Art Link opined:
"How much would you pay for replica US 24 cent inverted plane airmail stamp,or an almost spot on replica Bugatti Type 57, or replica Van Gogh "Irises",or a replica,curley stay Hetchins,or a replica,Masi????? What is this list comming to? Adulation of fakes (not a sin if you are up front about it?)! These things will find their way into the market place and some poor schlub will pay good money for his "investment" Masi. Puke-ola folks. Call them what they are and shun them and their peddlers.They pollute the hobby. Art Link ,San Antonio,TX the home of the real Alamo, not the replica at Brackettville,TX"
I could do without the stamp, but wouldn't sneeze at the Bugatti (or preferably for me, a Cobra replica).
To get even pickier, what is Masi/Haro really attempting to reproduce? They're not that close to reproducing the original 3V, which was built by Alberto Masi out of Excell tubing, with different decals than the later US (and Mondonico)-built versions, and a fairly pedestrian (some would say lousy) paint job. About the only thing that is really being reproduced is the construction method (they ARE using silver brazing, right?) and top tube cable routing (which Alberto changed a few years into production). Heck, the "M" isn't even cut out of the bottom bracket. To my eye, the new frame is more like an update of the Torelli-era 3V.
Maybe "updated & improved reissue" would have been a better term for the new 3V. At least we wouldn't be comparing specs to the Nth degree. Rather, we'd be more inclined to look at it on its own merit. From that standpoint, it's not a bad bicycle frame... it looks darned fine and is most likely a delight to ride.
Lest we forget, there's still the option of getting a Milano 3V from Greg Honn. According to Milano3V.com, he has about a half dozen of them left (although I can personally attest that the fairly interesting "touring model" is spoken for). Of course they don't say MASI anywhere on them....
Cheers to all. IP Merkin Providence (where I'll be on a 3V in about four hours), RI