Not a Guzzi alternative.

Well I'm really going to stick my head on the block.
Before I deicded on the GRiSO, I had a ride on a Harley XR1200.
It was just out of curiosity, more than anything else.
I expected to hate it, but actually, found it to be great fun.
Hooning around the back lanes where I live, in the country side, and I've never had more fun on a bike.
Brilliant handling, almost made me want to stick my foot out on corners, dirt bike style.
Grinning from ear to ear I was, until I got onto the motorway, when it all went wrong.
The riding position, which felt so ideally suited to back lane blatting, suddenly felt all wrong and awkward.
After 10 minutes of sutained 60/70mph upright cruising, I couldn't wait to get off.
Shame.
What I did notice however, was how smooth and refined the Sportster engine was in this format.
Almost Honda like.
I got told by the salesman that this had been deliberatley engineered in, as Harley were trying to attract a new type of buyer, who might not care for the vibes and raw feel of a traditional Harley.
I might have bought it.
I do like the Sportsters.

I rode a Sportster 1200S (the Buellized version) and it WAS a LOT of fun to ride.
Except for the vibration thru the bars that felt like they were going to burn thru your hands.

DungeonMaster wrote:

I rode a Sportster 1200S (the Buellized version) and it WAS a LOT of fun to ride.
Except for the vibration thru the bars that felt like they were going to burn thru your hands.

Pretty much no vibes on the XR1200.
it was a good bike,
Pity it didn't quite hit it's target, of the non Harley customer, and was rejected by the Harley aficionados.
If I could afford to have another toy, the XR would probably be it.

I JUST saw an XR1200 yesterday at Lookout Pt (Ortega Hwy 74 north of San Diego).
I fell IN LOVE. THAT is a Harley I want.
What REALLY shocked me was that the foot pegs were not mis-matched in their frame placement. Which I remember seeing on Sportsters. WTF?

When I finished the demo ride with the burning vibes (above 4000rpm) the sales rep told me that the Screaming Eagle High Perf Ignition kit solved that problem.
Is the after market driving the company?

DM

Shame the nob heads at the Mo Co don't make them anymore

Harley produce a bike that is easy to ride, feels modern (relatively) is light, quick and agile, and the aficionado's just don't wanna know.
Ironic
It makes you wonder if the reason they can't move forward is because their customer base won't let them.

Too many of them think they are buying into a lifestyle, and the fashion icon to have is a big twin tourer or derivative

Tolle09 wrote:

Too many of them think they are buying into a lifestyle, and the fashion icon to have is a big twin tourer or derivative

Not generally true.
I have a friend into Harleys, and he loves them for the same reasons we love Guzzi's.
He calls the whole Harley scene, GAY, and won't have anything to do with them.
I actually like the Sportsters.
The 883R is a real fun bike on the right sort of roads,

My problem with the S2 Buell I had for 18 years was the Sportster engine. Tall, heavy, and runs out of power at 6500 RPMs. The other problem is the basic design, tall alloy jugs with long steel bolts to hold them together. This causes head gaskets to leak, mine blew a head gasket at 12,000 miles. HD also cut corners on clutch spacer plates that shattered, oil pump drive gears that stripped out and front sprocket nuts that work themselves loose. The Buell had the engine isolated so the rider doesn't feel too much vibration, but the engine is still shaking itself to death, Locktite is your friend here.
When I got my GRiSO it was a revelation, no more big shake, no worries about the belt being too tight or catching a rock. For all the talk I hear about the mistakes of the Guzzi factory, they are small compared to that old school Sportster lump. Also most of the time the parts I wanted were back ordered except if I wanted a chromed farkle, THAT was always in stock.
So So glad to have this Guzzi!

Triman,
I'm not a Harley guy at all and they don't do squat for me, any model.
I believe their engine quality got better say... the last 10/15 years or so.
Not a Sportster but a friend of mine has a 05 FLH and at 80K miles he only has done maintenance and his bike doesn't leak oil at all.
He also has older Harleys and those are shit, leaking oil as bad as his British cars. lol

Not sure how fast you wanted to go on your S2 but 4000 rpm on my X1 equates to about 100 mph

The S2 and the X1 are different, I was at 4,000 at 80 MPH. I never took mine over 5,500
The S2 dynos at about 65 HP, it was the stock Sportster engine.

No worries, as much as I like tube framed Buells , its always at the back of your mind, that your next ride out, might be the one when mechanical disaster occurs, it has happened more than once in 15 years of ownership, but when they're running well the grin factor is the same as an 8 valve Guzzi

My favorite crap out on the Buell was after an all day ride in the canyons. I pulled into my driveway and the bike would not accelerate but idled perfectly, the top of the carb needle had popped off...

OK I have to admit, I had the Buell for 18 years for a reason. It was a one of a kind bike, idiosyncratic but fun to ride when you figured out how to do it the Buell way. When it got totaled the only other bike that would work was the GRiSO. Of course, for unreliability I can always rely on my 69 Bonneville....

My Mrs had a '76 Bonneville that got run all year round at one point. I've got clear memories of dodging traffic to pick up fallen off hot silencers and other stuff

Triman023 wrote:

OK  I have to admit, I had the Buell for 18 years for a reason.
It was a one of a kind bike, idiosyncratic but fun to ride when you figured out how to do it the Buell way.
When it got totaled the only other bike that would work was the GRiSO. Of course, for unreliability I can always rely on my 69 Bonneville....

Spot On!!!
I have the ONLY GRiSO in an area with a population of about 350,000
And I rub shoulders with a Buell owner.  

DM

I can't go to Cave Creek on Sunday without running into at least one GRiSO, sometimes more. Much more. But try to run into a Honda CB1100? Ha! Like hens teeth around here. :p Go figure.


Guzzi is advancing, in spite of their typical customer in the past. Unlike Moto Guzzi, Harley has a boat load of deep pocketed customers willing to part with their nickels without making them scream first. Kinda hard to give up on that golden goose.

Hope Guzzi go from strength to strength, they'd sell more bikes if they put a bigger engine alternative in the V7 for a start

Tolle09 wrote:

Hope Guzzi go from strength to strength, they'd sell more bikes if they put a bigger engine alternative in the V7  for a start

I agree. I would love the style of the V7 with the power of the GRiSO motor.

Canyon Carver wrote:

I agree. I would love the style of the V7 with the power of the GRiSO motor.

That is a very good idea.

Lots of demands for that combo... which is a winner IMO.

Canyon Carver wrote:

Tolle09 wrote:

Hope Guzzi go from strength to strength, they'd sell more bikes if they put a bigger engine alternative in the V7  for a start

I agree. I would love the style of the V7 with the power of the GRiSO motor.

That would be kind of reminiscent of one of the early Le Mans with more mumbo. Don't know if the V7 frame is up to the task though.

CPB wrote:

Canyon Carver wrote:

I agree. I would love the style of the V7 with the power of the GRiSO motor.

That is a very good idea.  

I've already got mine.

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Nope, the V7 frame is too light but Guzzi could start from the Bellagio frame and voila.
They've already done the engineering (and so is Ghezzi )...