Greetings from Colorado Springs

Greetings everyone.  No GRiSO or other Moto Guzzi yet; I got the bug for a more classic bike to add to the stable while visiting a motorcycle museum.  After seeing a couple of meticulously restored Moto Guzzis there, I knew that was a marque I needed to know more about.  My current stable has dirt bikes and a Super Tenere so the GRiSO (because of the power and style) is the bike I'm most interested in at this point.  I've been lurking here and on the Stelvio forum on Adventure Rider to learn more about the big block bikes.

It is 14 degrees (F) and snowing here so it will be a while before I even get a test ride on a GRiSO or a V7 and the closest dealer with both of those in stock to test ride is 150 miles away.  That being said, I have a couple of questions:

The dealer I mentioned has a 2015 GRiSO in stock and I see that a number of dealers farther away have 2016 and 2017 models in stock.  Is there any difference between the 15, 16 and 17 model year GRiSO except for the color?  

If I decided to buy a bike from a more distant dealer, am I correct that a fly and ride is a bad idea?  The next closest dealer with bikes advertised is over 800 miles away; seems like droning along on the interstate for 800+ miles is a recipe for a bad break-in procedure on a new motor.

Thanks,
Alden

Welcome Arden!

No mechanical difference between the '15, '16, & '17 models. Only colour.

Re fly & ride, droning is certainly not a good idea. Is there a more circuitous route you could take, that involves 'B' roads et al? By the time you got it home it would be ready for its first service. Of course, should you have any issues along the way, it might prove to be a bad idea. Not saying you will have issues, but stranger things have happened.

Unless you really want a GRiSO Rosso, the Diavolo Nero might the better option.

My opinion is worth exactly what you paid, so take with a grain of salt.

Welcome, Alden. I agree with Beetle on the Fly and Ride idea regardless of make of bike. Have you considered renting a trailer to haul it home or even have it delivered by a transport company that specializes in such? As for the differences in the 2015 thru 2017 GRiSO's (I have a 2015 GRiSO), they are all the same. Not sure about the color options as I've only seen the red here. Last thought, I suspect that your insurance company may not know that all those years are the same bike and maybe they would cut you a better rate on the "older" model...

Beetle and NorthernProducer - Thanks for the feedback on the fly and ride.  I figured that was the case.  Many years ago, I rebuilt a car engine and then had to hit the highway to return to college the next day.  That car never really broke in properly and burned oil the rest of the time I owned it.  The shortest secondary road option turns the trip into one of a 1000 miles.  That would be a ride through a lot of very unpopulated areas; if any issues popped up, I'd be screwed.  

I've certainly considered driving down with my trailer to pick up the bike and have also looked at using a transport company.  At this point, using a transport company is probably the better option rather than spending 2-3 very long days on the interstate dragging a trailer.  Unless I can convince my wife or a buddy to join me on the adventure, I probably won't take that approach.  At the same time, it just seems wrong to buy a bike sight unseen and ridden and have it shipped to me.  

Since the bikes are all the same, an older model would be ok as long as I can find one appropriately discounted.  Some dealers have a good discount and others want the price or almost the price of a 2017 GRiSO.  No way I will spend the price of a new one, knowing that if anything happens (theft/ accident/ etc.), the insurance company will only give me blue book value.  

I am itching to get to a dealer and have a test ride but due to other commitments, it won't happen until early March.  Until then, I'll have to be satisfied with reading about everyone else's bikes.  

You should be able to pick up a new 15 or 16 for 9,000 to 9500 range. That guy in Vegas usually has some deals.

I spoke to the folks in Las Vegas.  They told me they only have the '17 model in stock any more.  The dealer in Fort Collins has a '15 model that they want $11,990 for.  If I remember the details of my blue book price search, book value on a '15 model is in the $7-8,000 range so I won't be jumping on that one any time soon.

Does anyone know if dealers can still order a 2017 model from Piaggio?  I think the dealer in Denver told me they could order a bike.  While I know it will cost me more to have them order a bike, I think I'd rather have a relationship with a "local" dealer if I have a warranty issue. And this is a bike that will be in the stable long term so it is worth a little extra $$.

ITSecurity used BikeHaul.com to get my Tenni from NJ to NV. Once they got around to picking up the bike it was out to him in 4 days. At 800 miles the cost of you getting the bike and riding/hauling it home may equal deliver costs.

Here is a cycle trader listing for GRiSO. One at AF1 in Texas looks good

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Correct bedding in of the rings can be done in as little as 50 miles.
But the long haul home would still require you to vary your speeds regularly.
Will piss off the other tourists as you pass each other 20 times an hour.

