Moto Guzzi Stelvio (merged) threadfest...

Ain't that the truth! I have to consciously avoid going to the nearest Guzzi dealer so I won't put myself in the situation of having a weak moment and picking up a V7!

Found this vid while mooching around. Have to say the Stelvio with a can sounds breathtaking..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCqcrxgpZ7s&feature=related

Was ABS offered in the USA prior to the 2012 NTX?

I know they offered ABS in the '10 Stelvios, I suspect they were available in '11 but I don't think it was an option for the '09's. The '12's is the first year it was standard equipment.

Soldierguy, that's a lot of temptation to work against. I'm in the same boat. BTW, any chance your bike is white with the black hard bags? I saw one today in Fountain, rider had a high viz jacket. I was in the wrong lane to yell out! Just visiting Ft. Carson for the weekend...in the car.

2009 Stelvio no ABS, 2010 and beyond ABS standard all U.S. Stelvio's.

9,800 mile K60 Scout

Bugger me! Where'd you pinch that tyre? off a John Deere?

I'm looking for a tank bag. How well does that Wolfman fit? It looks like it would be right in your face.

It fit well (tank shape, no interference with the bars) but I found it to be in the way when I was standing on the pegs.

(pardon the little iPhone pix) I just reached 1,000 miles on my beast. This is not a review, but I have a few observations to share:

-The seat is high. I have a 33-34" inseam, and with the seat in the higher position I am on the balls of my feet when stopped. I almost dropped it at a stoplight because I lost my footing in a little sand. I can just about flat-foot it with the seat in the lower position, though.

-It is heavy. Yes, I already knew it was 660 lbs wet, but it such "avoirdupois" is certainly more apparent when you're pushing the bike around the garage and praying it doesn't fall over. I won't be riding this bike anywhere there's a good chance it will fall--I'll save my DR650 for that.

-The handling is amazing considering the weight of this bike. I can flick it from side to side very easily once it gets rolling. To keep the weight down I have been keeping the tank under 1/2 full.

-The "mode" switch for the computer is in an awkward spot. I always confuse it with the turn signal. I often look down at the switch to do something that should be easy and obvious.


-The windshield provides good protection, but I still get some buffeting. I'm experimenting with a Wunderlich Wind Deflector designed for the BMW GS/ADV. It is cleverly adjustable for height and angle but I have not quite found a "sweet spot". I'd honestly prefer to ride without any windshield at all and ride in a clean, direct windblast. That's not an option on this bike, though.


-The Trax luggage is nice, but not as well-built as Jesse or Micatech boxes (IMHO). I haven't ridden in the rain yet, so I can't report on the leaking problems I read about. I'm not a fan of metal luggage for a couple of reasons, but that's what you get with the bike. The locks are finicky and are not keyed the same as the ignition.

-It has tubeless wheels, but I would rather have cast wheels. I know spoked wheels are supposed to be stronger, but I won't be riding on anything rougher than gravel roads. Maybe I'll run across someone who wants to trade wheels in the future.

-The left cylinder definitely puts heat on my leg. This is more of an issue on hot days and in slow traffic. I don't notice it when I'm wearing overpants, but it can be uncomfortably hot when I'm in jeans. However, when the temps get cooler, the heat is actually nice. At any rate, it's a non-issue to me.

-Because of the shape of the tank, it's hard to find a tank bag that works. I guess MG sells one for the bike, but it's supposedly expensive. The parts guy at the dealer has says there is a tank bag for the previous Stelvio, but not for the new one.

-It comes without heated grips and OEM heated grips are over $400 installed!!!

-The bike definitely attracts attention. Most people have never heard of "Moto Guzzi" and give you an odd look when you say it. A Stelvio owner should be prepared to talk about his bike when he stops at the 7-11.

-The motor and exhaust sound alone is worth the price of admission!

-I'm lovin' it!

It took me a while to get used to this. I can't say when exactly, but I haven't been annoyed by it for a while.

CalSci has a Stelvio NTX screen available now, including a "shorty" screen which might fit your needs. (I'll be looking at one next summer for the warmer weather.)

I've heard (but can't confirm first-hand) that dealers can order Stelvio-specific cast wheels from Guzzi. I don't really care one way or the other as long as they're tubeless (which they are).

I use the Giant Loop bag. I really like it. It's mostly waterproof and sits pretty narrowly on the tank and not very high. I didn't need a big bag, but wanted to keep small stuff handy (camera's etc) and this fit the bill nicely. Mine is a 2009, but you'll get the idea.

It fits fine and isn't in my face.
It's not in my way standing up either (I'm 6'-1")

I travel with it and not much else usually for day rides. I have a few tankbags, including some smaller ones by Wolfman, Marsee, etc. that I could use if this were in my way at all.

Yep...that was me. There's only a couple in the Springs area...I haven't seen them yet, but nosing around the boards here I think there's 1 or 2 others. I think mine's the only white one, I almost always have the bags on (I always seem to be carrying something), and I've always got something high-viz on.

Like James Adams said, I got used to the switch positions too. Every now and then I'll still push the wrong one, but nowhere near as much as when I first got it.

For a windscreen, I'm using the Givi. I like it...depending on how high I've got it adjusted, I'm either in a calm air pocket (high position), or in a lower position I'll get a little buffeting. I think I've found the sweet spot...high enough for no buffeting, but low enough to allow air to catch the top vent on my helmet and help keep air moving through my helmet.

As far as heat...I think it's related more to the exhaust being mostly on the left side, rather than the engine itself. With the stock exhaust on, I get a lot of heat, all on the left side. With the Mistral carbon fiber can on, the heat is very noticeably less. Now all I need to do is spring for a fueling kit and reduce the heat a bit more. But as is, the heat is fine...doesn't bother me except for on very hot days sitting at a stop light.

And yes...they attract a lot of attention. More often than not, when I've stopped somewhere, someone asks about it...and the comments usually start with something like "at first I thought it was a BMW...."

I love the sound too...get an aftermarket exhaust can and it'll be even better.

Hard to imagine this bike is 100 pounds more than an 1150? I still see one in my future, but like you, I doubt I'd do much offroad - seems like it would be a real hassle to pick up...

FAMSA has a Stelvio specific tank bag - zip it part way off from the base and the base has an opening so you can open the gas cap and fill it up. Note: I have a 2010 model and perhaps the gas cap is located in a slightly different position on the NTX?

the crankpin stagger puts the left cylinder closer to your leg than the right....so the folks that have heat issues notice the left side more.

the stock exhaust's catalytic converter is pretty close to the pillion's left leg, and it does hold significant heat... I was glad to get rid of that before the better half and I took our long trip.

I really like the factory bag system. Mount stays on the bike all the time. I use the little bag around town, perfect for camera, faceshield cleaner, sidestand foot, etc.



Then for big trips, it takes all of about 10 seconds to remove and install the big bag.