1200 Sport - first 5,000 miles

[blakebird]

I've had my 1200 Sport two months now, and like Bisbonian says...it's a keeper.
I love the character of the bike, and how it works as a sporty touring bike. Big range, comfort...fun to just stare at...

Two weeks ago, just days before a trip to the Canadian Rockies was to begin - I smelled burning oil riding back from the office.
I pulled over and saw oil dripping off the spark plug cap and fins onto the right side header. I beat feet down to the local shop in downtown Denver, and they had me done by noon the next day. As suspected, it was a bad valve cover gasket.
It was leaking pretty good - at each stoplight there would be a dozen or more drips.  

I left on my Canadian Rockies trip a couple days later, glad that the valve cover gasket decided to dribble before I was in BFE Montana or B.C.
I met a longtime riding buddy in Idaho Falls, ID....taking a couple of scenic riding days thru the Rockies and past Flaming Gorge to get there. We left the following morning, planning on heading up hwy 93 for old time's sake up along the Salmon River into Montana, then north.
A few miles before Salmon, ID we'd pulled over for pictures, and when I took off the left side valve train made a racket at 3,500 rpms. It was quiet and sounded fine at idle and 2,500 rpms...but with wind noise and earplugs it was apparent it could have been making some noise for a while and I didn''t hear it until I was taking off.

I ended up getting a Budget box van and hauling the bike back to Denver, dropping it off at a Guzzi shop I'd heard good stuff about in Ft. Collins. That's where it sits now, awaiting a pushrod and some adjusting hardware. I'm not exactly sure which part failed, but it sounds like the screw (screw and locknut) broke and beat hell out of that pushrod.
No way to know if it was a bad piece from the factory that failed, or if something was tightened improperly at the first service when a valve lash inspection/adjustment was performed.

It ended a vacation before we got to the good stuff - but I'd been many times before and it wasn't like I missed a chance to see some new great stuff. Still sucked though.

Also - the left fork seal was a weeper almost from day one, and though it stopped for a while, it was gone and really leaking during this trip. Both fork seals are getting replaced.

I can't wait to get the bike back, it's that fun to ride.

[bisbonian]

It sucks when you have issues on a ride.

Check out the silicone gaskets I linked to in another thread, they're really reusable rather than sort of reusable like the stock gaskets.

If I had to guess I'd say that the locknut on the valve adjuster perhaps wasn't on correctly but that's just a guess and who can really know?

I've read that dealer setup is the most important part of Guzzi ownership, however once the teething problems get worked out these things are rock solid from then on.

Good luck with it, I love this thing  

[blakebird]

If I had to guess I'd say that the locknut on the valve adjuster perhaps wasn't on correctly but that's just a guess and who can really know?

I've read that dealer setup is the most important part of Guzzi ownership, however once the teething problems get worked out these things are rock solid from then on.

I talked to the shop today - it was definitely the screw that broke and wreaked a bit of havoc. I would really like to see that part, it's not a part I can picture breaking.

I have faith in the dealer setup, reputable Guzzi shop where I took delivery. I don't want to talk outta school and suggest it was an improperly fastened part during the first service (also a very reputable service dept), and there's absolutely no way to prove it...so I will assume faulty part and continue to enjoy this excellent bike. Shit happens, sometimes after 50k miles, sometimes after 8 weeks.

That first post focused too much on the negative - the first 5,000 miles have been among the most enjoyable I've had.
The build quality is superb, and the riding experience is top shelf. I've had just about every engine configuration there is to have....singles, boxer twins (airhead & oilhead), boxer six, v-twin in everything from Rotax, H-D, Ducati, Guzzi...  parallel twins, inline triples, inline fours, v-fours.... and have long known that my favorite is v-twin.

The combo of old school air cooled 2V pushrod motor with modern EFI and componentry is a great way to go.

[MisterSmooth]

...The combo of old school air cooled 2V pushrod motor with modern EFI and componentry is a great way to go.

Yeah, exactly.  The bike reminds me of my R1100S in many ways, but it's better in every way except for pure sportbike handling.  The Sport has better power delivery, nicer suspension, better drivetrain.  I think the Sport is more comfortable, although the riding position doesn't have that perfect bars/pegs/seat triangle.

I would not have had the nerve to try back-to-back 850 mile days on my R1100S.  But I just did it on the Guzzi and finished fresh; I could have gone farther if need be.  

Same idea though:  Old school motor, modern high-spec components.  Win!



BTW, I have almost 6,000 miles on mine since mid-April with only one issue that was fixed promptly under warranty.  I agree that once your bike is sorted I wouldn't expect further problems.  

[Biking Sailor]

I really appreciate all of you relating your experiences, and improvement ideas with how to's, on this board.  I'll put my $.02 in...

Have had the bike about a month now and only issues right off the bat was an oil leak from the gear box.  I found the level was a little high and bled off about half a cup.  Now no leak.  Think it might have been pushed out a breather?  Next, got the run-in adjustments done two weeks ago at a service place in Tulsa, "The Kinetic Playground", (about 100 miles from home).  The guy who runs it rides a Griso and seems to really know and love the brand.  Right after the service, my idle speed started to climb when I would stop, about 200 RPM over where it should be.  I could blip the throttle and it would settle back to ~1100.  Since it has gotten worse, ~1800 to 2000, when warmed up and won't drop back down.  Taking it back to the shop next week to get it fixed.

