Subject: my first (and only) Loopframe
Author: mjon-@yahoo.com
Date: Dec 3, 2003, 12:38 PM
Post ID: 1715397028
Hi, all. I started riding, contra most people, after
my first son was born. I was a seminary student and we
couldn't afford a second car. It eventually became
necessary to have two vehicles, however. My wife
spotted a little Honda for sale cheep, and SHE (of all
people!) suggested that I should go look at it. I gave
it some though and decided that it was a good idea
from a financial perspective. So I went and bought it.
It was a CM200t, a good beginner bike for a small guy,
simple to work on and great on gas. Those tinny little
bikes aren't as long-lasting as slightly larger ones,
however, and are not to comfy on the highway. After a
few years and 20,000 miles it was showing the wear. I
sold it and worked my way up through a Yamaha XS400
(vibes!) and an XS750 (and I discovered shaft drive).
My brother was riding CB550's. We used to talk about
engine designs, etc. He liked 4-cylinders. I
maintained that the BMW design was the best - both
cylinders in the air, crank shaft in line with the
drive shaft, etc - except the cylinders are too close
to the curb.
Eventually I learned about Guzzis. That, I though, is
the best design for a middle-weight bike. But I
figured I'd never be able to afford one. Eventually I
got a GL500i, Honda's liquid-cooled Guzzi in touring
dress. Then I got a GL650i. But Honda never got all
the bugs our of those things, and the liquid cooling
is so unnecessary on an engine with our configuration.
Then one day an ad appeared in a small local paper
saying that an non-running old guzzi is for sale. I
thought that was neat, and mentioned it to my wife,
but had no intention of looking into it. However, that
add ran in the paper for weeks. I mentioned it to my
wife several times, and then one day she said �Hey, he
must be getting desperate to sell that thing by now.
Why don't you just call about it?� So I did. It was
cheep - $250 - and bad, by his description. Not
knowing what an Ambassador is, I wanted information
before going to see it. A recent issue of Rider had
mentioned a Frank Wedge who was the head of some Guzzi
club, so I tracked down his -hione number and gave him
a call. he must of though I was joking when I called
him (a complete stranger) and asked him if a Guzzi is
a good bike. He said that the Ambassador is a great
machine, but that there are certain issues to be aware
of: peeling cylinder plating, etc. He also said that
if it is not restorable, it is worth more then $250 in
parts. With that ringing in my ears, I went to look at
it.
The bike was beat, but mostly there. It had much of
the styling and mechanical features that I admire. So
I offered $200, loaded it onto my VW pickup, and
brought it home. When my wife saw it she regretted
telling me to call about it.
It took about half a year to get it road ready. I sand
blasted the fenders and tool boxes at work and
carefully primed and spray painted them with spray
cans, sanded and polished them, and they look ok. I
need to redo the striping in some places sometime. I
replaced a lot of parts (cylinders and pistons, and
the final drive, being the most costly). I did all the
work myself (with the help of my 12-year old son). I
started riding it in �98, I think, and it has been my
only bike most of the intervening period. I have made
small improvements to it along the way, and plan on
continuing that way.
Now that I have the Vert, I think my Ambo will last
the rest of my life -one bike for two-up, the other
for riding solo.
BTW, someone enquired about wind deflectors that mount
to the front crash bars. Joe Kenny advertises lexan
ones in the MGNOC newsletter each month, for $30. He
also has a web page: ww.swva.net/jkenny.
-Mike (69 beautiful white Ambo, 77 ugly blue Vert. The
Vert does sound better then the Ambo, though - like a
WWI biplane.)
=====
M.Jones, student of philosophy and religion at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.
"The heart has its reasons which reason does not know." -Blaise Pascal
"With man, instinct and reason avoid each other with adversity, yet, by repudiating each other they lure each other to reach mutual correction." -Lucian Blaga
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