Minetymenace gets a GRiSO

Following a comment about introducing myself, I thought I'd post something here.  I am a little paranoid about announcing to the world what I have in my shed, just in case some miscreant relieves me of my pride and joy.

I was born at a very early age, and started riding motorcycles at 16.  I didn't get my own bike until I was 20, when I passed my test on a BSA 250 (which I still have).  I am into BSA unit singles, but with old bikes you tend to tinker more than ride.  In 2005 I bought a MkII Le Mans that had been laid up for 5 years.  Took a day to get running and is a lovely long legged machine that eats up the miles.  Apart from the Sprint fairing, it was pretty standard....not any more, from front to back the mods include; SP III forks with Maxton internals, Ducati permanent magnet alternator, electronic ignition with crank pick-up, gear driven cam, deep sump, windage plate, external oil filter, lightened flywheel, hydraulic clutch, Agostini rear-sets Magni parallelogram swingarm and gas shocks, loud Keihan SS exhaust and completely rewired with modern electrics, ash tray.  I love it to bits, ride it hard and crash it fairly regularly. The last time I crashed it, Sprint said they would not make any more fairings because of the lack of demand, I don't understand, I was having one a year, surely I'm not the only one who falls off?

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Always wanted a modern bike that I didn't have to tinker every 500 miles, liked the look of the GRiSO, so tried to part exchange the Le Mans, buy one cash etc but they go too quick.  I got lucky and picked up a 2009 rollerized Tenni for a snip.  The first bike I've had with fuel injection  (apart from Wal-Phillips) and electronic mixture control...should I play with that or leave it to someone with a computer?  Not ridden it much, but realised first time out the suspension needs attention.  Planning a trip to Sweden next summer, and possibly south of Spain, so need to get the springing sorted ( I have read all the posts).  I've been quoted an arm and a leg for Ohlins, but no-one will tell me how it is sprung, Mantis say they don't do them....really?  Nobody wants my money or I'm using the wrong deodorant or something, anyone know the name and number of someone in the UK who knows what shocks are and can spell GRiSO?  Anyway this is it:

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welcome to the Ghetto mr menace!
nice bikes!

Welcome - green ones are the best ....no easy (or cheap) answers on suspension & suspect most owners are still looking for more improvement (I am !)

Welcome to the Ghetto. The Tenni green Grisos are the prettiest, that's for sure.  I see yours even got some fancy heel protectors on it!
Re suspension: have you read the many posts about the Stelvio shock? That could be a relatively inexpensive option.

P.S.  I assume your bike is rollerised?

Minetymenace

You found a good looking GRiSO. There are quite a few threads on the site covering different ways to improve the suspension. Have a search & a read & decide how to spend your time & money. Then let us look at the pictures

Welcome Minety
we will have to meet up somewhere Crossways or Gilkes or Baffelhaus?

Jon

Pete got Hyperpro to build a shock for his latest GRiSO.
If he has written about how it performs I've missed that.
I enquired about getting a matching unit made but didn't have the readies.
This is a picture they sent presumably of Petes new shock.
If it's good enough for Pete it will do for me when I can afford one

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Welcome to the Ghetto!

Pete (Street) (The other white Pete).

evansnows wrote:

Pete got Hyperpro to build a shock for his latest GRiSO.
If he has written about how it performs I've missed that.
I enquired about getting a matching unit made but didn't have the readies.
This is a picture they sent presumably of Petes new shock.
If it's good enough for Pete it will do for me when I can afford one

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For those on a tighter budget the plan is I get my fully adjustable unit dialed in and then chat with Walter who will then use this input to spec a lower budget emulsion shock for people who don't want to spend a fortune.

As I've said before I had a full set of modernish Ohlins but decided not to use them simply because Ohlins tend to be very labour intensive and are murder on fork oil. My Sachs with Matris internals forks are excellent. As is my Matris shock, but both required work to get them to where I wanted them. In the interests of full disclosure though it should be noted that Mark's Matris set up performed brilliantly straight out of the box.

