Read this link taken from a discussion on UKGSer.
I agree with most of what the guy states and I think Moto Guzzi have just managed to keep back from the BMW train of thought.
After all of my Stelvio issues, I had a test ride on a Triumph Tiger 800 and it was a revelation and traded in for a second hand one which I have covered 3500 miles on this since November. I love the smooth engine and well built feel. I am still sad that I gave up on the Stelvio as I loved everything about it apart from the engine and support from Moto Guzzi. I have since ridden a Ducati Multistrada and thought that it steered like a wheel barrow full of Bricks at low speed and also Felt fragile with cheap build quality. It didn’t sound like a Ducati to me and I preferred my old Monster. I still love Guzzis and will buy another at some stage.
The fuel range isn’t an issue for me = no matter what bike I’m riding I like to stop at least once every 100 - 150 miles for a pee, drink, stretch my legs etc. A little forward planning and fuel is never a problem.
Only bike I’ve ever worried about the fuel range was my Griso. There’s nothing like being a long way from your destination in the remotest mountains of Portugal on a Saint’s Day when everywhere is shut to get the adrenalin pumping! I’m still grateful to the garage owner who interrupted his family celebration to switch his pumps on!
I’ve been spoilt in the past with a bike that would go for 200 miles before the fuel light came on, then on to a bike where this happened 50 miles earlier. It’s quite a difference!
For some of us, range anxiety is an issue. I’ve not seen a therapist yet but I guess I’m a sufferer . My take is that whilst I agree that I will need a break every 100-150 odd miles, I may want to take this up at the top of a mountain or in the middle of a forest, rather than in a petrol station forecourt.
I also like the idea, when touring, that you can stop at your accommodation after a good long ride then leave early the next day for another good long ride without having to worry about looking for fuel.
If the bike is right, I can accept a bit of compromise on range but it’s the regular long-distance commuter who will appreciate the benefit of the big tank most.
Regardless of how big the tank is, when it’s gone it’s gone. I’ve managed to run out on a few occasions, three of which were on my Tiger with a fuel warning light, a trip meter and a fuel gauge to warn me - DOH!
Jon
I carry a five litre can in my top box as a reserve reserve on long trips. Only had to use it once but I was glad it was there!
Both myself and 8valve Eagle came back from holidays with issues on modern, out of warranty bikes. Keith is having to jump through hoops to get his fixed (thankfully with progress but still probably long timescales) whilst I had mine sorted with minimal cost and fuss. Only one of these bikes is a Guzzi… Love the old stuff though!
There was an interesting article in ABR magazine recently (Jul/Aug issue). They tested four used bikes, including a 2010 Stelvio. Interestingly, the Stelvio didn’t get slated.
Here is a post from the Guzzitech forum on the subject.
Regards,
Jon
http://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/stelvio-in-abr.13258/Squarepants2014-07-21 12:02:59
I had a good go on my friends tiger xc today, about 30 miles or so on a mix of dual & single carriageway plus a mile or two in traffic. First impressions were that everything was incredibly light and user friendly. With narrow tyres it changes direction very easily & really is a piece of cake to hop on and ride.I cant say I want one though as it was all a bit bland and lacking in soul and a little uncomfortable too. It was with a sigh of relief that I got back on my Guzzi with its shakes, rattles and rolls . We are planning a trip to Yoorup for later in the summer so it will be interesting to swap for full day`s riding .
It took me a while to get used to the Triumph too. But they do grow on you. As for comfort. I have done a couple of 300 mile days without issues. But everyone is different . I think the seat is better than my Stelvio, but the newer NTX I rode was much better than both.
Hi Folks,
My first post on here and this thread felt like an appropriate one to introduce myself.
Apart from two very short periods of around 6mnts I’ve never been without a bike since I was 16,that makes it 42yrs biking in all.
For the last 25 yrs my main bike has always been a BMW the last 6 being GS’s the last being a 2013 1200 gs wc.
Just as the water cooled gs came out I had a go on a Stelvio and really liked it,I was on the verge of changing my twin cam gs for a Stelvio but my missus talked me into getting the gs wc which on paper was a better bike than the Stelvio.
