2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200 Preview

Introduction

The Italian company’s goal was to build a smoother, much more comfortable and very exciting motorcycle that would perform significantly better off the road. So they developed new software for injection engine control and moved the lambda sensor to the front cylinder exhaust pipe. This translates into smoother power and torque across the low-to-mid rpm range, reduces fuel consumption and even makes the CorsaCorta engine more reliable. The 1187cc liquid-cooled 87° V-twin is actually a detuned version of the 140hp Corsaro engine powering the 2010 Moto Morini Corsaro 1200 Veloce and it develops 118 hp at 8,500 rpm and 103.6 Nm at 7,000 rpm. Because Granpasso’s engine version doesn’t rev as high as that of the Corsaro, engineers have removed the oil cooler that you would find on the performance naked bike simply because it wasn’t needed any more.

2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200

Moto Morini then proceeded by improving the ergonomics. This means a lower seat, repositioned footpegs (made of high strength iron alloy and rubber insert, which can be removed before extensive off-road riding) and upgraded handlebar with a new release of the risers, which enhances the adjusting possibilities and is theoretically supposed to turn the 2010 Granpasso 1200 into a glove for each and every luck rider. Furthermore, they’ve added a new molded aluminum heat protection layer under the seat and this should now exclude the disadvantages of the exhaust being positioned very close to the seat on the left rider side.

The bike’s 19-inch front and 17-inch rear Excel wheels now allow riders to fit the Granpasso with knobby tires and have absolutely no retention in keeping on going strong when the asphalt ends. Also, the stiff 50mm adjustable Marzocchi fork offering 190mm travel should keep things fairly stable, while the expensive quick adjust Ohlins rear shock capable of 200mm travel will most likely allow riders to play a lot with their bike’s rear end on the dirt. This would be the fun part.

In what braking performance is concerned, the Brembo braking system – composed of 298mm discs with two-piston calipers and radial master-cylinder at the front and 255mm disc with two-piston caliper at the rear – is the enthusiastic engine’s worst nightmare both on and off the road.

History

The world first saw the Moto Morini Granpasso 1200 during the 2007 EICMA Show in Milan. The bike then started being sold in Europe as a 2008 model year and it followed an ascendant trend in riders preferences ever since. Although Moto Morini officials confirmed that the Granpasso was designed to be homologated in the USA, the adventure bike hasn’t yet seen its way across the ocean.

Competition

This fact turns into a big disadvantage for our bike considering that its closest competitors, the BMW R 1200 GS, KTM 990 Adventure R and Moto Guzzi Stelvio already enjoy a career here.

Exterior

2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200

But somehow, Moto Morini manages to keep riders very aware of their adventure bike’s presence, so they offer a unique and fairly aggressive look for that purpose. The Grandpasso’s face is its most distinctive design feature with two small, insect-like headlights, an extended instruments panel fairing and a touring-like screen. The adventure bike look is achieved with the use of standard spoked wheels, engine guard, a comfortable seat positioned at 34,44 inches from the ground, but the overall imposing bodywork is the first thing that you spot. This is necessary to allow the use of a 7.13 gallons (27 liters) fuel tank, which will supply the engine with gas for an entire day if you keep the tachometer under 5,000 rpm.

We have to say that the 2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200 is a very stylish motorcycle, but we don’t necessarily have to love it. Indeed, it is refined and shows innovative technical solutions such as mounting the Ohlins shock laterally, but it is a little too Italian for our taste. Quite frankly, it looks like an SR-71 Blackbird project gone wrong, but we can’t deny that it is guaranteed to turn heads.

You can have an Italian bike painted any color you like as long as it is red, so the 2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200 is available in Red/ black with black frame, so the White/black with red frame and Titanium/black with black frame color schemes come as a relief and, quite frankly, are much more appropriate for this serious motorcycle.

2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200

Conclusion

The 2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200 is one of those bikes about which you only read positive reviews and don’t actually get to ride if living in the USA. That can be very frustrating because the thing shows quality build and design firsts from every angle and in the end we have to give the Bologna-based manufacturer credit for the great progress made with this bike in such a short amount of time.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Engine and Transmission

2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200

Engine: Moto Morini – Bialbero CorsaCorta
Cylinders: 2
Layout: 87° V longitudinal
Strokes: 4
Cooling: Liquid cooled
Timing system: Double overhead camshaft
Valves per cylinder: 4
Bore x stroke: 107 x 66 mm / 4,21 x 2,59 inch
Displacement: 1187 cc
Compression ratio: 12.5:1
Power: 86.5 KW – 118 HP @ 8500 rpm
Torque: 103.6 Nm – 10.6 Kgm @ 7000 rpm
Fuel system: Magneti Marelli indirect electronic injection with 54 mm / 2,12 inch Ø throttle body
Ignition: I.A.W. electronic
Starting: Electric
Lubrication: Forced with trochoidal pump
Gearbox: With constant mesh spur gears
Gear ratio: 6
In first - 13/36
In second - 17/32
In third - 20/30
In fourth - 22/28
In fifth - 23/26
In sixth - 24/25
Clutch: Multiple-plate clutch in oil bath with antiskipping system and radial master-cylinder
Primary drive: Spur gears 55:31
Final drive: Chain 17/40
Exhaust: Silencer, 3-way catalytic converter with oxygen sensor
Emissions control: Euro 3

Chassis and Dimensions

2010 Moto Morini Granpasso 1200

Frame: Verlicchi high-strength steel tube trellis frame
Wheelbase: 1505 mm / 59,25 inch
Headstock rake: 26.5°
Rake: 110 mm / 4,33 inch
Front suspension: Marzocchi upside-down fork with 50 mm / 1,96 inch Ø legs
Front wheel travel: 175 mm / 6,89 inch
Swing arm: With large section, made of hydroformed aluminum
Rear suspension: Ohlins single shock absorber with separate tank featuring spring length, preload, rebound and compression damping multiple adjustment
Rear wheel travel: 200 mm / 7,87 inch
Front brake: Brembo 298 mm / 11,73 inch double disc with 2- piston calipers and radial master-cylinder
Rear brake: Brembo 255 mm / 10,03 inch single disc with 2-piston caliper
Front tire: 110/80 R19 Tubeless
Rear tire: 150/70 R17 Tubeless
Rims: Excel spoke rims with aluminum channel
Front rim size: MT 2.50 x 19”
Rear rim size: MT 4.25 x 17”
Total length: 2170 mm / 85,43 inch
Max. width: 850 mm / 33,46 inch
Seat height: 875 mm / 34,44 inch
Min. height from ground: 200 mm / 7,87 inch
Steering angle: 35° rh/lh
Dry weight: 210 Kg / 463 lbs
Tank capacity: 27 litres / 5,93 UK gal
Reserve capacity: 5,5 litres / 1,20 UK gal

Instrumentation

Instrument panel: Electronic rev counter and speedometer with multifunctional LCD display

Versions

Colors: White/black with red frame
Titanium/black with black frame
Red/ black with black frame

Warranty: 3 years