Stelvio down......the $5k estimate.

[Utrider]

So, on my way to the Lake Henshaw rally 10 days ago my Stelvio "dropped" a cylinder.

Today I received THE call.  I left the bike at GP Motorcycles in San Diego, I feel as though they are reputable and have NO problem with them.

They think the air filter, stock and 3rd one in 24k miles, had allowed some fine particle silt through it.  It will require removal of the engine from the frame to replace all of the engine timing components, as well as the top ends of each cylinder.  They think they can salvage the heads and just have them re-cut.  The pistons, valves and cylinders will all need to be replaced. 

I don't believe I used the bike inappropriately, I did use it on dirt roads, and whenever I checked the airbox it was clean. It had been using oil for about the last 10k miles or so.

Approximate cost of parts $2,400, labor at $100 per hour, 22 hrs.

My dilemma, I LOVE this motorcycle!  We have formed a bond that is beyond words (well some of you may know what I'm talking about).

Do I retrieve the bike, put the 5K towards another one and part this thing out?  Or, put the 5k into it and roll into the sunset.  I had intended to purchase a V 85 sometime next year, and use this bike exclusively as my high speed sport/adventure tourer.  I have a California 1400 Touring and really enjoy my Guzzi ownership experience.

I am about 750 miles away, it's not a huge problem as the nearest Guzzi service to me is in Vegas or Denver anyway.

[Paul Brooking]

Bummer

What year was the Stelvio?
Had it been rollerized? (factory or post-sale?)

Just asking for an owner ... (me )

[Utrider]

It's a 2014, so no flat tappet issues. 

To my mind the bike was running great.  I had used it while hosting my NAR here in September, and also did about 200 miles of the Utah Backcountry Discovery Route, 2 weeks ago.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Blaming the filter seems like nonsense to me

I wouldn't be able to trust a shop that came up with that explanation.

Sorry to hear of your troubles.


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[gearman]

so how many miles on the Stelvio?

[timonbik]

I recall reading a review of the Stelvio on YouTube and the owner reported a faulty airbox that let dirt into the engine via an opening in the back.  Wonder if you had the same issue with yours?

Tim

[Utrider]

The bike had 24,000 miles on it.

Tim, you are right. Glenn Yingst up in Alberta had a similar issue.  I will call them and see if they can look into it.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Can you give us a bit more detail on dropped a cylinder, was it a failure, sudden burning of lots of oil?
A friend has a similar year that used several litres per 1,000 miles right out of the gate, it was a manufacturing defect i think exhaust valve seal, he loves the bike now its corrected.
He did tell me it wasn't burning the oil in the cylinder, somehow spitting it out just one exhaust valve. the solution was a new head.

[Utrider]

Well it didn't use any oil for about the first 15k miles.  I noticed it using oil last summer on my way to Big Basin NAR in July. It would use about a half a quart in a 1000 miles.  I ride across Nevada like my ass in on fire and just attributed it to the 3 tanks of fuel at 5k on the tach.  When I got home it was still using oil at about the same pace.

When I went to Lake Henshaw, it used about a quart and a half in 500 miles.  I knew something was up.  When I got to my friends house in Oceanside, and the bike had sat overnight, it started but was running on one cylinder.  The left cylinder was hot, but the right one was cold. When I pulled the plug I had spark, and could wiggle the rocker arms with the engine at TDC. 

I watched Glenn's video again and he mentioned having dirt in the airbox, and a hole in the airbox on the engine side.  He also mentioned that his airbox was dirty inside.  When I've checked my airbox (replacing the filters or looking to see if that was where the oil was going) it was always clean, until I checked it in Oceanside it was indeed dirty.  I had ridden about 40 miles of dirt in the west desert of Utah and 37 miles of dirt road out of Caliente Nevada on my way into Vegas.

The next day on my way out of Vegas, I noticed it would bog at high rpm's like when I would go to pass someone and had never done that before. 

[fotoguzzi]

I wouldn't invest another dime in it. If you really like the Stelvio find another one ?

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/mcy/d/2013-moto-guzzi-stelvio-1200/6719418527.html

[pete roper]

If it has sucked in a load of dust then the top end will be toast. It doesn't take long.

[desmo900]

I wouldn't invest another dime in it. If you really like the Stelvio find another one ?

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/mcy/d/2013-moto-guzzi-stelvio-1200/6719418527.html

I’d have to agree - I’d part it out and buy another one used at a little more than your repair costs. The V85 is unproven (although very cool looking) and who knows what kind of gremlins will lurk there. As a 2016 Stelvio owner, I get the connection. It’s a great bike and it sounds like a fluke that yours ended so badly.


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[pyoungbl]

Sadly a used Stelvio won't bring much right now.  I know because I sold one a couple years ago.  Great bikes.  Keep yours for spare parts and buy a used one for about the same as your repair bill.  The good news is that you will have some serious spare parts to sell, the ability to put off road tires on your 'old' rims, and a replacement tank for when yours starts to swell....which it will do.

Peter Y.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Stock plug caps? Get rid of them.

[DAMMAG]

Any photo's of the damage?

[Huzo]

Any photo's of the damage?

Remember the guy who was GIVING away a crashed Stelvio a couple of years ago and one bloke actually wondered about the fuel cost to go and pick it up...!
Would be a handy little piece of kit to have now wouldn't it ?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Wow! I hate that..    like the others say.. keep it for a parts bike (or sell parts) and find another.

[flower_king001]

So sorry to hear...cut your losses, part out or keep as part bike and buy another.

[alanp]

Roy,
So sorry to hear that and what a bummer.  If I was you, I would put the money toward a new V85 as I think that is a great size for dirt road riding.  You Have the 1400 for long highway cruising.  But only you know how you like to ride, and a Stelvio is undoubtedly a better highway bike than the V85 will be.  Best of luck and let us know how things turn out. 

