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Must be a new record for Toronto dealers

erice

erice

Tuned and Synch'ed
Joined
Sep 25, 2010
Messages
39
Location
Thornhill, Ontario
I called BMW Toronto today and was told they no longer service Moto Guzzi. I'd heard they were no longer a dealer and called to confirm, which they did, sort of. While they said they don't service them, they still sell them. That may be limted to the bikes in stock though, who knows?

It's been less than a year since they became a dealer. I was told it was some issue about parts or warranties or something. The guy I spoke to wasn't in the Motoraad group. Seems like there may be some truth behind it all; I'm still waiting to hear if the bike I bought from Motoretta (the previous dealer) is covered. BMW Toronto said it wasn't, but I called Piaggio North America in New York who is looking into it and has referred it back to Italy.

I also heard a rumour (from Motoretta) that a new MG dealer may be opening up in Vaughn, but I'll believe it when it happens. At the moment, there are no MG dealers in the Toronto area any more.
 
yup here we go again, it's too bad, I have a lot of time for BMWs service guy (John Hendrick). Well I guess we'll see what happens from here...Now I just have to get my bike back from them when they are finished with it.Supposed to be a shop opening in Vaughn called Corsameccanica. I know the guy who is opening it, we'll see how he does... I wish him luck!
fbc
 
Yeah, John's a great guy. I take my BMW there when it's something I can't (or don't want to) handle and he's always been good to deal with.

Rode by the Corsameccanica location today. They're near Steeles & Dufferin, which is closer to my home than Toronto BMW anyway.
I hope they do well, and look forward to them opening up.
 
Well, without a doubt what had up until this point been a very positive experience with BMW Tor. has in this last week turned into the biggest F&^% around I've ever experienced with any dealer, car or bike. Resulting in the transport of my bike to them in winter putting me out of pocket, nothing being done to the bike as far as the purpose it went there. Being told one thing after another that don't add up ,and ultimately them telling me they damaged my bike by hitting it with another one and having to replace a mirror and an engine bar!!!!I guess I'll see what exactly happened to it when I pick it up next week. It when in to have verified the performance of the cam recall, which Piaggio have ... it turns out after all, listed as being done. So I waste time ,money , get thrown bullshit for 4 months about what is going on and then they smack up the bike just to add injury to insult. Oh yeah, great dealer. Good riddance, who needs 'em.
FBGDC
P.S. They wanted the bike in 'cause they said Piaggio insisted after they put in a warranty claim for the cracked fork tube last Sept.Funny how this all comes to a head a week after they decide not to be a Moto Guzzi dealer anymore!
 
I can not imagine the incompetence and lack of professionalism people have toward their customers.
Un F$%&en believable!!!!
 
Amazing to see how badly this company is run - the dealership network is a complete clusterf..k. Ivisited a few dealers in the states and they have many of the same frustrations getting parts and accessories though nothing is quite like the mess up here. Hopefully BMW Toronto willl finish off the obligations they have to people who have ordered parts or have bikes in for service before they completely drop the dealership.

The sad thing is that the bikes are absolutely wonderful and no one can get one or get it serviced if they have one. I know a guy at work who would love a Guzzi but can't buy one due to the dealership mess.

I think there were a few good dealers before but they're gone now - I see that there is a new one in Guelph according to the Guzzi website - Two wheel Motorsport, does anyone have any experience with them? I'll have to see if I can drive by there and see if there is any evidence they will be a dealer or stick around for more than 6 months!

Here's the contact info:
Two Wheel Motorsport
5473 Hwy 6 North - N1H 6J2 Guelph
PHONE: (519) 836-1957 FAX: (519) 836-1952
WWW: http://www.twowheelmotorsport.ca
 
ya know what's really sad, I like to support local! I turn wrenches enough, 8+ hrs. a day if I didn't feel like doing something I'd be happy to pay some one as long as they do it right and don't F@#$ me around. After 2 1/2 yrs. of dealing with bike shops in the GTA ( all bike shops not just Guzzi dealers ) I don't give a shit anymore. I started buying my parts in the states,'cause there were no dealers here and I've bought a whole wack of stuff off of Todd.( the man's a saint as far as I'm concerned...does what he says and comes through every time.) I started doing my own work awhile ago and the only reason BMtroubleU got their hands on it was for warranty and a supposedly non-complied with recall ... and look where it got me. Well the warranty is up at the end of the month and Piaggio and their minions can kiss my ass, I've been very patient , very flexible and non-demanding of their supposed dealers. I'll do it all my damn self from this point forward. The Stelvio is a great piece of machinery and I really like Moto Guzzi bikes, but I gotta tell you thanks to abysmal support in this neck of the woods owning one has been an exhausting experience. The stupid thing is that I don't think anyone at Piaggio or Moto Guzzi Canada realize is that the result of this kind of shit (there is no other word for it) is that... I know about 15 guys that ride bikes, They know say 10 a piece, even if anyone of them liked and wanted to buy a Guzzi , they won't ,No way in Hell! Because they all watch and know the crap I've gone through in the last 2 1/2 years. Because of the support one receives from Guzzi/ Piaggio up here (lack of) I am the laughing stock of everyone that I know that rides ( tough shit I don't care) and they all ask 'why do you do it? sell it" I'm not going to,it's a great bike for what I want in a bike.But really, they oughta be ashamed of themselves !!!
FBC
 
