European Motorcycle Diaries on Tour 2

Searching for Europe's Best Biking Roads

After nearly two complete months without a drop of rain in the South of England, it was a shock to feel rain splashing onto our heads outside the bar in Biarritz out of the dark Basque sky.  It was a taste of things to come.  The next day dawned overcast with a steady Atlantic drizzle.  Our route took us east on the A64 Autoroute, but we had decided rather than do the three sides of a square to Toulouse-Narbonne-Perpignan that the autoroute followed, to head into the foothills of the Pyrenees skirting Andorra and make a more ‘direct’ track towards Perpignan.

The rain that was falling in Biarritz relented at first as we travelled east, but came back to haunt our Autoroute dash with a fine steady drizzle.  Which turned into steady, but never heavy rain for the rest of the D117, until near Perpignan where it turned properly heavy and then thundery.  Our entrance into Collioure was heralded by a couple of lightning strikes so close to us that the thunder and lightning were almost simultaneous.  There wasn’t room for all the bikes in the alleyway outside Casa Parail, so Mutley had to come inside and shelter from the storm.  Despite the rain, the D117 was a joy to ride and definitely one of the best in the Pyrenees - which are always great.

My hotel room looked like a laundry as things got spread out to dry.  Best performer in the wet was my new Arlen Ness mesh jacket.  I was determined to take one jacket that ought to be able to cope with everything. The AN Mesh jacket comes with both a thermal and a waterproof liner. Both of which I brought – and wore in heavy rain and temperatures of about 15 deg. C in the mountains.  I wore the same jacket without the liners as we rode through the plains of Northern Spain a couple of days later and again it was perfect in the 30 deg. C. plus temperatures there.  Not bad for £179. . .

Got to say it's nice to say good morning to your ride on the way to breakfast. . .

More disappointing were my Gore-Tex textile Hein Gerricke boots.  They are a couple of years old and haven’t been re-proofed.  Apparently waterproof in everything Blighty has thrown at them so far, they turned to huge absorbent sponges in the Pyrenees, and were still wet after a night on the radiator.  Their previous performance, amazing comfort and breathability making them cool in the highest temperatures made me forgive them though.

European Motorcycle Diaries on Tour 2

Searching for Europe's Best Biking Roads

After nearly two complete months without a drop of rain in the South of England, it was a shock to feel rain splashing onto our heads outside the bar in Biarritz out of the dark Basque sky.  It was a taste of things to come.  The next day dawned overcast with a steady Atlantic drizzle.  Our route took us east on the A64 Autoroute, but we had decided rather than do the three sides of a square to Toulouse-Narbonne-Perpignan that the autoroute followed, to head into the foothills of the Pyrenees skirting Andorra and make a more ‘direct’ track towards Perpignan.

The rain that was falling in Biarritz relented at first as we travelled east, but came back to haunt our Autoroute dash with a fine steady drizzle.  Which turned into steady, but never heavy rain for the rest of the D117, until near Perpignan where it turned properly heavy and then thundery.  Our entrance into Collioure was heralded by a couple of lightning strikes so close to us that the thunder and lightning were almost simultaneous.  There wasn’t room for all the bikes in the alleyway outside Casa Parail, so Mutley had to come inside and shelter from the storm.  Despite the rain, the D117 was a joy to ride and definitely one of the best in the Pyrenees - which are always great.

My hotel room looked like a laundry as things got spread out to dry.  Best performer in the wet was my new Arlen Ness mesh jacket.  I was determined to take one jacket that ought to be able to cope with everything. The AN Mesh jacket comes with both a thermal and a waterproof liner. Both of which I brought – and wore in heavy rain and temperatures of about 15 deg. C in the mountains.  I wore the same jacket without the liners as we rode through the plains of Northern Spain a couple of days later and again it was perfect in the 30 deg. C. plus temperatures there.  Not bad for £179. . .

Got to say it's nice to say good morning to your ride on the way to breakfast. . .

More disappointing were my Gore-Tex textile Hein Gerricke boots.  They are a couple of years old and haven’t been re-proofed.  Apparently waterproof in everything Blighty has thrown at them so far, they turned to huge absorbent sponges in the Pyrenees, and were still wet after a night on the radiator.  Their previous performance, amazing comfort and breathability making them cool in the highest temperatures made me forgive them though.

Brits vs. the Germans: Epic Adventure Showdown!

