Valve Covers

Interesting observation. 
Why Beemers cost more that Moto Guzzis;
  Liking both brands and having them side by side in the garage gives me a unique opportunity for a real time comparison.  Having done a valve adjustment on my R1200R just a few days before I did one on my Moto Guzzi V85TT highlighted some of the differences between the brands.  First looking inside the valve covers reveled that inside the Guzzi it was almost empty with the two valves and rocker arms, inside the Beemer it was crammed with four valves, cams and cam gears (the new ones are worse with the moving cams).  Then came the action that caused this line of thought in the first place, when I picked the valve cover off the Guzzi, I couldn't believe how heavy it was .  The one on the Beemer, OTOH, weighed almost nothing, being made of an magnesium alloy.   The reason for this was BMWs insane efforts to make the bikes as light as possible, which I guess is a good thing.  Then I wondered what the difference in cost was between magnesium and good old thick aluminum, well the Guzzi costs $51 and the Beemer $341, for one valve cover! That's a substantial amount to save a little over a pound.
Years ago I explained the difference in Guzzi engineering vs BMW engineering this way:
If BMW increased the horsepower by 50%, they would completely redesign the transmission.  Increase gear width and maybe the metal content, add some extra webbing in the case to make it stronger, and upgraded bearings.   Guzzi OTOH would just make everything 50% bigger.    Good thing, bad thing, I don't know, but deep down under the required bells and whistles that a new motorcycle needs to have, the Moto Guzzi bikes are about as sophicasted as a John Deere.   While Beemer enthusiasts praise the sophicasted performance and quiet exhaust, the Guzzi folk tout the uniqueness and visceral feeling of their machines.
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Just something I'd though I'd share on a rainy afternoon

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Interesting observations. Will be interesting to see what the all-new V100 engine looks like inside. Maybe it's more BMW than Guzzi...

Love the comic too!

Yes some BMW(bring more wallet)parts are expensive.But the bike prices are not seven times higher,maybe twice as high as Guzzi.

egschade wrote:Interesting observations. Will be interesting to see what the all-new V100 engine looks like inside. Maybe it's more BMW than Guzzi...

Love the comic too!

Did you see the 'new' engine?  The intake is on the top and the exhaust comes out the bottom, just like the BMW.  They must have used the same computer program to design it.    [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]