Agreed - it is a bloody mess though for some reason I still don't regret buying the Stelvio! it's like having a Ferrari only less expensive and more exclusive:) The dealership stuff is really unnecessary though and if motorcycle dealers want to continue to have a viable business they will need to organise themselves. In this case Piaggio is a disaster of an organisation but you are absolutely right about the attitude of most motorcycle dealerships - they think they are doing us a favour when they deign to look at our bikes and then you have to waste tons of effort and emotional energy following up on the bastards to get them to a position so you can give them your money!

A very strange business model in my opinion and car dealers by comparison are absolute paragons of virtue.

I am near Toronto - if you're interested in a ride when the snow melts let me know and I'll PM you - we should have a local Guzzi group for therapy as well!
 
BTW, in case you Cannucks weren't aware my old axone tool is now a 'Traveling Tool'. Todd's got it at the moment I think but anyone who wants to borrow it is more than welcome as long as they then pass it on to the next user. What I WOULD say though is that for all ordinary diagnostic work you'd be far better off buying the 'Model Specific' VDSTS software and plug for your partiular bike as the VDSTS system is about a trillion times simpler, more intuitive and reliable than the crappy Texa tool. Navigator is better than Axone, (Being worse would be well nigh impossible!!! :laugh: ) but teh VDSTS stuff is good and cheap and it works. Todd sells it and I don't think his prices are un-competitive?

Pete
 
sure,why not? I'm Doug by the way. It's Funny My g/f has been having a chuckle at me lately, I've got a shock, a PC-V and Auto tune, sitting around and a couple of more bits and pieces on the way a parts department and tools in the back of my Jeep all for my bike and No bike for the last 4 months to do anything with it all.Thank you Pete, the first thing I bought from Todd was the VDST for my Stelvio, and you're right it is a simple Tool to use,well worth the price.
FBC
 
I've had mixed experiences with BMW Downtown. On the car side its ok, but on the bike side, not so much.

I bought my mint low km 04 GSA1150 off the showroom floor from BMW Downtown, and stored it there over the winter. In preparation for a cross country trip I rode it for a few days and brought it back to Downtown for service. While I waited, the service adviser took it out, and while screwing around in the parking lot, plowed it into a parts truck. Total write off. Adviser got some nasty scratches but luckily was ok.

Despite assurances "I would be taken care of" I was upsold on a new GSA. After all, I was leaving in two days, insurance payout would be weeks/months and the dealer had wrote off my only conveyance for the trip. No 04 GSA's were available anywhere. They got the new bike ready quick, but my mistake, I didn't like it and later sold it back through BMW.. the brand had lost something in the new design. That's how I found my Guzzi.. full circle back to BMW Toronto.

Fast forward 3 years, Parkview buys Downtown, and Scooter Corp went Tango Uniform. Lets try this again, I took my Guzzi to BMW Downtown, being personally assured I'd be taken care of. Friends work there, and the car experience is good. Imagine my surprise when today I took my car in and spoke with the Motorrad Dept Manager who told me that BMW Downtown was no longer selling or servicing Guzzi's. I asked if my bike would be serviced as I'd stored it there over the winter, and had a number of upgrades planned. I didn't get a serious response. Does that mean I'll get an oil change or my tires filled with air? Time to do my own maintainance.

I haven't shared this story with the bike community before, the techs in the industry know what happened and I wanted to preserve the relationship with the car dealer. But this is BS. I don't give a rats ass what happened to the distribution agreement. These guys made a commitment to me to look after my bike, and thats what I expect.

I'll be reporting back with what happens so all you guys can be advised.


Love my Griso.
 
I guess the bottom line is that Guzzi just has a crappy dealer network in Canada and Piaggio has essentially zero commitment to this market. But c'mon, didn't we all knew that going in? I bought my '07 Breva V1100 from a "dealer" in Regina who had a few Guzzis and Aprilia's in a car dealership. Well, I guess they didn't sell many, and they lost the spare key before I bough the bike, and were generally useless and are no longer a dealer. But on the other hand, the moment I walked into that "dealership" I knew I wouldn't be going there for service... But Echo Cycle in Edmonton is only 400+ (very fast) kilometres away, and as far as I know they're still a guzzi/aprilia dealer, as is Blackfoot in Calgary, still I think ??? On the other hand what else could I have bought for only $10k including hard locking luggage that would have been as red, as cool, as comfy as my Breva ? So I put up with the disadvantages and thank good I haven't had warranty issues...

