BMW R1200GSA vs Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX

Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX vs BMW R1200GS Adventure.


Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX vs BMW R1200GS Adventure.

2012 Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX

 

2010 BMW R1200GS Adventure

As I spent twelve months riding my R1200GS Adventure (40,000km in Europe) and I now own a Guzzi Stelvio NTX (15,000km in Australia) a lot of people have asked me which bike I prefer, so for the record, here goes...

Once again, I used my own, hard earned Aussie dollars to buy my bikes, with no help from any manufacturer. I'm not suggesting that manufacturer's should pay for my fun, I'm just making it known that I have no allegiance to either company. Because of this I can say what I like about both bikes.

First things first, both of these bikes are bloody fantastic, and I'd be happy to own either of them any time.

On the road the Guzzi wins hands down. It feels a lot more compact and lighter, but it's not. The Guzzi weighs 257kg dry while the BM weighs 229kg dry, according to the manufacturer's web sites. That's a big weight penalty the Guzzi carries, but it doesn't show it, at all. You can ride it like a sports bike and have a ball, scrubbing the tyres right over to the edges.

The BM pumps out more torque, but the Guzzi produces it's maximum torque at lower revs, which makes it feel more "grunty" out of corners.

The Guzzi feels more sporty on a winding road, but it's wheelbase is longer. BM 1,510 mm vs Guzzi 1,535 mm. Again, you just don't feel that this is the case when you're riding.

Off road? Well I haven't done a lot of off road work on the Guzzi yet, so I'll update this more when I have, but I think the BM has the edge here. It feels super stable on the dirt, while the Guzzi feels a little skittish. Of course that could be something as simple as the tyres. Neither of these bikes is an enduro bike and have to be ridden accordingly. They are bloody big road bikes that have off road capability. I used to ride my Yamaha XS1100 on dirt roads, so both of these are heaven compared to that.


Other random thoughts:

Comfort. The BM seat is an abomination. How a manufacturer of such good bikes can make a seat so bad stuns me. Your bum will be looking for a rest long before you need fuel. The pillion seat is good though, according to Suzanne.


Suzanne loves the Guzzi seating position. She sits closer to me. This probably contributes to the more sporty feel of the Guzzi.

The exhaust is very hot on the pillions foot on the Guzzi. It bad enough that I have to do something about modifying it to reduce the discomfort for Suzanne.

The BM panniers are slightly larger, which is a plus.

The Stelvio fuel tank is larger, 32 litres vs 30 litres.

The BM comes with tyre pressure sensors. Now I've laughed at these in the past, but once you've had them they are really handy. It's an easy fix though, and I'll fit a set to the Guzzi next time I replace my tyres.

This biggest plus the BM has is the ESA. Electronic Suspension Adjustment. With the push of a button you can alter the suspension to suit road, off road, solo riding, pillion riding, and more. It's fantastic. Having said that, I haven't found the suspension wanting on the Guzzi, so do I really need the extra complexity of ESA?

The BM has about 30 mm more ground clearance.

There aren't a lot of accessories for the Guzzi, but you could fill a warehouse with BM accessories. The BM tank bag is exceptional while the Guzzi one is too small, the wrong shape, isn't expandable, and doesn't fit the tank snugly. We need a new tank bag Mr Moto Guzzi.

The BM screen offers a bit more protection than the Guzzi's. The Guzzi screen creates a bit of noise in my helmet, but I've fixed that by fitting a Laminar Lip. It's excellent now. Of course this all depends on how tall you are, where you sit on the seat, and lots more, so take it with a grain of salt.


Problems encountered on the BM:

  • The fuel sender unit died - as they all do.
  • The battery went flat when I left the sat nav on for three days while I was sick. Not the bikes fault.
  • It blew a headlight globe - as they all do.
  • That's it.
Problems encountered on the Guzzi:
  • I blew an exhaust gasket. Easily fixed.
  • It ran on one cylinder for a few minutes once after I left it outside in the rain all night. (UPDATE 4/4/15) It turned out to be a damaged plug cap letting water in. This is quite common if you're not careful removing the plug caps, so go easy on them.
  • One of my spot lights has stopped working (I haven't had a look to see what the problem is yet). It was a bulb. ☺
  • That's it.
(UPDATE 4/4/15) Before my last minute trip to Tasmania I had the Guzzi serviced by a non Guzzi mechanic, only because the Guzzi mechanic was too busy to fit me in in my extremely short, two day time frame. At this service I queried the mechanical noise coming from the top end of the motor because the bike was very rattly. The mechanic said that they all do that, and that mine was a quiet one. I felt better. Fast forward 10,000 km and I rolled up to my Guzzi mechanic. As I pulled up in the car park he came out and said "The doesn't sound good". It turns out that Guzzi received a batch of cam followers that weren't up to scratch. They wore, then wore the cams as well. This is obviously not Guzzi's fault, but the fault of the outside supplier. 



