New Tacho

[RichMaund]

Here's the bike's issues in two years of use.

 

Relays and oil cooler brackets were junk. Winchester sent new ones to me right away.

 

Bike had some common drivability issues when new. 90% cleared up when Winchester did a computer tunr up after I completed the break-in maintenance. PCIII took care of rest of problems. VERY well behaved now.

 

Electro-petcock leaked and insulation on it's wires disintegrated from gas on them. Replaced quickly by Winchester under warranty. They sent me the new twist to shut model. I prefer that to the electro one.

 

Paint flaked off valve covers and clear coat chipped off the wheels from the first week. MGNA denied the claim on the valve covers. I used that as an excuse to finally get a blaster cabinet. I blasted & polished them. I didn't bother claiming the wheel problem as the new ones would do the same damn thing. I had them blasted & powdercoated red when I did the tire change in March.

 

Oil leak from the forward tranny seal. MGNA took a month to get part to Winchester. Winchester then took another month to finish the repair. That had me pretty steamed, but it is their only "whoops" in a long series of "attaboys" in the past six years I have dealt with them.

 

Both side panels cracked on top. Replacement refused. I was told bodywork was only covered for 90 days.

 

Rear wheel bearings were rough at 8k miles. I just replaced them as I wasn't about to wait on MGNA.

 

Tach was always a bit inaccurate and would stick at 6.5k rpm. You know the story on that now.

 

It is a very good bike right now. It runs like a dream and the trip to the mountains didn't faze it a bit considering I live at sea level and that's what it's tuned for. Much of my heartburn with MGNA dates to the warranty problems on my last new Guzzi and the criminally negligent way they handled them. Some of them were serious safety issues and they blew it off. That Dealer no longer handles Guzzi's anymore. That is a real loss to Guzzi enthusiasts as they were a great shop. (After he closed I went to Winchester.) He was really pissed at MGNA for they did in my cases. Add the steady trickle of bullshit to the drama of getting my last new bike sorted out and I find I can easily live without MGNA in my life.

 

Mix in some very painful arthritis and I am left wondering if I should just sell it. I am not comfortable riding anything for more than an hour at a time now. My riding days are numbered. This tach problem was just another straw in a great big weighty pile over the last five years.

[al_roethlisberger]

...hrmm, well I understand... as you can imagine what with all my various issues. Lot of little "nits" do pile up, and over time sometimes it just takes that last little thing to tip the cart over.

 

I can't believe the story on the "body panels" though. But "par for the course" with MGNA it seems. I'm still hoping, although not holding my breath, that things will get better over time with Aprilia's stewardship. I guess we'll just have to see what happens over time.

 

 

I am very sorry to hear about the arthritis as well. I'd hate to think of a time where you can't ride and participate in a hobby that you obviously enjoy so much

 

al

[Guest Jaap]

Hey Rich,

 

Sorry to hear that your health is probably going to keep you away from your favourite passtime. If you decide to give it all up, please keep visiting this forum. We need your valuable input (and you need the business ). We also can offer you moral support like I received the past few months.

 

Good luck!

Jaap

[Guest atl.guzzirider]

Rich,

I can understand your fustration completely, after having my lemans approx. 18 mos. and 6.5k miles and currently in the shop for new rubber and a new computer I never thought I would say this, but if anything else pops up in the next year or so I am considering trading for a superhawk(vtr1000) or poss. a ducat 1000ds. If it comes to this and nobody wants the bike on trade I have entertained the idea of draining all the fluids and parking it in the livingroom since it seems to draw so much attention as "eye candy".

 

Walt Bowen

02 champaign lemans