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Location: Stelvio 1200 8v
Discussion: Guzzi
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Anonymous |
Guzzi
Oct 28 2007, 6:19 PM EDT I like Guzzi. I own a Guzzi. I love them. In Australia, it appears so elsewhere, that Guzzi is just a little overpriced and underfinished in terms of contemporary "bling"! For instance, this has to cost as much as the Griso 8v, which will price it at about $AU2000 more than the Ducati Multistrada. Yet the Duke has greater quality of out fit, and more "bling." Guzzi must sit where it belongs competitively in the marketplace if it really wishes to penetrate the marketplace, not just preach to the converted, and it needs to sck its present "blin" artists and buy Ducati's. Where are the indicators in mirrors? PS: Who is responsible for the Norge needing to remove fairings to dip the engine oil!? They should be publicly flogged with an old throttle cable. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
 Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 28 2007, 7:31 PM EDT That's a fair comment however I think it is an unfortunate circumstance of Guzzis in Oz that they appear to be more expensive than elsewhere. I don't know why. Here for instance, the 1200 8v Griso looks to be about to retail for approx £300 less than some of its competitors...it'd be interesting to speak with Moto Guzzi Australia to see what their take is. In terms of styling I think the Stelvio is full on...have a look at the profile shot I've just added, it looks the dogs...like a red stalth fighter...but I do know what you mean and I allude a bit to it in the text when I talk about the indicators... Oh, and the Norge oil dip? I know, a common grumble from Norge owners...but that's part of the "latin" thing of owning a Guzzi I guess...I note that they've also revised the dipstick on the Selvio... 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
 Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 29 2007, 5:11 PM EDT Thanks Guzzista. I can accept detail cosmetic failure, but such a simple engineering cock-up? This is not the Latin flair or even peccadilloes, its design incompetence. I've been around the Norge when serviced numbers of times, and the fairing fits, not like glove to hand, but like sock to hand! It is rubbish, and in need of PROMPT redesign, especially as it is what makes the Norge not a Breva to the eye anyway. I'm very disappointed with the Norge, it has also had warranty replacement of the spring on the rear "shocker" for that is what it was, and the centre stand needs its springs replaced to prevent this dragging on the mildest cornering. Norge, is a rushed into market to keep the cash flow going project, almost 1990s Guzzi. Sad, because the other contemporary machines have hit the pavement sooo well prepared from a design perspective, and the Norge is somewhat of an icon. The dipstick is indicative of the whole as a dipstick designed by a dipstick. Someone needs to be looking for a new job. But I do like the Stelvio thus far, it gets the Guzzi juices going almost as much as the SO1 does it not? But only almost.... 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 29 2007, 7:35 PM EDT Bloody hell, I had no idea things were so shoddy. I've come into contact with quite a few Norge owners and whilst they have all without fail bemoaned the "dipstick designed by a dipstick" as you aptly call it, I've not heard, until now, the other complaints you've levelled. I'd go as far as sying that centre stand's flipping dangerous if it's that loose...what about the dealer? Because I tell you what, when it comes to pecadillos, I've heard a whole load on the dealer front...mainly in the USA...where some have even refused to service older Guzzis! Imagine that! What are they like over your neck of the woods? Do you find this valuable? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 29 2007, 8:52 PM EDT My dealer is a Guru! Italian Australian. His mech is a well traveled non car owning enthusiast who still rides a Duke Supersport at 11/10ths in his mid 50s. and is a diesel fitter as well as a Guzzi Mech, and Lloyds certified welder, and you hear him talk about Norge and then listen to the profanities when he has to refit the fairing! http://members.iinet.com.au/~thunbike/ Mario's knowledge of Guzzi is without peer. He engineered this Magni Australia. Have a look half way down the page: http://www.magni.it/storia2.htm "In 1990 Magni introduced a new bike designed for racing in two cylinder engine class throughout the world. The Australian importer competes with the new bike with exceptional results! * 28/Sept/90 - Kambalda, West Australia - Thunder (bike race) - 2nd place; * 4/Oct/90 - Merredine, West Australia - Formula (one) - 4th place; * 27/Oct/90 - Wanneroo, West Australia - Formula (one) - 5th place - and Open (4 strokes) - 3th place; * 3/Nov/90 - Wanneroo, West Australia - Thunder (bike) 1st place; * 10/Dec/90 - Winton (race way), Victoria - Thunder B.E.A.R.S. (bikes) - 4th place; * 26/Dec/90 - Wangauni - New Zealand - B.E.A.R.S. Thunder (bikes) 2nd place - and Formula (one) 4th place; * 25/Mar/91 - Manfield - New Zealand - B.E.A.R.S. Thunder (bikes) - 2nd place; * 11/Apr/91 - Pukekohe, New Zealand - B.E.A.R.S. Thunder (bikes) - 2nd place. Magni names the new model "Australia" in his honor. The Australia has modern lines, full fairing and components found on "superbike" style motorcycles. In 1993, the first road model Australia is produced with identical characteristic as the racing model except for required electrical items, exhaust and accessories that make it fit for road use. " Like I said, I'm very lucky..... 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 30 2007, 4:27 AM EDT Yeah, Yeah! I've seen that site before...it's amazing, like an Aladdin's cave! There are so many classic motorcycles in that photo...unbelievable...the link was passed to me by another Guzzi rider from down under, you may know him, goes by the name of Squeak. He's on our forum quite often and he uses that Guzzi shop...he raves about it and Mario too, so there's no doubting the quality of the service there, that's for sure. Squeak's just finished re-building his Spada, "Gina", and now has one amazing looking cafe racer...have a look at the black n yellow stunner here: http://guzzista.wetpaint.com/page/Guzzisti+and+their+Guzzis+Pt4 Regards Joe Do you find this valuable? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 30 2007, 5:36 AM EDT I watched Squeak build it! I was in the workshop when he took the pic! Small world eh? Cheers, Jim 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Oct 30 2007, 6:01 AM EDT HAHA, amazing...there's some crap things about the internet but there are some great ones too...don't it make the world a small place? Do you find this valuable? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 1 2007, 9:41 AM EDT Makes us all realise we have to share this planet eh? Hope you got the pics I sent, Cheers, Jim Do you find this valuable? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 1 2007, 9:55 AM EDT Too true, I did get them, thank you...wow, amazing...do you think Kevin would like to do a write up about his build? I'd be delighted to add it to the "features" pages... Joe 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 1 2007, 10:54 AM EDT Put them up as pics Joe, meantime I'll speak to Kevin next week. Can't do it for the next couple of days as I'm getting a lump cut of my right thumb tomorrow and won't be riding dawn to Thunderbike till Monday at best. Jim (Old War Wound - not really, as I lad I had an off, and got some gravel into my hand. It now seems some tiny pieces have aggravated the bone and I'm growing lumps in the bone around them. Had some cut out about five years ago. Nothing major, just a local, cut and stitches, but a thumb is what makes us human, and thus riders, no?) 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 1 2007, 12:02 PM EDT HAHA...some would say it's our ability to reason, to form conscious thought and a high degree of self-awareness...but I think you're right...it's all down to the thumbs!! 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 2 2007, 1:18 AM EDT I used to think about that a little during anthropology classes, I always wondered why blokes studied "man" when tother gender I find much more interesting! Are academics ALL gay? I have arrived at the point where I understand that physical the difference 'tween apes and uz is the hyoid cartilage. Deep and meaningful alongside the Stelvio I know. It'll be overpriced in Oz, where I can get a TDM 900 for $13,000 on road, and the Stelvio looks at $23,000 plus! Nice as it may be, taint nearly twice as good. Part of the issue is our dollar was 0.70 to the U$ when the new family of Guzzis was priced to the market, all tother manufacturers have adjusted their prices to the move of the O$ where we are n ow near parity, except the Guzzi importers, John Sample Group. Everything imported has dropped 30%, 'cept Guzzi. Simple answer for Guzzi is to get a new distributor and sell more machines. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 2 2007, 8:48 AM EDT Interesting point JIm, have you spoken with Moto Guzzi Australia? What are their details? I'll have a pop at them over this as well...then we can feature their response and see what happens from there on. I'll also contact the mother ship, see what they have to say, as the new models are key to the firm's success around the planet. Since starting this site many Guzzisti from Oz have come along to say hello so Guzzi has an establiushed following over there...as long as they are 30% dearer however, it'll be 30% harder to find new buyers, and I'm sure the mother ship will be interested in that statistic! Do you find this valuable? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 3 2007, 5:24 AM EDT Seems Joe, on contemplation of the cost issue that I was playing with the wrong currency! The Guzzi travels with the bloody Euro, and that's stayed about the same for the last five years, relative to the U$ and A$, whilst the A$ has incresed in value, so has the damned Euro. So, us in Oz are condemned to pay top dollar (for a top machine) its the relativity of the Japanese Yen that has hit hard times alongside the U$. I'll just have to get the wife to work harder nad bring more money home (;-]) Jim Do you find this valuable? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 4 2007, 6:35 PM EST haha...that explains part of it...hard luck on the missus...but it's for a good cause...I see you ride a Breva...have you seen the new retro Breva based V7? Do you find this valuable? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 5 2007, 4:03 AM EST V7 Retro, yes, and I like it. I am not in the market for one, but I'm not a purist and therefore am free to like or otherwise a little motor posing as a large one! The 750 Breva is a very nice machine. I've fitted Staintunes and sport suspension and it is a vast improvement over the poverty pack fitted standard machine. I was waiting for the Stelvio, but I don't know that it grabs me that much. I think the next may be a Griso, 4 valve. There will be some second hand ones coming on the market with the advent of the 8v and people with too much money wanting the latest and greatest, and I am too old to go that fast. We'll see in 2008 eh? Jim 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 5 2007, 4:09 AM EST ...that Breva of yours sounds like a nice machine with the mods you mention...I think it would merit a feature on this site don't you? ...be kinda nice to share it with other Guzzisti...have a look at this for some pointers: http://attachments.wetpaintserv.us/FScF4lwiOw8MuPJURJzfhA%3D%3D124247 Do you find this valuable? |
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Sapper |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 10 2007, 10:12 AM EST I'll get back to you when the surgery on my right thumb finally heals. Dr took the stitches out on Friday, and as I pulled the surgery door open to exit his august establishment, the wound burst open! 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Guzzista |
RE: Guzzi
Nov 21 2007, 10:22 AM EST Excellent! Heal soon...I look forward to it! Do you find this valuable? |
