Stelvio ownership... day 1

Well a fair few month's and miles into ownership now, and all I can say is that I just love this bike more and more with each passing mile, something that I haven't experienced in a bike for a long time.
Contiued to ride, although not as much, during the last couple of month's and no sign of any deterioration to the finish of the bike,which couldn't be said for my last bike.

There are still a couple of issues that i would like to iron out if possible i.e. slightly lumpy running at low revs and some throttle snatch.

I've done a fair bit of research into the merits of power commanders and re-maps and after some discussion with Geoff at Hilltop motorcycles I've booked the bike in for a re map on 28th March.

The Stelvio is a very very addictive bike to ride and I'm beggining to understand and believe what I'd read about riding Guzzi's in so much as it's like learning to ride again.
Difficult to put my finger on or explain but you do seem to ride them in a very different way.

Try and ride it all balls out and although it feels quick it all seems a bit scruffy and messy.Ride it on the torque and it is one very quick and beautifully handling bike that will reward some thought and planning being put into the way it's ridden.

I know the above can be said for most bikes it just appears to be more so with the Guzzi,get into the groove and boy does it put a smile on your face.

So,all in all at this moment in time I can't think of much more I would want from a bike,and I'll keep any interested parties updated with the re-map.

Steve

How about some fork work or shock replacement? Anyone gone down that route on the Guzzi forums?

Glad to hear you are enjoying it.

Al

Yes .... I think twins, in all their guises, probably benefit the most from a re-map. I can completely understand how that low rev jerky / lumpy pick up would be the one thing that would just needle you a tiny bit. I have every confidence that Geoff will iron that out!
You won't come away from the re-map with a 'eureeka moment', I find the effects dawn on you over time. (Riding a familiar road a few weeks later and noticing how much smoother it is .... )

Apparently the latest re-map cures a lot of the slow-speed running issues, mine is due it's first 12-month service very soon and I am looking forward to seeing what difference it makes but at the moment I am having difficulty in finding a dealer to do it.

I have no intention of going back to the supplying dealer their attitude really wound me up.
Onyerbike near Bicester (the closest franchised dealer to me) admit that they have only ever had one Stelvio in so they are not experienced with them and anyway, their diagnostic machine is broken and Piaggio are not willing to repair / replace it.
Heywards in Cambridge (excellent reputation) are not currently a franchised dealer so do not have access to the latest downloads and if there were any warranty issues that needed looking at, they would be unable to deal with them. They said to ring back in a few weeks when it should be resolved one way or another.
I am resolved to going across to Streffords in Worcester. I went there for a test-ride and they were excellent plus have a great reputation, I didn't buy from them only as they are 100-miles away and getting back for a service or warranty issues means a double return-trip (total 400-miles) and that seemed just too much agro but it may be a case of having to do just that.

Blackal said:

How about some fork work or shock replacement? Anyone gone down that route on the Guzzi forums?

Glad to hear you are enjoying it.

Al

Click to expand...

I did initially feel that the front suspension felt a little soft,but then I was used to the telelever of the GS's.
The front suspension is adjustable,as is the rear,for both rebound and damping,I spent a couple of days experimenting with it,and it now feels absolutely lovely.
the setting I settled on wre vin fact very close to the factory settings.it certainly feels much better than the "semi active ESA" on my previous gs wc.

Big Al Litch said:

Apparently the latest re-map cures a lot of the slow-speed running issues, mine is due it's first 12-month service very soon and I am looking forward to seeing what difference it makes but at the moment I am having difficulty in finding a dealer to do it.

I have no intention of going back to the supplying dealer their attitude really wound me up.
Onyerbike near Bicester (the closest franchised dealer to me) admit that they have only ever had one Stelvio in so they are not experienced with them and anyway, their diagnostic machine is broken and Piaggio are not willing to repair / replace it.
Heywards in Cambridge (excellent reputation) are not currently a franchised dealer so do not have access to the latest downloads and if there were any warranty issues that needed looking at, they would be unable to deal with them. They said to ring back in a few weeks when it should be resolved one way or another.
I am resolved to going across to Streffords in Worcester. I went there for a test-ride and they were excellent plus have a great reputation, I didn't buy from them only as they are 100-miles away and getting back for a service or warranty issues means a double return-trip (total 400-miles) and that seemed just too much agro but it may be a case of having to do just that.

Click to expand...

I completely understand why you'd wait for the latest map upgrade, but I do think I'll be keeping this bike for a number of years and even if it had the latest mapping I would have considered a re-map.

I do feel that due to emission restrictions that no bike is running at it's optimum, even with the latest map updates it is still going to be somewhat restricted.

Hopefully Geoff can fuel it as well as it will ever be fuelled. I'm not looking for it to perform like an ICBM, but just to optimise the torque and power delivery.

Having discounted the Finebau (for reasons explained earlier in this thread) I had already looked at a re-map but my concern was that while it is still under warranty, at service time the remap would be wiped and a standard one substituted and if I requested that the mapping be left as it is that the warranty would be void.
I was going to look at a proper set-up on a rolling road when the warranty has expired and in the mean time, keep it standard as that seem the easiest and most reliable.

Big Al Litch said:

Having discounted the Finebau (for reasons explained earlier in this thread) I had already looked at a re-map but my concern was that while it is still under warranty, at service time the remap would be wiped and a standard one substituted and if I requested that the mapping be left as it is that the warranty would be void.
I was going to look at a proper set-up on a rolling road when the warranty has expired and in the mean time, keep it standard as that seem the easiest and most reliable.

Click to expand...

I believe that the re-map that Geoff at Hilltop does is all done on a rolling road, cannot be recognised, and neither can it be overwritten, so it should have no effect on any warranty work that may need doing.

There's a massive thread somewhere on the site about it.

Steve