High(er) Mileage GPs?

Anything to do with the 1200 GranPasso series
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mort9555
Posts: 22
Joined: 24 Jun 2013 20:54
Location: Gloucester

High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by mort9555 »

Hi All,
This post is just an inquiry really as I'm intrigued to know of any higher mileage GP's that are out there and used regularly. I have an 09 bike, had it from new and now has 41k miles on it. Just for general info.....a bit of history;

Up to now, I've had no mechanical traumas and which surprises me immensely. It had a new ECU and speedo head at 5k miles under warranty and which cured the 'fuel starvation' scenario they used to suffer from. Also had the dip beam bracket mod (grinder courtesy of the late Alex at NLM) to cure the bulb blowing/contact with bracketry issue). Had rear wheel bearings at 20k miles and a speedo pickup at same time, damaged due to too much aggressive cleaning in the area. Also needs a new cold start/fast idle valve currently but I'm saving up for that as I'm sure it'll be immensely eye-watering come the time. Also just changing the original battery as 9 years is long enough I reckon.

Checked the timing chains/tensioners status at 35k miles out of interest. Tensioner plungers were approx 50% extended. I plan to change the chains (same as Yamaha WR400 items!!) at 50k miles. Bike has had Motul 10W/60 FS oil every 6k, filter and strainer clean as per the book instructions. It uses no oil between changes, fuel is about 37mpg. It had a BSD remap with Corsaro map and lambda deletion in 2013 and which made the engine a completely different animal. This remap made the emission-restrained motor a bloody riot......and unmistakably italian.

It's done 80% of its miles abroad, two up and fully loaded with factory panniers and H&B rear rack. Ohlins was rebuilt at 35k miles. I have a set of 2006 WP super duke forks/yokes going on now as they are fully adjustable and quality items. The original Marzocchis belong on a pushbike! I pulled the front footrests up 3 inches and slightly back before they were too short to be useful. Running Dunlop Roadsmart 3's front and back with tubes and still on the original brake pads front and back. The wife reckons it is THE BEST pillion perch by a long shot and we've had a few bikes over the years. Only issue is the mountaineering aspect of getting up there in the first place.

I'd be really interested to hear from any fellow GP owners and their experiences with similar mileage or more if there are many of you out there?

Cheers
Mort
rrey
Posts: 28
Joined: 17 Apr 2012 20:39
Location: SPAIN

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by rrey »

Hello Mort

After a Corsaro with 18k miles changed to a GP and now 40k miles also. NO problems so far but the speed sensor (changed with a Ducati unit) , no oil between changes, a remap with lambda delete and +500rpm. Cat delete and two exhausts. Great ride indeed!. All the time with luggage and my wife.

I am very interested how you pulled the footrests up and back. Could you send any photos please?

Thanks!
Painter
Posts: 123
Joined: 12 Nov 2015 20:57
Location: Birkenhead uk

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by Painter »

Hi
Interesting to see you have clocked up serious mileage without any problems other than the usual which I have also experienced. You mentioned a cat delete, have you bought a link pipe or is that just the chip, I have been looking to remove the lump for some time and have even gone as far as a custom fab system, any thoughts from other owners.
The WP forks sounds like a great mod, are they the same OD as the morini are you using the same 2pot brakes etc.
Very interested to do this as it is very harsh over bumps as stock.

Still love this bike and it never ceases to put a grin on my face every time I ride, not many bikes I have owned have done that. WIll need tyres chain and sprockets soon so will be keeping it for many more years to come.

I hope to be out and about this year on the GP so if anyone fancies meeting up
Best wishes steve
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mort9555
Posts: 22
Joined: 24 Jun 2013 20:54
Location: Gloucester

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by mort9555 »

Hi rrey,
Thanks for offering your experiences. I'll get some photos together and get them uploaded.

