If you ran Moto Guzzi, what changes would you make?

[willowstreetguzziguy]

If you were in put in charge at Moto Guzzi, what changes would you make to improve the brand and operations?

[lucian]

continue the Carc bikes with refinements. 

[ohiorider]

 

[Brand X]

I would make something like this, but put it in the frame the correct way..

http://www.veitis.com/the-bike.aspx

[Vagrant]

I'd start by hiring Honda's head of quality control for the factory.
Next Harleys paint department.
Next would be a 98% fill ratio same-day parts shipment to the dealer.
Next three years tire to tire warranty where the dealer gets a retail price on the parts needed and 80% of shop labor.

[SmithSwede]

Create a wide spread and happy dealer network. 

Have a quality control expert regularly interview knowledgeable mechanics and routinely monitor forums like Wild Guzzi.   The mission being to kill recurring problems so they don’t persist for decades, rapidly develop reliable repairs, etc. 

Buy up all used Guzzis more than 5 years old and either destroy them, or re-sell them to now desperate cheapskates at a substantial premium. 

And here’s the one that will guarantee me a giant bonus.  Subject a random sample of known Guzzi customers to an exacting psychological examination.  Figure out what makes them tick and what they want to buy. 

[Ncdan]

Fire everyone in quality control and start over. 🤔

[sdcr]

Nailed it.

Create a wide spread and happy dealer network. 

Have a quality control expert regularly interview knowledgeable mechanics and routinely monitor forums like Wild Guzzi.   The mission being to kill recurring problems so they don’t persist for decades, rapidly develop reliable repairs, etc. 

Buy up all used Guzzis more than 5 years old and either destroy them, or re-sell them to now desperate cheapskates at a substantial premium. 

And here’s the one that will guarantee me a giant bonus.  Subject a random sample of known Guzzi customers to an exacting psychological examination.  Figure out what makes them tick and what they want to buy.

[Moparnut72]

I would make something like this, but put it in the frame the correct way..

http://www.veitis.com/the-bike.aspx

I've been told there is no right or wrong way to fit a V twin engine in a chassis, only a left and right way.   

I would make EVERY employee ride the product. We wouldn't have uncomfortable handle bars on Audaces and dashboards you can't see in the sunshine and all kinds of other things that don't work very well.
kk

Edit: Forgot, make the Big Block Euro 5 compliant by whatever means. Not a lot of them are sold but need to keep a foot in the big bike segment.

[Gliderjohn]

Improve Q/C so that it is higher and more consistent.
Should have a dealer that is given decent floor planning and techs are factory trained. Should not have to ride/driver more than 100 miles to a dealer.
Update the overall engineering and at least for the the upper end bikes have modern electronic ride mode selections and electronic suspension at least as an option. Be sure all bikes have very good to great suspension as Guzzi can capitalized on that better than trying to jump into any kind of HP war.
If the business plan is to continue as a niche bike brand then give emphasis to the bikes' uniqueness in design and market them as the enthusiasts ride of choice. Kind of like their add campaign in the 80s when the bike had "long legs".
Go after the women's market with gusto. The small blocks are just about perfect for that group.
When the factory screws up honor the warranties easly and without hassle for all involved.
And yes, they should have continued with the CARC line, but then I am bias.
GliderJohn

[berniebee]

Do what Hyundai did -steal a bunch of Toyota QC people and procedures. Quality went from zero to hero in five years.
Then (The hell with Piaggio) put out a sharp edged sport bike.

After that, retire with a $35 million bonus, just for being such a great guy. Maybe meet up with Mick Jagger and discuss reinvigorating the Stones sound with a banjo.

[Huzo]

Get hold of Triumph’s marketing guy/s.
Shower Beetle and Roper with whatever they want, including relocation to Mandello if they wish and have them on the payroll...Listen to what they say..
Get into bed with Bennetton and develop stylised accessories for the younger market.
Stop releasing new bikes with shithouse maps.

[Guzzistajohn]

Current Euro regulations would never allow it. 

[Tim Henry]

Reintroduce a modern falcone and a updated v8 model and advertise the crap out of it and
Actually stop screwing over the dealers forcing them to buy bundles of vespas in a weak scooter market like they're doing to a dealer I know. Disregard the aprilia sportbikes and make a real street worthy mgso1 with
More hp to make it a Ducati killer. Oh and when advertising the brand explain who Carlo guzzi was so people in America don't just think it's a funny name
. Last night I was guarding top golf in Jacksonville fl and a  hd guy came over and asked about my Calvin asked me who makes it yadayada that as we know happens almost daily for a 100 year old mark another guy came over but drunk and asked where it was made he never heard of it so I said that's because it's made in area 51 by the developer of the stealth bomber which is the reason why he never heard of them and it has a final drive developed from the Roswell UFO crash and used neodymium rare earth magnets
He left very impressed and proceeded to tell his other buddies my partner was trying to hold in the laughter ,was I wrong ? lol.

