Wanted Moto Guzzi Le Mans [Archive]

laRIKin

27th January 2009, 07:28

Wanted Moto Guzzi Lemans,or similar earlier the better. If anyone knows of one for sale please let us know.(cash buyer)

Many Thanks:2thumbsup

They are getting harder and harder to get.

Most guys just hang on to theirs and buy another bike.
As they have owned them for so long.
We did for years until lately.
Sold two for our Le Mans-ers (MKIII and MKIVSE) and kept one MKIII.
We do think about selling it now and then.

I have just started riding it again and my partner does not want us to ever sell it.
And I must admit it is good to ride the funny tractor.
Even after years of sitting, hook up the battery put in some new clean gas and bang, they would rattles back in to life.

And everyone I know with the older Guzzi will not sell theirs and some have owned theirs from new.
They have sold a newer Guzzi but their first ones they still have.

If I do hear of one I will let you know.

I think we would only sell or trade ours for a older Loop Frame type bike.
And a side car would be nice for giggles.

nudemetalz

27th January 2009, 09:23

hi thanks i had a look at the mk1 great project but turned out to be a cx frame number and engine number starts with vg

Forgive my ignorance, but what's a cx frame number?
Surely not the "Honda Tractor" ?

Paul in NZ

27th January 2009, 09:51

Forgive my ignorance, but what's a cx frame number?
Surely not the "Honda Tractor" ?

Maybe he means a CX100... The Mk2 Lemans did not meet US emission regs so they whacked an SP1000 engine into a Mk2 chassis and made a CX100 - there are a few about in NZ and apparently the loverly soft SP1000 engine makes it a pretty good thing.

Word of warning though - Guzzi frame numbers for Mk1's are a subject of great debate and even the factory has come up with various ranges. Not unusual if you consider the low volume of bikes made by Guzzi...

There was a nice Mk2 on Trademe for a while? What about that?

Ditto what people say about these bikes - you don't use it for ages then one day you do and go all goeey again..... Hugely under rated!

dangerous

27th January 2009, 11:23

The mk2 on trademe
the lovely lines of the mk5 on TM love the tail section.
A CX100

850

27th January 2009, 17:42

hi lemans i think its time to sell your mk111 I can see this parked in my shed cheers

laRIKin

28th January 2009, 15:46

hi lemans i think its time to sell your mk111 I can see this parked in my shed cheers

And I could see me buried six feet under ground if I did.

Here is a teaser.

dangerous

28th January 2009, 16:50

And I could see me buried six feet under ground if I did.

Here is a teaser.

:Oi: ... pic with the fairing on please... :headbang:

laRIKin

28th January 2009, 17:30

:Oi: ... pic with the fairing on please... :headbang:

I can only find ones with half the fairing on, they must be on film.
Will look and have to scan.

850

29th January 2009, 20:39

what a cool bike.I can see why you wouldnt sell it.let me no if you change your mind cheers

Dodgyiti

30th January 2009, 17:33

hi thanks i had a look at the mk1 great project but turned out to be a cx frame number and engine number starts with vg they wanted $8000 for it and it will need a great deal of money and work if it was a mk1 i would have brought it. The mk5 does look good though.There must be some one out there that has on they can sell thanks

You are right, that bike would take 7K doing eveything yourself to make good, and then it is still a small valve soft cam bike without the rough edges that make the LeMans bikes so much fun (lumpy idle, getting 'on the cam',induction roar etc etc)
And even then it will only be worth about 7 anyway.

That 850T with the Mk1 tank would be my pick of the current listings, or cough up for the mint Mk2, that is a lovely lovely bike that will not devalue from the asking price

Dangerous is right, people hang onto the good Mk1/2's. But everything has a price depending on how deep your pockets are. The last 'tidy-ish' genuine Mk1 on TM went for $18,200 and I would not let mine go for under 20 because I just spent $XXXX.XX on it to basically make it factory new (if the factory was in West Auckland and they had a serious bling fetish)

Dodgyiti

30th January 2009, 17:37

Word of warning though - Guzzi frame numbers for Mk1's are a subject of great debate and even the factory has come up with various ranges. Not unusual if you consider the low volume of bikes made by Guzzi...

