I like my Stelvio

[Lannis]

Maybe for a Guzzi, 50K miles is still young. But for the average bike is getting 50K miles out of an engine before a necessary rebuild that ridiculous anyways?

Anyone who doesn't ride a bike enough to be upset with only 50K engine life is a fairy-cake wannabe bar-hopping poser anyhow ....  REAL riders' motorcycles go way over 100,000 miles before even considering needed clutches, piston rings, and other normal engine wear items.    Cams, cranks, transmissions, valve trains - 250,000 miles or it didn't happen ....

That's why you're correct in saying "Maybe for a Guzzi" ... it's why we own the things and put up with the "character" ....

My Suzuki Water Buffalo was sold at 80,000 miles and had had nothing done to it except chains, sprockets, tires, and cables.   Now THAT'S what I'm talking about.   

Lannis

[decotriumph]

Do the new(er) Stelvios come with heated grips? I don't see them listed on the Moto Guzzi site but thought I read somewhere that it does.

Heated grips are a dealer installed option. Mine have been on order for over three weeks and have not arrived at the dealer yet.

[Vasco DG]

Anyone who doesn't ride a bike enough to be upset with only 50K engine life is a fairy-cake wannabe bar-hopping poser anyhow ....  REAL riders' motorcycles go way over 100,000 miles before even considering needed clutches, piston rings, and other normal engine wear items.    Cams, cranks, transmissions, valve trains - 250,000 miles or it didn't happen ....

That's why you're correct in saying "Maybe for a Guzzi" ... it's why we own the things and put up with the "character" ....

My Suzuki Water Buffalo was sold at 80,000 miles and had had nothing done to it except chains, sprockets, tires, and cables.   Now THAT'S what I'm talking about.   

Lannis

Lannis, it's nothing to do with 'Character' as far as I'm concerned. I really like the design, it is simple and elegant and delivers what I want like nothing else.

As far as the cam failure issue goes it does piss me off. Not so much because they didn't do sufficient testing before the motor was launched but because it would appear that once they knew about the problem and decided that a materials/manufacturing change to the flat tappet design wasn't going to cure the issue they continued to manufacture and sell a product they were expecting to fail and have to rectify later down the track once a reliable solution had been found.

Is that what was done? I don't know for sure but the fact that they started shimming the valve springs back in 2010 and marking the heads for easy identification down the track a full two years before the 1200's started getting the roller top end doesn't smell pretty to me. If it is true that this sort of deceit occurred it would, I would imagine, be very hard to prove but it doesn't sit well with me and makes me deeply uncomfortable.

Pete

[Viker]

I liked my Stelvio at first, but now I'm getting to love it.

The Tiger 800 was on my shortlist before buying the Stelvio, close to the top of the list in fact. Until I rode one. It did't do anything wrong, but it was boring to ride.

[Damnyankee]

Rented a Stelvio from Agostini my first trip to Italy, very nice machine but a little too tall for me. Ran like a champ for the 3 weeks in Italy, just wish my legs were a little longer :)

[leafman60]

Rented a Stelvio from Agostini my first trip to Italy, very nice machine but a little too tall for me. Ran like a champ for the 3 weeks in Italy, just wish my legs were a little longer :)

Yes, these big dual-sport type machines inherently are tall in order to provide needed ground clearance for the few riders who use them as they were designed on an occasional offroad jaunt.

My long time riding friend who bought one of the first Stelvio models was of short stature and had a few problems with it. Not wanting to lower the suspension, he had his riding boots re-soled with 1 1/4" platform soles that did the trick for him.

He used to joke that he wished he could just as easily add 1 1/4" to other things ....

[Damnyankee]

Yes, these big dual-sport type machines inherently are tall in order to provide needed ground clearance for the few riders who use them as they were designed on an occasional offroad jaunt.

My long time riding friend who bought one of the first Stelvio models was of short stature and had a few problems with it. Not wanting to lower the suspension, he had his riding boots re-soled with 1 1/4" platform soles that did the trick for him.

