jihem

Brakes are actually not bad, altho back brake is far too powerful. It's the back shocks which are tremendously bad. No, the main weapon is weight: only 170 kgs. With about 50 HP. Good formulae for city fun and B-roads.

Well, I have a 2013 V7 stone and it's the most reliable Guzzi I ever had. Not the most exciting, not the most beautiful, but this bike has been so far perfect (13.000 kms, mostly town). Only one really, really bad flaw: the suspension is TERRIBLE.

Thanx for the link. There's also a new french company dealing with Guzzi shocks: shock factory http://mandello.fr/shock.html

Hagon ? I'll check them up. Thanx Jaap

Dear all, Happy new year all ! I got tired of my griso 8v: too heavy and too thirsty in town. Got a great deal for a part-swap part-cash on a brand new V7 stone and I must say the small bike is lovely: so light, a big bicycle really. It's a real pleasure and as I'm doing only town riding it's perfect for me. Before the power bug grabs me again The Stone is cool but has a big let down on one point: stock suspensions are crap. Has anyone an idea on good twin shocks suspensions with a great ratio quality/price ? Thanx

I haven't ridden a Magni but I have ridden SP2, SP4 and SP5 Ducatis and the SP5 was just incredible.

A week or so with the V7 stone and all I can say is...this is the BEST city bike I ever had (and i had plenty). For towns, it's even better than the V50s Nato I had, something to do with ergonomics and weight distribution I guess plus the fact you can turn this handlebar full tilt without any problems. It's like a big bicycle. It handles very well, get you out of the traffic even when it's still on breaking mode. Sound is nice, engine has good torque but you need to remember it's only one solo disc at the front. Back brake isn't very compliant, it's a bit rough and you need to be careful when applying pressure. Just a few minor things: 1/ Can't get used to have a side stand that remote compared to the ones my other Guzzi had: I'm used to extend the left leg to open/close it and with the V7 the side stand is actually situated much more near the pegs. Needs some time to sink in. 2/ my V7 doesn't like to be operated while cold. Even after having it warm it up a bit (no, I can't wait longer to have the bike at perfect t°, I only let it idle for a couple of minutes, time to put helmet + gloves on). It will most time than not need a few throttle strikes or it will bring minor troubles when trying to lift off. Besides these two points which aren't important really or can be fixed easily, this bike is the real McCoy in town and will run on one gas tank like for ever... Ah yes, the back suspensions are a joke. It will need scrutinizing and maybe upgrading to better ones. Doesn't bite you unless you cut the throttle in the middle of a corner, which you're not supposed to, but it will wave a little bit on curves from mid-speed (60 mph and up). Took it for a spin on B roads and I can definitively say this bike has soul. The one I like, the perfect spot where you swear this motorbike will run until the end of time with the throttle only opened juuuuuust a litlle bit.

Well, I've tried hard but never got round to really like my 2008 Griso 1200. Yes, it's fast, yes it looks great if you don't look at the exhaust side of the bike, yes it has some cool details but no, I just didn't like that 8 valves motor delivery. I just never fell in love with the Griso. Why is that ? It's totally subjective of course cos that engine is very potent, the brakes are amazing, the frame isn't bad but something got lost when they incept the soul in it: the delivery, the torque wave, the way it kicks in, it just didn't do it for me and the bike had to go and let room for another one. And, well, i got my hand on the smallest of them all, the intro bike to the Guzzi range: a simple, nearly bare V7 stone. Half the horsepower of a Griso, 60 kgs less, the size of a big bicycle, this seems hardly the kind of things that could excite a 6 times owner of a Guzzi but we're wrong: this V7 has charms. And it should be great for my use which is now mainly town and the occasional sunday ride. Gone are the track days with the Ghezzi, gone are the long stretches of B roads with the Calif T3, gone are the days of the leaky days of my V50 Nato, gone are the mad rushes of the Griso acceleration. Please welcome a bike that just that: WYSIWYG: a simple 750cc engine in a black bike, 170 kgs of ready-to-go Moto Guzzi. Initially, on picture, I wanted a V7 special with the S3 colors and the nice wheels but when the bike arrived at the dealership, the real thing turned out to be far too shiny and bling-bling. The Stone is simple and some of its parts (the suspensions, the horn, the seat) are really less than average but the overall package oozes of a cool feel. Yes, it's very "hipster" and there are already companies in France (http://www.baak-moto.fr/) proposing boober versions with 16 wheels conversion, but I can feel big grins ahead. I'll keep you posted

Thanx all. Problem has been taken care of via the use of Redline !

Thanx. I'll have the mechanic looking into changing the gearbox oil. What's the best oil for it ? Any special advice ?

Would someone know who's that german chap with a Guzzi shirt who owns 45 Guzzis ? That sure sounds like an interesting garage/museum !

Hi all, I had more time and the (relative)* pleasure of riding more my 8.000 kms 2008 Griso 1200 4v around and I find the gearbox very noisy when engaging gears in, whenever the bike is moving or not. Even when i go up or down a gear and I carefully and slowly engage the gear, it's more often than not annoyingly noisy and make a strong metallic sound. When the gear is on, the gearbox isn't noisy, it's really the moment when the gear is passing in that the noise occur. Furthermore, the bike reacts strongly when first gear is engaged: the bike tends to jump forward when the gear is put in, more than with every bike i had previously. The clutch is fine, it's not like it slips, it's just like a strong reaction or else... Common characteristics of the Griso 4V ? Is there anything my mechanic could do to atenuate the noise and the nervous reaction ? * : i'm not crazy about the Griso 1200: it's a very potent bike but I miss something more organic.

Thank Jaap. I went to TLM when I had the Ghezzi and they were indeed helpful. It's just quite a long way (about 200 kms)...

