1978 Moto Guzzi Le Mans vs. 1980 Ducati 900 SS
(Page 2 of 4)
July/August 2008
Story by Neale Bayly; Photos by Tom Riles and Neale Bayly
Settling down as I head around the track, I notice the Ducati pulls cleanly in a lazy, loping manner — don’t expect the vintage power output to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Circulating this challenging track, the 900 SS steers reasonably well and I am starting to get some lean angle in the corners. Stability is excellent, and by the third lap it is all making more sense. I also find there is no point revving the engine beyond 6,500rpm, and I start urging the bike out of the corners using its ample low-end grunt. Getting used to the brakes the laps become easier, as I get lost in the hypnotic cadence of the booming Conti pipes and the accompanying intake noise from the Dell’Ortos running free of filters.
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The seating arrangement allows a good racing tuck on the straights, and spotting Shane’s buddy Aaron Dewar ahead on the Guzzi, I twist the throttle to give chase. Braking later and accelerating earlier, the big Ducati and I are finding our groove, and the fun content is rising quicker than the tach needle as I pass Aaron, which yields a front end push transitioning the bike for the upcoming corner. Not heeding the warning, I keep the throttle pinned, and a few corners later I am in the middle of the previously described debacle, which, thankfully, doesn’t end in tears.
Taking a positive away from a near disaster, I slow significantly to ride the bike at a speed more akin to a good road pace, and here the Ducati excels. The long, smooth power pulses make pulling out of corners effortless, and the taut suspension makes bend swinging stable and fun.
Back in the pits and looking for some redemption, I check the skinny touring tires’ pressure to find over 45psi front and rear. No wonder they didn’t want to grip. This helps me understand the ride experience better, and if we’d had more time I would have tried the Ducati at track pressures, as I’m sure it would have only enhanced the experience.
Moto Guzzi Le Mans
Keeping my adventures quiet, lest Shane should change his mind about me riding his Le Mans next, I make my way over to the bright red machine from Mandello Del Lario. A 1978 model, Shane bought it in 2001 and has mildly upgraded it since, fitting bits like an electronic ignition and a Keihan exhaust system.
Stepping up to it, I am surprised by the vivid memories I instantly recall. From the moment I swing my leg over the skinny plank that doubles for a seat, flip up the choke lever, give the accelerator pumps a couple of shots of premium and turn the large ignition key, I am transported back to the seat of the Le Mans I piloted in the early Eighties. Thumbing the starter button, the big Guzzi immediately fires to life and begins its routine of thumping, shaking, rattling and rolling from side to side as the Dell’Ortos — sans filters as on the Ducati — start sucking and snorting. Although quieter on the exhaust than the Ducati, this time the hairs do stand up on the back of my neck.