Always brings a smile to my face when I hear people go on about the reliability of old bike or cars being so much better than it is today.
Really? Are we being honest with ourselves here? I wonder how much time and effort had to be put in every weekend to ensure the old stuff ran without issues. You can make anything pretty much 100% reliable if you have spares, knowledge, skills and time.
The difference with the new stuff is that you take a gamble that the non-servicable items stay servicable (electronics in particular) and it is a bit of a lottery however in other respects, reliabilty has improved.
Many modern bikes have better design and components also some have excess power and weight along with all the manufacturing and legal requirements of modern machines traction control,abs, electronic suspension, tyre pressure sensors etc. ( stuff i don’t want on a bike to be honest) but everyone to their own. Modern bikes often have better handling /power/ safety/ long service periods etc and often but not always can be more reliable in the short to medium term i have to agree.
However when and if they break they are often much much more complex to fix, can be more expensive for parts and mostly need specialist equipment. Even some servicing is a major headache.
I would never say old are better nor would i say new are worse - they are just different.
For me I know how to fix most of the things on an old bike, whereas when faced with a load of electrical computer boxes, sensors, ABS, traction control more complex engineering etc its hard to know where to start or if indeed to start at all trying to work on them.
Then again many just ride them and if they break call Mr recovery man to take it somewhere to be fixed (not so easy to do if your travelling outside of Europe mind).
I suppose you make your choice and go with what suits your interest, skills and so on. Really it’s pretty cool either way - it’s two wheels and we all are different if we were the same ye gads that would be boring.
For example, I’ve often enjoyed jolly discussions with others regarding the carbs vs EfI debate (I’m in the latter camp but have no problem with carbs either).
Back on topic, the 8V issue has been close to my heart because I love the power delivery and character. It still hangs out in the breeze like any other Guzzi engine and is still relatively easy to service. I’m ‘risking’ a second one
Now an old issue but I sure there many bikes out there which wil suffer cam failures in the future,
With my mechanics hat on a camshaft/valve train should last many tens of thousand of miles, certainly 50k miles plus, it should be one of the most relaible areas of any engine (save possible valve seat wear),
The fact that there have been so many failures says there IS a design/manufacturing defect in my opinion. Thats pretty poor in this day and age, BUT add to that the fact that GUZZI chose not to deal with the issue and avoid paying for repairs wherever possible is the real issue for me.Very poor customer service…very shortsighted…but then thats typical Moto Guzzi …
My 2012 Callifornia Vintage has suffered a camshaft failure, poor hardening at manufacture at just 12000miles…unrelated to this thread but still unacceptable and because its out of warranty Guzzi will not be interested…and yet its a part that should last the life of the bike…I certain had it been a Honda or BMW they would have been ashamed of the failure and put it right at no cost to me whatsoever…but this ones going to be down to me to sort…when I can find the time/cash for parts.
My then newish Vll suffered a valve train failure at around 8000miles,again out of warranty and I repaired it myself. The bevel box bearings failed at 12k too,surely should last 50k plus?
They certainly not perfect machines!
Why do we love Guzzi??? hmmm I guess when they going well they ooozee character like no other…and in the UK of course they are reletively uncommon…and we like to be different; Long live the Eagle…