Sixteen mnts down the line and despite having problems with the gearbox on the gs it was still a very capable bike,but I still found myself constantly looking at and reading about the Stelvio.
I won’t bore you with the details but the problems with the gs continued and I became a little disillusioned and decided to swap the bike.
I had a very close look at the gsa wc which had the heavier flywheel,and a very long test on the Explorer,but neither of them were really doing it for me.
Being from East Yorkshire and spending a lot of time at our caravan on the North Yorks Moors I arranged to have a go on a Stelvio NTX from Teasdales at Thirsk.
Andy didn’t have an NTX on demo but he did have a brand new standard Stelvio,to which he gave me the keys at 10am in the morning and told me they closed at 5.30.
Some 270mls later I returned to Thirsk totally smitten with the bike,but for some bizzare reason I felt the need to ride the Explorer again and shot straight over to York for another go,that meant I’d ridden the Stelvio the R1200gs wc and the Triumph Explorer all within an hour of each other.
The second test on the Explorer lasted all of 10mins and I rode straight home called Andy at Teasdales and ordered the Stelvio NTX which he had in a box.
The only thing I wasn’t keen on was the green colour but really liked the white of the standard bike that I’d taken out,no problem said Andy I’ll swap the panels over,so I may have the only white 2014 Stelvio NTX in the country ?
So,is it a better bike than the GSA on paper no it’s not but by god I can’t remember the last time I got so much pleasure from riding a bike,don’t get me wrong I’ve always had a lot of pleasure from riding my bikes or after 42yrs I wouldn’t still be doing it,but I just love riding the Stelvio.
I’ve now done 3k on it and just returned from a 1500 ml trip to Scotland during which I accompanied a Kawasaki gtr 1400 and two Triumph Explorers,undoubtably quicker bikes than the Stelvio and bearing in mind they stayed B&B whilst I camped,and I don’t camp light,I had no problem in staying with them at any time,doesn’t matter how quick something is on paper in the real world things are very different.
I’d spent a fair bit of time working out suspension settings for different situation and can now set the bike for any given ride in a matter of seconds,it was very comfortable even on long days burnt not one drop of oil but did only return 42 mpg.
Sorry to prattle on but I’m just so taken with this bike,so to answer the o/p’s original question,Stevio NTX or BMW GSA ? for me there’s not contest…STELVIO by a country mile.
Steve
wrinkley2014-09-17 20:53:18
I think we need to see this white NTX Steve! You are welcome to come to the East and North Yorks Branch meeting first Tuesday of the month.
Steve, I was very interested to read your post. You have had 6 years on the GS so you know your BMW onions .
I, too, test rode the Explorer and was uttlerly blown away by the comfort, handling and power. It was also quite pleasant at lowers speeds, which is really important to me too.
Before my last test ride on the Stelvio, I had a ride on the water cooled GSA and straight afterwards very nearly signed up to an Explorer before taking a breath and trying the Stelvio one more time the following day.
I rode the water cooled GSA back-to-back with the last of the air-cooled model which was great for comparison, as you had discovered. For me, I found the engine and gearbox on the WC better than the AC but the looks, fit and screen was better on the AC. Both great bikes, albeit expensive and you need to buy into the BMW dealer servicing to maintain their value.
As a bike for it’s purpose I can’t fault it but the let down for me was definitely the flat twin engine (both versions). It just seemed to fart and drone with no inherent character. Some won’t mind this, of course.
I’ve ridden a few GSAs with ESA and although it’s very convenient for changing loads and conditions, form a personal perspective I’d rather not have the added complication and I’m quite happy to spend a bit of time fettling with the suspension on my Stelvio to find a set up more ‘right’ for me than the fixed settings of ESA.
Anyway, you’ve chosen a Stelvio over the Explorer for probably the same reasons I did so please keep up the contributions and let us all know how you get on with this brilliant bike .
Jon
[QUOTE=Horton916]
I think we need to see this white NTX Steve! You are welcome to come to the East and North Yorks Branch meeting first Tuesday of the month.[/QUOTE]
I’m just down the road from Wetwang in Beverley,so I’ll try to get to the October meet.
