Trading in KTM for Stelvio

[swmckinley54]

I just traded my 2012 NTX Stelvio in on another brand of bike. I put 40,000 miles on it, some of it in the mountains in CO. on some dirt/ difficult roads. I loved the bike but it was getting ready to puke another clutch (first one covered under warranty) and it needed 2 front brake rotors. I was looking at about $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 dollars in repair. And that doesn't cover the fact of the flat tappet replacement needed. So my thoughts on the bike in retrospect are:
1.) The bike is hot. Cylinders so close to the legs makes it uncomfortable. There I said it.
2.) Handles the dirt better than any BMW GS I have ever owned. Made me a better off road rider than I am.
3.) Bike gets terrible gas mileage. 32 -37 real world stock mileage. Put a map/can on it and get worse.
4.) Fit and finish not good. Many of the fasteners are rusting out.
5.) Clutch is a real weak link on this bike. Many here complain of the clutch groan.
6.) Flat tappet issue, now everyone has to put the rollers in that has a model year 12 and below and has an 8 valve.
7.) The DLC coating on the tappets have disintegrated and now contaminate the entire engine and who knows what it has eaten up.

My $0.02 worth

[canuck750]

Any bike that is hitting 600 lbs without gear and a rider is no off road bike, unless you have the strength of super man good luck controlling a beast like that in the dirt / sand. Then there is the having to pick it up once you have dropped it. Beemer GS are too complicated, good luck with parts availability outside of a major center, and they break down just like all other brands (I have been riding a RT1150 for ten years now and can speak to some level of familiarity with the boxer).

I have been riding a variety of KLR 650's for the past eight years and at an advertised weight of 432 lbs (dry I assume) even a KLR is a pig.

On the KLR I have been able to ride a lot of forestry roads, trails that are not too steep or too wet or two soft.... It's all a compromise in the end, I prefer the DR650 for the few pounds saved but the KLR are way more prolific so parts availability just about anywhere in North America is much better for the KLR. Riding in central Mexico a couple years ago I saw Mexican park rangers and police on KLR's so at least one would have some hope of service into Mexico. The 450 Suzuki / Kawasaki street / trail is a much, much better off road bike but not so good on road.

For pavement touring the adventure bikes are great for ergonomics, but the marketing is squarely aimed at those who dream of exploring South and Central America off the beaten path. Reality is 99% will never cover anything more than a gravel road. With the right tires my old Kawasaki Concourse was a great gravel bike, but it sure looked out of place on forestry roads.

And from a red suspenders perspective, for the price of one decked out GS1200 you can buy three KLR 650's, which is what I did this year (two used ones) and gave one to each of my sons. For $15K we have three great adventure bikes that can cruise at 80 mph all day (17 tooth front sprocket is the trick) get decent 50 mpg, carry a lot of gear, are dead simple to work on and parts are everywhere.

My recent 2015 acquisition

[Lannis]

I just traded my 2012 NTX Stelvio in on another brand of bike. I put 40,000 miles on it, some of it in the mountains in CO. on some dirt/ difficult roads. I loved the bike but it was getting ready to puke another clutch (first one covered under warranty) and it needed 2 front brake rotors. I was looking at about $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 dollars in repair. And that doesn't cover the fact of the flat tappet replacement needed. So my thoughts on the bike in retrospect are:
1.) The bike is hot. Cylinders so close to the legs makes it uncomfortable. There I said it.
2.) Handles the dirt better than any BMW GS I have ever owned. Made me a better off road rider than I am.
3.) Bike gets terrible gas mileage. 32 -37 real world stock mileage. Put a map/can on it and get worse.
4.) Fit and finish not good. Many of the fasteners are rusting out.
5.) Clutch is a real weak link on this bike. Many here complain of the clutch groan.
6.) Flat tappet issue, now everyone has to put the rollers in that has a model year 12 and below and has an 8 valve.
7.) The DLC coating on the tappets have disintegrated and now contaminate the entire engine and who knows what it has eaten up.

My $0.02 worth

Mine didn't do 1, 3, 4, and 5, not a bit.    Some people complain about the hard clutch pull but mine isn't ....

The rest ... It's a fair cop.

Lannis

[LowRyter]

I have kicked around doing the Continental Divide ride.

I am sorta looking for a well used 650 Vstrom.  And I mean used.  It's something I could ride to the Rockies on the highway, hopefully it is capable of off-roading, and used enough that I won't care about dropping, scratching, kicking and need be, abandoning. 

I am just kicking it around. 