  • L
  • ong story short, because my bike had a full service history, Guzzi came to the party and replaced all the followers and cams at no cost. To say I was happy was an understatement. The bike is now perfect again. 
  • I'd also like to give Mario at Thunderbikes
  •  a big wrap. Mario is one of the most professional mechanics I've met, and a passionate Moto Guzzi fan. When I picked my bike up he explained exactly what had been done to my bike and showed me all the old parts he replaced. Now my Stelvio runs like a dream, better that ever, and it came out of his workshop sparkling clean. If you're in Perth Western Australia, and need anything Moto Guzzi, go and see Mario at Thunderbikes, you won't be sorry. http://www.thunderbikes.com.au/shop/

    The BM is a very, very good tool to do the job it's designed for. I was really happy with it but after riding it for about 10,000 km I said to a few people "Yeah, it's a great bike, there's nothing wrong with it, but I'll never love it like I do my Speed Triple". On the other hand, I love the Guzzi, so much so that I'm going to get rid of my Speed Triple. I guess that sums it up in one sentence eh?

    You see very few Guzzis on the road, and after owning this one I wonder why. It really is a great bike. If you're looking for a new adventure tourer, it will be worth your while popping into your Guzzi dealer for a look. I don't think you would be sorry.


    UPDATE July 29, 2016

    Do not take your Stelvio on the beach, if it's fully loaded, and fitted with road tyres. Old enough to know better, but still young (and stupid) enough to try. ☺


    Stelvio bogged on Horrock's Beach, Western Australia.

    The road nobody takes in Karijini National Park, Western Australia. If no one uses it, why is it so bloody rough?

    I know it doesn't look much, but this was the worst road I've ever ridden on, and I've ridden on a lot. Four different people told me not to go down this road, but sometimes you just have to find out for your self, don't you? The corrugations were intense for about forty kilometers and the places without corrugations were deep, soft gravel, along with the odd hole. The poor old Stelvio didn't like it, and I was sure something would break, or at least crack. The screen was flexing back and forth about 50 mm. At the end of the road I was wrecked. The only problem with the Stelvio was a bit of oil on the rear shaft housing that had splashed out the breather. I'll have to invest in one of those breather relocation kits.

    I love this bike more and more every time I ride it.

    48,000 kilometers and counting.

    UPDATE September 5, 2016

    On a weekend ride I discovered a few problems that I believe were caused by my little dirt road excursion in Karijini. My sat nav RAM mounting plate broke, and one of the screen mounting screws has fallen out. If they are the worst things that happen to my bike I'll be a very happy man. ☺

    71 comments:

    1. Simon,
      Found your site by chance, well that's what happens when one looks beyond he first page. Your comparison between the GSA and NTX is very useful, particularly as a owner/rider of both. Planning on purchasing a adventure bike sometime during 2016, have been researching for a while now and I am more and more drawn to the NTX, in fact made my mind up it will be an NTX. Good to see a review by an owner rather than a journo. Given that the majority on my time will on the black top, happy the the bike performs well on the road and comfortable to boot. That last part is important to SWIMBO.

      Regards

      Lawrie

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Cheers Lawrie. Yes, take an NTX for a ride, I'm pretty sure you'll like it. Unfortunately I believe Moto Guzzi will no longer be bringing in the NTX to Australia, so if you're an Aussie, and want an NTX, you better get in quick. If my Lotto numbers come in I'll buy a new one and keep it until my current one wears out.

        Delete
    2. Hi Lawrie,

      Thanks very much. As I said I'm more than happy to have either, but am loving the Guzzi. Let me know what you end up doing.

      Cheers,

      Simon.

      ReplyDelete
    3. Will do Simon, have been off the road for a bit, with a knee replacement. Have an R1150RT, first ride this morning after seven weeks - just round the block, more than enough. A further knee to go, then it will be time for an NTX, of course following extensive negotiations with the Minister of Finance and War.

      Regards

      Lawrie

      ReplyDelete
    4. Greetings. Interesting article. I have just bought my first Stelvio, and the only issue I have had is the degree of vibration. It is significant enough that the stock mirrors only provide a very fuzzy image...is this a standard issue with these bikes or is there a fix I am unaware of?

      Bill

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Where in the world are you, Bill? North America has different mirrors than the rest of the world, with the turn indicator lights built in. The rest of the world has them on the fairing. I picked up a conversion kit that moved the lights off the mirrors and into the fairing, and I prefer them by a lot.

