[rmm]

Have been really getting into the moto guzzi's these days, especially since i'm looking for an older, reliable cruiser for a reasonable price. Reliability and style seem to be guzzi's strong points. anyone have any guzzi experience to share? i'm really sweating the el dorado, but well restored ones (or buying one and restoring it) might be out of my range for a second bike right now.

 

[crswa]

I ride a Guzzi. I have an '06 Breva 1100 and like it a lot. I'm afraid I don't know anything about their cruiser line except what I've heard. Pushrod engines behave a lot differently from a Desmo valve train. Lower power, higher torque, lower RPMs. The most frequent criticism I've heard of the Guzzi cruisers is that the placement of the cylinders can make leg position awkward. Not a problem for the standards, like mine.

Good luck.

 

[Ducat1Ted600]

My dad's got a 1100 Sport Balabio. He loves it a lot. He is 6'3" and the cylinders don't bother him at all. He's never had any real issues with it either.

 

[laRIKin]

I do as well.
We, that is my partner and I have had between us.
Have had 2 MKIII's and a MKIV Le Mans-ers and 2 V 11 Sports.
We have now just sold another Guzzi and are down to a MKIII we have had for 14 years.

 

[crswa]

My dad's got a 1100 Sport Balabio. He loves it a lot. He is 6'3" and the cylinders don't bother him at all. He's never had any real issues with it either.

Thing is, even if your knees don't contact the cylinders (as I've heard some people complain about), the cylinder placement restricts what you can do with your legs - Can't use highway pegs on a Guzzi cruiser. I think the ill-fated C-series of BMW cruisers had the same problem (though it is possible rest your legs on the cylinders for a short period of time if you REALLY need to ).

 

[Marty in UT]

I own a basketcase of a 1975 Moto Guzzi 850-T3 that I intend to build up into a retro/bobber/cruiser/cafe bike of sorts--someday. I have a lot of parts--just no time. Our new baby boy seems to make the days fly by faster than we'd like.

I've got a black V7 Sport tank for the bike. Some really nice Koni shocks. Real used Konis (not Ikons) that I found in Australia of all places--and they just happened to have the right springs on them. Finding rebuild kits for those shocks was fun. There's a guy in SF that specializes in them.

I've torn the wheels apart. Sold off the 18" shouldered aluminum rims and stainless spokes. Will be building the bike on 16" x 3" Harley rims and Firestone Deluxe Champion 500-16 blackwalls for that retro bomber look.

Will probably do the frame in gray or silver. A couple of red parts to accent the bike will probably find their way onto the ride. I really like a subtle color palette with a couple of hints of color. If I ever get it built, I'll be sure to post a pic here on the DML.

 

[ostro]

I've owned and 1970 750 ambassador for the last 15 years. I'd agree with the previous poster about the basket case comment. I learned a lot about wrenching on bikes from this bike. It's been parked for the last year or so awaiting a full resto/rebuild into a cafe bobber as well...time and factory tools have kept me from getting too deep.

 

[carter750cafe]

My father's been riding his '71 850 eldorado since 74. Just replaced it with a new triump t100.