Since riding season is pretty much officially over in Michigan today with the weather turning it’s time to jabber about bikes so here is the first part of my long story and review of the Stelvio. Specifically the NTX, mine a 2013.
First things first. I had a 73 Guzzi V7 Sport back in 77-78. My first bike was a Ducati 250 Monza so I knew and loved Italian motorcycles. The thing I’ve always said about the Guzzi is that it took 50 miles to warm up. Of course that isn’t quite a literal fact, it’s a feeling, a rhythm thing. Now, my 40 year newer Stelvio, as expected, takes 50 miles to warm up. I put 16K miles on it this year so I know of what I speak. I am not going to give some or any explanation about my assertion about the 50 mile thing. You either get it, or you don’t.
A little more backstory. After the Guzzi I didn’t do much riding for a couple of years but then I bit the bullet and against sentiment I went with speed, smoothness, suspension and reliability of Japan and got a new Kawasaki 2002 KZ 750. Various other Japanese bikes ensued and from 2004 till last fall I had 2 different Kawasaki ZZR 1200’s. A bike that nobody ever paid attention to but is in fact a great great Grand Touring machine in the classic sense. Incredibly fast, just a tick or two slower than a Hyabusa or ZX12 or 14 in the real world and below 140 or so which typically dyno’ed in the 140 RWHP range. Comfortable enough for 4000 mile tours and essentially trouble free for over 100K miles. On the big Zed I used to say that I was the master of space and time. Still miss it. I would still have it if I had the room in the garage for 2 bikes.
Not totally comfortable however. Slightly high pegs, some weight on the wrists in a lean forward position and in the full air flow on the head and upper body, very very smooth mind you, while tolerable was not ideal. Since retirement was arriving, and came this May, I started torturing myself over replacement more appropriate for long distance travel. I had 8V Norge’s on my mind as a possibility but it just struck me wrong to have that big lump of Guzzi engine covered in plastic. It just isn’t right. Anyhow they were at the top of my price range and not easy to find. I looked at Concours, FJ’s and RT 1200’s. I simply hate the nature of the boxer BMW motors. Then one day the thought occurred to me to look at ‘adventure’ bikes, No way I am going off road or BDR's on these beasts but the ability to happily travel bad roads and gravel along with comfort and big luggage capacity they started to made sense. I poured over Cycle Trader and reviews. The list was whittled down to the Multistrada, Caponord or the Stelvio. The reliability of the first two, so loaded with tech scared me. I was hot for a Multistrada however for the HP and everything else performance wise but used ones were at the tippy top of my price range. I actually drove across the state exactly a year ago to buy one from a BMW dealer if it looked good, and it did but some guy had called and made a deposit on in minutes before I arrived.
After that reason returned and besides the reliability and possible high cost of ownership of the Ducati and Aprillia I really wanted shaft drive and those big aluminum side cases, so Stelvio it was. Then I had to find one.
To be continued.
First things first. I had a 73 Guzzi V7 Sport back in 77-78. My first bike was a Ducati 250 Monza so I knew and loved Italian motorcycles. The thing I’ve always said about the Guzzi is that it took 50 miles to warm up. Of course that isn’t quite a literal fact, it’s a feeling, a rhythm thing. Now, my 40 year newer Stelvio, as expected, takes 50 miles to warm up. I put 16K miles on it this year so I know of what I speak. I am not going to give some or any explanation about my assertion about the 50 mile thing. You either get it, or you don’t.
A little more backstory. After the Guzzi I didn’t do much riding for a couple of years but then I bit the bullet and against sentiment I went with speed, smoothness, suspension and reliability of Japan and got a new Kawasaki 2002 KZ 750. Various other Japanese bikes ensued and from 2004 till last fall I had 2 different Kawasaki ZZR 1200’s. A bike that nobody ever paid attention to but is in fact a great great Grand Touring machine in the classic sense. Incredibly fast, just a tick or two slower than a Hyabusa or ZX12 or 14 in the real world and below 140 or so which typically dyno’ed in the 140 RWHP range. Comfortable enough for 4000 mile tours and essentially trouble free for over 100K miles. On the big Zed I used to say that I was the master of space and time. Still miss it. I would still have it if I had the room in the garage for 2 bikes.
Not totally comfortable however. Slightly high pegs, some weight on the wrists in a lean forward position and in the full air flow on the head and upper body, very very smooth mind you, while tolerable was not ideal. Since retirement was arriving, and came this May, I started torturing myself over replacement more appropriate for long distance travel. I had 8V Norge’s on my mind as a possibility but it just struck me wrong to have that big lump of Guzzi engine covered in plastic. It just isn’t right. Anyhow they were at the top of my price range and not easy to find. I looked at Concours, FJ’s and RT 1200’s. I simply hate the nature of the boxer BMW motors. Then one day the thought occurred to me to look at ‘adventure’ bikes, No way I am going off road or BDR's on these beasts but the ability to happily travel bad roads and gravel along with comfort and big luggage capacity they started to made sense. I poured over Cycle Trader and reviews. The list was whittled down to the Multistrada, Caponord or the Stelvio. The reliability of the first two, so loaded with tech scared me. I was hot for a Multistrada however for the HP and everything else performance wise but used ones were at the tippy top of my price range. I actually drove across the state exactly a year ago to buy one from a BMW dealer if it looked good, and it did but some guy had called and made a deposit on in minutes before I arrived.
After that reason returned and besides the reliability and possible high cost of ownership of the Ducati and Aprillia I really wanted shaft drive and those big aluminum side cases, so Stelvio it was. Then I had to find one.
To be continued.
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