With the footrest pos'n change.....I basically drilled through the alloy mounting plates and machined some mounting bushes for the footrest location bolts with an angle on them to mate them to the mounting plates. The mounting plates run at an angle as you probably know. I'm still refining the gear lever design as the gearbox certainly needs a very positive hoof to function. So the gear lever pivot/reaction force was a bit of an issue but I've got it now. I made a pivot bolt & brass bushes to carry the original gear lever and a longer connector rod to get the lever adjustment as it fouled the clutch slave cylinder on the up-shift. The rear brake pedal has not moved, I just used 'Polymorph', a reuseable polymer (from Maplins....but they've gone now) to create a 'taller' brake pedal foot pad. It probably sounds a bit 'heath-robinson' but it works and gives a more natural position than the standard low peg/extended leg set-up. I'm 5'11'' and suits me but that's me. Saving a fortune on boots!

And, Hi Painter,
The WP forks have the KTM top/botton yokes with them. If I can't find some h/bar mounting clamps off a KTM (got to be reasonable money!) I'll make a set. I'm going to fit Renthal bars also. I guess I'll also need some sort of riser arrangement to lift the bar mount height to clear the tank recess. The measurements for callipers/forks/discs look pretty damn good as far as i can see so all original brake kit will be going back on. Only things I need to machine up will be bushes for the front wheel spindle as the KTM spindle mounting bores are considerably larger. The front end is a real dud with Mazzos on, this mod should be night&day better. I'll let you know when I get it done and drop a few shots on here.

And finally.....An issue I forgot to mention was the aggro with the Marelli idle control valve which, up until last year was doing my yud in. It's party piece was a 2k tickover all the time when the ambient temp was below 10/11 degs. Real irritating! And then, when the ambient temp became higher, the bike had a very annoying habit of stalling in the most awkward circumstances. Fully loaded and 2-up, this was indeed hernia territory! So..... I blanked the air feed pipes of the valve in the airbox, left the connection attached to keep the diag light off on the dash and turned the throttle stop screws 1 turn to get a tickover thus operating on the butterfly position, not via the valve. It worked a treat. Cold starting was a case of taking the slack out of the throttle cable and pushing the button and holding the throttle in this position for about 30 seconds. That was it.....no stalling and no excessive idle.


Cheers to both
Mort
mort9555
Posts: 22
Joined: 24 Jun 2013 20:54
Location: Gloucester

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by mort9555 »

Sorry chaps, sent the last mail without finishing it...........

With regard to de-catting ...........I inadvertently put a gallon of diesel in my Morini about 10 months ago. God only knows why but the absent mind is a dangerous thing! The story is painful but in a nutshell, the bike ran a little subdued for quite a few miles until it then wouldn't run on the rear cylinder (blocked cat). Subsequently, while trying to get back home, the catalyser partially disintegrated and went backwards which caused a substantial bonfire in the silencer. The silencer got that hot that the under tray started to bubble. To remedy, I had to cut the collector in half and remove what was left of the cat unit. It's only tack welded in and the whole job when the exhaust was off took about an hour. The mixture doesn't look unduly wrong so I'm leaving it as is.

I think you have it spot on Steve.........this bike never fails to bring on a grin. It's certainly a part of our family and will be until I can't actually get on it any longer.

Steve, whereabouts are you based?

Cheers
Painter
Posts: 123
Joined: 12 Nov 2015 20:57
Location: Birkenhead uk

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by Painter »

Hi Mort
I was wondering how you got on with your fork conversion?
I am going to get the bike Decated and remapped at hammer and tongs in Jan, I think after 3.5 years of ownership it will feel like a different bike.
Where did you open the cat up, back or front.
Recently I went right through the bike mileage being 12.6 k fitted new chain sprockets with the 17 tooth front, rear wheel bearings and cushdrive, 2nd time in 6k miles, stripped and cleaned front calipers, pads still serviceable.
Stripped the clutch and the checked plates, all were within spec, I did this as it feels like it drags a little until the engine is warm, and gearchanges seem to take a firm boot with neutral not being as easy, I have adjusted the span on the clutch lever which helps a little. It feels like it needs a 3mm on the pushrod, do you have similar issues, my Ducati 900 monster is very slick.
I am based on the Wirral.
Message me with your contact no/
Best wishes steve
mort9555
Posts: 22
Joined: 24 Jun 2013 20:54
Location: Gloucester

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by mort9555 »

Hi Steve,
Sorry about the delayed comeback, not had much time recently but in answer to you................the fork conversion is still not done, I'll speak about it if we can get a meet sorted this year sometime? Be good to have a chat.

