New GRiSO owner from Germany

Hi folks

I am the proud owner of an orange GRiSO 1100 since a few weeks. I am living in the south of Germany between Stuttgart and Ulm and want to introduce myself.
I started motorbiking with a Honda CB50J when I was 16 - long time ago. Next bike was a Yamaha SR 500T when I made the full licence with 18 years. Already at that time I became a fan of the California II, that was the bike of my dreams for a long time but unavailable due long time financal shortage. In the german Motorrad magazine I saw the Guzzi V65TT and had a strong "want to have"-feeling until I bought one.
I loved it - crazy thing with a bloody huge exhaust box under the engine and a sound of a bag of screws (my buddies said). It took my full length to get the feet on the ground (I am 1,91m tall with 36 inch inseam) but when the feet were on the pegs I could press my knees against my ears Unfortunately the V65TT was wrecked by a young lady one day before her wedding. I came away with only a little dent on my leg which I still have. I got a new (used, I always buy used -> see financial shortage) V65TT but was able to get an italian 850T3 Polizia from 1982 for small money and so the enduro had to leave. It took over 1 year to refurbish the T3 until I could bring her on german roads. I drove it for almost 23 years between 450 km and 5000 km a year. 2 years ago I drove the California III and was somewhat disappointed. Nice engine but the handling is too clumsy and I couldn't become a friend of the footrest. I don't like to lift the whole leg for braking and the distance between footrest and seat is far too little for me. Very nice motorcycle but not for me.
I was thinking of a Bellagio before the GRiSO got my attention - I start to like the look and it was said it has a good handling. I tested and fell in love. I am almost 50 years old and if do not do it today I will never do - now I have the GRiSO.
I like the older 2 valve engine, 88 hp is more than enough coming from a T3 with 59 hp. I attached adjustable footpegs from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and lifted the seat with a sheepskin seat cover filled with some hard foam. I am no racer, the lower pegs are no real problem. When I bought the GRiSO a GPR exhaust was installed - how boring. I installed the original school cone (german kids start school with 6 years and get a large cardboard cone filled with sweets on their first day - the GRiSO exhaust looks the same  There is always the same dialogue: Cool looking bike.....but the exhaust????? I like it, it fits perfectly to the design of the bike. All aftermarket exhaust look like this japanese stuff you see at every corner. But it is a matter of taste. I am an old guy - I am not a fan of loud pipes anymore. And the GRiSO has a pleasant sound. When my wife with her Nevada 750 is driving behind me in a tunnel I hear her bike and not the GRiSO - I like it.
This year end of september my wife and me made a 9 days trip to Mandello del Lario. I never made it with the T3 but since last year my wife restartet motor cycling and so we could make a holiday trip to Italy together. That was good fun even when the weather was not perfect. We were at the Guzzi museum (open from 3pm to 4pm!) and discovered the area by bike. Who ever said the GRiSO is not for touring - totally wrong. I made 5-6 hours a day on country side roads (no highways) and felt okay after. I installed the small baggage rack and fixed a 60 liter bag on the pillion seat and a smaller one with rain gear behind - perfect. It doesn't look cool but I don't like top and side cases, especially not with the GRiSO. Here you see me and my bike at the Moto Guzzi gate. It was 3:30pm - the museum was open and so the gate.....

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Nice introduction. I'm new as well but with my 'first' Guzzi. Welcome.

G'day GF
Welcome from us all under down under in Tasmania.
An old guy at 49 ........ your a young one around here with the average age being around 57 ...
I too have an 1100, great bike, mine is a fast red one
One thing to do, grease the swing arm bearings, done mine some time back and found next to no grease and if left any longer the bearings would have been toast - search on here for details
Anyway enjoy your great bike and stay safe
Regards

Wilkommen!

Yours was a very fine introduction.

And, as wardentm noted, you are hardly in your dotage, at least in this group.  I just gave myself a Stornello as a present for my 70th birthday.  

FWIW, too, Kathi and I were in your part of the world last month.  We visited Würzburg — where I was born (do the math   ) — and then spent several days in Wurmlingen (Tuttlingen) with my German family.

I sure wish I had not been in a cage when we were in the Donauthal …


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So, best wishes to you and your wife and hope to see more of your here.

Bil(helm)

Thanks for the very nice introduction!  I too hope to make the pilgrimage to Mandello, one day...

I like the orange colour of your GRiSO!  And welcome to the Ghetto!!  






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Welcome. But to be realistic a T3 makes about 45hp at the rear wheel in stock trim if its in good codition. An 1100 GRiSO about 73-75.

Pete

Welcome from Perth Australia. I like the colour of your bike !

Welcome aboard. I too think the GRiSO is ok for touring, it all depends upon your type of touring. I can easily do 500 miles a day on it without problems and love it.

Welcome - life begins at GRiSO

Welcome and I love the orange.

Welcome to the Ghetto. I like the orange too. I put 50,000 miles on my red 1100, now working on accumulating some miles on my 2013 1200. In my opinion, the GRiSO makes a fine touring machine. And my wife also rides a V7 and loves it.

Pete (Street)

Hi everybody, thanks for the answers. It's funny, most people ask me why I did not choose the red one (I had the chance to get a red GRiSO and my T3 and my Vespa are red) but somehow the orange attracts me. And here you like the colour - jippiee, I am not alone....
@ Pete: Who cares for hp numbers? The percent difference in power between T3 and GRiSO remains the same, no matter if you measure at the wheel or at the clutch. Most people put too much attention on the horsepower but it has nothing to do with the fun you can have with your bike. My Vespa has only 22 DIN-PS and I have a lot of fun with it. We need the unit "smiles per mile" but how to measure? The GRiSO has definitly a very high ranking in this unit.

Today the weather was fine. I escaped from work at 2pm and made a very long trip home (160 km instead of 30 km) via Zwiefalten - a lot of smiles per mile for 3 hours. Only little traffic, most roads dry and no slippy leaves. I fear that was one of the last perfect days for a longer GRiSO trip - the autumn has started his job and ugly weather with low temperature will come soon

G'day mate.
Love the orange!
I was foolish enough to marry 2 german girls (at separate times of course ).
One was from Erlangen & the other from Marktredwitz.
One memorable summer was spent riding around the Frankische Schweiz region on a Yamaha Tenere.
Bikes, bratwurst & beer. Beautiful

Welcome to the forum....like the pic!