You bet, no one can seem to give any definitive answer. I expect at the time they grabbed a frame off the line and then it was designated Mk1. Alas all the frames were the same for SP/T-3/Mk1/Convert around 76-79 anyway and they are a small factory and urm.. Italian:banana:

If it's got a motor beginning with VE then that is about as sure as you can be that it will either be a Mk1, or Mk2 as even the later (higher) engine numbers have found to be inaccurate as to exactly which one they went into. They knocked up a few later Mk1's at dealer request as the Mk2 was not selling as well.

850

30th January 2009, 20:41

You bet, no one can seem to give any definitive answer. I expect at the time they grabbed a frame off the line and then it was designated Mk1. Alas all the frames were the same for SP/T-3/Mk1/Convert around 76-79 anyway and they are a small factory and urm.. Italian:banana:

If it's got a motor beginning with VE then that is about as sure as you can be that it will either be a Mk1, or Mk2 as even the later (higher) engine numbers have found to be inaccurate as to exactly which one they went into. They knocked up a few later Mk1's at dealer request as the Mk2 was not selling as well.

no the motor and frame both start with vg but if i was to buy this and spend $7000 plus on it it would have to be a gen mk1 and it sounds less and less likey thanks mate let me no if you no of any lemans for sale cheers

laRIKin

31st January 2009, 08:21

no the motor and frame both start with vg but if i was to buy this and spend $7000 plus on it it would have to be a gen mk1 and it sounds less and less likey thanks mate let me no if you no of any lemans for sale cheers

You see most Guzzi owners value their bikes higher than normal people.:Playnice:

I would pay $6000 to $7000 for it if the tank was not dented and it had carbs on it.
I do not care if it was the real McCoy until I got closer to $10000 and would pay happily pay $12000 if it was the real deal.(I know guys that think theirs are worth 18k:zzzz:)

Shit if the tank was not dented I would swap the carbs between the MKIII and it until I got some.

Has anyone got a good steel tank for this bike and how much?
I may put a bid on it.

We would not even think about selling our MKIII until about $6500.
Is it worth it??
Well it is to us as we could not find any thing else for that money, that WE would like to have to enjoy and ride.

When I was selling my Le Mans-ers, I had a lot of people that wanted one and wanted me to give them the bike for F/A.

One day in both cases, I had the real deal sort of guys turn up out of the blue saying do you want to sell your bike?
Well we talked about the bikes and all that crap.
I let them test ride as they knew there Guzzi's.

When it came to price, I just said I think they are worth between this (bad one) and this (real good one) and as mine is like this I think it is worth this.

They thought about and then the hand went in to the pocket.

You will get cheap Guzzi's when the guy want out of it fast because he needs money or is sick of it.
Other wise he will not sell until he gets his Guzzi person price.

I have and others have taken years to get this price, but we have got this price and don't care if it sells or not.

And that is why most Guzzi nuts have a shed full of the buggers.:ride::ride::ride::ride:

Rant over.:Oops:

dangerous

31st January 2009, 09:02

Funny aye how you say a 20+ yr old bike is worth 12k yet my limited one of in NZ, that is 4yrs old and so much nicer to ride bike is only worth the same :beer:

But ya know what I know why, in ways I liked my 1100i sport more than the LeMans due to its roar MG tendancys like a straight cut 5 speed box heavier fly wheel all making it feel like a old un tamed beast... I can only expect the further back you go the more indervidual these bikes are.

Recently I road the new 8v 1200 griso... with its 2-1 exhaust and higher reving engine it felt ever so much more like a jappa... hmmm, bet ya in 20+ years they wont be worth a hell of a lot more either.

Paul in NZ

31st January 2009, 10:22

You could buy brand new replica Mk1 tanks (in steel) from the US for around $600 NZ - a mate got a just in case spare for his Mk1.