The remap was a revelation.....safer running (random stalling is never good..lol) and linear power until 6 then goes berserk. It is a monster motor, no question and a design that is so unique in it's construction (no crankcases, no rebore/oversize facility as liners are replaced....very different). The older it gets the better it's getting.

Cat is in the 'bulb' under the motor, as you probably know? Cut it in half, popped the remainder of the cat out and welded back together. A little noisier but nothing really. Certainly runs a lot free-er as you'd imagine.

Replaced the battery last year, 10 years out of original, well impressive I'd say. My front pads are still original at 52k, on 3rd rear pad set though. C&S last about 20k, I pushed the first set to 24k and, to my detriment, while on way back from Imola in 2014 it stripped the front sprocket while in the Alps and ended up being left at a Trumpy dealer in Brig, Switzerland and we did the trains, planes and automobile route home...literally (Carole Nash's recovery deal does work...lol)!

Timing chains and gear done last year at 45k, you can do this with engine in frame quite easily with a bit of peripheral disassembly. And a correction on the WR400 timing chains I wrote in earlier message....they don't fit as too narrow but are specified in Morini GP spec sheet and can only think they used to be used, possibly, or why would they be specified? Anyway, the Good Egg Ben (Wylie) at Amore Moto got all the bits I needed in sharp time and is a top chap. Morini need more like him!! While I was at the timing chain/maintenance jobs (full timing chain/sprocket kits = £220 each side....ouch), I installed new clutch plates (£425...ouch again), after 3 stabs at getting the right ones as mine's a slipper clutch.

I got the front footrests raised and gear/brake positions amended as mentioned previously and I now have a gear change that rivals a Suzuki offering. Amazing what a slight angle change makes!

Currently bike is off the road as don't 'do' salty conditions. I've had Avon Storm 3D sport/touring tyres on now for 3500 miles over 3 week trip to Mugello MGP last year. They are very well priced and are standing up well, 2 up with full luggage over most of those miles. When they get hot they do 'move around' a bit cranked over but not enough to keep the bash plate off the deck over the Scarperia Pass in Tuscany. Mighty impressive things and rock solid in all weathers. Can't say more than that really!

I'll PM you when I get off here.

Take it easy
Mort
Painter
Posts: 123
Joined: 12 Nov 2015 20:57
Location: Birkenhead uk

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by Painter »

Hi Mort
Have you still got your GP, I am back after a couple of years on a Gs, I have just bought another GP h83 red frame, nice bike needs a little work.
Did you do your fork conversion as that will be my next move cartridges are 500 , but a set of ktm superduke forks would work out about the same with some fab etc . I an determined to stick with the morini now as having been around others, it’s still the stand out bike for me.
Hope life is good and that lockdown has treated you kindly
Cheers Painter
mort9555
Posts: 22
Joined: 24 Jun 2013 20:54
Location: Gloucester

Re: High(er) Mileage GPs?

Post by mort9555 »

G'day Painter,

A very very delayed reply to the fork question. Speaking with Glynn tonight got me on here again...time certainly flies!!

Got KTM forks on in 2019 I think, some machining of spacers and sleeves reqd but they improved the front substantially....as a proper set of decent forks would do.
Only issue was ground clearance post fitting as a little shorter than GP ones as off a Duke 990.

Bikes now for sale, hence chat with Glynn. I've had two hand/wrist ops & got a lower back issue all of which makes the GP most awkward to deal with. A very reluctant sale!!
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