        Delete
    5. Hi Bill, sorry about the late response, I haven't been on here for a while. I haven't noticed the fuzzy mirror problem on the Guzzi any more than any other bike I've ridden. If it's a real issue for you I would check on some of the Guzzi forums (or any other big twin forum) and see if anyone has come up with some sort of rubber mount solution. I am having trouble getting a clear picture from my GoPro though. If you come across a solution for that I'd like to know about it. : )

      ReplyDelete
    6. I put 80K miles on my 2007 GSA. It was a perfect albeit boring motorcycle. Yes it had a one fuel pump failure, but that was it. I now jsut got a 2013 Stelvio NTX and it is really fun to ride, It had a couople reliability problems that stopped the alternator, hence the bike, but after new relays, and new auxilliary lights, a new battery, we are going strong, 10% better fuel economy than the GSA as well, and way better first gear tractability and shudder free behavior.

      ReplyDelete
    7. I put 80K miles on my 2007 GSA. It was a perfect albeit boring motorcycle. Yes it had a one fuel pump failure, but that was it. I now jsut got a 2013 Stelvio NTX and it is really fun to ride, It had a couople reliability problems that stopped the alternator, hence the bike, but after new relays, and new auxilliary lights, a new battery, we are going strong, 10% better fuel economy than the GSA as well, and way better first gear tractability and shudder free behavior.

      ReplyDelete
    8. That is a truly useful review and I appreciate it very much. It does help cement the Guzzi as one of my finalists too. I have always really liked Guzzi's but have been a bit fearful of reliability issues. One item not mentioned though is price; here in the U.S. the difference is significant. I know, the GS bases just over 16,000, but try to find one at that price! Thanks for the thoughts, keep it coming.

      ReplyDelete
    9. As a Stelvio owner and previous Honda owner I concur with the review. At just under 6' I have a little wind noise in my helmet but otherwise I'm well protected even @ sub zero temperatures, yes it gets cold in South Africa. Comfort for my wife and I is great,although I must say she prefers to ride her own bike, open road cruising very good, very stable in heavy wind's, gravel (farm road) OK, this is with tyres at road going pressure, Fuel consumption averaging 4.3 litre/100km all cycles. I have done rides in excess of 700km a day, and at +60 I can honestly say I feel no discomfort at the end of the ride - Allan

      ReplyDelete
    10. Happy 2016 to all and THANK everyone, especially Bill. I owned a 2006 1200GS for six months (present to myself post major cancer surgery) and quickly found everything said above: great bike, terrible seat (are Germans that different? ;-), no character. I recently bought a 2013 Stelvio by 'chance' on an eBay auction (unreal!) and so far I LOVE it. Mind you, I have very few miles on it but I'm looking to hopefully add a steady bunch.
      THREE QUESTIONS please in case anyone has input:
      1) occasional loud grinding noise when starting cold in first gear, lasts about 3-5 seconds only...I first thought of a shaft bearing but the noise disappears right away. Ideas?
      2) flashing monkey wrench on dashboard - I assume that's oil change reminder or such, but how do I get rid of it?
      3) heated grips indicator comes on (3 levels) but no heat...
      Tells free to email me at AdventuresUnbounded[@]gmail
      Safe rides!
      Nicolaï

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. This comment has been removed by the author.

        Delete
      2. Hello Nicolai, I can't answer #1 and #2 but regarding #3 it is possible that you do not have the grip heaters installed. They are a dealer option. The switch is installed by default and it will be operable including the display of the level on the LCD dashboard, but as you found this is deceiving if the heated grips are not installed.

        Delete
      3. Nicolai,

        If the noise you are talking about is as you release the clutch, it's probably the clutch. I believe they can warp, and then they make a noise as you take off. Mine is doing it, but I'm not too worries about it and will let it go until it really needs looking at, or I head of on another long trip.

        The wrench symbol is a service due warning light. The dealer can reset it when he services your bike, but I reckon if you Google it, you'll find a way to do it yourself.

        Not sure about the heated grips, might be as simple as a fuse, or something an auto electrician needs to look at.

        Cheers,

        Simon.

        Delete
      4. All of our NTXs (at least mine) has the switch built in to it but doesn't actually have the grips installed. Where I live it never gets cold enough for to have spent a lot of time looking at it, but i think that's the case.

        Delete
      5. I bought heated grips from USA and a relay to get mine working (same for running lights). Not hard to fit.

        Delete
      6. I bought heated grips from USA and a relay to get mine working (same for running lights). Not hard to fit.

        Delete
      7. Regarding the clutch...I was told they all groan. I have a 2013 NTX and had a 2010 stelvio previous to that. Both groaned, but the NTX would also catch and stall. Clearly not right. I took it to my mechanic who replaced the clutch under warranty. The clutch had numerous spots on it and was clearly defective. Amazingly, with the new clutch there is no groan and no grabbing! This is a warranty issue without a doubt.

        Delete
      8. I should clarify - the groaning would always happen when cold and would go away after several stops. I believe this is the phenomenon you are referring to in point 1.

        Delete
      9. Hi Nicolai,

        Ah, the old groaning clutch! Mine does it as well. I just had my 40,000 Km service completed and spoke to Mario about it and he assured me it isn't a problem (apart from the noise) and won't cause any damage or fail. Mine does it about two or three times when I first start in the morning, but then goes away. Interestingly Mario (http://www.thunderbikes.com.au/shop/) told me that only the Stelvio and NTX do this, even though they share the same clutch with other Guzzis in the range.

