Subject: RE: White Wall Tires (longish reply)
Author: Andrew Rath
Date: Aug 2, 2000, 5:48 PM
Post ID: 1701703074
I should add that the Eldo also looked extremely fine. I was just surprised
at how different lowering, widening the tires and adding white walls made.
Not everyone's cup of tea, but it's part of what made me decide on the Ambo,
which is and of itself a story.
This is a good time to introduce myself to the list, I guess. My name is
Andy, and I ride a 1970 Civilan/LAPD combined Ambo. It has been modified
with 16" rims front and back (with fat Harley white walls), more chrome than
I personally care for, a Police dash, fishtail exhaust, funky aftermarket
floorboards in front of the pegs, original springer single seat, ...
After my '83 Virago died (only 122,000 miles, too ;-), my then wife didn't
want me to get another bike, so I decided on a Fiat 124 spider. On my way
to look at one, I drove past what turned out to be Moto Italiano when they
were still in Santa Clara, and saw in front of it one of the most beautiful
bikes I had ever seen (I had never even heard of the marquee Moto Guzzi
before !). Instant U-turn, and I found out it was for sale. Did a lot of
research, a couple of test rides, talked to a few people, and a month later
found myself driving it home. The first hundred or so miles I kept
thinking "what was I thinking"? It handled funny, did weird things on
corners when I gave it gas, vibrated like a Kenmore with an unbalanced load,
had about the same power as my '74 VW van but less brakes, but there was
just something about it. After that, it _quickly_ became my absolute
favorite vehicle. More personality than almost anything else out there,
came to realize that's how a bike should handle, I can cruise all day and
still feel my hands (unlike on the Virago). Plus, it's built like a tractor
in terms of solidity strength and ease of maintenance. And it has that hard
to define but ever so beautiful Italian styling. I don't mean to sound
egotistical, but when I'm at Alice's near Santa Cruz and people walk by row
after row of new HD's to come ask me "what is that???", it feels good!
Andy
*****
Never having ridden it, nor any Ambo/Eldorado before, I have no comparison
to make on it. I do know that it handles quite well, extremely stable, but
has a tendancy to scrape the pegs when I take a turn even slightly sharp. I
can say I've seen it next to an Eldo w/18" rims both from and back, and the
Ambo looked cooler than shit with the _FAT_ Dunlop white-walls on it.
Chrome might not get you home, but those white walls, man!
Andy