Moto Guzzi parts supply

[cvstan]

My brothers and I have been to a few Guzzi dealers in the north Georgia area and it doesn't look very promising as far as buying a new/used Guzzi. Bikes are sitting around waiting for final drives to be repaired. One place said they couldn't get parts and could not even get the oil filter removal tool. They were a dealer and told us not to buy any Guzzi! As someone who is new to Moto Guzzi, I have to ask if they are still in business. I live in Rochester, NY and the only "dealer" is a combo Aprilia/Moto Guzzi dealer that is also a coffee shop (?). They have no service facility and send their work to the CycleStop (local Harley place). Does anyone know what is going on at the factory? Are they alive for the long haul or slowly fading out? Thanks all.

 

[guzzibob]

Any so-called dealer who says they cannot get the "oil filter removal tool" is too stupid to be in business, cause said totally generic tool can be obtained at pretty much any local auto supply shop, or various mail order sources. Got mine from MG Cycle in Wisconsin in a few days, cause I'm not so helpless as to be unable to change my own fluids, adjust valves, etc. If you are so helpless as to be unable to change the oils & adjust the valves on a Guzzi, then you probably need someone to help you get out of bed in the morning, too.

I've had my Norge since 4/08, needed various parts & accessories, & with one exception my dealer has been able to obtain everything in 1-2 weeks tops. Exception was the windshield raise/lower motor, which took 1 month cause they were redesigning the thing because of too many failures. No big deal, didn't keep me from riding. Been totally fine since replaced over 1 year/19,000 miles ago. The final drive issue was a bearing supplier problem since resolved by changing suppliers, & subject torecall/warranty repair. There have been zero reports of the newer bearing failing. Unlike the repeated BMW rear drive failures, which BMW has yet to figure out. Piaggio can apparantly be a major pain to deal with. The better dealers have learned how to work around it, get things done. Those of us not near such a dealer have used the internet, other folk, mail order etc to take care of things. While it is unclear if Guzzis will continue to be assembled at the historic factory in Mandello del Lario, no indication that they will not continue to be made somewhere in Italy. Production/sales are down like everything else. Since Piaggio makes most of its money from scooters, that is a source of Piaggio income irrespective of Guzzi or Aprilla sales.

Post back where you are, someone will post back with the nearest better qualified dealer. Also not uncommon for various folk to purchase bikes long distance from the best dealers, ride 'em home.

I am very happy with my Norge, been riding Guzzis the over 30 years, wouldn't be without any of the three I currently own, the oldest of which I purchased new 30 years & 150,000 miles ago.

 

[3ackok]

guzzibob, why did you need so many parts? My Breva has over 17k miles on the odometer, I have it for over a year and 10k miles. For all this time the only parts I needed ( other than filters, sparkplugs and tires) were two bolts, lost from vibration. Never had an opportunity to buy anything from a dealer.

 

[cvstan]

I am in Rochester, NY 14618. I am not so helpless! I have done all the tuneup stuff on my SV650. I also have a '72 BMW 2002ti touring that I have maintained for many years. You are suggesting I don't need a dealer and maybe that's true. We all need parts though.
I am an older person, but a new rider and I appreciate words of wisdom from an experienced guzzista.

 

[cvstan]

Here is response from my brother in Georgia:
>>Hi , sounds like lots of bad dealers are not helping things. The dealer I purchased the Ducati from was one that told me that parts were hard to get. He had a Breva 750 and told me not to buy it. I saw a bunch of Guzzis in the shop waiting for parts. If you were one of those that was waiting 6 months for a new final drive you may not be so happy. I saw several Grisos and Brevas sitting in the service section of the dealer in Atlanta that is now out of business. The owner told me that Moto Guzzi was not wanting to replace the final drives on the bikes that were sitting for months in his shop. Who knows what was really going on... perhaps he was not paying his bills and Piaggio would not send him parts? At this point MV Augusta seems like a Toyota. John<<

 

[motobob]

Guzzibob,
What was the issue with the windshield motor? Is yours a 2008? Mine was making weird noises going up and down, laboring hard to go up. I took it apart and found the wire type screw is bent and the plastic support for the bearing end could not hold the brass bearing true as the screw turned. I am a machinist so I was thinking of making a little beefier support for the end of the screw but the screw will still be bent. What did the Factory fix come up with?
Bob

 

[azccj]

motobob wrote:

Guzzibob,
What was the issue with the windshield motor? Is yours a 2008? Mine was making weird noises going up and down, laboring hard to go up. What did the Factory fix come up with?Bob

I'd like to know the answer to that too. My windshield can barely raise itself while stopped. And when the bike is moving I must assist the motor by grabbing the windshield with my hand. Another poorly thought out Guzzi design.

