…a clean, rollerised Griso in black they want to sell, or maybe even px for a nice old 1977 850T? Thanks, Ian.
Noticed that there’s a couple on Auto trader…one’s red/black 2015 so that will be factory rollorised and the other is black 2009 but unclear if it’s had the roller kit . They both look great though, particularly the 2015 bike but you have to be careful ….
Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 bikes for sale | AutoTrader Bikes https://share.google/WNmy6TuBVdtW7wIq5
Morning Larry. Thanks for that. Yeah, I have looked at those; I prefer the black one to the red (and much prefer the price!) although I realise the red is probably the better buy. I’ve had a conversation with the seller who says the black ‘un hasn’t been rollerised but the tappets look ok. Hmmm. He’s checking out the cost of having it done. I’m tempted to pop up there and have a look, but I know what’ll happen if the damn thing winks at me. Do you - or anyone reading this - have any thoughts/suggestions on rollerisation? Thanks for your input. Ian.
Hi Ian. I’m lucky enough to own a 2009 Griso that had been rollorised by the previous owner at a cost of over £2k Inc fitting of the roller kit (Kit C) so you should factor that in. Flat tappets will result in catastrophic engine damage…loads of stuff about it so Mr Google is your friend. Good luck either way but please check out the roller issue before you buy 
. By the way I absolutely love my Griso and whilst it has it’s quirks it’s wonderful to ride 
Evening Larry. I envy you; they’re certainly handsome brutes, but I’ve never ridden one. Spent the last 60-odd thousand miles on top of an 850T. I’ve been on to Twiggers (Leicester) and they estimated three grand to do the job. Warned me off the 8V but recommended the 1100. Anyway, I’ll keep looking for the right one. Thanks for your help. Happy riding, Ian.
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Griso are great looking and handling bikes, mines an 08 1100 so no probs with tappets, it would be the last of my bikes to go if I had to. Makes me smile every time 
And very rare. At least, you seldom see them at bike events or for sale. I have a ridiculous question; how wide is yours at its widest point (bar ends or mirror stems)? I ask because I roll my bikes into the house via the front door, and a passage. It’s tight for the 850T, but wrestling the Speed Triple in is not for the faint-hearted, I can tell you. Thanks for your message by the way. Cheers, Ian.
Your right Ian, dont see them very often and I like that . The bar ends are 87cm if that helps ! Easy to manouver as they sit quite low. Only thing for comfort I did was lower the footpegs by 30mm as Im 6ft and that really helps. Best of luck finding one but they do come up for sale now and then.
Yeah, it’s great tooling about on some rare creature. I go to bike shows with a mate who often rides a very smart Falcone, and the boffs queue up to chat to him about it. Fair enough, I suppose. How often do you see a bike with an external flywheel painted like a bacon slicer? Meanwhile, thanks for that measurement. Alas, it looks like I’m going to have to give this idea up - at 33” the Triple touches the door frames and needs lock-to-lock manoeuvring and mirror-twisting. The Griso is 34 and a quarter, and there just isn’t another inch and a bit in it. Kerrf. The good old 850T, of course, just glides in and out. Despite being heavier, longer and having a screen. Thanks again. Ian
Could always take a bit off each end of the bars / fit smaller bar end weights or different bars altogether ? They are tapered 28 down to 22mm though. Had to do that to my mountain bike to get it through the door just a thought
I took the bar ends off mine and the bars measure 80.5cms as I need to maneuver through a space that is 90 cms wide in places. Replaced the mirrors with slim fitting bar end mirrors. In Imperial it converts to 31.69 ins into a 35.43 inch wide corridor. It’s a bit of a rigmarole but doable for me, although a few scraping of mirrors gives it that je ne sais quoi look 
Hmmmm. Very interesting, Larry. Anything under two foot eight is doable for me. But doesn’t removing the bar end weights mean heftier vibrations? Or are they just for show? Hugh suggested changing or shortening the bars, but I’m leery of that because of the taper and, also, I put shorter bars on the 850T and it compromised the efficiency of the screen. More buffeting because I was a couple of inches closer, weirdly. Thanks for your input. Ian
Hi Ian. Surprisingly taking them off makes not a jot of difference that I can feel to the vibrations/handling. Also, there is some weight in the bar end mirrors I purchased. Incidentally I bought cheep eBay ones just to see how they went and I must say they are fine so left them on. Also I can fold them into the centre of the bike as I traverse the corridor of fun
Thanks Larry and Hugh (if you’re still reading the trail). I’m inspired to keep looking for a good ‘un in black. Most people say the 1100 is the best, because the later 8v gives trouble in various areas as well as the rollerisation issue. Any thoughts on that? Cheers I.
A wealth of info on that topic in this forum. Search 
“rollerisation”
The 8v does have it’s issues but if you look for an early one that’s been rollorised or even better a later factory rollorised bike it’s happy days. Whilst I’ve never ridden the 1100 the opinion is that the 1200 is better in terms of the ride plus a bit more umph in HP. There’s loads of stuff out there on the internet/ Youtupe etc. Have a look at the Griso Ghetto forum…it’s Australian but many experts/good stuff on there.
Either way they’re all great bikes. I’m pleased that you’re still on the look out for one. You will find one I’m sure and you won’t be disappointed
It seems most Guzzis have designed in ‘character’ traits that are left to the owner to sort out
I have not ridden the 1200 so cant compare, very happy with the 1100 though. Issues which could be common to a few guzzi models like lack of grease in swing arm (sorted) or headstock bearings, click no start (sorted) dash misting up (sorted) poor low speed running (sorted) cold start (sorted) if the bikes in good order and has been reasonably looked after, then fixing the issues if they are there is not too hard as so much info available on line and help available from owners / experts on this site
Thanks Hugh, Larry and Barry for the input. I struggle to resist a Guzzi; I had a white V750 Special back in 1975 and have had the present incumbent since the end of the 80s. But I do wonder why, given their 100-odd years of manufacturing experience, Guzzi still turn out bikes that aren’t right first time. Grrr.
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Yeah for some strange reason they get under your skin ….. maybe its rarity, vtwin character without being a harley, duke or jap (which in the intetests for fairness have their dedicated followers) — mind you i followed a big full dresser sleek looking harley a couple of weeks ago when he was keeping up with 6 or so sports bikes and didnt know they could lean so far over or go that quick - respect !
I have to say that, for me at least, it’s primarily the looks; that damn great engine sticking out from either side of the tank. Wouldn’t look amiss (appropriately given the early history) on the front of a WW1 fighter plane. Well business-like. And then there’s the rear hub - mine has the plain cast one with finned sump. I point it out to people at bike shows and half of them clearly think I’m daft. Also, I like the idea that not every other oik has got one. I used to say ‘a well ridden Guzzi will keep up with anything’. Then I bought the Speed Triple. Now I say ‘a well ridden Guzzi will keep up with anything…of the same age’. What can you do?