[lucian]

Stop releasing new bikes with shithouse maps.

^^^^this ^^^^^

[Huzo]

Oh..
I forgot..
Get Boorman on something, Mc Gregor on a V85 and do “Longest Way ‘Round”..
A mega trip across Europe and USA staying as close to the equator as feasible, incorporating a mandatory number of crossings.
Head to head..

[Murray]

I'd start by hiring Honda's head of quality control for the factory.
Next Harleys paint department.
Next would be a 98% fill ratio same-day parts shipment to the dealer.
Next three years tire to tire warranty where the dealer gets a retail price on the parts needed and 80% of shop labor.

Fire anyone and dump any importer that starts with we use just in time parts supply philiosphy. In europe just in time has a vague chance of working, when you are on other continents not so much.

Work out the kind of bike the members of this board would like and build the opposite probablly end up withan water cooled electric sports bike, the current lineup panders to most of the members of this board :P .
Personally I wouldn't let any one from HD near anything motocycle related, they wouldn't understand it, YMMV.

[Perazzimx14]

If I ran Moto Guzzi I'd make an account on WG and then implement all the ideas posted above. I cannot for the life of me think of how Guzzi has been so blind to the low hanging fruit like a reliable parts/dealership network. I mean Honda in the USA alone has something like 1000 motorsports dealerships and parts distribution warehouses. Why doesn't Guzzi just build several thousand new dealerships world wide then check that off the list?



 

[Perazzimx14]

Fire anyone and dump any importer that starts with we use just in time parts supply philiosphy. In europe just in time has a vague chance of working, when you are on other continents not so much.

Work out the kind of bike the members of this board would like and build the opposite probablly end up withan water cooled electric sports bike, the current lineup panders to most of the members of this board :P .
Personally I wouldn't let any one from HD near anything motocycle related, they wouldn't understand it, YMMV.

If you are going to abandon JIT manufacture you've ruled out all the big players.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I'd promote Luigi from greasing bearings to head of QA.

[Canuck750]

Bring back a 500cc bacon slicer with updated upside down forks, single disc brake front and rear, spoked wheels, 18" aluminum rims, keep the underslung rear suspension but upgrade to modern shock with adjustable damping throw on the scissor dampers for looks, single sprung seat, a big single instrument and a bigger LED headlight, chromed steel tank and paint everything else red.

[LowRyter]

bring back big blocks and sportier bikes.  Perhaps another engine altogether, perhaps a GP bike shared with Aprilia and a street sportbike version.

[John Ulrich]

Buy Dave Richardson's Book(s).  He spells out what to do and told the bosses ..... Guzzi never listened.

[MMRanch]

One look at the V guzzi motor and everyone knows its a Guzzi , so keep the "V" .     

They need to " FIRE "  the person responsible for my clutch messing up , its the type of thing that gives a black-eye to the entire company .   Something was left out or put in wrong  during assembly .   

Good thing I see through their goofing up and like the rest of the machine !   

[oldbike54]

 I would start by buying more grease guns and teaching the employees how to use them .

 Dusty

[flip]

continue the Carc bikes with refinements.

 

[Guzikid]

  Develop a modern lightweight 500cc V-twin that's exciting to ride and own for not only new riders, but experienced older riders too.  The Kid

[Shorty]

I'd sell it to Harley Davidson for millions and buy it back for a dollar. 

[Murray]

If you are going to abandon JIT manufacture you've ruled out all the big players.

I was more directing at backup/ dealer support rather than the manufacturing process.

[Dimitri_Harkov]

  Develop a modern lightweight 500cc V-twin that's exciting to ride and own for not only new riders, but experienced older riders too.  The Kid

Yes, please! 

Put it in a V7-styled bike to create some sort of new V50.
Lightweight (for a Guzzi, at least) & fun.

Maybe 180 kg & 35KW?
Both figures seem to be achievable and would result in a compareable power to weight ratio to the V7III and maybe even the V7 850 while beeing much lighter.
It would also serve as an entry level bike that is still A2 compliant in countries that have tiered licensing systems.


Apart from that: Piaggio needs to run a massive marketing campaign to bring back the Moto Guzzi brand to public awareness.
Around here you are lucky if you find anyone younger than 40 that even knows Moto Guzzi. That can't bode well for the future.

I'd keep concentrating on lower displacement bikes that actually sell, while the bigger ones just gather dust at dealerships.
Maybe when business starts flourishing again, I'd bring back a big(ger) 'flagship' cruiser.

While the odd 'sporty' bike would be nice, I don't think that's an option in the Piaggio group and probably reserved for Aprilia.

Cheers,
D.