He used to joke that he wished he could just as easily add 1 1/4" to other things ....

Now there's an idea. If and when the Bassa is finished, a Stelvio might be in order. I gotta say though, my 675 is the perfect bike for the roads I'll be travelling in our new home in Italy :)

[leafman60]

The 675 is a nice bike but still a sewing machine compared to the lumpy characeter of the big Guzzi twin.

[Damnyankee]

The 675 is a nice bike but still a sewing machine compared to the lumpy characeter of the big Guzzi twin.

Took this photo in 2013, these guys show up by the dozens in spring and summer to ride the roads  around the mountains. By the way, the photo was taken only 4 doors away from what will be our apartment 



The end of the video is just where we'll be living....

https://youtu.be/xLCFy2AtInE

[Scud]

I like your Stelvio too.

I keep thinking another adventure bike is in my future - was toying between a used Stelvio or 800GS BMW. But now Honda's gone and announced the new Africa Twin, which (being a Honda) should be virtually indestructible and low-maintenance. Probably will have more character than the GS, but less than the Stelvio - and appears to be more off-road worthy than either.

But my garage is "all Italian" at moment...

[HarveyMushman]

Hoooo boy, I really like it now.  This weekend featured a fresh valve adjustment, throttle body balance, Mistral slip-on install, and an updated map courtesy of Xlratr.  I had a little difficulty with the spark plug caps due to my hamfistedness, but I got that sorted thanks to good folks here.  The engine is running better than ever, smooth and ever so delicious sounding.   

[Xlratr]

Hoooo boy, I really like it now.  This weekend featured a fresh valve adjustment, throttle body balance, Mistral slip-on install, and an updated map courtesy of Xlratr.  I had a little difficulty with the spark plug caps thanks to my hamfistedness, but I got that sorted thanks to good folks here.  The engine is running better than ever, smooth and ever so delicious sounding.   

Hi there HM. Since I did the roller conversion I've been trimming the map to work better with the new set up. I'll send you an updated one in a few days.
All the best
John

[HarveyMushman]

Hi there HM. Since I did the roller conversion I've been trimming the map to work better with the new set up. I'll send you an updated one in a few days.
All the best
John

Cool, John, thanks!

[motrhead]

Modern bikes are going much further...I know of a couple FJR1300s and ST1100s with over 300,000 miles on them, with the engines untouched. Even lowly CBR600s are going past 200,000 miles.
 I still love my Stelvio too, but I am dreading the roller conversion just because it is such a pain in the ass dealing with a dealer 5.5 hours away.

[GuzziKevin]

I went to the dealer and sat on one today. I was hoping it was going to be too tall and/or too heavy so that I could forget about getting one. It was neither and I quite liked it. One thing I noticed was that it had a plastic tank. Has anyone had any problems with the plastic tank swelling from using gas with ethanol and/or letting it sit with ethanol in the tank?

[stormshearon]

I have not heard of any issues with the Stelvios. also, all plastic tanks are not the same. The big issue is with ones constructed of certain type of nylon (Ducati Monsters) that will absorb water. That is the actual issue with certain plastic tanks on motorcycles. The ethanol in the gas can absorb water, the water gets absorbed by the plastic and the plastic swells. That is why Ducati switched to  a plastic tank with a beauty cover for the late model Monsters (before the new 1200 and 821 which have steel tanks).

[WitchCityGuzzi]

MGM. Man's. Greatest. Motorcycle.

Tappets be damned. Even after going through the roller conversion, I'd still buy the thing again.

[GuzziKevin]

Is the tappets issue resolved with the 2013s and forward?

[Vasco DG]

Is the tappets issue resolved with the 2013s and forward?

(Sigh.) Yes, but some people will never believe it.

