Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V (2011+)
This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V, a roadster from Italian purveyor of instant classics Moto Guzzi.
The Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V is a “roadster” or “everyday badass” motorcycle by Moto Guzzi. It’s often just called the Griso 8V SE or just Griso 8V.
It’s powered by the 1200 8V motor found in a few other Moto Guzzi motorcycles (like the Moto Guzzi Norge 1200 GT 8V), a 1151 cc four-valve-per-cylinder (or as they brand it, “quattrovalvole”) 90-degree V-twin that’s longitudinally mounted in the frame, with the cylinder heads in the breeze.
The Griso 1200 8V’s engine is air-cooled, runs a decent compression ratio of 11.0:1 (decent for an air-cooled bike!) and makes a respectable 81 kW (110 hp).
The Griso 1200 8V was first released (with this engine) in 2009, and has only undergone a few minor changes.
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What you need to service the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V
Here’s a list of consumables you need to do a basic service.
| Part | Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V spec |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | 10W-60 motorcycle oil that meets JASO MA or MA2, or API SG. Moto Guzzi recommends ENI i-Ride PG 10W-60. You can use Liqui Moly Synthoil Race Tech GT1 10W-60 which others use in their Moto Guzzis. |
| Oil filter | Use a Hiflofiltro HF551 oil filter for the Griso 8V. |
| Spark plug | Use an NGK PMR8B (long life) spark plug. |
| Air filter | Use a K&N MG-8506 air filter. |
| Transmission oil | API GL-4+ 80W-90 or GL-5+ 85W-90 transmission oil, e.g. Lucas Oil 80W-90 (meets GL-5 spec) |
| Brake fluid | Moto Guzzi recommends synthetic DOT 4 brake fluid that meets SAE J 1703 spec, e.g. Castrol DOT 4. |
| Clutch fluid | Moto guzzi recommends non-silicon synthetic fluid that meets DOT 5.1 and FMVSS 116. E.g. Motul DOT 5.1. |
| Fork oil | The manual recommends AGIP Fork 7.5W but says you can use between 5W to 20W. AGIP Fork 7.5W has a measured viscosity of 31 cSt, which is comparable to Maxima 10W (32 cSt). |
Maintenance schedule for the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Moto guzzi Griso 1200 8V.
It’s the same as the manual, but some errors were corrected (the manual had some problems with conversion from km to miles… see the screenshot), and it was re-ordered into an order that makes more sense (why everything was in a semi-random order I don’t know).
Notes:
- Service the oil, oil filter, clutch, and spark plugs more often if racing.
- The break-in period is omitted (this is usually done by a dealer)
- Schedule is trimmed to 50K km to avoid repetition.
Legend
- I = Check and clean, adjust, lubricate, or replace if necessary
- C = Check
- R = Replace
- A = Adjust
| mi x 1000 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | Periodic |
| Engine oil | R | R | R | R | R | Check level regularly |
| Oil filter | R | R | R | R | R | |
| Spark plugs | R | R | R | R | R | |
| Valve free play adjustment | A | A | A | A | A | |
| Air filter | I | R | I | R | I | |
| Drain oil drainage pipe from the filter box | C | C | C | C | C | |
| Cylinder synchronization | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Carburation in idle (CO) | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Engine revs at idle speed | A | A | A | A | A | |
| Transmission oil | R | R | R | R | R | |
| Final transmission fluid | R | R | R | R | R | |
| Brake pad wear | I | I | I | I | I | Check before every trip |
| Brake discs | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Brake fluid (use Castrol DOT 4) | I | R | I | R | I | Replace every 2 years |
| Brake system | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Brake lines | I | I | I | I | I | Replace every 4 years |
| Clutch wear | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Throttle body | C | C | ||||
| Clutch fluid | I | I | I | I | I | Replace every 2 years |
| Alternator belt | A | A | R | |||
| Exhaust pipe flange fixing nuts | I | I | ||||
| Steering bearings and free play | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Suspension and frame | I | I | ||||
| Fork | I | I | ||||
| Oil/fork oil seals | R | R | R | |||
| Wheels | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Wheel bearings | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Tires – pressure/wear | I | I | I | I | I | Check before every trip |
| Fuel lines | I | I | I | I | I | Replace every 4 years |
| Transmission and command cables | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Battery leads tightening torque | I | I | ||||
| Nuts and bolts tightening torque | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Engine oil pressure warning light | Check at every startup | |||||
| Safety switches | I | I | ||||
| Light system | I | I | I | I | I | |
| General motorcycle performance | I | I | I | I | I |
About the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V
The Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V is just a beautiful bike.
But its looks aren’t where it stops. Firstly, the engine, almost a jewel in the center of the frame: the 1151cc V-twin is a gem of an engine that produces great torque, plenty of power, and a beautiful sound as it propels you down any road.
It’s an air-cooled V-twin that sits in the same plane as the body of the motorcycle (i.e. longitudinally). This means that it’s easy to drive the rear wheel via a shaft drive. It also means that when you rev the throttle, the bike kicks over slightly, reacting to the centripetal force.
The Griso 8V shares an engine with other motorcycles like the Stelvio and Norge 1200 GT 8V, but in the Griso it’s tuned for more power – making a peak of 81 kW (108 hp) at a relatively low 7500 rpm, and 107 Nm (79 ft-lb) of torque at 6600 rpm. It’s a ton of torque that comes on relatively early, making the Griso quite an engaging ride — low-revving, but torquey and still very athletic. The redline is at 8500 rpm.
The Griso 1200 8V isn’t just a looker. It has some high quality component, including suspension and brakes.
The front forks on the Griso 1200 8V are 43mm Marzocchi fully adjustable inverted forks, and the rear shock is a fully adjustable Sachs shock. These are the kinds of gear you see on high-end bikes, not a cost-cutting styling exercise.
And the braking unit is a 320mm disc with a four-piston Brembo caliper. The tyres are attractive spoked wheels, but are mercifully tubeless.
Basically, Moto Guzzi was quietly producing something almost exactly like the second-gen BMW R nineT, (as the first gen didn’t even have adjustable suspension), just years earlier.
It isn’t a cruiser, like many Moto Guzzis, and obviously it’s not a sports bike. And compared to most retro throwbacks it’s high spec and makes a surprising amount of power (for an air-cooled engine). So what is it? It’s a little bit of everything. And it’s no longer available in many markets and so its days might be numbered — so grab one while you can.
Manual for the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V
The above maintenance schedule comes from the manual for the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200 8V.
You can find it online in various places, e.g. on Guzzitek.org.
