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Griso 8V SE or Multistrada 1200S Touring

G

GuzziVA

Just got it firing!
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
12
Alright, here I am again, two years into a new moto and ready to move on, seems to be my style, but I believe I'm ready to settle down. Here's my problem: I was very into the Griso 1200 8V a couple of years ago, but was turned off by the the negative info regarding dependability, tappets and so forth, which I was reading about on this site. I went with the Ducati Monster 1100S, put a ton of upgrades into it (5K worth), but frankly, I can't put much more than an hour in the saddle before I'm having a back problem..... (ok, I'm not 35 yoa). So I'm looking around again, this time for a Ducati Multistrada 1200S which costs about 20K, or a Griso that I can make a project bike. I don't do many long trips, mostly around the hills close to home, but my Harley friends would like to go on longer trips, which I'm sure the MTS 1200 could handle, but not so sure about the Griso. Additionally, the dealer network for MG is very slim, although in some areas Ducati is not much better. I just can't get over the looks of the Griso 1200, it's beautiful. Thoughts?
 
The griso has kind of a small tank but that just means more stops or carrying some fuel bottles with you. Maybe that new stelvio? Not as good looking as the griso though. I like that new multistrada too. Too bad it's not a shaftie. I bet maintenance costs would be a bit more on the ducati as well.
 
grimace said:
The griso has kind of a small tank but that just means more stops or carrying some fuel bottles with you. Maybe that new stelvio? Not as good looking as the griso though. I like that new multistrada too. Too bad it's not a shaftie. I bet maintenance costs would be a bit more on the ducati as well.
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The Multistrada looks like a very capable motorcycle and I am sure it would be an appropriate bike for your purposes, but given a choice between the MTS and the Stelvio, I would pick the Stelvio hands down, especially now that it has a 32 litre fuel tank. I agree with grimace - too bad the MTS isn't a shaftie. I have had some excellent trips on my 2009 Stelvio. I absolutely love it!

Bruce
 
In defense of my 8v Griso, I can ride 150+ miles with no back problems or uncomfort, usually a gas fill up at 130 miles to stretch it out anyways. If your HD pals usually ride longer before fill ups thats something to think about. Also, the Griso and the Multistrada will both put the HD's to shame on all roads, I own a Fatboy as well. The Griso is much smaller, so take your height into account, that Strada is for tall boys. But if you have the $, that bike is supposed to do everything and do it all better than anything else. Good luck man.
 
Objectively, I can see that the Multistrada is a faster, better handling bike than any Guzzi. But, I'd never buy the bike myself. It just leaves me cold, it may have Ducati written on the tank, but where is the soul, where is the flair, where is the individuality?

I've got a Griso 8V SE, I can open the garage door, look at it and smile and be chuffed to bits I own it. Can't ever see that happening to me if I had a Multistrada.

Want a great, sterile all round functioning bike to ride, buy any large Jap 4 or spend a shed load more on a Multistrada. Wan't a bike to ride and feel some involvement and kinship with get the Guzzi.

It's the only way to compare the bikes, on paper the Multstrada will do so much more, but we ride and we feel, we don't read and just want this year's latest and greatest.
 
Here's what you need to do... Forget the Multistrada and pick up a left over Kawasaki Concours 14 to do longer rides. Get a Concours 09 for about $10,000 with a three year warranty standard on a new bike. Then go put a deposit on the 8V Griso and for the cost of the Ducati and a few farkles you can have two bikes and do anything. The Guzzi and Concours live very well together, I have both and can't be happier although I have the Griso 1100...

The Duc is a nice enough bike I suppose, not much in love with it's looks. I would rather get a new Triumph Tiger 800 and a Griso if I wanted something for off road, in fact I wouldn't mind getting the Triumph myself... :idea:

Vivo
 
Brilliant suggestion on the Concours 14. I sold a 98 Concours a few years after getting the Griso and have regretted it ever since.
 
Joe Bar said:
Objectively, I can see that the Multistrada is a faster, better handling bike than any Guzzi. But, I'd never buy the bike myself. It just leaves me cold, it may have Ducati written on the tank, but where is the soul, where is the flair, where is the individuality?

I've got a Griso 8V SE, I can open the garage door, look at it and smile and be chuffed to bits I own it. Can't ever see that happening to me if I had a Multistrada.

Want a great, sterile all round functioning bike to ride, buy any large Jap 4 or spend a shed load more on a Multistrada. Wan't a bike to ride and feel some involvement and kinship with get the Guzzi.

It's the only way to compare the bikes, on paper the Multstrada will do so much more, but we ride and we feel, we don't read and just want this year's latest and greatest.
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Well put. I could not agree more.
Now, if the Ducati stirs your soul go for it but most Ducatis don't do much for me and the Multistrada is actually repulsive to me. Some of me aversion to Ducatis can be put down to having raced (and pushed) Ducatis a lot. But the Multistrada is beyond normal Ducatis, it is a bike that only a special person can love.
I like the idea of getting two bikes for the cost of the Multitarda, but I would go with a Griso and probably a Triumph like the Street Triple.

