Dealer service or do it yourself

[groundhog105]

I just purchased a 2017 Griso with a 2 year warranty and I am trying to decide if I need to have the dealer do the first 900 mile service to maintain my warranty.  They want $500 for this service.  I have always serviced my 89 Lemans and 2014 California myself and used a local shop for things other than regular service.  What do you guys think. 

[pete roper]

For all things Griso head to

https://www.grisoghetto.com/

As for whether you 'Need' a dealer to do the service to maintain warranty? I believe not due to some piece of legislation as long as you keep receipts for required parts etc. BUT I would suggest that you read up carefully on the tuning procedure for bikes with the W5AM controller as, despite them being one of the easiest bikes ever to tune many people, including a great many shops, get it horribly and expensively wrong.

Pete

[rocker59]

If you document the service and keep receipts, you may do the service yourself, and maintain your warranty.  You may also have a mechanic other than the dealer perform the service, if it is documented, and maintain the warranty.

Google "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act".

[Ratso88]

What Pete said.

If you know your way around a toolbox then I advocate DIY. But, I also have serious trust issues.

For the cost of the first service you can set yourself up with all basic required hand tools, a cheap laptop n cables and maybe a carbtune, or other make TB sync device.

[groundhog105]

Thanks for the advise.  I’m signed up on grisoghetto and reading up on the bike. Since the bike is ready now for the service I don’t have time to wait for a manual so I think I will gut it out and let the shop do this first one.  I love the character of the Griso I think it will be a keeper. It reminds me a lot of the Lemans the way it feels just more torque and way better transmission and handling.

[pete roper]

I would strongly advise you to either get the shop, or DIY, greasing the swingarm bearings and shock linkage bearings as soon as you can. They are almost universally dry, or close to, from the factory and will fail in fairly short order if the bike is ridden in the wet at all. The needles in the linkage will also get minced if allowed to run dry.

Pete

[Bulldog9]

I just purchased a 2017 Griso with a 2 year warranty and I am trying to decide if I need to have the dealer do the first 900 mile service to maintain my warranty.  They want $500 for this service.  I have always serviced my 89 Lemans and 2014 California myself and used a local shop for things other than regular service.  What do you guys think.

Document with receipts, and take a picture with receipts and parts ( I buy kits from MG Cycle/AF1) and do it yourself. +1 on going to Griso Ghetto, a great community. You likely wont need the warranty, but documenting helps.  EASY to service. Do you have Guzzi diag & cables?

[Idontwantapickle]

I say support the dealer.

[groundhog105]

Document with receipts, and take a picture with receipts and parts ( I buy kits from MG Cycle/AF1) and do it yourself. +1 on going to Griso Ghetto, a great community. You likely wont need the warranty, but documenting helps.  EASY to service. Do you have Guzzi diag & cables?

I don’t have Guzzi diag and cables yet.  I am pretty computer illiterate when it comes to that kind of thing. I was looking at the instructions on line posted by beetle.  I would probably try to find someone to walk me thru it the first time.
     I plan on taking care of the linkage and swingarm bearings right away.
     Thanks for all the advise.  I will follow it

[Kiwi_Roy]

I don’t have Guzzi diag and cables yet.  I am pretty computer illiterate when it comes to that kind of thing. I was looking at the instructions on line posted by beetle.  I would probably try to find someone to walk me thru it the first time.
     I plan on taking care of the linkage and swingarm bearings right away.
     Thanks for all the advise.  I will follow it

I posted a shop stand I made out of 6 x 2 lumber and a length of half inch pipe on Griso Gheto
It holds the back wheel off the ground and allows you to pull the rear swing arm off for the lube job
It should also work with the other CARC bikes

Here's my solution
This simple rig also allows removal of the swing arm if the LH side plate is removed first.


No I don't advocate supporting the front on a stack of blocks but it was very stable. In this case I had taken both wheels in for new rubber.



Through the Luigi hole I have a length of 1/2" pipe with a ready rod to hold it all together.
It takes about 30 Seconds to get it on the stand, It spends all winter with the back wheel off the ground.
The two side plates are bolted on with the bike on side stand then its just a matter of standing it up while kicking the block under the short side.

Note: Some Luigi holes would need spacers to keep the pipe from breaking the plastic bits, mine came with a washer in each end.
You can't actually see the swing arm pivot because the side plate was on in this picture but it's behind the round plate just above the left hand foot-peg.
If doing the swing arm you take the left hand side plate off first.

[Clancy]

If doing the service yourself then DON'T TOUCH THE "SACRED SCREW".
Check on GRiSO GHETTO if your not familiar with this.

[groundhog105]

Thanks Roy, I will look that up.
I remember reading about Roper saying to stay away from that screw.  I don’t plan on messing with the fueling until I know what I’m doing and will not touch that screw

[Kiwi_Roy]

Rear Wheel Tip
Take one of the rear wheel studs into a hardware store to match the thread on a MS bolt
Cut the head off so you have a threaded stud about 2-1/2" long.
You might also cut a slot to allow for removal with a screwdriver.
Screw this into the rear hub and it makes aligning the rear wheel a breeze otherwise you can stuff about for half an hour.

[kingoffleece]

Very cleaver

[pete roper]

 

[Huzo]

 

Phunny..!

[pete roper]

I slay myself.......!

[kingoffleece]

LOL

[Huzo]

I say support the dealer.

Empirically that’s a good philosophy.
I’m not going to, because they are borderline incompetent anecdotally and I happen to live a few hours from a mechanic with a workmanlike knowlege of these beasties.
But...
I applaud your sentiment...

[Perazzimx14]

There is a good chance the 2 year warranty will outlive the dealership performing  the 1st service. There is an even better chance if there is a warranty issue of Piaggio dragging their feet or flat out denying the claim for any number of reason rational or not.

Only thing scarier than 60's era Lucas electronics is Piaggio. 

[groundhog105]

Thanks for all the tips.  I’m not very worried about this dealer going out of business in two years. They have been selling Aprilia and Moto Guzzi and Ducati for at least 20 years and seem to do quite well in San Diego. 

[Bert Remington]

If you can afford the dealer in San Diego, I'm happy with them for my 2012 Norge's (purchased used at 14K miles) scheduled MG services.  I provide fluids so I know what's inside.  My post-rollerization 600 mile service (at 14.6K miles) was $400 so your $500 is about right due to fluids.  Two services I don't have them do are: (1) fork oil which I do myself; and (2) tires which I have done at Coyote's Motorcycle Tires in Alpine.

[MotoG5]

I my case it is a moot point. The dealer I bought my new left over 17' Bobber from is 1562 miles away and the nearest dealer is 250 miles away. The nearest dealer is one of those multi brand places and dont stock any Guzzi's and I doubt they would be interested in working on a bike they didnt sell. I have been in this situation for quite a few years now so doing my own work is just the way it is. The dealers I have bought Guzzi's from have been in other states for the last three new bikes i have bought. In all three cases they have been willing to get me parts when a warranty issue has come up and I do the repairs. Biggest issue I have had to deal with was doing the roller conversion on my now gone 12' Stelvio NTX but the out of state dealer got me the roller kit at no cost under the recall.