Greetings from Somerset!
After many years on GS/GSA and the last 2 years on a Multistrada V2S I’ve sort of returned to my roots. The first bike I ever bought, in 1969, was a 1953 model 235 Lodola GT, and now 55 years later I’ve bought a new Stelvio.
Why? Because I rode most of the other options, including a 1300 GS, and none of them had the same appeal to me as the Stelvio. I think the bike looks great, it appears so far to have been beautifully put together, it’s been really comfortable in my first 1300 or so miles, and I can’t say enough about the superb engine.
Still early doors for me, but I’d be really interested in hearing from others at the same stage as me with their Stelvio - particularly their experiences with suspension settings, satnav wiring and screen options.
Thanks!
welcome! lots of (new and old) Stevio related posts here. try drilling into Categories :: Technical :: V100 for a starter (o:
Thanks, much appreciated. I’ll have some weekend reading to do then. Looking forward to it.
Enjoy Tommy. Can’t promise the exact answers you seek, but you should find related topics that may be useful, interesting or something else!
Hi Tommy
I part-exed my Multistrada 950s for a Stelvio PFF in June and have now clocked
6500 miles. I’ve had a few minor gripes but on the whole it’s a superb bike that I am growing ever more pleased with.
Two issues remain. It’s been impossible to adjust the suspension to be as compliant as I’d like, and I’m frustrated that the radar cruise function is still not available. The latter is really a first-world problem but riding on rough b-roads can get uncomfortable and I’m on the lookout for a rear shock upgrade.
I’m in Bristol. PM me if you have any questions on the bike.
Barney
Hi Tommy. I bought a Stelvio in June after riding a Tiger 800 for 12 years. I’ve done just over 4000 miles. The screen is noisy (so is my helmet), but no worse than the Tiger. I find it is better in the up position for me. I will consider a taller screen if one comes on the market. I’ve removed the sump guard because it vibrated at times and sounded like a cow bell. Much better without and easier to clean the bike with it off. I have managed to run the sat nav cable to the under seat battery conditioner socket and just swap it over and plug it in when getting ready to ride. I love the bike and have no regrets.
Hi Barney. Thanks so much for your message. It’s good to know there’s another Stelvio owner not too far away - especially one who’s made the same change as me from a 950S. It would be great to meet up someday. I’m really pleased with my Stelvio so far, although it’s been quite a limited experience for a whole bunch of reasons. It’s many years since I owned a bike without the benefit of ESA, so I’ve read everything I can find about suspension settings - some of it quite helpful, some not. I’ve also checked in with MH Suspension in Chippenham, who can apparently set it up for me. I don’t want to consider the cost of a rear shock upgrade until I’ve explored all other options. I agree with your comments on the lack of a link between cruise control and the front facing radar, especially when it appears to be available in other countries. I’m hoping that’ll be a software update sometime. Do/did you suffer with the unpleasant bang and lurch when selecting first gear at a standstill?
Hi David, good to hear from you, thanks. So far I’ve found wind noise from my Stelvio screen whilst riding quite similar to my previous Multistrada V2S, but I really haven’t had enough saddle time to play with the screen height settings yet. I do find the screen and the up/down mechanism quite flimsy and with a lot of play so that the screen wobbles a bit, which doesn’t help with wind noise. I’m 6’2” and find most bikes and screens tend to generate wind disturbance around the top of my helmet. Like you, I would prefer to run my satnav cable directly to the battery as I have done before. But from a quick exploratory look under the saddle I couldn’t see any easy way to route the cable under the tank - how did you do that? And how did you route the cable from the front of the tank up to the satnav - I’d like to do that tidily but it looks like I need to disassemble the covers in and around the cockpit to do that. And have you experienced the problem selecting first gear from a standstill? From my BMW days I’m used to a bit of a clunk that got better with each new GS model, but at the moment my Stelvio is on a whole different level - a huge crash and a leap forward. I see from the form that I’m not the only one, but I’ve looked back on the written and video road tests from the Stelvio launch and none of the reviewers have mentioned it. It’s annoying but I’n sure there’ll be a solution for it.
Tommy
Regarding the first gear clunk and lurch, yes they all do that sir. I’ve ridden two Stelvios in the UK and hired one in Spain for a week, all had the same. Of the three, mine has definitely the worst gearbox. Really pronounced clunks up and down changes. I don’t have a QS. Now after 6500 miles it’s improved, but still audible except for clutchless changes so maybe that makes it a clutch drag problem!
I had real difficulty finding the right suspension settings and took it along to Mark Hammond at MH Racing. He helped by setting the sag and rebound damping optimally, but as there’s no separate compression adjustment I can’t get it to absorb bumps (particularly corrugations) ina comfortable fashion.
My settings are for my weight of 86kg and are:
Rear shock:
Pre-load: 17 clicks clockwise from fully anti-clockwise. 8.5 rotations
Damping: 3.5 half-turns clockwise from fully anti-clockwise. 1.75 rotations.
Forks:
Damping: 1.2 turns clockwise from fully anti-clockwise. 1.2 rotations, six clicks per rotation so 7 clicks.
Pre-load: 19 halves + 1/4 turn clockwise from fully anti-clockwise. 9.75 rotations.