For years, the BMW F800GS has been the only game in town.  If you wanted a dual-purpose, middleweight adventure tourer, you were looking at a BMW F800GS.

The terrain has changed for the BMW this year.  Luckily for us, its a far rockier, more challenging ride.  Enter the 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 XC.

It is on!

BMW F800GS

Triumph Tiger 800 XC

Click here for the ultimate adventure comparison test, courtesy of the guys at Motorcycle-USA.

Cheers!

Brits vs. the Germans: Epic Adventure Showdown!

For years, the BMW F800GS has been the only game in town.  If you wanted a dual-purpose, middleweight adventure tourer, you were looking at a BMW F800GS.

The terrain has changed for the BMW this year.  Luckily for us, its a far rockier, more challenging ride.  Enter the 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 XC.

It is on!

BMW F800GS

Triumph Tiger 800 XC

Click here for the ultimate adventure comparison test, courtesy of the guys at Motorcycle-USA.

Cheers!

Russian Invasion: Irbit Motor Works

For a long time, I was a moto-snob:  If it wasn't on two-wheels then it wasn't a "real" bike.

This included trykes, the Can-Ams, sidecars, and and any other vehicle that didn't fit the traditional motorcycle mold.

Yeah.  I know.  Not only was a I snob, but I was a misdirected and misinformed snob.  The worst kind!

But even the most hopeless snob can mend her ways.  Over the miles, I've met a lot of great people on less-than-tradition motorcycles.  Riders who, due to illness or injury or age, no longer felt comfortable trying to keep a large, and very heavy, machine, upright at stop lights.  Or in case of a fast stop.  Or in tight spots in parking lots.  Especially when there is a passenger on the back.

Without the stability and aid the third wheel or sidecar provides, these life-long riders would have had to hang up their leathers and retire their bikes. 

The guy on the tryke isn't any less of a rider.  He is a true motorcyclist.  Doing whatever he (or she) must to stay out on the open roads.  What rider doesn't support that?

Long live the three-wheeled machine!

And enter the sidecar.

Mother is the necessity of invention and need can make for some strange bedfellows.  Who knew that a Soviet-era motorcycle and sidecar manufacturer, the storied Russian Ural motorcycle, would find a second life and commercial success in the capital for commercialism among the most voracious consumers around?

Its true.

The gas mileage is far better than a car.  The bike is well-balanced.  You can put the beloved dog or the groceries or even the golf clubs in the sidecar. 

But only if the wife doesn't want to go out for a ride in the comfort of her own cockpit instead of riding fender fodder with a fabulous view of the back of your motorcycle helmet.

The cool retro styling has caught the attention of the hipper crowd as well.  Its not just the seniors riding the Ural around town and cross-country, but a younger generation looking for a cool alternative to the common cage, er, I mean, car.

And now Ural, once the sole purveyor of motorcycles to the Soviet Red Army, exports 60-percent of its bikes to the United States.  In fact, the company only sold 20 units in Russia last year.

 Thank you, Comrades!

Russian Invasion: Irbit Motor Works

For a long time, I was a moto-snob:  If it wasn't on two-wheels then it wasn't a "real" bike.

This included trykes, the Can-Ams, sidecars, and and any other vehicle that didn't fit the traditional motorcycle mold.

Yeah.  I know.  Not only was a I snob, but I was a misdirected and misinformed snob.  The worst kind!

But even the most hopeless snob can mend her ways.  Over the miles, I've met a lot of great people on less-than-tradition motorcycles.  Riders who, due to illness or injury or age, no longer felt comfortable trying to keep a large, and very heavy, machine, upright at stop lights.  Or in case of a fast stop.  Or in tight spots in parking lots.  Especially when there is a passenger on the back.

Without the stability and aid the third wheel or sidecar provides, these life-long riders would have had to hang up their leathers and retire their bikes. 

The guy on the tryke isn't any less of a rider.  He is a true motorcyclist.  Doing whatever he (or she) must to stay out on the open roads.  What rider doesn't support that?

Long live the three-wheeled machine!

And enter the sidecar.

Mother is the necessity of invention and need can make for some strange bedfellows.  Who knew that a Soviet-era motorcycle and sidecar manufacturer, the storied Russian Ural motorcycle, would find a second life and commercial success in the capital for commercialism among the most voracious consumers around?

Its true.

The gas mileage is far better than a car.  The bike is well-balanced.  You can put the beloved dog or the groceries or even the golf clubs in the sidecar. 

