Missing Features

Anyone bothered by the lack of engine temp gauges or perhaps a gear indicator?

Love the bike. Just seems strange in this modern time to be missing items like that.

Never missed what I don't have, and always loved a good mystery!

Sure there's plenty of after market gizmo's available tho.

I'd think that they don't have an engine temperature guage because being air/oil cooled the temperature indicated would fluctuate wildly in different conditions and a lot of people who are used to dead stable engine temperatures indicated by thermostatically controlled coolant sensors on 'Water' cooled engines would shit themselves lavishly and with gusto if they saw the huge swings and changes in oil temperature at different speeds, loads and in varying weather conditions! I'm certain that if temperature was shown on the dash I'd never get off the phone explaining to people that it was perfectly normal for the engine temperature to vary by up to fifty degrees on a regular basis.

And then there would be the belligerent tin-foil hatists who would accuse me of deliberately trying to mislead them so when they broke their motorbikes by doing something stupid they'd say it was all my fault and I should buy them a new one! Yes, these people are out there!

Pete

PS. It has a gear indicator. It's your left toe. When you try to lift the lever and there isn't another gear you know you're in top. All the other gears you know when to change up because the engine goes 'Blurp-Blurp-Blurp!'

Solid input Pete, very helpful. Was not aware you could use the gear lever in such a manner. Usually spend my time simply guessing what gear I'm in.

Temp gauge on my air/oil cooled R12GS seems to be quite stable.

I am not sure about motorcycles but I think most car water temperature gauge in the dashboard lie, for the same reason Pete mentioned.

The gauge probably has a designed (manipulated) respond curve that moves the pointer very quickly to the optimum temperature spot on the gauge face and stay there. A +/- 10 degree Celsius (maybe more) in temperature variation won't move the pointer by a hair.

Reminds me of when the SR/XT/TT 500 came out from Yamahahaha - they put in a little window so you didn't have to "feel" where TDC was. A lot of the "modern gadgetry" is just that, gadgetry.

Getting back to feel - we feel when we ride Guzzis, that's why we like them. These things detract from the pleasure of riding - go ride!

Agreed, a gear indicator would be an excellent addition to the GRiSO as would a fuel gage. I could do with out the trip computer however. Luddites start your engines.......

I installed a gear indicator on the G1100 cause the wife wanted one too badly.
Been 3 years and it works fine.
As for myself I rely on the RPM... in 6th gear, 3000rpm=52mph: 4000rpm=70mph: 5000rpm=90mph
If those numbers don't match, then I know I'm not in 6th gear.

Even better - kick the beast using the kickstart...

I would be ok having a oil temp gauge , but gear indicators are pig spoor ...if you need one, somethings not really right of your left ...

Keener

Oz1200Guzzi wrote:

Even better - kick the beast using the kickstart...

All street bikes should have kick starter. IMHO.

I do like my fuel economy reading. Missing a fuel gauge doesn't bother me at all. I reset my trip meter every time I fill up.

DM

Bought my first Guzzi 40 years ago, a 1971 V7 Special.
It didn't have a kickstart, just a monster of a starter, a v belt in the front running a generator and a moaning shaft drive. Nothing fancy about that bike, but it proceeded when needed and stopped when prompted, albeit casually. Honda 4 front end fixed that!
No fuel gauge, no gear shift indicator, no oil temperature gauge.

I remember crashing into a fence strung across a dead end road, holed the tappet cover and busted the spark plug off. Bit of a prick, late at night when a bloke is pissed.
Walked to a service station on the Hume Hwy, bought a sponge and a Champion CJ8 spark plug (to suit a 2 stroke lawn mower).
Stuffed the sponge in the tappet cover and fitted the CJ8. Rode it 20 miles home, no problem.

Ran that plug until there was no centre electrode remaining, a good couple of months until it no longer fired.
Burglars and Stealers (Burling and Simmons) wouldn't sell me a tappet cover, they didn't approve of the cut of my jib. Stiff shit. I wrote to Ted Stolarski in WA, he sold me a cover. Good folk. The sponge did the business with the odd wringing out and changing position for a month.

Who needs this modern fandango stuff?
But I do like the fuel economy indicator and the electronic tacho. The old Vague Liar never responded accurately, ever.
The electric leg still does the job.

I like that story Richo.

me too!

GRiSO missing, I hear from owners:

-ABS
-fuel tank size.

The only thing I wish GRiSO has is radial brake and clutch master cylinders from the factory.

pauldaytona wrote:

GRiSO missing, I hear from owners:

-ABS
-fuel tank size.

Good point. ABS would be welcome too.

Oh for fucks sake. Don't get me started.

Want ABS? Traction control? Fancy instruments? Chrome plated nipples? Big fuel tank?

Go and buy a Stelvio.

Gear indicator? I never have a clue in which one I am. When I'm not happy I just shift, until it doesn't go more. An indicator won't help.

beetle wrote:

Oh for fucks sake. Don't get me started.

Too late for that.

Yes and while we are at it lets go back to manual petcocks, manual spark advance/retard, 6 volt electrical systems and maybe even Lucas electrics and Monoblocs. My first real bike was a 1963 Norton Atlas, the one with the 12 volt ignition system and I still carry  scars on my ankle from trying to kick start that bitch. I ain't going back there. Many here seem to think that a lack certain options is somehow a manly badge that sets you apart from the mainstream pussies. The motorcycles most of you grew up riding were already as feature rich and reliable as mainstream automobiles, unless you are as old/older than me, 66 by the way. So rage against the technology all you want but the argument is moot. Technology sells bikes.

beetle wrote:

Oh for fucks sake. Don't get me started.

Want ABS? Traction control? Fancy instruments? Chrome plated nipples? Big fuel tank?

Go and buy a Stelvio.

Yep, pretty much.
Also sometimes you have to put the bike sideways to re-direct your line in a "Oh shit!" moment when someone cut you off... Happened to me more than once.
If you have ABS, you're fucked in that scenario mkayyyyy.. So no ABS for me!

pauldaytona wrote:

Gear indicator? I never have a clue in which one I am. When I'm not happy I just shift, until it doesn't go more. An indicator won't help.  

Thank Goodness I'm not the only one.
(it's got enough torque - just up shift until it won't shift no more)

And I have to give thanks to Phang for reminding me of what I want on my GRiSO.

DM

I'm not against technology, but if you whining sooks are carrying on about the a GRiSO lacking features, why the fuck did you buy it?

You bought as is. Suck it up or fuck off.

The GRiSO has attributes that far outweigh the missing features. But the features are still missing. The shame is that Guzzi could very easily rectify the situation, as all of these features already exist on other bikes in the current lineup. Face it: GRiSO "development" at the factory level stalled years ago... Why?