I found a couple of used GRiSO's locally and have encountered an interesting situation.  In every case, they are within the year range requiring the roller conversion and listed for $1,000 USD or more than the NADA price for that model year.  When I contact the seller to ask whether the roller conversion has been done, I either get no response (2 bikes) or no answer (1 bike) when I ask if the price is negotiable since the conversion needs to be done.  

If I do decide to buy a GRiSO after the test ride, it will definitely be a new one...

A lot of owners are ignorant (I'm talking to you, Coos), and a frightening number of dealers as well. Steer clear of anyone who isn't willing to talk about the tappets.

Yep.  A million thanks to this forum and the Stelvio thread at AdvRider for informing me about this topic.  Speaking of uninformed dealers, one of the local sellers has an ad that says "this bike was built before the tappet recall and I have a letter from dealer X certifying this fact."  Makes me question whether that dealer would be a good choice to set up a new bike...

Yep, that's the kind of ignorance that beggars belief.

I may have the opportunity to test ride a 2009 GRiSO.  How does that model year compare handling and performance wise to the 2015-2017 model years?  Are they similar enough for me to make a purchase decision on one of the newer bikes?  This bike is hours closer than a newer bike (2015) at the dealer in Fort Collins.

Performance is the relatively the same (subject to bike tune), despite hysterical reports. The 2014 and later models have a lighter clutch action. Ergo's are identical.

Awesome.  Thanks, Beetle.  Really appreciate all the help and sharing of knowledge on this.

Thought I would share this.   As I mentioned earlier, I got interested in a vintage/ retro bike after visiting a motorcycle museum and seeing a bunch of meticulously restored bikes.  The two bikes I was interested in were a Moto Guzzi or a Triumph Thruxton.  Now I know I really have the MG bug; I was at the local Beta dealer picking up a recall part for my wife's bike and they have a 2013 Triumph Thruxton on the showroom floor for $5400 with only 2800 miles.  It is a beautiful bike but I didn't even want to take it for a test ride.  LOL

If you buy at Ft Collins, ride it home. I was in Co. 2016 and spent a week not riding the same road twice and very little use on Interstate.

I am out of ideas for seeing a GRiSO "in the flesh."  The '09 bike I thought I could get a look at is no longer available.  The dealer in Denver does not have one in stock and the dealer in Fort Collins went out of business; the owner told me all their inventory was picked up and is being sold at dealer auction.  He has no idea where those bikes will end up.  At this point, the closest GRiSO is about 850 miles away in Austin, TX.  

Anyone have an idea/ recommendation for the bike closest to the GRiSO in seating position and ergos?

You could try this to find a similar bike and get an idea of similar fit.

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Cheers,

Angus.

FrontRangeRider wrote:

I may have the opportunity to test ride a 2009 GRiSO.  How does that model year compare handling and performance wise to the 2015-2017 model years?  Are they similar enough for me to make a purchase decision on one of the newer bikes?  This bike is hours closer than a newer bike (2015) at the dealer in Fort Collins.

2009 was the best year

i own a 2009 model, my comment above is shurly not related!

Welcome aboard. The tappet issue is realy the only thing to consider, but its easy to check its been done and then you can look at a wider choice of rides.

Its interesting about the fly ride informarion, i would have considered it, but ridden home the long way :-)

anguscameron1966 wrote:

You could try this to find a similar bike and get an idea of similar fit.

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Cheers,

Angus.

Angus,
This is brilliant.  Looks like the V7 Racer is very close in seating position except for a tighter hip angle on the GRiSO.  Also close to the used Triumph Thruxton at a local dealer except the Triumph has 6 degrees more forward lean.  
Thanks very much!
Alden

What year is the Thruxton?
If it's the 900, don't bother. You'll be bored to death and the suspension/brakes are the cheap low entry level.

FrontRangeRider wrote:

Looks like the V7 Racer is very close in seating position except for a tighter hip angle on the GRiSO.  

Having ridden a V7 Racer (a lot), I can tell you that sitting on one isn't even remotely close to being like sitting on a GRiSO.

beetle wrote:

FrontRangeRider wrote:

Looks like the V7 Racer is very close in seating position except for a tighter hip angle on the GRiSO.  

Having ridden a V7 Racer (a lot), I can tell you that sitting on one isn't even remotely close to being like sitting on a GRiSO.

Darn, Beetle.  That definitely rained on my parade.  LOL.  She Who Must Be Obeyed has made it clear that "you aren't flying or driving to Austin to sit on and test ride a bike that you may not even buy."  I explained that I had purchased many bikes without a test ride so she's good with me buying a GRiSO if I can sit on something that is similar enough to know the seating position works for my back. Can you suggest any bike that is similar in seating position to the GRiSO?