Hey Common Men and Women!
I finally got my Stelvio back after it having been in the shop since June 18th. There is video at the end of this post of my ride home from Tulsa (don't worry, it's edited down, haha). I'm happy to say I no longer have a warning message blaring at me over my gauge cluster. The bike idles better than it has since it was new. It even fuels better during the closed-open loop transition from 3,500 RPM to 4,000 RPM. I've never felt the bike ride as smooth as it does now. It leaves me wondering if the replacement ECU had some updated programming on it from the original 2013 ECU. (Click Read More for video and rest of update!)
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An overview
The Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX is a very interesting entry to the growing adventure bike segment. It comes loaded out with Guzzi branded Trax bags by SW-Motech, a skid plate, auxiliary lighting, an adjustable windshield, windshield "winglets", ABS, traction control, and a tanker-like 8.5 gallon fuel tank. Essentially, it is fit with most of the options you need to take off from the showroom and ride a few states away. The most interesting part of this is the MSRP on the bikes remains under $16,000 US. A comparably equipped BMW GS in the Adventure flavor can easily run a person over $20,000 US. The Moto Guzzi Stelvio is clearly a good bargain on paper, just accounting for accessories and MSRP comparisons, but how does it stack up on specs? Well, not too badly there either. It comes with an inverted 45mm diameter fork with 6.69" of travel up front, and a single sided shaft drive swingarm with a shock travel of 6.1" in rear. In the braking department, it is well equipped with a set of Brembo 320mm stainless steel discs up front, and a single Brembo 282mm stainless disc out back. The bike delivers a soulful 105 bhp, and a healthy 83.3 lb feet of torque to the Alpina sealed tubeless spoke wheels. The last number is perhaps the only number on the spec sheet that doesn't sound great, and that's the weight. The bike does weigh in at a hefty 598lbs ready to ride. The 7.3l engine F-series trucks can be quite the value for a used truck buyer. With legendary reliability, ease of maintenance, decent fuel economy, and great resale value, there is a lot to love. Overview
The 7.3L Powerstroke engine was offered in Ford three quarter ton trucks and up from 1994 until 2003, when the 6.0L Powerstroke took over as Ford's new diesel platform. The F-series trucks were offered from two door, two-wheel drive, short bed trucks, and up to four door, four-wheel drive long bed varieties. Since its introduction, the 7.3 has earned itself a spot among light duty trucks that few other engines have. These trucks remain popular today to diesel enthusiasts, and some are even still putting in time as work trucks. So what is it that makes these old oil burners desirable and popular even in modern times? Let's break down what makes it so great. |
AuthorA dirt bike and adventure bike enthusiast, former expert class XC racer, and a lover of many different motorsports. From hot rods to trophy truck, Harley to Aprilia, I dig it all. ArchivesCategories |