Griso test ride

[Murray]

Got off my rear and finally took the Demo that is avalible for a shortish ride. Seat is low and the tank splays your knees at an odd angle the foot pegs are very high I'm only around 5'11" people with longer legs might find things a bit cramped otherwise the riding postion was excellent. Clutch realeases very late and even with the lever on its closest setting I found it diffcult to regulate. Engine is very smooth and flexiable gear selection is very good and the bike tips into corners easily.

 

However when power through a corner the front end produces a slight vague feeling like there is not quiet enough wieght over the front wheel its probally could be dialed out with the suspension adjustment but kudo's for Guzzi getting the geometry right and getting the bike to tip in and change direction so well. At highway speeds there is plenty of windblast and at enthusatic speeds I' sure you'll be doing your best impression of a windsock.

 

The motor yes well until today I hadn't ridden ethier of the new twin plug 1100's the injection was smotth and flexiable the motor did spin up reasnably well but the troque and grunt out of the corners seems to gone MIA. With the lighter internals and fuel injection I was expecting something close to my FCR equiped 1100 sport. Yes and no its spins up close to what my 1100 sport does (my sport's motor is stock) the motor on the Griso I rode was only around 300kms old but it had nowhere near the kick that my old sport has I found this to be the most disappionting bit of the whole bike. The motor is smooth and functional but certianly doesn't have the bite of the old sport motors. It they stick this version in a MGS-01 frame and call it a sport bike it will be a traversty if it actually sold at all. I do however think the motor has the potential to work in the Dual pourpose bike that is circulation on the rumour mill.

 

There are a lot of things that this bike does a lot better than my current Guzzi athough my bike now is 11years old and thats not exactly going out on a limb. However if I am going to replace my 1100sport I want to ungrade it not take a step sideways. No I'm not signing up for one anytime soon.

 

Anyway thats my impressions

 

Just out of curiostiy has anyone ridden one of these with some breathing mods, wondering how choked up the motor is to get past Euro 3 emissions.

[not_scooter_Scura!]

I'm just glad the sport 1100 is so good (with FCR - yum).

 

I just wish I could find one in Australia.

[Murray]

There are at least three FCR equiped 1100 sports locally I know of it seems to be pretty popular mod (with good !@#$ing reason) Athough 1100 sports are comming up for sale less and less. There are also quiet a few RS daytona's kicking around.

[Greg Field]

I took a Breva 11 for a spin last week and came back as underwhelmed as you did with the Griso.

 

Not enough power. OK power, sure, about like a totally stock V11 Sport, but that's not enough these days, either. Not in 2006 and for $12.5k.

 

Decent forks, but the CARC rear suspension is horrible over choppy bumps. I have a special "suspension-test" route that I know very well how different bikes react to the bumps thereon. The Breva was as choppy—throwing my head around rather violently—as my 34-year-old Eldo with koni shocks. The Breva needs a better shock absorber. At $12,500, it shouldn't need a better shock.

 

Steering is great at low or high speed. Brakes are similarly competent.

 

The tranny shifts well, but for US Brevas they built a special sidestand that is bent outward a bit and thus is in the way of your foot on upshifts. WTF were they thinking???? First gear is too tall, unless they gave it more flywheel, and second is too close in ratio to first, unless you're really accelerating hard. All other gear spacing is great. It's still very easy to pull the lever past neutral into second. Practice would make it easier, I think. Also, break-in might make it easier, as it most definitely does on Aprilia Milles.

 

Riding position is very comfortable. Controls are good, except that the clutch engagement is too near the beginning of lever travel for my liking. I could get used to that, though.

 

Overall, it is not 34 years of progress and $9,000 better than my Eldorado, let alone the Ballabio.

[Morris Sod]

Hey Murray, we must have almost crossed paths. Went to Sydney 2 weekends ago with the Raptor Tamer specifically to test ride the Griso at Aitkens m/cycles. Hot day and only test rode for 28 kms along the freeway. Had been in love with the look ever since I saw it, so needless to say I was sufficently underwhelmed at my first test ride. Power wise nothing to compare to the v11. soft pliable and not at all exciting.

