Moto Guzzi Stelvio (merged) threadfest...

[Sock Monkey]

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

MotoG5,
IMHO, the throttle balance will make a huge difference (OK, maybe just a difference) because these bikes seem to come from the factory with the TBs out of synch. Now, your dealer might have addressed this as part of the pre-delivery but since it's not on the official pre-delivery list from Piaggio that's not a given.

+1

A TB sync made a big difference on mine.

-SM

[MotoG5]

Thanks for the input folks. TPS reset added to list along with starter connections check. Just got back into the house from the garage. Found three of the intakes at 5 and one at 6. Two of the exhausts were at 8 and two at a loose 6 by my feel. All set to correct 6 and 8 now. The marks for TDC were about impossible to see, seems from using my soda straw in the plug hole method they were in the ball park. I used the tie wrap trick to pull the plug caps off so hopefully didnt bugger anything there. My oil should all be here next Wednesday so most likely will ride the old Cal III until then. I took a quick look at the right Hella while doing the valves and sure enough the wiring was just like all of the others I have read about. The orange wrap was already starting to rub through.

[James Adams]

If any of y'all are looking for more aggressive (dirt) tires, check out the Pirelli Scorpion Rally.



Big thumbs up from me.

[pyoungbl]

MotoG5, while you are putting your baby to rest for the winter you might want to check the rear suspension points for lubrication. I just pulled my swingarm and now will be replacing one of the bearings.....bike new in August, about 7K miles on her. More info here: http://forum.guzzitech.com/forum/190/9864.html?start=10

Peter Y.

[Mr. B]

Have there been many reported problems with bearings failing?

[stevie88]

Originally Posted by Mr. B

Have there been many reported problems with bearings failing?

Apparently Luigi is a bit miserly with grease.

[James Adams]

Originally Posted by Mr. B

Have there been many reported problems with bearings failing?

I'd be curious to hear any first-hand failure reports.

Originally Posted by stevie88

Apparently Luigi is a bit miserly with grease.

Not a useful answer. Some people's "miserly" is perfectly adequate. More is not always better.

[stevie88]

Head over to Guzzi tech. There are a few threads there concerning swing arm bearings on relatively new bikes.

[pyoungbl]

I'm the one who started the thread about swingarm bearings. I have not heard of any swingarm bearing failures. Every modern motorcycle I have owned (Ducati, BMW, Triumph) has suffered from marginal bearing lubrication (swingarm and rear suspension parts) from the factory. I decided to check my low mileage Stelvio NTX. Yep, all those bearings had just enough grease to say they were not dry...yet, but were seriously in need of grease to insure a long life. One swingarm bearing needs to be replaced due to odd wear on the race. It looks like the race was not installed correctly. This was strictly a preventative maintenance issue and one that's pretty easy for the average guy. Photos at guzzitech.

[James Adams]

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

I'm the one who started the thread about swingarm bearings. I have not heard of any swingarm bearing failures. Every modern motorcycle I have owned (Ducati, BMW, Triumph) has suffered from marginal bearing lubrication (swingarm and rear suspension parts) from the factory. I decided to check my low mileage Stelvio NTX. Yep, all those bearings had just enough grease to say they were not dry...yet, but were seriously in need of grease to insure a long life. One swingarm bearing needs to be replaced due to odd wear on the race. It looks like the race was not installed correctly. This was strictly a preventative maintenance issue and one that's pretty easy for the average guy. Photos at guzzitech.

I did see that thread. I'm more curious if there have been any actual failures. No offense intended, but if every modern bike you've owned has had marginal suspension lubrication (the common factor being you), maybe your "marginal" is "sufficient" from the perspective of the engineer.

[pyoungbl]

Originally Posted by James Adams

I did see that thread. I'm more curious if there have been any actual failures. No offense intended, but if every modern bike you've owned has had marginal suspension lubrication (the common factor being you), maybe your "marginal" is "sufficient" from the perspective of the engineer.

James, that's a valid point. I'm not an engineer and I did consider that line of reasoning. When I pull a bushing out and the rollers fall out in my hand or I find rust I'm inclined to think they were under lubricated. I'll agree that the common link is me...and others who have noted a similar situation. FWIW, on the Stelvio the marks I can see on the swingarm bearing cone appear to be rust. There are no indentations that I can feel with a fingernail. Since I have not been wading streams or riding in day long rainstorms I can only attribute that to a lack of grease. As for actual failures, those bearings take more of a static load than something like a wheel bearing so even if there were no grease at all they would last quite a long time before there would be a total failure. With that said, I will feel much better when I start my next long trip knowing that this simple preventive maintenance job is behind me. Once again, I'm not disagreeing with anything you said, just laying out a different point of view.

Here's another take on the situation: http://forum.guzzitech.com/forum/196/9590.html Pete Roper in Oz is a well known Guzzi wrench. His comments about CARC maintenance are based on experience.

Peter Y.

[stevie88]

Hot damn. RPM cycles called today with an update on the status of my NTX order that was supposed to arrive by late October. The new eta is mid December, it seems that the factory ran short of some items needed to build the bikes and that delayed completion. Maybe it was swing arm bearing grease.


It is now on a container ship steaming toward the new world. Upon its arrival it will bypass the distributor and instead be "hot shotted" directly to the dealer.

[Sock Monkey]

Originally Posted by stevie88

Hot damn. RPM cycles called today with an update on the status of my NTX order that was supposed to arrive by late October. The new eta is mid December, it seems that the factory ran short of some items needed to build the bikes and that delayed completion. Maybe it was swing arm bearing grease.


It is now on a container ship steaming toward the new world. Upon its arrival it will bypass the distributor and instead be "hot shotted" directly to the dealer.

WOOHOO!!!

I forecast sleepless nights ahead.....

Congrats on the impending delivery of the new BEAST.

-SM

[pyoungbl]

Originally Posted by Sock Monkey

WOOHOO!!!

I forecast sleepless nights ahead.....

Congrats on the impending delivery of the new BEAST.

-SM

+1 you are gonna love it!

[kirb]

I know this is kind of like asking if someone would like another beer, but here goes....

I ordered a NTX in late June, got it in late July, put 5200 miles on it just before a deer took it's life and my bike with it. I am healing up fine and have been in constant consideration on what to do next. I ~LOVED~ the NTX for it's range, comfort, and all it gave you right out of the crate. I have a KTM ADV, so this bike mostly replaces my long distance touring mount with some side road capability.

I really can't think of a bike I would want more at this point. There is the Explorer XC, 'strada, etc that do a few things different but always have some trade off (cost of ownership, higher buy-in, I don't like first year models),.

My only rub is the BITCH it can be to get parts in a timely manner. I have been waiting for 6 months on a front fender for my Griso, 3 months for my euro signal kit, and a week or two for standard NTX stuff. No telling what happens when the bike is out of current production.

I am still loving the thought of getting another one. My question to you all- would you do it again if you had a chance to go back to mile zero without any loss of $$?