V9/V7 850 reliability

[Fredrik]

Hello all.

A straight question, are the V9/V7 850 from 2021 with the Euro 5 engine reliable?

I have seen reports of broken rocker arms, electrical gremlins etc. and i start to question the bikes reliability.

Any advice? 

[guzzisteve]

It would be nice to know exactly which parts come from China on said bike, has alot to do with reliability. Heavy amounts started in 2017.

[Kev m]

Guess what, EVERYTHING BREAKS, some things a little more than others but there are no guarantees just warranties.

I've owned 4 new Guzzis and each was better than the previous with regards to repairs.

All but the first one were better than BMWs I've owned.

Most of my Harley were better (more trouble-free).

You pay your money and you take your chances.

Seriously you're not going to get a statistically significant reply on a forum. Only Piaggio knows the stats for sure.

[Vagrant]

If you're watching utube every product produced is junk. These small blocks are as good as anything else out there. In fact I think more people brag about how great the new V7 and V85's are than any other brand.

[michaell32]

The only motorcycles that stand out to me with poor reliability are the KTM road bikes and the Suzuki Boulevard. Reason being nearly every mechanic special I have seen for sale in the last ten years has consistently been those. There are a few randoms that pop up but they are few and far between.  My California was a mechanic special but not because anything broke. The guy adjusted the TPS for whatever reason and got it wrong.

[Moparnut72]

The V7 was developed decades ago. It has been upgraded and improved through the years. IMHO the V7s are some of the most reliable bikes out there. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to buy one, I have had a V7lll and now have a V7 850. Absolutely fantastic motorcycle.
kk

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

My 2022 V7 850 has certainly been a problem child, but never left me stranded.
Here are the issues I've encountered:
1) Steering bearings rusted early on from lack of grease, not covered by warranty as they're wear and tear items
2) Ignition switch regularly failed to activate the starter, took it apart, sprayed it with DeoxIT, and haven't had the issue return since
3) Final drive failure, likely an adjustment/shimming issue from the factory that just took a while to finally accumulate damage

All of those issues were things I paid for out of pocket. Now that they're sorted out I'm hoping for some trouble free riding 🤞
I'd recommend also considering how far your nearest dealership is for any work, especially large failures, you might not want to take on yourself, and that if you need parts other than regular maintenance items, you may be waiting weeks or months for them to come from Italy.

That said, the V7 850 is a blast. I test rode a V7 III and much preferred the V7 850 model. The failures have been a headache, but I've still had a blast on the bike and it makes me grin ear to ear riding it in fast curves and such. It's taken me on Route 66, a coast-to-coast loop, and many other places in addition to being a fun ride around town and comfortable to lane filter with even with hard luggage attached.

[Fredrik]

Thanks for replys.

Imho is it totally unacceptable that a bike have a bad fd from the factory and that the dealer not take responsability.

The starter switch seem to be a common source of problems.

I am still not convinced about these bikes reliability.

I have a V9 Bobber -2021 which i planned to use for some touring to eastern Europe/Russia/Belarus……..feels like wrong bike in this situation. 

[MikeP996]

I love my V7 850 Special!  BUT I was also concerned about reliability so decided NOT to buy a new bike but one with at least 5k miles, figuring that any issues would have been sorted out by then.  So in looking I found one with 6800 miles and ride it like I stole it - great bike!

[turboguzzi]

The only motorcycles that stand out to me with poor reliability are the KTM road bikes .

Interestingly enough, the KTM parallel twins that had the dreaded chocolate camshafts that ended up in a class action against the company, were all made in Austria. The same engine made in China under license by their partner company CFMoto, are perfectly ok.

Back to the OP, my perception is that the 850 version is quite on par with other european brands in terms of reliability (i.e BMW, Ducati, Triumph). So, ok as long as you dont expect Japan standards of quality control.   

 

 

[michaell32]

Interestingly enough, the KTM parallel twins that had the dreaded chocolate camshafts that ended up in a class action against the company, were all made in Austria. The same engine made in China under license by their partner company CFMoto, are perfectly ok.

