Anybody Know about Motoguzzi???

[DaveOTZ]

So I looked at some motoguzzis... me likey the look... I know the parts are hell to get...

THat said... It says that it has a dry clutch... what does that mean in terms of clutch life??

Anybody ever get to ride one of these?

 

[Jblk9695]

I to have looked at Guzzi's, but never got a chance to ride one.
Here is a site with enough info to make your head explode

Wildgoose Chase Moto Guzzi - Index

Jerry

 

[jeff in ohio]

had a 2002 model. Unless you know how and REALLY want to work on bikes, don't buy one. Paint finish and durability is average to poor. Fuel injection quality is far below anything on a Japanese bike. The final drive WILL eventually leak. The new 4 valve head motors have experienced lifter problems. Parts are expensive and take forever to get. Durability of plastic parts suck. Wire system quality is bad - connectors come apart and wires break deep within wiring harnesses. Stock suspension loses compliance quickly. To replace the clutch, you will take 1/2 the bike apart to get to it - the twin disk one fail by shearing rivits, teaing out the splined center section or by having the clutch pushrod seals fail, thus oiling the plates. The new ones are better, but you can still oil down the plates. Depending upon the model, tire choices are limited,as are powercommander options. small variety of EXPENSIVE aftermarket mufflers. Resale value is AWFULL. They are difficult to resell unless you find the right person. I sold mine to a guy in california and shipped it to him. The old guys love them and are willing to look past all the weird crap that goes on. Yes, maintenance is easy, it's just that you are always doing it.

It started life as a 2002 Stone....

STYLE ELEMENTS:

Buell Blast flyscreen with modified brackets from a Buell M2
painted with stripe to match the stock stripe on gas tank
(will provide part numbers and paint technique needed to paint Surlyn shield in write-up)
Easton Protaper bars - Honda CR High bend with Magura risers from Kawasaki KX
series dirtbike and custom spacers. Spacers are 25mm OD, 30mm tall, with holein center for
10mm bolt. Risers can me had from Motorcycle Helmets, Motorcycle Tires, Motorcycle and ATV Accessories at Chaparral Motorsports by doing a search on 'magura' and 'kawasaki'
That much rise is needed to throttle cables do not hit gas tank
CRG bar end mirror (CRG - Constructors Racing Group)
Barender helmet lock (BarEnder Lock for handlebars see GuzziTech.com - Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power for writeup)
repositioned stock rear fender (bought takeoff on Ebay, cut off a bunch of front, frilled holes, filled
others and repositioned bracket)
Cali titanium series front fender (from Moto Guzzi and Hyosung motorcycles of Houston Sales and Service - Independent BMW Repair/Service motorcycles, by MPH Cycles, Inc. All years, all models in Houston, Katy, Cinco Ranch areas, Texas)
Triumph/Lucas brakelight (http://www.british-customs.com/store/catalog/Lucas-Style-Tail-Lamp-Aluminum-p-18568.html)
Buell Blast turnsignals with custom made mounts made by me (see GuzziTech.com - Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power for write-up on front mounts)
Rear ones mount to rear frame struts with wires run internally in frame with custom brackets made my me.
late 70's Convert frame rails modified to move Stone foot controls 6" back and 3/4" up.
Uses all stock Stone foot controls and brackets and levers. Frame rails look
as though they came factory stock that way, including police sidestand
and new custom kickstand stop. Even managed to keep the kickstand
pivot cover off of the Stone. Heel portion of shifter REMOVED and
rechromed to maintain factory look. New stubs were machined and welded on
to move all the Stone stuff backward. Everything else was cut/ground off
and rails were smoothed. Front floor left hand floor board mount from Convert was massaged to make
a new kickstand stop up near the kickstand pivot. Moto Guzzi Classics supplied the frame rails
Passenger pegs and their mounts milled off of stock aluminum hangers. New hangers from crashed bike
at Moto Guzzi and Hyosung motorcycles of Houston Sales and Service - Independent BMW Repair/Service motorcycles, by MPH Cycles, Inc. All years, all models in Houston, Katy, Cinco Ranch areas, Texas
Rider pegs are sourced from Harley aftermarket with modified mounting adapters
from a Honda Shadow to fit stock Guzzi clevis mounts. See GuzziTech.com - Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power for writeup on
Kuryakyn pegs.
Corbin seat

PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS:

dual front rotors w/master cylinder from Ducati Multistrada and Spiegler line
7:33 rear drive
RaceTech gold valve emulators from Honda CBR900RR adapted to fit (I think I have a writeup at GuzziTech.com - Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power Guzzi Power)
Front forks raised 1/2" in triple clamps to lower front end
.95 kg fork springs from GSXR 750
Wilburs shocks
Mistral mufflers (Moto Guzzi and Hyosung motorcycles of Houston Sales and Service - Independent BMW Repair/Service motorcycles, by MPH Cycles, Inc. All years, all models in Houston, Katy, Cinco Ranch areas, Texas)
Stucchi crossover (mgclassics)
Ferracci airbox top eliminator with BMC filter (Fast By Ferracci - Ducati, MV Agusta, Husqvarna, Moto Guzzi and Cagiva, plus performance motorcycle and racing parts)
PCIII
Magnecor red 8.8mm wires (MAGNECOR Race Wires: WELCOME TO MAGNECOR!)

 

[jeff in ohio]

oh yeah...the old guys like to joke "Moto Guzzi...going out of business since 1921"

Arpilia has been looking at closing the orignal factory in Mandello Del Lario and mvoing production to Noale, Italy (the Mandello plant IS currently shut down becasue of the economy). The oringla plant is a DUMP - even the old timers realize this. Its nice quaint and historic, but hardly the place to make modern qaulity machines. Aprilia could also decide to kill the brand.


wildguzzi.com/forum is full of old dudes.....I used to post there back in the day...those guys would never ride anything else....

 

[cv_rider]

had a 2002 model....

Jeff, what do you REALLY think about Motoguzzis?

 

[DaveOTZ]

That sucks they are beautiful machines...

I just don't have the patience or time or space for all of that...

I guess the search continues...

 

[jeff in ohio]

I just don't have the patience or time or space for all of that...

exactly the reason I sold it. Took a demo on a BMW F800ST one day...everything on that bike was PERFECT....well...except for the lack of engine performance. It was then I asked myself why I was spending all the time and money on the Guzzi trying to make it something it would never be and why I was spending all that time fiddling with little niggling crap the factory should have gotten right. Most Guzzi owners will tell you that they needed sortyed out from the factory. For the kind of money they are asking for them new...thats crap in my opinion. So....it was sold and in rolled the Yamaha. I had a better time with my Harley Sportster than with the Guzzi....

 

[wolfc70]

That sucks they are beautiful machines...

I just don't have the patience or time or space for all of that...

I guess the search continues...

I would pick a Ducati over a Guzzi. I rode the 750 Breva and the 1200 Norge. Both were nice bikes, the Norge being very superior to the beginner orientated Breva. Then I rode a Multistrada, no comparison! The Ducati was much more solid, and felt like a whole machine. The Guzzi's just felt fragile, like things could fall off at any moment. The Guzzi models I test rode (in 2008) supposedly had many improvements in quality control over bikes made at the turn of the century. The Guzzi engines are reported to be pretty durable according to the sales guy, who rode his 140,000 mile 1983 Benelli 900 Sei to work that day instead of his Griso. Even with the expensive cost of Ducati ownership (frequent valve adjustments, timing belt changes, etc) it would probably be the more reliable and practical bike for every day use.

There are lots of choices out there (well not as good as the rest of the world) and it all comes down to what you want to spend, and not just the purchase price. The FZ6 seems to be one of the cheapest bikes to own when it comes to maintenance costs. This is why I like the FJR so much, simple, reliable, and still fun to ride.

Good luck in your search!

 

[simonwb]

Hired one for a day to impress a Government Minister I was going to see who's into Italian bikes and cars.

Felt positively agricultural i.e. like a tractor compared to the FZ6. I wouldn't recommend it.

I do like the look of them, though, particularly this one: