I'm on my second Stelvio, a 2011 NTX with the large tank, I love it even more than the previous one.
In May 2009 I traded my R1150GS ( I owned this bike for six years and 30,000mls) for a new black 2009 model, fitted with TRAX panniers and heated grips. I kept the bike until October 2011, having covered 10,000 miles. I swapped it for the latest NTX. With this model Moto GUzzi have made a great bike even better.
The bike handles well, the brakes are good and the performance is on par with the GS1200, but the Guzzi has loads more character. The finish on my early Stelvio was far better than my GS1150, the BMW had paint flaking off the engine and fork legs after two years. Reliability has been good though not perfect, it needed a speedo sensor replacing due to heavy rain causing water ingress (done under warranty), a slight misfire was cured by fitting NGK plug caps, neither fault left me stranded, and Guzzi final drives seem to be more robust than the BMW one.
My wife and I find the bike comfortable for long touring trips, the seat is massive, just as well as I'm 6ft and 18stone (all muscle
), my wife though is slim and finds the seat plenty big enough. The old Stelvio's fuel consumption improved as the miles racked up, it regularly gave 45mpg with mixed riding, the new bike is averaging over 50mpg but it's only done about 1100 miles to date (I've not been out on it since early December due to health issue)
The later Stelvio has a different fuel map and the Griso profile cams have been replaced with something a bit milder.
I have two close friends who have bought Stelvios over the last two years, came from BMWs. One bike sits out in all weathers 24/7 (no garage) in Edinburgh, is used regularly and hasn't given a moments trouble, and the finish is holding up very well. The other bike is also proving to be reliable.
Both owners and myself have no plans to change our bikes for the forseeable future, so depreciation isnt too much of an issue, but then it never has been for me in 38 years of riding. Get a Guzzi, Get a Grin!
, so maybe another reason to let them sort any issues, recalls and so on, then buy one that's sorted. Why be the test mule?