        I guess we just have to call it Italian character.

        Cheers,

        Simon.

        Delete
    11. Hello Simon and Suzanne,

      What a usefull comparison between 2 great bikes. I hope to change my old TDM900 ( I bike that took me all over Europe with no problems at all) for a big adventure bike. I love the Guzzi and after reading your blog I will try one when the snow here in Holland is gone....
      Thanks, and I will follow your adventures from now on.

      Cheers

      Lars

      ReplyDelete
    12. Bought the Stelvio NTX recently........LOVING IT! Feels very robust, handles well and so very comfortable. Seat is definitely a plus and means you can have hours in the saddle. Not sorry I bought it all. I'll see how it goes in the dirt after its first service and I'm more familiar with it. Just wish we had an agent in our city.
      cheers
      T

      ReplyDelete
    13. Futher to my coment on Jan 22, I'm changing the tyres to Continental TKC 70s ...just want to give it a more dirt focus to see how it goes. I'm in Australia It would be good to hear from some Aussie riders here.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. I look forward to your impression of the bike with dirt bias tyres fitted. The only off road work I've done is with road tyres, so the speeds were low. One particular ride was on a serious of road track with clay and hills, so it was challenging. Obviously it's heavy, and is lacking ground clearance, but apart from that, the Guzzi did everything I asked of it. OK, I'm never going to race enduros on it, but I reckon you could go pretty much anywhere on it, just not fast.

        Delete
      2. Hi Simon, will I have done precious few ks on the bike but thats to change in August 17. Some friends and I are riding across Aus to Geraldton and then inland to Uluru on the Great central road, and Gunbarrel highway. It will be a test indeed. I like Continental tyres but I'll change to the tkc80s for the dirt work.

        Delete
      3. Hi Treveor, Is your trip still happening? If you get to Perth let me know and we'll catch up for a drink. Cheers, Simon.

        Delete
    14. Hello to Simon et al,

      Well, I am an relatively recent (two years), Aussie rider of a 2012 Stelvio NTX. I have had a number of bikes previously including a 1999 Guzzi California EV many years ago, so I know about Guzzi. I moved to the Stelvio as getting older my body started to protest on taking long trips on more sports oriented bikes and I wanted a bit more of a dual purpose bike. Yes, and all my riding mates were starting to buy BMW GS's for some strange reason which provided more ammunition for some else. Anyway I haven't covered anywhere near the kilometres I'd thought I would (other duties!), but I have spent two weeks travelling around Tassie - great experience all should do it.

      I am a bit of a tinkerer so I have done following mods;

      - converted the indicators to LEDs (wrote it up at wildguzzi.com forum)
      - got rid of the AUX lights before they inevitably fall apart due to vibes (google it!). Fabricated an aluminium bracket and put LED spots in the same position.
      - strapped on a Staintune pipe for better breathing and sound! plus it weighs considerably less than stock.
      - removed the existing ignition leads and replaced with silicone NGK race units from Japan along with Iridium plugs - for reliability as the caps on the original leads are prone to wear over time and then spark leakage.
      - I had my original Lead Acid Battery leak after two weeks of ownership but got fixed under warranty. I had a Lithium Ion (LFP) replacement as it was lighter and doesn't leak but it failed in about 15 months - I blame the Tassie trip. I understood LFPs don't like prolonged cold and it was at or below 0C every night! and the battery failed soon after returning from this trip.
      - All modern EFI bikes are factory tuned to run lean from idle to about 4k RPM to meet emissions and this causes the stuttering/hesitation at low revs. I just recently re-mapped the ECU with the GT-Rx flash kit developed by Todd Eagan from guzzitech.com in USA. It has been a transformation of the bike as it is now so tractable and confidence inspiring at low revs. I am in process of going full hog with the instal of the Power Commander V & Autotune 300 units from Dynojet. This is not cheap but will mean a much more rideable bike I will definitely want to keep for longer.

      So with about 15,000kms on the bike it hasn't failed me and I am enjoying each ride even more as it "wears in" and I grow ever more accustomed or is that infatuated?

      Yeh, I do love "il grande ragazza".

      Cheers,
      John

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. John - I have done all the same mods and have to emphasize that the Staintune is amazing! Truly great Aussie product.

        One additional fuelling addition to Todd's great mods is the fuel line and filter mod from Motointernational in Seattle (https://www.motointernational.com/service/ntxfuel). This alone completely transformed the slow-speed fuelling of my 2013 NTX. I would do this first before shelling out the big bucks for Todd's upgrade, if I had to choose only one. The kit only costs $25 and is easy to install even by non-mechanics like me! I have both mods and the bike now responds so smoothly at all revs.

