Yossef Rides the '05 Breva 1100

In my experience, naked sport-tourers are better for the longer distances than faired sportbikes. You get more room to move around, the pillion ergos are usually lots better, giving you a happy passenger at the end of the day, plus you can watch the scenery, which is part of touring, right? The only modification you have to make is to fit a small screen - enough to take the 90mph winblast off your chest but still leaving your head in the airstream. I've done a lot of two-up touring over the years, and for my money the naked bike with a small screen and hard bags wins every time.

I'm getting concerned about your physionomy, Yossef. We've traded comments before about Guzzis we have known and loved, and whereas I've never found the shin-to-cylinder interface on boxers a problem ( I'm six-four with a thirty-four inseam) I was constantly having my kneecaps levered off by the Guzzi's rocker boxes. Do the hinges in your knees fold the other way, or something?



The Breva hasn't reached the UK yet, other than in magazines, but I saw one in the metal for the first time in France two weeks ago. It's very impressive, but right now I can't afford one. But if I wait until I can, maybe the new short engine and tranny will have found their way onto the V11 Cafe Sport. Now THAT'S what I want!