Alex-Corsa Posted May 15, 2005 Author Share Posted May 15, 2005 While I'd like to see the article, it wouldn't do me much good since I don't read German... Honda: "Nice bike. Great fit & finish. Liked it." Kawasaki: "Nice bike. Loved the motor; power on tap! Liked it." Suzuki: "Nice bike. Looked great, but feels a little 'cheap.' Strong motor. Liked it." Moto Guzzi: " Nice bike. Killer looks, kinda quirky, but oozes 'soul' that the others just don't have. Motor gets breathless on top compared to the others, but I don't care to lose my license anyway. Love the feel overall. I want this bike!" Ride on! ....LOL Yes , that's about (in summary meaning)what they write about the bikes in conclusion....in exact same rating row...LMAO Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orson Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Not to move the theme of this thread farther away than it is, but as we wax poetic about the lovely old lump v-twin that Guzzi uses, I will point out that for the last 30 yrs Guzzi has more or less had to use this engine, not able to afford the costs to start up a new engine layout. Guzzi has used many, many layouts as we all know. Alas, these 30 odd years have typecast Guzzi, much like Harley, and to a smaller degree BMW. The thing I found the most fascinating when I visited the Moto Guzzi museum at the factory was the section for experimental engines. They had a triple which was essentially a regular Guzzi twin with an extra cylinder in the middle. There was an inline 4 that looked to be a carbon copy of Honda's CB 750. They even had an inline 6. Fascinating stuff. I don't know why I wasn't snapping pictures. Maybe cuz my mouth was hanging open Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrt Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 I was snapping pictures, but my camera was dying....anyhow, this is all I could salvage from these pictures- sorry for the low quality. Orson, the last photo shows the latest offering from Mandello, with radically new air cooling and promising 3-8 hp. Steve: One thing I can say about most big bike mags, is that they have to compare the bikes in a way that can be put into print, and performance numbers are it. As a Moto Guzzi, with it's pushrods, air cooling, and 2 valves, it simply hasn't got a chance of ever rating well against anything in it's engine class, except maybe, MAYBE, the smaller engined Buell twin. What is much more difficult to put into print is the "feel" of these things, the feedback, that any one of us would find very tough to explain to someone who hadn't ridden one before. You would have to give him the keys for an hour, where he would come back, and only then give his head a nod of understanding. Motorcyclist, or Cyclemotorist, or Motormotor or some such rag biased toward race replicas did exactly that very recently (author was J. Colon). Todd Eagan posted a note here on the forum and he was involved in the evaluation. I bought the mag...didn't care for it very much (it's just not my style)....but I did enjoy that article because MG came out on top vs. a Buell, a BMW and a MZ. Not sure it was a fair comparison since they used a Coppa Italia, but hey, I like my guys to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nogbad Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 The thing I found the most fascinating when I visited the Moto Guzzi museum at the factory was the section for experimental engines. They had a triple which was essentially a regular Guzzi twin with an extra cylinder in the middle. There was an inline 4 that looked to be a carbon copy of Honda's CB 750. They even had an inline 6. Fascinating stuff. I don't know why I wasn't snapping pictures. Maybe cuz my mouth was hanging open 51768[/snapback] As I understand it the inline 4s and 6s were "inspired" by the Honda units and were built under contract by Guzzi for Benelli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeBenGuzzi Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 it would be neat if they could find a way to put in a 3cly transversly move the fuel tank to under the seat and just have a false small tank for looks with the two cyl out the side and one right up the middle. I'd think it could look really facinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nogbad Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 it would be neat if they could find a way to put in a 3cly transversly move the fuel tank to under the seat and just have a false small tank for looks with the two cyl out the side and one right up the middle. I'd think it could look really facinating. 51879[/snapback] Cooling that middle pot might be a problem though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeBenGuzzi Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 I suppose it will have to be water cooled. ah well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nogbad Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 I suppose it will have to be water cooled. ah well 51916[/snapback] Why the sad face, with water cooling no vapour lock in town, oil lasts longer, legs won't fry in summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_roethlisberger Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Why the sad face, with water cooling no vapour lock in town, oil lasts longer, legs won't fry in summer. 51924[/snapback] Personally?? ....because I think water-cooled engines on bikes are "uninspiring" visually Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v50man Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 Personally?? ....because I think water-cooled engines on bikes are "uninspiring" visually 51936[/snapback] Gotta go with Dirty Al on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeBenGuzzi Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 thats what I was getting at Water cooled engines should be hidden under fairings they are often pug-ugly. or just plain plain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_roethlisberger Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 ...something else, they also are small. Of course from an engineering standpoint, that is probably a "good thing", but the other day I was looking at a used FZ-1 while waiting on my bike, and although had shopped for an FZ-1 when they were new.... I just noticed and was so surprised how tiiiiiiny the engine looked as compared to the LeMans, or my old air-cooled FJ1200. Of course, it's obvious why it is so more compact, but never-the-less... it looked like a toy I just really like naked or semi-faired bikes, and especially like *FINS* on cylinders... like old airplanes, and yes... motorcycles. It's what I grew up seeing. Water-cooled engines, while technically superior, just don't excite me. They are too antiseptic ...of course, that doesn't mean I'll never own one. I just never have up to this point al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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