Lemon Laws & Moto Guzzi

[ptrkbeam]

That's funny....it's obvious I'm not alone here. But where is the crown of thorns and the cross I shoulda got with my bike?!

 

 

I'd be POd if I had bought a "new" bike and couldn't ride it. Others much more eloquent than I have given some great advice. It's an Italian bike - some things you have to deal with to own one. Some more than others.

 

Best of luck in whatever path you take leaving Guzzi.

[Ryland3210]

 

... BTW my Harpers purchased speedo cable on my 03 has lasted 8000 miles! The factory replacement one before that lasted less than 500.

 

Hi waspp,

 

It was good to meet you at IMOC. I don't think our friend here has had a speedo problem. I added it to the list for him to be aware of. I'm curious about the Harpers supplied cable. Was it an MG part or from another source?

 

Cheers, John

[dhansen]

Ask me if I'd ever buy another Guzzi, go ahead, I dare you! I've owned 20 bikes over the years and I don't think I've had this many problems combined. Damn I'm getting angry at Guzzi. Who do you contact at Guzzi to complain? Anyone?

You are assuming customer service is an integral component of Moto Guzzi's business plan?

 

Hope you get it sorted soon.

[savagehenry]

Just entered the Guzzi Fold this summer, with years on all older Harleys and BMW's. I bought mine on line, from a "reputable" dealer and well known to our site here, Fast by Ferracci. I saw only pictures, and in the end, asked for a man's word that the bike was above all, safe, and also reliable. He was emphatic on both accounts, to the point of "No bargaining, and no new tires, it's that nice!"

The first thing we did when the hauler arrived, at my Guzzi dealer, was check the state of it's tie downs, to see if it was too tight, loose, rubbing, whatever. It's fine. Roll it off the trailer, and see spots on the front of the exhaust pipes, both wet, and burned. My new 5000 mile Ohlins front end leaks. After "the run around" over weeks, and MY dealers involvement, FBF offers to pay for parts ONLY. Turned out to be

First night on the bike, at 100 miles or so, the "sidestand safety switch" thing starts, FIRST real ride...WTF, sold my Harleys BECAUSE of this shite...

Got home, next day cleaned and die electric greased all in site. No gremlins of spark since...

Speedo cable went at 1500 miles to me, took the better part of two weeks to get the new one, with the new part number and design. So I'm missing 3-400 miles on the clock. I will buy a spare this winter...

2000 miles to me, 7k on clock, new Diablo strada's. SERVICE THE CUSHDRIVE! (Just a reminder, Mine WAS DRY) Man, I love the Ohlins/New tire/ Csh.Dr. s/u!!!

Walk out and fuel is leaking. Somebody forced a screw into the fuel pump gasket, it tore. Another ten days. Easy fix, got to look in the tank, cool...

Someone at work comes to me and says my new bike pissed in the parking lot. I have just spent alot of time and money doing the 6000 mile service myself, which my wife STILL doesn't understand, (It's NEW, WHY do you need to FIX it?) I have over filled it. NOTE TO OIL/TRANS. FLuid Threads, A MG seems to seek it's own level,... done....

I see three choices.

1.Sell Now...The $ loss will be a sore subject, for a long time, maybe, I don't know you...

2.The "Lemon" thing, Lawyers, The LAW, MORE of your $, your time, your mind,...OOOOhhh, that's gonna leave a mark , long term, I don't care who you are...

3. Bite the Bullit, fix it as it comes, grow to love the bike, tell tales of the trouble and how you put 'er right, as it gets better and GIVES BACK...and IT WILL. This is MY Bike. There are others like it, but this one is mine!!!.... eHmm, sorry bout that...

The forum is REALLY helpful, and attentive.

As you well know, these are things which can be fixed, and you've met Ratch...the hard part is over and it's all uphill from here, which is GREAT FUN, on a properly sorted out MG Good luck, no matter how it goes,S.H.

P.S. My FBF built motor and parts I love, it's the sales staff I had MY misgivings about in the long run.

[cycdude6]

It's odd, before the bike purchase I talked to quite a few people about their Guzzi's and none reported anywhere near the amount of problems my bike has, and all reported satisfaction with their Guzzi's overall. I purchased what may be a Lemon that's gonna sit in the shop god knows how long...a bike that I gave up some hard earned cash for can't be used because Moto Guzzi messed up. All the problems are KNOWN issues and should have been addressed years ago, if the company had any pride in it's products. That said I hope I get to eat my words when Wagner Motorsports delivers a good running Ballabio in a reasonable amount of time before the season ends here in the northeast US.

