The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. Guzzi brand image and dealerships that sell them...

[kevdog3019]

The reason I won't buy another make is because I CAN WORK ON MY OWN GUZZI's.  I started with fluids and realized how damn simple that was, so ventured into valves... that made me feel good, so on to other tasks.  Last week totally dismantled my SB to get an internal seal that wept (30 yr. old bike).  You know what... it's pretty straight-forward stuff.  If I can do this stuff a MECHANIC who is TRAINED should be laughing at the simplicity of working on these things.  The SB has 80's complexity.  You know... not long after the first calculators were out or the Commador 64 computer was around.

[Vasco DG]

I fear few people working in most bike shops nowadays are trained Kev.

Having said that basic servicing of a single TB V7 is so simple it would make an imbecile weep! Your older bikes are 'Complex' in comparison, (Setting smallblock points accurately? Ugggh!).

I think saying they have '80's complexity is guilding the lily too. I mean separate engines, gearboxes and a differential on rear wheel drive cars had essentially been standardised by about 1930! :D

Pete

[canuguzzi]

It's obvious.  Guzzi riders tend to ride alone.  Some people travel in groups to the rallies, and such.  I returned from Iowa 2011 in a group that included 5 Guzzis out of 7 bikes in the group.

It's a numbers game, though.  There simply aren't that many Guzzis out there, so you're not regularly going to see groups of them.  Harley-Davidson has sold MILLIONS of motorcycles in the USA over the past twenty years.  (something in the order of 3.5-Million, or more).  If Guzzi has sold 15,000 in that time, I would be surprised.

If that doesn't put it in perspective for you, nothing will...

That Guzzi has sold maybe 15,000 in that time is the point. There is a reason for that, maybe a business model no one else knows about? Seems the people that Guzzi send on the tour wanted to sell a lot more bike.

The thread was about the good, bad and ugly. Plenty of good but that doesn't mean it can't be better. That was all, nothing else.

[bad Chad]

I have been ridding nothing but Guzzi's for 16 years now.  The complaints you have now are pretty close to the same complaints folks had about Guzzi in 1999.   In someways things have gotten substantially better, parts availability, build quality among them.   Others, like numbers of quality dealers is still a problem, but to some extent its just par for the course.

MG is a very small division of an ITALIAN motorcycle MFG.   The Italians, bless their hearts, do things their own way, and in large part don't give a dam if you don't like it.   Thats just the way it is, and indeed, it may be one of the big reasons Guzzi typical produces less than 10,000 bikes a year.  But in my opinion you either get ok with the idea that owning a Guzzi is not like owning a Honda or HD, or you are gonna drive yourself to another brand.

[Arizona Wayne]

That Guzzi has sold maybe 15,000 in that time is the point. There is a reason for that, maybe a business model no one else knows about? Seems the people that Guzzi send on the tour wanted to sell a lot more bike.

The thread was about the good, bad and ugly. Plenty of good but that doesn't mean it can't be better. That was all, nothing else.

Norge pilot, I have been riding Guzzis now for over 27 years.  I also own a baby Breva, which doing my own servicing have managed to underfill the 5 spd.    How did I do that?  Because the filler hole is deceiving on the lip to the point you think the tranny is full but it really isn't.  I have filled trannies for decades on MCs but still got caught making a mistake.  Actually my 750 Breva tranny holds more oil than a big block 5 spd. tranny.    So b4 I knew it my 5th gear started to whine more than usual.   That was thousands of miles ago.  Now 5th whines until you get in over 4500 rpm, then it quiets down.  But I won't replace 5th gear 'till it starts jumping out of gear, whenever that is.  Right now my 750 has 42K miles on the odo. and I don't worry about it.    I bought my 750 used w/800 miles on it years ago.

But as you say, Jap. or most other modern MCs have sightglasses to check the tranny oil level, so if your bike is low you can see it visually.  Too bad MG doesn't do that.   But on my Suzuki twin you have to wait 20 min. to get an accurate oil level reading or you can overfill it.

1 of the reasons I ride Moto Guzzis IS because they are different and I like that!  I don't want to ride what everybody else rides.  I am an individual, not a group thinker.

As for MC sales, MG probably sell 10K-15K new bikes a year world wide.   They have never been or will ever be a high volume brand.  I believe most MC buyers want a competent dealer nearby and that's why MG doesn't sell many bikes.  I and others have travelled all over this USA not concerned that MG dealers are few & far between, but our way of thinking is not typical.  It's not often my Guzzi doesn't make it home even if it is hurt.  But if I had a MC I couldn't trust I wouldn't ride it long distances either.

Like others have said, working on a MG is relatively easy if it's needed, except for the electronic stuff.   At least the older bikes are.  And with the world wide internet getting parts is not near as hard as it used to be.    But to be honest my Guzzis don't usually need many parts unless it's just from long use. 

I keep most my bikes/scooters a long time, unlike some others.  That in itself saves a lot of $ both in purchasing and insurance.   Guzzis are designed to last a long time.   No to be replaced every few years.

[rocker59]

   The Italians, bless their hearts, do things their own way, and in large part don't give a dam if you don't like it.   Thats just the way it is, and indeed, it may be one of the big reasons Guzzi typical produces less than 10,000 bikes a year.  But in my opinion you either get ok with the idea that owning a Guzzi is not like owning a Honda or HD, or you are gonna drive yourself to another brand.

Yep.

The very nature of Guzzi is why I ride them.

Asking Guzzi to be more like Harley is like asking Ferrari or Maserati to be more like Honda or Chevrolet.  Kind of misses the point of the brand...

[lorazepam]

I just got tired of all the whiz bang geegaws that are put on motorcycles today. I looked at and rode a V7 and found the joy of a basic motorcycle again.
I am happy that Guzzi is producing it, and I hope in the future that I can get another one that is as simple as this one. Yeah, it doesn't handle like my Uly did, or Cruise at 90 like my RS did, but it also doesn't fry my legs or boil the gas in the frame tank, nor does it have ABS that can fail.
It is a wonderful bike that takes me where I want to go, at speeds that will get me a ticket if I choose. People walk by Harleys to get a look at mine, it is definitely a breed apart.

[rodekyll]

I read a comment on this site once that said the abs on a guzzi can be defeated by pulling the fuse, with no other effects.  If true, it makes the abs objections moot.

[blackcat]

I read a comment on this site once that said the abs on a guzzi can be defeated by pulling the fuse, with no other effects.  If true, it makes the abs objections moot.

Or just turn it off.

[bobbyfromnc]

There has been some great discussion here on this thread... Like many others here have stated, I wanted something different. Sometimes being different requires a new learning curve in patience and a willingness to accept that at least for those new to Guzzi and have decided to take that plunge. What should have been in my mind an easy fix turned into a small ordeal. That being said I am more than willing to continue giving my closest dealer the opportunity to prove themselves worthy. If not I have learned through this thread that Guzzi Steve is within reach if need be and of course the support of people here. BK

PS Thanks all for the lively discussion.   

[kevdog3019]

If Guzzi somehow gets the marketing, dealerships, parts availability nailed (along with it's sales way up of course), they will outsource it.  It will no longer be Guzzi as we know it.  Herein lies the bigger picture for what we wish for.  It's pretty cool how things are being kept close to their vest in this day and age.