Hello forum , I have for awhile been looking to purchase a new motorcycle. I'm looking for a bike designated purely for long distance riding . Its only job will be for 4 weeks out of the year to take trips on. Cost is an issue here 7000 being the max partly because its not something that will be ridden on very often plus I would feel like I'm cheating on my real love my 74 Norton. I'm not much for any of the Japanese bikes and although I can see a few advantages of Harley , I'd rather not plus its out of the cost range. So I'm thinking a 2000-2002 or a 2006-2009 Moto Guzzi California that are relatively cheap most being around 5000. I have tried to do some research on what to expect but the problems listed by the owners of these bikes that I have found , well the seem kinda cute , like a turn signal getting loose and the oil pressure light coming on in the rain, aww. So I thought I would ask the forum , though I have not seen pictures of many in the forum I picture the die hard Norton fan at being six foot plus with grit under are nails who can split cranks with are bare hands with out the use of tools," I may have just given an exact description of hotbot????". So basically your opinions /input is what I put stock in . So for any one who has first hand knowledge of these bikes any info would be great. Any alternative suggestions would also be appreciated.

The only opinion I can offer is on the '74 Eldorado 850, which is a good bike.

It has tons of torque, and even though it is a heavy shaftie, it launches similarly to a Norton 850 up through to about 3rd gear where the Norton starts walking away. I'm not so sure the Eldo can't pass it up later on down the road with it's 6 speed box, I never tried it. Single front disc seems just fine at moderate speeds.

Mine does great service tugging around an Indian built "Cozy" sidecar, and is a pretty classy rig for hauling the kids & grandkids around in.

Lots of good BMW /7's out there to maybe consider. Great long distance bikes--reliable as h**l and easy to work on----more dealers out there than Mo-Guze's just in case.

I think a Moto Guzzi California would be great, especially if you could get one of the newer "California Vintage" ones. I would trade my 2006 Harley Electraglide Standard for one in a heartbeat. The wife really likes the Harley though, and thinks Moto Guzzis are all "old man bikes." Perhaps I'll be an "old man" someday ... and can maybe get one then ?

Not too many old Guzzis have a 6 speed box.
Old ones have a 4 speed, and the Cali's have a 5 speed.
See some big mileage Cali's around - good handling, nothing to scrape, AND good brakes.
Make sure its been serviced though.

BM's are easy to work on ?? Basic servicing and the top end maybe, the rest needs so many special tools you could open your own workshop...

Guzzis are worth having if you are a Guzzi fantic
There are pros& cons on any of the man made machines here’s my two cent’s worth;
Air cooled engines need a rebore twice as often as the watercooled type,
They are/were originally tractor engines

Avoid the automatic 1970s Guzzis as spares are not available for the automatic transmission.

1970s/80s Guzzis have their own handling characterises that you should be aware of; i.e. when shutting the throttle off to use the engine as hard braking to slow down, the back end dips quite alarmingly, (the 1970/80s BMW boxers do the opposite) due to the rear shaft drive transmission, Not ridden a chain drive, so I could not possibly comment.
Due bear in mind as they are Italian jobs, and obsolete models e.t.c new spares, except tyres, spark plugs e.t.c. may be a problem, the latter ones have Jap instruments (which are better)
New Guzzis have been road tested and I would go for the wire spoked wheels that are modified to accept tubeless tyres everytime.
HTH

Anyone considering an old-Guzzi NEEDS a copy of the book "Guzziology" and parts are available (Harpers Moto-Guzzi is an amazing source).

Vince

Moe's Cycle Garden and others have plenty of spares for old Guzzis...

Bernhard wrote:Guzzis are worth having if you are a Guzzi fantic
There are pros& cons on any of the man made machines here’s my two cent’s worth;
Air cooled engines need a rebore twice as often as the watercooled type,
They are/were originally tractor engines

Avoid the automatic 1970s Guzzis as spares are not available for the automatic transmission.

1970s/80s Guzzis have their own handling characterises that you should be aware of; i.e. when shutting the throttle off to use the engine as hard braking to slow down, the back end dips quite alarmingly, (the 1970/80s BMW boxers do the opposite) due to the rear shaft drive transmission, Not ridden a chain drive, so I could not possibly comment.
Due bear in mind as they are Italian jobs, and obsolete models e.t.c new spares, except tyres, spark plugs e.t.c. may be a problem, the latter ones have Jap instruments (which are better)
New Guzzis have been road tested and I would go for the wire spoked wheels that are modified to accept tubeless tyres everytime.
HTH

