| Author |
Message |
    
Smoke
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 05:52 am: | 
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Nice New Bike John!!! may you have many happy Smiles on her! see ya on the road!
tim |
Rich
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 06:13 am: |
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New bike=good!
Have fun, John. |
Ducxl
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 06:48 am: |
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Variety is the spice of life.Congratulations,Crusty.The Italians do motorcycles' well. |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 07:02 am: |
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Ah I didn't know you were a Guzzi long termer Crusty. Or if I did I'd certainly forgotten so.
To digress Multistrada. I don't believe I'm on my own in thinking many missed the point about its styling. As a stand alone model it was an attempt at creating a whole new genre of motorcycle which incorporated sports bike features, but also put those features to use on a lightweight minimalist touring style bike with part enduro appearance so it could behave like a sports bike when unladen. To me it oozed style and multi purpose well and reminded me much of something quite Buellesque. It worked too as a great bike, but didn't receive much favour in the looks department from many, including much of the motorcycling press. All that said, it's stayed around for awhile and rather than discontinue the model it got a new look. Rather telling though, at least towards its styling and following later market trends, the new Multis look like they're targeting a younger more adventurous rider than what the original seemed to be aimed at. Seems to me that the touring aspect has been lost, dropped perhaps, or even forgotten. Maybe Ducati are somewhat embarrassed by its lack of expected success. Who knows.
So who is the Guzzi targeting? It won't sell well in Europe I'd wager. Nor will anyone much younger than 50 buy one. That to me speaks volumes about its styling. Somewhat safe. Not quite dull, but a little sharper in places than perhaps the Japanese might have done. All in all, it's an ideal bike for the US market in that it probably does tick a lot of boxes knowing how serious US riders seem to take their long distance riding with function over form. That's not to say Americans ride around on ugly bikes, but it is the US market that influences the style of the long distance tourer more than any other market. I think this explains the look of the Guzzi in this instance.
Incidentally, I think the Stelvio looks ace! Sometimes we are worlds apart 
Rocket |
Dentguy
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 07:38 am: |
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Rocket,
As the owner of a Multistrada 1100, it's nice to hear from somebody else who gets it. |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 07:59 am: |
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Crusty- nice bike. Please give us a report when you've had it for a while.
Rocket, I like the Stelvio too. It's looks like the two-wheeled equivalent of this:
 |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:16 am: |
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Oh my god what's that!
Connections. It reminds me of this......
Rocket |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:17 am: |
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Rocket |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:34 am: |
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It's one of several varieties of MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles used by the US military. That particular one is a "Cougar" made by Force Protection Industries located just a few miles from where I live.
Nice Diamond-T BTW! |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:39 am: |
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As the owner of a Multistrada 1100, it's nice to hear from somebody else who gets it.
What surprised me most about the Multi was how much people didn't like it. Strangely the MH900 grabbed masses of glory and appeared well received by all around the same time both models came to light, and now the MH seems to have lost its appeal too in the collectors market. Maybe they were motorcycle designs at the dawn of a new era, where one was more mass market and didn't really capture the public's imagination, being to weird perhaps for the bigger audience. Then the other being of so few in numbers grabbed everyone's attention as a piece of motorcycle exotica many would love to own, and in its rarity is the desire to own. Had the Multi been rare it might have captured our imagination differently.
I'm just babbling here, but looking at Crusty's Guzzi it's easy to see how it really is designed to work as a true long hauler rather than a Multi which serves a different purpose altogether. Even if a Multi is capable of long hauling it's not an out an out effort obviously. Perhaps the Multi can afford wacky design, even if it's failed somewhat, where as the Guzzi can't afford to fail so its design is less bold and perhaps bang on target for its intended market. Somewhat dull to look at then, but as Goldwingy things go, maybe it's a breath of fresh air to a middle aged plus long in the tooth touring rider.
Rocket |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:42 am: |
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I could have bought the Diamond T for £2k. Probably still could. Needs a bit of work though, but it's still working itself despite it being a bit rough!
Rocket |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:48 am: |
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I always had a spot for Diamond-T's. My Dad was a heavy equipment operator and his boss had one just like this to move the equipment around in the late 1960's/early 1970's:
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Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 12:16 pm: |
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the MS is a great bike. I never really liked its styling. I didn't think it was up to the quality of the rest of the line.
That said, I never really liked the looks of the Uly, and I owned one. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 01:43 pm: |
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Trucks:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwirider/sets/721576 22710417942 |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 04:16 pm: |
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Nice little Scammell you have there in NZ DD. A sure sign of Colonialism at its finest, lol.
Ta for the link.
Rocket |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 08:17 pm: |
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That's funny Sean.
The Scammel was the second pic I clikked.
cute
Z |
Newfie_buell
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 08:32 pm: |
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Congratulations John on the Guzzi, that thing is beautiful.
When are you going to ride it over this way? |
Crusty
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 09:03 pm: |
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Thanks, Bill.
I have a friend who lives in LA. He wants to meet me in Lincoln, KS for a cup of coffee. I still want to see the Sunrise from Cape Spear. I'm trying to make 100 Frammistats to give out at Homecoming next Summer, so I have to be there. If I could just figure out how to come up with a winning Lottery Ticket, then I'd have the money to travel like I want to. In the meantime, we'll see what happens. |
Iamike
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 10:26 pm: |
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Rocket-
I saw a Maseratti sedan the other day. It may not have been their classic sports car but I'm sure it is still a mighty fine ride. |
Geforce
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:15 pm: |
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That Cougar is a tough military vehicle. So are it's sisters... Buffalo, RG, and Husky. |
Doughnut
| | Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 11:24 pm: |
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Some of us like taint. . . |
Dbird29
| | Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 12:40 am: |
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Best band name I've seen yet.
Taintstick |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 03:29 am: |
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Hmmmm, could be the new name for Buell, Taint Motorcycles.
"Is that one of those new Buells?"
"No, Taint" |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 06:24 am: |
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Taint my problem.
Rocket |
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