They ran out for a bit but... They have them for $810 US now....

http://www.mgcycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=441

laRIKin

31st January 2009, 11:35

They have all ways said the older the Guzzi the better.

The motor is still the same basic lump and they have just pepped it up, add injection and a better frame and brakes.

The older ones have history on their side and most Guzzi nuts love this.

The newer one are trapped between an old motor trying to be a fast modern bike.
This will never happen until they build a new motor.

And then you will get the same problems HD have with their V Rod motor and Triumph have with their newer range and BMW had when they tried to faze out the Boxer motor with the K motor.

And thanks for the link for the tanks Paul.
A nice second hand one would suite me as it would be more original and have the badge.

And like I said earlier, I would like a loop framed bike more. (with nice side car)
And think I have the best of the Le Mans-ers.
A naked MKIII (which we may put a MKI fairing on) and I have some spoke wheels to put on it one day.

Paul in NZ

31st January 2009, 14:23

And thanks for the link for the tanks Paul.
A nice second hand one would suite me as it would be more original and have the badge..

Methinks you 'may' just have to pay a bit more than that for a ridgy didgy one... :gob:

I sort of agree, my preference is older stuff but - it's a big world... I do love our Mk2, fug ugly as it is, there is a feel of honest foolishness about the lump that is very endearing... Its a bit like a faithfull pet hippo that was found abandoned on the riverbank by a caring whippet and raised with it's own pups... You end up with this enourmous fat whippet thats about 500 times stronger than it needs to be and has a bad attitude and a strong belief that it's a lot faster than it really is!

850

31st January 2009, 20:41

You see most Guzzi owners value their bikes higher than normal people.:Playnice:

I would pay $6000 to $7000 for it if the tank was not dented and it had carbs on it.
I do not care if it was the real McCoy until I got closer to $10000 and would pay happily pay $12000 if it was the real deal.(I know guys that think theirs are worth 18k:zzzz:)

Shit if the tank was not dented I would swap the carbs between the MKIII and it until I got some.

Has anyone got a good steel tank for this bike and how much?
I may put a bid on it.

We would not even think about selling our MKIII until about $6500.
Is it worth it??
Well it is to us as we could not find any thing else for that money, that WE would like to have to enjoy and ride.

When I was selling my Le Mans-ers, I had a lot of people that wanted one and wanted me to give them the bike for F/A.

One day in both cases, I had the real deal sort of guys turn up out of the blue saying do you want to sell your bike?
Well we talked about the bikes and all that crap.
I let them test ride as they knew there Guzzi's.

When it came to price, I just said I think they are worth between this (bad one) and this (real good one) and as mine is like this I think it is worth this.

They thought about and then the hand went in to the pocket.

You will get cheap Guzzi's when the guy want out of it fast because he needs money or is sick of it.
Other wise he will not sell until he gets his Guzzi person price.

I have and others have taken years to get this price, but we have got this price and don't care if it sells or not.

And that is why most Guzzi nuts have a shed full of the buggers.:ride::ride::ride::ride:

Rant over.:Oops:hi I WOULD BE KEEN ON A MK111 LET ME NO IF YOU ARE KEEN TO SELL IF SO HOW MUCH CHEERS 850

dangerous

31st January 2009, 21:21

hi I WOULD BE KEEN ON A MK111 LET ME NO IF YOU ARE KEEN TO SELL IF SO HOW MUCH CHEERS 850
hahahahaaaaaaaaaa... bloody fat fingers :Oops:

kiwifruit

31st January 2009, 21:27

Matt Bleck (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?u=2889) has 2 V11s in his shed, give him a pm

850

1st February 2009, 07:32

thats a no i take it cheers

laRIKin

1st February 2009, 08:27

hi I WOULD BE KEEN ON A MK111 LET ME NO IF YOU ARE KEEN TO SELL IF SO HOW MUCH CHEERS 850

thats a no i take it cheers

We do not know and do think about sell it now and then.
But we are happy having the bike and still enjoy riding it.

Right price, right person maybe.

I guess every thing for sale if the price is right.

That's the best I can do at this stage.

