[Moto G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] small-mallet:
I have sucessfully tested this root exploit on my Moto G (XT1033). Here is the exploit used:

http://xdaforums.com/moto-x/orig-development/root-4-4-x-pie-motorola-devices-t2771623 (As you can see, this is a tethered root)

If you do want to go ahead with this, make sure you have your phone's signed stock firmware files ready (nothing bad will happen when trying to get root access, its the messing around after gaining root). I'm also suspecting maybe verizon phones have this patched, but i highly doubt that. The adb commands need to be run on each reboot to regain root.

1. Download the package1.1.zip and extract to your adb folder.

2. Enter the following commands one after the other: (well, you do need to setup usb debugging, install motog drivers, and get adb files)

adb push pie.jar /data/local/atvc

adb push root.sh /data/local/atvc

adb shell chmod 755 /data/local/atvc/root.sh

adb shell /data/local/atvc/root.sh

3. This is the output i got:

C:\motog>adb push pie.jar /data/local/atvc
4877 KB/s (1538138 bytes in 0.307s)

C:\motog>adb push root.sh /data/local/atvc
46 KB/s (192 bytes in 0.004s)

C:\motog>adb shell chmod 755 /data/local/atvc/root.sh

C:\motog>adb shell /data/local/atvc/root.sh
rm failed for /data/local/atvc/blop.asec, No such file or directory
rm failed for /data/local/atvc/blop, No such file or directory
mkdir failed for /data/local/atvc/dalvik-cache, File exists
pie by jcase
want to buy me pie? paypal-> [email]jcase@cunninglogic.com[/email]

4. Install any basic root checker to check for root or run:

adb shell

shell@******:/ $ su

root@******:/ # id

Output (needs to be): uid=0(root) gid=0(root) context=u:r:kernel:s0

WARNING! Better to stop right here if you don't know much about how to restore if anything goes wrong, it all about using the root from the next steps! (and get perma root). Presently not working on locked bootloaders.

5. Install Rashr and make recovery and kernel backups and flash this: TWRP-2.6.3.3-falcon.img

6. Reboot to recovery! Now, if you get twrp, wohoo! Now you can do many things, backups stuffs, install supersu.zip for perma root, etc. I don't want to detail all those as they are already available.

Please report if the tethered root works for all models of MotoG!

Note:

1. Question to the bootloader locked: Can you guys flash your phones signed stock firmware? Or any of the various motog firmwares? I don't have a lot of info about that stuff. - cleared, can do.

2. The biggest question i have at the moment is whether I can flash recovery.img through rashr on locked firmware. AFAIK, Rashr operates independent of the fastboot, so volunteers pls :)

Edit: Seems like I was wrong about flashing through rashr, bootloader seems to check if the recovery partition too is valid or not on boot :( Need to find another way, with this limited root! Will try to make a list of possible mods with this:

Possible Root Mods:

Xposed Framework (tested working!):

1. After the adb commands(wait 10secs or so), install supersu and root checker basic(from store).

2. Open root checker and check (Don't open supersu though).

3. Install xposed and it will most likely fail (if it doesn't good for you!)

4. Do a normal reboot.

5. Run the commands again and open root checker to check again (most important, though rather weird).

6. Go to xposed and try installing it again, it must work the second time around without any errors, but don't reboot when it asks!.

7. Instead select the soft reboot option below.

8. Xposed should be up and running and you can install modules, activate them, and soft reboot.

Note: The rather weird thing I noticed is that opening xposed before step 4 seems to mess things up, I don't know why though. If this error occurs (could not copy app_process to /system/bin), normal reboot the phone and apply the pie root again and try from step 1.

Rashr:

Will install whatever image you ask it to, but the locked bootloader will verify the recovery partition and stop the boot into recovery. You can flash your stock recovery back from rashr too.

Titanium Backup, DriveDroid (as far as i tested)

All that's needed now is a way to make this root permanent, sure we can make a batch file and patch on every boot, but not the best solution. Weird thing is, Xposed does need write access to system files (/system/bin/app_process) and as it is working (inconsistent), does that mean we do have /system access? If so, can that in any way be used to make this perma root?

Downoads:

Package1.1.zip(same as in the top link): http://xdaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2778819&d=1401822028

MotoAIOtool(has adb,drivers, supersu.zip): https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9MUCjEugQjgRFNOQnFjX2xoeUU/edit?usp=sharing

StockRecoverykitkat(If this doesn't work, flash directly from your firmware): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6vw7ulokgssalVucnZjZkV4Q2M/edit?usp=sharing

StockrRecoveryjellybean: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6vw7ulokgssNDM2RDlmbDVtMkk/edit?usp=sharing