Should I have buyer's remorse?

[South Westerly]

Good day to all - i am UK based in Glos. I have just traded my Multistrada 950 for a brand new V100 Mandello S. I collect it on Thursday (14th). Having enjoyed my test ride ( at least until the heavens opened) I was very taken with the bike. Of course now I keep reading posts from.people bitching about issues. Have made a mistake? I really hope not!

 

[scottmastrocinque]

No. There are many owners out there with many miles without incidents.

I just bought my used (835 miles) 2023 V100 S and if you keep reading stuff, you will be second guessing yourself which I feel is counterproductive to your mental health.

Many people actively search for problems that really aren’t in my opinion.

I don’t care what you buy, there are always comments by people that will cause you to take pause for no reason. Ignore them.

I just got this yesterday in my thread. Seen many just like it!

“I had V100 S this season, did 10500 km on it and no technical problem at all.”

V100 Mandello S - Home Sweet Home

Went and picked her up yesterday, way at the top of the state in Petoskey, Michigan. Now I need too unload her in the absolute crap weather today here in Ohio. Ugh! I have to introduce her to the rest of the "Usual Suspects" in the workshop. Really excited about this one! :p

www.guzzitech.com

 

[South Westerly]

No. There are many owners out there with many miles without incidents.

I just bought my used (835 miles) 2023 V100 S and if you keep reading stuff, you will be second guessing yourself which I feel is counterproductive to your mental health.

Many people actively search for problems that really aren’t in my opinion.

I don’t care what you buy, there are always comments by people that will cause you to take pause for no reason. Ignore them.

I just got this yesterday in my thread. Seen many just like it!

“I had V100 S this season, did 10500 km on it and no technical problem at all.”

V100 Mandello S - Home Sweet Home

Went and picked her up yesterday, way at the top of the state in Petoskey, Michigan. Now I need too unload her in the absolute crap weather today here in Ohio. Ugh! I have to introduce her to the rest of the "Usual Suspects" in the workshop. Really excited about this one! :p

www.guzzitech.com

I kind of guessed as much. Had the same thing with the Multistrada which I bought new. Lots of naysayers babbling on about Italian bikes etc. I did over 26000 miles in 5 years with zero issues. Hoping for the same here.

 

[scottmastrocinque]

BTW: I have been a Ducati guy all my life. I currently own a Hyperstrada and a Multistrada. I hear you!

Ducati forums are full of the same crap comments.

I ignore them too as I love my Ducatis.

Get your new bike, love her, and enjoy it.

 

[scottmastrocinque]

Moto Guzzi’s are the last of the “hand built” motorcycles. Honestly they are.

Some annoying little birthing issues do occur with some Guzzi motorcycles, but almost all are quickly sorted out and people go onto miles and miles without incidents.

Let’s keep the faith shall we?

 

[Nick Cali]

Of course now I keep reading posts from.people bitching about issues. Have made a mistake? I really hope not!

Hand build, complex technology, nuts-bolts-connectors-chips... so many options where it can go wrong.
So untill something breaks down, stops being perfect, lets you down for a moment, ... enjoy the bike.
Thrust it, ride it, and learn to understand it, master its characteristics.
Life is to short to be bothered by "posts from others".
Drive safe!

 

[scottmastrocinque]

I get so sick of the never ending complainers and those who cannot resist slamming Moto Guzzi.

I worked my whole life on motorcycles.

A week ago, I worked on a 1998 V-11 EV with over 108,000 original miles. I replaced the original fuel injectors because they were finally worn out.

Then, the owner and his lovely wife, very dear friends of mine, took off the next day and went gallivanting all over the countryside. I had 100% confidence in the quality of construction of that EV and believe me when I tell you, I was looking at everything on that motorcycle because it was going to carry my septuagenarian friends, whom I adore, out onto the highway once again. At 108k miles of use!

For what it’s worth, I’ve worked on all sorts of Moto Guzzi motorcycles with 100k+ miles on them.

I’ve never worked on anything Japanese, British, or Austrian, with that kind of mileage. Never.

The only other motorcycle marque I have wrenched on with that kind of mileage, is BMW motorcycles.

The BMW factory in Spandau, is the most technologically advanced factory of its kind in the world. It produces the awesome S1000RR and K1600GT there. Both of these models are cutting edge, top of the line, best in the world for their segment, motorcycles.

The Moto Guzzi factory in Mandello del Lario, is 100 years old. She’s weathered, and the buildings are old. Every single motorcycle ever built there, was hand built in the same production room that they use still today. Piaggio is investing heavily in updating the factory but it will never be a technological assembly line type operation. That is not who Moto Guzzi is nor attempts to be.

