V7R Gear Box problem/Dealer dropping Guzzi?/Know a good Mechanic?

[Frulk]

My issues with the dealer caused 2014 V7R gear box problem has been discussed here in the past. After thinking about my options over the winter I decided I would check with the dealer and see what offer I could get from them on a potential trade for a Stornello. Went down to the Salt lake City Utah multi brand dealer about a month ago and on the side they used to have Guzzi on there was nothing except one brand new Stelvio all the way back in the corner packed in by other bikes you'd have to move just to get a good look at it. On top of that the large Guzzi banner had been taken down. In passing discussion with an employee he stated that the owner(s) were contemplating dropping the brand for various reasons but no decision had been made yet. Fast forward to this past Saturday I asked the parts person on the phone if a decision had been made about dropping the brand. He said he didn't know and he's not kept in the loop on those decisions. He then stated that the final drive oil and gear box oil I was trying to ensure were in stock before driving 40 miles one way 'weren't' because in his words "we're cutting back inventory". To ZERO bench stock on the most purchased maint. product?   

Part two: So, since I'm not counting on the dealership being around to trade the V7R I decided on another option. I REALLY LIKE this little bike. A lot!  I decided I'd take the total hosing of fixing it vs the total hosing on trade in and see who the most reputable maint. department is I could find and contact them telling them I wanted to trailer the bike there, drop it off to have the gearbox rebuilt and would fly back in to pay cash and ride it back to Utah.  Here is that e-mail I sent yesterday PM to Seattle.

"Bought  a 2014 V7R brand new at SLC, Utah Guzzi dealer. Brought it in for 600 mile service, tech under filled the gearbox and I rode bike for another 3,000 miles at which point the motor started to make screeching noises at red lights in neutral.
I'm contemplating trailering bike to your dealership for service. Dropping it off and flying back to Seattle to ride it home when completed. Looking for an answer to the following:   1:  How long to fix.  2: Worst case approx. total cost if gearbox needed to be completely rebuilt.

Here is their reply:  Hi XXXX, We don’t have any room to take a bike apart and no work benches where we can rebuild transmissions at the moment. This is a very small place, hardly any room to turn around. We focus on selling new bikes during busy season.  Have you checked the oil level in transmission? We usually overfill them by about 100ccs to avoid the screeching tranny bearing noises.

Since that's a wash anybody know a reputable Guzzi mechanic?  I've heard on this site AF1 in Austin is good and that may be an option as I have a friend whose daughter is getting married there in the fall and he could bring the bike down.

Last ditch option may be to fly Vasco DG over if he can pass the Department of Homeland Defense Security Screening. 

[fotoguzzi]

1, was that Moto International?

2, email? why not call and talk to someone 1 on 1?

[Frulk]

Yes...Moto in Seattle. Sent e-mail in PM with my cell number attached. Not sure what the point is about e-mail. They could have called. I could have called. E-mail gets you an answer if you're in meetings all day.

[Matteo]

Call MG Portland, they have been very helpfull, and have very good techs.

[fotoguzzi]

Yes...Moto in Seattle. Sent e-mail in PM with my cell number attached. Not sure what the point is about e-mail. They could have called. I could have called. E-mail gets you an answer if you're in meetings all day.

OK, GTK. kinda surprising.
 I've found that sometimes a call to the right person (service manager?) cuts through a lot of fuzz..
 My kids insist on text messaging and there is a total disconnect sometimes on what we are trying to say to each other.. when a phone conversation can be so much more communicative and direct.

[Frulk]

Moto was my first choice based on discussion on Wild Guzzi, their web site, and the fact they were in Seattle where I have in-laws. Was looking forward to picking bike up and hitting Pikes Market and then motoring back through Montana and Idaho to Utah down some beautiful roads. Or, if timing was right stopping by John Day for the National.

I could go back to the dealer I bought it at in SLC and trade it for something else...Duc/Triumph or maybe the lone BMW I'm interested in, the R9T. That may be an option if my plan doesn't work out but for now I'm not done with Guzzi.

[fotoguzzi]

Probably take a big $ hit
but that R9T pushes all the buttons for me.. I dissed them until sitting on one at the cycle show.. I fit on it perfectly..

[pete roper]

Is this the one where some doofus didn't put the right oils in the assorted holes? If so they still owe you regardless of whether they are still a dealer or not!

Not doing the job right because you are a cretin is not your, or Piaggio's fault! It's their fault for being cretinous! Get it fixed, at their expense, end of story!

Pete

[Kentktk]

Moto International is a very small place, so I can understand them not wanting to have a bike sitting around waiting to be picked up.

[Frulk]

Well, we never got to a point in our limited electronic discourse were we addressed the particulars of time. Bike would not have sat around waiting to be picked up. When it was ready I would have flown in within a day or so to settle up and ride it home. Now looking at an option in Colorado.