August 2009 – Chasing Motorcycles

Moto Guzzi V7 Classic — Second Week and 800 Miles on the Clock

This is the second review of my ongoing ownership of a 2009 Moto Guzzi V7 Classic. For the first part of the review, click here. My second week of ownership of my V7 started with a rain day on a Saturday. It rained so hard that I decided that I wasn’t going to ride until … Continue reading “Moto Guzzi V7 Classic — Second Week and 800 Miles on the Clock”

This is the second review of my ongoing ownership of a 2009 Moto Guzzi V7 Classic. For the first part of the review, click here.

My second week of ownership of my V7 started with a rain day on a Saturday. It rained so hard that I decided that I wasn’t going to ride until Sunday, where I would make a nice loop going to the Full Moon Cafe on Highway 41, then riding up to the Sly Fox Inn in Wheaton, Wisconsin before taking a bunch of back roads to my home in Oak Park.

It’s a nice loop to make. The route involved a ride up the 294 towards Milwaukee and then dropping off at Deerfield road for the rest of the ride North on Highway 41. After hanging out with the other 50-60 riders that show up there on Sundays, I planned a trip up to the Sly Fox where Vintage riders meet for Brunch and tire kicking. Then the ride home involves skirting the lakes along the Wisconsin/Illinois border and then dropping down into Arlington for a jaunt down the 355/290 and home. I think it’s about 200 miles or so.

I’ve ridden the bike just close to 800 miles now. Continue reading “Moto Guzzi V7 Classic — Second Week and 800 Miles on the Clock”

Moto Guzzi V7 Classic Owner’s Review — The First Week and Before

And so it was, upon the demise of my 1200 Sport and State Farm Insurance completely taking care of me, I took a hard look at what and how I would be riding over the next couple of years. The 1200 was a great bike and I fully expected to replace it. I purchased it … Continue reading “Moto Guzzi V7 Classic Owner’s Review — The First Week and Before”

And so it was, upon the demise of my 1200 Sport and State Farm Insurance completely taking care of me, I took a hard look at what and how I would be riding over the next couple of years. The 1200 was a great bike and I fully expected to replace it. I purchased it because I wanted it for the long distance tours I had planned to get to this year and the next few.

I realized that my new job and just-outside-the-city lifestyle really meant that for the next couple of years, 99+ percent of my riding would be within a 150mi radius, with many, many days of riding through the streets of Chicago at 30-ish miles per hour. This is not the venue, mission or best possible circumstances with which to operate a 1200 Sport. This mustang needs road. I need a bike that is a better choice for these distances, light on its feet and able to make me grin while I tackle the third-world roads of Chicago and surrounding cities.

You already figured that I’m getting a Guzzi? Well I looked hard at the Ducati 1000GT, the Triumph Bonneville and even considered a maxi-scoot. I hit the forums and asked more and more about the V7C. The more I heard from the people that actually owned it, the more I started warming up to the idea. Finally, I read a Wall Street Journal Comparison of the Bonneville, Sportster and V7 Classic.

So I now own one Continue reading “Moto Guzzi V7 Classic Owner’s Review — The First Week and Before”

My Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport is no More…

July 19, 2009 It was a typical Wednesday as I left work just after 6 at WMS. My Birthday was coming up and I was wondering what Sheila had arranged for it, as we make a big deal out of birthdays in our house. I was traveling one of my usual routes home. I have … Continue reading “My Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport is no More…”

July 19, 2009

It was a typical Wednesday as I left work just after 6 at WMS. My Birthday was coming up and I was wondering what Sheila had arranged for it, as we make a big deal out of birthdays in our house. I was traveling one of my usual routes home. I have about 6 routes that I take on a random basis. I think it’s safer to ride this way because you don’t get complacent at intersections and other traffic hazards.

I was about a mile away from my office in heavy traffic; I had just turned southbound on Kedzie, just above the Belmont intersection. Traffic in the northbound lane was bumper-to-bumper. A silver car was peeking its nose out, trying to turn out from School Street and into my lane. I chopped the throttle and covered my brake. Just like that it darted out in front of me. I hit the brakes but it was too late. There was no place to go, so I added more rear brake and went sideways, laying the bike down and separating from it cleanly. Continue reading “My Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport is no More…”

Danko’s Dressing from the Copper Hills, Miami, AZ

If you’re looking for the “Danko Special” Recipe, it’s here. This is the House Dressing of the Copper Hills Motel in Miami, Arizona My Dad got his house dressing from Navarre’s in Phoenix. It became Danko’s Salad Dressing in Globe-Miami, and was quite famous in the area. This popularity was carried up and down Highway 60 … Continue reading “Danko’s Dressing from the Copper Hills, Miami, AZ”

If you’re looking for the “Danko Special” Recipe, it’s here.

This is the House Dressing of the Copper Hills Motel in Miami, Arizona

My Dad got his house dressing from Navarre’s in Phoenix. It became Danko’s Salad Dressing in Globe-Miami, and was quite famous in the area. This popularity was carried up and down Highway 60 by the travelers that stopped at his Best Western Restaurant and Hotel over the 35 years from the time my Dad built it, until he sold it in 1990. The dressing disappeared after this; Navarre’s was long gone by then and the new owners changed the entire menu.

This salad dressing is Atomic Age stuff. 1950’s/1960’s Steak House Salad Dressing. Red flocked wall paper, dark woods and antique mirrors, with burly middle-aged male waiters. Men with coats and ties, ladies in cocktail dresses, stoles and alligator clutch-purses. Ashtrays on the table. Rumaki appetizers. This is no-BS salad dressing that “Mad Men” ordered, followed by “I’ll have a bourbon and water and the lady will have a Vodka Martini, up”. This dressing has been pretty much a family secret (except I think I’m the only one in the family that’s ever made it besides my Dad, who passed in 2000). I had friends, girlfriends, girlfriend’s moms and others ask me for this recipe for years. Continue reading “Danko’s Dressing from the Copper Hills, Miami, AZ”