Cagiva and Ducati have a close history - once part of the same group - and the Gran Canyon is a product of the former close relationship. Powered by the long-running air-cooled V-twin that powers Ducati's 900SS, the Gran Canyon was Cagiva's entry in the important large trailbike market until 2000. The Ducati-supplied engine is fitted with Cagiva's own airbox and exhaust, and the Weber-Marelli fuel-injection adjusted to suit. The engine's Desmodromic valves allow strong performance, but are tricky to maintain. The Gran Canyon has an attractive, striking design. The neat bodywork makes it look much smaller than some of its competitors. The long travel suspension works well on road, though the front brakes are marginal.
I Did not Know What to Expect Pls I picked up this issue's test bike from Trackstar Motorsports. I've never ridden a dual-sport motorcycle That weighs 500 plus pounds with a full tank of gas, nor one That costs the big side of eight grand. The motor is an old friend, however. Ducati's water-cooled, 904cc V-Twin desmodromic has supplied the motivation for Some of my all-time favorite motorcycles, and this latest version benefits from the Addition of an excellent, Weber-Marelli fuel injection system to replace the older, problematic carburetors. The injection mapping is flawless, and the obviously lightened flywheel Gives the bike a free-revving character Did not have it in. Earlier editions. The 6-speed gearbox is a positive, slick-shifting masterpiece. Clutchless shifting is Effortless, and matching revs on the downshift Brings That wonderful music familiar to all Desmo-philes. Another advantage of fuel injection shows up in the 42.5 miles per gallon, it returned During this test, much of the which was performed in full-on tactical mode. I would Expect around 45 mpg in normal use.With a solid decade of development behind it, I would say this old 2 - valve lump is well and truly sorted.
While not as agile as the lighter dual-sports, the Gran Canyon is extremely stable in any kind of corner. It makes up for the extra weight with added torque and horsepower, Accelerating faster and with more top end Than Smaller any of it's competition. And unlike most bikes Urban Guerrilla, the plush `Canyon is every bit as comfortable on the freeway as it is in the concrete maze of the city.Character-wise, I see it as less an Urban Guerrilla and more of a refined Mafia hit man in a handmade Italian suit; at ease in elegant surroundings but never Afraid to mix it up with the rough crowd.This would be the perfect Motorbike for the next James Bond thriller. If I were the resource persons forced to limit myself to one motorcycle, this athletic Bruiser from Cagiva would be a strong Contender.
For once, I appreciate the quiet stock exhaust. You can ride around in stealth mode and get away with a lot more hooligan antics without drawing unwelcome attention. Pls Yet You Want to make Some noise, opening the throttle to the stop Brings the snort of a wild, wildebeest Woolly up through the airbox. Need to make a quick pass in traffic? Just twist the grip and "BWAaaaaarrrrrp!", From back to front in seconds, no drama. A silky-smooth growl greets the ear for most maneuvers, the Grand Canyon does not really make noise Until you get serious. For those WHO wish to make a louder impression, Fast by Ferracci is about to release an exhaust cans and FI That chip package is reported to sound much more brutal and deliver an additional 12 horsepower. I think if I were the resource persons to install that, I Might go with one or two less teeth on the rear sprocket, for higher top end and possibly even better mileage.
