Well I've had the 1100S for nearly three years now and though during that period I've test ridden a number of BMW and Jap offerings I've never been tempted to change. However when the Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport was announced earlier this year it did seem to strike a chord.
This weekend I finally got to take one out on an extended test ride and wasn't disappointed. Riding position is similar to the 1100S but slightly more relaxed with slightly lower pegs and higher bars. What I found really good was the wind protection at motorway speeds. Whilst not appearing to have much in practise it felt much the same as the S. Overall the ride seemed very similar to my S and, being quite topical at the moment, the dreaded vibes were less intrusive. For me what also appeals are the option of hard panniers and the pillion comfort as most of my riding is touring two-up.
I've trawled the MG Forums for a while and whilst not immune from problems the bikes now seem fairly well sorted, and as we all know the 1100S isn't exactly trouble free
Now if I can only interest someone in a low mileage '98 S...........
As a 98 S is worth about 3 books of green shield stamps,i'd keep it and still buy the Guzzi!!,i think Boxerpans accountant told him his was worth 1500 quid!!,and that must be 12 months ago.
Bob - a good friend of mine recently bought a 1200 Sport Guzzi on which I spent a couple of very enjoyable hours hooning around N Wales, in fact here it is parked up next to some sad old bloke's Bird...
I found the 1200 not lacking any oomph, even though the bike was only 1000 miles old and I wasn't going to cane the spuds off a mate's shiny new bike. Biggest revelation for me was the handling - in the same way Triumph always seem to manage it, the Guzzi's suspension felt absolutely spot-on for road riding. Comfy, supple yet firm to keep things taut. Very light steering too. In fact it reminded me very much of the last time I rode a 1200GS - the Guzzi has similar power, perhaps not as revvy, but a lot smoother (and a gearbox the GS can only dream of).
Only downer for me was the slightly odd riding position - I'm a big bloke (6'3" and 34" inside leg) and still found the bars a little too wide and forward. My right ankle's also fubar'd from too many running injuries and the Guzzi's footrest hanger put it at a somewhat uncomfortable angle. Other than that, I thought it was a great bike. Very well finished too.
Gromit - Thanks for your comments. I remember you'd posted about your friend's Guzzi but couldn't for the life of me find your original message.
A valid comment about the bars though at 5' 8" I didn't find them too bad. A trawl of MG forums suggests the bars can be slackened off, rotated back and the controls re-aligned. Your friend's deal sounds about right as well, making the ebay bike a bit top-end for a private sale.
Winger - A good point about the general worth of S's at the moment though I've actually been offered what I think is a fairly reasonable p/ex price. The shop I'm talking to is planning to put my bike in their showroom rather than get a BMW Stealer to under-write it.
In a way with the ride on the Guzzi being so similar to the S I'm thinking should I be saving my money and sticking with what I've got and know
