Subject: Re: Guzzi Myth and Harpers
Author: William Dudley
Date: Jul 25, 2001, 12:27 PM
Post ID: 1707639079
Folks,
I traded my completely clapped out 71 Ambo to Harpers for another
Ambo, with everything rebuilt/renewed from the heads the wheels.
(I had them put my ratty body work on the new bike because I
LIKED my ratty body work. Besides, the new one was white and
I LIKE my black one.)
If I recall correctly, I paid Harpers about $4K US for the deal,
and at the time, when I compared that price to the price for pistons,
cylinders, rings, bearings, clutch, labor, knowledge that I don't
have, etc. etc. I decided that the $4K was spendy but reasonable.
It's been trouble free, I've put thousands of miles on it in the
two years since, earlier this month I took my son as passenger
on a little four day tour from south NJ up to Groton Ct, past
the Indian museum in Springfield, MA, hit about 5 other museums
in Connecticut and Mass, visited my Dad in NY, and then home
again to south NJ. Runs like a clock. Pictures at:
http://www.casano.com/dudley/ct2001
Harpers may be expensive, but nobody is holding a gun to your
head to make you go there. I bought from them because their
advertisement showing rebuilt Ambo's caught my eye. They
consistently buy big adverts in MG News, and big ads bring
in business. The big ads also support our newsletter, so
Harpers helps ALL OF US when they buy these ads.
I don't work for Harpers, I just buy stuff from them occasionally,
but I'm tired of hearing the pissing and moaning about how
bad or expensive they are. They're business people, trying
to make a living, and they like being in the Moto Guzzi business.
I think they do OK at it.
And it's always possible to buy a lemon, that is, a bike where
you are just unlucky enough that everything fails at once.
Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes, your're the bug.
Bill Dudley
Jackson, NJ
SOHC#25
MGNOC 12748
AMA 194723
72 Ambassador 750
71 Dunstall Norton Commando
73 Honda 350 Four
76 Honda 400 Four Supersport
77 Honda 550 Four Supersport
90 Honda CBR600F