BMWs and Guzzis are exactly the same when it comes to simplicity. In fact the tontis used the same charging systems as the BMWs of the same era. There are differences but not so much that a BMW dude opening up a guzz would be lost and visa versa and in reverse or something like that.
The simpler the motor, the more forgiving it is (2 strokes being the exception, to me anyway) the same goes for jap singles. the SR500 is one of the best bikes ever built. I would love to have one. I cut my mechanical teeth on a poor old BMW that I will never give up. poor thing has suffered from all my mistakes and keeps on going. I come across old work I have done on it and have to shake my head. WHat was I thinking? but it just shows how much my knowledge has grown.
Yeah there are tons of dudes that take pride in not haveing to rely on dealers except for parts. Me for example. I have only taken a bike to a dealer for work 3 times. 2 were insurance claim estimates. One was for a doozy of a warranty fix. Oh I suport the hell out of dealers. In parts. tire mounting stuff like that.
I don't think the guzzi world would be hurt by more dealers. in certain places. There are some dealers who need some competition to either improve thier own behavior, or else.
From: Robert Hawkes <haw-@frontiernet.net> Reply-To: Loopfram-@topica.com To: Loopfram-@topica.com Subject: Re: LONG DISTANCE LOOP FRAME Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 21:08:32 -0500
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Zer, Now you are talking the big talk! I think you are right Zer. It seems Guzzis are just as reliable but the damned dealer thing is what keeps our German and Jap brothers going. But I am not sure I'd be any happier if we had more Guzzi dealers in the country. If we did would we have this list and this conversation? And I just wonder, don't you think that there are just as many motor heads that ride German and Jap and are proud like we are to fix our bikes by the side of the road when they break rather than head over the next hill to their dealer? I mean BMWs are pretty simple, then again Guzzi's seem more forgiving of the hamfisted guys like me. Any other thoughts on this? Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: Zerhackermann . <chopp-@hotmail.com> To: <Loopfram-@topica.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 10:07 PM Subject: Re: LONG DISTANCE LOOP FRAME
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This past winter i built an Ambo out of parts. 3 weeks after it was
running,
I rode from Seattle to Redmond Oregon. I started at ~8PM. lots of construction around Olympia delayed my arrival in Portland until
midnight.
Camp or press on? Hell I was too worked up at shedding the surly bonds
of
work and life. I was crossing the mountains in Tombstone Pass at 4AM. I stopped near there for an hour. I was jumpy about animals. Then I
pressed on
to Redmond and got there at 7AM. a month after, I went to circumnavigate Washington state. Almost made it. the 700 mile day from Loop Loop pass
over
to republic, down to Spokane, coer d'alene (then I noticed mechanical
noises
I didn't like) and headed for home. MIdnight and I was in Moses Lake (desolate place. but one really good cheap motel) the next morning I got exactly 4 miles down the road and the motor seized up tighter than a cat
in
a whiskey barrel.
I covered some miles. ANd the Ambo is by far the most comgortable bike I have ever put down serious miles on. my wide tractor seat, wide bars, police-ish sheild and foot pegs on the crash bars. no sweat.
reliable? you bet. We are talking 30 year old beasts here. but that NOS
bike
Dave built, I bet that bike can be ridden a hundred thou with no
worries.
cross country? no problem. That my particular beast gave up is more due
to
me using suspect parts and being impatient than any design or
manufactuing
flaw.
But that's not what you asked, is it? you wanted to know why the LD
folks go
for wings and BMWs.
simple. it's perception. there is a BMW dealer and a honda shop just
over
every damn hill. there is a national "come fix it" line for the hondas. feels very safe. no worries. no risk. when my ambo blew up I was just
about
200 miles in either direction from a guzzi shop. feels a little lonely
out
there. Now if it was just me and I didn't have to worry about getting to work and staying emplyed to keep my kin fed, I would have just hunkered
down
and started working on getting parts sent to me. fix it right there. and
get
on going. but that is a whole different attitude than the wing and BMW touring folks have.
From: Robert Hawkes <haw-@frontiernet.net> Reply-To: Loopfram-@topica.com To: Loopfram-@topica.com Subject: Re: LONG DISTANCE LOOP FRAME Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 21:15:34 -0500
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Patrick, Yes, this is what I am talking about also. I notice that a few guys
here
are saying "when I was younger" and I know about that too! (Ugh!) I
talked
to a guy this weekend who said he only traveled on a BMW because he
didn't
want to "think" about the bike but just about the traveling. Maybe
that's
why people go for the Wings and Beemers. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: Patrick Hayes <peha-@aol.com> To: <Loopfram-@topica.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 4:16 PM Subject: Re: LONG DISTANCE LOOP FRAME
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When I was young and energetic, I came home to San Francisco from
the
Guzzi
National Rally in Sylvan Grove, KS with one night stop in Green
River,
UT.
That's about 950 miles for each of the two days. That was on a
dressed
out
'73 Eldorado.
Patrick Hayes Fremont CA
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