner oil. A 15w-50 full synthetic will cover you all 4 seasons, as only full synthetic avoids getting thicker in the cold, and thinner in the heat, for safer start-ups. If you are a non-synth guy, no problem, 20w-50 summer, 10w-40 winter. Ciao, Steve G.

Well done considering the competition, that RC30/Vfr750r is no sloutch either. Ciao, Steve G.

Luckily, you don't have to wait too long for Buell's resale pricing to crash and burn. Wait a couple years and you will get on for 1/2 price. Around here you can get Buells 3 yrs old for 1/2 the price of new. Ciao, Steve G.

??? Sure you were on your bike? I know my V11 has smoothed out considerably with increased mileage, but no vibes at all? Relentless thrust at 2500rpm? Third gear power wheelies? Maybe I should get my bike checked out. Ciao, Steve G.

Golly! I think I'm going to join Ratchethack on the Global Warming thread. I actually agree with him on that one, I just don't have 7 hrs of typing time to offer him a reason why. Ciao, Steve G.

I can admit that the cosmetics on a Harley are given extra consideration, chrome, paint, etc, are given extra attention at the factory, and the quality is very good. But surely this is not why you are going to buy one? Other than the full tour 'Glide', which other than it's pitifull power to weight ratio, can still be considered as a touring machine viable compared to the competition in it's catagory. But the rest? Come on man. The sitting position alone is enough to make you think again. Unless one has besided to become a full time poser in town, having your feet forward like that eliminates all of them as long tour machines, the concentrated body weight on one spot [the tailbone] making no sense, the lean back posture causing the body to become a human kite at speeds over 60 mph. And the handling? What are we talking about here when we are talking good handling? Straight line? OK, their good at that as long as you keep the speed down. I've ridden these things alot, and I'm sorry they are frickin' pitiful, they're trucks. There is no argument, none. Anyone who says they can keep up with other stuff is flat making stories. Complete fiction. These things are purchased strictly for coffee shop/pub credibility in these parts, and suspect most everywhere else in the world. Ciao, Steve G.

Sorry to hear about the bad luck. Get back on the horse if bucked off, it's the only way. Ciao, Steve G.

Saturday morning as I write this, just home after picking up fencing supplies, and stopping by Chapters to check out the bike magazines. I opened up the June issue of Cycle Canada, an eastern Canadian mag, with fairly decent, but regionally scoped [read eastern Canada] coverage. Open the cover to the first page, and there is a full page advert of the Breva 1100. You know the one, the barefoot guy who looks like he's having a post sex snuggle astride the seat/tank of a red Breva. The Irony?? As of May 20/06 as I write this, not only are there no new Guzzi models avaliable in Canada since spring of 2005, but they have yet to disclose to anyone, even the present dealers, who is going to be a dealer. Yet, they run a country wide advert campaign in the largest most read mag here! The one difference I have noted through the decades I've been into bikes, the fact that while in our closest foreign country [uSA] the importers of each brand has basically a country branch of the home company. Canadian distribution has always been, and in Piaggio's/Moto Guzzi's case here, been relegated to a specific "marketing company" of general capability, that same company basically acting as an "area agent", with no specific skills in bike sales, but in general skills selling/distributing anything from liquor to food, to clothing. It would seem they have nailed the timing exactly the same time Moto Guzzi arrived in Canada, in 2001, after a 20yr absence. It is now bike buying season here, people with money in hand ready to go, yet, as before, it appears we will not see anything made in Mandello until the fall of 2006, when the buying season is over. Absolutely bizzare!! Ciao, Steve G.

Simply beautifull!! You must enter these pictures along with your words on the Adventure Rider forum site. This entry is more than worthy. Ciao, Steve G.

I will respectfully disagree with you on all hydraulic lifter actuated H.D. powered machines, who lack the characteristic "hiss" of solid lifters, and have a massive R&D department to quieten down the piston thrash. I will give a reluctant nod to bone stock H.D. powered machine with stock muffler equipement. Unfortunately these are so rare among the throng of unmuffled H.D. BLATT going around they are ignored. The fact that H.D. are building this kind of engine that has everything to do with marketing, and that Moto Guzzi at this point builds their 90 degree v-twin because they have to, unable to find the money to re-tool, is the huge difference between the two makers. Such was the case with the old English twins. I do appologize for my issues on your comment. I have gotten so jaded by the throng of "weekend warriors" astride their "hey look at me" noise machines, I have trouble giving anything with a 45 degree v-twin anything but a head shaking giggle. I've ridden virtually every Buell made, outside of the old cast iron powered 1200rr's or whatever they were called, and every H.D.. I've given them every chance [test riding every one of their models since day 1 proves that], and I'm afraid I just don't get it. The Porsche designed V-Rod engine I have alot of respect for, but it is virtually characterless, in the same family as a Kawasaki Vulcan, or a Honda Shadow, with a bit more power. Ciao, Steve G.

