This months Bike has an interesting road test, worth a read the Guzzi generally had a good review apart from clutch issues. Both the original test bike and the replacement suffered from clutch slip under load, you would have thought the importers would have given them a good road test prior to letting them out for testing?
Many years ago, I was a guest road tester for Bike magazine on a comparison test of the old Yamaha FZS1000 and the new FZ1. The new bike’s clutch was lunched in the first day of performance testing at Bruntingthorpe, and had to be changed overnight before we left on a 4-day trip to Scotland. That was a brand new bike straight from Yamaha HQ. I wouldn’t assume that the problem lies where Bike seem to have laid it … 
I had a FZS1000, cracking bike I stuck plenty of miles on it. The only problem I can remember was the EXUP valve sticking which was an easy fix.
One of the best all-rounders ever. Was yours ‘Ivanized’?
No I kept mine completely standard. I had an original FZS600 before upgrading and looking back now I’d rate the 600 as the better bike of the two.
The 600 was a jewel of an engine, but I loved the Thou more, particularly after it was ‘Ivanised’. With relatively simple mods, it was possible to take it from around 122bhp to the mid-to-high 130s, while also improving the drive from idle to 3k. Mine was also heavily modded in other ways, but then I owned it for 17 years, so I had to do stuff to keep it interesting.
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I’ll second that! I had three 600’s. I rode them on daily commutes and they were great on european tours. It’s replacement, the Tracer 700 wasn’t/isn’t fit to lace the FZ600’s boots!
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I did read the BIKE test and was pleased it was a split decision! I could see where both testers were coming from. Of course, I would have picked the Mandello 
As extra doodads, extra power don’t mean much to me. Not to mention the PRICE! I could easily go on one if not 2 trips on the price difference.
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