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2013 G12 question

Nordicnorm

Nordicnorm

Cruisin' Guzzisti
GT Famiglia
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
397
Location
Vancouver Island BC
One of these is available within my reach. Low mileage, good price. it would be my MG #6 over the years so I am used to some idiosyncrasies.
The lifter problems are scary, but surely that was taken care of by then?
If there are still possible issues, I will walk away, and look for a G11, as my B11 has taught me all I need to know about that model.
Any feedback, positive or negative appreciated, as I am close to pulling the trigger.
 
The VIN number can confirm the release year (as opposed to the manufactured year). But this could have been a motor manufactured in 2012 and released in 2012 as a "2013" model. No assurances by this method.

Ask the seller if it has roller tappets, and make it a proviso of the sale. Or offer to pay for an inspection by a dealer you trust.

If he refuses, I personally would walk away.
 
As Dave said, hard to be absolutely sure without looking at them. But typically after 2012 they were rollers. The switch happened mid 2012, with no real announcement.
I am one of the few who is not afraid of a flat tappet motor. But the bike you are looking at is almost certainly a roller motor, and the 8 valve motor has enough going for it over the 2 valve motor that I think it would be silly to avoid a roller motor because of issues with the flat tappet motor.
It takes about a 1/2 hour from what I understand to take it apart enough to confirm. You could try contact MG with the VIN, but I would have zero faith in what they told you. I really don't think they would know.
 
Good stuff, thank you both.
All I know from 60 miles away is it's the black/silver one, same as the one Todd has in his rental fleet. The road tests love them, but reality may be different. Could get the vin on Tuesday.
Problem is it's a dealer I do not trust. based on the history (before my time) of my B-11.
Nothing going on till Tuesday, let's see what the cat drags in till then...
 
Thanks Dave
I have not been leaning on a MG dealership's service dept. since the early eighties.
Sent the VIN to Guzzi. Once I find the date of manufacture, and the date it was first put into service I may feel better.
There may be warrant time left, and we have on excellent service shop on the mainland, should I need it. I have made no commitment yet.
 
A dealer you don't trust is a bigger issue than whether it is a roller engine or flat tappet engine.
 
Manufactured April 2013, sold 2014. so warranty remaining. Invited to go for a long test ride.
Input from both of you very helpful, as it made me think the whole thing over carefuly for a while.
Nothing on the VIN from MG.
 
If it was built in 2013 it is almost certainly a roller engine. I would be willing to bet a donut on it.
But if you want to be sure, just have them pull a valve cover and you can look. I would not trust what MG says, they could be wrong. For a while they were building roller tappet motors and no one knew. They just started making roller engines.
It is almost certainly a roller, if you want to confirm you need to look. Don't have them look and tell you, you can see which it is. There are pictures around here of the visual differences once you open it up.
The only thing that concerns me is what you said about the dealer. A dealer can make owning a Guzzi a good experience or a bad one. More so than other brands, having a good dealer can make all the difference. They aren't appliances like so many other brands.
 
Check the VIN for yourself, with the digit that appears before "M" (=Mandello).

But don't be fooled. My "2014" California 1400 was purchased in May 2013, and probably manufactured in late 2012. It has the letter "E" before the M.

Edit: I tried to post a chart of what the letter represent, but it didn't appear. Easy for the later ones,

1 = 2001 .........9 = 2009

A = 2010 .......K = 2019
 
It is a D, so 2013.
Dave, you are brilliant.
Michael, I will look for pictures, though it is hard to believe you are not right. Regarding dealers, Canada is a pretty small market, and most dealers are multi brand dealerships, so it is hard to find the single brand dedication we see south of the border. Knowledge (startus interruptus etc.) and parts are hard to come by up here. My own, brilliant, B11 cost Guzzi two customers before I straightened it out with information gleaned from this web-site, and it took me 2 years, trailering home twice. My '00 V11Sport before it, was the same story, with the heat soaking of the fuel pump, and the starter relay issue. Well documented here, the service manager at the selling dealership knew nothing, and that was in '06!
So with one exception (and around here in BC, we all know who he is), I do nut expect a lot of support, other than warranty, after a purchase. I'm ok with that, as long as I keep that trusty Jackal hanging around!
Give me strength (and cash)...
 
While the princess considered her many options, the frog ran off with the bar maid.
Not to be this time, but I am armed with much good knowledge for the next opportunity.
Could be the last bike on my bucket list, but I have said that before......
 
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