But only if the wife doesn't want to go out for a ride in the comfort of her own cockpit instead of riding fender fodder with a fabulous view of the back of your motorcycle helmet.

The cool retro styling has caught the attention of the hipper crowd as well.  Its not just the seniors riding the Ural around town and cross-country, but a younger generation looking for a cool alternative to the common cage, er, I mean, car.

And now Ural, once the sole purveyor of motorcycles to the Soviet Red Army, exports 60-percent of its bikes to the United States.  In fact, the company only sold 20 units in Russia last year.

 Thank you, Comrades!

That's a Duc?

It doesn't look like a Ducati 1098.

And I doubt it quacks.

But it most certainly walks, and rides, like a Duc:

First, thank you to the guys at Hell for Leather, who posted their exclusive photos of this one-of-a-kind Nick Anglada Ducati 1098 for the public's viewing enjoyment.

Click here for the Original Article.

This Duc includes a litany list of Must-Have's for the baddest naked streetfighter around:

Carrozzeria wheels; reworked stock forks, Beringer brakes, more Speedymoto parts than I have room to list (but I will mention the Speedymoto rearsets) and a set of Bazazz electronics with map selector and traction control switches.

All sorts of BAD.

If you're interested in equipping your Ducati Superbike with any of the above, or want to give your Streetfighter more fight, give David at Pure-Ducati.com a shout.  He'll make sure your Duc walks, and rides, like no other.

Cheers!

That's a Duc?

It doesn't look like a Ducati 1098.

And I doubt it quacks.

But it most certainly walks, and rides, like a Duc:

First, thank you to the guys at Hell for Leather, who posted their exclusive photos of this one-of-a-kind Nick Anglada Ducati 1098 for the public's viewing enjoyment.

Click here for the Original Article.

This Duc includes a litany list of Must-Have's for the baddest naked streetfighter around:

Carrozzeria wheels; reworked stock forks, Beringer brakes, more Speedymoto parts than I have room to list (but I will mention the Speedymoto rearsets) and a set of Bazazz electronics with map selector and traction control switches.

All sorts of BAD.

If you're interested in equipping your Ducati Superbike with any of the above, or want to give your Streetfighter more fight, give David at Pure-Ducati.com a shout.  He'll make sure your Duc walks, and rides, like no other.

Cheers!

wellcome to my blog... kawasaki personal blog

wellcome to my blog... kawasaki personal blog

First Step is a Big One!

Epic mountain ride!  Borders on a cliff and the absurd...




Cheers!

First Step is a Big One!

Epic mountain ride!  Borders on a cliff and the absurd...




Cheers!

European Motorcycle Diaries on Tour 1

Looking for Europe’s best biking roads

With at least one devil between us, we must be like the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Only with panniers.  Dastardly is already drawing the crowds.  There must be 50 or 60 bikes about to load on our ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in Northern Spain. There’s all the usual surreptitious glances at the other guys tackle that blokes are so good at, but there’s no doubt which bike has the bragging rights here – Dastardly.

“Oh look there’s a ferry full of poor people following us”. The Queen Mary II turns left out of the Solent – I assume to head for the Baltic, while we turn right for ‘where the sun shines brightly. . .’

So the plan is to take the 24hr ferry which will drop us into Northern Spain and head for our first over-night just over the French border in Biarritz.  As the ferry does’nt arrive until 7.00 pm, we will have to despatch the 200 miles pretty deftly if we are to have a dinner as planned at our favourite Bistro.  Still, nothing like an incentive.

Tomorrow involves a part Autoroute, part D-Route blat across the French side of the Pyrenees to Collioure on the Med..  After that it’s head south towards Barcelona, and there the plan runs out.  Other than we will take our pick of keeping to the coast or exploring the mountains.  We vaguely have Tossa del Mar in mind as a target because of a fabled best biking road that runs along the coast to the resort.  Any suggestions please let me know via comments!

European Motorcycle Diaries on Tour 1

Looking for Europe’s best biking roads

With at least one devil between us, we must be like the Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Only with panniers.  Dastardly is already drawing the crowds.  There must be 50 or 60 bikes about to load on our ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in Northern Spain. There’s all the usual surreptitious glances at the other guys tackle that blokes are so good at, but there’s no doubt which bike has the bragging rights here – Dastardly.

“Oh look there’s a ferry full of poor people following us”. The Queen Mary II turns left out of the Solent – I assume to head for the Baltic, while we turn right for ‘where the sun shines brightly. . .’

