• Ciao Guest - You’ve landed at the ultimate Guzzi site. NEW FORUM REGISTRATIONS REQUIRE EMAIL ACTIVATION - CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER - Use the CONTACT above if you need help. New to the forum? For all new members, we require ONE post in the Introductions section at the bottom, in order to post in most of the other sections. ALWAYS TRY A SEARCH BEFORE STARTING A NEW TOPIC - Most questions you may have, have likely been already answered. DON'T BE A DRIVE-BY POSTER: As a common courtesy, check back in and reply within 24 hours, or your post will be deleted. Note there's decades of heavily experienced Guzzi professionals on this site, all whom happily give endless amounts of their VALUABLE time for free; BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL!
  • There is ZERO tolerance on personal attacks and ANY HYPERLINKS to PRODUCT(S) or other competing website(s), including personal pages, social media or other Forums. This ALSO INCLUDES ECU DIAGnostic software, questions and mapping. We work very hard to offer commercially supported products and to keep info relevant here. First offense is a note, second is a warning, third time will get you banned from the site. We don't have the time to chase repeat (and ignorant) offenders. This is NOT a social media platform; It's an ad-free, privately funded website, in small help with user donations. Be sure to see the GTM STORE link above; ALL product purchases help support the site, or you can upgrade your Forum profile or DONATE via the link above.
  • Be sure to see the GTM STORE link also above for our 700+ product inventory, including OEM parts and many of our 100% Made-in-SoCal-USA GTM products and engine kits. In SoCal? Click the SERVICE tab above for the best in service, tires, tuning and installation of our products or custom work, and don't miss our GT MotoCycles® (not) art on the BUILDS tab above. WE'RE HERE ONLINE ONLY - NO PHONE CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED - DO NOT EMAIL AND ASK QUESTIONS OR ASK TO CALL YOU.
  • Like the new V100, GuzziTech is full throttle into the future! We're now running on an all-new server and we've updated our Forum software. The visual differences are obvious, but hopefully you'll notice the super-fast speed. If you notice any glitches or have any issues, please post on the Site Support section at the bottom. If you haven't yet, please upgrade your account which is covered in the Site Support section or via the DONATE tab above, which gives you full site access including the DOWNLOADS section. We really appreciate every $ and your support to keep this site ad-free. Create an account, sign in, upgrade your account, and enjoy. See you on the road in 2024.

Norge Replacement

jevincent

Just got it firing!
Joined
Oct 27, 2013
Messages
19
Location
Cleveland
Does anyone know if there is a Norge replacement coming (and the potential timeline)? I am looking for a bigger bike than the v7, but the Norge needs some updating before I would consider it ...
 
No update coming or info that anyone is aware of.
 
Nothing in particular. I was just looking for a larger bike to travel with versus the v7 Stone I have, and I thought the current Norge was older. My mistake. Got to see one at a dealer, and he said it was new as of 2013 model year.

Very, very, pretty bike. Unfortunately probably not a good fit for me as I am looking for more of a tourer, and the suspension travel appears to be less that what I have on the v7. NE Ohio roads just don't like small travel suspensions. Way too many speed bump like obstacles in the roads, as well as expansion joints, etc.

I did get a chance to ride a Cali 1400 Touring. That suspension handled the roads well. Very nice bike.
 
Nothing in particular. I was just looking for a larger bike to travel with versus the v7 Stone I have, and I thought the current Norge was older. My mistake. Got to see one at a dealer, and he said it was new as of 2013 model year.

Very, very, pretty bike. Unfortunately probably not a good fit for me as I am looking for more of a tourer, and the suspension travel appears to be less that what I have on the v7. NE Ohio roads just don't like small travel suspensions. Way too many speed bump like obstacles in the roads, as well as expansion joints, etc.

I did get a chance to ride a Cali 1400 Touring. That suspension handled the roads well. Very nice bike.

I recently bought a 2013 and just finished a 2600+ mile trip on it. Wonderful for touring. Suspension travel isn't usually what affects ride as much as how the suspension is set up. If what you ride over is higher than the suspension travel, those are sure some large obstacles. Maybe you could get the dealer let you take one for a test ride. The suspension on the current models is improved over what used to be on the Norge.

My ride took me over some patchwork roads where the entire road looked like it had been bombed to craters and filled, some roads made from concrete that changed levels every slab, the Norge rolled right over them without shaking me to bits.