Also, I do appreciate all the feedback and remain impressed with this great bulletin board. Thank you.

John

[Baldini]

Bite the Bullit, fix it as it comes, grow to love the bike, tell tales of the trouble and how you put 'er right, as it gets better and GIVES BACK...and IT WILL. This is MY Bike. There are others like it, but this one is mine!!!.... /quote]

 

You got it!

 

Seems Guzzi has come as a shock to you, cycdude6. Problems you have don't seem very major here. But if you only have the one bike to ride, don't have the time to fettle or a knowledgable & supportive local dealer, you're probably better off with something else, probably something Japanese - use it, dispose of it.

 

Like others said, most Guzzis are supplied almost finished. Some don't like this & unload. It's a PIA at the time (you think you got problems? mines in the shed waiting on a new clutch at 19k - Scura problem only, doesn't apply to yours!), but you fix it & then it's not just a motorbike it's your motorbike.

Guzzis are either not for you or it's longterm. I'm still riding another Guzzi I've ridden 21 years - it still works, it performs, it's MINE, & I'll never willingly part with it.

 

 

Good luck! Cheers,

 

KB

[waspp]

Hi waspp,

 

It was good to meet you at IMOC. I don't think our friend here has had a speedo problem. I added it to the list for him to be aware of. I'm curious about the Harpers supplied cable. Was it an MG part or from another source?

 

Cheers, John

 

 

Good to meet you as well John! The speedo cable from Harpers was I believe a factory replacement but a different design. The previous cable didn't last long at all and was different from the original and the one purchased from Harpers. I'm not sure how many design changes there are but for whatever reason this one has worked out well.

 

Hal

[Greg Field]

CycDude:

 

I have an 04 Billy Bob, too. I also work at a Guzzi dealership. I'd encourage you to keep the bike, for the following reasons:

 

1) They're extremely satisfying motorcycles once sorted out. They're a combination of looks, handling, durability, and real-world street performance that many of us like enough that we will grow old with it.

 

2) The problems you are experiencing are typical of the model but easily fixed. Age also is part of it. It has sat a dealership or in a warehouse for nearly 4 years before you purchased it. The fork seals, for example, are likely victims of sitting around too much. I'm not trying to escuse MG's part in the problems, just to point out that age has likely contributed to them.

 

3) Lemon Law claims are ultimately unsatisfying to the consumer in many cases. Our dealership (Moto International, in Seattle) has experienced 3 or 4 such claims and we have even assisted the customers in filing them in two cases when Moto Guzzi or Aprilia (the brands we carry) was clearly not trying to solve the problem in good faith. These latter two claims were "successful" in that the consumers got refunds. Even so, the process caused more anguish than they ever thought it would.

 

4) If you decide to keep it, you will find plenty of help here. It sounds as if your dealer is willing to do his part, too. I can help, too, if you need it.

[Ouiji Veck]

How do I miss you guys at IMOC.

Maybe we'll hook up @ NEMG on the 28th

 

Meanwhile......

I tell everyone a new MG comes as a kit bike.

It comes assembled just so you know what goes where.

Then you take it apart and put it back together and ride

it for a couple hundred thousand miles.

I couldn't abide taking a bike to the shop.

Too costly- too slow- too stressful.

36K mi and just getting better

Hope things turn around for you Cycdude

Hang in there and hang on this board.

You will be very happy in the looooong run.

[Anthro]

I love MG's since the 80's, when I purchased mine, was when Aprilia was going out of business including the MG brand with it, so I was ready to endure a total lack of support with a bike that would have to be sorted in the first few miles of ownership... Besides few details the Bike is great, I had just few issues:

 

(my bike is a tonti framed California aluminum)

 

The tank suck, not due to the tip over valve but the filter at the other end of the line... so bad that MG had to replace my tank... while waiting for MG-usa to delivery the new tank (2 years), I rode the bike thanks to MPH, they fixed the tank the old fashion way... now the new one is sitting at MPH, I just need to find time to go there. A muffler rusted inside? was replaced -under warranty- in fast lighting speed by MG (only 2 or 3 weeks to delivery)...

 

The trip meter reset knob disappeared from where it was supposed to be... then at 14k the balance pipe/right header cracked (the new part took about 2 months to get to MPH)... (I had no problems riding the bike with a bit of exhaust leakage, It passed the State's inspection like that? )

 

At 16k is all I have to report.

 

I would have to say, the first 500 miles were rather rough, the old Vtwin needs miles to mature and tune the vibrations into pleasure. -If my bike had failed at such early millage-, my psychology would have added the rather abrupt performance of the non-broken-in engine to the rest of the problems into a almost unbearable package.