Even before that I remember seeing the 690 with failed fuel pump and rocker arms for sale. The 390 suffered head gasket failures at first but I haven't seen that problem for a while so they might have fixed it.

[Bulldog9]

My .02....

Every moto vehicle produced has stuff that will go wrong. It's always a dice throw.

That said, the V7/V9 is a solid, reliable and robust motorcycle. I wouldn't hesitate to take my V7ii Stornello anywhere anytime, for any distance, and most of the guys I know with V7/9's feel the same way.

[kingoffleece]

The OP is on another forum with the same question.  It seems like he's looking for a "don't get a Guzzi" answer.  So, Fred, don't get one.
Get something else.  Several very experienced members here and on the other board have piped in.

I have PLENTY od miles with riders on all kinds of motorcycles.  Never one time has it been the Guzzi that stopped the ride.  BMW, on the other hand..............

[Fredrik]

The OP is on another forum with the same question.  It seems like he's looking for a "don't get a Guzzi" answer.  So, Fred, don't get one.
Get something else.  Several very experienced members here and on the other board have piped in.

I already own two Guzzis, so no need for you to be rude only because i doubt the reliability after seen more than one post about reliability issues. This is a forum right? Where questions are allowed???

[Tkelly]

I would bea lot more worried about visiting Russia or Belarus these days,from a nNATO member.

[TN Mark]

Thanks for replys.

Imho is it totally unacceptable that a bike have a bad fd from the factory and that the dealer not take responsability.

The starter switch seem to be a common source of problems.

I am still not convinced about these bikes reliability.

I have a V9 Bobber -2021 which i planned to use for some touring to eastern Europe/Russia/Belarus……..feels like wrong bike in this situation. 

Then get rid of the bike you have no faith in.
This is a simple scenario.
Why complicate things looking for others to bad mouth the brand or the bike?

You don’t trust it, sell it or trade it off asap and move on to something you will trust.

Years ago I got rid of a gorgeous BRG V10 Centauro and a 2009 Griso because I didn’t want to deal with the poor factory engineering. They were replaced with what I thought were more reliable bikes. No muss, no fuss, no posting on multiple forums seeking the approval, the validation or the opinions of others.

This is the internet where problems are magnified by at least 1000% and good running products are seldom mentioned.

[Fredrik]

Then get rid of the bike you have no faith in.
This is a simple scenario.
Why complicate things looking for others to bad mouth the brand or the bike?

You don’t trust it, sell it or trade it off asap and move on to something you will trust.

Years ago I got rid of a gorgeous BRG V10 Centauro and a 2009 Griso because I didn’t want to deal with the poor factory engineering. They were replaced with what I thought were more reliable bikes. No muss, no fuss, no posting on multiple forums seeking the approval, the validation or the opinions of others.

This is the internet where problems are magnified by at least 1000% and good running products are seldom mentioned.

Again, i have recently seen some posts about issues on the 850cc engine. Why cant i ask others about their experience without the need ”to change bike”?

[Fredrik]

I would bea lot more worried about visiting Russia or Belarus these days,from a nNATO member.

I have been there several times and NEVER had any kind of problems, you see most normal people do not judge a visitor what defence pact their nation belongs to. Or do you refer to your own ”we dominate the western hemisphere” since yesterday……

[TN Mark]

Again, i have recently seen some posts about issues on the 850cc engine. Why cant i ask others about their experience without the need ”to change bike”?

Three years ago I passed on getting an all black Eldorado because I read too many negative posts on Internet forums.

I’m thrilled on how things turned out because I ended up building another amazing Victory. And, after those years, I found an awesome, heavily GTM modified 2016 Eldorado.

Will the Eldo end up being a problem child or will it be 100% reliable 100% of the time like my previous Guzzis. I have no idea. But I’m looking forward to a very long relationship with it. Whatever may pop up will be dealt with. No muss, no fuss, no worries.