 

[StormShearon]

Something that I found greatly improved the windsheild raising was to thoroughly grease the entire screw mechanism shortly after I got the Norge. I used the same extreme pressure stuff I have in the garage for vehicles that still have zerk fittings. I have had no issues with the windsheild and it easily raises or lowers at speed on the slab.

 

[john zibell]

There are good dealers out there, and then those that are not as good. For service work I don't know of any dealer in the Rochester area, but there are good ones in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Ohio. Warranty work can and has been an issue, but the good dealers work through it to support their customers. You can always go down to NYC and beat up on the corporate guys (who seem to understand little about their customer base) when something doesn't go right.

 

[ncassidy]

HAve 21,000 on my Norge and do all my own work on it as the Guzzi is pretty basic. Have not had a problem with parts are getting an oil filter wrench. Sounds like the dealers in the south are belly aching.

 

[Cat City Rider]

I have a filter wrench, filters, oil, and break pads. all coming from Moto International hopefully tomorrow. One phone call no tears about parts.
My windshield motor works just fine and has never given me any trouble on my 2007 Norge.
I have a small oil leak possibly around the pan gasket (I hope) and it's nothing to fuss about just yet.

I don't know what "older person" means I am 63 and only just a little crazy. :silly: :woohoo: :silly:

 

[GrahamNZ]

Cat City Rider

Only 63! At 69 I wish I was only 63 again. Every year at these ages seems the equivalent of teenage years, except instead of developing we're deteriorating. Oh, the aches!

The best advice I've ever received is carpe diem. Now what would be an ideal next bike for me? My Breva is getting to be too heavy and my Ss is no longer sufficiently comfortable. Being considered are 2010 Buell Ulysses XB12XT and an Aprilia Mana 850Gt ABS. No modern Guzzi fits my criteria for comfort plus light weight. Sad really.

 

[cvstan]

I am 60, but sadly out of shape so even my SV650 feels heavy. Knees hurt, wrists hurt, hands goes numb, ankles hurt... This getting old stuff sucks. Of course, I always blame the bike when I really need to lose 20lbs. My dad always said that as far as this getting old business was concerned he was against it.

 

[Brevabrabo]

Reading these posts make me sad..... Last year my father (82) was in the hostpital and said to me "growing older is nice, but being old is shit".

So at 43 I try to live life to the fullest.....



Edit: to stay on topic..... parts supply for older people is even worse then for Guzzi's.

 

[guzzibob]

Cystan, sorry, I see lots of people who ARE pretty helpless, glad to hear you aren't one of them. The most commom maintenance tasks (oil & filter, valves) are SO easy on these things. My Norge is an '07, build date if I recall correctly 5/07, purchased early 4/08, so they would have been working on the windshield update 4/08, delivered to me end of 4/08. No idea when they changed things on the assembly line. Mine came with the oil dipstick porthole, but not the newer dipstick itself, which I of course picked up later when they became available.


Parts I have obtained are a few minor stray nuts & bolts that walked away, the Breva type flat black chin piece & related parts I put on to replace the stock painted belly pan-because I wanted to, not because of some problem with the belly pan-, the Guzzi lowered seat-because I am short, the aforementioned windshield motor under warranty & later dipstick, plus maintenance items like filters, filter wrench, valve cover gaskets, inner & outer plugs, tires, fluids. Oh yeah, & the fuel filter turned out to be cracked as delivered, discovered & replaced by the dealer prior to my even getting the bike. Inner plugs obtained at NGK.com for $13.96 plus tax & shipping, way, way less than what Piaggio wants, outer plugs at the local Pep Boys. Also top case/rack from Givi-cause it's way better than the factory piece. This bike has 19,000 miles on it, & I am very happy with it in general.

What happened with the windshield, very soon after purchase, was that it acted & sounded like it had a stripped gear-trying to go up but couldn't. Dealer showed me one he had dissembled of several, apparantly some kind of press fit brass fitting was not secured well, slipped out of place, maybe like what motobob discovered. He said this was the common problem. Since it was replaced under warranty over a year ago, without any subsequent difficulty, I have no idea what the factory fix was. Hope to never have to find out.

Nothing has ever happened to keep it in the shop, prevent me from riding it.