I like my Stelvio

[HarveyMushman]

I've had it for a few weeks now, and put on nearly 2K mostly commuting miles.  Sunday I found some time to head for the hills to lean into some proper corners and sample a few gravel forest roads.  Good fun.  Maintenance and Mistral install planned for this weekend.  More good fun.  Carry on. 

[ChuckH]

Tim,

They're great bikes.  I've had my '12 for a bit over three years now and have traveled 32K miles without significant problems.  My use is mainly long distance touring and camping trips (mostly rallies) on hard surface roads. 

Enjoy yours.  Get involved in your local Guzzi rallies when you have the time.  There are some very good events along the East Coast of the country.

Ride safe. 

[leafman60]

The most versatile and character-filled bike on the road.

Of course, I'm biased.

[tarsky68]

The most versatile and character-filled bike on the road.

Of course, I'm biased.

I concur - love my Stelly so far.  However, I must say that my Griso has even more character 

[HarveyMushman]

I concur - love my Stelly so far.  However, I must say that my Griso has even more character 

I was mighty tempted, but practicality won the day.

[MotoG5]

I was mighty tempted, but practicality won the day.

Same here HM. After riding both Griso and Stelvio when it came time to write the check I almost went with the more visceral Griso. Hard not to do it but practicality won out and in the end all for the better. The NTX has been the best all round long range ride for three years now and no loss on the fun factor either. Love the riding position, seat and load capacity. No plans to change any time soon.

[leafman60]

The NTX has been the best all round long range ride for three years now and no loss on the fun factor either. Love the riding position, seat and load capacity. No plans to change any time soon.

Ditto

[Lannis]

Of course you do.   Who wouldn't??   

Lannis

[Johncolleary]

Just got back from a 4300 mile trip in the north west for 12 days and it was rock solid ,no problems and super comfortable.  I love it.

[mach1mustang351]

I am going to pick mine up in 16 days!!

[radguzzi]

" I like my Stelvio..."

Me too...!

[tonyduc]

Ditto here, best bike I have ever owned. Went on a 600 mile round trip to Maine couple of weeks ago, everything fine but I do need a more comfortable seat. End of season I will send it to Laam for new foam and better configuration. Was going to send it to Rich's custom seats but I am turned away by their use of gel to replace some of the foam - I  have used a gel pad on other bikes, gel gets hot in the sun and retains the heat. Laam's in contrast uses all foam-for that reason.

[leafman60]

Ditto here, best bike I have ever owned. Went on a 600 mile round trip to Maine couple of weeks ago, everything fine but I do need a more comfortable seat. End of season I will send it to Laam for new foam and better configuration. Was going to send it to Rich's custom seats but I am turned away by their use of gel to replace some of the foam - I  have used a gel pad on other bikes, gel gets hot in the sun and retains the heat. Laam's in contrast uses all foam-for that reason.

Russell

[HarveyMushman]

Mine came with a Sargent Low seat, which I run on the bike's high setting.  Pretty comfy, and a more stable perch than the OE seat, although the cover material and fitment isn't quite as nice or rugged as that on the OE seat.   

[Lannis]

I like mine NOW but not sure if I'm going to like it in future.

If I'm hearing right, EVERY flat-tappet Stelvio is going to fail and trash the engine sometime at or before the 50K mile mark, and that each owner should pre-emptively strike and show Piaggio the trashed parts so you can install the upgrade on your own nickel, or have a shop do the job ($1500?).   This doesn't appear to be a situation where I'm seeing a concentrated litany of failure because this is a Guzzi site and this is where we moan about stuff - I'm used to that.    This looks like one where no one gets out alive.   It's also not like buying a Honda ST1300 or something, where you may have the occasional failure but 95% of them will not need a major engine tear-down just about the time they're broken in.

Sort of takes away from the enjoyment of riding it.    If I decide to do the upgrade, it will only be to sell it.   It's the best bike I've ever owned for two-up riding, but I've got no patience with shoddy third-world metallurgy, which is why I bought a new Guzzi instead of a Royal Enfield, a Chang-Jiang, or an old Ural ....

Lannis

[GuzziKevin]

Great picture.