Oh, and I have no issues touring for days on my Griso with the small screen and a set of throw over soft bags.
 
cog2803 said:
Brilliant suggestion on the Concours 14. I sold a 98 Concours a few years after getting the Griso and have regretted it ever since.
Click to expand...

+2 on the Concours. I had a '99 Connie and sold it in 2008. It was a great bike, and continues to do yeoman service for the new owner.

Bruce
 
+3 on the Kwai Concours idea, however may I throw out a respectful alternative that may be a little more sporting? An early Honda st 1100 :) Having just acquired one with a relatively low mileage of 32K, its making a brilliant alternative to my Griso. A polar opposite in every way. which me thinks -makes an interesting stable mate.

Merry Christmas all
 
As many people have found out you can tour on anything if you have the will.
The Multistrada sure looks trick and has all of the latest innovations so that would be interesting to play with but it is way to tall for a shortarse like me and it doesn't have a shaft which I reckon is a necessity.
I regularly get 280 km (170+miles) per tank on my Griso but if you want to be an iron man you should get a Mk iii Le Mans with its 25 litre tank I used to get nearly 500 km but that was years ago when I had buns of steel (you needed them).
I like the quirky looks of the Ducati but but I'm not in love with it like my Griso and I don't think that whenever I open the garage door I would get the little smile that comes to my face every time I catch a glimpse of my Griso.
In hindsight, don't listen to me as I am a bit biased.
At least if you do get a Griso you won't be riding the same thing that everyone else has and people will want to ask you questions about it. It is fun having something different to the crowd.
Also if it breaks, you will in most instances be able to fix it without a plethora of electronic engineers.
Good luck with your choice.

Mark
 
Yeah the Griso's tank is small. Yeah there's not a lot of luggage options without making it look kinda ugly. But I wholeheartedly agree with if you have the will you can tour on almost anything. I've toured on my griso and fuel stops just take some pre-planning, and/or a gps to find a nearest station.

I toured (1600 mile trip, 800 mile trip, 1000 mile trip) with a medium-sized backpack strapped to the passenger seat, the large MG tankbag, and a camelback with tools and water; it was a tight fit but it worked ok. These days with a decent smartphone, a gps is almost redundant since most smartphones have that and maps built in now.

Would the multi be better for touring, sure if you need the luggage space and want a windshield that doesn't make the bike look corny. But it can be done with either. Personally I liked riding the 8v to tour on, and it was perfect for the Colorado mountains where there wasn't a lot of 70+ mph solid stretches. I did take it across the great plains and it did well but the wind beat me up after 500-600 miles (though I didn't mind, I'm younger so I have the energy I guess).
 
I vote for a sport touring rig for the long hauls and a Griso for everything else.

I have a Yamaha FJR and am looking into a griso myself to replace my buell as a hooligan. No one bike does everything great, but two comes close!
 
If the likes of Daniel Kalal can say that he'd rather tour on a Griso than anything else in the Guzzi line-up currently I think it tells you something. Daniel travels BIG distances and on his last trip Down Under took my 8VG a long way up north, in a heat wave, covering some major tracts of the inland west of the dividing range. Yes, fuel is something you have to be aware of but I, like Mark, get 20Km per litre as long as I'm not thrashing it giving a 300km range. Get up it and the numbers tumble, but really? Where in this day and age can you regularly ride in excess of 160KPH and keep your licence?

The Deadcat, like any of 'em, leaves me cold. I still think the Griso is one of the best looking and most *individual* bikes currently on the market. I wouldn't swap mine for quids! That isn't to say its for everyone but to my mind at least its many times the bike the Ducati is.

pete
 
In my eyes that Duc is just plain UGLY..... and ya gotta lube and anjust the chain. :lol: :lol:
Chain drive is OK but not what I want on a touring bike, make it belt drive or shaft drive please.
 
All,

Thanks for the many thoughts on this issue. I do like the two bikes scenario, but garage space is a bit tight. I have been leaning more towards the Griso 8V, maybe one of the SE's in Rosso Mandello. BTW, I did test ride an 1100 Griso a couple of years ago, but didn't get a good feel for the acceleration and handling since the wind was blowing at about 30 mph.. Are the performance/torque feel somewhat comparable to the Ducati M1100? I'm somewhat addicted to the pull on the Ducati, wondering if the the Griso 8V is close.... (I realize that the M1100 is a very small, light weight bike in comparison, it only weighs around 370lbs) Are there any changes for the 2011 model?

Thanks again.
 
I owned a '91 900SS back in that era, and the new DS 2V motors are quite impressive stock, so I have a good feel for what you're referring to. I'd say give up trying to make a comparison and just go ride a 8V. The motor in stock trim will give you a good taste, and unlike the 1100 2V pushrod engine, the 8V offers good grunt below 5500 RPM and will rival the M1100 above. I've learned to value weight for a road bike. No major changes for '11 that have been announced.
 
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