Both of these venerable marques, have had motorcycles that required some sorting out of annoying wiggles here and there, but once those little things are rectified, their motorcycles just go and go and go. Nothing compared to them as far as has been my lifetime experience.

I love Moto Guzzi. I am an Aficionado. I love every nuance of a Moto Guzzi that makes it a Moto Guzzi. All of it.

I don’t care if you are a lover of this marque or not but I do care when you come onto a forum for other lovers of the worlds oldest continuously producing motorcycle factory in Europe, and the 2nd oldest maker in the world, still in existence today, and just bitch bitch bitch.

Moto Guzzi is the real deal!

Not the bullshit lies that Indian, Triumph and Royal Enfield try and slop down the public’s throat.

For over 100 continuous years, they are the very last of the hand-built motorcycles, made in a tiny factory way up in Northern Italy in a small village, by people whom many, are the 2nd, 3rd and even 4th generation of employees doing this work.

Bottom line, don’t buy into the grumblers. They will blow their smoke up your bum and ruin your autopsy someday.

For me, the joy of riding any of my Moto Guzzi motorcycles, just cannot be matched by any other motorcycle in the world.

I am truly, an aficionado, through and through.

Enjoy!

 

[Bill Hagan]

What Scott said ... except I deny the "septuagenarian" part. How could that be? I was 30 just yesterday. And, my child bride even younger.

Pix and proof of Scott's recent magic with my Guzzi are here: Scott Heals a '98 EV

Thanks again, Scott.

Sleep easy, South; many miles of smiles on that Mandello ahead.

Bill

 

[South Westerly]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your positive feedback. Just for ref I have coughed up 3 months pay to buy this bike and I have every hope of getting many years of enjoyment from it. Sadly on most bike forums the many happy users rarely post while the disgruntled ones regularly do which rather skews the feeds.

 

[moparnut72]

I got my V100 a couple of months ago. I owned two Guzzis previously, a V7lll which I still have. I also had an Audace which got to be too much for my aged body. I wanted a medium weight bike to replace it. MG didn't anything that would fit the bill so I got a T120 Bonneville. It was a good bike but didn't quite work well for some of the longer week long touring I like to do. In the meantime Guzzi came out with the V100 which might fit the bill. But I thought the riding position might be too extreme for me. It kind of was but a set of risers fixed that. But a problem became an issue almost immediately. The bike couldn't be shifted into neutral at a stop from either 1st or 2nd no matter how hard I pushed or pulled on the shifter. Even at slower speeds it refused to shift into neutral and shifting in any of the lower gears was anything but smooth. The dealer said it will wear in, "they all do that." With some miles it has gotten better and continues to improve with more miles and is almost to typical Guzzi smoothness. Guzzis get better and better as the miles add up. After all these bikes are hand built and I would assume a lot of the parts are handmade and hand machined so I would bet there are minor inconsistencies in those parts as well.

I test rode an Ambassador in 1970 but bought a BMW instead. It was more sporty fitting my desires better for my age then. I have had a soft spot in my heart for the brand ever since. I finally got one, my Audace, in 2019 and as they say it was all over except for my brief dalliance with the Triumph. Don't let the naysayers get you down, most don't have any experience with a Guzzi and don't know much about them.
kk

 

[scottmastrocinque]

All of you guys shifting issues will vanish if you simply develop a feel for a Guzzi clutch.

It takes concentration and practice to learn to work with the motorcycle and not against it or to try and force it like a Japanese transmission. Less is More!

Moto Guzzi motorcycles do not shift at a standstill. You need motion on the input shaft to the transmission, so you should be downshifting as you are rolling to the stop, completing the shift well before the bike stops.

It’s a seat of the butt feeling and when you learn to recognize it, you will shift them like butter everytime.

 

[South Westerly]

All of you guys shifting issues will vanish if you simply develop a feel for a Guzzi clutch.

It takes concentration and practice to learn to work with the motorcycle and not against it or to try and force it like a Japanese transmission. Less is More!

Moto Guzzi motorcycles do not shift at a standstill. You need motion on the input shaft to the transmission, so you should be downshifting as you are rolling to the stop, completing the shift well before the bike stops.

It’s a seat of the butt feeling and when you learn to recognize it, you will shift them like butter everytime.

The V100 I took for a 60 mile test ride mostly in rural Gloucestershire had 1050 miles on the clock. The gear change was fine and actually smoother than my Ducati with 26000 miles on it. So I'm not expecting any issues there.