        Delete
    15. Hi everyone
      I own a stelvio 2014 and it is the best bike I have ever owned so far ( around 12 over the years) I echo the comments about the excellence of Mario from Thunderbikes...outstanding service and solutions. The clutch noise is not critical just annoying but was solved by Mario. The bike has been used off and on road extensively and has never missed a beat as well as being super comfortable. Last year my wife and I road around 5000 km in South Africa on the latest bmw Gs 1200 water cooled. Great bike with heaps of power and toys....I do have to say I still prefer my Guzzi for character and comfort along with the personal support of Mario. The only real complaint I get from Ingrid ( my wife) is the heat from the pipe on hot days. This is easy to resolve by putting on the factory panniers which shield her. Overall an awesome bike that is a keeper. Iain Tait

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Hi Ian, we really must try to get together one day. ☺

        Delete
      2. Getting rid of the factory muffler with cat converter to a Mistral or similar will get rid of most if not all of your heat problems. The stock exhaust is *hot*! As a side benefit, it'll drop about 15 pounds of weight from the bike too.

        Delete
    16. Also anyone concerned about the cam issue on earlier bikes should not worry. Moto Guzzi is 100% backing up this issue and resolved mine at no cost to me. It also seems to have boosted the power but that may have been the software re-flash that Mario did at the same time. I hear Ewan McGregor from the long way down etc is using a Moto guzzi on the next adventure.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Is there a recall ?? are they going to extend the warranty? What happens is this expensive repair happens after the original warranty expires?

        Delete
      2. Hi Al,

        I don't know if there is a factory recall as it is only one batch of parts that Moto Guzzi received that were faulty, and I don't think they would know which bikes have these parts fitted. I think they are repairing them as they show up. My bike was well out of the warranty period, but had a full Authorised Moto Guzzi Dealer service record, so they repaired it with mo hassle at all.

        Delete
    17. Thanks, it's great to see a write up on a bike comparison where the ride spent some time and miles, or KM as the case may be on the bikes. I'm a VStrom (love the bike, no issues, no complaints) rider from upstate NY, have ridden all over form NY to Florida to California, glacier National Park, Canada to the tune of 67,000 107,000 lm) miles in 4 years and love the bike, but the new Guzzi Stelvio 1200 NTX has my eye, and your write up will get me into a local(ish) dealer in the Catskill Mountains! Thanks!

      ReplyDelete
    18. Check out www.wildguzzi.com I couldn't tell if you were from western Australia or just riding through. Pete Roper is an ace on the eastern end (not sure where). I think he is a Guzzi trained/authorized mechanic.

      ReplyDelete
    19. Hi Anonymous, Yes, I'm a born and bred Sandgroper (Western Australian) and use Thunderbike Motorcycles (http://www.thunderbikes.com.au/shop/)exclusively. Mario is passionate about Guzzis, and a bloody good tech to boot. I've checked out Wild Guzzi on line and it's full of interesting stuff, well worth a look.

      ReplyDelete
    20. Great review of a great couple of bikes, Simon! A few thoughts on the Stelvio (I have a 2012 NTX).

      With regard to fueling, there is no need to add costly extra hardware to improve this. There is a great, free application called Guzzidiag that allows you to conduct diagnostics, and additional free components (Reader, Writer and Tunerpro) which allow you to backup, update and customize the ECU map yourself. If you don't want to play with the map yourself, there are others who have already done the work; some who will share their maps for free, and others who will charge about $100. Either way, a lot less than a Power Commander, and you get a much better solution, in my opinion. Check out Wildguzzi.com, and search for the Guzzidiag Tutorial thread.

      Charging: Make sure you add fuses to the auxiliary lights on the NTX, and reroute the wiring inside the lights. Failure to do so will result in a short that will take out the main fuse, and stop the bike from charging. Easy fix, and details are on Wild Guzzi.

      North American Stelvios come with different mirrors that have turn signals installed (to meet US requirements for spacing between the signals, I believe). These vibrate terribly, and eventually fail. Simple solution is to install the original European turn signals in the fairing, as well as the original mirror design.

      The Stelvio is a great bike as delivered, but these few changes make it truly spectacular. I own 5 Guzzis, and find myself choosing to ride the Stelvio more than any other. Check out wildguzzi.com for a tremendously supportive community of over 10,000 worldwide.

