Below is the Moto Guzzi press release regarding the new Griso 1100 — a stunning concept that has been brought to production in just a couple of years. Follow this link to Moto Guzzi’s UK Griso home page for additional photos and all the details. Here is Guzzi’s press release on this shaft driven, 1100cc v-twin machine.
The definitive Griso 1100 is here at last and is clearly refusing to be slot neatly into any conventional category.
As befits the latest heir to Moto Guzzi’s unique motorcycling traditions, the Griso 1100 embodies innovative technical solutions and bold styling.
No compromise has been made in turning the original concept into reality around the magnificent new V-Twin engine. And like the concept, the reality of the Griso is guaranteed to amaze and to offer a unique riding experience.
A UNIQUE MOTORCYCLE. The clearly visible frame and engine, generous fuel tank, and closely packed fins on the legendary Moto Guzzi V-Twin cylinders leave no margin for doubt. The Griso is aggressive and solid. Rock solid. The tubes of the mighty frame combine with the 1.100 cc engine to form a super-rigid assembly, from which only those elements that define the bike’s character stand out: the large headlight, the handlebars and instruments, the sleek tail with its high intensity LED rear light cluster, and the exhaust headers that flow into the single but imposing silencer. The Griso is a Naked, a Power Cruiser, a Techno-custom. In fact, the Griso is every type of motorcycle though its fits no single category. To be honest, it can only be defined in one way: as a Moto Guzzi; a pleasure to behold and a thrill to ride, a bike that defies the conventions because is exceeds all expectations. The Griso is an object of desire for all who seek a unique, distinctive machine, a masterpiece of design and a source of absolute pleasure, to show off around town or to burn up the road on bends and straights.
A LOVE OF WINDING ROADS. It is the road itself that demonstrates the amazing agility of the Griso 1100. Sit on the saddle and you immediately feel absolute confidence. Perfect balance is instantly apparent, so you know that sports performance can be yours at a twist of the throttle, thanks to the extraordinary characteristics of the chassis. The earliest road tests showed that the Griso was amazingly manoeuvrable and agile, and simply loved winding roads.
The Griso is as stable as a power cruiser, as agile as a lightweight naked, as sophisticated as a techno-custom and as powerful as a muscle bike, yet on the road the Griso simply defies all comparison. The legendary torque of the Guzzi 90° V-Twin thrusts you forward as soon as the engine leaves idling speed, aided by a transmission that benefits from the fantastically smooth CA.R.C. compact reactive shaft drive (the patented Moto Guzzi drive system that is also a tribute to the name of Giulio Cesare Carcano, father of the stupendous Otto Cilindri, one of the legendary racers to have emerged from Mandello del Lario).
BORN TO PERFORM. The Griso 1100’s long and low power cruiser profile conceals frame and chassis solutions that give this great new Italian motorcycle superior rigidity and unexpected agility, permitting you to establish and maintain surgically precise trajectories.
The high strength tubular steel frame that envelops the engine is partnered by a swingarm incorporating the reactive shaft drive system. In terms of handling, the Griso feels like a natural extension of your mind and body. The front stays well planted, and glued to the tarmac by the upside-down fork with its rugged 43 mm stanchions, a technical solution that ensures pinpoint steering, transmits tremendous feel, and keeps the bike perfectly stable even at the highest speeds. The front suspension is naturally adjustable in spring preload and in compression and rebound damping, so you can set it up to suit any riding style and conditions. Road holding and safety are guaranteed when you power out of bends too, thanks to a rear suspension based on a single sided swingarm with rising rate linkages, and a monoshock that is again adjustable in preload, compression and rebound.
The surefooted Griso also boasts a high performance braking system. At the front there are two 320 mm floating discs and two powerful calipers with four opposing pistons, while the back end is stopped by a single 282 mm disc with a floating caliper and 2 parallel pistons.
Grip is guaranteed by imposing high performance tyres, 120/70 ZR17” at the front and 180/55 ZR17” at the rear, both fitted on magnificent hollow three-spoke, aluminium alloy wheels.