[WitchCityGuzzi]

I just traded my 2012 NTX Stelvio in on another brand of bike. I put 40,000 miles on it, some of it in the mountains in CO. on some dirt/ difficult roads. I loved the bike but it was getting ready to puke another clutch (first one covered under warranty) and it needed 2 front brake rotors. I was looking at about $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 dollars in repair. And that doesn't cover the fact of the flat tappet replacement needed. So my thoughts on the bike in retrospect are:
1.) The bike is hot. Cylinders so close to the legs makes it uncomfortable. There I said it.
2.) Handles the dirt better than any BMW GS I have ever owned. Made me a better off road rider than I am.
3.) Bike gets terrible gas mileage. 32 -37 real world stock mileage. Put a map/can on it and get worse.
4.) Fit and finish not good. Many of the fasteners are rusting out.
5.) Clutch is a real weak link on this bike. Many here complain of the clutch groan.
6.) Flat tappet issue, now everyone has to put the rollers in that has a model year 12 and below and has an 8 valve.
7.) The DLC coating on the tappets have disintegrated and now contaminate the entire engine and who knows what it has eaten up.

My $0.02 worth

Interesting observations.

I ride mine in and out of the city of Boston all Summer long and find it no hotter than any other bike I've owned.
My clutch groaned a fair amount when cold in the morning at the beginning. Clutch actuation was always the same. It almost never does now at 62,000+ miles. Clutch engagement is still perfect. Looking at the construction of the clutch leads me to believe it is over built if anything. Maybe the 2009 clutch is different from the new ones though. Don't know.
I get 32-34 mpg commuting in and out of the city. Very slow gridlock style traffic. On the highway, I get 42-45.5 depending on the throttle hand. On country two laners with no traffic, I've gotten as high as 47. With non ethanol fuel, I've gotten 50.
I got better fuel mileage with a different map and my Mistral can made no appreciable difference.
The fit and finish on mine are great. I live on the coast, ride through the winter on salted roads and really have no rusted bolts other than the header flange/head bolts.

Flat tappet issue was really a non issue for me. Got it changed to the rollers and moved on. That was nearly 12,000 miles ago now.

[mach1mustang351]

I find the stelvio to be a wonderful bike. I noticed the exhaust heat when sitting stopped in traffic and when I was riding through 100+ degree temps. It seemed like I would get an additional heat dose at certain times.

The bike does all the "bike things" well. It stops great (even though it took a while for me to get used to the rear brake/ABS feeling). It is great handling and has loads of power.

Most of all I enjoy it is a Guzzi. I could have gotten a BMW, triumph or whatever else I wanted but I wanted to have something different. It has its quirks but that is a plus side to me. The V Strom is a great bike, but it has no soul. It is like an appliance. The stelvio is a joy in its idiosyncrasies.

To each their own. I love my new bike.

[Dean Rose]

Gentlemen, unless you suffer from long-term memory loss. I stated that when the Stelvio was first shown that it would make a great Touring bike. Everyone was complaining that it was too big to be an off road bike and wouldn't sell.   

I also had the pleasure of meeting one our members brother at the TVR rally. He had decided to change the oil and filter on his KTM and it had been apart on the garage floor for a week because of how difficult it was to perform this simple service.


Wish I could afford a new Stelvio.


Dean

[Mooney78865]

Gentlemen, unless you suffer from long-term memory loss. I stated that when the Stelvio was first shown that it would make a great Touring bike. Everyone was complaining that it was too big to be an off road bike and wouldn't sell.   

I also had the pleasure of meeting one our members brother at the TVR rally. He had decided to change the oil and filter on his KTM and it had been apart on the garage floor for a week because of how difficult it was to perform this simple service.


Wish I could afford a new Stelvio.


Dean

Interesting, I can perform the oil service in about an hour.  That's with Hepco Becker engine guards. Of coarse I've done it about 11 times.  I'd hate to see him attempt the valve check.... 
That said I would like a spin on filter and screw/nut valve adjustment instead of the bucket/shim/remove the cam set up the KTM has.

[Mooney78865]

Well, I'm back.  The local dealer has a 2016 Stelvio, and I took it out for a spin this afternoon.  Between the "leftover" I rode back in September this one acted completely different. The motor was perfectly happy spinning up, very smooth at any speed, the clutch engagement was predictable and over all a nice experience. 
There was a definite "clunk" when shifting which I attribute to the fact that it only had .7 miles on the clock. And there seemed to be some "take up" noise/slack in the drive train when going on and off the throttle in the parking lot. I was able to put about 15 miles on it, in town, stop and go traffic and a short hop on the freeway.
What really sticks in my mind is that it didn't have much, if any engine braking, it was uncanny, like riding a two stroke. Somebody apparently spent a lot of time developing the FI.  Nothing like the KTM or the '14 I rode.
Anyway, decisions, decisions.....