 

Form me after the 500 miles mark was the first sign of having the bike I wanted all these years , then at 3000 miles I was sure, It was only pleasure, them 5000 miles I really started to know the bike , it is a great bike and keeper.

 

Anthro

[WitchCityBallabio]

How do I miss you guys at IMOC.

Maybe we'll hook up @ NEMG on the 28th

 

NEMG???

 

Please elaborate.

 

 

robbiekb

the rotors were warped

 

Mine too! I have a spanking new set of Brembo 5.0mm "Snowflakes" on the way!

 

Today my neutral switch has started getting funky. Guess that's next on the to do parts list.

Still love the Ballabio. 20,000 miles and the damn engine just gets smoother and better!

[Ouiji Veck]

NEMG Guzzi rally, Partridge Hollow Campground

\Monson Ma. (just west of Sturbridge) 9-28 / 9-30 4 meals and lotsa fun 35$ (?)

Small fun rally with really good food/ really good people

I wont get there till Sat. afternoon. too bad, my favorite rally.

I wanted to post a link to the details but can't find one.

 

The Lonesome Weirdos' Blinking Man rally is

Columbus Day w/e @ Crown Point CG Crown Point NY

Adirondacks.......yipeeeeeee Love those roads.

(Bring a blinking light)

Just me and my friends, 14 of us last year. No food, no fee

'cept for the camp site. The more the merrier

[pete roper]

CycDude:

 

I have an 04 Billy Bob, too. I also work at a Guzzi dealership. I'd encourage you to keep the bike, for the following reasons:

 

1) They're extremely satisfying motorcycles once sorted out. They're a combination of looks, handling, durability, and real-world street performance that many of us like enough that we will grow old with it.

 

2) The problems you are experiencing are typical of the model but easily fixed. Age also is part of it. It has sat a dealership or in a warehouse for nearly 4 years before you purchased it. The fork seals, for example, are likely victims of sitting around too much. I'm not trying to escuse MG's part in the problems, just to point out that age has likely contributed to them.

 

4) If you decide to keep it, you will find plenty of help here. It sounds as if your dealer is willing to do his part, too. I can help, too, if you need it.

 

Greg and I don't agree on everything but what he's said above is common sense and there are few people who's opinion I respect more than his. Age, the fact your Billybob may of been produced at one of the points where Moto Guzzi was suffering from cretinous management and purchasing policy aligned with the fact that when this happens its OBVIOUS to the workforce so they tend not to give a f*ck, are probably contributory factors.

 

The odd thing is that when they were first sold I wasn't that keen on the V11 series. Slowly, my opinion has changed. So much so that I've just purchased a Scura from one of the members on this list for me to flog around the US on next year. I bought it sight unseen but well aware of the *issues* this model has. My sollution? I'm getting it sent to a very reputable dealer in Texas and have given them carte-blanche to do whatever they think it needs on top of my own suggestions to get it ready for me. I've owned Guzzis for over 25 years and am myself an *official*, (Whatever that means ) Guzzi service agent but I find that many, many so-called Guzzi dealers are places that just have Guzzi over the door as another 'Brand' and know and care less about them. Problem is that so many people see them as old-fashioned, slow, air-cooled shitboxes, especially the latest run of young 'Mechanics'. Consequently getting good service is sometimes difficult.

 

If you love the bike and decide you want a 'Long Term' relationship with it get it dealt with ONCE by one of the 'Good Guys'. after this it will likely present few problems unless you try to tune the buggery out of it in which case? Caveat Emptor! Guzzis have always been superb ROAD bikes. Not racers, not even 'Sports' bikes in the current vernacular but the majority of their riders seem to have a lot of fun on them and oddly enough, even I, who ride like a complete Wally, has managed to round up people on bikes with nearly twice the horsepower and only 2/3rds of the weight! It's all in the set-up. Get that right and you're half way there. The other half is, I'm afraid, down to skill. Something I lack in spades

 

Pete

[Guest NotRight]

You are assuming customer service is an integral component of Moto Guzzi's business plan?

 

Hope you get it sorted soon.

I was pleasantly surprised to find I'd been given two years Roadside Assistance just now. Must have taken that long for my paper work to process.

[Ryland3210]

I was pleasantly surprised to find I'd been given two years Roadside Assistance just now. Must have taken that long for my paper work to process.

 

It took 4 months for a dealer (not the one I bought it from) to register my bike in the warrantee system Some delays can be beneficial-it extended my warrantee by the 4 months!