Hi all,
I have fitted the Givi screen (D8208ST) to my Stelvio PFF, with a small modification. No buffeting and little wind noise. I’m 5’9 and use it in the low position. Other addition are Guzzi engine bars & spots, radiator guard, Pyramid fender extender, Givi plate & top box and Hepco & Becker panniers.
I use an app on my phone for navigation and use Quad Lock kit to mount it to the bar above the display.
As for the suspension, I’ve set everything to about minimum. Obviously, up the read pre-load when loaded with camping and only ride solo. Had no issues riding B roads at posted speed limits.
Thanks, GuzziEagles, that’s a nice looking set up. Does the larger screen amplify the wobbles of the fragile raising/lowering mechanism? I have the Guzzi engine bars and spotlights are one of the next items on the list. That’s an interesting arrangement for the suspension settings - I might give that a try when I’m next out on the road.
So I have done 3500 miles on my Stelvio - mainly the trip down to Mandello and back.
I have the Guzzi luggage fitted - its slightly small so I fitted a Givi top box - and also it starts to “move in its mounts” and make some noise after a while ! There are hacks to cure this if you look on the site.
I also have the Givi screen and can’t praise it enough on long runs - in the lower position a very small amount of rough air - in the high position its clean air but you have to look through the screen - not a problem for me except in the wet.
I haven’t had any problems with the suspension after setting it up originally - mine feels compliant but firm if that makes sense ?
Rate the bike very highly except the weather protection of the mudguards - front allows the radiator to get covered in dirt and the rear - well lets not mention the rear hugger 
So welcome to the club
Hi Tommy. For now, I’ve run my sat nav cable round the back of the screen, down to the headstock tie wrapping to other cables on the way. I then managed to feed it from headstock under tank and out through left side and from there, back in again leaving a loop of slack to the battery area and then to the space under the pillion seat. The loop of excess cable on the left below the tank disappears when the cable is pulled from the rear. It’s not ideal but looks neat enough for now as the only cable that’s noticeable is the small amount around the screen but it tucks out of the way ok.
I found the suspension too soft. I also recall many a comment from bike journalists saying the same thing. After checking my settings per the handbook, I realised all setting were set at their softest per the handbook. The hand book suggests settings for luggage and pillion/or pothole roads (welcome to the uk) so thought I’d try these settings. As it happens these settings are also the maximum possible settings. I much preferred the front end on these hard settings but the back was way too hard so I backed the back off by 30% amd left the front on max hard. I prefer the feel of the bike with these settings and have just returned from a 2000 mile ride to Portugal and back and had no problems whatsoever. BTW, I much prefer soft luggage and found that the SW Motech cargo pro tail bag perfect. I like my bikes narrow. 
Thanks, David. I hadn’t thought of trying to feed the satnav cable through from the headstock end so I’ll give that a go. Looking at the under tank space from the battery end (as I have) there didn’t seem to be much room. I’m still not sure about the route from the headstock up to the cradle - I’m not keen on disassembling plastic panels around the cockpit but I may be tempted to go that route.
It’s good to hear another take on suspension settings, too. I’m hoping to get out and about next week when it looks like we might have some finer weather, and I’ll aim to do a few circuits out over Exmoor with each of the tips I’ve been offered here so far. There’s bound to be an answer somewhere!
Oops! Re luggage. I like the “integral” set up that I enjoyed on my Ducati and now on the Stelvio. I don’t like the scaffolding arrangements you see on some bikes to accommodate their panniers. Having said that, I much prefer the look of the Stelvio without the panniers, although there are times when I’ll leave them on - if only to have somewhere secure(ish) to stow my helmet. I find the Stelvio panniers are slightly more capacious than the Ducati versions, and the internal space is more usable, but they are comparatively flimsy. Like you, I use a soft bag for normal touring. A couple of years ago I found the Nelson-Rigg Hurricane duffle bag that’s perfect for me - very tough, completely waterproof and easier to pack than a conventional roll bag.
Thanks, Steve. I’ll take a look at the Givi screen options. I still have the Givi screen that I put on my V2S but I think it’s probably hoping for to much to expect that to fit easily on to the Stelvio. And, yes, a a front mudguard extender is already on my shopping list!
OK Barney, thanks. I’m going to persevere with my clunk/lurch in the hope that (a) it gets better over time, or (b) there’s some sort of update from the factory. I’m about 7 or 8 kilos heavier than you, but I will have a go at the settings you’ve listed above and report back to you.
On the (mostly American) Guzzitech.com discussion site (which I recommend for its technical content) someone made the suggestion that the clunk/lurch is caused by having a high idle speed and that if you take almost any bike and raise the revs to 1500 you’ll get similar into first gear.
They also suggest that the high idle speed is necessary to ensure a clean getaway as the flywheel in the V100 is lower mass than in air-cooled Guzzis. Maybe sounds plausible…?
Hello all
I’m interested to know why Tommy_Newton and barneyh swapped from a Multistrada 950 to the new Stelvio. Since selling my 2013 Stelvio back in April, I’ve been considering both as a possible replacement.
Thanks
Davidw
Yes, Barney, I saw that story. It seems plausible but for me it begs 2 questions. Firstly, in all of the early road tests/reviews of the Stelvio that I’ve read not one mention is made of a clunk/lurch. Secondly, and this might be a case of naivety on my part, I’d struggle to believe that any motorcycle manufacturer would release to market any new model with such a design flaw. So I’m still optimistic that there’s a cure.