So the plan is to take the 24hr ferry which will drop us into Northern Spain and head for our first over-night just over the French border in Biarritz.  As the ferry does’nt arrive until 7.00 pm, we will have to despatch the 200 miles pretty deftly if we are to have a dinner as planned at our favourite Bistro.  Still, nothing like an incentive.

Tomorrow involves a part Autoroute, part D-Route blat across the French side of the Pyrenees to Collioure on the Med..  After that it’s head south towards Barcelona, and there the plan runs out.  Other than we will take our pick of keeping to the coast or exploring the mountains.  We vaguely have Tossa del Mar in mind as a target because of a fabled best biking road that runs along the coast to the resort.  Any suggestions please let me know via comments!

The 500,000th Triumph!

And its a Speed Triple (of course)

Really not sure what Triumph was thinking when they settled on the colors for this very special Triumph Speed Triple, the first 2012 model to come off the line and greet the public.

Happily, even the, um, bold color scheme and unusual wrinkled paint effect (Triumph claims its a special technique; you can do the same with crumpled plastic wrap) cannot detract from the fact that Triumph, barely two decades past its resurrection in 1990, has done itself, its name, and its country proud.

Congratulations on the 500,000th motorcycle, Triumph!

Don't know about you all, but I can't wait to see what Triumph does over the next 500,000 bikes!

(Note: I may be the only one out here in the cyber-universe who isn't crazy about the 500,000th anniversary color scheme.  This same photo is posted on Pure-Triumph's Facebook page and the bike has rave reviews.  As I've said before (What Color Your Moto?), there's a bike of another color for everyone.)

Cheers!

The 500,000th Triumph!

And its a Speed Triple (of course)

Really not sure what Triumph was thinking when they settled on the colors for this very special Triumph Speed Triple, the first 2012 model to come off the line and greet the public.

Happily, even the, um, bold color scheme and unusual wrinkled paint effect (Triumph claims its a special technique; you can do the same with crumpled plastic wrap) cannot detract from the fact that Triumph, barely two decades past its resurrection in 1990, has done itself, its name, and its country proud.

Congratulations on the 500,000th motorcycle, Triumph!

Don't know about you all, but I can't wait to see what Triumph does over the next 500,000 bikes!

(Note: I may be the only one out here in the cyber-universe who isn't crazy about the 500,000th anniversary color scheme.  This same photo is posted on Pure-Triumph's Facebook page and the bike has rave reviews.  As I've said before (What Color Your Moto?), there's a bike of another color for everyone.)

Cheers!

SuperSport Shootout!

What do you get when you gather together the best middle-weight motorcycles on the roads today?

The SuperSport Shootout!

Representing the Euro contingent, as well as the twin- and three-cylinder engines, are the 2011 Ducati 848Evo and the 2011 Triumph Daytona 675R. 

 (Sadly, the new 2011 MV Agusta F3 was as unavailable to Moto-USA, who hosted the Shootout, as it is the rest of the riding public.)

Hailing from the other side of the globe, are the 2011 Japanese fours: Honda's CBR600rr, the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Yamaha's R6, and the newly revised Suzuki GSX-R600.  Crashing the party, because it can, is the Suzuki GSX-R750.

And someday, somehow, maybe I will understand why an American company cannot produce a sportbike.

But my native woes and digression aside (I will never forgive Harley Davidson for killing Buell), the contest was fierce and the bikes represented some of the most dynamic, advanced, and feloniously fast machines available to the ordinary street rider.

So, how did the European motos fare against their Asian counterparts?  Click here and find out.

Spoiler Alert:  Quite well!   Although if you ride a bike from England or the Continent, you already know that.  No spoiler at all!

Cheers! 

SuperSport Shootout!

What do you get when you gather together the best middle-weight motorcycles on the roads today?

The SuperSport Shootout!

Representing the Euro contingent, as well as the twin- and three-cylinder engines, are the 2011 Ducati 848Evo and the 2011 Triumph Daytona 675R. 

 (Sadly, the new 2011 MV Agusta F3 was as unavailable to Moto-USA, who hosted the Shootout, as it is the rest of the riding public.)

Hailing from the other side of the globe, are the 2011 Japanese fours: Honda's CBR600rr, the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Yamaha's R6, and the newly revised Suzuki GSX-R600.  Crashing the party, because it can, is the Suzuki GSX-R750.