My average speed was in the mid 70s so that should indicate was most riding speeds were. Doing all of this I was getting high 40s and low 50s for fuel economy running E-10 gas which is all there is out west. Altitudes went from sea level to upwards of 5k feet, head winds, cross winds in the mid 30s gusting higher, all the time the Norge felt planted like the tires were velcroed to the pavement.

The fairing is a joy, plenty of protection using the stock windscreen. The heated grips felt like brats just off the BBQ on high with air temps not too low, say 45-50 early morning.

The Norge wanted to run in the 80s all day long, smooth as anything I've ridden (Triumph Trophy 1200 , ST1100, V-Strom DL1000 and everything in between).

It might be worth taking one for a good ride. Long travel suspension is sometimes over rated.
 
I'm coming up for 10,000 mile since February. 500 mile days, are not a problem, no issues with suspension travel. It does all I ask of it. I expect the 8 valve engine is even better.
 
I have been lucky enough to take my wife's Norge for a 400 km trip so far. I don't know much about what makes a touring bike or not but it was wonderful, smooth and warm (although I thought that the Norge is a touring bike). From what I understand, most motorcycles can only get better with aftermarket suspension. At 6 feet tall, I must ride with the wind screen in the lowest position to avoid the buffeting on the Norge. But compared to my B11, there is no comparison to the Norge for comforts and wind protection. When we went looking for a motorcycle for her, out of all the Ducati's, BMW's, Suzuki's etc..... she tested, the Norge was the one she found to be the most comfortable.

I am not saying this is a woman's bike either, on cooler days, which we have plenty of here, I prefer to ride her bike for comforts (heated grips and wind protection) but find myself grinning every time I start my fully modified B11. My spouses Norge will get Todd's exhaust system and fueling system in the next year or two.

Now, if I could get an orange Stelvio and a California 1400, I would almost have all the bikes I want...............almost.
 
I have a '14 Norge and live in Central Ohio. This bike supplements my ST1100 which is good for distance riding. The only issue with the Norge for distance riding (100+ miles/day) is the seat. I put a Russell Day-Long seat on it and am comfortable for long-distance multi-day rides. I am putting a heavier weight (15w) fork oil in it for this riding season.
 
the suspension travel appears to be less that what I have on the v7

it's less by 10mm in the front but the rear has 22mm more -- at least by specs: 130/118 on the V7 vs. 120/140mm on the Norge. I'd imagine that if you can get by on the V7, you should have no problem at all on the Norge on the same roads, especially if you sort out and adjust the suspension to your weight. I also have a V7 and am about to tweak out a 1200S which has the same specs as the Norge. If anything, it is the rear travel on the V7 that I find limiting.
 
Last edited:
Hey Maka, your Matris R shock I put in my Bellagio is working wonderfully - after many mods.
I discovered the Bellagio only had 92mm rear axle travel against the advertised 120mm. No wonder it was crushing vertebrae.
My stock shock was 310mm long. Griso is 318mm long. Matris 321mm long, with +8 adjustment. But travel was not increased as shock stroke length was still too short.

We actually removed the inner 'top out' spring and inserted rubber damper/spacer gaining 10mm travel with eye-to-eye length now at 330mm. As well as ride height gains the biggest advantage is altering the rocker ratio that ranged from 2.6:1 topped out, down to 2.1:1 on full compression. The longer shock now means I'm starting with a more compliant ratio, possibly closer to 3:1, along with more travel closer to the claimed specs. (Est of 110mm travel) It definitely is a lot more compliant on the big bumps now.

Anyhow, knowing that 750 Breva's only had 75mm rear travel, and my bike was 30mm short of advertised spec, it makes me wonder if the other CARC models suffer similar fate. Only way to find out, remove spring, insert shock and start plotting rocker ratio/axle travel in 1mm increments.

Point being: Advertised specs are fanciful, if not total bullshit.
 
Last edited:
If you are on a budget lower than a new Cali or Norge then consider a late Breva 1200.
The 1200-2V was only bought in as the 1200 Sport here in the States... outside of perhaps one undressed Norge that had crate damage on arrival (from memory, I think perhaps Ohio is where it was sold).
 
Yes. Speaker's cycle did that. I bought my Norge from him while he was turning the damaged Norge into a Breva.
 
The suspension on the Norge, if the same as the Breva 1100, is quite adequate for slightly crappy roads. You'll get a lot more noise from the CARC and all the associated rotating bits than you will from the actual suspension. I took the Breva off-road once and ate a major pothole with my front wheel going about 20 and it was much less intense than what I expected. That was the end of the off-road jaunt since I didn't want to subject the bike to any more of that, but it took it in stride
 
Back
Top