Commuter

[Roadstergal]

It is nothing like the GS, IMO.  The handling isn't as flickable, although it can make a dandy U-turn; I haven't tried to scrape anything, but I'm willing to bet it won't lean as far before it does.  The power is way higher, and much lower down in the rev range.  The gearing is taller to offset that a bit.  The sound is different.  The seating position is much more upright.  It's more of a tourer to the GS's sport/street.

They do have nice acce$$ories, but that's why I didn't get 'em.  I love the hard saddlebags, but not to an $800 extent!

['04gs500f]

OK, it's not perfect.  The shifting is absolutely silky-smooth, like ice cream - but if you think the GS has a false-first gear problem, you should try this bike.  It's only first, but I'm still getting used to the sensation of what first feels like when you actually hit it.  A little embarassing at lights.
Also, the brakes suffer from beginner-biker pads.  The calipers and rotors are the same as you find on bigger bikes, though, so as soon as the HH sintered EBCs come in, this puppy is going to stop.  

Since the tank is plastic, I picked up one of these.  I have really come to love tank bags.
http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_cortech_super_mini_strap_tank_bag_page.htm

a plastic tank?  

or tank coating?

[Roadstergal]

Nope, it's all plastic.  So was the Aprilia's.  Dave told me Guzzis all have plastic tanks since the early '90s.

It does make some sense - lighter, and doesn't corrode.

['04gs500f]

Nope, it's all plastic.  So was the Aprilia's.  Dave told me Guzzis all have plastic tanks since the early '90s.

It does make some sense - lighter, and doesn't corrode.

you are right about that, but plastic can be easily damaged =(

what kind of plastic is it? is heat an issue, like sitting in the sun all day?

id be more worried about people carving little drawings into my plastic tank =(

[Roadstergal]

I haven't tested the sitting-in-the-sun-all-day thing, but I imagine the Guzzi engineers - and owners from the past 10 years - have.  After all, a lot of car body parts are made of plastic; the front and rear pieces and bumpers on my Miata, e.g.  And you can carve in metal as well as plastic.  What the heck, a lot of my gear is plastic... can we have a gratuitous Graduate reference?

Oh, one more good thing about this bike.

THE HORN IS LOUD.

I gave a honk to someone who was lane-changing without signaling or looking, and my word, it was like the lord almighty put his hand out of the clouds and shook his finger at the cage.

[juno]

Honda is going to plastic tanks, as is Ducati for the monsters.

Must be a new trend....

['04gs500f]

I haven't tested the sitting-in-the-sun-all-day thing, but I imagine the Guzzi engineers - and owners from the past 10 years - have.  After all, a lot of car body parts are made of plastic; the front and rear pieces and bumpers on my Miata, e.g.  And you can carve in metal as well as plastic.  What the heck, a lot of my gear is plastic... can we have a gratuitous Graduate reference?

Oh, one more good thing about this bike.

THE HORN IS LOUD.

I gave a honk to someone who was lane-changing without signaling or looking, and my word, it was like the lord almighty put his hand out of the clouds and shook his finger at the cage.

well anything can be damaged, just that tank paint can be repainted, deep grooves in plastic? i have no idea how one would go about fixing that? some kind of space filler goop (bondo?)and new paint?

well either way i doubt either of us will have some stranger carving things into our tanks...

[Roadstergal]

Ja, I would guess corrosion is more common.

Pics of the tank bag and the Sport bags I got for the GS - the latter swap between the bikes fine.  Now I can carry all of the crap I might need to.





The second pic shows how red the bikini fairing is.  I like that.

[gazingwa]

To fill plastic scrapes, use glazing compount, can be found at auto parts stores...

VERY nice bike by the way... something not many people have, I know I've never seen one like it.

[Maireeka]

A very unique motorcycle.  It's good to have something that not everyone and their mother rides.

[davipu]

now you can carry almost as much as me.

[indestructibleman]

nice.  friend of my dad's recommended against test-riding a moto guzzi.  he said that once you do, you'll need to buy it.

[LEVO]

What is wrong with the SV as a commuter...

[Roadstergal]

I'd get tickets.  

I'm spoiled; I want my commuter to be comfy and upright.  When you're going over 520, every bit of increased sightline is a bit more of a time buffer between you and the clueless cager doing something stupid and potentially lethal.

[RVertigo]

That's why I love I-90...  WIDE OPEN!  Not to mention the carpool lane the whole way...