Steve
Hi Jon,
What I actually meant was I’d had 6 GS’s over the last 12yrs, although on a re-count it’s been 7 and I have just last week sold my 98 1100gs Granada Dakar.
To be fair whether it be a GS, GSA, Explorer in their own way they’re all great bikes.
After my first test of the Explorer, on my return I almost ordered one,that motor is an absolute peach,but I did feel almost as though I was sat on a sports bike with raised bars.
After my second ride after been on the Stelvio for most of the day I couldn’t gel with it at all.
We’re all individuals,and I recall several folks telling me I was absolutely barmy to be swapping A 2013 R1200 gs wc te for a brand new out the box Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX
and giving the dealer some money.
One of those folks is a very good mate of mine who’s a retired police bike instructor who rides an Explorer and understood why I wanted to swap the BMW, he was convinced I would go for the Explorer and was surprised to say the least when I told him I’d ordered the Stelvio.
A couple of weeks after getting the bike Jo and I had gone to stay with them for a couple of days.
We’d left the ladies to do a little retail therapy and we whent out for a ride, after about an hour we stopped for a coffee and on returning to our bikes my mate said “lets be having a go on this Italian thing then”
During the next 2 hrs, me on his Explorer he on my Stelvio,I asked him several times if he was ready to swap back." No no I’m ok for a bit" is the only reponse I got and indeed we didn’t swap back until we got back to his house.
His thoughts were,that initially he didn’t like it, but after about half an hour he started to get into the groove and found it to be totally engaging and compelling to ride,in fact he had badgered me into another go on it before we set of the next morning,and this was from a man who’d spent 25yrs riding many different bikes day in day out for a living.
I think he was surprised at just how nice it was.
Stevewrinkley2014-09-20 09:50:52
[QUOTE=wrinkley] [QUOTE=Horton916]
I think we need to see this white NTX Steve! You are welcome to come to the East and North Yorks Branch meeting first Tuesday of the month.[/QUOTE]
I’m just down the road from Wetwang in Beverley,so I’ll try to get to the October meet.
Steve[/QUOTE]
Excellent. Looking forwards to meeting you
Had a good long ride out yesterday and happened to be passing Guildford Harley Davidson so popped in for a cuppa and a chin-wag.
Before I could dismount from the Stelvio, I had a bloke asking me all sorts of questions about it. Turns out him and his mate, who was there testing a H-D, both had 2013 R1200GSA’s (the last of the air cooled variant). Both of them had already been back to BMW for new drive shafts and they sounded a little disillusioned, hence the interest in the Stelvio. One of them was tempted to swap in his GSA for a hog, which I though would be too much of as culture shock.
We had a chat about the BMW and I was questioned on the reliability of the Guzzi, in particular if there had been any electrical faults, which must have originated form the usual MCN/bike press attitude to Guzzis.
Interestingly, they both agreed with me that the GS flat twin engine is a bit, well, dull but the telling comment was never to buy a GS unless it was still under BMW warranty. I wondered what buyers of 5+ year old GS’s would make of that!
I think I did my bit to promote Moto Guzzi yesterday but much to my dismay, most of the Harley Davidson crowd were more interested in my wife’s KTM.
Jon
Squarepants2014-09-21 18:19:31
Don’t push to hard Jon,I’m rather enjoying the relative exclusivity.
Steve
OK Steve, I’ll tell everyone that the paint falls off, the cams turn to cheese and the electrics fail within the first week. That should re-inforce a few prejudices!
Jon
PS where is the pic of the white NTX?Squarepants2014-09-24 19:01:50
I’m not to clever with the old computer gissmorology but I’ll ask Jo (my good lady) if she’ll put some up for me.
Steve
Back to the original topic, here is an interesting post made on the UKGSER forum by a R1200GSA owner. This chap took a Stelvio out for the weekend (from the good guys at Streffords) with a rather favourable report.
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/400143-The-Big-Stelvio-Test-Ride
Enjoy!
Jon