And someday, somehow, maybe I will understand why an American company cannot produce a sportbike.

But my native woes and digression aside (I will never forgive Harley Davidson for killing Buell), the contest was fierce and the bikes represented some of the most dynamic, advanced, and feloniously fast machines available to the ordinary street rider.

So, how did the European motos fare against their Asian counterparts?  Click here and find out.

Spoiler Alert:  Quite well!   Although if you ride a bike from England or the Continent, you already know that.  No spoiler at all!

Cheers! 

What Color Your Moto?

"Anyone can ride a black bike." 

An opinion that was recently expressed on the Pure-Triumph Facebook Wall.

The owner of the opinion went on to point out that the 2007 Roulette Green Triumph Speed Triple is just as nasty.  Not surprisingly, the color of his Speed Triple: 

My first reaction was to be insulted.  My Ducati 848Evo is black.  All black.  With a flat matte finish that sucks in any surrounding light, refusing to reflect even the faintest glimmer back.

It looks, as my sister says, like something Death would ride:

The few stock pieces that were not black have since been replaced:

Black CRG shorty levers; Carbon Fiber Termignoni Slash-Cut Slip-ons; adjustable Gilles rearsets; smoke Puig windscreen.

The only item left is the stock slave clutch cylinder.  I plan to order a black Ducati Performance one soon.

Except I've also owned an orange BMW F650ST and a sunshine yellow Harley Sportster.

 And I have inexplicably fallen for a purple/yellow/white 1995 Honda CBR900rr.

Perhaps a reaction to my void-of-color Ducati?  All I know is that it makes me smile.



So, can anyone ride a black motorcycle?   Sure.  They start up and run the same as bikes of another color.

Does everyone ride one well?  Perhaps not.  My own matte black moto lives up to its fierce demeanor far better than its hapless rider does.  Or more simply stated:  The bike is badass, I am not.

But I do love that it is mine.  Almost as much as I love riding it.

And what about red?

Is it true that flashier, fast riders buy red bikes, which is why they are ticketed more?  Or is it that arrest-me-red is simply an easier target for radar gun-wielding cops?
 
Do you have to be sunny to ride yellow?  Brave to saddle up on purple?

Have a sense of humor, or enjoy mimicking a sunrise, to own orange?

For every purist who says Ducati must remain Ferrari red, there's someone brightening up our roads on a yellow SuperSport or illuminating the night on a pearl white StreetFighter.

And do not forget that Paul Smart's Duc was silver:

Kawasaki green is hardly tame.  Or sane.  But if your ride sports the time-honored color, are you not a traditionalist at heart?

And if you ride with the Repsol red, orange, and black, are you following the crowd?  Making a bold statement, loud and proud?

Or paying respect to a great racing tradition?

There are motorcycles adorned with flames.  I've seen flowers, sparkles, and stickers of every sort.  

Equipped with an airbrush, the entire casts of the Wizard of Oz, Deadwood, and Maverick have graced the tanks and farings of a motorcycle.

Maybe the answer is not that anyone can ride a black bike.  

Perhaps it is that everyone can find the bike that they can ride.  The one that makes them happy.  

The one that speaks for them in a color that is all their own.


Love the column, hate the column, got a better idea?  Leave a comment or email: Ann@SunnyRyder.com

What Color Your Moto?

"Anyone can ride a black bike." 

An opinion that was recently expressed on the Pure-Triumph Facebook Wall.

The owner of the opinion went on to point out that the 2007 Roulette Green Triumph Speed Triple is just as nasty.  Not surprisingly, the color of his Speed Triple: 

My first reaction was to be insulted.  My Ducati 848Evo is black.  All black.  With a flat matte finish that sucks in any surrounding light, refusing to reflect even the faintest glimmer back.

It looks, as my sister says, like something Death would ride:

The few stock pieces that were not black have since been replaced:

Black CRG shorty levers; Carbon Fiber Termignoni Slash-Cut Slip-ons; adjustable Gilles rearsets; smoke Puig windscreen.

The only item left is the stock slave clutch cylinder.  I plan to order a black Ducati Performance one soon.

Except I've also owned an orange BMW F650ST and a sunshine yellow Harley Sportster.

 And I have inexplicably fallen for a purple/yellow/white 1995 Honda CBR900rr.

Perhaps a reaction to my void-of-color Ducati?  All I know is that it makes me smile.



So, can anyone ride a black motorcycle?   Sure.  They start up and run the same as bikes of another color.

