I am an ex-Guzzi owner (Spada 1000 SP) and have recently owned a BMW 1250RS. This last bike was wiped out by a large tree branch falling on me while riding along minding my own business and very nearly killing me in the process! I was going to get another BMW (my last one was superb) but am very tempted to get a V100 Mandello S instead and would very much appreciate some advice.
I have been very impressed by Andy May’s posts and some of the other correspondence re. greasing of bearings and shafts. Does anyone have any ideas as to how common this is? I am a competent mechanic but really don’t want to buy a new bike and then dismantle it to compensate for faulty factory assembly issues! I have done too much of this in the past and had hoped those days were over!
I am short of leg and would need to get a low seat, and so have been alarmed by reading of reports that the ‘low’ seat is actually just the same as the standard. Does anyone have any personal knowledge on this?
As far as I can ascertain, the Mandello S is a superb bike (I have not yet had a test ride) but issues such as those above do concern me. Advice would be much appreciated!
I don’t own a Mandello but my Stelvio bought new in mid 2024 has had some assembly quality issues. Ultimately you’d need to take a leap of faith but perhaps the hypothesis that poor quality has been partially as a result of factory relocation and short term hiring practices might be supportive.
Of course I think we all know that assembly issues predate the factory move, but it might be reasonable to expect improvement with local workers in their higher-tech new home. (Please?)
Thanks Barney. I hope that you are right! However, I will almost certainly buy a second-hand bike and therefore it will be from before the relocation .
I have a dealer only about 30 miles away (Mototechnics in Stowmarket, Suffolk) and having visited them, they seem OK and with an experienced workshop. As for warranty, I don’t know yet but will probably buy from a dealer, so this is likely. Mototechnics say that they have come across bearings and splines with no grease on them but only occasionally. They also said that the ‘low’ seat is almost the same height as the standard, so if I think it necessary, I will investigate lowering the bike with a shorter rear shock spring and a lowered front.
9732 miles so far on a V100S, and none of the above issues, you have to weigh up the fact that if someone has no problems with their bike then they probably won’t put a post out saying ‘’ wow, no problems !!!‘’ whereas you’ve more of a chance if someone has a problem they’re more inclined to talk about it
Spoke today to Frazers Gloucester as I live about 1/2 a mile away and as a Guzzi fan love the V100 particularly the new grey colour. I has heard of engine blow ups the salesman said out of all they have sold one blew up cause a collapsed oil filter which is not really a Guzzi fault ? The only thing that puts me off is price/ depreciation considering the CB1000GT is £12K with panniers etc etc and 6 years warranty, so heart Guzzi head Honda
I asked Chat gpt they came up with a comprehensive reply there are some concerns particularly early models but not an overall question mark over reliability
Honda have had their problems with the CB1000 using oil. Hopefully sorted now. Time will tell. You can buy additional 2 years warranty on a new Guzzi. It depends how long you keep your bikes
Thanks for the replies. Yes, all bikes have their weak points I think, including BMW who have also had occasional no grease put on head bearings and final drive splines, both known problems. Quite disgraceful when the task costs a minute or so and a few pennies in grease. BMW had so many problems that they have offered a free new final drive as a matter of course after a certain mileage. Grease would have been cheaper!
In the past, I have been a high mileage rider and have put around 100,00 miles on several bikes. I have also done all my maintenance except on my last bike, a BMW R1250RS that was destroyed six weeks ago when a tree branch fell on me when I was riding it! Yes really! My replacement choice is between another BMW or, perhaps a Guzzi. The BMW was superb and of course, a known quantity but possibly less exciting than the Guzzi. When I have managed to have a test ride on one (after my broken leg has mended itself), I will decide. These days, my riding is less primary transport and more leisure orientated, so I can afford to be more self-indulgent!
Therein lies the problem. You can’t tell whether the splines or bearings have been greased on assembly without taking the rear drive and head bearings apart!
I bought my 2025 S model last December, it’s sitting on about 5k miles now with no problems. I wrote off a GS1250 and went back to Guzzi. I did 3200 of those on a 2 week tour down to Provence where it worked fine in very high temps and was comfy for me at 5’11 and 34 inside leg. I don’t think the Mandello is any worse than the BMWs for ‘issues’ when you start looking at BMW’s failed exhaust flapper valves, injectors, cam chain tensioners, paint falling off engines and shafts, the shaft spline stuff, footrest circlips falling off. I’ve never owned a bike that had as many recalls on it than the GS
Sorry to hear about your GS write off. Yes, I had the disappearing circlip problem on both my last two BMWs and had to replace a fork leg on the last 1250 but that was done under warranty. Other than that, I had no problems and thought both were excellent. My last long trip was with my son on his Triumph and me on the RS1250 down to the Ardêche for a few days in May. A fabulous trip and completely trouble free except for getting very lost in Lyons when they closed the motorway and funnelled all the traffic through the city!
I think that there can be problems with any bike but it is useful to know what the repeating patterns are so that you at least go into ownership with your eyes open and some level of recognising symptoms.
I am becoming more positive about choosing the Guzzi over another BMW but will wait until I have actually ridden one before I finally decide. Thanks everyone for all the information!
I have test ridden both now and I think I prefer the Stelvio as I like being sat upright so I can see the countryside I am passing through.
Must confess I do have concerns over both the lack of dealerships and the possib8lity of getting a bad bike.
Many seem to do big miles with no issues but when someone gets a bad one it seems very bad. I had warranty issues with Aprilia many years ago and it doesnt sound like Piaggio have improved at all.
Hi. New to the forum but I can add some info to this. I bought a new V100 Stelvio Duecento Tributo 4 weeks ago. The bike has a good test here because I commute over 800km per week though mountain roads. Also I raced successfully at club level for many years so the bike does get used quite hard.
So in 4 weeks and 4000km i had the following issues.
QS wasnt turned on at PDI. Not Guzzi fault.
Screen mounting bolts fell out on left side. Completely. And screen mount and pivot dropped down.
Bolt fell out exhaust heatshield and needed a new in one.
And just before 1500km service developed a small oil leak near the belt. A bolt check is part of the service so the dealer re torqued and it seemed to cure it. Ive had a small single drip gather in an engine groove since. But only happens when bike is used hard. As in- 100-150km run in mountains hard. Full throttle. 2nd 3rd 4th every exit for over an hour. Basically like a 1 hour trackday session.
Over the 800km weekly commute and 1000km weekly total. Normal use. No leak.
Also paint rubbed of swingarm on left side where my heel touches. Dealer submitted a claim. Guzzi authorised repaint. Unsure to go forward with this as I thunk its a patch repair and nothing is being done to rectify the actual issue.
