Subject: another Convert rides!
Author: mjon-@yahoo.com
Date: May 11, 2004, 6:33 PM
Post ID: 1716741257
The Convert rides! I took her for her maiden voyage
(other then a round-the-block trip with the carbs not
quite adjusted) yesterday - 7 miles of tooling around
the industrial park. Today we rode to the garage for
an inspection, then a round-about ride home through
the outskirts of Bethlehem. She is running really
well. The mufflers are missing some of the baffles,
and while it is not nearly as loud as some Harleys, it
does have a very nice voice. The brakes are firm, the
torque is abundant, the ride is relaxed - it is a very
relaxing riding experience.
A few hours after I got back I had to run to the bank,
and I took the Ambo. They sure are different machines!
It's amazing how similar and yet how different they
are, and how much Guzzi's idea of a touring bike
changed (evolved, I suppose) in less then 10 years.
This evening I took one of my sons for a ride, the
wife and other son having meetings that left us home
alone together. He said it is 100 time more
comfortable then the Ambo. It is definitely more
pleasant for the driver to take passengers on, what
with the hydraulic tranny, the improved brakes, and
the all-around larger feel of the machine. (My manuals
say that the wheelbase is actually the same.) It
really is a nice two-up bike.
To my tastes, the Ambo is a far more visually
attractive machine, but the Vert is a welcome addition
to my garage for those occasions when I have
high-milage days planned, when I anticipate carrying a
passenger, or when I face the million stoplights
between Bethlehem and Philadelphia. I really feel
blessed to have two such unusual and enjoyable bikes.
Just think: if I had been cursed with more money, I
probably would have gone out a long time ago and
bought an FLHS or FLHR or something common and
ordinary like that, and then I'd be just another cow
in the herd.
I hope that didn't offend anyone too much - I like
Harley's, but they are so common these days.
-Mike (69 Ambo, 77 Vert)
=====
M.Jones, student of philosophy and religion at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.
"The heart has its reasons which reason does not know." -Blaise Pascal
"With man, instinct and reason avoid each other with adversity, yet, by repudiating each other they lure each other to reach mutual correction." -Lucian Blaga
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