Let's face it, the Japanese 4, BMW, KTM, and (perhaps) Triumph have reasonable, stable dealer networks in this country. (Oh yeah, and I forgot, the tee-shirt company also has a good dealer network). Those of us who bought a Guzzi did so knowing that the bikes are (more or less) reliable, while the dealers are, well... not so much.

But I guess it sucks for you folks in Toronto (formerly "the centre of the universe", now merely a provincial capital of a have-not province) - We all know that it's nice to be able to support a local business and in return, get support with parts, warranty issues etc. Here in Saskatoon (formerly Saskabush, now the resource-rich fastest growing city in the continent), I can get KTM and Triumph service (or even BMW if I wanted one of those ugly machines), but not guzzi, or aprilia, or ducati, or benelli... But then perhaps the difference is that not being in the (former) centre of the universe I never expected to be able to find local dealer service for what my wife calls "the italian mistress".

So perhaps Canadian owners of Guzzi bikes are just going to have to be on self-reliant . And a few jibes at TO aside (I was born and bred there so I'm allowed - I was just lucky enough to move west), I guess my point is that there is loads of expertise and commitment on this forum, and parts can be ordered online and so screw Piaggio and screw the lousy dealer network. But who cares, Guzzis are pretty straightforward bikes. The bottom line is that I can change the oil, brake pads and adjust the valves on the breva in the same time that it takes just for an oil change for my KTM 640 Adventure (Seriously!) On the other hand the Breva doesn't wheelie in 3rd gear...

So don't worry, be happy. Spring is on its way. Damn, it's snowing!

Ian
 
Only problem is DUDE, this forum can't take care of warranty and recalls, now can it!!!! and neither can you or I. Thanks for the self righteous lecture on self sufficiency. And by the way for anyone who is interested, they left my bike to rot ,by the look of it outside and it is a mass of corrosion, and they knocked it over and replaced all the damaged parts except for the really expensive one.Bike looks like its 10 years old now!
FBC
 

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Hey, I'm sorry if I caused offence - didn't mean to. If they've damaged your bike, then they should repair or replace it. I had my bike in for wxactly 1 dealer service (the first one) to keep the measly 12 month warrantee valid. Buddy screwed with the "sacred screw". I told him not to, as I'd read all of the stuff on this board. So I rode home and fixed it.

I guess philosophically I think that waranty's are pretty useless. But that's me. Hope you get your bike sorted out and I apologize if my post came across as a self-righteous lecture about self-sufficiency - that was not intended. For my part, I wish I was more self-sufficient than I am, but I bought a guzzi not a BMW knowing the pros and cons. That was the only point.

Ian
 
Ian, no harm done I'm not that easily offended, When I bought this bike I knew what it was and that it would probably take extra commitment and effort to own. But when something like a rear wheel starts wobbling around or the fork tubes breaking, Hey man they designed it and built it, and believe me It didn't come to me cheaply , so if it's a manufacturers defect.... fix it assholes. Wear and tear, shit I do to it no problem. And the warranty has been fine, it'has been a continual problem with incompetent, ignorant,and downright negligent dealers. The old refrain of 'Suck it up princess' when someone states their situation is just so OLD, that's all. If they didn't want to put a warranty on it they shouldn't have. I also believe it is Piaggios responsibility to have a resonably competent dealer network. If that's an impossibility then I guess we're all doomed 'cause it ain't F@#$%^& brain surgery. It's just a god damn motorcycle. But the difficulty it seems to be over here in Ontario,is just so F*&^%$# stupid. In the last 2 years I have come to the conclusion that 99% of 'em that I have encountered are really nothing more than something I'd rather not have to scrape off of my shoe. And I didn't start out thinking this way, I'm all for giving someone a fair shake. My bike is so F#$%^& up right now that it was suggested to me by someone I work with to have it Stolen and burnt so I could claim it on my insurance ( I would not commit fraud, too afraid of getting caught :whistle: ) This situation was created by a dealer!
FBC
 
Us guys on the left coast are lucky. We have Valley Yamaha in Chilliwack, an old style mom & pop shop with an excellent wrench (Gord). I have heard a few stories about the BMW dealer that took on Guzzi in the lower mainland and I'll just say I will ride out to the valley to see Gord if I need any service work done :D . In fact I've told the other Gord at Valley to get me a V7 Racer when they come in. I know of a couple of Guzzi riders from Alberta that ride to Chilliwack for their service. We also have MI about 150 miles south in a worse case scenario.
 
nosail said:
Us guys on the left coast are lucky. We have Valley Yamaha in Chilliwack, an old style mom & pop shop with an excellent wrench (Gord). I have heard a few stories about the BMW dealer that took on Guzzi in the lower mainland and I'll just say I will ride out to the valley to see Gord if I need any service work done :D . In fact I've told the other Gord at Valley to get me a V7 Racer when they come in. I know of a couple of Guzzi riders from Alberta that ride to Chilliwack for their service. We also have MI about 150 miles south in a worse case scenario.
Click to expand...

Here here on Gord and the folks at Valley Yamaha.
 
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