Bikes I have owned part IV. Moto Guzzi Spada III

The fourth in an occasional series of memory lane ramblings...

This machine came into my possession, as indeed have several others, whilst sitting in the living room one evening with beer in one hand and laptop mouse in the other. It seemed really cheap, a sly bid which would surely be bettered, but no, whoops, it was now mine.

I drove from Dorset up to Stafford to get it. A considerably longer drive than I had anticipated. When I got there the bike was slightly sorry, it was being sold on behalf of the owner by a friend (alarm bells should have been clanging) and the battery was flat. Eventually aforementioned vendor got it running and then proceeded to thrape the nuts off it from cold. At that point I should have got back in my van and driven home, one day of my life wasted but without the encumbrance of another project bike.

Moto Guzzi Spada III. A gentleman's tourer.

Once home I bought a new battery for the Guzzi. Then I rode it around the block. My 'block' is on a steep hill. At the bottom of the hill the rear tyre flattened rapidly. As the bike had not fitted into my van without some considerable struggle and removing the screen I decided to ride it the couple of hundred yards home. Mistake, the rear tyre was now properly buggered.

I discovered that removing the rear wheel on a Spada III involves taking both silencers and the rear brake caliper off. I was beginning to hate this bike....

The Spada's cockpit.

Once back together with new rear tyre I balanced the carbs and gave the machine a service. By now I was the father of twin girls. It had definitely been a stupid time to buy a new project. I gave the Guzzi a couple of spins. If I could forget the fact that at six foot two the canted back screen was way too close to my face and that my knees painfully rubbed against the fairing it was quite a nice bike. 

Givi panniers. A bit clumsier than BMW Krausers. 

The Spada III was created as a gentleman's grand tourer and it lived up to that promise fairly well. The power is roughly the same as a BMW R100RS and the bike felt ever so slightly sprightlier. The quality of finish however completely paled against a BMW. Brakes were linked and pretty good, handling not bad too. If you forgot the fact that this was a machine for which basic maintenance appeared to be quite awkward to get on with then this could be quite a pleasant machine. Oh, and you need to be under six foot in height for the bike to comfortably fit you, but not too short as the saddle is quite tall.

A bit similar in lines to a Hesketh Vampire.

I had bought the Spada as I had hankered after a Guzzi for a while and I was rather seduced by the looks of the Spada. I like classic sports tourers and I would love a Hesketh Vampire, the Spada looks similar, is similar on paper and is much much cheaper. 

A few months in to my ownership of the Spada the police came knocking on my door. Apparently the guy who I had bought the bike off did not in fact have the permission of the owner to sell and it was involved in a dispute. Hmmm... definitely should have walked away from this one. This blew over and a week or so later I found out that it was all resolved. At this point I decided that parting ways with the spiteful Spada was the most sensible thing to do. Rather sick of it I contacted a breaker but the price really did involve taking a heavy hit. So it went back up on eBay....

Finish was a bit iffy. Lots of bubbling in the paint.

The Guzzi found a willing buyer despite an honest appraisal of its various vices. At least it was now on the road and had received some love and attention. The price nearly covered my expenditure, certainly not though my time and anguish but I was happy to see it go. The new owner came down from Wales to pick it up and, despite my advice to the contrary, planned to ride it home. It wasn't that I had no faith in the bike at all, rather that it had not covered more than thirty miles in the last couple of years and was an unknown quantity. However ride it back he did, I made sure that he contacted me when he got home. Great bike he said, love it, never missed a beat...

For such a mechanically simple motorcycle home mechanics
on this beast were a royal pain in the butt...

Matt's express Royal Enfield transporter

This was a couple of months back now, just before heading off to the Moto Piston Rally in Santander. I had expected Matt to arrive in his car towing the Crusader behind but he rocked  up with this creation.

A homage to old school motorcycle shop delivery bikes this rig is pulled along by a Moto Guzzi V11 Sport. The chassis is a Blacknell and the body home made. Matt reported that, as a sporting outfit with a lot of weight in the chair, the ride was quite exciting. I rode it around the block with the Crusader unloaded and it was a hoot. Top marks Matt, this is an outfit you will not see another of!

