What did you do with your GRiSO today?

Alright, I'll be the one to ask. WTF does AGTWHBA mean.

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All

Who is All?

Them^^^^.

You ...../

Finally took the covers off the GRiSO for the first time in around 8 weeks. I dislike the idea of riding in the weeks leading up to Christmas, as the traffic is usually insane, and people simply aren’t looking where they are going. Finally got a chance for a brief ride last Sunday morning.

Hit the starter and the big V-twin rumbles into life, settling into its characteristic loping idle, with a deep rumble from the Termi exhaust. Immediately brings a smile to my face. Almost forgot what I’d been missing. The riding experience is now significantly more enjoyable after having the front and rear suspension sorted out with a Matris & Wilber’s combo. It’s a bloody unique experience this bike. I’m liking it.

had no work yesterday so I took the GRiSO for a ride to where I was born. I caught the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento and then on to Cape Shanck and then via all the back roads to Moe. Where I was born is nothing but a bloody big hole in the ground where they get the brown coal for Victoria's electricity production. Had lunch in Morwell and then road home. Temperature hovered around 33C (91F) all day. Just on 500km of fun.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Took my spare seat in to the motor trimmers for an adjustment, should be ready in a week.

I didn't ride but managed to get the temp down to a max 34*C with the air con going flat out.
It was actually comfortable as it kept humidity below 40%.

Outside its now down to 63% (5pm) and temp has finally dropped to 31*C.
Beer O'clock.

The temperatures stayed a little higher overnight, so no risk of ice, stayed between 4 and 8C so had a run out for a few hours!

Great to get out after such a long period of shite weather!

Average fuel has never been strong on my GRiSO normally get around 32mpg, notably less today at about 25mpg. Bike seemed to be running fine. Thinking if this keeps up it will need investigating.

The motor probably wasn't able to get up to normal operating temperature. I don't blame it!

After getting my sag and suspension set up I took her for her first ride. Did 50 or so miles on the back roads overlooking the Columbia river. Riding this bike is like learning to ride all over again but she puts a smile on my face when I was otherwise board with my super Tenere. I did notice some condensation inside the headlight when I got home. I’ll have to look into that. Also notice that she doesn’t really fall into the corners super easy. I’ll give her a few more rides to see if it’s just me. On the way home I gassed her up at the fueling station. Found a spot that sells 92 octane ethanol free gas . Life’s pretty good.

nwryder wrote:

After getting my sag and suspension set up I took her for her first ride. Did 50 or so miles on the back roads overlooking the Columbia river. Riding this bike is like learning to ride all over again but she puts a smile on my face when I was otherwise board with my super Tenere. I did notice some condensation inside the headlight when I got home. I’ll have to look into that.  Also notice that she doesn’t really fall into the corners super easy. I’ll give her a few more rides to see if it’s just me. On the way home I gassed her up at the fueling station. Found a spot that sells 92 octane ethanol free gas . Life’s pretty good.

Condensation?  Lordy, you live in the PNW.  

Seriously, I'll only comment on the turn-in issue.

I whined here and elsewhere to anyone who would listen -- an increasingly declining set of folks -- about how the GRiSO did not turn in as readily as did my Norge or Ballabio or, FTM, even my EV.  It seemed to require real pushing and focused counter-steering instead of what had seemed bike-initiated, near-intuitive, fall into turns.  I really liked that lightness up front in the others, missed it in the GRiSO, and was about to drop the triple trees on the forks and do other mods to make it more "flickable."

Well, we are, of course, all different.  You may never get used to it and decide you have to do something.

I, on the other hand -- always subject to indolence, lethargy, and sloth -- kept putting off doing anything.

Then, ecco! I realized I actually liked the beast making me push it into turns.  Reminds me of how some women -- no; I won't go there!

So, if you can live with as it is for a bit, I'd suggest you try it.  If not, it's not a particularly hard task to make the front end sit a bit lower which should make it turn in more readily than now.  And, different tires (brand and profile) can help.

Still, it's a L.O.N.G machine and there's only so much you can do.  It'll never be a CBR.  I'm OK with that.  

Bill

Bill, thank you for the input (no pun intended). I think you may be right. My plan is to give her time and me time to marry up. I’m pretty sure the suspension is set up fairly correct for me as I took the time to set the sag properly and dial in the rebound and compression. Part of the issue for today was that the road were spotty with wet in areas and I didn’t want to really push it to hard until I’m more familiar with her. I was thinking about dropping the triple clamps down a touch as there’s only two rings protruding from the factory. I’m patient and I like tinkering with the bike. Your right, she is a long machine and handles differently from my more recent bikes and I fully understood that when I bought her. As for the headlight, it’s nothing some silly putty and J.B. Weld can’t fix

Did nothing with my GRiSO today because it was picked up by the generous Mr Peter Roper yesterday. Pete trekked out to sunny Cobar with Jude and mate, Pete to pick up my bike to take it back to Bungendore for rollerisation and other good stuff that Pete does to Grisos. Dinner at the Great Western Hotel with great people and some really interesting conversation.

Yup, thanks for supper. We decided to come straight back so we've just rolled back in to Bungendore. Beer tastes good!

Pete

Plenty of bikes on this well ridden highway. Right in my back yard. Couldn't have moved to a better place.

theTURN wrote:

Plenty of bikes on this well ridden highway. Right in my back yard. Couldn't have moved to a better place.