 

[moparnut72]

I have been able to shift all my Guzzis smoothly and silently. A technique I developed riding my /2 and /5 heavy flywheeled Airheads. Worked on the Harleys I owned also. The Guzzi gearboxes are much better than those. Once you get the "feel" they are seamless. Different than any other bikes I have ridden, actually much better. I will admit the newest Japanese bike I have ridden was from the 80's. So I can't compare to any of those. I don't have any desire to ride or own one either.
kk

 

[GTM®]

Good day to all - i am UK based in Glos. I have just traded my Multistrada 950 for a brand new V100 Mandello S.

Congrats and welcome to the GT Forum & Guzzi Famiglia if it's your first. Careful, they are very addictive.
Hope you'll add your info to our Registry linked below when it arrives, along with a photo or two of you and the bike.
Enjoy/Cheers!

Guzzi V100 Mandello Registry

For owners of the V100 Mandello Registry and Photo thread.

www.guzzitech.com

 

[Kevin.NZ]

The V100 has a feature on the gearbox that if you are in neutral at a standstill with the engine running it will only go into1st, it will not go into any other gear. Also if you come to a stop in 1st, the gearbox will only go to neutral, it wont flick through to 2nd. I like this feature as there is no shuffling of the foot to locate neutral. I'm getting use to the "clunk" going into 1st. My Breva 1100 gearbox is silky smooth. Is that what you get with a wet v dry clutch?

 

[scottmastrocinque]

Not normally. No.

I think the 1st gear on my V100 is a tad “violent” when she first engages from neuteal.

It’s all new multi-plate wet clutch is very harsh indeed when compared to my other dry clutch Moto Guzzi models.

 

[Speciality]

I usually pop my bikes into neutral as I come to a stop unless it’s obvious that the stop will be very brief in which case there’s no point in putting it in neutral. Occasionally I am thwarted but usually it works fine. Never fails to select neutral while rolling.
Re the wet v dry clutch argument I often ride out with a group of friends, most of whom have chain drive bikes with wet multiplate clutches. It amuses me how, when forced to stop for lights, on moving off there is a chorus of loud clunks as they put their boxes into first gear.

To me the main advantage of multiplate wet clutches are that they can take a lot more abuse than dry clutches and they are usually much easier to replace. I always take care not to abuse bikes I’ve had with dry clutches for that reason, having done the job on a BMW oilhead. At least I saved a lot by doing it myself.

 

[South Westerly]

I usually pop my bikes into neutral as I come to a stop unless it’s obvious that the stop will be very brief in which case there’s no point in putting it in neutral. Occasionally I am thwarted but usually it works fine. Never fails to select neutral while rolling.
Re the wet v dry clutch argument I often ride out with a group of friends, most of whom have chain drive bikes with wet multiplate clutches. It amuses me how, when forced to stop for lights, on moving off there is a chorus of loud clunks as they put their boxes into first gear.

To me the main advantage of multiplate wet clutches are that they can take a lot more abuse than dry clutches and they are usually much easier to replace. I always take care not to abuse bikes I’ve had with dry clutches for that reason, having done the job on a BMW oilhead. At least I saved a lot by doing it myself.

Compared to my Multistrada's wet clutch which clunked into 1st and when new had several false neutrals (improved with time) the V100's is way better.

 

[moparnut72]

My V7lll doesn't always want to go into 1st from neutral at a stop. It usually takes a slight engagement of the clutch and then it goes right in silently. Conversely it doesn't like to go into neutral while moving but slips right in while moving. My V100 is exactly the opposite. When new it didn't want and I couldn't get it into neutral at a stop even with a hard pull or push. It is getting much better with some mileage, not enough yet however. Like most of us it is getting better with age, me excepted. If you want to hear a real clunk stand next to some Harleys. They take the prize in this department, going into first from neutral hot or cold.
kk

 

[Speciality]

Ah yes. My 1989 Evo Sportster had easily the worst gearbox of any of the 30 odd bikes I’ve owned. Because it didn’t have a kickstart it wasn’t possible to free the clutch before the first start of the day in the time-honoured way as with Triumphs and other British bikes, at least not without putting it into gear and rocking the bike back and forth.
Consequently it made an appalling scrunch putting it in first the first time each day. I sold it after a year as there was a spate of engine write-offs (unit construction) caused by selecting second and third gear simultaneously and wrecking the crankcase. I believe that the later 5-speed belt drive ones are a lot better but I don’t want another anyway…It is the only bike I’ve ever owned in which the primary drive is lubricated by the same oil as the gearbox.