      Cheers,
      Shaun

      ReplyDelete
    21. I have a 2013 GSA, just finished 3 months and 18,000 k's in Europe and its in the crate heading back to Aussie. Been round Aussie also and can't fault the bike. Never had any issues and love the 30+ liter tank. Change the oil every 5K when I can and then just normal servicing. Damn reliable bike. Cheers

      ReplyDelete
    22. Regarding the camshaft /tappet issues: I have a 2011 Stelvio 8V here in southern England. The strange thing was that I was getting a lot of oil emulsion particularly in the right hand tappet cover and even after long runs at motorway speeds the front of the covers never seemed to get warm. Then the right hand tappet / camshaft failed at around 15,000 miles. Piaggio came to the rescue with a (FOC) roller conversion kit, absolutely brilliant and beautifully quiet now. However the strangest thing is that there is no emulsion now in the tappet covers and they are now noticeably hotter even after short runs. This leads me to suspect that the tappet issue is something to do with the old flat tappets not allowing hot oil to the front of the tappet cover whereas the new rollers do so. Sounds strange but I can only report my observations. Now with its roller tappets my Stelvio feels like it will run forever. If you are thinking of buying a Stelvio or any other 8V Guzzi it would be wise to check if it’s got roller tappets!
      I really love this bike; it’s fabulously comfortable, reliable and dependable. Of the small gripes, I would like a slightly higher top gear ratio for motorway use and a quieter windscreen; I’m 6’1” and even with a laminar lip its earplugs only. That’s about it, a great bike.

      ReplyDelete
    23. Ian Bray
      Read with interest the comparo and comments. I've owned my '12 Guzzi Stelvio (not NTX) for 38K trouble free. This one had the roller tappets fitted so no drama there. I owned a V Strom 650 prior to the Stelvio and found it a good bike too, but really love the Stelvio to death. Will be doing a Central Australian trip on it in April, so that will sort out it's off road abilities or most likely the rider's.
      I fitted the hand guards, heated grips, engine bars and Mivv exhaust myself plus a wind deflector on screen all of which adds great comfort to the bike. It's a bike I just love riding all day every day.
      Very sad they are discontinuing in Australia.
      I just need to refresh the ECU for more tractable low speed riding, the only gripe at the moment.
      And yes the clutch does moan sometimes, but nothing like the rattle that came standard on the MG v11's which I also own.

      ReplyDelete
    24. Hi all. Have been looking at getting a late model Stelvio for a while now (read delaying). Which is the latest model/ year released? I have been told that Motto Gutzzi have ceased manufacturing / importing into Australia? Is this true? Which year, model is the better over all.

      ReplyDelete
    25. Been looking at a 2013 Stelvio has about 15,500 km on it ..this bike should have the roller top end on it ?

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Your best bet would be to get the VIN and contact Moto Guzzi Australia to confirm this.

        Delete
      2. ..or just take a look under a tappet cover. It's a 5 minute job.

        Nick

        Delete
      3. Sometimes the most simple way is the best. Well done nick. :)

        Delete
      4. Yes, the 2013 has the upgraded rollers. Nothing to worry about.

        Delete
    26. Hi guys
      One question regarding dashboard. They changed under warranty three of them .Every time I found line between screen and gauge melt . Happened one time per year about and cannot catch when. I dim down light now . they check everything but they don't know why. Not much but annoying.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. I have had a melting problem on my dash as well. The center of my rev-counter is partly melted. Found out rather quickly, that the problem occours because the windscreen on the NTX is curved turning it in to a burning glass, when the bike is left in the sun in just the right (or wrong...) angle.
        living in northern Europe low sun occours often, and i solve the problem by putting an old t-shirt over the windscreen, when I leave the bike outside.

        Delete
    27. You're getting paid for your bright NTX ravings. I purchased a 2015 stelvio and it was the worst bike I've ever owned. I park in an underground garage at work so there's a 20-degree ramp. When I stop on the ramp behind a car and start out it shuddered like crazy. Had to rev it to keep it from killing. The beast vibrated so badly on the freeway at about 60 mph couldn't see anything in the mirrors. High center of gravity of a full gas tank prohibits any serious off pavement riding. Most of my riding was freeway between Vancouver WA and Portland OR and after 30,000 miles I couldn't wait to trade it off on a Honda Africa Twin. What a difference. Sorry MG cheerleaders.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. I wish I was getting paid but no, I just love my Stelvio, even after 55,000 km.

        I like the Africa Twin too, but it doesn't suit the riding I do, and that's what it's all about. Talk to me about how good the Honda is when you load it up with 150Kg of luggage, a pillion, and your dog, or when you're replacing a chain and sprockets, or when the small fuel tank runs dry, or your spokes start rusting, or the switch gear fails (common).

        Every bike has it's shortcomings but obviously the people here are happy to overlook the Guzzi's shortcomings, or make mods to sort them out, and enjoy their bikes. When I heard that the NTX was being discontinued I planned to sell mine and buy a new one, but I was too slow and missed out.

        I hope you enjoy your AT more than your Guzzi. Cheers.

        Delete
      2. Well said. I would have been less generous to a Troll who posts anonymously.

