it's deja vu all over again

[DB&KJP <motoduo@domain.elided>]

Somehow, catching up with the volume of digests I have been
missing over the last few days, the Alfa Digest and the Euro
Moto digest have appeared to have parallel discussions to
the extent that I have had to check to see which one I am
reading.  Car stuff on the bike list, bike stuff on the car
list.  Which is great, fun because I love both.

Although I have plowed through most of the GM/Vette/Alfa
/Audi/BMW muck with a heavy scrolling finger, I am now
reading someone named Paul who is claiming that the moto-
media has cursed a 996 as having "dodgy electrics".  Which
list am I on?  Alfa list, ok.  There has to be a connection
somewhere....there it is,

>The bottom line - modern Italian machinery has made incredible
>strides over the years.

No, not really.  They have always been better than the rest.
When you qualify your statement to only include modern
machines saying that "they've made great strides", you are
buying into the myth that they used to be crappy, but now
they're really good!  I have a Moto Guzzi that I have put
50,000 miles on without any catastrophic disasters.  It is
20 years old.  I have little Ducati singles that start
reliably every single time on the 2nd kick.  They are 35 years
old.  Don't think it's special that you have reliable modern
machines even though they're Italian....they have always been
superior!  But like my dad reminded me the other day, "nothing
really worth while comes without effort".   Alfas, Ducs, Guzzis
and any Italian go-fastica you pick are worth the quirks that
gave them the the reputation of unreliability in the first
place.  They are misunderstood and left to the mercy of
ham fisted mechanics or worse, someone's neighbor's-sister's-
babysitter's-boyfriend who used to fix lawnmowers and could
take a shot at adjusting the valves on your Ducati....

Once you understand them you realize that this is also
what makes them unique and wonderful.  I'm speaking generally
and I'm sure there are exceptions, but the rewards far outweigh
the trouble.  They are better at being cars than most people
are at being drivers.  They've always been like that.

Hey Paul, what's a Moto Guzzi 1000i?

Then I read Jay's rant about why he has a Ducati, why he loves
his Alfetta, and how they fit his personality.  Now this is
nice, very well said and fair, and I feel better about having
old Italian machines and loving them.  It's what you get back
from them that matters, how they make you feel, and it defies
logical explanation.

That's what I think.

Kathy Jo
Seattle for 2 more weeks, then off to Post Falls, Idaho

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