Keep looking as one will pop up you will like.
Even that MKI (rep?) with carbs and new or fixed tank will be a nice bike to have own and ride.

AllanB

1st February 2009, 08:47

Yummy.

I remember years ago when I was looking at a new Guzzi I was given this advice by a few people 'don't buy a new one, get a 3-4 year old one as the owner will have spend all the money needed by then to sort it out and it will be sweet' Classic.

I never got one being younger and more impressionable. I also never purchased the mint fully rebuilt Bonnie or Ducati off my mate when he was selling them.

Ah memories.

Dodgyiti

1st February 2009, 10:59

We do not know and do think about sell it now and then.
But we are happy having the bike and still enjoy riding it.

Right price, right person maybe.

I guess every thing for sale if the price is right.

That's the best I can do at this stage.

Keep looking as one will pop up you will like.
Even that MKI (rep?) with carbs and new or fixed tank will be a nice bike to have own and ride.

Last Mk3 I saw changed hands for 6.5K and it was not as nice as your one so maybe raise your sights a little, heck, I would pay that for your bike in a 'PM me your banking details while I get BikeTrans on the phone' sort of way.

As for 36mm Double Pumper Delloto's- Unless you know someone I don't, just try and buy a set will ya? I will give $1000 cash money for a set right now, I have been looking for a set for 3 years and may phone calls overseas and internet searching, they stopped making them and there are no dusty ones siting on shelves anywhere I can find. You can get round body 36mm's new piece of piss, but the Lemans Guzzis need that initial squirt when you crack the throttle or otherwise they will always have a wee flat spot under acceleration off idle.

Come on 850- just buy that Mk2. If you don't like the fairings they do come off in 20 minutes and you can buy a MK1 front screen and fairing new and have change from $200
(that will make my mint factory standard Mk2 even more collectable:pinch:)

Katman

1st February 2009, 11:06

Just to prove there are some people out there with no sense of class...........

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Other/auction-196935009.htm

:sick:

850

1st February 2009, 12:38

had a email regarding the mk2 on trade me and this person said he had brought this bike ( he named the owner and plate number etc...)for $9800 he payed for it and still hasnt got the bike he also stated this was going throw court so noing this would you buy it and have it taken away from you weeks later cheers 850

laRIKin

1st February 2009, 13:02

Last Mk3 I saw changed hands for 6.5K and it was not as nice as your one so maybe raise your sights a little,

Hey $6500 was just a starting point.:whistle:
If this turns in to a Dutch auction and SDU reads this I'm in the deep sticky stuff.
It is hard to put a price on old Guzzi's.

Just to prove there are some people out there with no sense of class...........

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Other/auction-196935009.htm

:sick:

It's not me at all.
It has been well done, so I have be told.
Still not my cup of tea.

had a email regarding the mk2 on trade me and this person said he had brought this bike ( he named the owner and plate number etc...)for $9800 he payed for it and still hasnt got the bike he also stated this was going throw court so noing this would you buy it and have it taken away from you weeks later cheers 850

Sound like it is going to get messy, real soon.
And that is a higher price than I would expect for one.
Must be a real tidy one or they are starting to go up in value again.

850

1st February 2009, 13:12

will be keen on that do you have any pic or are there some on kiwi biker web sight cheers 850

Dodgyiti

1st February 2009, 13:20

Just to prove there are some people out there with no sense of class...........

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Other/auction-196935009.htm

:sick:

Sometimes pays to know the whole story.
If you suddenly came down with something that affected your balance and ability to ride, would you sell your beloved bike and throw in the towel - or throw 10K and your beloved bike to one of the best builders of these things in the country and keep going? At least now he is better he is champing at the bit to get back on 2 wheels again.
And that trike is pretty good in the twisties, the rider and pillion work together like a champion sidecar outfit to give a few folks a run for their money.