Hi all, Getting round to finally discover more about my 2008 Griso 1200 and, yeah, what a great engine. Finally did find out why the bike was hard to get into corners (verify your tyre pressure more often, you dummy), been told why it's drinking so much (the lambda is dead and therefore the engine thinks it's on cold all the time), and going thru minor glitches that need fixes (mirrors are wider than the bike: very stupid when one has to get the bike around in traffic jams, starter fuse blowing every now and then, especially when the weather is quite crispy). This lambda answer from a Guzzi shop is exactly why I come here with a precise question to all you Belgians or Dutch people: where can i go to have my bike being well scrutinized and serviced with a mechanic that will answer my dumb questions and will not raise its eyes to the skies when asked to look for specifics (like "is it on map #68?" or "why did i blow 5 starter fuses in a thousand kms?". I adore my Guzzi (this is only my 5th Guzzi after all...) but i'm tired to not find a decent shop which is well equipped and with a shop owner and mechanics who see me as a genuine person (who may have some naive questions sometimes) and not a ATM machine on two legs. Anyhwere in Belgium ? Or TLM in Holland ? Shops with courtesy bikes are a + but the ideal is a shop i can finally TRUST.

I mean counter-steering of course (i did translate Keith Code's first book in french, how could this term escape me ?). As for the amount of effort needed, it might be perspective as my two latest bikes were a Ghezzi Supertwin and a Ducati Superlight: it seems to me the Griso's steering is a handfull needing much attention. But it might be something else and I surely will have to look at the steering head.

I also think the Griso is hard to turn. It has the heaviest front i ever had on a bike (mind you, it's my first non sport bike in decades) but I use counterpush most of the times so it's bearable. My main issue with the handlebar is actually not when moving: it's when parking the bike or turning the bike when stopping. In these two situations, my arms are just far too torned apart when sitting on the bike and therefore something needs to be done.

Thanx, I'll look into it.

Thanx. I really need to do something as it's too large for my (elegant but short) stature.

Hi all, I really think the Griso 8V handlebar could do with being shorter. Has anyone try something, or are there companies building shorter handlebars ? Thanx !

I agree. This said, all the parts are available separetely and these rims would look great on the griso

Just in from the Ghezzi-Brian HQ (and from their PR sheet): V-TWIN MOTARD Dynamic Damping Action At EICMA 2012 Ghezzi-Brian presents its last creation: V-Twin Motard. This bike is in line with Ghezzi-Brian’s tradition of sport-bikes, but is also a personal interpretation of a “road motard” type, based on Moto Guzzi 1200 8 valves. It is a “solid” bike, designed for a sporty fun, outside the rules and pre-defined categories. It shows an innovative design and cutting-edge technical equipment, which make it great to ride, alone or with a passenger. The bike is presented in its aggressive red-and-black look, with a new fairing and a smoked windscreen. The new Power Kit with improved ECU mapping brings about a relevant torque increase in the bike’s favourite ranges, between 3.000 and 6.000 rpm. The engine torque then becomes really great and, what is most (important), uniform. The “Power kit” also includes a bigger air-box, high-efficiency air filter and dedicated exhaust system, which looks really aggressive with its two tytanium half-conical mufflers aggressively pointing upwards. V-Twin Motard features highly innovative technologies, which can be best emphasized by the conceptual set-up and technical characteristics of a bike which gives its best on fast, winding roads. V-Twin Motard is also equipped with the “Dynamic Damping Action” system, a special device designed to dynamically control the shock-absorber hydraulic features. The user only has to select riding style (confort, road, sport) and load on the bike through the control unit fixed to the handle-bar. When riding, the DDA system adjusts the shock-absorber response to road conditions automatically and in real-time. Each shock is processed according to oscillation speed, position and intensity. The shock absorber is controlled by a special valve for its hydraulic adjustment. A sensor (Smart Position Sensor) provides the control unit with accurate measurement of the shock absorber dynamic state at the incredible rate of 25.000 samples per second. The valve is electronically controlled by a control unit and can adjusts the damping level up to 10.000 Newton in 10 milliseconds; the rider won’t even notice, since variation in the shock-absorber rigidity occurs at a speed beyond the human perception threshold. This all is complemented by the fully adjustable fork design, which completes and integrates the mono-shock response. The forged aluminium Kineo spoked wheels are CNC worked. The rim is perfect for tube-less tyres: it is free of holes, spokes being fixed to it thanks to nipples parallel to the wheel axis. Tubeless tyres are the best choice for ultimate safety. Kineo wheels drastically decrease the weight of unsprung masses and consequently reduce the wheels moment of inertia. Together with the shock-absorber set-up and a new distribution of the masses, this makes the bike intuitive, agile and accurate on entering curves for extraordinary performances. Motard V-Twin is for those who want a sporty and fun bike, with a good attitude to travelling as well; these features are exalted by the overall technical characteristics of the bike, that grant a great riding pleasure. Without forgetting, like on every Ghezzi-Brian, the pleasure of exclusivity. Motard V-Twin is also available as a ready-to-install kit, introducing both aesthetic and technical features. The kit is designed for Moto Guzzi Griso, with which Motard V-Twin shares its technical base.

A Royale Cheese Four

I love so much my Griso that i tend to forget I loathed that exhaust while i was simply looking at the bike, before owning it. I actually think the sound is rather muffled, ok, but has a nice grasp when you throttle down after a good acceleration. Now, this is just a question for knowledge sake: does anyone know why this exhaust has been designed as such (with two outputs, one large and one small) ?

Nice vid. And listening to the tune I think Quentin Tarantino deserves to ride a Guzzi as his ride... (actually, I don't know if he does ride bike but if he does he probably would ride a 1972 750 Honda CB Four).