Another one off to a new life....

So today Richard, the new owner, flew up from Tasmania for a 'Fly and Ride'.

He'd asked me to go and inspect it, a 30,000km 2008-1200 8V. In fact it is a contemporary of my 'Yellow Bike' but a lot, lot lower Kms. Must of been a really early one. May of even come over in the same crate as it didn't have the injector protectors so it had to be a real early one!

Yes it needed 'The Treatment' but given its age it wasn't the least bit problematic. Yes, it needed rollerising but the swingarm bearings and shock linkage were OK because it had never been ridden in the rain. Sump spacer gasket was done *Because* and it needed breather hoses and drain hoses and shit.

New brake pads, fork overhaul and re-valve, full service and tune, map etc.

Initial reports say new owner loves it. I hope that continues.

Looks just like Yellow Bike in 2009 apart from the frame wrap, headlight and binacle.

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I like it.

I liked it too.

Nice...should have many hours of fun with that one.

I do like the white ones

So it was local?
I've never seen it around.

I like the white ones too. If I ever have to repaint my GRiSO (let's hope not), I think I'll go that route (leave the flashy colors to Pete and Mark).

When I bought my GRiSO, I had the choice of Black, White, or Tenni. I often regret not getting the white one.

No, it came from Sydney. Alan, the prior owner, is basically a Triumph man but explained that outside his perverse fascination with Pommy bikes he has owned and ridden a myriad of brands but the looks of the GRiSO attracted his attention. He bought it new in 2008 and it, luckily, had had very little in the way of real servicing in its 30,000 Km. It had the tappet 'Upgrade' performed and had had the 68S map put in it at some point but it had never had its TB's balanced properly I don't think and both air bleeds were wide open.

Only being taken out in good weather meant that it's swingarm and shock linkage bearings just needed packing rather than replacing, it's forks needed rebuilding as the seals were shot but they got re-valved as well. It has LED indicators and the frame rails, instrument binnacle and headlight shell have been wrapped black but other than that it's a stock GRiSO in very good condition.

We gave it the full 'Treatment', 'C' kit equivalent, swingarm and shock linkage service, sump spacer gasket, loctited the pinion nut of the bevelbox, mapped it and gave it a full service tune, fitted airbox drain hoses, (They were missing.) and heated grips and replaced various perished rubber bits and it now feels like a considerably better than 'Brand New' GRiSO! It cost Richard $9K and all the work and parts we supplied came to $5K (Australian of course.). While that might seem like a lot the prices of Grisos in Oz are definitely on the rise and while you might be able to pick up a rollerised 8V for $12K if you're lucky it'll be higher mileage, usually scruffier and won't of had any of the CARC bike 'Elephants in the room' addressed and will quite likely need something expensive like new throttlebodies!

I think Richard got a good deal and Alan got a fair price so I think everyone is pretty happy.

Do you have a yellow one? My understanding is that they are quite rare!

Here is a picture of mine

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I had a yellow 1100 I bought new in 2006 but sold it when the 8V was released in 2008. What is now my yellow bike started off white, then went green and then last year it went yellow as the green was getting a bit shabby after 14 years.

I've always liked bright colours and loved the Yellow of the 1100. Yes, you're right, the yellow ones are quite rare, at least in Oz. I was a service agent when the CARC bikes were launched and got one of the first 1100 Grisos in the country. It is my understanding that only two batches of yellow ones were imported so a total of six bikes in all. If I'm right about that, (And I could easily be mistaken.) that would make yours rare need as I know at least one yellow one was written off in about 2009 so yours might be one of five or fewer left in circulation, unless of course there are other ones that have been repainted.

Back in the mists of time! These are I think the only pics I've got of my 1100.

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Thanks for the info - mine is new to me this year as company for an ST4S. I live in SA and I don’t see anyone here who can look after my GRiSO for me here unless you know of someone?

SA is a bit of a wasteland and the supposedly 'Good' mechanic who worked on the 1200 Sport we just had in from Robe managed to utterly fuck everything he touched! No idea who he is/was but it was a (Costly, for both me and the customer.) disaster.

I'm going to be taking that one back to Robe next week and picking up an 8V GRiSO in Adelaide I'm bringing back here for rollerisation. The plan is to trailer them, one each way, but if you wanted me to pick your new purchase up and bring it over here for 'The Treatment' I could rent a van instead and split the costs between you and the other bloke. Being an 1100 there are no tappet issues with yours but it will definitely need its swingarm bearings and shock linkages looking at, maybe steering head bearings at this age. We can also Loctite the pinion nut in the bevelbox, service, tune and map it for you as well as checking for errant and missing hoses and the like which are sudden death to throttlebodies! The brake and clutch fluid likely hasn't been done in living memory!

Once it's had a proper tune up it should be good for years with just valve lash adjustments and oil changes. Doing the Brake and clutch fluids yearly is vital but most other things can simply be done on a 10,000km schedule. How many kms a year are you expecting to ride?

Anyway, if you want to discuss it gimme a call.

Oh four one seven, four six two, four four oh.

What year is it 2006? I'm assuming so. If so it might need to have the big bearing checked in the bevelbox as well. There was a recall on that.

Thanks - I will text you tonight to see when is convenient to talk.
Oh four five eight eight oh nine triple eight
Thanks!