Pexi's Moto Guzzi Weblog

Moto Guzzi Breva Register (updated July 17, 2006)

The Moto Guzzi Breva Register, a public collection of Breva V.I.N. numbers and owners is accessible via this site.

If you own a Breva, register it here if you are interested to see:

• how other Brevas are spread around the globe
• how close match to your own VIN you can find
• and in a long run want to document the history of your bike

The information to register is (my own info as an example):

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1. V.I.N. number: ZGULL00004M116813
2. Color: Black
3. Date and location of the first registration: 1 Oct 2004, France, Alpes Maritimes
4. Current owner, name or nickname: Pexi
5. Current location: France, Alpes Maritimes
6. Ownership sequence number: 1st owner
7. Other misc info: 4800 km @ 29 Jan 2005

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The current listing is available here in .pdf format.

Easiest way to send your registration is to copy-paste the example above, change the information and send it either by email (to pexi(at)mediterrum.com), or simply by using the comments-link below.

Register your Breva (750 or 1100) now!

Breva VIN number explained

Interestingly the information contained in the Vehicle Identification Number V.I.N. is described in the USA version of Breva Use+Maintenance Book, but it's not described in the thick multilingual European version (Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Holland (?) and UK).

Here's the info, using my Breva's V.I.N. *ZGULL00004M116813* as an example:

Z = Country in which the vehicle was manufactured, Z = Italy
GU = Manufacturer's identification code
LL00 = Vehicle type and model
0 = Check digit
4 = Model year = 2004
M = Assembling factory (M=Mandello)
116813 = Sequential serial number

Any close matches out there?

Revenge of the Snow

It was snowing so much in the afternoon and evening that we couldn't even drive our cars to home. The hill was too steep. I never ever imagined this could happen here so of course we have no chains, no sand or anything. Hope it's getting warmer tomorrow, but the weather forecast doesn't look too good. Snow is not a problem in Finland where people are equipped for that, but here in Côte d'Azur...not.

Biker road

Once again I went to the popular biker road La Napoule - Théoule sur Mer - Le Trayas -Anthéor - Agay - St-Raphaël. You can comfortably ride this one on winter as it's on the coast, never frosted. Today's weather was a bit gloomy but dry, temperature around 11°C / 52°F. And as usual, many bikers were around. This must be one of the most popular biker roads in this area, it's easy to access and it's made out of 25 km of curves. All kind of curves. Some are dangerous, blind, tightening and narrow ones, and others are just pure pleasure - even for a no-racer like me. During the summer it's too crowded, but now, off-season, it's really a perfect section for how-to-take-the-curves training.

You can see many kind of riding here, varying from easy going cruising to dangerous and scary, aggressive street racing. But we all enjoy it.

 

Flat battery (or so I thought - updated)

No riding during the week. Then today, early Saturday afternoon I went down and took the Guzzi out of the garage. Disengaged the alarm and pushed the starter button. I could hear that the starter turned the engine really slowly, but as usual, the V-twin  came alive immediately. No problem. I really didn't think about it, just let the engine idling and went back in to put my riding gear on. Sun was shining as usual, all the worries of the week forgotten and my mind already on the road.

I had planned to buy new winter riding gloves, so I rode down to Mougins, where Maison de la Moto usually has a good choice of all kind of riding gear. A bright chicken-yellow Guzzi Centauro just left the shop when I arrived. Never seen a Centauro on the streets before. Odd and unique machine it is. Ugly as hell, so ugly that it's beautiful. A bike with real character and presence. Ermmm, what was this story about...oh yes, I bought the gloves. Half an hour later I was ready to leave the shop, forgot to disengage the alarm, whiuuu-whiuuu, and after all the resulting fuzz I tried to start the Guzzi. Nothing. A faint and weak "click" from the solenoid, nothing else. Shit, flat battery. Went back in and said I needed some help. They opened the gates to the workshop, which was otherwise closed on Saturday and I pushed the bike in, we plugged the cables and voila! Alive again. They didn't even accept any pour-boire: "Free service for a biker". At least I can give public credit for Maison de la Moto. Visit them!

Back at home I wanted to verify that the flat battery was not due to a broken alternator. I measured the voltage with a multimeter:

• Engine off: 12.7 V

• Idle: 12.2 V - not charging - those "always on" headlights are taking more electricity than the alternator produces at idle.

• 2000 rpm: 12.7 V

• 2500 rpm: 14.0 V - charging

• 3000 rpm: 14.2 V - full output

• above 3000 rpm: 14.2 V - steady full charge

So, no problem really. The alternator is working ok. I just needed to charge the battery, so I made an unusually aggressive, high rpm ride to the coast and back.  

Update: actually it has appeared that it was nothing to do with a battery - the problem is that the aftermarket alarm/electronic anti-theft system is occasionally behaving oddly. Follow-up posts may appear when I've located the exact cause...

Life is hard

I'm not riding to the office until the nights get warmer again. Last Monday morning I had a too scary ride - the shady, northern side areas in the valley of Opio and Sophia Antipolis were covered by frost. Being scared, I rode those sections of road with the clutch lever engaged, and I dont't really want to do that again. I'll rather wait for warmer weather.

However, the days are already getting remarkably longer and the sun keeps shining so the afternoon temperatures are almost perfect for riding. Missus has been away from the bike for a long while but today she wanted to have a go. We rode to Nice together, had some warm drinks and then rode back to home via the village of Biot. Sweet and lazy winter Sunday. The pics are from the Promenade des Anglais, taken from the terrasse of the café beside the Palais de la Méditérranée.

How's the weather?

Be careful: if you ask me about the weather, I'll tell you about it! Have a look at my "Côte d'Azur riding weather service" - I've put it up just for you, ladies and gentlemen! The page is available here.

And here is a preview of the on-line short term trend:

It's like summer

Hard to believe it's 2nd of January. We had 16°C in Nice and plain sunshine, Promenade des Anglais was full of beautiful ladys - and I was sweating inside my polar expedition riding equipment. It's difficult to concentrate on traffic and those walking pieces of human art! This will be a good year.

Another year has started

To sum up the 2004 and the three months I have had the Guzzi:

4328 km, not a single problem. The engine still feels stronger and better after every mile. Fuel warning light comes on like a clockwork after 210 - 220 kms and if I fill it up immediately it takes almost exactly 10 liters, so the average consumption is regularly 4.7 l/100km / 60 mpg. So, with my riding style I could easily do 350 kms before refueling - yet I've never done that, as I've got no balls to look the yellow warning light that long on the dashboard.

After the first service the engine has not consumed any oil. Or at least there has been no need to add any oil. The oil in the pan is Silkolene Pro4 15W50. It's red, which makes it easier to check the level. What else... those 4300 kms have been a pleasure, I love this Guzzi to the guts. It's an honest bike, made for grown up people, with a lot of unexplainable Italian flair.

Right. My riding year 2005 started nicely: I rode to Col de Vence (altitude 963 m) and then down to the coast. The odd white buildings in the picture are the Marina of Villeneuve Loubet. The weather was incredibly nice, plain sunshine, not a single cloud, temperature was around 13°C at the coast, 10°C in the Col de Vence. Perfect day. And Glenmorangie tastes good after the winter ride.