        Delete
    28. After riding my 2014 NTX for 9000 miles, I believe I have met the perfect bike. I did change stock windshield to a Cal Sci (matched per my height and inseam) and have found it to work magnificently. My mileage is from two trips a year with 20 +year riding buddies. Routes are usually off of the interstate on roads with plenty of curves (dragon trail, back of the dragon). The Guzzi typically shows it tail lights to my buds. And the sounds that come from a stock NTX stir the soul. Historically, I am in the market for a new bike every other year, BUT I will not be looking for anything this year as I have met my mode of two wheeling!

      ReplyDelete
    29. I agree with all the positive comments posted .I bought a good used 2012 NTX July 2016 with 17000 miles It now has 29000 I own 3 other Guzzi's one I still ride after 20 years of ownership I really love the brand and the bikes,my favorite before the Stelvio was my 2007 Norge a fantastic motorcycle tough as nails ,drop dead reliable,great brakes,handling it's got all .I'm 62 years old ,45 years riding experience,I thought the Norge was it ... till I bought this Stelvio.The NTX has all the great qualities of the Norge speed,torque,comfort,handling but with the 8.5 gallon tank and off road abilities,my other 3 Guzzi's are collecting dust in my garage. My wife and I have been places I would never take an ordinary street bike.She says she's very comfortable on the bike even after long days in the saddle.Mine came with heated grips and heated seats (not standard) both appreciated here in Missouri during winter riding.Honestly the only draw back the bike may have is during off road riding it can be top heavy,I'm 6 foot I've dropped it more than once in tight spots usually when I'm stopped in rough terrain.Surprisingly I'm able to stand it up by myself,adrenaline is amazing stuff.

      ReplyDelete
    30. Simon

      Thank you for your great article and all the comments given by you and the other guys. Very helpfull for me. I am 54 years old and live in the Netherlands. After 18 years of driving I sold my California III '93 and decided to buy a Stelvio NTX. Have seen the same nice black 2012 model as Simon has. Surfing the internet I found this great blog which makes me even more convinced about my decision to buy a Stelvio.

      Thanks again,

      Cheers,
      Ronald

      ReplyDelete
    31. Hey everyone,

      I bought a 2016 leftover this past July and have put 3000 miles on so far. It’s my 3rd Guzzi after moving off of Ducatis previously. Seeking not speed but soul and character, I’ve fallen in love with my Guzzis. They speak to my inner desire for simplicity when most manufacturers are offering complex answers to questions yet asked....

      The Stelvio will go almost anywhere asked. Most likely the rider is the limiting factor. Changing tires to Mitas E07’s I’ve found the bike most capable off road and still civilized on road.

      In the US, I’ve completed the Rawhyde Off-road training camp in Colorado and after multiple drops found the following weaknesses:
      1. Hanguards - replace with Barkbuster or similar
      2. Gear change lever and rear brake lever, subject to breakage off road if/when dropped. I’d advise carrying spares if going deep into the bush.
      3. Foglights - remove or relocate to prevent being “eliminated” off road

      Check my Instagram page “guzzicruiser” for pics of damage incurred.

      All in all - fantastic bike. A definite keeper.

      Cheers,
      Patrick

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Patrick, spot on. The bike becomes expensive when it gets dropped & unfortunately parts can take a while to get to you.

        Delete
    32. Stelvio is the best bike ever made. Period. I have owned 2. Own also a GS and it is plenty good, my son rides it. Own a KLR, an 883, an 82 GL1100. I was unloading my Stelvio from my truck in front of the lodge windows onto a grassy bank in front of the windows at Whitefish MT. My foot caught in the ramp by my heel and the bike kept coming. It fell right on top of me in front of God and everybody! Gas guzzling onto my chest. Adrenalin? I jumped up with it and straightened it right away not daring to look at the lodge windows. I was sure they were doubled over laughing. You can do when you need to!

      ReplyDelete
    33. To all STELVIO owners reading here - Join and share the love on Facebook group "Moto Guzzi Stelvio ~ Owners Group". About 400 strong currently (April 2018)
      --geoff

      ReplyDelete
    34. Are the wheels tubeless or do they need (UGH!) tubes?
      This is important to me as I am quite certain there's no way I could ever change out a tube on this thing!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. They are tubeless. After a while the seals on the spokes tend to fail There are though sprays out there that you can use to seal them up.

        Delete
    35. Hi l am Adair james l am 70 and l have been rideing since l was 14 l have owned many bikes a lot of British bikes my last British bike was a p11a a adventurer bike before adventure bikes l got tiered of the english woes in 72 and bought my first Guzzie a V7 sport l fell in love with the Guzzie reliability when l saw the stilvio in 2014 l like the bike l bought a new 2014 and now have 22 thousand on it by far the best bike l have ever hade .l am only 5 9 with 29 in inseem so it was verry intimidating at first and l had a lot of tip overs . Yes l broke the driveing lights blew the fuse fixed that poor design then dropped the front forks 1 inch in the triple clsmp now my short legs can fined the ground the new led driveing lights are way better than the old ones and l mounted l mounted to the insides of the braket so way better protection as l sead l am 70 and l have put 2 1 thousand mile days on this bike and yes l was ready for bed but l was not done in and road the next day nive seat yoy also do not pass youself often ljust put new the therd set of tiers on it . The bike should have come with these Avon trail riders grate on gravely roads yet l can still drage the pegs and it is still a doled road bike yes it meeded to be remapped it needed to get ride of the stupped mirrors but there is a reason there is so littel after maket stuff for this bike. It alrady has it all there l am not a hard core off road guy but l have bashed the skid plate a few times and seen some grate mountan tops here in washington state and the boys at motointernational are realy up on ther game so yes l am a happy old guy on a NTX l keep trying fined things to change but about all l come up with is the oil

