V85TT - MG kicks themselves again.

[twowheeladdict]

I think the expectation of quality, in this case basic reliability to go from point A to point B, is universal regardless of brand or in your context, country of origin.  No one expects to put up with this from a new motorcycle.  This isn't 1964.

Stop by any automotive or motorcycle dealership and ask them about warranty work.  Truthfully, I am amazed that these companies can put together all the different systems that go into these vehicles and not have more issues than they do.  Think about how many different employees are involved in the making of a bike, car, or truck. 

Isn't that the point of warranties?  To give the buyer piece of mind that if something goes wrong during the initial owner period it will be fixed without additional cost? 

I have not had any "left on the side of the road" warranty claims, but have had my share of warranty claims on bikes and cars/trucks over the years. 

[blu guzz]

If MG stopped communicating with him, it was bad form as the Brits say and a missed opportunity as a previous poster has said.  that behavior is right up there with KTM refusing to lend bikes to Ian and Charlie to go round the world, idiots.  However, the BMW company cornered the market on bad form decades ago.  Try to raise any well known problem with them, for example: rear drives that blow up instantly stranding the rider or oilhead twins that surge and you are told that it is the rider's fault because our machines are perfect. 
I have not had a perfect bike yet, even a very expensive one, has anyone here had a perfect bike, not one you made perfect with aftermarket parts but from the factory? 

[s1120]

Yet it happens with all brands, or so I think as there is essentially no empirical evidence to show otherwise.

And in the auto world also..  Even the best built car, from the best plant, with the best workers will still have a chance that something will fail and leave you walking. Be it a part, control unit, miss machined part, bad hardwere, whatever..   It happands..  Now when its a issue with all of them, AND they dont fix it... thats a problem... And when the dealer will not repair it, or the company will not pay that is the huge issue.

[hauto]

I bought my V85 from West Chester and could see the blow off at the end happening. Especially if the initial request for a test loaner was to them and not MG. MG north America might not even know about it. At that point the whole deal has become a big annoyance to them that totally back fired on them.. Lets be honest this is just some blogger,not Revzilla.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

He's doesn't just write a blog, Greg also writes for several small motorcycle publications. For all you critics - what have you written for the world to read? If it's on the level of what I see posted here every day, then you've got no right to criticize. The first post in the topic is a prime example. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Kev, my post wasn't aimed at you - I know you write for a living.

[Kev m]

Kev, my post wasn't aimed at you - I know you write for a living.

I know buddy, I'm just supporting some of the criticisms. Despite their experience or not (I have no idea), I'm saying they were right by my eye.

[blackcat]

Just out of curiosity,  shouldn't there have been a warning thrown up on the screen when this happened?

[bad Chad]

He's doesn't just write a blog, Greg also writes for several small motorcycle publications. For all you critics - what have you written for the world to read? If it's on the level of what I see posted here every day, then you've got no right to criticize. The first post in the topic is a prime example. 

One doesn't need to be a movie director to know Water World was trash, nor be an accomplished author to know, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a good read.   Count me in as one who doesn't appreciate this guys style.

[LowRyter]

Yet it happens with all brands, or so I think as there is essentially no empirical evidence to show otherwise.

It just happens to often here.  Particularly when only a few hundred new bikes are sold here.  No one wants this crap purchasing a brand new bike. This isn't 1964 or 1977. 

[twowheeladdict]

It just happens to often here.  Particularly when only a few hundred new bikes are sold here.  No one wants this crap purchasing a brand new bike. This isn't 1964 or 1977.

And yet people still buy BMW motorcycles and Chrysler products even though they have the lowest reliability in the industry.  Chit happens, and if it happens during the warranty period it is how the dealer and OEM handle it that matters.

Join motorcycle forums for every brand of motorcycle out there and you will see the warranty issues people are facing.  The ones that are factory design defects vs human error are the worst.  What's really bad is when the defect includes wear items that aren't typically covered under warranties.  Now the owner has to fight to say that they know how to ride a bike and a chain or belt doesn't wear out in 10,000 miles to find out the engine was misaligned, not the rear wheel. 

[elvisboy77]

TL;DR- guy rides motorcycle built by humans.

[timonbik]

It took a bit to get used to the writers style, however I felt it was a pretty good article.  If you take the time to read the whole article there is more than the rocker mounting plate defect with the bike.   The oil level sight glass was leaking and both pannier locks self disintegrated, all on a bike with less than 1000 miles.   NOT GOOD any which way you look at it.   It's stories like this that keep me from buying a new Guzzi as much as I  love my old Breva 750.   If Piaggio wants the brand to be taken seriously, they had better start looking inward and fix some of the build quality issues.  Just sayin!!!!

Cheers, Tim

[keener]

It took a bit to get used to the writers style, however I felt it was a pretty good article.  If you take the time to read the whole article there is more than the rocker mounting plate defect with the bike.   The oil level sight glass was leaking and both pannier locks self disintegrated, all on a bike with less than 1000 miles.   NOT GOOD any which way you look at it.   It's stories like this that keep me from buying a new Guzzi as much as I  love my old Breva 750.   If Piaggio wants the brand to be taken seriously, they had better start looking inward and fix some of the build quality issues.  Just sayin!!!!

Cheers, Tim

     

[blu guzz]

If that bike is an example of production values and quality control at this time, then it sounds like there is a rush to get the bikes to customers y at the expense of quality control.  I have a very early production model, serial number 53.  It has been literally perfect from the first moment.  My hope was that for the first 100 or so, the techs would still have the books out (or laptops open) and checking their work before they "learned it all" and put the books away.  From this example, it sounds like I might have been correct in the assumption, but time will sell.  Just came back from a 50 mile jaunt, first ride in a few weeks and love it all over again.