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New Stelvio owner crunching gearchanges

Flymofo

Flymofo

Flymofo
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
13
Location
Nottingham, UK
Hi I just got a 2012 Stelvio 8v and I love it! SWMBO and I went for a 300 mile shakedown run up and round Snowdonia yesterday. Massive change from the Buzzy Tiger 800 I chopped in.
The Tiger had a super slick gearbox though and I've not yet got the hang of a smooth up change on the Stelvio. Big crunches changing up 1-2-3 but 3-4-5-6 seem smoother. Down changes no problem provided a good blip of throttle is applied.
Doesn't seem to matter if I shift fast or slow..
Any hints tips or advice welcome..;)
 
I dunno, mine shifts smooth as butter regardless of how I squeeze the clutch or toe the shifter.
 
Flymofo said:
Hi I just got a 2012 Stelvio 8v and I love it! SWMBO and I went for a 300 mile shakedown run up and round Snowdonia yesterday. Massive change from the Buzzy Tiger 800 I chopped in.
The Tiger had a super slick gearbox though and I've not yet got the hang of a smooth up change on the Stelvio. Big crunches changing up 1-2-3 but 3-4-5-6 seem smoother. Down changes no problem provided a good blip of throttle is applied.
Doesn't seem to matter if I shift fast or slow..
Any hints tips or advice welcome..;)
Click to expand...

My '12 Stelvio has the smoothest gear shifting of any bike I have ever ridden - including late model Triumphs. Something not right with yours by the sound of things!
Alan NZ
 
The more I read about things like this the more I start putting a puzzle together.

My job always makes me question things when they don't follow a pattern. Why do some bike make noise when they shift, why do some not. Why do some clutches and gearboxes make noise, why do some not. No one will argue that Guzzi's are a unique breed of bike. Some call it soul, some call it character but one thing I have learned is that they all behave a little differently. You could argue quality control, but in the end (for the most part, not always) the concern turns out to be nothing more than that bikes character.

After reading this post, I started putting some thoughts together about clutches, gearboxes and driveline lash. Is it possible that all gear clunking and clutch chatter at idle (which I think is more the gearbox than the clutch) is related to driveline lash and tolerances in the gears/dogs. Some bikes may exhibit less lash and therefore smoother shifting and no gearbox chatter at idle. My bike since new has had all these characteristics without any negative impact. Is it possible that a bike that has a tighter driveline does not experience these characteristics......food for thought....that is all it is.
 
I think it is related to a loose nut, on the seat. :devil:

I've ridden Guzzis with the old five speed for 1/4 million miles. When I got on the Stelvio, to me, it was almost too slick.
Now after a few years, I recall that many of the Asian bikes that I used to ride were also smooth and slick shifting. that was often followed miles later with a sloppy reel as they wore out.
I think I prefer a firm shift, that may loosen up a bit after a few tens of thousands of miles.

Also, don't compare shaft drive and chain drive bikes. A shaft drive bike will almost always have a harsher shift IMHO.
 
You might want to change out the gearbox oil to see if things get smoother.

If you want to take it further, you can try Molybdenum Disulphide (MOS2) additive in the gearbox. I have done this with my 1200 Sport and the gear change is now silky smooth and no longer misses 3-to-4 at higher revs. I can highly recommend it, but get other opinions before trying for yourself.
 
Please don't put Molybdenum Disulphide (MOS2) in the gearbox. It is good for gears, but not so good for your bearings. In the presence of moisture it can lead to the formation of acids. If anything try Redline gear oil. It is so thick it is like the banana peels have already been added for you.
 
Hard to tell if Stella has a problem or not I think it is down to Seat Nut technique :eek:. Wiill try preloading shift and not fully disengaging clutch then see about clutch bleeding etc I don't recall my Lemon or Cali having this issue back in the day. Thanks All.
 
Flymofo said:
Hard to tell if Stella has a problem or not I think it is down to Seat Nut technique :eek:. Wiill try preloading shift and not fully disengaging clutch then see about clutch bleeding etc I don't recall my Lemon or Cali having this issue back in the day. Thanks All.
Click to expand...

There is a technique to it, but once you find it it will shift smoothly. If you find it clunking a lot going into first from neutral, you need to hold your clutch in longer to let the gears stop spinning. I pull my clutch in and wait about 3 seconds, then it just slip in with no sound at all. For shifting, little clutch and quick shift. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
john zibell said:
Please don't put Molybdenum Disulphide (MOS2) in the gearbox. It is good for gears, but not so good for your bearings. In the presence of moisture it can lead to the formation of acids. If anything try Redline gear oil. It is so thick it is like the banana peels have already been added for you.
Click to expand...

Hey John, thanks for your response. I had done some reading on the topic before trying it and I think that there is little chance of that being a concern. It requires high temperatures of 500 degrees plus and other factors (not just moisture), and takes time to degrade. I also suspect these tests are done in extremely exposed situations using dry lube in tough conditions, and not in the luxury of a bath of oil. If the oil is well kept then there should be no concern.

I am happy to be the guinea pig for this because the benefits are so profound. Silky gear changes and a reliable gear change make me think that good things are happening inside the box. But I'll keep my opinions open, and listen to anybody that has proof to the contrary. If you know of such proof and the history of how the product was used, then please let me know and I'll review my position on it.

Here is a discussion of the properties of MoS2 that serves as a primer for those unfamiliar with it.

http://www.nlgi-india.org/images/PDF/Yakov Ephsteyn.pdf
 
Mal, Personal experience. I had a rear drive inner bearing fail on my 98 EV. I was using the recommended Moly in with the gear oil. On disassembly observed massive pitting on the inner race which caused the bearing to fail. I haven't put Moly in anything since. No other manufacturer recommends it use, and today Guzzi doesn't recommend using the material in their new machines.
 
John, what links the MoS2 as the cause of the pitting? And what product did you use for the MoS2 and for how long? I ask this because there are various products around that claim MoS2 content and they can be very different, with different particle size and at different proportions. These factors could change the effectiveness of the product, and also the potential for problems. Its possible that using powder that is not fine enough can cause excessive wear, but that does not sound like the problem you had.

I am wondering if something else was the cause of the trouble you had. It would be good to hear other riders experiences on this, particularly anyone that has serviced bikes regularly. Perhaps Peter Roper can weigh in with his experience.
 
Mal, I used the moly additive sold by a Guzzi dealer in the US. I threw it out so long ago I can't remember what it was. Let's just say that in my opinion, Moly is not needed in a Guzzi rear drive or gearbox. It is not recommended for the new CARC either. BMW has been using a bevel drive since 1923 and they don't use any Moly either. Anyplace there is a bearing, Moly should not be used. If you want it in grease that is brush applied to exposed gears, fine, but in an oil bath with bearings, no.
 
Thanks for your input John. I have not been able to find any other information yet that supports or disagrees with your experience so have decided to change it out until i can get more data. Its a shame because the gear changes are much nicer with MoS2.

I do believe there will be ways to use it that respect its qualities and limitations, but without a lot of shared experience then we will remain in the dark. Hopefully someone that has used it for a long time successfully can share their experience.
 
At 5000 miles the gearbox suddenly got super slick apart from crunching into first no matter how long I hold clutch in before selecting...

Today the clutch failed completely. Suddenly wouldn't disengage. Had to stall it in the road to stop. Bugger.

Trailered home and up on the lift now. Can you get to the clutch without dropping the motor? Better start a new thread to see if anyone knows..
 
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