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Hope you enjoy the Harley. Having embraced the air cooled V twin religion myself I can attest to the old different strokes, different folks adage.

Checked my exhaust header nuts today - took about 30 seconds total  just sayin

Just a brief update on my new Moto Guzzi. I'll keep it brief , I understand this is a 1400GTR forum after all.

Firstly I have given up trying to post a pic but the pic Pistole posted of the 1200 Sport 8V Corsa is my bike exactly.

It's probably a bit pointless comparing the Guzzi to the 1400GTR as they are so different, anyway.....bearing in mind the Guzzi has minimal mileage and they traditionally require many thousands of miles to give their best the GTR would eat the Guzzi for breakfast in terms of acceleration and top speed.
The GTR motor is very smooth and like an electric motor compared to the Guzzi. The Guzzi on the other hand lets you know it's an internal combustion engine - it makes all the right noises and has a gorgeous mellow exhaust soundtrack and quietly rumbles and burbles on the overrun - it loves to rev as well and as I'm still very much running in I haven't fully explored the top end. It's very much an  over square design and doesn't like to lug along like a Harley.

After the GTR the Guzzi feels like a 250 ( its about 50 kg lighter ) and has a nice blend of flickability along with stability, handling is very stable and enjoyable at sane speeds ( which is how I ride ) Turn in is light with minimal pressure required to initiate a turn and the bike tracks true through a corner without additional input required, adjustment to line requires minimal input - I find it very intuitive.

Ergonomics are surprisingly comfy, Sport in Guzzi terms is purely relative and nothing like a typical Japanese sport bike in ergos or performance. Obviously weather protection is vastly better on the GTR but that had a downside for me in that it was too cosseting. The tiny fairing on the Guzzi is quite good at taking wind blast / pressure off the torso and shoulders and leaves my helmet in clean air. My helmet is actually quieter on the Guzzi than it was on the GTR.

If you regularly need to cover big distances at high speed fully loaded I think the GTR is unbeatable - I'll be fitting bags to the Guzzi for relaxed touring and just enjoying the heck out of it.

This probably sounds like BS but I have never felt such an emotional connection to an inanimate object as I have with the Guzzi - twice in the last week total strangers have come up to me to tell me how beautiful the bike looks and want to know all about it - it has soul, it lives and breathes and I'm in love 

I think the top portion looks fine but the scalloped part down the front is definately not my cup of tea.

Pistole - that's what I'm getting, 1200 Sport 4V Corsa SE. Thought I might pick it up today but events conspired against me, maybe Saturday, work permitting. ( For some reason they call this motor in the 1200 Sport the 4V ( 4 valves per cylinder ) in Australia while the exact same motor, with minor tuning differences,  in the Griso or Norge is called 8V, I guess they counted both cylinders that day ! )

I took the GTR for a short run today and I know I will really miss it, probably more than any other bike I've owned.

Thanks for the kind thoughts  Deb, in an ideal world I would keep the GTR but sadly it has to go to fund the new toy !

I don't collect the new bike until Friday and I'll post a pic or two soon after, assuming I can stop my hands shaking from that big V twin 

Glenn.

PS Why I used the name Max Way - I'm a bit paranoid about using my name on the net - when my son was a little lad he was learning to spell his name at school. Now his first name is Christopher and the surname is a bit of a mouthful, so after a frustrating day of unsuccessfully trying to write his name he arrived home declaring " I wish my name was Max Way, at least I could spell it. " Gave me a good chuckle then and 20 odd years later still makes me smile.

As good as the 1400GTR is I've traded it in ( part ex, I think you say in the UK ?). It was just time for me to scratch a Guzzi itch that had just become too hard to resist and as I'm about to turn 60 I thought it was time to cross it off the bucket list.

Thanks one and all for the great time I've had with this forum, although I wasn't the most prolific poster in the world I always checked in at least once a day to see what was happening.

Good luck and a lifetime of safe riding to all.

Max. (aka Glenn )

I'm surprised that brake pad wear would be covered under warranty - you certainly can't complain about that, that's a good dealer there.

I know I'm a grumpy old buzzard but the rider in that video is a total effing moron - right past a row of cars parked nose to the kerb, what's the chance some other maroon backing out without so much as a rearward glance 

I'll bet when the big ole GTR bites back it bites hard !

Two reasons I ride alone - I'm old and slow and I don't want to risk being associated with a tool like that.

Now, time for a Bovril and a little lie down 

Just my 2c worth - when I let go of the grip I want the throttle to snap shut instantly. I don't want  to have to fiddle with a bolt, wind it back against friction or any other impediment - just snap shut.

I tried one of those cheap plastic throttle locks and promptly threw it in the bin. When I ride ( apart from accelerating through the gears, overtaking etc ) I pretty much just have both palms loosely draped on the grips, not wrapped around the grips in death grip - I think this helps with not creating discomfort in my hands / wrists etc as well as better for bike control. If I do need to rest the throttle hand for a few sec just pull in the clutch and flex the right hand.

Having stated my dislike of such devices I realise many people like them and I think MGV's effort looks quite good for what it is - but really anything that stops the throttle closing by default seems wrong, you wouldn't disconnect your throttle return spring would you ?

End of rant - to each their own, ride your bike your way and be happy.

Regards

Max

You did have the bike turned on 

I always carry one of these http://www.pashnit.com/product/cyclepump.html and a plug kit in case of a flat on the road. ( I've gat a 2010 model with a 5amp accessory socket fuse but I fitted a small connector directly wired to the battery ( with 10 amp fuse) for my battery tender which I can use for the mini air compressor.)
For general topping up I have a small workshop compressor at home with a flexible connector. Valves are still fiddly to access though.

Max.

Hi Mark thats a nice looking and sounding pipe there. I think you'll enjoy yourself here, a great bunch of folks  !

Max.

A very merry Christmas to one and all 

I wouldn't risk not having a radiator guard - I'm reasonably sure a stick or rock through the core would bring a rapid and costly end to a ride.

My thought that a guard would cause slightly hotter running was just my gut feeling not backed up by anything scientific at all ( but if you saw the size of my gut  )

I've got into the habit of switching off the motor if I get caught in stationary traffic for any more than a minute. When my bike was new I got stopped at roadworks for about 5 minutes and the bike spat coolant out the radiator cap which of course the dealer claimed was normal 

Max

PS I'm in Australia and it gets HOT here for much of the year - the bike runs one bar cooler in winter.