So far the bike has exceeded my expectations as far as ride and performance, not as light and quick as my other sport bikes, but definetly a fun ride with character!  It's surely a keeper.

[chornbe]

I put new tires on mine.

[blakebird]

Yeah, exactly.  The bike reminds me of my R1100S in many ways, but it's better in every way except for pure sportbike handling.  

I would not have had the nerve to try back-to-back 850 mile days on my R1100S.

Your username rings a bell from PelicanParts....I had a 2004 R1100S Boxer Cup Prep that I put 27,000 miles on in a year.
Absolutely one of my favorite bikes. In MANY ways the 1200 Sport is reminiscent of that bike. Beautiful to look at, tremendous fun to ride...  I did a number of 1k days on that bike, and the Prep wasn't the comfortable one.
It had no ABS, no heated grips...

[MisterSmooth]

Your username rings a bell from PelicanParts....I had a 2004 R1100S Boxer Cup Prep that I put 27,000 miles on in a year.
Absolutely one of my favorite bikes. In MANY ways the 1200 Sport is reminiscent of that bike. Beautiful to look at, tremendous fun to ride...  I did a number of 1k days on that bike, and the Prep wasn't the comfortable one.
It had no ABS, no heated grips...

Yeah, you Prep guys were the hard men.    Not for me, baby.  I had a 2001 with heated grips, ABS, hard luggage, and the clip-ons mounted above the triple clamp (does a paralever really have a triple clamp?).

The BMW was a quirky but wonderful bike, the kind of bike that keeps you a bit nostalgic for it, but overall the Sport is better.

And as it should be, since the BMW was released in Germany in 1997/98 and the Sport was released in Italy in 2007.  Ten years of motorcycle industry development should show, right?  

[Roadscum]

I to had the adjuster bolt break at the bottom of the lock nut on the rt jug exhaust valve.... had about 12K miles on her.  

[blakebird]

I to had the adjuster bolt break at the bottom of the lock nut on the rt jug exhaust valve.... had about 12K miles on her.  

holy cats.....I would have bet money that was an isolated incident.

I saw the parts today. The screw broke a few mm's on the locknut side of the threaded hole in the rocker arm. The pushrod was then free to bounce around, and there's a good gouge halfway up the pushrod.
The rocker arms are cool, look to be copper coated - very trick looking. Mine didn't look damaged, but it was in the box of parts to be replaced. Guzzi is also going to pay for the oil/filter, since they had to drop the pan to look for debris. (all clean)

The good news is that dealer expects parts (Norge bag included) to arrive on Tuesday, so I could possibly have it back by Thursday (Friday likely the first day I COULD go get it after work)

[jdgretz]

Right after the service, my idle speed started to climb when I would stop, about 200 RPM over where it should be.  I could blip the throttle and it would settle back to ~1100.  Since it has gotten worse, ~1800 to 2000, when warmed up and won't drop back down.  Taking it back to the shop next week to get it fixed.

So far the bike has exceeded my expectations as far as ride and performance, not as light and quick as my other sport bikes, but definetly a fun ride with character!  It's surely a keeper.

My Norge idled at around 1800 RPM when I first got her.  The only thing we could think of was a stepper motor issue.  However, before we could convince Guzzi there was an problem, it self corrected and has not been a problem since.

At the 12,500 service, when we balanced the throttle bodies, the idle RPM when up a bit and did about a 100-200 RPM hunt.  I rode it for a day or two that way and then had Todd un-balance the TBs back to where they were before and the idle went back to ~1000.  When we do the 18,750 I'll try balancing the TBs again just to see what happens.

jdg

[Biking Sailor]

The idle issues seem to be sorted.  Donnie, at The Kinetic Playground in Tulsa, told me he had to turn some screws on the throttle bodies that are not normally recommended to adjust.  Didn't take him very long and he even filled my tank since I had to ride it back up there (about 100 miles one way).  I guess he didn't realize it was a great excuse for me to get to make a run on Route 66, win-win for me!

[chornbe]

My Norge idled at around 1800 RPM when I first got her.  The only thing we could think of was a stepper motor issue.  However, before we could convince Guzzi there was an problem, it self corrected and has not been a problem since.

At the 12,500 service, when we balanced the throttle bodies, the idle RPM when up a bit and did about a 100-200 RPM hunt.  I rode it for a day or two that way and then had Todd un-balance the TBs back to where they were before and the idle went back to ~1000.  When we do the 18,750 I'll try balancing the TBs again just to see what happens.

jdg

I know Todd knows his stuff, and I'm not suggesting anything is amiss with his procedure, but from past experiences on other vehicles, that sounds like the air bleed screws weren't seated before doing the mechanical sync.

$.02

[blakebird]

Picked the bike up this morning, took the long way home in the cool mountains.
Great to have it back.  


The damaged pushrod and broken adjuster screw:






The hilarity of the owner's manual continues on into the instructions that came with the saddlebag.  

[bisbonian]

The hilarity of the owner's manual continues on into the instructions that came with the saddlebag.  

You got instructions?  I'm jealous of that regardless of what language they're written in.