Probably a bit too loud for me, it sounds like an idiot H.D. with open pipes. There is something to be said for that perfect marriage of exhaust note and mechanical activity sound. Moto Guzzi's have it, British twins have it. Ciao, Steve G.

They're crappy French Valeo motors. BMW has had them for years now, definitely a jump down from the bosch motors. Word is they cannot be rebuilt. Ciao, Steve G.

I fear no other place on earth has such a H.D. snobbery problem as that exhibited on the west coast of Canada. There is now a huge influx of money coming in from a booming economy, and much excess money for expensive toy purchase. H.D. bikes are to be found parking at most every pub, parked in an area where the flatulence owners can be seen, and for their H.D. trucklets to be admired/force fed by an unsuspecting public. Getting caught behind these things on a road is far worse than being behind a motorhome/caravan, as only a rider new to bikes, saddled on H.D. can butcher a road in this manner. As they feel they belong in front, [even while holding up a dozen or more seniors in old mini-vans], passing them on a bike other than H.D. is paramount to a declaration of war. More than once I've had a gaggle of these munt's trying to catch me, fingers flying, and other forms of hand signals offering their displeasure. It's getting tiresome, this new wave of Pretend Hells Angels. It's getting so bad that when uninformed people find out I have motorcycles, they ask if it's an H.D. Luckily most of these posers can be avoided by venturing away from the urban areas, as they tend to stick within 5 miles of home, so unridable these things are. Ciao, Steve G.

Last weekend I was crossing the Aldergrove/Lynden border crossing to pick up a parcel [taking advantage of our new strong dollar] , when I spotted a middle aged couple [the fellow I recognized as a former 1150GS Adventure owner] parked just on the Canadian side, brand new 950 Adventure disassemmbled in the engine area. I pulled in to help. Seems the new bike was having an electrical issue, was blowing main ignition fuses, their holiday tour only 1/2 hour long. He was very pissed off. I returned back across in 1 hour, and they were still there, but had moved everthing to the shade of a large tree, waiting for some kind of help. I felt sorry for them, as KTM's here are quite expensive, I know he paid close to $20,000 out the door, for his new, dead, bike. Ciao, Steve G.

Golly it's a small world Carl. My old retired uncle ran the BP petrol station across the street from Mildenhall AF Base, just selling it off. I'm assuming your son is at Mildenhall. While you are there, and want to see some real history [isn't the entire country of England a museum?], visit my grampa's ghost at the oldest public house in the world [i know another one], The Ferry Boat Inn, from 980 AD, located in the tiny hamlett of Holywell, Camb., just a stones throw from St. Ives. Honest, he's there, he's visited me several times while I've stayed there, and I'm not one to get on the spiritual ghost thing, honest!! While I'm talking about creepy things, my family's old headquarters is quite close to your Lakenheath temporary home. My family used to own several thousand acres in the Wash, which included Woodhurst and Oldhurst. The old original home is still there at Woodhurst, still owned by a family member. The old church at Woodhurst houses the largest collection of my ancestors anywhere on earth, actually the entire graveyard seems to be nothing but my last Name [Gurry]. I know you will enjoy your visit with your son. Ciao, Steve G.

You are right Greg. Why have an underpowered Griso. The only other advantage this 850 could have is less vibration. Ciao, Steve G.

I also have a serious issue with wanting/needing bikes that I feel qualify ownership. Last Thursday I was given the keys to a fully broken in ZX14 Ninja, and told to run it like it needs to be run. Never, never, have I felt such enormous forward urge out of a 2 wheeler. The G forces stretched the skin on my face, and I was involuntarily grunting to hold on to the handlebars, and I have tree trunks for arms. I've never had a bike power loft the front end at 240kmh, in 4th gear, in complete control. The engine is all what Kawasaki is known for, power absolute. But the refinement of the entire motorcycle was very much not Kawasaki, known for their raw unbridled, and rough around the edges machines. This thing is very slick, very flickable in slow speed, super stable in sweepers, and the brakes, the BRAKES, the feel, feedback, and power of the brakes, just incredible!! So that's what radial mounting does. I have no room left in my garage. Ciao, Steve G.