As far as the forks are concerned Showa make an excellent fork, really, first class. Unfortunately Guzzi never got them to set them up properly and they are under-sprung and grossly over damped. That can be rectified very easily though by any decent suspension tuner.

IMHO the original Sachs shock is awful and it's not worth spending money to make it less so. Just buy something else. The range of options is quite high and prices vary from 'Cheap and Nasty' to 'Behold! 'Tis carved from Unicorn ivory!'

I never cheap out on suspension. It is the best thing you can spend money on on a bike.

That's great news. Looking forward to the result.
For a long distance tourer in a country with a blanket 100 klm hr limit the best of the best is not required.
A good cost / quality compromise is what is needed.

For the OP make sure you read up and understand how the W5AM ECU and the throttlebodies work BEFORE you start mucking about with them. Failure to do this will push you into a world of expense and pain.

Maxton suspension in the UK are the answer to all your suspension prayers.

Almost every bike at the Classic TT uses them. Good enough for me.

Very expensive!

But absolutely amazing and great service.

Talk to Wilbers in Germany. They taylor shocks for any use, deliver excellent quality and are not priced like Öhlins. Have not tested them myself, but have friends who have, and are very pleased.
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Nice introduction and welcome to the GRiSO ghetto forum!

Don't worry about any viewers here pinching your beloved GRiSO. It's pretty hard to pinpoint your shed working with the most helpful clue of "England".

minetymenace wrote:

.....I was born at a very early age,

Classic line haven't heard that for years

Steak wrote:

Nice introduction and welcome to the GRiSO ghetto forum!

Don't worry about any viewers here pinching your beloved GRiSO.  It's pretty hard to pinpoint your shed working with the most helpful clue of "England".

Thanks a lot!
No worries at all

Awr, thanks guys...I might have to contact Hyperpro direct as despite linking Pete's photo, their agent said: "I’m afraid Hyperpro don’t have a confirmed fitment for the GRiSO so we won’t be able to supply a shock for it. Sorry we can’t help.".....perhaps they are awaiting Pete's feedback.....maybe I give Maxton a call (they did my Lemon front end), as I got it for a snip, I have a bit of surplus cash (I already bought a lathe with the change, but still think I can afford a shock).

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

The link is to the GRiSO Hyperpro shock

Walter wrote to me - Hi Evans , prototyping and fitting has been concluded . Pete is ready to take orders
Email Walter

He also wrote - Hi Evans , from what you are saying , the 463 would be a bit to flash for you . Cost difference is 500 to m600 A$ . If you order the same shock as Peter , he can test it here before we send yours to NZ . It would be much easier to produce two shocks at the same time . Lead times can be very long at the moment . Peter is sending me one of his shocks to check all the clearances .

Welcome to the Ghetto  
I liked that line too "born at an early age"  
I must be a freak because am not a fan of the Tenni Green and brown seats are vomit, though I like the black frames I prefer the silver ones as exposes the engineering.
I know f*ckall about the boingy boingy department insofaras could set the sag, as long as it dont spit me off I'll hang on for grim death as nothing can be as bad as a Z1000J with knackered twin shocks.
All my short time Ghetto understanding informs me is don't buy a custom fancy shock for the GRiSO (specific) unless your a litewight.The stroke is too short for lardy f*ckers regardless of the brand.
Unless of course like Pete you can get it lengthened by +10mm.
A custom Hagon (British made) with no remote could set you back £400.

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Am only awake this stupid o'clock as still sufferring nightsweats after having that pox ridden booster on Tuesday.

As likely the heaviest (fattest?) GRiSO owner here (6'2" and 330# in my birthday suit), I will tell you that I replaced the original shock with a sort-of budget aftermarket unit and so far have been quite pleased. I believe it's a GTM? I've not changed any settings since installed.

Welcome aboard mate, two nice bikes. I had a Le Mans II, originally with an Ago fairing, and loved it to bits. Of course, no comparison with the power of the GRiSO.