What is seldom ever factored in with internet horror stories are the owners care, maintenance and storage details. Again, problems are magnified at least 1000% on the internet.

[faffi]

I have not looked for issues with any Guzzi the past years, but many troubles were recently brought up around the V100. Which you did not ask about. First time I heard about V7 850 issues was when I watched this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX-6E1saKP4&pp=ygUjbXIgZGFyY3kgYW5kIHRoZSBvbGQgbWFuIG1vdG8gZ3V6emk%3D

[Fredrik]

Three years ago I passed on getting an all black Eldorado because I read too many negative posts on Internet forums.

I’m thrilled on how things turned out because I ended up building another amazing Victory. And, after those years, I found an awesome, heavily GTM modified 2016 Eldorado.

Will the Eldo end up being a problem child or will it be 100% reliable 100% of the time like my previous Guzzis. I have no idea. But I’m looking forward to a very long relationship with it. Whatever may pop up will be dealt with. No muss, no fuss, no worries.

What is seldom ever factored in with internet horror stories are the owners care, maintenance and storage details. Again, problems are magnified at least 1000% on the internet.

Fair enough. 

[Griso8V]

This is from one guys experieance:  I have owned now owned 4 Guzzis over the years.  I own a V7 850 currently, great bike!  I have never had ANY major issues or problems with any of them.  I owned a Griso 8V which I was told would explode at any moment.  It never did and I forget how many miles it had( alot when I sold it).  They guy I sold it never had any issues either...
EVERY forum I read on EVERY vehicle from Porsche to Corvettes to Alfa to you name it will have almost nothing but guys having problems of some magnitude.  Most of it is BS and a very biased sample size.  Because 1. Most of the guys writing in know nothing and 2. It is a biased sample size...i.e. the only guys that write in are someone who has or thinks there is a problem...
So, I you are so worried about getting a specific brand/product maybe it is not for you.  You are always going to be worried and will not have fun, so get something else.  There are many, MANY alternatives out there these days.
Tony C's .02
 

[Fredrik]

This is from one guys experieance:  I have owned now owned 4 Guzzis over the years.  I own a V7 850 currently, great bike!  I have never had ANY major issues or problems with any of them.  I owned a Griso 8V which I was told would explode at any moment.  It never did and I forget how many miles it had( alot when I sold it).  They guy I sold it never had any issues either...
EVERY forum I read on EVERY vehicle from Porsche to Corvettes to Alfa to you name it will have almost nothing but guys having problems of some magnitude.  Most of it is BS and a very biased sample size.  Because 1. Most of the guys writing in know nothing and 2. It is a biased sample size...i.e. the only guys that write in are someone who has or thinks there is a problem...
So, I you are so worried about getting a specific brand/product maybe it is not for you.  You are always going to be worried and will not have fun, so get something else.  There are many, MANY alternatives out there these days.
Tony C's .02

I really like my V9 Bobber, more than my Yamaha TDM900 or Kawasaki VN800. But less than my Urals, i will stop worrying and enjoy it from now on.

Thanks for all replys. 

[Tkelly]

If you take the Ural you can probably get it fixed when it breaks.There is a brand known for quality and reliability.

[Fredrik]

If you take the Ural you can probably get it fixed when it breaks.There is a brand known for quality and reliability.

Do you own a Ural so you know or have you also ”been reading on forums”?

Ural are not and have never been a reliable bike, but they are easy to fix on the road side which most modern bikes cant.

When you buy a Ural you get a hobby, not a bike for reliable journeys.

When you buy a Guzzi is it for the journeys. That is why reliability is important for the Guzzi and not for the Ural.

[Kev m]

but they are easy to fix on the road side which most modern bikes cant.

Please stop with the hyperbole.

With my chosen career I've been hearing this BS for decades.

"Bla bla bla is too complicated you can't..."

Yet the amount of shared mechanical components with even carbureted vehicles (which make up the majority of failures on the road) is overwhelming.

