Norge in my future

[Cowgirl]

I've been researching a new bike to replace my Honda PC800 and I think the Norge is it. I plan on doing some ambitious touring starting with the Going to the Sun road in Glacier Natn'l Park - I live on Vancouver Island in BC. I'm not too tall - 5'5"- and I've been riding for, oh, 30 yrs or so. My local dealer has a new 2009 and a dealer not too far away has a 2007 with 28000 km. Both of them are silver. I'm leaning toward the 2007 since it already has the low seat option and a top box. Any feedback? Thanks.

[misterg]

Cowgirl,

Just picked up my new (leftover) '08 Norge last week. Promptly took it out for a 1000 mile mini-tour of New Hampshire, northern Vermont and the eastern Townships of southern Quebec (yes, I did the break in oil and filter change mid-trip).

Excellent bike. Nice torquey motor, flawless fuel injection, smooth shifting trans (this is a Guzzi?), and super nice handling-- a very light feel that belies the size of the machine. In general, a very well thought out package with the one glaring exception of the center stand clearance issue. Watch yourself if you like to lean! Adding 20 clicks to the rear spring preload seemed to cure it, but once you've grounded the stand a couple times, it takes a while to rebuild your confidence! I may just yank the thing and keep it in my garage for maintenance purposes.

Hope you enjoy yours as much as I'm liking mine!

[GT-Rx]

I'm leaning toward the 2007 since it already has the low seat option and a top box. Any feedback? Thanks.

Find out when the production month/date of the '07 was, and post it before you buy. There is a run of failed oil pumps within a range that I would steer away from. Otherwise, they are very solid bikes outside of the few other "glitches" you'll find here.

[lti_57]

Great bikes like already has been said
lock tight the center stand cap screws they tend to come loose.
after close to 5k on mine the above mentioned is it
Also if passing thru Spokane give a shout.

[Cowgirl]

So now I've found a red one (the fast one ) which is the colour that I really truly desire. It too is a 2007 with very low miles. I've read about the suspension mods and I figure I can do that down the road if I feel the need after the first big trip but are there some engine mods I'll have to make too? I don't mind doing my own wrenching and I'm looking forward to hooking up to the computer and figuring that all out but I really don't want to have to change a bunch of stuff on a new bike to make it run properly. Please give me the straight poop - I'm already in love with this thing and I've only seen pictures of the red one - I've sat on a silver one so I don't want to wake up to warts that I could have known about before hand.
Thanks
Cindy

[pete roper]

Some early Norges, and it seems only Norges, had oil pumps of questionable quality. Also some early ones seem to have had problems with the retainer washer on the pinion nut of the final drive not being engaged leading to the CARC destroying itself. This is a reason to be super wary and check it as a replacement CARC is HIDEOUSLY expensive and if the bike is out of warranty you'll be unlikely to get much help. The fairings are fragile and crack prone and even anorexic midgets need a stronger spring on the rear shock.

Pete

[Cowgirl]

Thanks Pete. The bike I'm looking at is a demo with 1900 miles at a dealer so it will come with full factory warranty. I've asked about the production date as advised earlier - waiting to hear back on that. The dealer tells me the centre stand has already been modified and it has the longer dipstick - I'm assuming the stock suspension though. The dealer also has 2 new 2008s - 1 black, 1 silver and there's a new 2009 silver one here in Victoria - but the red is soooo beautiful It's a 2.5 hour ferry trip away so it'll be next week before I see it - and since it's the demo I should get to ride it too
Cindy

[Bill Hagan]

Thanks Pete. The bike I'm looking at is a demo with 1900 miles at a dealer so it will come with full factory warranty. I've asked about the production date as advised earlier - waiting to hear back on that. The dealer tells me the centre stand has already been modified and it has the longer dipstick - I'm assuming the stock suspension though. The dealer also has 2 new 2008s - 1 black, 1 silver and there's a new 2009 silver one here in Victoria - but the red is soooo beautiful It's a 2.5 hour ferry trip away so it'll be next week before I see it - and since it's the demo I should get to ride it too
Cindy

I am an owner of a 2007 red Norge that, unhappily, experienced both of the events Pete described.

Happily, however, both were under warranty, tho out-of-pocket costs were still extensive as, e.g., I shipped the Norge to MPH in Houston because no competent Guzzi dealer was in Atlanta at the time.

That said, the Norge provides great joy and, as I am slow of thought and easily moved by the charm of virtually everything Italian, if it were to be trashed today (and I were not!), I'd replace it with another rather than any of its seeming competitors.

Still, as Pete points out, a wise buyer is wary. Sounds as if you are engaged in due diligence (well, except the insisting-on-red part, but anyone with any sense of passion understands that ) and will choose based on heart with enough head tossed in to make a smart decision.

If I went with the red 2007, I'd try to sort out where its VIN sat in relation to the early ones. Think the "registry" on this site has that info. I would also try to work some sort of warranty extension or other contract addendum with the dealer or -- better -- Piaggio about both of those issues, i.e., oil-pump failure and CARC implosion.

Best wishes in your decision. Whatver you decide upon, you have many miles of smiles ahead.

Bill

[Scott of the Sahara]

If you are talking of the one at Moto International, I rode that one. I purchased a black one that had 5 miles on it. I decided that I wanted a year newer and I wanted to put all of the miles on it myself. Maybe some day I can paint flames on the tank or something.
Can you bring the bike to Canada without any hassles?
You will Really like Moto International, they are GREAT people.

[coldcanuck]

Can you bring the bike to Canada without any hassles?
You will Really like Moto International, they are GREAT people.

I bought my Stelvio from MI and imported it to Canada. Dave at MI knows the drill and does as much of the legwork for you as possible including faxing the required paperwork to the proper US CBP group. Unfortunately you are left with doing the stuff he can't do like getting the RIV check (all they do is confirm the VIN - the same thing the Cdn border folks do, and you have to get it done at Crappy Tire of all places) and safety (any licensed motorcycle shop can do this). Unfortunately Dave does pay your sales taxes on importing the bike.

He will also drive the bike to the Surrey border crossing for you, but sounds like you're doing as the Tamils do and importing by boat. The Surrey border crossing is great because they deal with so many vehicle imports that they don't even bother to validate the VINs - they just stamp your papers and and you're off tot he races (or at least to pay your HST!)

Cory