Does everyone ride one well?  Perhaps not.  My own matte black moto lives up to its fierce demeanor far better than its hapless rider does.  Or more simply stated:  The bike is badass, I am not.

But I do love that it is mine.  Almost as much as I love riding it.

And what about red?

Is it true that flashier, fast riders buy red bikes, which is why they are ticketed more?  Or is it that arrest-me-red is simply an easier target for radar gun-wielding cops?
 
Do you have to be sunny to ride yellow?  Brave to saddle up on purple?

Have a sense of humor, or enjoy mimicking a sunrise, to own orange?

For every purist who says Ducati must remain Ferrari red, there's someone brightening up our roads on a yellow SuperSport or illuminating the night on a pearl white StreetFighter.

And do not forget that Paul Smart's Duc was silver:

Kawasaki green is hardly tame.  Or sane.  But if your ride sports the time-honored color, are you not a traditionalist at heart?

And if you ride with the Repsol red, orange, and black, are you following the crowd?  Making a bold statement, loud and proud?

Or paying respect to a great racing tradition?

There are motorcycles adorned with flames.  I've seen flowers, sparkles, and stickers of every sort.  

Equipped with an airbrush, the entire casts of the Wizard of Oz, Deadwood, and Maverick have graced the tanks and farings of a motorcycle.

Maybe the answer is not that anyone can ride a black bike.  

Perhaps it is that everyone can find the bike that they can ride.  The one that makes them happy.  

The one that speaks for them in a color that is all their own.


Love the column, hate the column, got a better idea?  Leave a comment or email: Ann@SunnyRyder.com

Moto Guzzi Breva 1200 Sport 4, 2009

Moto Guzzi Breva 1200 Sport 4, 2009

 

 

 

A true show of class does more than just turn heads.

Moto Guzzi shows its sporting soul in its newest “naked”. This evolved form of the 90° twin cylinder 1200 features new solutions in its design and chassis while giving a new meaning to rider comfort.

Just one look at it tells you that it will soon become a cult item for real enthusiasts. The graphics are the same as on competition models, the stylish front discs and the “carbon fibre effect” exhaust that suggest speed give an immediate impression of the 1200 Sport’s character. The attention to detail is typically Italian and its Moto Guzzi DNA and high-tech injection system make it one of those machines that is best appreciated from the saddle.

From here too, its patented handling system can only truly be felt – a perfect blend of incredible performance and the sheer pleasure of riding.

Like all Moto Guzzi, this machine faithfully follows its rider, it indulges his whims with a spirit that has been guiding it for the past 85 years and has never been stronger.

The look we already know but the 105 CV of “grunt” from the “Quattrovalvole” engine is all new. The power delivery is silky smooth and, on the open road, the bike’s true sports character shines along with numerous technical innovations and a new sense of style. The new “over and under” exhaust system communicates the innate power and innovation of the engine as does the new triangular base of the silencer and the new clear rear lamp cluster. Better performance ensures that the new 1200 SPORT 4V will become an icon for riders seeking real sports performance, not just show. Good taste is assured by the style that gives this Moto Guzzi its character. This style can be seen in the screen and the saddle that house racing number plates like competition models, it can be seen in the white-faced instruments, in the Brembo Gold Series brakes and in the set-back aluminium footpegs.

Although the new Moto Guzzi 1200 SPORT 4V has a decidedly sports type set-up, it is also an excellent tourer with every detail well designed for the rider and pillion passenger to travel in the utmost comfort. The saddle is well padded and offers great support, weight distribution is ideal and with a low centre of gravity, the 1200 SPORT 4 V can easily change direction very quickly on those twisty roads that offer the rider such satisfaction.

The superb handling is due to the exceptional rigidity of the twin cradle steel frame, the forks and the fully adjustable shock absorber that guarantee both comfort and excellent road holding. Those of you that go touring will really appreciate the protection offered by the windscreen and how this sports bike so easily becomes a real Grand Tourer complete with heated hand grips, panniers, top box and satellite navigation system.

No matter the speed, the brakes provide very wide safety margins and consist of twin 320 mm discs with radial mounted four-piston calipers at the front and a single 298 mm disc at the rear. The brake sizes are the same on the ABS version.

In classic black or elegant titanium grey, the 1200 Sport 4V also stands out with its subtle green, white and red stripe that celebrates the bike’s Italian heritage.