Moto Guzzi V35 Cafe Racer

Most of the time in my job I work long hours at sea but one of the perks is that every so often you hit shore and get an evening or two to explore. Recently I had a few hours in Gibraltar and caught this sweet Guzzi filling up. A perfect cafe racer, it followed a time honoured formula of stripped down simplicity, looked the part, sounded great and best of all was out being used and bringing its owner happiness.

Moto Guzzi 1927

Here's something a bit rare and unusual, the Moto Guzzi range catalogue for 1927. It's in German so great if you speak or are learning the language, if not then just enjoy the illustrations.

Moto Guzzi 1927 front cover.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 1.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 2.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 3.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 4.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 5.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 6.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 7.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 8.

Moto Guzzi 1927 page 9.

Prescott Bike Festival 2015 pt2

Some more pics from Sunday's trip to Prescott....

BSA B50SS Gold Star. When these came out they were almost
as much of an afront to dyed in the wool BSA enthusiasts as
was the Ariel 3 moped. Using the hallowed name of the Gold
Star in vain. Now though quite a popular bike for what they
are.

Sweet plunger Beesa and sidecar in the bike
park.

Something not right about this Lambretta. Spot
the twin exhausts and forward mounted radiator.
An Italjet motor is hiding inside.

Beautiful flat tank Model 18 Norton on the Norton Owners
Club stand.

Same Norton. Great used look about it.

Another beauty on the NOC stand. Garden Gate Manx.

There were actually two Magni Moto Guzzis at Prescott. The
ultra rare Daytona Magni and this merely very rare Magni Sfida.

Ossa Yankee 500cc two stroke twin racer conversion.

I love Nortons. I love Velocettes. This hill
climb special Norvel ticked both boxes.

Novel again. Very functional and with a certain
elegance.

'Spring Heel Jack' 1927 works KSS Velocette with experimental
Bentley and Draper rear suspension. Tried out at the 1928 TT
in practice but judged unsuccessful.

Sprin Heel Jack on the hill. Sadly when I saw it the bike wasn't
running sweetly at all.

Nice Honda CB750 based chop. Raked, lowered, solid rear
struts and a BSA fuel tank.

Another cracking Honda CB750 based special, this one a cafe
racer. Beautifully executed.

Lovely functional Norton ES2 based race bike.

Prescott Bike Festival 2015 pt1

Slung a leg over the BMW this morning and headed North for the Prescott Bike Festival. The Bugatti Owners' Club owned hill climb is a great venue for a bike event, enough space for a few stalls and exhibits and of course the historic hill for demonstration runs. The bonus of it being BOC owned is that catering is a bit above usual bike show stuff too!

The weather gods were kind and big numbers of spectators turned up. Plenty of interesting bikes to see and a good showing of three wheelers too. The demonstration runs ranged from the impressive (super motos giving it some beans, Manx Nortons and a feisty Grinall three wheeler) to folks going up on Yamaha Fizzies but it was all good fun and that is what it is all about, that and raising money for Blood Bikes.

Here's the first tranche of stand out machines from the day...

Moto Guzzi engined Triking style home brewed three wheeler
by the name of 'Silverfish'.

Nicely executed Ducati new school cafe racer.

For me this was the stand out machine of the event. I was
lucky enough to have a chat with the owner / builder who
filled me in on the details. More below...

The front suspension, brakes and steering are from a
Westfield kit car.

All panels are aluminium and hand beaten.

Lines of the machine are very elegant, probably the prettiest
home built three wheeler I've seen.

Detailing is excellent.

Power plant and drive train is Honda Pan-European. 140hp
gives plenty of welly.

Unusual to see a Rickman Metisse combo. This one has a
Triumph pre-unit motor.

Great finish on the tank of a trials Cotton.

Here's the full Cotton trials. Had a chat with the owner. It's
been rebuilt recently to use rather than shine. A nice job done
of renovating a machine whilst keeping character.

Another three-wheeler. JZR Daytona.

Front view of the JZR.

Lambretta LD, rennovated yet rusty and packing a surprise.

Drive train has been replaced with a newer Piaggio unit.

Nice job.

This one had me lusting. Ultra rare Magni Moto Guzzi Daytona.

The Magni Guzzi again, beautiful from every angle.

Can't resist.. one more detail of the Magni.

Definitely one of these would be in my fantasy garage.
Douglas 90 Plus production racer.

The brake fitted to the 80 and 90 Plus Douglas is possibly
the finest looking brake to come out of any British factory.

Another detail on the Dougie.