LeMans- All roundbarrel bikes have met their bottom dollar and are starting to go up across the board. A tidy original MK2 in the UK would hit 9K+ NZD and that one is tidy. Even the lowly T and T-3 are fetching 6K for real tidy ones so it makes 9 for a MK2 seem reasonable. The last few on the open market sold for 6-7.5 and none were a shade on this one. I know of an almost as tidy one that went for 10K middle of last year. But I did not know the history of that one till 850 mentioned the email. Not worth the bother. When I bought my MK1 about 6 years ago I could of had a mint MK2 for 4K, tidy MK1's were 6-9K and a low km 'T' was 3.5K

PaulinNZ should sell his MK2, he never takes it out anymore anyway, just let him take a photo for the garage wall first.

Katman

1st February 2009, 13:27

would you sell your beloved bike and throw in the towel

Definately not - but I sure as fuck wouldn't desecrate it by putting a third wheel on it, either.

850

1st February 2009, 13:42

Sometimes pays to know the whole story.
If you suddenly came down with something that affected your balance and ability to ride, would you sell your beloved bike and throw in the towel - or throw 10K and your beloved bike to one of the best builders of these things in the country and keep going? At least now he is better he is champing at the bit to get back on 2 wheels again.
And that trike is pretty good in the twisties, the rider and pillion work together like a champion sidecar outfit to give a few folks a run for their money.

LeMans- All roundbarrel bikes have met their bottom dollar and are starting to go up across the board. A tidy original MK2 in the UK would hit 9K+ NZD and that one is tidy. Even the lowly T and T-3 are fetching 6K for real tidy ones so it makes 9 for a MK2 seem reasonable. The last few on the open market sold for 6-7.5 and none were a shade on this one. I know of an almost as tidy one that went for 10K middle of last year. But I did not know the history of that one till 850 mentioned the email. Not worth the bother. When I bought my MK1 about 6 years ago I could of had a mint MK2 for 4K, tidy MK1's were 6-9K and a low km 'T' was 3.5K

PaulinNZ should sell his MK2, he never takes it out anymore anyway, just let him take a photo for the garage wall first.

come on paulinnz sell your bike to me cheers

Dodgyiti

1st February 2009, 13:51

come on paulinnz sell your bike to me cheers

There would have to be a plan to get it off him involving a swap of some obscure and rusty pommy bike and a tea chest of indiscernable other rusty bits. And some quality lubricant :apint:

I do know of another guy who could have his arm twisted (Paul is old and brittle, you might break him) maybe...
Just give him a ring during working hours, introduce yourself and be polite, say your looking for a MK3 cash buyer, and see what he says, he may know of someone.
PM me.
A Mk3 is a good start for a first time Guzzi owner, they are the quiet achievers, in other words, everyone raves about the round barrel bikes but the Mk3 is actually a better bike in a lot of ways, the Mk4 & 5 were a lot heavier and not really any quicker than the '3' and the '3' would be my investment pick.
Damn, I just heard the price for LeMans's one go up again...

850

1st February 2009, 14:00

lets work together and get this bike off him and on the road were they should be cheers

Paul in NZ

1st February 2009, 15:49

Just to prove there are some people out there with no sense of class...........

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Other/auction-196935009.htm

:sick:

The guy that had it converted has owned it from new but now has a fairly serious disability (illness, no accident) - this was his only option at the time.

He now thinks he is well enough for 2 wheels.

He seemed a real nice guy and full of class... Weaker souls would have given up riding...

Paul in NZ

1st February 2009, 15:51

laRIKin

1st February 2009, 16:00

but the Mk3 is actually a better bike in a lot of ways, the Mk4 & 5 were a lot heavier and not really any quicker than the '3' and the '3' would be my investment pick.
Damn, I just heard the price for LeMans's one go up again...

lets work together and get this bike off him and on the road were they should be cheers

You are right the MKIII's are a good balanced bike and that is why we sold 3 of your Guzzi's and kept two, one of which is the MKIII.

It still on the road as I have been riding it latly to save the softer tires on the Sprint.
I think I will be riding it down to the Vincent County Rally this coming weekend as it can carry more gear with the GIVI's on it than the Sprint.

Katman

1st February 2009, 16:03

I remember when the first MkIIIs were on the showroom floors.

