''Oh, bloody hell,'' I cursed for the umpteenth time, as the starter motor whirred feebly and the big Guzzi 750S3 sat there, transformed instantly in my mind from a sleek Italian thoroughbred into a pile of metal ready for the nearest scrap merchant. I had by now, however, perfected my Agostini TT style bump start technique, even if I didn't, any more, live on a hill. Unfortunately, the busy main road outside my house meant that I was forced to manically push the 480lbs of Guzzi along the pavement, avoiding children in prams and the gaze of my aged neighbours peering from behind their twitching net curtains.
The bike in question's a 1975 Moto Guzzi 750S3, and the forerunner of the infamous Le Man Mk.1, perhaps the most celebrated Guzzi of them all. The S3 was the first model to wear linked Brembo discs all round...I have to say I swear by them but then again I'm not a road racer. The stories about Italian electrics are well founded but it also has to be said that once all the various components that make up the charging circuit are all in working order, there is no cause for complaint, although a huge car type 32 amp battery is necessary to turn over the heavy flywheel in the large lump of transverse vee-twin engine. My wiring loom is getting on for 20 years old now, so as soon as I fix one break it more often than not breaks somewhere else, and I don't have the time to rewire the main loom at present.
Sorry to use a well worn cliche, but owning something like a 20 year old Italian bike, let alone using it as one's only mode of transport in rain and sun, is like an expensive and at times impractical love affair. So many times it has frustrated me to the point of flogging it and buying something easier to live with, but then a three hour ride out of London on a dry sunny day drags me away from the financial reality into a fantasy world, in which, yes, it's a great bike to ride and, yes, I can afford to keep it at all costs. I'm sure most bikers have been to this other world at some point, if not spent all their time there.
The S3's a rare model in this country - I have only ever seen a handful of others, one of which belongs to my best mate, which is very convenient for fault finding and part substitution. Its beauty is not in doubt, and Moto Guzzi cashed in on this recently with the introduction of the 1000S model, although I reckon the angles of the square barrels can't compete with the sensuous lines of the older round barrel Guzzi motors.
The clip-ons and low seat height make for exhilarating A-road scratching, at the cost of a sore back until you get used to the riding position. Shaft drive means no messing around with chains, although the torque reaction is noticeable when the bike is pushed and replacement UJ's are a painful £120 a throw. The trick is to clean and grease them once a year, when they should give better service.
As mentioned, the brakes are Brembos and discs all round, with formidable stopping power and the pads seem to last forever, even though they are a cinch to replace. Big Guzzis handle well on Metzelers - a front can last for 10,000 miles and a rear for 5000. As they're skinny, 100 and 110 front and rear respectively, they're also cheap. As is the classic motorcycle insurance.
The motor's the bike's real strength, with a claimed 70 horses at the 7000rpm redline, although in reality it's more like 50hp. It doesn't quite have the long legged top end grunt of the bigger Guzzi engines, but revs freely and is silky smooth when well set up. 5000rpm equates to around 75mph, above which the real power's found - it smooths out as the 115mph top speed's reached, although the infamous Veglia clocks can't be relied upon.
Whilst it can hold its own on motorway, corners are far more fun, and its handling, helped admittedly by a new pair of rear Konis, is exemplary, if a little harsh on the spine in the traditional Italian manner.
Ease of access to the engine's legendary on Guzzis - the tappets can be set in 15 minutes and the points ignition's easily accessible. The worst job has to be changing the oil filter which sits inside the sump, removed by lying on your back and unscrewing 18 allen bolts. I change the oil religiously every 1000 miles, and use Castrol GTX. It's important not to overfill as the excess just gets chucked out of the breather pipe until it finds its own level. Most spares can be found in this country, although some are very expensive. I had to get the flip-up mudguard in Italy as I couldn't find one here for lover nor money.
If you're into totally stock bikes, Italy is a good source for silencers and down-pipes, too. The Moto Guzzi GB club is a must for all owners with an excellent magazine, rallies, events and local branch pub meets. My bike is fairly original, although Suzuki switches are an excellent replacement for the standard stuff, but I'm not too bothered about originality.
The 750S3 was built to be thrashed and that's what I do. It isn't a town bike, it needs long journeys and hot oil to run at its best. Then, it runs superbly from dusk to dawn. At present, it's my only motorcycle and is ridden in all weathers - unfortunately, the rain seems to ruin delicate electrical parts such as the starter motor relay - lots of silicone's the way to go. It's a bike that needs owner involvement, but rewards the rider if looked after. It's fast enough, and has an almost unburstable motor, plus it turns heads like only a beautiful Italian bike can.
It does need polishing to keep it shiny, but the alloy and chrome from those pre-'quantity over quality' days at the Guzzi factory were well made and clean up nicely every time. It's practical because it isn't complex or fragile like perhaps the older larger capacity Ducati's - I've ridden mine to and around Italy without a hitch, although the original hump-seat on mine has been replaced by the lower profile V7 Sport seat to accommodate throwover panniers.
Future mods, funds permitting, will include a stainless exhaust system (Guzzi down-pipes are prone to rust), and rear-sets as the standard hangers push your knees on to the cylinder heads, causing scorched knee-caps and a cramped riding position. I'd like to experiment with some larger carbs to replace the small 30mm Del'Orto that are stock equipment, as I've been told that 32 or 34mm pumper Del'Orto's make quite a bit of difference in the delivery, so I'll keep an eye out for a cheap set.
The bike has now done 61000km and is still going strong, and the engine seems good for a while yet. However, I'll have to find a cheap hack for everyday use, as the rain seems to cause the most problems on the S3, apart from the fact that its riding position isn't much fun in the crazy London traffic.
Its skinny profile does allow it to squeeze through the smallest of gaps, surprising many a DR. Crash-bars make sense; I was knocked off last year by a moronic van driver who couldn't decide which lane to stay in but the vulnerable heads and barrels weren't touched, which was a mighty relief. You either love or hate Guzzis but you shouldn't dismiss them until you've ridden one of their sports models. I love them, and intend to hang on to mine, even if it does mean backache and electrical hassles.
James Bolton