Ten years ago.......

[pete roper]

Give or take a few days I put my money down for one of the first 8V Grisos to arrive in Oz.

A lot of water, along with a load of other crap, has flowed under the bridge since then. There have been ups and downs, especially given the flat tappet fiasco, but even after that, with all its ramifications, I have to still say that if any company had set out to build a bike specifically for me? They couldn't of done a better job!

Everything about it maintains the simplicity of earlier models but it goes like stink and handles like a 'Roadster' should. It's robust, clever but also far from perfect so it has character.

I'll probably be dead in ten years. My green shitheap will way outlast me. It truly is a magnificent motorbike.

Pete

[Daniel Kalal]

...I put my money down for one of the first 8V Grisos to arrive in Oz.   ...is a magnificent motorbike.

And, it was not many months after that, that Pete made the generous and open offer to this board that his new Griso was available to any forum member who wanted to come to Australia for a ride.

I've no idea if anybody else accepted that offer, but I sent Pete an email immediately.



Thanks to Pete and thanks to the yellow (and then green) Griso, I've seen a part of the world that I wouldn't otherwise have seen.

[oldbike54]

 

 Dusty

[guzzisteve]

Well, you must have just got back from a ride I'd say.   Now you need to go borrow the G14 and have a rip on it.

[pete roper]

Daniel, that pic must of been in 2007 I'd guess as that bike is my previous 1100. You came over again in probably 2009/10 and took the Green Horror for a flog up north.

I present exhibit 'a' for the prosecution!



It's come a long way since then. New motor, (Thanks to the flat tappet fiasco! ) great mapping, different exhaust, vastly improved suspension, the list goes on. You should visit again, although the Stelvio would probably be a better machine for a longer trip and you'd feel very familiar with that

Pete

[Daniel Kalal]

riding through Queensland...


...and, spotting a Griso Green Holden in Middlemount.


dogs waiting outside a pub are the same the world over...

[azguzzirep]

I've been to Pete's, but i didn't ride any of his bikes. I did a tour of his workshop,  though!!

A great treat it was to visit 'down unda'!!

[JJ]

I've been to Pete's, but i didn't ride any of his bikes. I did a tour of his workshop,  though!!

A great treat it was to visit 'down unda'!!

Would love to visit OZ / Pete someday....

Ten years ago this month, I was "Geezering-around" on business in Beijing!!

[ohiorider]

Daniel, as always ......... great photos that capture the moment!  And Pete, quite generous of you to offer your Griso for Daniel's ride.  Great teamwork!

Bob

[Gliderjohn]

From ohiorider:

And Pete, quite generous of you to offer your Griso for Daniel's ride.

Yes it was generous of Pete but as Pete would probably back up, knowing Daniel, at least somewhat, there is little I have that I would not confidently offer to Daniel if would be of benefit to him. 
GliderJohn

[Daniel Kalal]

Incidentally, it was that first trip on the 2-valve yellow Griso that I realized I could travel with only the yellow duffle-bag strapped to the seat for an indefinite time.  I had Pete's soft saddle bags with me, but never really used them.  So, after that trip, I stopped using saddle bags and a tank bag that I once relied on.  The next trip on the 4-valve green Griso has been my standard for packing ever since.

[azguzzirep]

I've been to Pete's, but i didn't ride any of his bikes. I did a tour of his workshop,  though!!

A great treat it was to visit 'down unda'!!

[12SCraig]

Makes me proud to be an "Aussie".

Good on Ya Pete.

[antmanbee]

Incidentally, it was that first trip on the 2-valve yellow Griso that I realized I could travel with only the yellow duffle-bag strapped to the seat for an indefinite time.  I had Pete's soft saddle bags with me, but never really used them.  So, after that trip, I stopped using saddle bags and a tank bag that I once relied on.  The next trip on the 4-valve green Griso has been my standard for packing ever since.

Just curious,
Do you camp? What do you pack in the one bag? One duffle-bag sounds good to me.
I prefer to be a minimalist if possible.

[tris]

Funny isn't it.

There were times over the last few months I seriously thought about breaking my B11 for parts (speedo sensor fault/dash LCD) but when its on its game its by far the best bike I've ever owned. For ME it's better than the VFR I had

At the moment I'm monumentally pissed off that I can't ride because 

a) its raining ALL the time
b) when it isn't raining I'm stuck in the office or away in Aberdeen where its snowing
c) work needs doing on the house that I agreed to do.

So I guess I'm saying I feel the same about my B11 as you do about your G12 - what a shame MG have decided to kill the CARC bikes off

[pete roper]

The CARC bikes were all part of Beggio's plan to revive Guzzi. He's just died, probably of a broken heart after seeing what the spivs at Piaggio are doing to Guzzi and his beloved Aprilia.

Pete