Hello from California

Hello everyone! I'm currently trying to decide between keeping my Ducati S2R800 (with upgraded everything) and GSX650f, or selling both and buying a SE 8V. The Guzzi really does it for me, but the cost is a perfect commuter/light tourer as well as my favorite all-time Ducati Monster.

No way to keep your present fleet and just add to it?

Bill

Unfortunately, no. The addition of soft luggage and a dart screen would address the commuting aspect, but I'd miss the Duc...well maybe not the desmo valve adjustments.

Welcome to the Ghetto, Juan. Of course everyone here will encourage you to get a GRiSO. We're all a bit biased that way.

Pete (Street)

Welcome Juan ....
And greetings from Tasmania ...
Be bold, keep e'm all, AND get a GRiSO
cheers

Hum, I'm with the others, I think you need all three.

If you've really set the Monster up well, that would be sad to let go. And if you wanted another one, you'd have to re-do the other one, again. And it is much lighter and is zippier than a GRiSO, so you'd miss that.

If the GSX650f is stock-ish, you could sell it, get the GRiSO, keep the Monster, that'd work. (Thinking if you ever miss a previous bike, how hard is it to go back and get another)

And selling 2 to buy 1 is just wrong! Should be more like sell 1 to buy 2.

Have you ridden a GRiSO?

I have ridden a GRiSO at a demo day, and really enjoyed the bike. Looking at the spec sheet I was prepared to be disappointed by its handling, but I definitely wasn't. Beautiful bike, exceptionally powerful, characterful, easy to maintain, and it handles well despite not being "flickable". Maybe I'll check the used market for a '12+ GRiSO.

I've had about ten bikes, and this '05 Monster S2R800 is tied with the SV650 as my favorite. It is old enough to have the original Monster look (stacked exhaust, single sided swingarm, best Monster tank shape, best looking exposed frame I've seen), yet new and modern enough so that it won't break down. The torquey 2V engine was enough of a gem that Ducati still uses it 13 years later in two different models. If the Monster didn't require new timing belts every two years (easy to do) and valve inspections every 7,500 miles with frequent adjustments (not easy to do and $600 for a dealership to handle), it would be the best bike I've owned.

The 2V Ducati motor was first sold in the Pantah in about '79-'80. A lot longer than 13 years ago! Closer to 40. God I'm old! .

Alright you jerks, I took your dumb advice and now have motorcycles from two places in northern Italy. It's pretty great.

Juan1 wrote:

Alright you jerks, I took your dumb advice and now have motorcycles from two places in northern Italy.  It's pretty great.

Tremendous! Welcome to the club (from a new member)! Where in CA are you?

So you ditched the Gixxer...good move.

Good move. Welcome to the club.

Great job! What GRiSO did you end up with? I've been looking at Monsters. A carb'ed 900 is pretty cheap these days.

Thanks! A 2011 Tenni Green with 3k miles. It's getting rollerized as soon as the kit arrives.

If I may, the S2R800 is a pretty great bike. Under 4k on the used market gets you a bike that weighs under 420 pounds and has 50 ft lbs of torque. It also has a slipper clutch and fuel injection.

Juan1 wrote:

Thanks!  A 2011 Tenni Green with 3k miles.  

Wow, great find! I looked for a good Tenni GRiSO for ~6-9 months, gave up and bought a new one. Was thinking of having mine painted and get the tan seat, but then the silver/black grew on me ... but still have thoughts of making it a Tenni.

Your rollerizing it yourself?

I watched Cycletrader a few times per day for a while and found one near my parents in Texas. Got lucky.

The plan is to rollerize it myself. If kit C was needed I wouldn't have purchased the bike.

Silver and black looks pretty great, especially the way it makes the red badge and Moto Guzzi script on the wheels stand out! Nice work!

Hey Juan1, did you see the one they had in El Paso? I flew to TX and rode it back to CT on April 1st. Mine came with a surprise in the saddlebags lol (a Crocodile Dunee folding knife haha). Where did you find yours?

Hello Juan 1,
By the GRiSO,you will love it.We all do.I have the SE 8V 1200 in red & black.The bike has a few quirks,but it in no way detracts for the absolute pleasure of owning the GRiSO.

Bravo for not being stymied by the rollerization. That Tenni is a special GRiSO, resides in a soft spot for many of us!

Spruce Goose wrote:

Hey Juan1, did you see the one they had in El Paso?  I flew to TX and rode it back to CT on April 1st.  Mine came with a surprise in the saddlebags lol (a Crocodile Dunee folding knife haha).  Where did you find yours?

I did not, but nice work. Sounds like you purchased the least well-armed motorcycle in all of Texas!

Finding mine was a bit of a challenge. First I almost purchased a very low mileage 2015 in Tucson, AZ. The salesman at the dealership offered to hold the bike and give me three days to decide on the motorcycle. I enthusiastically got back to him two days later to start the sale, but he had broken his promise and sold the bike. This one came from Ft. Worth, Texas.

I've got to say, so far the GRiSO isn't perfect for me. My sweet spot has been sub 450 pound, torquey standards with 50-75 horsepower. For me that's the sweet spot for a street bike. I need to rollerize my 8V, flash a better map, get rid of the 8 year old tires, and see if the bike grows on me after a few runs through the canyons.