      ReplyDelete
    36. Hay how do l post pictures on here

      ReplyDelete
    37. On the tank bag front I've fitted a bagster universal strap mount , fits fine.Intresting parables with a GS on here. I have a 2007 GS and a 2010 Stelvio. the BMW is going shortly. I don't think there's really a comparison between the two personally, very different bikes. The BMW definitely has a better finish, but frankly boring next to the Stelvio on tarmac off it not quite so. Like with most things depends on what your using it for ,if it's mile munching with a tent ,occasional runs up a fire track or across a field, the Stelvio wins for me (but not with a pillion) unless your wife is up for second degree burns. This f you drop this girl with the bean can panniers you will hurt it, GS puck it up and clear off, probably the most fundamental difference. Love the Stevio on tarmac though !!

      ReplyDelete
    38. Hi Simon.
      I send you greetings from the other end of the planet to thank you for your usefull and well written original article, that helped me to be convinced of purchasing the Stelvio NTX. I read it autumn 2016, when I was researching for reviews and test to make out which big adv to buy. It was really convincing, and I have now had my NTX for to seasons and have done 25k on it and it has been an intense love affair. I hope to keep this wonderfull machine as long as I can still ride - hopefully at least 15 years or so.
      I had a V-Strom 650 before (4 years - 50K), and it was a very stabile, neat and comfortable, but as I met the sweetest and steady pillion it was al of a sudden too underpowered. Had always looked twice at Guzzies and especially the Stelvio, when it came out, but had never gone futher into the thought of actually bying one. To make a long story short, my new pillion and I got married and moved in together, leaving economic opportunity to buy a whole new adv. Only problem was, that this was nov 2016 and the Stelvio would not be on sale after jan 1.st 2017 due to the new euro4 emission standards. This ment, that i had to order one without having had a testride on it. Not many of the journo reviews was particularly positive comparing the Stelvio to the other big adv,s but on the other hand, I didn`t think they had right premisses in their assesment of the class as a whole. In some test, though, it surprised above their initial low ecspectations. Still in doubt, it was your article, being written by an expirienced user and adventurer like my self, that convinced me into making the jump in to the unknown and signing a contract on bying one unseen and untested. It got a bit nervewrecking, as it turned out, that there was no Stelvios left in dealerships nor at the factory. I actually got the last one the danish importer could find in all of Europe at a Norwegian dealer, and it was registered in my name dec 23`rd 2016 a week before the Euro3 admission ran out.
      The Stelvio NTX has run just as you said, and it is my 8`th and hopefully last bike. It is a keeper, as you say - couldn`t think of a better bike for me and the misses to go touring on. Simple, strong and immensly nimble even at full load.
      Thank you once again for unknowingly talking me into the purchase of my life.
      Guzzilove, Brian Plagborg, Denmark
      Ps. To rubber pads on each side of the screw holding the bracket for the foglights stops them from blowing every 300 km. A deflector on the windscreen gets rid of the turbulens, that many have mentioned. All big windscreens benefit from a deflector.
      The original back wheel carbon cover (ekstra wing?? don`t know, what its called in english) is highly recomendable to avoid dirt gathering around the rear shock.

      ReplyDelete
    39. I'll be short. Had a 2009 Stelvio. Loved it.....crashed it. Now have a 2013. Love it.....trying not to crash it :) Ridden many GS models. No soul. 4th Goose for me - V11 LeMans and Griso (neither fit me). I plan to keep the Stelvio forever. Chris in Colorado

      ReplyDelete
    40. Hi Simon,

      Greetings from Sunny Malta :)
      Thanks a lot for your review I really enjoy reading, I own a 2016 NTX Green and I am loving it :)

      ReplyDelete
    41. Hi Simon, even though this is an old review it still packs a punch for me. Waiting for my second hand 2013 Stelvio to be delivered, great to read a 'real world' review . Thank you very much. Greeting from the UK - Jon

      ReplyDelete
    42. Just bought a 2013 Stelvio ntx from the original owner. Best bike Ive ever ridden

      ReplyDelete
    43. factual for us to increase our knowledge about it. about Buy Wholesale Hot pressed silicone sheet So please always keep sharing this type of information.

      ReplyDelete