One of my favorite roads when I lived in San Diego.....

Nice - thanks for the post.

^^^^

Nice.

But, if you posted that vid in May, it might not be so darn annoying, too.  

I'm in Atlanta on family business, and it's cold enough; I head home to the truly frigid top of Virginia tomorrow.  

OTOH, as grand as are your roads, this one is out of my driveway. Yes, I've posted it here before, but it's fun for to watch, especially as just now the only GRiSO time is in the Moto Grappa, and that 613 miles from where I sit just now.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It's my "I'll be gone awhile, Kathi" road into Winchester.  But, it'll be late March at the earliest before I reprise that or any of the many similar ones on two wheels.  

Enjoy your own setting now for all of us in the icebox.

Bill

Rode to work again, the back way - such awesome fun, all 61 km of it. Really puts a smile on my dial...

Prepped my bike for shipping. Cold enough that my detailing spray wouldn't spray but was still able to clean up the bike pretty well.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

beetle wrote:

Installed the Grimeca discs on GRiSO.

Ghezzi was right. A transformation occurred. As I headed out of town, I felt a rising power within. Then, I saw all around me, rainbows with ponies frolicking beneath. I am a demigod as I tip into the first sweeper, as two golden unicorns begin to gallop alongside GRiSO.

I'm just imagining what your purple prose would become if you'd installed the EBC V-wave rotors....

EricS wrote:

Prepped my bike for shipping. Cold enough that my detailing spray wouldn't spray but was still able to clean up the bike pretty well.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I think it'll do for its first run down old Route 66 somewhere in mid to late February...

ITSecurity wrote:

beetle wrote:

Installed the Grimeca discs on GRiSO.

Ghezzi was right. A transformation occurred. As I headed out of town, I felt a rising power within. Then, I saw all around me, rainbows with ponies frolicking beneath. I am a demigod as I tip into the first sweeper, as two golden unicorns begin to gallop alongside GRiSO.

ITSecurity
I'm just imagining what your purple prose would become if you'd installed the EBC V-wave rotors....

Nothing, he'd be fuckin dead!
Those heavy pieces of lead would have meant he'd go straight ahead at the first corner, plowing into a giant ghost gum, no doubt.

Ok, on a more serious note, the weight difference between Grimeca and stock rotors might be less than 1.6kg/pair  (I can't be bothered chasing the figures).
But rotating mass has an incremental rise in force, the faster it rotates, also the greater the diameter the greater the force.
Said force resists all input to change direction, which includes tipping in as well as steerage.

Any previous research I've done has shown the majority of bling (wave) or cheap replacement rotors are heavier, not lighter than original Brembo items. OK for a Hardly Rideable.
Now Mark has noticed a perceptible change for the better with a lighter mass of wheel, tyre and rotor. Lighter steering & quicker tip in = easier riding due to less physical input required.
Mark has saved a small amount of weight off his front wheel only, I saved 4.5kg off EACH wheel (my carbon offset), I have herds of golden unicorns ................... and nymphets and ...

I went to the Rugged Fridge rally last year with the intent of offering Roper San and Her Beetle the opportunity of giving Bella a good flogging, never eventuated.
Maybe we will have another Northern NSW Cabal ..................

ghezzi wrote:

ITSecurity wrote:

beetle wrote:

Installed the Grimeca discs on GRiSO.

Ghezzi was right. A transformation occurred. As I headed out of town, I felt a rising power within. Then, I saw all around me, rainbows with ponies frolicking beneath. I am a demigod as I tip into the first sweeper, as two golden unicorns begin to gallop alongside GRiSO.

ITSecurity
I'm just imagining what your purple prose would become if you'd installed the EBC V-wave rotors....

Nothing, he'd be fuckin dead!
Those heavy pieces of lead would have meant he'd go straight ahead at the first corner, plowing into a giant ghost gum, no doubt.

Ok, on a more serious note, the weight difference between Grimeca and stock rotors might be less than 1.6kg/pair  (I can't be bothered chasing the figures).
But rotating mass has an incremental rise in force, the faster it rotates, also the greater the diameter the greater the force.
Said force resists all input to change direction, which includes tipping in as well as steerage.

Any previous research I've done has shown the majority of bling (wave) or cheap replacement rotors are heavier, not lighter than original Brembo items. OK for a Hardly Rideable.
Now Mark has noticed a perceptible change for the better with a lighter mass of wheel, tyre and rotor. Lighter steering & quicker tip in = easier riding due to less physical input required.
Mark has saved a small amount of weight off his front wheel only, I saved 4.5kg off EACH wheel (my carbon offset), I have herds of golden unicorns ................... and nymphets and ...

I went to the Rugged Fridge rally last year with the intent of offering Roper San and Her Beetle the opportunity of giving Bella a good flogging, never eventuated.
Maybe we will have another Northern NSW Cabal ..................

I bow in respect to your golden unicorns, and envy your covey of nymphets - I speak only in terms of the effective braking capability of the EBC rotors I have fitted to my (very experienced) Norge, and which would also be appropriate to my Stelvio and to my soon-to-arrive GRiSO. I have not considered their respective weight compared to the alternatives, but instead have focused on what brakes are intended to do - brake!

Seriously, the EBC wave rotors are not bling, they are a capable and effective alternative rotor with worthy capability. The fact they look pretty is just a bonus!