On average, I trade bikes every two years. With each new bike I say "This is the bike I've always wanted, I love it and will never get rid of it." I've had my V7 Stone for two years. I still love it and it's the bike I've always wanted but I have to admit that I've recently started looking at the Stelvio.

Is the maintenance schedule similar to and easily done like on the V7?

[HarveyMushman]

I like mine NOW but not sure if I'm going to like it in future.

If I'm hearing right, EVERY flat-tappet Stelvio is going to fail and trash the engine sometime at or before the 50K mile mark, and that each owner should pre-emptively strike and show Piaggio the trashed parts so you can install the upgrade on your own nickel, or have a shop do the job ($1500?).   This doesn't appear to be a situation where I'm seeing a concentrated litany of failure because this is a Guzzi site and this is where we moan about stuff - I'm used to that.    This looks like one where no one gets out alive.   It's also not like buying a Honda ST1300 or something, where you may have the occasional failure but 95% of them will not need a major engine tear-down just about the time they're broken in.

Sort of takes away from the enjoyment of riding it.    If I decide to do the upgrade, it will only be to sell it.   It's the best bike I've ever owned for two-up riding, but I've got no patience with shoddy third-world metallurgy, which is why I bought a new Guzzi instead of a Royal Enfield, a Chang-Jiang, or an old Ural ....

Lannis

I understand your frustration.  I had the benefit of buying later with additional knowledge in hand, and so bought a '13 that *should* be roller'd already.  That said, with this particular issue at least once it's fixed it should stay fixed, which is more than can be said for certain other makes' known problems. 

[HarveyMushman]

Great picture.

On average, I trade bikes every two years. With each new bike I say "This is the bike I've always wanted, I love it and will never get rid of it." I've had my V7 Stone for two years. I still love it and it's the bike I've always wanted but I have to admit that I've recently started looking at the Stelvio.

Is the maintenance schedule similar to and easily done like on the V7?

Thank you.  I'm not familiar with the V7's requirements but I imagine they're similar.   

[pyoungbl]

Great picture.

Is the maintenance schedule similar to and easily done like on the V7?

Very similar maintenance.  Many things are easier on the Stelvio (NTX), like replacing the fuel filter or air filter...don't have to remove the tank for either.  Stelvio comes with a center stand so you get the benefits of getting the rear wheel off the ground and it's MUCH easier to change the rear wheel with that single sided swingarm.  The Stelvio takes a standard spin on oil filter as opposed to the cartridge filter on the V7, thus much simpler to change.

I have both and would rather work on the Stelvio any day.

Peter Y.

[tazio]

and GREAT for passengers!
Big kid tested(me), and wife approved
Photo from our 1st Charity ride (Guide Dogs of America) and from romantic weekend outing/cabin rental in the mountains..

[LowRyter]

Harvey Mushman = Steve McQueen

[Vasco DG]

Very similar maintenance.  Many things are easier on the Stelvio (NTX), like replacing the fuel filter or air filter...don't have to remove the tank for either.  Stelvio comes with a center stand so you get the benefits of getting the rear wheel off the ground and it's MUCH easier to change the rear wheel with that single sided swingarm.  The Stelvio takes a standard spin on oil filter as opposed to the cartridge filter on the V7, thus much simpler to change.

I have both and would rather work on the Stelvio any day.

Peter Y.

Err? How are you going to change the fuel filter without removing the tank? There's so much clutter around the pump mount that surely it's easier to just hoick the tank off and do it the easy way!

I'd also have to say that I'd think the V7 oil filter is a breeze compared to the 8V which is always a colossal pain in the arse!

Pete

[Xlratr]

If I decide to do the upgrade, it will only be to sell it.   It's the best bike I've ever owned for two-up riding, but I've got no patience with shoddy third-world metallurgy....

Lannis

As far as I can see, this is (was) the only real weakness of the Stelvio, and the latest iterations have solved that problem too. Evolution of the model. If you decide to have the conversion done, you'd be golden. Why would you then want to sell it? Just on principle?
I'm not closing my eyes to the problem, and I'm not happy about it either, but hey.. things break. It's still a wonderful machine and I've no plan to sell mine.
John

[GuzziKevin]

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.

