My 1500mi ride on a 2013 GRiSO

Hey everyone. I sold my v7 Classic in 2021 and immediately bought a GRiSO. I've been using it for local rides for a few years and just decided to take my first long-distance ride.

I live in the Chicago area and rode north to the UP and then east through Canada before riding south through NY to the Catskills, where I visited my son in college. It was an epic trip.

While planning, I made some really smart choices that I want to share.

First, luggage. I have owned a 30L Kriega dry bag for a few years, so that was my main storage item. But I knew it wouldn't be enough, so I purchased two Rhino Walk 10L bags, which attached perfectly to the modular Kriega. I was originally going to purchase two Kriega bags but they're so expensive and Rhino Walk is a well-made Chinese knockoff of the Kriega. It worked perfectly.

I also brought my Astro air compressor/tire inflator, which was a good call. Even though I just replaced my tires a few months ago, there seems to be a slow leak through the rear valve, so I had to add a little air to the rear tire every morning.

I also brought my SPOT device, which can be used in case of emergency. Fortunately, I never had to use it.

Here is a link to a more thorough article on the experience.

Below are some pics from the ride. I hope everyone enjoys these.

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Good stuff rothbard!

Great pictures!

October/November offer some of the best times, I think, for moto travel.

Yeah, the GRiSO can be a good travel companion.
I run a similar loading on longer trips, with the addition of a tank bag and a couple soft panniers.
As of late I've been trying to get by with less on the road.
Leaving the tent, sleeping bag and pad helps to that goal.
The offset being an increased hotel bill. No Guzzi content there.

Waiting for the ferry across Lake Michigan on the way to the Wisconsin Rally a couple years ago.

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Fun times.

I actually took my last bike, the v7 Classic, on that ferry a few years ago. It's a nice way to avoid riding through the southern part of Lake Michigan!

Nice. Had to be a beautiful trip. Except for that last leg across northern Indiana....

Do you have the stock ergos on the GRiSO? Lowering pegs? handlebar risers? How tall are ya?

I did a 700 mile weekend this summer on my GRiSO. Nothing like Ratso or Kindoy who cross continents on their's. I'm a Ventura guy, but your setup looks solid.

I have stock pegs and stock handlebars. I'm 5'10"

Oh, and I haven't ridden through Indiana. Yet. The bike is currently in storage in NJ, and I'll be riding it back in the spring. And yes, through Indiana.

rothbard wrote:

I have stock pegs and stock handlebars. I'm 5'10"

Oh, and I haven't ridden through Indiana. Yet. The bike is currently in storage in NJ, and I'll be riding it back in the spring. And yes, through Indiana.

got it. Well, west of Cleveland until you get to Gary (and the congestion demands your attention) is coma inducing, even if you get off the slab. There's no better way home, except the way you already rode (I lived in Chicago for 28 years)

I'm 6'00" and find the stock ergos to my liking, although many, it seems, do not.

Nice bike and good luck on the return trip.

I'm dreading the return trip. Sigh.

Why not just return the way you came? Looks awesome!

Pete (Street)

Street wrote:

Why not just return the way you came? Looks awesome!

Pete (Street)

Not a bad idea! I need to decide whether I can take the time off in 2025 for a longer solo ride or not. However, if I can get back to Chicago in three days, I'll be able to take a second solo trip in 2025, so I'm considering that.

If I do another longer ride, it probably won't be on my GRiSO. I'll probably fly somewhere and rent something.

I don't know what your daily saddle time limit is on the GRiSO, or what part of Jersey you're in, but a southern run could take you through West Virginia, south of the Ohio River through Kentucky to Louisville.

Both Louisville and Cleveland are roughly 6 hours by slab from Chicago, with better off slab options coming from Kentucky. Even then, your last 4 hours are slab. But the WVA/Kentucky loop would be sublime.

Princeton (Central NJ) to the Publican in Fulton Market, one of my faves.

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This is why I love the motorcycle community. My bike is in northern NJ, but only 90 minutes from Princeton. This ride looks stellar.

Oh, and I haven't been to the Publican in a few years, so this is a good reminder to go back!

Thanks so much

I can vouch for the route through KY. I live just west of Cincinnati, and the roads through KY and southern IN are pretty dang good.

Wow what an epic trip! Nice pics too!

Hey everyone - here's a link to an article I wrote on the experience. There's much more info here, including a GPX file, where I ate, where I stayed, all my gear, and just some other general info.

Enjoy!

Excellent write-up, Austin, thanks for posting!

Pete (Street)

Thank you for sharing and the very well written article.

Looks like you had a dry journey.

Yes you can travel with GRiSO

Very nice article, I enjoy these types of trips and have done very long rides on my 2013 as well. Just an FYI on luggage, I am not sure if you know of the Hepco & Becker XCore Side Cases. They are a nice hard bag option. Here are a couple photos of them from my riding in the Peoria IL. area for the eclipse this past summer 2024. I am in North Aurora IL. if you ever want to ride together. I may have met you at the Wisconsin Rally in the past.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Those cases look amazing. I didn't want to get any hard cases because I don't have a stock exhaust, and was concerned about the bags interfering with the exhaust. But looking at your pics it looks like you have the same Agostini exhaust that I have!

I'd love to ride together one day. Let's connect in the spring once I have my bike back in the Midwest.

These cases look beautiful. Can you tell us more about these?

Jacco

When my daughter was at Cornell we visited her and she dragged us off to the Chapter House. What I couldn’t understand was it was a three storey pub and had about three fucking toilets! That’s for both boys and girls! No wonder someone burnt the fucker down!

I was there for business school in 1998-2000, and I have no memory of only three bathrooms! But the place was so cool and I was sad it was gone.

Random sidenote: I went through a weird pipe-smoking phase and would smoke a pipe once a month or so, and I remember smoking a pipe in the Chapter House (no I didn't burn it down!). It's crazy to think that smoking in bars was a thing back then.

Nice article! well Done.

Another wonderful luggage option for the GRiSO is the Ventura system. Doesn't care about your exhaust.
Uses the bolt holes for the under seat bungee posts...two thrumbscrews for tool-less removal at a destination.

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