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In the book "Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance" the Author Robert Pirsig talks about value or how to define value and comes up with
A ... Classical Value ... all practical ,functional
B ... Romantic Value ... all glitz and glamour

this is generalizing I know as some things are different degrees of Romantic / Classical value .
Let's say you pull up in a plain little white Hyundai sedan and someone pulls in next to you in a 57 Chev with a blower hanging out the bonnet. People will crowd around the owner of the Chev and make a big fuss while the owner of the Hyundai cringes off and when I say people I mean mainly women and that's ok if that's what you want but what about their kids dripping ice cream and sticky fingers on the windows ... such is the price of fame .
The point I'm trying to make I guess is that maybe ... just maybe some of us get to a point in life when we just don't care anymore if what we ride / drive gets the attention of every Tom Dick and Harry.

Moto Guzzi I'd like to own one , a 1970 Ambassador would do just nicely thanks. I don't particularly like Italian bikes but the Guzzi's I do like , I love the note the exhaust puts out . I own a Honda and a BMW and figure when I get my Motor Guzzi I'll have one of all the enemy during WW II .





And lemme guess here Rick...and after you finish with THAT, your next move will be start your search for a Husqvarna and a Bultaco for your collection of "Motorcycles of the Neutral States of WWII"...RIGHT???

Actually, once again, I understand the concept of "Utilitarian Purchases". However, in regard to the example you used above with the Chevy and the Hyundai: While the latter of the two would most likely be more useful in the day-to-day endeavors for most people for say its "lifespan", don't forget that its LONG-term "value" in the used auto marketplace will almost assuredly be peanuts compared to the former, and due primarily to the Hyundai, in this case, being designed from the get-go for its utilitarian purpose, and with seemingly little regard for any "passion" which its manufacturers might wish to promote to its potential customer.

In short, my "theory" here is that most all products designed primarily for their utilitarian purposes and without that hard to define "certain something" also being designed into them which somehow would passionately appeal to the consumer, said products will seldom become considered "Classics" in the future, and thus just contributes to the idea of a "Throwaway Society".



I really love this ... a good old exchange of differing opinions where ultimately no one is wrong or right just "different" .
You may say throw away society where as I would say "Consumerism" or "Tailored Marketing"
Once upon a time motorcycling was a neccessity and many families didn't own a car the motorcycle and sidecar carried the family. The motorcycle replaced the bicycle which replaced the horse and later on people who owned motorcycles and wished to compete in some kind of racing would actually ride to the event , remove headlights , silencers , mudguards and anything else that was considered unnecessary and likely to impeed to performance of their machine. Nowdays you ride the Triumph to work and you take the motorcross bike in the back of the ute to the event.
One day I was putting along minding my own business when I was overtaken by a bigshot in his big V8 pickup truck pulling a double horse float and couldn't help wonder at how far man has come.
In the real old days the horse pulled the carraige and I can't help thinking , imagine if they could see into the future and say ... You know , one day a machine will come along that pulls the horse in it's own carraige at 60 miles an hour for 10 or 12 hours ... more even if you change drivers . People would have looked at you as if you where mad.
I can't talk personally as I have seven motorbikes but I never buy anything to resell at a profit and make a buck.
I buy stuff to enjoy it and money doesn't come into it.
Most of my stuff is low budjet fun stuff and maybe considered junk by the purist but that's ok too because I never bought it in the first place to seek their approval.
Where does all this tie in with the Motor Guzzi V7 Scrambler ? It will appeal to someone out there but for my dollar I would get more pleasure out of spending half the money one would cost and instead modify another machine and really turn heads with a one off creation.
All groovy

Last edited by Silky; 02/02/2011 11:50 PM.
Peace in the country when the sun goes down , the corn is gettin' high