I'M AN OWNER OF A 2011 MOTO GUZZI GRISO MOTORCYCLE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ENGINE IN THIS MOTORCYCLE, REFERRED TO AS AN 8V, AND THE ENGINES IN THOUSANDS OF OTHER MOTORCYCLES MADE BY THE COMPANY BETWEEN 2008 AND 2012, HAVE DEFECTIVE FLAT TAPPET CAMS. THE FLAT TAPPETS ARE COATED WITH DLC (DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON) THAT EVENTUALLY DE-LAMINATES AND CAUSES THE TAPPETS TO BREAK, RESULTING IN SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. THESE ENGINES HAVE RECENTLY BEGUN FAILING IN HUGE NUMBERS AS THEY ACCUMULATE MILEAGE, BUT MOTO GUZZI'S PARENT COMPANY, PIAGGIO, CLEARLY WANTS TO AVOID A COSTLY RECALL. THE DEFECT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE A CRASH IF THE TAPPETS BREAK WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE IS BEING RIDDEN. MOTO GUZZI REALIZED THE DEFECT IN 2010 AND REDESIGNED THE CAMS TO REPLACE THE FLAT TAPPETS WITH A MUCH BETTER ROLLER DESIGN. DESPITE THE REDESIGN, THEY CONTINUED TO INSTALL THE DEFECTIVE CAMS IN MOTORCYCLES UNTIL MID-2012. THEY HAVE CREATED KITS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED TO REPLACE THE FLAT TAPPETS WITH THE ROLLERS IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE ENGINE FAILURE, BUT THE COST OF THIS TO OWNERS OF THE BIKES IS $2,000 TO $3,000 INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR. PIAGGIO'S ACTIONS ARE MORALLY BEREFT. THEY KNOWINGLY CONTINUED TO PRODUCE THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLES WITH DEFECTIVE ENGINES AND THEY NOW REFUSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THE BIKES. THEY WON'T EVEN PROVIDE THE UPGRADE KITS TO OWNERS FREE OF CHARGE. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THESE FLAWED ENGINES WERE INSTALLED IN 3 MOTO GUZZI MODELS: GRISO, STELVIO, AND NORGE. ATTACHED IS A PHOTO OF THE TAPPETS SHOWING THE BEGINNING OF WEAR TO THE DLC COATING. AS THE WEAR PROGRESSES, THE TAPPETS MUST BE REPLACED EARLY OR THEY WILL BREAK, CAUSING SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE AND COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10807370
- Incident
- Oct 19, 2015
- Mileage
- 6,000 mi