MotoPumps said:
Ok Bruce- Lets hear it. Two machines I have lusted after are the Multi and the Stelvio...
Well, since you asked...
I was en route to Alaska in July with three friends when my Stelvio, which had about 24,000 miles on the clock, broke down twice, first in Iowa, then in Minnesota. Electrical issues both times. I lost confidence in the machine. My buddies carried on, and I returned home where I traded my Stelvio in on the S10. In fairness to the bike, I had it for three and a half years and it had never given me grief before that. I had previously taken it on some long trips with no issues. However, the Guzzi dealer network is far from robust. I was concerned that it would fail again, perhaps somewhere in the middle of the Yukon Territory or Alaska, and I would be out of luck for servicing. Ducati's dealer net is better, but they are still a relatively rare bike in North America.
Naturally, after I had the Stelvio repaired and traded in, the new owner purchased it from my dealer and rode it 1300 miles to his home in Texas without any difficulties. ::025::
In summary, from all I have heard and read, I don't think you can beat the Super Ten for reliability. The Italian bikes are pretty good these days, but if you do run into problems with one, you will be fortunate if you are within a hundred miles or so of the nearest dealer. I did luck out, as my problems occurred less than 100 miles from Crystal Lake, Minnesota, where an excellent Moto Guzzi dealership is located.
Cheers,
Bruce