[Dharma Bum]

Roy, I'm sorry to hear this!  Tend to agree with the majority, probably not worth putting that kind of money in.  Something will turn up while you're enjoying your 1400.

[kballowe]

That REALLY sucks.

Personally - I'd cut my losses and get a different bike.
I'd always be wondering about the repairs.... every time I rode that rebuilt bike.

[Utrider]

Thank you so much to all who have chimed in.  I will need to seriously consider this.  I can not see the V 85 scratching the same itch that the Stelvio satisfies, nor the California either. I envision the V 85 as the perfect Utah bike for me, great for those hauls around 250-300 miles, a lot of dirt roads and what not.  The Stelvio, I gobble up 600 mile days with, and look forward to doing it again the next day and the next.

I do like the idea of having an extra set of wheels, and some of the other things that a spare bike would bring.  Dracula on the ADVrider Stelvio thread has his Lucifer in addition to his current Stelvio.  I will need to go and get it, with 5 bikes already in the garage finding a place to keep it as it gets disassembled will not go over big with "she who must be obeyed"..........(those of you who have met Vicky know I say that in jest).

I will see if I can get some pictures sent up to me.  The shop has limited space, and I'm sure it's not sitting on a tech's rack waiting for me to let them know what I'm going to do.

[Cage Free]

Blaming the filter seems like nonsense to me

I wouldn't be able to trust a shop that came up with that explanation.

Sorry to hear of your troubles.


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I agree, Id certainly do more research before committing to rebuilding it or using it as a parts bike. Bought my 13 from GP.  While I feel they do good work I think they since they carry so many brands and probably don't do that much work on Guzzi's they miss the mark a bit. My 13 was delivered new without them knowing about the linkage recall until I mentioned it after just assuming it had been done(it hadn't) because my 12 Griso had been recalled for it. Very early on I had a leak around the cylinder head and took it to Escondido BMW-Guzzi (40 miles closer to home)and they diagnosed it as a head gasket which I could clearly see wasn't the case and ordered a shit ton of parts(under warranty) which would take weeks to months to arrive. I took the bike back to GP to get their take on the issue and they said it was one of the set screws used in assembly at the factory that was leaking and the solution was to remove and reseal it. This fix worked and lasted about two weeks until the leak returned, took it back to GP and they said the set screw threads had somehow stripped and other than replacing the head the only solution they could think of was to try JB weld to make it permanent. I was sick of the whole friggin deal by then and said go ahead hoping it would work and end this problem. 40 k miles later its still holding so I guess what I'm trying to say with this long ass story is don't necessarily trust the diagnosis.

[Spuddy]

Sadly a used Stelvio won't bring much right now.  I know because I sold one a couple years ago.  Great bikes.  Keep yours for spare parts and buy a used one for about the same as your repair bill.  The good news is that you will have some serious spare parts to sell, the ability to put off road tires on your 'old' rims, and a replacement tank for when yours starts to swell....which it will do.

Peter Y.

Now, what am I to expect?

Spud

[John in PA]

So what does a careful Stelvio owner do to avoid this in the future? Is there some design flaw or inadequate fit between filter and airbox seals that is allowing dirt to bypass the filter?  For an "adventure" bike, this is a really poor problem to have when one actually tries to have an "adventure!"

Plus, if a short trip on dirt rods eats the top end, then long miles on normal highways with attendant airborne crap will do the same thing.

Pete, or others, how do we "dirtproof" airbox/filter combination?

[Lesman]

I guy in Denver just gave away a Stelvio Motor that had road rash. I would at ebay for a motor before writing off the bike.

[Utrider]

I guy in Denver just gave away a Stelvio Motor that had road rash. I would at ebay for a motor before writing off the bike.

Thanks, I saw one for 2600 on Ebay.  It's a 12, so don't know if that would be an issue.  Flat tappets and all.

I think I will go pick it up, and let it sit for a bit.  Keeping my eyes open for an opportunity.  It is put it away time here anyway.

[Green1000S]

Well... if you part it.... I sure would like to buy the wheels😎

If I were you, buy another Stelvio, you seem to enjoy it as much as I do mine.
Keep the stuff you want (wheels, some plastic and other stuff) and sell rest on FleaBay.

[Markcarovilli]

So what does a careful Stelvio owner do to avoid this in the future? Is there some design flaw or inadequate fit between filter and airbox seals that is allowing dirt to bypass the filter?  For an "adventure" bike, this is a really poor problem to have when one actually tries to have an "adventure!"

Plus, if a short trip on dirt rods eats the top end, then long miles on normal highways with attendant airborne crap will do the same thing.

Pete, or others, how do we "dirtproof" airbox/filter combination?

John

I don’t think this is an issue and have not heard of others with this problem.  Unless we hear of more chiming in, I think this is a quirky one off event. 

Lots of high mileage Stelvios that never even heard of this....

Mark

[Utrider]

John

I don’t think this is an issue and have not heard of others with this problem.  Unless we hear of more chiming in, I think this is a quirky one off event. 

Lots of high mileage Stelvios that never even heard of this....

Mark

I agree.  I have taken mine about 400 miles off road in Baja, with 3,000 miles on it, as well as another couple thousand off road in the 24,000 I put on it.  The only time I ever saw any dirt in the airbox was in Oceanside after the damage was done.  I've had the cover off probably at least a dozen times, checking to see if there was oil in the box and changing the air filters.

I will be looking to either replace the engine, or keep it and raid the parts.  I have a line on a couple of Stelvio's already, just wish I could put the money towards something else.  Oh well, I guess I will just have to make more!