I decided not to fight my mid-life crisis but rather embrace it.
16 years ago, I sold my most favorite motorcycle I ever owned, a 1998 Moto Guzzi Centauro in the two tone graphite. I worshiped that bike. We fit each other. It was the most incredible sounding motorcycle I had ever heard, and the engine was quite simply, a joy to rev all over the place. Everybody who saw her, stopped me and wanted to ask questions about the bike and take a picture. We received compliments everywhere we went and best of all, I never saw another one coming down the road towards me. We were truly unique.
Unfortunately, when I moved to Ohio 16 ears ago, an erroneous dealer network book made me believe that there was no viable dealer here in Ohio and that I would have a 465 mile one way-commute to get to a dealer, so faced with that "fact", I sold my beloved steed. Stupid stupid stupid. Biggest regret of my life!
Well, I just bought this...a 1997 Moto Guzzi Centauro in "Cream Puff" condition for a paltry $4,500. Take my money, please!!!
That's the way a dashboard should look! No scratches from a collection of stupid keys banging the hell out of it. Perfect! This bike was loved and she will be loved even more now! I'm excited to have her whisper her name to me!
I'm having her shipped from Reno to Ohio and I can hardly wait to put her into the garage. I now have a winter project! I will enjoy stripping her down and detailing her from the frame up for the spring reveal. The MIstral Carbon Fiber Dual Round Exhausts are already on their way. This is so much fun I'm like a kid in a candy store. This Centauro, like my Stelvio, is forever NOT FOR SALE. Part of the Permanent Collection. I'm not sure about the two tone yellow just yet and I might have her painted to the factory two tone graphite configuration like my first one was. We'll see.
I speak Italian to my motorcycles and I'm sure she will enjoy chatting with her cousin, La Bestia Bella, a.k.a. Stella in the garage at night! Life is good.
If you've never heard what a Centauro sounds like, it is unlike any other Guzzi ever made.
It is the very definition of Basso Profondo!
The opening and ending (36:56) of this video, has that wonderful sound. Listen and enjoy!