Gear changes for all the hype were still solidly clunky, could even get them smoother on the v11. Riding position Ok but only for the rider, pillion would be kidney bashing after not too long methinks.

 

I could be tempted if the power could be tweaked a little, make it a bit rawer abit less turbine smooth, abit less UJM.

 

Hey the ride back home on all the back roads on the v11 made me feel so grateful I'd made the right choice originally. When the road is twisty you don't feel the wrists needling. Great ride just ask g.forrest. More to come during our luvly warm summer. Just luv that global warming.

[big J]

I'm just glad the sport 1100 is so good (with FCR - yum).

 

I just wish I could find one in Australia.

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What's FCR?

[Guzzirider]

TWO magazine gave a reasonably favourable test of the Breva 1100 this month. They dynoed it too- peak power was not too bad at 76.6bhp but torque was a lowly 55.6 ft lbs which is about 10 ft lbs down on your average V11.

 

The curves were all over the place too- looking more like a set of hairpin bends than a smooth line.

 

Probably not worth getting too excited about one dyno test but it seems as though Guzzi engines are going backwards in progress- probably down to the struggle to meet tougher emissions laws.

 

Sounds like the Breva and the Griso could do with some breathing mods to smooth things out properly.

 

Guy

[Baldini]

...when power through a corner the front end produces a slight vague feeling like there is not quiet enough wieght over the front wheel its probally could be dialed out with the suspension adjustment ...

 

Also you're sat upright & the bars are very wide...

 

 

...rear suspension is horrible over choppy bumps....

 

Could it have been poorly set up? Had a short ride over bumpy road didn't seem that bad (Corsa Italiana bike I road seemed v well set up all round) & the handling from the new rear end made the V11 seem v crude.

 

I didn't like the feel of the new motor either, compared with what we've had - too revvy, too Japanese - but they don't want to keep appealing to the diehards - they got a business to run & revs, smoothness, ease of use etc is what sells.

 

What's FCR?...

 

Type of Carb

 

KB

[big J]

Aaah. As in Keihin?

[rocker59]

What's FCR?

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Keihin FCR41. I have 'em on my Sport 1100 along with full Staintune exhaust.

 

FCRs are flat slide racing carburetors. They are very popular with the Ducati crowd and the supermoto/dirtbike crowd.

 

They improved power and driveability more than I could've hoped for.

 

I've not dyno'd my Sport with the FCRs, but stock it put 76 to the ground. My seat of the pants feeling tells me both power and torque are up probably 10%.

[Murray]

Hey Murray, we must have almost crossed paths. Went to Sydney 2 weekends ago with the Raptor Tamer specifically to test ride the Griso at Aitkens m/cycles.

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I doubt that I live in Perth.

[Morris Sod]

I doubt that I live in Perth.

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sorry bout that, typical easternstatercentric reply, guess we often forget about that little add on to the federation we call WA, Tas has the same problem. I know how you must feel tho, having lived in WA on and off for 6 years.

[Murray]

I didn't mind the way it reved quiet useful. It was the complete lack of stomp to acompany the revs that Guzzi's the sporting ones at least have always had. Ducati got it right with thier dual spark two valve motor IMO I was hoping Guzzi would of come close. FCR's some one said are worth about 3hp at the very top end but they also improve the throttle response and seriously fatten upt he midrange.

[Murray]

Ok slightly further update the local guys got a staintune can for the Breva 1100. But before they fitted it for !@#$'s and giggles they removed the muffler completly and left the collection box under the gearbox on. Started up and apprently it sounded quiet reasnoble but the engine was a lot crisper when they took it for a ride. Apprently it looks like the current version of the motor is heavily restricted.

 

Theorising what it would go like with a two into one cross over (without collector box) and an aftermarket can. Unfortunatly the staintune has been sold already so I won't get to ride the bike in this cofiguration. Anyone actully done this to the new twin plug motor, there might be hope for it yet.