[ranette]

I 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.

[ranette]

A 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.

[ranette]

Funniest thing I’ve ever heard on a sports talk show. A few years prior to ’04 the Sox seemed about to blow a playoff series to the A’s. Guy calls in, the heaviest Boston accent you can imagine, says to the host “The Sox killed my father and now they’re coming after me.”

[ranette]

Glad you took that in the spirit in which it was written.

Randy

[ranette]

Well if responding to your thread is the equivalent of a wave, I guess I shouldn’t be typing this. Since I am, consider yourself one of the lucky few. That’s about as humble as we get.

Now time for an attitude adjustment, ah there it is. Yes I am better than you.

[ranette]

“the Sox fan in me just died a little” Well at least this thread has accomplished a little bit. Personally a full exorcism performed by Father Dent assisted by Father Boone would be in order, but I digress, and sadly I don’t have much to brag about since ’03. Hopefully the natural order of the world, the way it existed from 1918 until 2004 will soon be restored.

Back to why we’re here, absolutely scooters are much more expensive for the same amount of performance. However, keep in mind that when you quote the price of Vespas you are talking about the prestige brand and while you certainly got far more performance for your $6K+ my guess is that the Vespa might hold its resale value better than almost any motorcycle. But that’s a whole different argument. Bottom line is I make it a point to wave to everyone on a motorcycle or scooter, makes me feel good. Don’t know why, but it does. If it doesn’t for you, keep your hand on the clutch. As you said it is a free country*

Sorry about asking you to be friendly, I have found that it does go against the credo of many a New Englander, and as I’m sure you know I’ll never be one as I wasn’t born here(not to mention the Yankee logo my dad had tatooed on my ass when I was an infant.) I guess you can take the boy out of NY but you can’t take NY out of the boy…and it may surprise some of you out there scattered throughout the continent but NYers are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, just ask us, we’ll tell you.

*Ok, this has no place on a motorcycle board but as soon as I typed those words I remembered a night about 10 years when those words were thrown at me leaving me speechless, which is pretty tough to do. Sitting in a bar in NY. A local character walks in, looked like the Chief in that old “don’t pollute” commercial complete with a full head dress. There’s one seat left at the bar, against the wall, my wife and I on the stools next to it. The guy asks me “do you mind if I sit there” I replied with those exact words “go ahead, it’s a free country.” He replied, without missing a beat, “Yes it’s a free country because your people stole it from my people.” I just sat there with my mouth open, my wife said something along the lines of “Why didn’t you just say ‘go right ahead” I can never type or say those words again without thinking about that night.

[ranette]

Most states treat anything over 50cc as a motorcycle requiring a full motorcycle license. As for motorcycles and scooters not being the same, of course I agree. However they are probably more similar than you might feel. Most scooter riders are passionate and dedicated much in the same way as motorcycle riders. If you doubt that I can give you a list of message boards populated by people who live and breathe scooters.

Although I did see the sarcasm in your post and realize you’re just having fun with this I also read that you don’t take scooters “seriously” not the best word but all I could come up with. My Buddy 150 has just a bit less horsepower than a Rebel while a Vespa 250 GTV actually has more hp than a V Star 250 and nearly as much as a Ninja 250. I can’t imagine that your dismissal of scooters has to to with the step through design or the huge amount of storage, it must be due to lack of horsepower. Does your choosing an FZ6R or me a Ducati GT1000 make us more dedicated or passionate than someone starting on a Ninja 250? Do you have the cyberwalnuts to come out and make a statement like that on this site? I wouldn’t necessarily agree but I would have to admire you for it.

Is it a transmission thing? Would you wave to a guy on an Aprillia Mana 850? Ok, I could forgive not waving at a Honda DNS-01 that’s just an odd vehicle.

Again, just having fun with something that is anything but life or death. I love my scooter for its practicality, riding the Duc around my small town loaded down with groceries and errand fodder just wouldn’t work and in my Ford Flex it’s just no damn fun. I also love it because it will always be my first, the first bike that I came around a big sweeper at about 50 mph on, pushed on the bars and felt the rush of really leaning a bike. Granted the Ducati is what I take out when I’m looking for fun and it has taken another level of dedication to become proficient on it. However scooters and motorcycles, and scooterists and motorcyclists, while not exactly the same, certainly have more similarities than differences. So come on bigguy, for me, a fellow New Englander(at least for the past 10 years), next time you see a Vespa coming at you toss out your left hand, it won’t hurt, I promise.

