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Rough idle at start, Popping on decel in 1st gear, Poor(er) than usual low RPM throttle control

Well gang,today,I "FINALLY" got to take out a brandy new 2017 California 1400 Tourer for a test ride "WITH THE INTENT" of buying one.It had 8 miles showin on the clock and now has 28 miles showing on the clock,meaning,I gave it a reasonably fair test yet did NOT abuse it in any way,shape,or form.Everything about it was excellent,infact,I'll even say superb "EXCEPT" for the most important thing,the way the motor performed at idle and low speed.It was deplorable.

The salesman was very polite and prepared to do what ever was necessary to accommodate me.However, due to how poorly it idled and especially how poorly it performed under 2500-3000 rpm in any gear,I'm afraid I'll have to pass.The salesman claimed the poor performance was caused from a flywheel that was too small and too light,plus increased emmission standards which have been set here in the States.However,if that was the case,all the new motorcycles would run equally as bad,yet they do NOT!! So I'm afraid it's over.And I am disappointed ,to say the least, cause I was,infact, ready to make the jump.But not now!!

So thank you again gentlemen for responding to my questions in the past as I'll now be moving on.And I wish everyone good luck and many happy miles with their Guzzi's!! Dave!!!

Best of luck to you in your search for the right bike for YOU.
 
I know this is the Guzzitech forum, so you all are probably aware of it already, but it's worth mentioning here Todd's fueling fixes. It's seriously transforms the bike into something much better and is totally worth every penny. All those lower RPM and idleing problems go away and you have more power and controlability everywhere. Every time I'm looking at a new Guzzi to buy I just factor the cost of that system into the price of the bike; it's worked awesomely for every bike I've installed it on.
 
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I also agree about adding Todd's fueling package. Any new bike, not just Guzzis come from the factory especially lean. Ever heard about the Harley tax? Very first thing on every Harley I have owned in the last 20 years is a fuel controller or jetting on carb bikes.
 
Yes! I did write it off,but I am back looking at em again,hoping that these problems have been solved and or corrected by the dealer/factory,which that doesn't seem to be the case.The local dealer around here[Southern N.H.] does not appear to be up to speed on the product they're selling,making all kinds of excuses.I don't know,maybe they're in it for the money only,but if they continue on that course, it's just a matter of time before the public will get wise to em and look else wheres or Guzzi will pull their franschise.But the problem is,they're are NO other Guzzi dealers in the area unless you travel 100 miles ,or better,to find one.And rumor has it that,most of em,don't seem to understand what makes this machine tick.I mean,if I owned one,I would eventually figure it out like I had to do with my current machine,Triumphs' T Bird SE which now has well over 115,000 miles on it,but no thanks to the dealership.So I'm between a rock and a hard place cause the 2017 I recently road tested rode SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NICE,that I fell in love with it!! But because it bucked SOOOOOOOOOOO BAD on light acceleration, it was NOT fun to drive at all,hence I passed on it. So does anyone on here have any ideas regarding competent dealers in New England within 200 miles of northeastern Massachusetts ???????? Dave!!!
 
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I just found two [2] 2017 Califonia 1400 Tourers.I'm goin down there tomorrow AM,if it ain't raining,and road test one of em to see if it runs the way it;s are supposed to run.This is a different dealer and is located in western Massachusetts.I'll keep ya posted!!
 
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I thought the same thing Trout! Davetac1 wrote the whole marque off because of an idiot bullshitter salesman and an incompetent Dealer Prep mechanic.

How unfortunate...


Well gang,today,in one final attempt,I took out yet another 2017 1400 California Tourer for a road test,but this time from a competent dealer [so I'm told] on the other side of the State, covering 40+ miles with it.And even though it did run better then the rest of the machines I've road tested,it STILL ran rough until it hit 3000-3500 RPM.The guy at that shop told me ya gotta run all of em at 3000 rpm or better before ya shift,to make em run smooth,which IMO,is alittle much for normal driving habbits.No wonder they only get 42 mpg on any given day.So I think it's fair to say that there will be NO Moto Guzzi's in my stable as I am now DONE lookin at the Moto Guzzi motorcycles.They're just not for me.So again,I say thank you for puttin up with me and I wish each and every one of you gentlemen the best of luck with your Guzzi's!!! Dave!!!
 
