GRiSO v. Stelvio

At the risk of being vanquished from this esteemed group, I'm considering trading my GRiSO for a Stelvio. The bike I'm considering is a 2013 with a GPR silencer and a "performance" map. For all I know, it may be a Beetle map, which the dealer should know.

So, do the GRiSO and Stelvio use the same maps? And should there be the same performance between the two, allowing for the additional weight of the Stelvio?

Also, I have an aftermarket rear shock on the GRiSO, sprung and valved for an old fat guy, and would like to swap it to the Stelvio, if that's possible. Yay or Nay?

Big tank Stelvio's have different software in the ECU due to the dual lambdas. So no, GRiSO maps are not compatible.

The Stelvio shock is longer than the stock GRiSO unit. If your aftermarket shock has adjustable length, you might be OK.

We like Fat GRiSO's here too. You will not be ostracised.

That one at Cadre? Looks like a nice one.

sideshowbob wrote:

That one at Cadre? Looks like a nice one.

Yep. I called Enzo and talked about a swap. I bought my GRiSO from him. The Stelvio will have to ride/handle awfully well for me to do the trade. I'm pretty addicted to that GRiSO Grunt.

rick pope wrote:

sideshowbob wrote:

That one at Cadre? Looks like a nice one.

Yep.  I called Enzo and talked about a swap.  I bought my GRiSO from him.  The Stelvio will have to ride/handle awfully well for me to do the trade.  I'm pretty addicted to that GRiSO Grunt.

You'll be keeping the GRiSO but have an irresistible urge to ALSO own the stelvio.

The Stelvio makes you do silly things. The motor tricks you into thinking it's a sports cruiser on the road, the ergos trick you into going places where picking up / pushing a stelvio isn't easy...and then the fun really begins. Just before she tries to kill you.

I miss mine, but I'm not silly enough to buy another. Yet.

In order to buy the Stelvio and keep the GRiSO, I'd need to sell some other bikes. But honestly, I should "thin the herd" as my wife says. I let the CBX go, and the Blackbird, Henderson, CB125, and Honda Rally 90 should go as well. At my age, I should be downsizing so the kids won't need to get rid of it all. Besides, I can turn bikes into travelling funds.

PDandy wrote:

The Stelvio makes you do silly things. The motor tricks you into thinking it's a sports cruiser on the road, the ergos trick you into going places where picking up / pushing a stelvio isn't easy...and then the fun really begins. Just before she tries to kill you.

I miss mine, but I'm not silly enough to buy another. Yet.

That is exactly my experience was well. I owned a Stelvio for a few years. It is a fantastic bike, and I really wanted to like it but, next to the above, I also thought its weight was not helping. It is a really FAT GRiSO... and that fat is especially noticeable when manoeuvring it around in a garage and, more disconcerting, riding it with a full tank: I felt it was very top-heavy. And to my surprise, and despite this weight, it is really sensitive to upcoming giant logging trucks (common in my area of the world). Perhaps that was also due to the otherwise perfect windscreen?  My old GRiSO eats those logging trucks for lunch.

I want a Stelvio too.  I test road a 2013 that was set up nice.  Great ride. Loved it. Problem. Seat height is to tall for my 28 inch inseam. So took a 400 mile ride to Reno to test ride the NEW Stelvio.  Oh boy is it really nice. Loved it even more.  Only 5.5 Gallon tank. Much better weight and great ergos.  

OOPPSS !  Same problem for me.  Just way to tall. Double Bummer !

The Stelvio actually weighs more than a GRiSO. Good looking bikes but FWIW..I talked with 2 different 2025 Stelvio owners ( funny I was actually on Stelvio in Italy at the time ) this summer who were both disappointed and complained that it had poor brakes in the tight downhill switch backs...

Stelvio powerplant is identical to GRiSO apart from the exhaust and, in the case of the small tank models, the airbox. Performance is likewise almost identical. Originally when they had flat tappets there were, (From memory, I did graph them all at one point.) minor cam differences in terms of timing but not lift but all roller cams are identical.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Stelvio but in the end I realised I’m not really an ‘Adventure’ bike person. I prefer a more road orientated machine. They are big and heavy as well. That wasn’t a problem five years ago, now with my failing health and waning strength it is a much bigger issue.

So, after sifting through all this, I'm less inclined to make the trade. The main reason to trade would be to get more leg room, as my right knee has been bothering me. At 70 years young, the weight and height of a Stelvio doesn't bother me, but it likely would in the future.

I have KD 1" lowered pegs, Stelvio handlebars, Sargent seat, and aftermarket shock. Other than the knee issue, the GRiSO is a perfect fit for me.

If I really want to do a bit of off road or bad road riding, I can just buy a tattered old Kawasaki KLR and not feel bad when it falls over.

rick pope wrote:

So, after sifting through all this, I'm less inclined to make the trade.  The main reason to trade would be to get more leg room, as my right knee has been bothering me.  At 70 years young, the weight and height of a Stelvio doesn't bother me, but it likely would in the future.

I have KD 1" lowered pegs, Stelvio handlebars, Sargent seat, and aftermarket shock.  Other than the knee issue, the GRiSO is a perfect fit for me.

If I really want to do a bit of off road or bad road riding, I can just buy a tattered old Kawasaki KLR and not feel bad when it falls over.

I'll say this, I had a chance to A/B my GRiSO and a '13 Stelvio, same road, same day. Twisty Kentucky. That ADV position is nice. Definately easy on the neck/shoulders and knees. Your knees would like it. The weight issue is real. Feels very different. Can't say better, one mans treasure is another mans trash. If I had a major trip planned, it would appeal to me. I'm lucky to patch together a 1000 mile weekend a couple times a year. I find when I do, I like having my naked GRiSO, and it'll carry enough to make such weekends manageable.

The Stelvio is a 100 mph lounge chair compared to the GRiSO. If I were the type to ride for days across the wilds I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one. I really can’t justify owning one.

For perspective, I AM an adv rider- this shares shed space with my GRiSO

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Back when I owned a stelvio, v11 lemans, and ktm 640 adv I would ride the stelvio in preference to the other two. It was the bike you want to be riding when you decide to start considering another couple of hours after a 1000 km day. It's also a surprisingly capable bike off road in the right hands - it jumps and power slides reasonably, can tractor up hills no sensible person would consider pointing it at, and could keep up with a ktm 950 being ridden by an equally stupid dirt rider through tight dirt bike trails.

But it's a stupid bike.

Every time I landed from a jump I was worried the carc would snap.
Every time I came sliding into a corner at silly speeds I'd be worried that I had left the abs on
And then there was that tim she landed on top of me and I scored a helicopter flight to hospital.

One day, I'm going to be really silly and buy another one, or perhaps a stornello, or v85. Can someone please remind me how stupid they are.

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Stupid bike.....but life is short....