Frequently on forums like this the main thing we see posted are problems people are having with their machines. I'd like to go a different route.
On May 24th, I bought a new 2016 Eldorado from Moto International in Seattle. It's one of their "Northwest Editions" with the California windshield and saddle bags. This is the second Guzzi I have bought from them and I'm a return customer because they are a NICE agency. They really seem to want happy customers, from my experience. I live in Wyoming so it's a 1,200 mile trip to get there.
After I bought the bike, I immediately rode it the 1,200 miles back home. It was May and the weather wasn't perfect. When I reached my second overnight stop in Arco, Idaho, it turned into a 36 hour overnight stop as it started raining and I didn't feel like riding in it. So my nice new motorcycle spent it's second day as a member of my stable, sitting in a parking lot getting rained on for 24 hours. When the sun came out it started right up and I finished the ride to Wyoming with no issues. Well, one issue. The saddle bags leaked but I have been told that is a "Feature" on California Bags.
Once home I fixed the saddle bag leak pretty simply. I bought a can of "Flex Seal" (as seen on TV) and sprayed the seams of the bags from the inside. Didn't even have to take them off the bike. Since then, no more leaks.
On June 21st, I headed out to Northern Minnesota for the Minnesota State Guzzi Association Rally at Grand Marais. Again, I ran into rain. The Friday before the rally it started raining in the afternoon and I stopped in Ely, Minnesota. This time the bike only spent the night in the rainy parking lot. On Saturday I finished the ride to Grand Marais in intermittent rain. The bike ran fine. On Sunday, I had planned to leave but it really was raining so I spent another day in a motel looking out the window at the forlorn Eldo in the parking lot. Finally on Monday the weather broke some and I headed over to Wisconsin for some sight seeing and then back to Wyoming. About 2,000 miles in 9 days. Of the 9 days I got 5 with either some, or a lot of, rain. Bike performed flawlessly and the bags didn't leak.
On July 14th I headed out on the Eldorado for the International Norton Owners yearly rally. This year it was in Buena Vista, Virginia. To make a long story short, I put 3,800 miles on the bike in 10 days (only two days with rain). No problems. It started every time, got around 40 MPG, and ate up the miles.
So I have had the bike for two months and in that time I have put just under 8,000 miles on it. It has been exposed to a significant amount of rain. So far, no trouble (just the leaking bags which were easily fixed). Not even the dreaded moisture in the instrument pod. Even the stock white wall tires are holding up very well. They have plenty of miles left in them.
I know 8,000 miles is not a lot in the Guzzi scheme of things, but I think this is an auspicious start to what I hope will be a long relationship with this bike. I hope to get it up to 10,000 miles before the winter hits here.
And by the way, between the Minnesota trip and the Virginia trip I installed Todd's full boat fueling package on the bike. Money well spent!!!
Garwood.
On May 24th, I bought a new 2016 Eldorado from Moto International in Seattle. It's one of their "Northwest Editions" with the California windshield and saddle bags. This is the second Guzzi I have bought from them and I'm a return customer because they are a NICE agency. They really seem to want happy customers, from my experience. I live in Wyoming so it's a 1,200 mile trip to get there.
After I bought the bike, I immediately rode it the 1,200 miles back home. It was May and the weather wasn't perfect. When I reached my second overnight stop in Arco, Idaho, it turned into a 36 hour overnight stop as it started raining and I didn't feel like riding in it. So my nice new motorcycle spent it's second day as a member of my stable, sitting in a parking lot getting rained on for 24 hours. When the sun came out it started right up and I finished the ride to Wyoming with no issues. Well, one issue. The saddle bags leaked but I have been told that is a "Feature" on California Bags.
Once home I fixed the saddle bag leak pretty simply. I bought a can of "Flex Seal" (as seen on TV) and sprayed the seams of the bags from the inside. Didn't even have to take them off the bike. Since then, no more leaks.
On June 21st, I headed out to Northern Minnesota for the Minnesota State Guzzi Association Rally at Grand Marais. Again, I ran into rain. The Friday before the rally it started raining in the afternoon and I stopped in Ely, Minnesota. This time the bike only spent the night in the rainy parking lot. On Saturday I finished the ride to Grand Marais in intermittent rain. The bike ran fine. On Sunday, I had planned to leave but it really was raining so I spent another day in a motel looking out the window at the forlorn Eldo in the parking lot. Finally on Monday the weather broke some and I headed over to Wisconsin for some sight seeing and then back to Wyoming. About 2,000 miles in 9 days. Of the 9 days I got 5 with either some, or a lot of, rain. Bike performed flawlessly and the bags didn't leak.
On July 14th I headed out on the Eldorado for the International Norton Owners yearly rally. This year it was in Buena Vista, Virginia. To make a long story short, I put 3,800 miles on the bike in 10 days (only two days with rain). No problems. It started every time, got around 40 MPG, and ate up the miles.
So I have had the bike for two months and in that time I have put just under 8,000 miles on it. It has been exposed to a significant amount of rain. So far, no trouble (just the leaking bags which were easily fixed). Not even the dreaded moisture in the instrument pod. Even the stock white wall tires are holding up very well. They have plenty of miles left in them.
I know 8,000 miles is not a lot in the Guzzi scheme of things, but I think this is an auspicious start to what I hope will be a long relationship with this bike. I hope to get it up to 10,000 miles before the winter hits here.
And by the way, between the Minnesota trip and the Virginia trip I installed Todd's full boat fueling package on the bike. Money well spent!!!
Garwood.