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Moto Guzzi Classic7
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June 28, 2009 at 1:52 pm #3090benhongParticipant
I am a beginner, never had a bike and just obtained a license to ride. Would it be okay to start with Moto Guzzi Classic7 as a vendor claims that it is for beginners as well? Thanlks for your valuable comments,
June 28, 2009 at 4:34 pm #20300ranetteParticipantA big difference between the V7 and a Sporty is weight. The Guzzi is more than 100 lbs lighter. If the price point doesn’t put you off there doesn’t seem to be any reason that shouldn’t work as a first bike. When I was shopping last year I was very tempted by the MG Nevada Classic 750 but thought that the $$$ were a bit steep for a bike with 40 or so HP. However, from what I’ve read most of the folks who own the V7, not just beginners, seem to love it. So even if numbers don’t look huge it seems to be a bike that you could grow with. Certainly a beautiful bike if you like the European retro look of the Triumph Bonnevilles and the Ducati Sport Classics.
June 28, 2009 at 8:32 pm #20302MattParticipantIt may be 100 pounds less than a sporty, but it is taller, which means it won’t be as easy to handle as if it was a cruiser weighing 100 pounds less than a sporty.
Have you ridden a bike yet? Or just have your endorsement? If you’ve taken the MSF, you have an idea how comfortable you are on a bike. The Guzzi will be a lot bigger and heavier than the MSF bikes. If by then end of the class you had no problems leaning the bike in slow speed turns, and the cost of the Guzzi (most notably, insurance and potential repair costs of a dropped bike) is in your budget, go for it. It’ll treat you great.
If by the end of the MSF (or if you haven’t taken it yet) you weren’t very confident handling the bikes at low speed, I’d consider looking for a lighter bike for the first season. A Suzuki naked GS500 certainly has less soul-appeal than the Guzzi, but a few thousand miles on it will set your skills well for the Guzzi or any bike like it.
June 28, 2009 at 11:32 pm #20303WeaponZeroParticipantBased on the specs alone I wouldn’t discount it as a viable first bike for a beginner, but the truth is there’s more to it than that. You have to understand that as a learner it’s not a matter of WILL you drop your bike/lay it down, it’s a matter of WHEN will you drop it/lay it down. For that reason alone I would advise against ANYONE buying anything other than a Harley/Buell, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, or Yamaha for their first bike, because more than with any other bike you will ever own, you have to take repair cost into consideration when looking into your first bike. Moto Guzzis are hard to obtain parts for and there aren’t many shops that service them, and the repairs you will need will cost lots of money in both labor and parts.
But of course, things may be different where you’re from if you’re not in the US/Canada. Maybe you’re in Europe or some other area where Moto Guzzis are as common as Harleys are here, and parts and service are more readily available at a reasonable price.
Regardless of what kind of bike you buy, or how new/old it is, or even what condition its in, if you’re passionate about riding, your bike will become your baby, and you will want to treat it like a piece of fine jewelry thats been handed down to you from an ancestor. So you might as well make it easier on yourself to maintain and repair it for your first one considering all the repairs it will likely need.
June 29, 2009 at 4:10 am #20304ranetteParticipantI known it seems to be taken as fact, but the bottom line is not everyone drops their bike. I hate to jinx myself, but close to 7000 miles on two wheels and I’ve never dropped mine, my close friend who has been riding for nearly 40 years has never dropped his, and I hope to emulate him, though that will take till I’m in my mid 80’s. I’m not any sort of motorcycle prodigy, and certainly anything can happen tomorrow, but simply to say it’s a matter of when just doesn’t cut it with me. Confidence is a big part of riding and if in the back of my mind if I think I’m going down one day I probably will. I am convinced my bike will never go down, I go out every ride and try to better my skills to help see that it never does. If it happens I’ll deal with it, but to consider it inevitable? No thank you.
