Stelvio NTX

[ToadRide]

I'm interested in how the bags hold up.  They seemed very flimsy at the IMS.  Shame to put those on such a sweet bike.

The only SW Motech product I have is the crashbars. And they are the Kickassiest! I don't think that company would build a flimsy bag.

[Sport-Touring]

[spd2918]

I had Motech bag anchors on a VStrom and loved them- very well made.  But the bag I saw at the IMS appeared to be poorly made and much more flimsy than a Happy Trails, Jesse, or Beemer Adv case.  To each their own.

[WitchCityBallabio]

I'm interested in how the bags hold up.  They seemed very flimsy at the IMS.  Shame to put those on such a sweet bike.

I got rear ended last year and the impact knocked the right side box off. It had a bit of a dent on the bottom edge. I picked it up, opened it up, pushed the dent out with my hand (to the point where you'd really have to look to find any damage) and continued on my way. The factory crash bars did a great job protecting the bike. I only had a little scratch about the size of a thumbnail on the fairing near the directional.

Overall, I'd say the package is pretty solid. The big money bags (Jesse, Micatech etc) are .5 mm thicker. I'm not sure how much stronger it makes them, but the Motech bags are so light, that I don't think I'll bother.

[blakebird]

I'm interested in how the bags hold up.  They seemed very flimsy at the IMS.  Shame to put those on such a sweet bike.

They're SW Motech Trax boxes with a MG logo on them, been on the market for years and well regarded as good upper mid-range panniers.

yep...."flimsy" sure isn't a word I'd use describing them, certainly not a shame they're the choice for this bike.

[spd2918]

OK, I'm sensing the bags on the show bike might not have been production quality (I might have looking at an example bag hung on the stand next to the NTX).  Even the Guzzi rep noticed the bottom sheet had a ripple in it.  I will withdraw my observation until I see a production model.

[blakebird]

Did you happen to note if the heated grips design had changed - can you modulate temp while on the go?

I asked my dealer...he rode them in FL at the dealer's meeting, but he didn't check the grip heaters. He sold an '09 Stelvio to buy a '12 NTX and hopes they've changed that.

Pete - can you shed any light on this?

[ToadRide]

The guy at Moto in Seattle told me they don't come with heated grips and he adds them afterwards

[blakebird]

The guy at Moto in Seattle told me they don't come with heated grips and he adds them afterwards

Whether the dealer installs them or not isn't my question.
I'm curious to know if they've changed the way they operate - ie, do you still have to be in neutral, and stopped, before you can make changes to their settings.

That has to be one of the stranger "user safety" things I've seen on a bike....ever.

[ToadRide]

Really? The grips? That sounds like ABS. Why would you have to stop to change a switch from low to high or whatever?

[Pete Roper]

No idea, but it wa the way it was with early Stelvios. I *think* it has now been changed.

Pete

[blakebird]

Really? The grips? That sounds like ABS. Why would you have to stop to change a switch from low to high or whatever?

I'm putting that one down to "Italian quirkiness"  


Thanks, Pete - I guess I'll know soon enough.
Since the U.S. market '12 NTX has been around in other markets for a while, I was hoping that tidbit would have hit the knowledge base.

[ToadRide]

All us overexcited children here are still waiting for that first one to show.

[blakebird]

A fellow from the UK posted on Advrider that the 32 liter tank bikes have their grip controller in the spot where the older Stelvio glove box opener switch was located (since the 32 liter tank has no glove box)....and that the grip controller can be operated on the fly.

[ToadRide]

Bit the bullet and put a deposit on the one slated to show here any day now. Looks like I may have the only one on the Island.

[ksann]

Bit the bullet and put a deposit on the one slated to show here any day now. Looks like I may have the only one on the Island.

Congrats. We expect lots of pics.



ken

[blakebird]

Bit the bullet and put a deposit on the one slated to show here any day now. Looks like I may have the only one on the Island.

when mine shows up I'm taking a 2-3 week vacation and repeating an old favorite ride I did a lot when I lived in northern California.
I'll be heading to the southern coast, riding up and around the Olympic Peninsula, Port Angeles ferry to the island and bop around for a day or two.  Haven't seen Butchart Gardens in 15 yrs....
Then east to Banff/Icefields Parkway/Jasper and back via Waterton Lakes/Glacier, Beartooth and Chief Joseph.

So soon there will be two '12 NTX's on the island, if only briefly.  

[Strog]

Love that color, looks great.  

[WitchCityBallabio]

when mine shows up I'm taking a 2-3 week vacation and repeating an old favorite ride I did a lot when I lived in northern California.
I'll be heading to the southern coast, riding up and around the Olympic Peninsula, Port Angeles ferry to the island and bop around for a day or two.  Haven't seen Butchart Gardens in 15 yrs....
Then east to Banff/Icefields Parkway/Jasper and back via Waterton Lakes/Glacier, Beartooth and Chief Joseph.

So soon there will be two '12 NTX's on the island, if only briefly.  

Pretty much the same trip we're (me on the Stelvio, wife on the Griso SE) taking in July. Shipping the bikes to Seattle from the Boston area, heading up to Hyder, AK, and then through the Icefields, Glacier Nat'l, Teton, Yellowstone, Bryce, Zion and then start heading home via the Badlands and Black Hills up over the U.P., down into Upstate NY and home.

Maybe we'll see you out on the road. Best of luck. You're gonna love the bike.

[ToadRide]

Any sightings yet? I hear they are on the continent.

[blakebird]

Any sightings yet? I hear they are on the continent.

I've been in email contact with my dealer, no word yet.

My 'May bike' is going to be a 'June bike' ....and I read elsewhere that a person waiting for an orange June bike was told by his dealer that his bike was at the port in Houston going thru customs. No idea how legit that is.