Well, as a new boy, and after 30 or so years riding mainly BMWs all over Europe and beyond, now at the age of 76 (still working) I’ve finally seen the light and bought the Guzzi I’ve hankered after. A V7 Mk3 Special. And it’s lovely. However :
The bike (2019 reg but showing only a genuine 300 miles) came with a set of the stylish canvas saddlebags, plus Guzzi original pannier rails. But if you fit the bags as they’re supposed to be fitted, the bottoms sit on the end of the exhaust, which I imagine is not recommended.
From my limited reading so far I get the impression this is not unheard of. But what, in practical terms, do you do about it. All suggestions gratefully received. For the moment I’m just mounting them one rung higher up the frames, where they seem secure, and as I don’t carry a pillion (she can no longer get on the bike), that’s not a problem. It would just be nice to see them where they should be. It seems a shame to take a hacksaw and welding gun to such a new bike, there must be another way.
Meantime, I’ll be plotting a course to Lake Como (2 days I think) as Italy’s one of the parts of Europe I’ve never ridden (a taxi ride in Bologna showed me what to expect). My last bike was a 2005 reg 1200GS which took me as far as Romania in 2019, but I think its’ time for the roads less travelled now. And of course there’s my Brother in Spain to visit too.