Guzzi, Ducati or Triumph, worth it in Canada?

[Ramtin]

So my girlfriend needs to upgrade and she's into retro classics only.

Her favourites are: Guzzi's V7... then the new ducati scrambler and the Bonneville... the bike is gonna be used for long distance riding at least once a year. we're talking really long distance! also the budget is not more than the cost of these bikes!

believe me if it was gonna be a touring bike ONLY, i'd get her a vstrom 650 or a Versys and call it a day but she is gonna ride it every day to work and she wants something that she really likes...

The real question is how easy would it be to fix these bikes in the garage? hard to find parts in Canada or not? Pain in the *** to own? please share your experience with these brands and specific models... I'd appreciate it.

I know most people are gonna try and suggest other bikes but PLEASE think about what she's into before suggesting a Cruiser! lol

thanks again!

 

[SunnY S]

BMW R nine T

 

[Ramtin]

personally i like that bike too but way too expensive... we're not that rich
plus taking a BMW to any other dealership will void your warranty . try that when you're 2 thousand miles away from home!

BMW R nine T

 

[inreb]

I have a Triumph Scrambler. I understand it's limitations but am very happy with it. It's exactly how I thought it would be. Mellow power but still plenty of urge to deal with traffic, very basic suspension and a bit on the heavy side. I didn't buy it for the retro styling, I bought it because it's a basic, solid overbuilt bike and very easy to work on. That was one of the biggest draws. I've had it down to just motor in frame, it comes apart like a pulled pork sammich. No fiddly drama.
I tested the Bonneville as well, I just prefer the 270 crank motor better than 360. The Bonny is relatively smooth as well but I found you have to spin it up a bit to get going where the Scrambler is there right off idle, so good in fact that I run taller gearing permanently.
Having said all that the V7 MG Stone really ticks the boxes for me. Lighter by a fair margin, shaft drive(huge plus) and better components thru out.

 

[Ramtin]

Having said all that the V7 MG Stone really ticks the boxes for me. Lighter by a fair margin, shaft drive(huge plus) and better components thru out.

the Guzzi is the cheapest of all also. and best looking in my opinion.. but again... PARTS MAN PARTS! :S

 

[cbcanada]

She might also like an older monster.. Plenty of parts and easy to work on..

"If i was educated, I'd be a damn fool"

 

[Ramtin]

She might also like an older monster..

lol... i said CLASSIC and LONG DISTANCE riding!! monster is a sport naked bike. can you handle 800 kilometers a day 3 days in a row on a bike like that? i dare you to try.

 

[Scuba Steve]

Ducati scrambler should be a good choice same engine as the 796 monster dead simple and reliable. Much lighter than the triumph and better parts availability than the guzzi.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[crankcall]

there is a dealer in nearly every major city in north America for any of those brands and overnite couriers fix parts availability. Daily rider and long distance are really different ducks. I'd have to ride them a bit to have an educated guess , but aftermarket seating goes a long way.

 

[cbcanada]

lol... i said CLASSIC and LONG DISTANCE riding!! monster is a sport naked bike. can you handle 800 kilometers a day 3 days in a row on a bike like that? i dare you to try.

No I have never done 800 km day.

I did 400 on Sunday. I was fine with that.

I have a stock seat, you can add comfort seat and handlebar risers.. It's not as uncomfy as you think. It's just a thought.


"If i was educated, I'd be a damn fool"

 

[GreyGhost]

Talk to george at corsa meccanica about Guzzi. He is a straight shooter and he can tell you things like parts availability. He also has a bunch of used V7's, a V11 and some triumphs in stock.

800 km is a long day now? What has touring become

 

[STARSHIP]

I faced this decision after selling my faithful FZ1 and really wanted a Guzzi V7. However the move from 140 BHP top 50 was too much of step down.

A great all purpose bike is the BMW F700 GS or if she prefers something more sporty that has ABS and 3 year factory warranty, plus integrated touring cases available from the factory, look at the BMW F800r.

Almost as sporty as the monster but the longer wheelbase makes it more comfortable for touring.Great fuel efficiency and incredible brakes.

Have used mine for touring (8 days) and is great bike for around town or for carving up technical roads.

 

[Jayell]

With the exception of consumables (brakes, filters, tires, etc., always in stock at GP Bikes), you won't need any parts for the Triumph unless you crash it. The EFI twins are as reliable as a rock; almost 50,000km on mine and not a single bit of trouble. There are tons of aftermarket choices and a strong internet community. Dead simple to work on. My bike has only been in for a warranty check at 800km; all service work is performed by me, including tires.

The Moto Guzzi is a lovely machine, a little less power than the Trumpet, but also about one hundred pounds lighter and a few dollars cheaper. As Inreb suggested, the shaft drive is a nice feature. The Goose also has a generous 22 litre fuel capacity according to specs, great for touring. I don't know anything about parts supply. I like the V7 Special, but you should note it's on wire wheels and tubed tires and costs $800 more than the V7 Stone, which rides on cast wheels and tubeless tires. The V7 Racer is bit too flashy for my tastes.

I know nothing of the Ducati Scrambler, so won't comment. Looks nice, though.

Let us know what you choose.

 

[Germax]

Take a good look at street triple. It has tons of power unlike other options here. My GF did California Ontario trip in 12 days on it so it can travel too . Triumphs are rock solid and only parts I needed were after crash. It can take two weeks to get parts but generally it is quicker. One annoying thing is turn radius, that bike needs lots of room to turn around...