Hi everyone. New owner
Here with a quick query. I’ve just bought a 2015 V1200 sport 4V. Since getting it I’ve read about problems with the flat valves on these engines although one article I read said any engine produced after 2012 had roller upgrades, but I’ve also read that this wasn’t the case with the sport models. I’m now confused and not a little concerned that I may have one of the faulty engines fitted to my bike. Can anyone confirm if this is the case and are the upgrade kits still available? Apologies for long post. Regards
Wayne
Hello Wayne, it is the cam followers that were the problem, my bike is a 2010 4V Stelvio and it had flat cam followers, these cause early wear on the camshaft. The later engines have roller cam followers that resolve this problem. I would assume that your bike if produced in 2015 would have the later roller cam followers.
I got my roller cam conversion kit free from the factory via Twiggers in Loughborough, I had to pay Twiggers to install them. I got the kit free of charge as I had a full dealer service record. The kit was about £1000 (but free to me) and the labour about £400. The bike runs well after the conversion.
Enjoy your bike!
You can check to see by removing one of the rocker covers
The old are smaller than the new, I ended up buying my kit and with help from a few dealers still managed to buy wrong kit (that was using frame and engine numbers and year of bike)
I don’t believe that any of the V1200 Sports were ever fitted with the roller tappets at the factory. Even if the year of registration was 2015, it doesn’t mean that it was manufactured then.
I had a protracted dialogue a few months ago with a non-Moto Guzzi dealer who had a 2015 Sport for sale. Afetr getting them to agree to remove one of the rocker box covers and take some photos, it turned out to have flat tappets and, was in fact manufactured in 2013.
If you want corroboration of this unfortunate situation speak to someone like Twiggers Motorcycles.
You should be able to determine the year of manufacture from the VIN number. See here for some more details, A google search will also help
Moto Guzzi framenumbers Also known as VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
ZGU LZ 000 0 Y M XXXXXX
ZGU= WMI CODE (World manufacturer identifier) = manufacturer identification
LZ = MODEL
000 = VERSION VARIANT (may consist of letters or numerals)
0 = FREE DIGIT (value from 0 to 9)
Y = YEAR OF MANUFACTURE (from 2001 this code is a number, 9 = 2009 A=2010 B= 2011)
M = PRODUCTION PLANT (M = Mandello) (S= Scorzè, Aprilia factory)
XXXXXX = SERIAL NUMBER (6 numerals ?? 111111 = 1st VEHICLE MANUFACTURED)
Therefore, chassis number ZGULZ00029M112790, for example, refers to a base version Stelvio produced by Moto Guzzi at Mandello in 2009. In particular, this would be the 1680th example of the motorcycle produced.
That suggests the 8v 1200 port was made from 2008 to 2010
ZGULPJ20,ZGULPR00,ZGULPR01 1200 SPORT 8V 1200 2008-2010
Thanks mate. I thought that none of the sports models had the upgraded engines fitted. Guess I’ll have to suck it up and repair the engine.
100% of the 1200:Sport bikes were built with flat tappet engines
Piaggio were free issuing the roller tappet kits if you could prove full Guzzi dealer service history, you had to pay the fitting labour cost (or DIY)
Not sure if Piaggio are still doing this, after all it’s more than 12 years since the last flat tappet engine was built