As for that beautiful Moto Guzzi, I’m not saying cost and ease of repair shouldn’t be a factor, but just to dismiss anything outside the comfort zone of Ninjas, Blasts, etc, seems to be close minded. As for the initial cost of the bike, the OP didn’t mention it so though it might be a factor, it doesn’t seem to be a major factor. As for repair costs, keep in mind that the Guzzi is a naked and if we are talking about a parking lot drop or something similar I can pretty much guarantee that the cost of a clutch lever or passenger peg for that MG will be significantly less than the cost of a fairing on a Ninja. I understand that even hardcore Guzzistas will admit that the support network isn’t what they’d like it to be, however, I think we are probably talking about a relatively new if not absolutely new, bike. If you buy from an MG dealer, or have one not too far away, I don’t think you’re in jeopardy of having your ride in the shop for months on end. No, not like servicing a Kawasaki, but not a deal breaker in my mind. As for the Classic7 being taller than a Sporty, OK, still to me the extra weight of the Sporty would be a big factor. However look at the specs, how different is the Moto Guzzi from a Ninja 500? Judging from the numbers not very different at all. Very similar in height, weight and HP but you will never hear anyone on this board criticize a Ninja 500 except in the looks department. Something against Italians Matt? I kid of course, and I know you are simply trying to give your best advice, but is your first instinct to question the suitability of the Moto Guzzi not because it is taller than the HD but because it is less familiar than something like a Ninja?
We use both our heads and our hearts to make many important purchases, especially motorcycles. I don’t know the OP’s feelings but for me the Japanese bikes just don’t call out to me the same way that European bikes do. I understand that others might be drawn to Japanese bikes the way that I am drawn to European, not a matter of right or wrong, just a matter of taste. I also realize that a first bike usually isn’t a last bike, however, for me, having a bike, even my first bike, that appealed to my emotions along with my sensibilities outweighed the inconvenience of a long trip to the dealer and a reputation for reliability that is not on par with the big 4. Again we don’t know if that is a factor for the OP or not, however it just seems like Matt and WZ are looking to criticize, or at least scrutinize extremely closely, someone’s very viable choice of a beginner bike simply because it isn’t one of the more popular choices out there.
June 29, 2009 at 5:26 am #20305MunchParticipantMy only question is top heaviness.. I have no experience with either types of bikes … so I am learning just as the same as others on the respects to those two styles. I know some bikes like Buell go through lengths to keep the CoG low. The retro’s (however ugly I may think they are) just look top heavy to me. Personally when looking for a first bike and getting the feel for low speed maneuvers… top heavy would not be on the short list. Again no experience… just basing off looks. I could be very wrong.
I can agree on the aspect of keeping available parts readily available. Though anyone can dig online for such things as long as they don’t mind the down time.
Knock on wood I have yet to lay either of my scoots down. My 5oo came close and I saved/ man handled it back up. The 9 got real close to…came within inches of touching off on the highway bars, but again I man handled that one back up to.Both happened to be in very slow maneuvers and using too much front brake, kick myself in the ass both times for it. A mistake not made anymore. I always keep my checklists in mind now days . I think planning on the lay down is in the same spirits as gear is. Keep it in mind for IF it happens…not that it will or when….. but IF.June 29, 2009 at 7:13 am #20310benhongParticipantI very much appreciated all of your advice. Hope to be able to provide such good advice to new beginners in a few years.
June 29, 2009 at 11:32 am #20311ranetteParticipantCan’t stress enough your last point. Go out there with the confidence that if you ride within your ability that you will never crash, however, dress as if you’re going to high side every time you squeeze the brakes.
June 29, 2009 at 5:40 pm #20316eonParticipant
I agree with everything ranette says. I have now have 7500 miles and have not dropped my bike and I intend to keep it that way. I spent many hours on the MSF range practicing my slow speed skills so that these parking lot drops would not happen. I took my time and slowly pushed my envelope to minimize my risk. I came close a few times but I never did drop it. To say that it is inevitable is being lazy in my opinion. I worked hard to minimize (not eliminate) the risk.The Guzzi is a brand that certainly has emotional appeal. I went with on a ride with the owners of the local Guzzi dealership and they were on a pair of Breva’s. I had not considered Guzzi before but it certainly got my attention. No, servicing is not going to be as easy as the ubiquitous HD dealerships but if you have a local shop then I don’t see the problem. I would think anyone who owns a Guzzi shop is a fanatic and is not in it to make a fast buck.
June 30, 2009 at 3:12 pm #20345bigguybbrParticipantI still tool around the parking lot practice course about once a week or so in an effort to stave off a tip over. It’s also fun to see how fast I can get through the skill drills these days.
I am also lucky enough to have another secret weapon against tip overs, 36″+ inseams. It’s a bitch to find pants in my size, but it means I can flat foot just about anything on 2 wheels. The only bike that even came close feeling high for me (that I have kicked a leg over so far) was the Ducati Hyper Motard (33″ seat height, and fun as hell by the way)
It does peev me thought it given out as an eventuality that you will tip your bike. I guess I can just use it as motivation to make sure I never do
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