Instrumentation is generous, and includes an active matrix LCD and a futuristic on-board computer for displaying fuel consumption, average and maximum speeds, odometer, and even autodiagnostic information.
A TWIN MADE TO SURPRISE. Any Moto Guzzi enthusiast can see that this 90° V-Twin is a completely new engine. Its secret lies in a host of technical improvements introduced by the engineers of Mandello del Lario. The alternator is no longer in front of the crankshaft but snuggles neatly in the groove between the two cylinders, making the whole engine shorter and more compact, and improving weight distribution in the process.
This new 1100 cc power unit incorporates an amazing number of technical advances. The conrods are 10% lighter, dramatically reducing the mass in alternating motion. The ratio between conrod length and piston stroke has been improved too, to reduce inertia and vibrations.
The piston rings are thinner, and the pistons have shorter skirts and improved profiles. The gudgeon pins are lubricated by double oil sprays for extended working life and improved efficiency. The metal cylinder head gaskets are new too, and designed to improve heat transmission and to ensure that pressure from the cylinder head studs remains constant. Finally, the rocker covers are new, and play an important role in the appearance of the Griso as seen from the side. Even the gear ratios have been tweaked to ensure that the bike is absolutely unbeatable when it comes to fulfilling its mission in life.
UNMISTAKABLE SOUND. Start that Moto Guzzi 90° V-Twin and those deep throated pulsations are simply unmistakable. Yet this new power unit is equipped with stepper-motor control, electronic fuel injection for silky smooth idling and touch-of-a-button starting even in cold climates. Power delivery is smooth and progressive, and emissions and consumption are reduced to a minimum so that the Griso conforms fully to the coming Euro3 standards. This Guzzi engine delivers instant torque and is generous and indefatigable, yet more than capable of sports bike speeds. Consistent high performance is ensured by technical solutions like twin spark ignition and fuel injectors in the inlet manifolds for perfect combustion. Maximum power is 64.8 kW (88.1 HP) at 7,600 rpm and maximum torque is 89 Nm at 6,400 rpm. But of course, these are mere statistics; interesting, but unable to convey the feeling you get from riding the Griso, an extraordinary and immediate complicity between man and machine. The innovations made to the intake and exhaust systems enable this latest Guzzi V-Twin to pull even harder at lower revs. The impressive exhaust system, with its twin header pipes, stainless steel, triple chamber silencer and aluminium end plate, also contributes to the unique character of the engine.
Guzzi’s classic shaft drive has been totally redesigned for superior comfort and ridability. The CA.R.C. compact reactive shaft drive system integrates the final drive inside the aluminium alloy swingarm, leaving bevel gear and shaft free to oscillate. The drive shaft incorporates two universal joints with built-in torsional shock absorbers. The system delivers smooth, precise and jerk-free power, and eliminates the anti-shaft effect associated with conventional shaft drives. On the Griso, even the ordinary components are simply superior. The gearbox, for example, brings you previously unobtainable feel and performance, the result of a total redesign aimed at maximum comfort and ease of operation. The unit also weighs 2 kg less than its predecessors and is silent running and precise in selecting neutral and shifting gear.
THERE IS ONLY ONE GRISO. Every rider is an individual and therefore different. That is why Moto Guzzi has designed a range of dedicated accessories to let you personalise your Griso, turning it into a mirror for your own unique character. Specially designed to enhance the personality of a machine that is already unique, these original Moto Guzzi accessories help the Griso express its many talents in line with your own personal style, preferences and needs.
The Griso accessory range includes 25 litre semi-rigid panniers, easy to fit and remove, thanks to Moto Guzzi’s patented Fast Click® system; a luggage rack in chrome plated steel, that also serves as a practical grab handle for the passenger; a sleek semi-transparent nose fairing; a tank bag, and a series of exclusive ergal parts including adjustable brake and clutch levers, clutch and brake master cylinder caps, rider footrests, rear brake reservoir and number plate holder. Finally, in line with the unique concept and lifestyle of the Griso you can also choose from a collection of fashion accessories including eyewear, jacket and sweatshirt.
The Griso comes in a choice of four colour schemes: Guzzi Black, Corsa Red, Sport Yellow and Pearly Blue.