Sure there are some components on EFI bikes that are harder to fix on the side of the road. But there was always a large list of those on carb bikes too.

And when it comes to electrical/EFI problems I've fixed every one that showed up in my presence on the side of the road because it's not rocket brain surgery and the components that DID fail were common with carb bikes anyway.

[DoubleGuzzi]

One in-tank split fuel hose, one external fuel pump exit, the latter being immediately diagnosed! Both BMW, decades apart and both fuel injected. 

[Kev m]

One in-tank split fuel hose, one external fuel pump exit, the latter being immediately diagnosed! Both BMW, decades apart and both fuel injected. 

Both infinitely repairable, one just a little more inconvenient.

But what do I know, I just made a new ignition switch on the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway when my Guzzi keyswitch died that day.

[Bulldog9]

Do you own a Ural so you know or have you also ”been reading on forums”?

Ural are not and have never been a reliable bike, but they are easy to fix on the road side which most modern bikes cant.

When you buy a Ural you get a hobby, not a bike for reliable journeys.

When you buy a Guzzi is it for the journeys. That is why reliability is important for the Guzzi and not for the Ural.

A few factors to consider....... If you bought your Guzzi (or ANY vehicle) USED, and not from a known/trusted maintenance/repair situation and history, you'll never know if the bike will be reliable.

I once bought a slightly used (as in less than 1K miles) Shorty Ram Van from a dealership. Seems the person custom ordered it, and didn't like the low power V6, and ordered another with a V8.  It was perfect for my growing family. I loved it. Threw some Keystone Wheels and White Letter Tires to satisfy my morbid horror at owning a van.....

Problem was, that thing would shut off on a long trip suddenly. 10 trips to the dealer to discover the PO had mounted a TACH, and cut the wire to the distributer to send the signal. Was impossible to find, and it wasn't until he brought his new van in for service that the service manager asked him if he made any other modifications. He has added front and rear fog lights, an aftermarket radio (pretty killer) and a few other things. WHen he told the SM that he had installed a Tach but removed it, the tech checked and the wires were connected with a wire nut... It was PERFECTLY hidden so unless you were going to remove the cap you'd never see.

The point of my Ramble, is when you buy used, you never know what has been done to it, and you have to accept the chance. GO over everything, make sure it is right, and most Guzzi's will get you there.

I have a couple buddies with Urals, and they strand them all the time. When I was in Iraq for the original operation, we had some Republican Guard bubbas scoot around Najaf with them. They had RPK's mounted in the side cars. I asked our guys to try to not destroy the bike because it would be a fun toy for the downtime and potentially something for the Museum. That never worked out well, but my C CO did manage to take out a dummy with a suicide vest on a Police motorcycle and keep it. One day when I rolled up on their location, I found them trying to hotwire the thing. They had butchered it up, so I claimed it and had my maintenance section police it up and bring it back to HQ where I repaired it, got it running and all lights/sirens working and even gave it a bumper number. A couple months later when we left Najaf and moved North to Mosul, we decided to leave it in the city and give it back to the police department. I've long lost photos of it. Heck, I didn't even have a digital camera in 2002-2003.

As a joke my guys brought me this one day and asked me to get it running for them 




 

Ah, sorry for the sideline/threadjack. Any mention Urals always take me back to 2002..............

[Fredrik]

Please stop with the hyperbole.

With my chosen career I've been hearing this BS for decades.

"Bla bla bla is too complicated you can't..."

Yet the amount of shared mechanical components with even carbureted vehicles (which make up the majority of failures on the road) is overwhelming.

Sure there are some components on EFI bikes that are harder to fix on the side of the road. But there was always a large list of those on carb bikes too.

And when it comes to electrical/EFI problems I've fixed every one that showed up in my presence on the side of the road because it's not rocket brain surgery and the components that DID fail were common with carb bikes anyway.

You must be unique who can fix broken fuel pumps, dead efi”s etc. at road side. Very unique…….