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| | | Road test: Moto Guzzi Griso 850- Moto Guzzi back with the glorious 850 |  Written: 07/04/2006 : 10:32. Read 28413 times (14/day). | Last year Moto Guzzi launched the muscle bike Griso 1100. It has been a great success in countries such as the UK whilst the Breva 1100 has done well on the continent. Both Griso and Breva have convinced Moto Guzzi that the time was right to re-introduce the 850-from the Le Mans and T3’s of the 70’s to the modern V90 Griso and Breva. On the stunning roads just outside the Moto Guzzi factory gates we got to sample the new 850’s (and compare the 1100).
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It is remarkable how similar the new Griso 850 is to the Griso 1100. The only differences are shorter stroke, less power & torque, no oil cooler on the side and price. Side by side you can’t tell the difference without studying the details thoroughly. Griso 850 and Breva 850 have been introduced to close the gap between the small 750’s to the big 1100’s-but also to re-introduce the legendary 850 to Guzzistis of today. If you’re a bit older than me you might remember Le Mans 850, Eldorado, California, and T3 etc with 850cc engines. The 850 is back for good.
I rode both Griso 850 and 1100 back to back in the gorgeous backdrop around Lake Como close to the Moto Guzzi factory in Mandello Del Lario. Griso 850 has got the same engine as the 1100, only shorter stroke that has reduced capacity. Griso 850 weighs the same and feels the same. So why should you even bother looking at the 877cc version if it is neither smaller nor lighter? It is a good question and the only answer is that it is cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, less power for a less intimidating ride and the fact it follows tradition with the 850 V90 engine.
The handlebars are wide on the Griso 850 and the flat seat forces you into a semi-sporty seat position. The seat height is a low 800mm. It suits me fine to get on with the riding as I have had enough time drooling over the timeless design by now. Griso is that sort of bike that you are in danger of falling in love with without even having a test ride. Riding around Lake Como in the Italian alp region makes me understand completely why old Guzzi would build his factory here. With this backdrop just outside the factory gates it must be impossible to build motorcycles without a huge portion of passion. Griso 850 is easy to get passionate about and the lazy torque builds power quickly whilst I cruise around the lake sucking in the atmosphere and fresh air. The hairpin bends becomes more frequent as I head towards the top of a mountain pass. Spring has just arrived here and the roads are very slippery from a thin layer of dust and debris left by melted snow. It does not help much that Griso 850 has got the same Metzeler Rennsport tyres as Griso 1100 (tyres are ace). It is just impossible to work up the heat in the tyres and the thin layer of dust is invisible. Not a few slides later I decided that the bike could not really be tested under these conditions so I headed back towards the motorway that linked up with the roads around Lake Como. Finally I can explore the engine and handling properly. Griso 850 feels very stable both at speed, on the brakes and in the turns. Particularly as I have jumped on and off the Breva 850 in between. The suspension has a firm set up, but I can still feel the 850 rise a bit due to the shaft drive. Griso 850 has got a couple of horsepower more than the Breva 850 and firmer suspension which makes it a great bike for the tight alpine roads. It is pretty fast for a naked 850 as well and once again Griso 1100 comes to mind. Do I really need the 1100 at all when the 850 is this good? There is a bigger difference between the three Brevas’ than between the two Grisos’. Griso 850 is a true lifestyle bike and from a different perspective you can say that Moto Guzzi now has more of a chance to steal some sales from Ducati Monster S2R 800 and other middle weights. It is all about placing the right model in the right market.
Since the seat height is so low (800mm) and the handlebars fairly wide the 227 kilos does not make a big impression on the rider. It is still easy to throw the 850 from side to side in the hair bends that follow each other like pearls on a string. The brakes are four pot Brembos’ attached to a USD 43mm fork. I could not care less whether they are radial or not because they work very well and they are proven to perfection on this type of motorcycle. As soon as I am away from the slippery surfaced roads the Renntechs start shining too. These tyres are very good and they do handle the weight and at the same time provide more level of grip than you will ever need on a 75bhp motorcycle. Griso 850 features a dry clutch and when trying to accelerate quickly from the lights it grabs quite a lot. The Magneti Marelli fuel injection works just as well as on the bigger 1100. The Guzzi horizontal V90 is perhaps not as free revving as a Ducati vertical V90. But just look at the Griso 850 where the whole engine block and shaft drive is painted in silver. It’s like an aeroplane on two wheels. It’s not quite as fast, but just as thrilling in its own way.
Griso 1100 on the side
I rode Griso 850 most of the day, but when I returned the 850 I jumped straight on the 1100 to really see if there were any big differences. There is more torque and power, but not as much more as I thought. The engine block is exactly the same, but with a longer stroke and a tiny alteration to the gearing. To Griso 1100’s benefit it weighs the same as the 850 and with the extra torque and power (only 12 horsepower) it actually feels a bit faster. I suspect the 89 Nm @ 6.400rpm (rather than the 70Nm @ 6.800rpm on the 850) is the main advantage the bigger engine capacity gives. Take note that I say capacity as the two engines are just as big. The stroke on the 11 is of 80mm whilst the 850 has the shorter 66mm stroke. They both feel quite lazy and relaxed and there are only a few hundred revs that separate where the power peaks. I only rode the 1100 for reference this time and did not test them against each other. It would be a very difficult choice between them, but I suspect I would let my wallet have the last say as the 850 is almost all the 1100 is.
Conclusion
The black painted double cradle tubular steel frame, more silver on the engine and the lack of the big oil cooler is the only obvious clues that the 850 is not the 1100. Griso 850 has got everything you want from a Moto Guzzi. A big V90 mounted horizontally for maximum exposure with beautifully designed frame and petrol tank is simply irresistible. Griso 850 is a heavyweight middleweight with a grabby dry clutch, but everything else is absolutely perfect.
Griso 850
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Looks, looks and looks
Unique engine design and heritage
Handling (despite the weight)
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A bit on the heavy side
Grabby clutch
Corruption factor: Medium
Flight to Italy on economy class
4 star hotel in beautiful surroundings
B&B at the hotel
The best restaurants in Mandello at night
As usual loads of stressed out Italians makes it slightly difficult with conversation
Launch gift: A very nice Moto Guzzi hand knitted sweater
Words: Tor Sagen/Photography: Milagro
The specs are in this article
The photo gallery is here
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