Minutes of a Motorcycle Addict

Well, people - it's been a while. I haven't updated my wesite since I returned from the Dragon Rally in February. Sorry 'bout that, but that's what happens when you have too much fun and gets a bit lazy... A lot has happened since February, so here's my photo catch-up cavalcade.

I was supposed to go to the Primus winter rally the last weekend of February. My mate Alf even came down from Averøy to join me, but due to heavy rain (!) we chose to cancel our attendance. Seriously: A winter rally should be cold and snowy - not rainy! Our friend Anne came by to wave us goodbye and have a look at her Yamaha FZ6S which spent the winter season in my garage.

Anne came by my garage to check on her bike.

Just after the Dragon Rally in February I attended a NMCU conference at Gardermoen just north of Oslo. NMCU is, as you may know, THE riders' rights organisation in Norway. Our trustees had a seminar on how to tackle new rules and regulations. These people really know what they're doing!

NMCU trustees at a Gardermoen meeting.

I got to show you this pic (below) of my Guzzi mate Asle. He has probably the most exquisite, perfect Guzzi bar in Northern Europe. He has made his cellar into a Guzzi worship cavern, comprising everything from miniature Guzzi models to an extended range of Guzzi mugs, jars and glasses to be used for Guzzi communion...

Guzzi mate Asle behind the counter in his Guzzi shrine.

In March we had the bi-annual Norwegian Motorcycle Fair at Lillestrøm north of Oslo. Many great bikes, but first and foremost an opportunity to meet up with biker friends from most of Norway as they tend to ease the riding craving by visiting this fair.

The Norwegian Moto Guzzi Club had a booth at the fair, displaying
racing tech guru Eskil's classic racing bike.

Around-the-world rider Tormod (left) and NMCU Secretary General Morten.

And of course, the band had to sample the brew while being together at the fair.

In April, I again went to Averøy to meet the great riders and friends there. We joined the Kristiansund MCEK at their spring party in their recently renovated club house. Needless to say, it was truly an inspiring evening.

Still early evening, and people are behaving.

My brit friend Jon, who practically lives in Kristiansund. Women, you know...

No visit to Averøya without the traditional get-together at Alf's place!

The last weekend of April sees the coming of the Evje spring rally. It's concidered to be the conclusive rally for the winter season, and the opening rally for the summer season. I meet the nicest people at this rally (too), and - strangely enough - the weather has been absolutely ace! At least at the rallies I've been to ;-)

A band of guzzisti with a sidecar rig to drool over at the Evje spring rally.

As always at Evje: Perfect spring weather!

In early May I had a small get-together at my place. People turned up from here and there, and we had a fine evening, enjoying the tingling anticipation of the early riding season as well at the tingling sensation of Italian wine and food.

A fellow Guzzisti, Per Anders, turned up to show his newly built sidecar rig.

My sister Kari tests the ride height of Berit's Ducati Monster. Kari has never been a rider, except for owning a Gilera 50 cc back in the mid-70's.

In June, I broke a promise and achieved Nirvana! I have once stated that a Guzzi shall never leave my garage. Well, I part-exchanged the Guzzi Griso for a brand new Guzzi Stelvio 1200 NTX! I picked it up on my way to the Rally Norway, which was held in Steinkjer north of Trondheim. What a sweet piece of riding machine this Stelvio is! More to come about that in later postings. I can assure you of that!

The Griso is being part-exchanged for the Stelvio at Haugen Motor in Hornindal.

What a magnificent machine! Nirvana!

Strangely enough I do not have any pictures from the Rally Norway in Steinkjer, but it was a really nice rally with lots of attendance and astonishing weather! Later in June, Alf, Evy and myself went for another type of rally called "Wings and Wheels". It's a rally comprising bikes, cars and even planes. It was ok to have been there, but it's not my kind of rally. I prefer the straight bike ones.

Evy and Alf sampling the local goods at the Wings and Wheels rally in Telemark.

Guzzisti at the Wing and Wheels rally.

While at the W&W rally, this pic beeped in on my iPhone. It was Jon sending me an update from my mates in Bingham & District MCC. From the left: Dave, Jon, Julian (standing) and Tom. Hi guys! :-)

On the way back from the W&W rally, Alf rear-ended a van that braked while he was a bit unattentive. The old Yamaha ThunderAce was wrecked, but he got away with it with a few bruises - especially in his pride.

Alf getting a hospital check after his mishap. He's now the proud owner of a Triumph 955i Sprint ST, so maybe the wrecking of the Yamaha was for the better after all.

The first week of July the whole family went to Mandello in Italy. Of course. We went by car as I also brought two of my daughter's friends along. Italy is all about the sweet life, so you can imagine for yourselves how it is spending a week in and around Lago di Como.

A small dinner celebrating Tor and Berit's 60th birthdays at Isola di Comacina. Also in the pic: Henry, Kirsti and my daughter Oda.