[ranette]

My guess is there’s at least a little sarcasm in bigguy’s post.

[ranette]

I was going to mention something similar in my post but had to cut it short. What I was going to say is that there are a ton of new scooter riders, probably a greater percentage of those on scoots than those on motorcycles are newbies. It does take a bit of confidence to take your hands off the bars if you are still getting used to the feeling of being on two wheels. Trust me, you may be a newbie on what most might consider a small bike, but to a new scooter rider you look like someone who knows what they’re doing on a big motorcycle; a little wave can go a long way to making someone’s day. I know my first wave from a motorcycle on my scooter really made me feel good.

[ranette]

Check out a scooter board. Every wave discussion will center on how nobody on a motorcycle will return their wave.

Obviously we’re talking in generalities here as every individual, regardless of what their riding, makes the choice to either wave or not. Could it be possible that people’s feeling that scooter riders don wave be based on the fact that there are a ton of new scooter riders out there, maybe a larger percentage of them just aren’t ready to take one hand off the bars yet. I don’t know.

[ranette]

I ride both a motorcycle and a scooter. When I’m on my motorcycle I wave at everyone, including scooters. When I’m on my scooter I can sometimes be a little hesitant about waving to motorcycles. Certainly not because of any aloofness, and not because I don’t feel like I don’t want to be in the club, but in the midst of Gixxers and Fat Bobs us little 150cc scooter riders can get a little inferiority complex. When I’m on my scooter and someone on a motorcycle waves to me I always return the wave in an instant, as if to say “I was about to wave to you before you waved to me.” So, if you’re on a motorcycle wave to the scooters, they’re in the club, they might be on smaller machines but they’ve got the same skills, are taking the same risks and are having as much fun as everyone on bigger bikes.

[ranette]

Welcome to the board. Anybody who rides or drives in India is a brave soul. I started a thread in the forum about two kids on bicycles coming the wrong way on a state highway; if you read it you probably laughed because in India it wouldn’t be unusual to see an 18 wheeler coming at you the wrong way on a highway. Simply avoid each other and be on your way, something equally bizarre is bound to pop up within minutes.

[ranette]

Saw a moose the other day, thankfully she wasn’t crossing the road. The one thing that scares the crap out of me is the thought of a deer strike. So many things we can prepare for but deer are so quick popping out of the brush I don’t know if there is much that you can do in the way of avoidance. I believe in of David Hough’s books he says that a close friend of his, one of the best and safest riders he knew was killed by a deer strike.

Riding a few weeks ago near New Hope, PA a small fawn skittered in front of me. Plenty of room for me to slow down, and of course it was not moving nearly as fast as an adult, and obviously wasn’t as big or muscular as an adult, but it definitely sent a little shiver up my spine; they’re out there.

[ranette]

At my course plenty of helmets were available. The only stipulation was that you needed to wear a head covering for sanitary purposes, and skinny white guys in dorags do not make a pretty picture.

[ranette]

I don’t think our horns were disabled but I’m not certain. Seems as if the horn is an important piece of safety equipment that even the newest of newbies would be capable of using and it is totally ignored by the MSF. My scooter has a Stebel horn which is like a little fog horn, pretty startling coming from such a small bike. The Duc has a standard motorcycle, meep meep, horn.

Back to what Eon wrote, we definitely don’t use the horn as a warning device as it was originally intended, we tend to use it in anger. I’ll actually quote myself, I was in India last year and if anybody has ever been there, one thing they’ll never forget is the roads, they are truly something to see, but an observation that I made in a blog that I kept was, “The horn, which is never dormant for more than a few seconds, is used as an alert ‘Hey I’m here look out for me,’ rather than the loud ‘What the fuck are you doing?’ we use it for back home.” The Indian roads are crammed with every vehicle imaginable on 2, 3, 4 or more wheels. Things that would literally be a felony here are accepted as normal every day driving maneuvers. I was there right before I became obsessed with all things two wheeled so didn’t take note of the types of bikes that I was seeing, only with the fact that you’d see entire families on tiny scooters(infant on the handlebars, no I am not shitting you). If anybody is interested in reading the blog it can be found http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/ranette/1/tpod.html

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