Ballabio

[Guest wiliturk]

Hello all,

I am considering purchasing a '04 Ballabio with about 5000 miles. The bike is very clean and appears in excellent condition. Are there any recurrent issues with this model and what should I expect to pay? I know you get this question regularly but who else do you ask? I know very very few people who have any idea what a Moto Guzzi is so your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks'

W.T.

[Wick]

If you rode it and you like it and the price, then buy and ride.

 

Carry on.....

 

Wick

[Jock Guzzi]

Given its an 04 there should be no major issues. I have a new one and there have been no issues other than the very common speedo cable break (after 2500 miles in my case). Other than that, build quality is good and reliabaility is fine.

 

I did replace the relays with GEI ones bought from Dan ( somewhere in the USA you'll find plenty of info about these on here) but thats it.

 

Buy, ride and smile. Its as simple as that.

[sctt2525]

I love mine- had it just over a year now. I've put about 6600 miles on it since I brought it home new. No major issues to report. I do all my own work on it and have thus far been really pleased with reliability.

 

Enjoy,

Sctt

[felix42o]

If it talks to you, go for it. If the price feels right, it is, and if neither seems to fit, keep looking. Hate to be vague, but it really is a matter of feel on these things. As far as issues go, with an '04 you should be fine.

[VA Sean]

WT-

If the bike speaks to you - buy it.

 

PS: whether you buy it or not, Virginia has a pretty healthy group of Guzzisti and we get together semi regularly for all kinds of things.

 

Check these:

 

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=6102.0

 

http://www.vaguzzi.com/

 

[Bill Hagan]

What the others here said.

 

20K smiles on mine.

 

Well, OK, mebbe 19,999.

 

The pawl spring thing and speedo cable (both mentioned above), took the grins off at the time, but it's the best material purchase I've ever made ... with the possible exception of the EV ... cuz I rode it in to work today.

 

Getting ready to take the Ballabio--or, more accurately, it, me--for a stretched Labor Day weekend Atlanta to Erie, Penna., and back. No slab, all "Guzzi Gulch" kind of roads up and over and through and around the Appalachia spine. Can't wait.

 

Feel free to call if you have questions.

 

Bill

404.808.8486 (M)

[Guest Mattress]

Hi I have the 04 Cafe Sport (Ballabio but with Oehlins suspension). I bought new in June and put 3000 miles on in one month before I made a dumb mistake and had a crash resulting in mostly cosmetic damage but did break the shift lever. Still hunting down a shift lever and haven't been able to ride for awhile.

 

bikes are individual fits but I love mine:

 

+++ Gorgeous looks, Enough power for me, good brakes, shaft drive (I detect no shaft effect), Unique

 

- - - Seat is painful after a few hours (Gel Pad helped), mirrors marginal (plan to replace with napoleon bar end types), headlight a little weak although mine might not be aimed correctly, yes some buffeting at highway speeds, but I find this to be mostly a freeway problem where the air is "dirty/turbulent" from traffic. Back roads were not much of a problem. Since my bikini fairing is cracked I may install a BMW 90 fairing.

 

Finally Uniqueness. I didn't expect it would be so difficult to find a shift lever, so don't crash....or buy two.

[Guest parvo]

I agree with the seat, after a 100 miles or so it is brutal. My generator (alternator?) went out on mine after 600 miles which was a huge pain. It took the dealer 3 tries to figure it out. Other than that, it's been great. I think it is one of the best styled bikes out there. The handlebars are in a really comfortable position. The brakes are great.

 

I have Tekno bags for mine, which makes it easier to run errands.

 

I like the Griso, but when you can buy an 04 sport for almost half the price, it's a no brainer to me.