Oil leak question V100

[Clifton]

I just realized that I did not follow up about the oil leak in the thread here that I started. I made a 9:00 appointment with Kissell where I bought the bike for them to diagnose the problem. The idea was if it was something simple they could fix it while I waited as it's over 3 hours away, otherwise I'd have to leave it.
After 30 minutes or so the mechanic called me back to show that me it was leaking from a loose bolt. After torquing it up he let it run outside for 20 minutes, checked it, and all was dry. I wish I'd have found it myself to save the trip but it was pretty hard to get to or even see. And I enjoyed wandering around the showroom looking at all the new and used motorcycles. :)
 I've ridden it a couple times since then and no more oil drips so that was indeed it.

[Vagrant]

Racer, I don't recall you saying what dealer it is at. If Marietta, It most likely will be sitting outside the whole time it's there with the parts in a box under it with just a sheet of plastic on it. Totally unacceptable for long term repair.

[Racer242]

Bike repaired and returned.  First off, I have to say the dealer in Marietta has been fantastic, kept me up to date on progress, pushed the issue with Piaggio and returned the bike to me clean and ready to go.  They certainly sympathized with my frustration at how long the bike was likely to be out of service.  I called Piaggio customer service and politely but firmly made them aware that I am out here and I'm not happy.  Things got in motion and the regional rep got involved.  A head was sourced from a complete motor, no doubt an engine that was replaced on another bike.  That's fine with me, the head is already seasoned and the valves hammered in.  I don't know the milage on it but specs were checked before installation and all was within range.  After all was said and done, Piaggio/Moto Guzzi customer service reached out to me (one day after I picked up the bike) and extended the warranty for an additional six months. The bike had spent a total of almost four months in the shop.

So how do I feel about the whole "experience"?  How does it compare to other new bike warranty issues?  Over the past ten years in which I have returned to riding, I have bought and taken delivery of nine bikes.  They have ranged from simple dual sport (Honda Trail CT125) to high end ADV (this Stelvio).  The brands represent production from around the world.  Three have had post purchase warranty issues.  Worst was a Triumph that never run well and was plagued with electrical issues.  Dealer service was horrible with multi month waits just to get it in the shop only to have the issues reoccur within hours of picking up the bike.  That one checks the boxes for Poor Design, Low Build Quality, Poor Warranty Service and Poor Dealer Service.  That bike was traded in for a Suzuki DRZ 400.  Next on the list of shame is an Indian FTR.  It's had two mandated recalls and a poor fueling issue.  The fueling was corrected with an aftermarket ECU flash that I paid for.  The dealer botched the repair to replace a recalled coolant hose.  The TSB clearly said to "place duct tape on the frame to protect from scratches". That wasn't  done, I touched up the frame myself.  In the process, I found two of four screws securing the airbox cover were stripped out.   I haven't taken it back for the second recall and likely never will.  That bike earns rotten tomatoes for Poor Dealer Service and Poor Build Quality Control.  Despite the warranty issues, I am keeping the FTR, it's a hoot to ride.  Finally, the Stelvio.  I have to give it bad marks for Build Quality and Warranty Service but with an asterix.  If you look at the previous picture of the head, you can't imagine how that got through QC.  Early on in this claim process, there was an insinuation that I had caused the damage.  I shut that down real fast.  Really, I took the head off?  Where would I have gotten the service parts to put it back on?  Piaggio Customer Service just couldn't believe that there was on oil leak due to a build defect  and subsequently dragged their feet in approving the repair.  If I or anyone else had removed the head, there would be a record of someone having ordered a head gasket.  In the end, it was fixed, the repair seems to have been done professionally.  The asterix is appended because they ultimately addressed the long wait by adding time to the warranty. 

Let's hope this is the end of this thread and that my bike, an early production unit somehow had one critical component slip through a QC check.  The response from Piaggio Group was thorough and ultimately expedited but it shouldn't have occurred in the first place. 

[Moparnut72]

I am glad you got your bike fixed. I had forgotten about this scenario so I went back and re-read the whole thread and looked at the pictures again. I may be wrong but it looks to me whoever assembled the engine is responsible for those defects which look like gouges from some too or another or the castings were mistreated. When I worked in the aircraft engine rebuilding one of the very first thing I was told was never ever set a casting down on the machined surface unless it was one one of our special work tables or surface stones. May you have many happy miles ahead. I am enjoying my Mandello immensely with no issues other than a minor seep which just needed bolts re-torqued probably due to expansion and contraction of aluminum castings not faulty assembly.
kk

[Huzo]

Can you get back to us after another 5,000 miles ? It’s the acid test to see if all is well.
Does your bike clunk heavily when engaging first gear ?

[Racer242]

it does clunk.  I try to not to be in situations where I have to go from neutral to first with a running engine.  I think I talked about this in another thread but basically, if it's a long light, I leave it in gear and hit the kill switch and then restart with it in gear and clutch pulled in.  It's a manual auto start/stop feature!

I'll post if something goes wrong.  I might well hit 20,000 miles before the warranty is up so lots of time to throughly test this bike.

[Huzo]

If you pull the clutch in with the bike in first gear, is it hard to push ?
Also when releasing the clutch to take off, how far out does the lever go before take up ?
I ask because it may be possible to bring the take up point in earlier and thereby adjust the clutch to separate further when freed.
It wouldn’t take much.

[Moparnut72]

Hydraulic clutch, can only adjust the point when the lever contacts the master cylinder. No change on the actual clutch.
kk