Guzzi shutting down???

[kneedown]

Say it ain't so,Just when I'm ready to buy a Griso or sport I read in Cycle World that they are shutting down for who knows how long,,
Going under???

Anybody know anything?

Mike

 

[Greg Field]

The factory is closed for December and January. During this period, some buildings are being repaired and some modified to allow better truck access. Piaggio says it will re-open in February as an assembly plant.

 

[sbaker]

Hello

Greg is correct. It is only for building and infrastructure upgrades.... No need to worry.... Enjoy the Griso!

 

[ncassidy]

Latest Cycle World stated that Guzzi is moving all design and motor design to the aprilla factory. Mandello is shutting down for 3 months for a slight makeover, and upon reopening it will be used as an assembly plant only. Sounds like Piaggio may be coming up with some new design Guzzi motors???

 

[SgtCrump]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

Maybe Piaggio will have Guzzi follow the path of BMW........buy someone elses twins and fours, and re-badge them as Guzzi's. Apparently giving up your distinct identity is fine as long as you make lots of money.

 

[RJVB]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

Guzzi engines are currently being assembled in Piaggio's own old factory (Pontedara?), not in Aprilia's new site in Noale.

Sgt — Piaggio is in the business of making money through selling scooters, truck-trikes and since they bought Aprilia/Guzzi plus a couple of other names, motorbikes. Firing your personnel to make even more profit is apparently common and correct practice nowadays, I tend to find that even worse than preventing "distinct identity" from evolving...

 

[sbaker]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

RJVB:

Are you sure the engines are NOT being build in Mandello..... In 2006 they had just installed a new engine assembly line for 1100 and 1200's along with 6 new engine dyno's....

I believe engine design and testing has moved but not assembly...

Have you been to the factory in the past 2 years?

 

[RJVB]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

I'm sure that this is what I have been told 10 days before xmas, by someone from Piaggio R&D. It's certain that NOTHING is currently being built in Mandello, I can't recall whether or not the engine assembly is in Pontedara for just those 2 months. I figure that one doesn't displace an assembly line easily enough to do it for just 2 months...

 

[GTM®]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

Rumor/word has it that the plant will reopen for production on February 2, and its 190 employees will return as well. I'm trying to get more info and will post accordingly.

 

[SgtCrump]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

RJVB wrote:

Sgt — Piaggio is in the business of making money through selling scooters, truck-trikes and since they bought Aprilia/Guzzi plus a couple of other names, motorbikes. Firing your personnel to make even more profit is apparently common and correct practice nowadays, I tend to find that even worse than preventing "distinct identity" from evolving...

I'm guessing that I'd agree with you....if I had any idea what you said!!

My point was that BMW decided that boxer motors were not "it" any more, and now use engines that Japan builds cheaper. I understand that BMW will soon be using Chinese motors. At least Guzzi has kept faithful to the motors that got all of us on the bandwagon to start with.

 

[MurphyPeoples]

Well - as I mentioned in another post you can see the Factory in the Long Way Down series - shot in summer 2008. In the Guzzi factory tour at that time it was obvious that engine assembly was being done by Guzzi at their own factory. There's even a shot of the engines being broken in for their 20 minute test stand period.

BUT... the big question is.... It's February 6th, 2009. IS THE FACTORY BACK OPEN?

Does anyone know the status??
Murphy

 

[guzzi jon]

Re:Guzzi shutting down/new designs

SgtCrump wrote:

Maybe Piaggio will have Guzzi follow the path of BMW........buy someone elses twins and fours, and re-badge them as Guzzi's. Apparently giving up your distinct identity is fine as long as you make lots of money.

Sarge, that was the guzzi model 25 years ago under de Tomaso, remember the guzzi badged 2-strokes including the benelli 4 cylinder guzzi.... didn't guzzi have an entire line of rebadged two stroke models (that subsequently failed)

 

[RJVB]

Yep. It apparently re-opened the 2nd of February, as foreseen. But that's all I know...

 

[MurphyPeoples]

"Re:Guzzi shutting down??? 2 Hours, 10 Minutes ago
Yep. It apparently re-opened the 2nd of February, as foreseen. But that's all I know..."


Whew! Thanks for the post. I've got a 2009 Norge ordered and on the way to my local Guzzi Dealer (2.5 hours away).
I've always wanted a Guzzi, so when I finally mustered up the cash, I read this. The news kind of took the wind out of my sails.
Very glad to hear their back open!
Murphy

 

[RJVB]

Well, no one ever said Guzzi would cease to exist because of what's happening at Mandello. They're a wholly owned Piaggio subsidiary/branch now, and Piaggio isn't on any endangered species list
To some of us a Guzzi can only come from the Mandello factory, to others that's maybe much less the case.

 

[GTM®]

Words from Agostini:

The factory is back at work, and the museum is open again. Naturally under the economic circumstances of the moment the production is somewhat limited and I understand plans for some new models have been postponed.