Well gang,today,in one final attempt,I took out yet another 2017 1400 California Tourer for a road test,but this time from a competent dealer [so I'm told] on the other side of the State, covering 40+ miles with it.And even though it did run better then the rest of the machines I've road tested,it STILL ran rough until it hit 3000-3500 RPM.The guy at that shop told me ya gotta run all of em at 3000 rpm or better before ya shift,to make em run smooth,which IMO,is alittle much for normal driving habbits.No wonder they only get 42 mpg on any given day.So I think it's fair to say that there will be NO Moto Guzzi's in my stable as I am now DONE lookin at the Moto Guzzi motorcycles.They're just not for me.So again,I say thank you for puttin up with me and I wish each and every one of you gentlemen the best of luck with your Guzzi's!!! Dave!!!

I'm genuinely curious as to which bike, if any, you actually like and think "runs right" for you.
 
The engine has elastomeric mounts, which all but eliminate vibration above 3,000rpm. The engine produces maximum torque by about 2,800rpm. Together, these characteristics mean that the engine starts to sing above 3-3,500rpm, and is sweet as a nut in its 3,500 to 5,500 midrange. Beyond that, it flies. It does not have a comparatively heavy flywheel like a Road King, and accordingly doesn't chug cleanly below 3,000rpm. The engine characteristics suit a style of use and riding which does not seem to match what you expected or were looking for. I have just completed 10,000km on my Touring, riding in Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland, Scotland and England. When we were passing through quiet rural villages and towns, I would be in 'stealth mode' which means 2nd or 3rd gear at 2-2,500rpm, so as to not disturb the peace and quiet. Once clear of the town, down a gear, 3,500 on the tacho and happy as a lark. Chugging the bike from low rpm is doable, but hardly satisfying. The alternative, riding to suit the engines nature, is great fun, for me anyway. Good luck in your search.

Stephen
 
Six weeks ago I bought a new 2016 Eldorado with California hard bags and touring windshield. A "Caldorado" , so to speak. It had all of the same low speed issues discussed here. It HAD them. Yesterday I completed installing Todd's full boat fueling package and it has the low speed issues no longer! It's really a different machine. Very docile and controllable below 3,000 rpms and howls like a banshee above 3,000 rpms. I can now drive it around town in 3rd gear at speeds down to 20 mph and then gently speed up without down shifting. No stumble or bucking. It's not scary starting to move in my gravel driveway anymore (it's a long story but I have to back out of the garage in a sharp left turn and then start forward in a sharp right turn before I'm going straight. On my chip sealed, ball bearing like, driveway it was pretty exciting until yesterday afternoon!). It's a sad commentary on modern engines that they have to be run so lean from the factory to satisfy emmisions requirements that all the fun is taken out of them. I now understand the Harley folks (well, no. Not really.) who go out and spend 20,000 plus dollars just to get to the starting point, and immediately sink another fortune into engine and exhaust modifications. At least with a Guzzi you are getting something unique and fun when you are done. And there is no requirement to buy a leather bustier for your female passengers or an eye patch for yourself!
Dave, if you are still out there, see if you can find someone with a G-Tech Guzzi who will let you try it. I suspect you will find the experience uplifting. And don't be put off by the thought of having to install the system yourself. If you can follow instructions, you can handle it. I'm about as inept a mechanic as there is and I got through it. Todd doesn't leave you hanging and answers emails promptly.
Garwood
 
I'm genuinely curious as to which bike, if any, you actually like and think "runs right" for you.

Every bike I have owned and or repaired for myself or someone else over the last 55 years I've been mounted on two wheels,are what ran correctly FOR ME.And "IF" any brand new bikes, I or someone else road tested, did NOT run correctly,[and there were a few] they were brought right back to the dealerships' place of business and left there,just like I did with the Moto Guzzi's I road tested.Like I said, I am done with these people.I've driven 5 or 6 of em now and NONE of em ran worth a SH**. How many more road tests do ya need to take???And yes,it could be that the dealers are NOT setting em up right, OR, it could be that's just the way they run,which is totally unacceptable.And If so, then SHAME ON THE DEALER as they've lost a sale and a recommendation from a long time biker, and shame on Moto Guzzi for allowing it to happen as it's costing them sales and money.