Pete

[mach1mustang351]

I just picked up my stelvio today and put 530 miles on it. My first impressions are all great so far. After 7 years of working on my V Strom to dial it in, this bike is better out of the box. The only things I need to get used to is the rear brake. It feels a little low and not as strong as im used to. I was assured it was normal and the abs bikes are like that. I also got in a situation for about 40 miles of hills where I was dropping rpm going up hill and I had to keep accelerating through this resonance point. And some how one of my mirror mount turn signals is out. A pic of the bulb pops up on the dash sometimes. Hopefully just a bulb. Other than that, I am smitten with it so far.

[SteveRivet]

A friend of mine has a Tiger 800 and it seems like a well built bike. It doesn't "move" me, but that's a very subjective thing. Riding behind him is not a good idea though, because the gears howl and the sound is tiring. And it's not really home service friendly. He has it serviced at the dealer, and the last one cost �700! Two of those and you've paid for your roller conversion! 
John

I agree. I had a 955 for a while and liked it, and rode my buddy's 800 a couple months ago for about 40 miles thru the country.  Nice bike, great ergos, but was very happy to pop back on my 1200 Sport at the end.  And my buddy wasn't falling over himself to give it back....

Steve

[smdl]

I just picked up my stelvio today and put 530 miles on it. My first impressions are all great so far. After 7 years of working on my V Strom to dial it in, this bike is better out of the box. The only things I need to get used to is the rear brake. It feels a little low and not as strong as im used to. I was assured it was normal and the abs bikes are like that. I also got in a situation for about 40 miles of hills where I was dropping rpm going up hill and I had to keep accelerating through this resonance point. And some how one of my mirror mount turn signals is out. A pic of the bulb pops up on the dash sometimes. Hopefully just a bulb. Other than that, I am smitten with it so far.

The mirror-mounted turn signals are a known issue -- install the Euro signals in the fairing, and switch to the standard mirrors.  For the resonance, make sure the bike is well-tuned, and consider a installing a new ECU map with Guzzidiag.  Also, if it hasn't been looked at yet, check the wiring to the auxiliary lights, and install fuses in them (as close to the power source as possible).

As with all Guzzis, it seems, there are a few niggling issues to address before long-term joy ensues... .

Cheers,
Shaun

[HarveyMushman]

Still diggin' it.

[CTYANKEE]

Heated grips are a dealer installed option. Mine have been on order for over three weeks and have not arrived at the dealer yet.

I'd get aftermarket ones, I have the dealer installed factory heaters and they're pretty lame.

[Lannis]

Same wavelength here.   When I go in to the Guzzi dealer to talk solutions, I know he's going to have a nice new Triumph Trophy sport-tourer sitting there on the floor ....

Lannis

And he DID have a nice new Triumph Trophy 1215 triple sports tourer sitting there on the floor.

And Fay had had enough of the wrangling with Piaggio to help us (not fix it, but just help) fix a problem that was totally theirs and affected every single 8 valve; she learned about the Triumph, discussed it with me, and we bought it.

That way we had an out - if Piaggio didn't come through or the dealer wasn't successful, we had an out already; part out the Stelvio and forget it.    If they DID come through and presented me with a nice, fixed Stelvio, I had the option to keep it or sell it as a runner with a clear conscience.

Turns out we kept both - friends from England came over, took over the Stelvio, and we rode together for 10 days last May all over the SE USA, Fay and I on the Triumph.   We might do it again.

Since then, it's been very nice to have the choice of Triumph or Stelvio for any long trip that Fay and I might decide to take ..... !

Lannis

[HarveyMushman]

Still pretty pleased . . .

[severely]

I'm very happy with mine even after having to rollerize it AND spend about 6 months chasing down a misfire that turned out to be the left plug wire outside the coil output, zip tied to the frame. Was like that so long it deteriorated the coil tower so it arced to ground. Drove me to drink for awhile[ wasn't a long trip]. All good now, runs magnificently, handles like it's on rails. Thanks to Pete Roper and Harper's MG.

[Green1000S]

I like mine....