Subject: RE: How did you come by your Loop and why?
Author: Gary Cheek
Date: Nov 30, 2003, 6:42 AM
Post ID: 1715362911
I was rididng Brit bikes back iin the later 70s . Every few months I
would run out to Anderson's (Triumph/BSA/honda/yamaha) dealership and
buy derilict Britbikes out of their back room . On one occasion I came
across a 1971 Ambassador . The bike had obviously been considered a joke
by it's previous owner and was plastered with stickers of all kinds . I
actually felt basd for the bike ,it's high quality shown through the
silly attempt to lampoon the poor old gal .
I made a deal to buy the "not running and we don't know why" Ambo for
$200 . My brother in law was dispatched back to my shop to pick up some
tools ,a license plate and a multimeter. After a breif trouble shooting
stint in Andy's parking lot the starter managed to wind up the crank
sufficiently to get the engine running on it's own .
Without so much as a second thought we tossed the tools into the car
, I strapped on the Grant helmet and pointed the machine down the 20
miles of road to Utica . It wasn't very long at all before the supple
ride ,smooth and willing torque and general good handling won me over.
In fact I fell in love on the first 20 mile ride .
I rode that bike year round for a couple years, in fact I showed up at
Sun Electric to apply for a job (This was during the Jimmie Carter
disaster ) The plant manager figured any body who would show up in
November during a Michigan blizzard on a MOTORCYCLE was worth a try .
The bike was REALLY paying off !
From that time my attitude has been if I only have ONE bike it will be
a GUZZI . I have had a few Ducatis BSAs and Nortons since ,but there was
always a Guzzi for the serious riding,or when I need a job !
sam heath wrote:
| i was riding a '92 nighthawk and actually looking out for an old/5 beemer when i saw a moto guzzi sitting in front of a local(kawalskis,ferndale,MI) bike/car repair shop. i had seen guzzis in magazines but hadnt given them much thought. so i stopped and talked to tony (shop owner) about the bike . it sounded pretty good ,so i went home and jumped online to find info on this ambassador i had found. then went to the book store and found a very informative book called moto guzzi big twins by greg field. well i struck a deal (traded the nighthawk for it)and have loved them since. that was april 2000. it was a year later that i met kevin graf (he lived a mile away and i didnt know it) and he told me about the looplist. i have met a lot of very nice and helpful people both thru the list and just by running into them. i now own a '70 ambo and a '02 stone .love em both. hope to hear some more stories... sam '70 ambo '02 stone Ian Adkins <ianad-@linkamerica.net> wrote: Hey All, OK...too cold to ride here in North GA...so I decided to spend a little time reflecting on my passion...Loops. I was wondering if some of you would like to offer a short anecdote as to how and when you became aware of Loops and your first aquisition. Here is mine: "...Back in the early 90's, while living in Wichita,KS, I began a search for an old bike to restore. Having never heard of Loops I accompanied a friend to a small bike shop (Ronco). He was going to look at a Norton and I thought I also might pick something up along british blood lines. When I entered the shop...there among basket cases, parts bikes and old beaters...was a newly restored Eldorado. It was love at first sight. From that experience I acquired my first two Ambos (one basket case that was to be used as parts...now a fully restored Ambo) and my passion for Loops had begun..." Not sure where I want to go with this but I have thought about compiling the anecdotes into an article. Heck...maybe a documentary on Loops and their keeper's passions??? Thanks for all inputs in advance...Ian --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now |
Bring back the Berliners !