Along with the CX500T they were virtually the only bikes readily available that were over a 10K pricetag.

AllanB

1st February 2009, 16:35

Good for him with the trike - if I get to the stage where 2 wheels are not possible then 3 is a good compromise! :2thumbsup

Dodgyiti

1st February 2009, 17:19

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Classic-vintage/auction-200710114.htm

Shame it's white but if you want a tidy one....:mobile:

Yeah the trike owner is a hard case alright, no adversity tough enough to phase that fella.

Paul, I did offer to buy her off you but then you know what I would do to her :devil2:

:bleh:

Paul in NZ

1st February 2009, 18:11

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Classic-vintage/auction-200710114.htm

You could do a LOT worse than that....

Paul, I did offer to buy her off you but then you know what I would do to her :devil2::bleh:

GAH! You wouldn't DARE!

850

1st February 2009, 19:48

come on guys still havent found one

dangerous

2nd February 2009, 04:46

come on guys still havent found one
Here ya are MK3 http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=200710114 just came on line last night as did this
Mk4 http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=200722259
Mk2 http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=200802504

xr-rider

3rd February 2009, 08:31

heres one on trade me http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-200953715.htm

R1madness

3rd February 2009, 08:46

Hi. I see you are after a mk3 Lemans. How about a genuine mk1 instead. I can supply one from a private collection that has a lot of new parts with it for $13500. If you are seriously interested you can email me, eyespeed@paradise.net.nz , and i will arrange for some pics to be emailed to you. Sorry no pics to be posted on here at collectors request.
It has been registered in NZ but that was 15 odd years ago so i would need to recomply it. Thats no hassel tho so it would come sorted and ready to ride with 6 months rego and a new VTNZ wof.
Regards
Ian
Just Motorcycles

Paulo

3rd February 2009, 14:17

Not an 850 But i love the look of this, Hard as nails.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Classic-vintage/auction-200568038.htm

Taz

3rd February 2009, 19:02

Not an 850 But i love the look of this, Hard as nails.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Classic-vintage/auction-200568038.htm

Almost looks like a more modern version of mine.......
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=116309&d=1232157068

dangerous

4th February 2009, 04:05

heres one on trade me http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-200953715.htm

Ugley as... but I love it :scooter:

Paulo

5th February 2009, 17:54

Almost looks like a more modern version of mine.......
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=116309&d=1232157068

Thats a head turner if ever I saw one, veeery nice.

850

9th February 2009, 20:24

THANK YOU to all that have helped me find a moto guzzi mk1 that i have now brought .will see some of you guys on the road.thanks once again cheers 850

SDU

9th February 2009, 22:28

Almost looks like a more modern version of mine.......
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=116309&d=1232157068

:love: very nice

SDU

9th February 2009, 22:29

THANK YOU to all that have helped me find a moto guzzi mk1 that i have now brought .will see some of you guys on the road.thanks once again cheers 850

Congrats :rockon:

Don't forget the pictures

850

11th February 2009, 19:25

will do thanks 850

dangerous

11th February 2009, 19:38

THANK YOU to all that have helped me find a moto guzzi mk1 that i have now brought .will see some of you guys on the road.thanks once again cheers 850

And ya not the only owner to buy Guzzi this week, clarisky's old man brought Lemans V11 LeMans today.

laRIKin

11th February 2009, 19:50

And ya not the only owner to buy Guzzi this week, clarisky's old man brought Lemans V11 LeMans today.

Close but it is not a Le Mans mate, it is a 2000 V11 Sport.

I went around and meet the new owner at his sister place. (thanks for the cup of tea)
The guys said at Street and Sport said the test rider disappeared for about 3 1/2 hours.
They though he had (a) crashed it or (b) was having to much fun and was going to buy it.
It turned out to be (b) and pick's the bike up tomorrow to take it home as he no where to store it over night.

It is a great bike and I know that you get a good run out of it and have a lot of fun on it. (as I did)

PS: the shop put a new rear tire and a small fairing on it