Small guzzi?

[alan hopkins]

Hi. Starting with a blank piece of paper and a list of criteria for a big trip bike. One bike that ticks most boxes is rarely mentioned, small modern Guzzis.
They have the shaft drive but not the weight of the big gs
Reliability must be good nowadays
Air cooled, lo-tech, good engine access, low seat height, aforementioned shaft , no CAN elec-tricks
Am I missing something? These bike rarely get a mention!

[Threewheelbonnie]

My dad runs a Nevada 750. It's a decent enough bike but not one I'd even try and commute on. The construction materials are the usual Cheese/toffee/kebab wrapper and parts availability is a disaster. Get it running and it does the job. When something breaks you find it there and then (it is simple if awkward to work on, the cylinders stick out sure, but they block access to all the stuff piled on top and the frame is always in the way), but then you take it off the road for weeks while trying to work out if the bit they used on a Tuesday can be substituted for the Friday part that some bloke in Holland might be able to get for you this month.

If you must have one, buy as new as you can, avoid the 750's and learn as much as you can about UPS!

Andy

[IanJ]

Greetings Alan

I bought a second hand 2006 Breva 750 for my Beloved a few years ago. I decided on one these pretty well based on the criteria you mentioned. I also heard that reliability was supposed to be improved.

It's a very pretty bike but at the risk of incurring the wrath of the entire Moto Guzzi community it's turned out to be the most unreliable bike I've ever owned.

In the time that I've owned it, I've had a series of intermittent faults that have been very hard to find, the on board diagnostics associated with fuel injection system didn't log any fault when it was taken to a mechanic and hooked up the analyser.

The only way to really sort out the problem would be to swap out various sensors/components (I suspect my problem may be related to the oxygen sensor or the throttle rheostat) the only problem with this is that these are expensive parts to buy (at least in Oz).

I don't know any stats on how reliable the Moto Guzzis are these days and anyone can be unlucky to get a "Monday morning bike" but the number of faults and the fact they are intermittent doesn't inspire me to take it around the world or recommend it to someone doing the same.

Don't get me wrong it's a pleasant bike to ride but for me reliability issues and cost/availability of replacement parts would put it low on my list of preferred overland bikes (unless you have a tow truck & UPS/DHL phone number handy )

Regards

IanJ

P.S It was only after I bought it I found out from the mechanic that a previous owner also had problems with it as well.

[benmac]

Hi Allan,
I bought a Griso 1100 new in 2007 and have 22,000 miles on it now and am kitting it out to take around the world next year.
I love it! Simple push rod v twin technology that has been around for years.
Super reliable (at least mine has been). So far all I have had to do is replace the speed sensor (a common problem, water gets into the sensor down the wire) It cost me £30 for a new one and took me 20 minutes to change.
Handles well, Marzocchi forks, Brembo Brakes, Zachs shock etc. And no problems what so ever from the single swing arm shaft drive.
Great sound track, more fun than you can poke a stick at!
Just went for a blast through the country today and got 45-47 MPG.
Build quality is great, I had 2 people ask me last week if my bike was new!
Maybe steer clear of the newer 8 valve 1200's, they have a problem with not enough oil getting to the top end.

[alan hopkins]

Spoke to a few dealers the weekend. Two have thrown the towel in after Piaggio not playing ball so gave honest opinions. They pretty much agreed with you guys, i.e. pretty sweet handling bikes but fragile. Sunday morning bike basically.
So until BMW make a lo-tech HP2 or a real adventure model, it looks like I'm oiling a chain :0(

p.s.
Hey benmac. I was looking at a Griso in a dealers yesterday. What a fantastic looking bike and great write ups from press and owners alike. I am considering one as a road bike. You say the 11 is better. Someone else said it has more low down torque and does more mpg than the 12/8v model and you never need the top end power of the new bike as its a torque turbine. Would you agree?

[Tourider]

I brought a brand new Cali Vintage in late 2007, it was OK when it was in the mood but was plagued by niggles and poor dealer/manufacturer service. Bits fell off or vibrated to pieces, electricals were erratic, dealer service was expensive and poor and parts supply from Moto Guzzi took and age (10 months to replace a mudguard). People always said they were so much better quality than they used to be, what the F*** were they like if this is an example of the better version?

[Dodger]

no bike is perfect.
live with that fact and you will be happy .
it doesn't matter what anybody else rides or what they think.
"ride what makes you smile"

[alan hopkins]

Why do (some) people use these forums to switch the topic from bikes to amateur psychiatrist?
I am not whatever you said. If anything Guzzi is a cooler brand. Stop analysing people, you get it wrong.
Right, back to bikes.
Did three weeks in Goa before Christmas. Hired a bullet. Perfect bike for the job. Short trips, easy local fix, great "king of the road" feeling and everyone wanted their pic taken on the bike.
I got back and set off the next day to Spain with a mate for three weeks over Christmas snd NY as I find it a real damp anticlimax here (UK).
Went on my R12r, mate has R1150. We chewed through about two and a half thousand miles chasing sunshine and dry mountain roads. We had a real blast and both agreed we had the perfect bikes.
Why? Road only trip, super comfortable, brilliant factory luggage, alternators that powered everything (Gerbing xxxx) while charging everything else at the same time, wind protection limited but happy not to have the bedroom furniture bulk when running around town (check that R12 weight, lot less than you imagine and it hangs looooooow) but most of all they're ugly, quirky mounts but have buckets loads of character.
Can't wait to do it again next year, maybe Croatia. Same bike.

Why I didn't like the F8gs. I just never gelled with it basically. Technically for dirt it's way too tall and heavy especially with luggage and way too expensive and fashion fragile to drop. (what is it with all this plastic fashion furniture on new so called "adventure" bikes?) it also made a shoit road bike with a very narrow saddle and a 21" hoop up front that combined with a rear weight bias made high speed wet riding downright frightening. Plus, imagine an "unstoppable" adventure bike that required removing battery, battery holder, air box, ten sensors, a hundred bits of plastic (including the f***ing front mudguard!) and a thousand mini screws just to see the spark plugs. Now you did think to buy that special long unique plug extractor that doesn't come with the bike didn't you...? Honestly.
So I love my funky rare ugly R12 with a passion and would only maybe swap it for the fashionably beautiful RnineT as a long term keeper although would miss the extras and creature comforts.
I've realised that I personally need two bikes as I love road touring and weekend blasts (in comfort ) on proper road rubber however for things more third worldy I do need the ability to venture off road and mix it with the locals to get the best out if a trip and not chew up a thousand miles so something simple relatively small, light, simple and reliable is needed. You would still be a two wheeled God on a ten year old 600 single in most countries around the world simply by virtue of the fact that have the freedom and money to travel. That awards you that status, not the bike underneath you.