So again,I wish all you Guzzi' owners the best of luck with your scooters and don't forget to keep the shiny side
up!!!!!! Dave!!!
 
Scott,

He noted that "Triumphs' T Bird SE" is his current bike which 115,000 miles on it. He does not say how many of those 115,000 miles he has ridden that bike.


My T bird was bought brandy new in July of 2010 and now has over 116,000 miles on it,all of which I alone, put on it.And it will run circles around the Guzzi's I've test driven,not to mention there is no roughness in idle ,what so ever,or at any rpm for that matter.The reason I looked at the Moto Guzzi is because,I want one more new motorcycle before I croak,as I'm gettin along in the years,and the Guzzi was the first bike to catch my eye,but has turned out to be a big disappointment,atleast to me.So the search will now continue. Dave!!!
 
Todd, did you ever get a chance to explore routing the vented oil back to the crankcase? I removed the airbox completely on mine, installed a K&N cone filter and built a small catch can out of PVC pipe. It's vented to atmosphere via a breather filter but I'd rather have some vacuum from the engine on it.
 
I know this is the Guzzitech forum, so you all are probably aware of it already, but it's worth mentioning here Todd's fueling fixes. It's seriously transforms the bike into something much better and is totally worth every penny. All those lower RPM and idleing problems go away and you have more power and controlability everywhere. Every time I'm looking at a new Guzzi to buy I just factor the cost of that system into the price of the bike; it's worked awesomely for every bike I've installed it on.
I have a 2015 Cali Touring I purchased last year as a demo from California. I live in Texas. The bike runs fine on the highway and I like the lighter weight and good handling as compared to most cruisers. But it suffers from poor fueling at low RPM's. I took it to a Guzzi dealer in Fort Worth for the 900mi service and quizzed them about the poor fueling problem. They claimed that they cannot adjust the fueling because MG doesn't have a way to get into the ECU. So I have put up with it. I would be very interested in the fueling fix you mention.
Hico Rider
 
Excellent post! Thank you, I'm sure that is going to help quite a few owners.

Was under the tank today and took the sensor out to have look. Didn't look gummed up with oil or anything, in fact looked pretty clean if I'm honest, but sprayed it anyway with a sensor cleaner, put it back in and "lo and behold" the bike felt immediately better when starting from cold and at low revs. Definitely worth a quick clean if you're down there anyway.
 
just doing an Audace that has this poor idle problem , vc's were tight on the exhaust , so tight i span the engine over to make sure i was in the right spot ( twice ) . going to ride it home tonight and see how it goes , and yes i have cleaned up the sensor in the inlet chamber.

poor running bikes from dealerships , are nothing new .

when i was a dealer, a PDI took ....4 hours minmum.... sometimes a day . ( depends on what faults the factory could squeeze in )that way hopefully , they run well till the first service.
 
Hello again gang.I have not been on here for awhile now,but I did "FINALLY" find a motorcycle that ran like it's supposed to,and that motorcycle was a 2018 Indian Springfield Dark Horse.I have had it now for alittle over three years and have almost 56,000 trouble free miles on it.And the best part is,it does NOT buck like all the Guzzi's I road tested did.Instead,this machine runs smooth as silk,and rides every bit as good as the Guzzi.However,due to it's size and weight,she's alittle on the tanky side,but nothing one couldn't get used to.So again,I thank all of you for your input when I was looking at the Guzzi,and more importantly,for putting up with me.lol lol So if it's alright, I'll drop in from time to time to say hello and see how everyone's doing.In the meantime,enjoy your Guzzi's,and again,I think you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences with me. Dave!!!
 
Does anyone have a picture of where the air pressure sensor is?

I don't have a picture, but, after a bit of translating between the service manual and the parts book, it appears to be on top of the compensator (what I would refer to as an intake manifold). If you remove one or both of the stainless shields, and maybe remove the rear fuel tank mounting bolt to allow some movement, it should be visible. It's a 4 wire sensor, referred to as an air temp sensor in my parts book. It may (or not) be a double duty sensor, as some suppliers list it as an air flow temp sensor online.
 
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