Moto Guzzi v11 Sport: Owners post your pics and tell me why I need one!
 

Not much I can say here, that the title doesn't really take care of.

Im on a 2000 VFR right now and find it to be too much in a lot of ways.

Too much plastic, (my knees bash the fairing), oil changes are annoying.

Can count on 1 hand the number of times I've used all the power on tap, 150mph top speed seems a trifle stratospheric for my purposes.

The complexity of the engine scares the snot out of me and as a result I'm timid to get my hands dirty. A pushrod twin doesn't require the same sort of mechanical witchcraft and it's made easier by the fact that my dad has 3 Guzzi's in his garage.

While I've grown to appreciate the VFR (and the exhaust note is nigh unbeatable), and while it's very easy to live with (feed it the right drinks and keep up with the chain maint.)

It doesn't make my heart sing like just looking at a picture of a v11 does.

Anyone who has/had/have ridden feel free to weigh in.

Here in the Great White North there seems to be roughly a market of one bike at any given moment, so I'm just going to have to lust in the mean time, It's definitely on the short list for "next bike". Maybe you folks can see it rise closer to the top.

Also considering: Air cooled monsters (750+), any other suggestions. Prefer naked because most of my riding ends up being backroad/commute/city and the 2 times a year that I might do a few thousand in a week I'll grab a windshield or tough it.

Thanks in advance.

-Sam

In what ways?

So, a 140mph bike will keep you out of trouble?

Maintenance IS pretty easy with the Guzzis...

Having a family member that's into Guzzis should be a help.

I can understand that.

The V11 Sport/LeMans is a great series of bikes. Not well known. Under-rated. They're smooth, fast, reliable, comfortable. Just turned 40,000 miles on this one:

http://rocker59.smugmug.com/Motorcyc...33_aY8Dr-M.jpg

http://rocker59.smugmug.com/Motorcyc...28_cUUxf-M.jpg

If you want something super-cool, keep your eyes out for a V11S with a Magni fairing!

http://rocker59.smugmug.com/Motorcyc...DSCN8814-M.jpg

Thanks for the great response, It's not that a 150mph bike gets me IN to trouble, its all just degrees of excess.

They all only go as fast as your right wrist tells them to, some of them are just more obedient. :D

Personally I've never had the VFR very far north of the ton, and at those speeds it feels eerily similar to 40mph.

I have nothing but praise for the VFR but the design nerd in me is drawn to the simplicity and purity of form of the Italian air cooled roadsters.

edit: inb4 blah blah design nerd blah blah VFR. I love the viffer too but for different reasons

Both!
The 5th gen is a great bike but it needs an Italian stable mate. My Viffer and monster get along quite well. Each makes me appriciate the other all the more.
The v11 is a beautiful bike!

Sadly, my budget doesn't permit such a fantasy to be realized.

Fortunately though, by the time a v11 comes up for sale within 600 miles of here, I may be able to afford both...:rofl

I was in a similar situation with my Sprint ST, lots of power great sound etc, but a pain to do the valve adjustments....I wanted simple maintenance and character. I went for the Guzzi Breva 1100 as i do a lot of 2 up riding, I love the sound and feel of it. It's got a decent riding position aftermarket pipe and handles very well probably better than my 2000 Sprint ST did. Find a couple and take a ride if you can, you'll be hooked. They have their quirks but there is a lot of support for them online as well :thumbup

My I suggest....GRISO!

1100 grisos with 5k or less miles seem to be in the $6-6.5k range. They are dead simple to work on, not everyone has one, and they have enough suspension goodies to be a decent handling bike. You can outfit it with tank/tail bags for commuting and it carves corners well enough to keep your interest.

I think you may like the exhaust note. trade up to a 8V for more top end for just $3k more.

I like mine.

I bought an '01 V11 Sport new in 2001. Fell in love with the looks of the thing. Many happy years of ownership, the first few dealing with 'nigglies' that the factory should have seen to before it was delivered [under rated Seimens relays, fracture prone aluminium oil cooler brackets, lack of grease to the wheel output sprocket, incorrect setting of fuel tank causing fracture of side covers, poor routing of fuel lines causing superheating of fuel in lines causing hot running starting issues, under-engineered speedo/gearbox output shaft failing, tamperproof ignition switch bolts falling out, significant vibes through the handlebars at 3500 rpm],,,,,,,,,,,,,BUT, you've got that lovely old lump of an engine which at it's core is as reliable as a stone axe, and it has bags of character.
Alas, after 10 yrs of ownership and 50,000kms, I sold the bike last week to an enthusiast who understands what it is with a Moto Guzzi. It was more a fact that as I enter my 52nd year, with years og playing hockey, my knees just cannot take the sitting position any more, rendering the bike as a town bike for me, formerly an optional touring machine. Problem is, I've got 4 other exceedingly cool 'town bikes' , all with very cheap insurance with collector status. The Guzzi's status has and will continue to become little used.
I will buy another Moto Guzzi, an older one, a V700 or an Eldo, something like that. The core of all these bikes is the engine, that's really what it's all about for me,,,,,,these twins have a soul that no ther v-twin can match for many ways.

steve

Rosso Mandello #60
 

Sounded perfect with the Mistral cans, and the bike worked very well - better than you'd expect.


http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...sso-ltside.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...sso-rtside.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...ikes/rosso.jpg

Yea, my dad's got an '07 Breva 1100, '74 750S, '72 Eldo.

I've ridden them all, but we're taking the 750 and the Breva for an extended loop for breakfast tomorrow, I feel like I may be ready to drink the proverbial Kool-Aid after a few hundred kliks.

I love Love LOVE the Griso as well, unfortunately the bike market up here seems to be rather different than South of the border.

The Griso doesn't have any profile on the used market whatsoever and the few that I have found seem to be roughly double my budget.

When the v11 Sports show up they seem to be cheap, and relatively unused, (think 10000 kilometres and $5-6k).
Which is right on the money +/- a grand, if I sell the VFR.

Trust me I have a Griso in my cross hairs for some time beyond school and debt.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...g?t=1312065203

There are two for sale on ebay, right now.

I think the v11sport is a great bike, since buying mine ive rode it as much as possible, theres vibes thro the bars,its quite thirsty, but truly a bike to get into, its plenty fast enough for me and fun through the turns with good brakes and that engine note and feel thats addictive, and such a good looking and quite rare bike, very easy to work on with some very neat touches.

I just did an 800 trip on my Breva, if you can just kind of "chill" on both the Breva and the 750 tommorow.....sounds weird but just kind of sit there as you bomb along at 120kph or whatever and think is there anything missing!!! It really does hit all the points. To be different than your Dad try and scoop a 1200 sport with bags!! You can find em cheap if you look, bring one up from the states it's pretty easy, October would be the buying time!! Good luck man :D