FEATURES:

The 1200 SPORT 4V. With its new graphics painting a picture of elegance and sophistication, the exclusive look and technical specifications of the new Moto Guzzi promise performance. The first thing you will notice is the design as you look back along the panels and note the clear rear lamp cluster and the new exhaust. This system now features an aluminium silencer with a triangular base below the “over and under” finned exhaust pipes that symbolise Moto Guzzi power and innovation.

The throbbing heart of the 1200 SPORT 4V is the new “Quattrovalvole” (four valve) engine that, thanks to its unmistakeable transverse V90 architecture, cannot fail but to catch the eye. As the latest form of the engine that was fitted to the Griso and Stelvio, the “Quattrovalvole” on the 1200 SPORT 4V differs in its intake and exhaust system. These factors were developed to offer better engine response at medium to high revs and to match the sporting character of the bike. The engine puts out over 105CV at 7500 rpm with 110Nm of torque at 6500 rpm. The engine also acts as a load-bearing component of the tubular twin cradle frame. The frame itself is made of high resistance steel that provides solidity and rigidity.

In true Moto Guzzi tradition, only the best brakes and suspension systems are used: Brembo Gold Series brakes and Marzocchi forks grace the front end. The brakes have radial mounted four-piston calipers acting on 320 mm discs while the forks are a traditional 45 mm unit. The comfortable, excellent riding position along with the forward position of the handlebars give the rider complete control and allow him to concentrate on enjoying the ride.

The 1200 SPORT 4V is now available in the classic black or in the original titanium grey colour scheme. Both these schemes perfectly offset the white racing number plates on the screen and on the saddle that is edged with a subtle green, white and red stripe that celebrates the bike’s Italian heritage.

USA Specifications

ENGINE

Type 90° V-Twin, 4 stroke

Cooling system air cooling

Displacement 1,151 cc

Bore and stroke 95 x 81.2 mm

Compression ratio 9,8 : 1

Timing system intake open 24° B.T.D.C.

intake close 52° A.B.D.C.

Exhaust open 54° B.B.D.C.

Exhaust close 22° A.T.D.C. with valve clearance 1.5 mm

Maximum power over 70 kW (95 HP) at 7,800 rpm

Maximum torque over 100 Nm at 6,000 rpm

Fuel injection system / Ignition Magneti Marelli IAW5A, a-n type; 2 Ø 45 mm throttle bodies, Weber IWP 162 injectors, Lambda control, twin spark ignition

Spark plug Internal NGK PMR8B (Long Life)

external NGK BPR6ES

Starting electric

Exhaust system stainless steel, 2 into 1 type with catalytic converter, height-adjustable muffler

Homologation Euro 3

TRANSMISSION

Gear 6 speed

Internal ratios 1^ 17/38 = 1 : 2.235

2^ 20/34 = 1 : 1.700

3^ 23/31 = 1 : 1.347

4^ 26/29 = 1 : 1.115

5^ 31/30 = 1 : 0.967

6^ 29/25 = 1 : 0.862

Lubrication splash

Primary drive helical teeth, ratio 24/35 = 1 : 1.458

Secondary drive Compact Reactive Shaft Drive CA.R.C.; double universal joint with floating bevel gear, ratio 12/44 = 1 : 3.666

Clutch double disk, dry

CHASSIS

Frame tubular cradle, high tensile steel

Wheelbase 1.485 mm

Trail 120 mm

Rake 25°

Steering angle 32°

Front suspension telescopic hydraulic fork with Ø 45 mm and TIN surface treatment, preload adjustable

Front wheel travel 120 mm

Rear suspension single arm suspension with progressive linkage, rear shock absorber adjustable in rebound and pre-load (hydraulic)

Rear wheel travel 140 mm

Front brake twin stainless steel floating disc, wave type, Ø 320 mm, 4 opposed pistons

Rear brake single steel fixed disc, Ø 282 mm, floating caliper with 2 parallel pistons

Wheels three spokes, light alloy wheels, gravity die-casting

Front wheel 120/70 ZR17”

Rear wheel 180/55 ZR17”

Front tyre 3.50” x 17”

Rear tyre 5.50” x 17”

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

Battery 12 V – 18 Ah

Voltage 12 V

Alternator 12 V – 550 W

DIMENSIONS

Length 2.195 mm

Width 840 mm

Height 1.160 mm

Seat height 800 mm

Ground clearance 185 mm

Dry weight 229 kg

Fuel tank capacity 23 litres

Reserve 4 litres