[Lannis]

As far as I can see, this is (was) the only real weakness of the Stelvio, and the latest iterations have solved that problem too. Evolution of the model. If you decide to have the conversion done, you'd be golden. Why would you then want to sell it? Just on principle?
I'm not closing my eyes to the problem, and I'm not happy about it either, but hey.. things break. It's still a wonderful machine and I've no plan to sell mine.
John

I might get over it.   Right now I'm a bit cheesed off about it.

One, because thousand-dollar bills don't come quite as easily as they did when I was working.

Two, because motorcycle manufacturers have built probably 10,000,000 air-cooled motorcycles in the last 100 years where steel cams bump a cam follower to lift a valve, and there is NO EXCUSE for a manufacturer to butch that up.    EVERYONE knows how to do it.

But NOOOOOO, we have to have "Progress" don't we?    60 horsepower isn't enough, we have to have 70 and 80 and 90 and 100, and in the meantime they forget the simplest, most basic things about how to build a motor.    So now we can claim 140 MPH and fancy Engine Control Systems and this and that and t'other, and the motor blows up at a stage when my Cal II would just be breaking in ....

Like I said, I might get over it.   If my new dealer will manage the procurement and installation of the parts, I might do it.   I wouldn't dare trust myself to argue with someone from Piaggio over the phone about it - someone's feelings would be hurt.

Lannis

[Xlratr]

... because motorcycle manufacturers have built probably 10,000,000 air-cooled motorcycles in the last 100 years where steel cams bump a cam follower to lift a valve, and there is NO EXCUSE for a manufacturer to butch that up.    EVERYONE knows how to do it.
Lannis

Yep! Shouldn't really be rocket science.
But still, ....  "I like my Stelvio"  :-)

[brenwin]

I like mine NOW but not sure if I'm going to like it in future.

If I'm hearing right, EVERY flat-tappet Stelvio is going to fail and trash the engine sometime at or before the 50K mile mark, and that each owner should pre-emptively strike and show Piaggio the trashed parts so you can install the upgrade on your own nickel, or have a shop do the job ($1500?).   This doesn't appear to be a situation where I'm seeing a concentrated litany of failure because this is a Guzzi site and this is where we moan about stuff - I'm used to that.    This looks like one where no one gets out alive.   It's also not like buying a Honda ST1300 or something, where you may have the occasional failure but 95% of them will not need a major engine tear-down just about the time they're broken in.

Sort of takes away from the enjoyment of riding it.    If I decide to do the upgrade, it will only be to sell it.   It's the best bike I've ever owned for two-up riding, but I've got no patience with shoddy third-world metallurgy, which is why I bought a new Guzzi instead of a Royal Enfield, a Chang-Jiang, or an old Ural ....

Lannis

I just found out mine should have rollers according to the VIN numbers which is a relief but it's maddening because I had an 09 Griso before the Stelvio and they went through the same damn exercise in 2010 - 2011 with the bearings . Why and I emphasize , why would they repeat the same problem on the Stelvio knowing about the weakness well before hand . Pretty frustrating and sure makes one wonder about the company and their ethics .
My next concern is clutch failure which has happened a fair bit here in our area with several being replaced in the last year . I have the "clutch groan" when the bike is cold which apparently is an indication of future problems . Piaggio will pay for the part but not the labor which will be extensive . I rode over the coastal mountains last week in pouring rain and only 5 degrees up high and the last thing you need to worry about is not making it because of clutch failure . Same situation , they won't spring for it until it gives out entirely .
The love , hate relationship will continue because I can't see myself riding anything else but in saying that I'm riding with a buddy to a Triumph dealership next week to trade in his Harley for a Tiger 800 . I'm going to take one for a spin so you never know , I could be converted . I've read a lot about them and they sound like a great ride . I rode a Triumph Sprint for a 4 years and never had a problem with it .

[Lannis]

The love , hate relationship will continue because I can't see myself riding anything else but in saying that I'm riding with a buddy to a Triumph dealership next week to trade in his Harley for a Tiger 800 . I'm going to take one for a spin so you never know , I could be converted . I've read a lot about them and they sound like a great ride . I rode a Triumph Sprint for a 4 years and never had a problem with it .

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

[Xlratr]

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

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

[tonyduc]

I like mine NOW but not sure if I'm going to like it in future.

If I'm hearing right, EVERY flat-tappet Stelvio is going to fail and trash the engine sometime at or before the 50K mile mark,
....

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?