Mandello is all about Guzzis. These where displayed in the public park:
A Stelvio 1200 and a V7 racer.

Coming back from Italy, I had an incredible itch for going on an extended bike trip in Norway - especially up north. The weather was crap, though, so my buddies Alf, Jon and I opted for a trip eastbound towards the border to Sweden. Including the mandatory trip to Averøy and Kristiansund to pick up the lads, I was away for a week. The others even went to a rally in Sweden as we parted ways not far from Røros. A great road trip with the lads!

Before me leaving for Averøy, another biker friend of mine, Jørn, and I had a little wrap-up summer meeting over a nice whisky and a couple of beers.

Jon and I en route to Røros, where we would meet up with Alf. We found a few nice gravel roads and decided to check them out next year with more suitable shoes on our bikes.

From the left: Alf with his Triumph Sprint 955i ST, yours truly with the Guzzi Stelvio 1200 NTX, and Jon with his new Triumph XC800.

Alf and Jon showing colours.

I arrived back home from my road trip on Friday 22 July to learn of the horrible events that took place at Utøya and downtown Oslo. A maniac whose name shall be forgotten forever shot and killed 69 youth and wounded 66. He also blasted a bomb downtown Oslo before heading out to Utøya, killing seven people. The Norwegians gathered in front of the Oslo Cathedral to mourn. Alf and I went there to pay our respect. A tragedy which left no-one untouched.

Alf in front of one of the flower gates after the 22 July killings.

Later in July I had decided that my trusty Guzzi Quota would rarely see the roads after I bought the Stelvio. Their use would be too similar, both being large travel enduros. So I would sell off the Quota to a worthy buyer. This worthy buyer would be my Guzzi buddy Lars. 29 July he picked up the Quota, and as far as he's told me he is very satisfied with his Desert Queen.

Lars is picking up the Quota 1000. A sad day in a way, but I know she's come to a very good home with a caring owner.

I now turned my attention to my Guzzi 850 T5 sidecar rig, to prepare it for the winter season. It needed a small overhaul, and I also decided to change the T5 policia fairing for a SP1000 touring screen, which I got when I bought the SP1000 I'm (still) rebuilding for classic racing duty. I think it came off quite ok, and I have at the time of writing had my winter debut with it. It still needs a paint job, but I'll leave it until spring.

The T5 rig up and ready for a small overhaul, preparing it for winter duty.

Peeling off the dashboard and fairing, I found this can of beer! (Kidding, of course.)

I used beer can ends to cover the holes where the clock and the voltmeter used to be, e.g. where the engine start button now sits, and far to the right on the dash.

Here she is with her new fairing. I think it came off well.
I'll paint the fairing next spring. At least that's the plan.

August saw us at the annual Italian Motorcycles' Autumn Rally, this time held at Utne camping near Sarpsborg an hours' ride from my home. The weather was totally crap, but nevertheless some 100 riders came to join the party. We had a splendid weekend even if the shower hardly had a break. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Discussing the pros and pros of a Guzzi California
at the Italian Motorcycles' Autumn Rally.

Asle popped by on his Guzzi 1200 Norge

In October I attended the Kristiansund MCEK Oktoberfest at their club house. Naturally I had a proper visit to neighbouring Averøy and my friend Alf before we went to the Oktoberfest. Another mate of ours, Ole, knew of a guy who owned an example of the famous MV Agusta 750 America. After some negotiation with this rather eccentric guy, we were allowed to visit him to take a closer look at the gem. It was placed in a garage within the garage, and it was rather crampy so I couldn't get decent pics of the bike. But it was quite an eye opener. What a bike!

MV Agusta 750 America

From the Oktoberfest. Alf (left) and Egil Ove in a proper Bavarian outfit.

14 October is the first winter day in Norway. As tradition has it, the first whole weekend after the first winter day sees some of us riders at the Woodgatherer Rally, which marks the beginning of the winter riding season. I've attended four times, and we're usually the same lot turning up at the rally venue. This year, however, I made a new acquaintance in Frank. He's a seasoned winter rider, but for some reason this was his first appearance at the Woodgatherer. It's true what they say: Riders you don't know is just a friend you haven't met yet.

Frank, a Dnepr and Yamaha rider whom I met at the Woodgatherer.

I've been bit by the classic bike bug, so one Saturday in October I went to have a look at a Classic Enduro "race" taking place just a 20 minutes ride from where I live. Even here I met fellow Guzzisti. Geir lives in Bergen but had turned up on his 1970's Laverda 250 Chott Enduro to compete against some 60 riders of classic enduro bikes. I don't know what place he came in, but the bike sure looks good!

Geir and his Laverda 250 Chott.

Another acquaintance of mine, Trygve, making way through the mud with his '70s Yamaha 250. It broke down en route, though. Not Italian build quality, in other words.

A riding friend of Geir, Bjarne, attending his Honda SL 350 half way
through the enduro trail.