WRONG....
guzzi motor are not tractor motors and never were - though this myth continues to be put forth by those "in the know" ( http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzitech ... istory.htm)

i had a T3 and a lemans for years and they are great bikes - you can stack serious miles on them - friends still have them and one buddy drove his T3 across the US last year (NY to Calif and back) and just needed just (!) a new set of tires - try that on a commando!. They are very dependable (esp compared to a british twin) and parts are easily obtainable (garden city, harpers, Guzzino, etc etc) - i always compared them to a BMW with handling and are much more pleasing to the eye - yes they have the idiosyncrasy of a shaft drive bike, which many don't like - but for a touring bike the shaftdrive can't be beat. the older 850 eldorados/T3s and even lemans top end may not lend itself to high speed touring ( 75-80 is fine though) - but there are 1000cc barrel kits that really change this if one feels they must. The non-lemans round barrel bikes remain a good vintage buy - i recommend one, you can buy it, drive the shite out of it - and sellit for as much as you paid (if not more!)
m

Bernhard wrote:Air cooled engines need a rebore twice as often as the watercooled type,

Calis, and Guzzis, made in the past quite a few decades have chrome bores, so anyone trying to rebore it is in for a rude shock. Apart from the total lack of oversize pistons, a reboring tool won't touch it !! You can put new std pistons, or ring sets, back in, after big mileages....

Most BM's are the same, for the past 30 years at least.
The last 200,000+ mile bore I looked at, you could still see the cross-hatch honed bore, with no discernable wear.

Wonder if this could be done to iron Commando bores ?

hth

P.S. The gear change in all those shaft driven thingies may take some getting used to, if you are used to the Commando touch-it-and-it-changes-gear type gearchange. A bit clunky is the phrase that comes to mind, even if you are slow, careful and precise. And ALWAYS use the clutch...

I recall the instructions in a BM Owners Manual, to test if you are in top gear "prod the gearlever, and if it feels firm then you have another gear to go" or similar. Heck, if you do that to a Norton gearlever, it will change gear !!

Why don't you just ride your 74 Norton, I ride mine 6 out of 7 days everyweek and don't have any problems with it, if you do your maintenance you should have no problems, if you buy a bike unknown you could have lots of problems at leese you would know your own bike, well you should anyway, if I had to do a trip tomorrow I wouldn't hesitate to jump on my Norton and just take off, which I do most weekends, in 36 years of owning my Norton it has always got me home, if your Norton has been built right it should be as reliable as any other bike, plus its the risk we take in life anything with a motor can break down at some time we just got to have some knollege to be able to fix it when it happens.

Me and my Norton have a good understanding, I talk to it, give it good oil, fix it when needed, put new improvements on it if its going to make it go and handle better, so its proved to me that I must be doing something right as it has never let me down and I do ride it very hard all the time.

Ashley

I thought some one might ask me this. Its not that I don't trust my bike in the last 15 years it has never let me down . One time I was stranded for a awhile but it was a boyer box that had decided it would stop working about 100 miles away from my house. Part of the problem is the long time girl friend loves the bike almost as much as I do but she can only do a couple hours on the bike at a time. So I Guess I could save a good amount of money and find a different lady friend or find a bike shes more comfortable on. Honestly I like riding the Norton by myself its really set up for me I'm 6'5 and it really dosen't leave room a passenger, I like to lock my elbows and can't do that when shes on the bike. So with both of us on it , neither one of us are comfortable and fatigue sets in quickly. I have never had a BMW or A GUzzi so thought it might time to try something new.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to the post.

The Guzzi I think was developed under a military contract , Half track snowmobile thing .The V 750 from around 1970
was said to be good for 120mph , and safe to hold Full Wellie , without spewing its guts / oil / sheding componentry .

" An od mans Bike " ! ! ? 85 odd , a chap leaveing the pub , 10 yards away , parked square to the kerb between bumpers gassed it vertical , forward a length or two , pirruetted 90 deg right , and exited on the rear wheel through a few gears , on a blue 850 LeMans . Ive allways presumed it was intentional .Not sure if repeatable but 'Conrod ' used to clear
the store on the little suckers like that , and put them in likewise in the evening , as ' It takes half as long ' .

Store on the corner here , a Early red Drum Brake Cruiser type ( round fins ) turns up periodically .
Id see if theres any more room on them though , theyre a fairly compact device . The LeMans in mint orders
bound to be prized before long , if not now .

My friend is a Guzzi nut, in the time I have known him he has had, a T3, 500 Monza, Mk 1 lemans, Mk2 Lemans, Cali, Nevada and an Ambassador. He also had a 74 Commando. Currently he has the Ambo and the Mk2 Lemans...the MK1 he sold recently for a huge sum...
I rode the Cali which I did not like as not into cruiser bikes, the 500 Monza was fun....compared to my 500 R50/5 of the time.
He rebuilds them in his shed and apart from the odd clutch has no issues with them.....parts he says are cheap.
I like them but I have a Ducati and have to scoff at pushrod engines...