Ducati Fanatics.

[ToadRide]

Ya gotta love em. Case in point. My oldest and bestest friend, Pete. And bein more than half way to the 100 mark, (may we be so lucky.((or not))) it definately puts us back to an era of fixit yourself bikes. We've both run thru a string of European jobs, me mostly Triumph and Pete, mostly Ducs. So now having tired of fixing, I've gone to the 06 Bandit and the 07 KLR. Not that the fixing won't happen. It's just that it's a pleasure to see how these things are put together with all the bits coming apart as they should. The bugs ironed out as it were.
But Pete has had a series of awe inspirations. The 500s, the 750s, and now the 1000. His latest is an '84(?) Hailwood Rep. Mille picked up out of California for a measily 20,000. Add on several more grand at the Nanaimo dealers and he's almost ready to roll. Of course he's past self wrenching and is letting the man handle that. And, God, you should hear this thing with those Conti pipes! Now, with just over 1000kms. on it I am hoping we will be able to do some travelling together this summer. At least out to Jim and Daves' way for some great Borst.
But here's the thing. Pete's thinkin he'd also like to join the duel sport crowd to explore some of the great back country us Westerners are so lucky to have. And here again, what he wants is a Cagiva Grand Canyon. But, he tells me that apparently you can't get em into Canada without a lot of difficulty. Something about them being only imported into the States and blah, blah, blah. So I did a little research and there are a few discussions out there about the Vstroms being sort of modelled after the Grand Canyon. Well, there ya go, Pete. Good bike, same config. albeit not a desmo, bulletproof. Pete, YA HEAR ME? Bulletproof. Relatively cheap. And you can do the logging roads.
So, what does he say to that? ...No. I blather on a little more and he says...Ah....no.
Damn fanatics! There's no sense to em!

[atadaskew]

I'm sorry what? All I read was blah blah blah Ducati! blah blah blah Ducati! blah blah blah Ducati!....
 

[Mr. Whippy]

I was at a track day with the Multistrada and there was a guy there with a Cagiva Gran Canyon.  The two bikes have many similarities in terms of ergos.  I'm sure he could find a MTS620 for not much, MTS1000 for  a little more (but have a SSA instead of 2 spar) an 1000S for a bit more or plump for an 1100.

I don't think there was anything specifically on the Gran Canyon that would make it outshine the Multi on dirt roads (it may have come with a 19" front wheel, rather than the 17" on a MTS).

[Bad Dad]

It'll be just as bad when he turns into a V-Strom Fanatic Not that there's anything wrong with that

[ToadRide]

It'll be just as bad when he turns into a V-Strom Fanatic Not that there's anything wrong with that

Ain't gonna happen.

[atypical1]

There's no sense to em!

Nope, there certainly isn't.  

I have owned all the big 5 (Japanese big 4 and BMW) and I keep going back to Ducati. I would love to get some additional bikes but I will always keep at least one Duc in the stable. It is not logical and I can't explain it...it is just love.

james

[miles]

He doesn't want the Gran Canyon if he wants more of  dual-sport bike,  He wants a Cagiva Elefant:



A Ducati 650 twin in a true dual-sport chassis.  Far, far more dirt capable than the Gran Canyon could ever be.  A real gem, if he can find one in good shape, and he sounds like the kind of guy who knows how to find these things.  One thing, though- he's gotta be tall.  Real tall.

[bureaucrat]

Thanks for the post, Rocketjock.  Our team of translators is working on it as we speak, and we hope to be able to post a reply within a few days.  

[miles]

Thanks for the post, Rocketjock.  Our team of translators is working on it as we speak, and we hope to be able to post a reply within a few days.  

Cut him some slack- He's from Canuckistan!  American isn't his native language!  Actually, I think he does pretty well, considering.

[atypical1]

He doesn't want the Gran Canyon if he wants more of  dual-sport bike,  He wants a Cagiva Elefant:

Well, the Gran Canyon is more of a dual sport in the "new sense" of the word   But the larger motor and luggage make it a really fine sport touring bike with some off road capabilities.

There was a guy at GP who rode one and loved the bike. I cannot justify one myself right now but they certainly are cool bikes.

[ToadRide]

OK, bureaucrat. What's a falkle?

[bureaucrat]

OK, bureaucrat. What's a falkle?

DAMN!!!! Busted!!!!  People in glass houses . . .

Hats off, Rocketjock.  I am appropriately humbled!!

[ZED]

I concur that you should talk him into a Cagiva elefant.  I've seen used ones for sale in Canada.  They're like an Italian KLR.
I think they're a little heavier, and a little shorter.  They also have a pile more power being a twin.

A bit of Cagiva History for those that may not know.
1.  In 1983, Ducati was purchased by Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni and became part of the Cagiva Group.
2.  The Cagiva Elehant was used in the pre-credit sequence of the James Bond movie "Golden Eye".  They were the green dual-sports used by the Russians that Pierce Brosnan (OK, his stunt double) drove off the cliff to catch the plane.
(yes I had to re-run that part a zillion times just to make sure they weren't KLRs.   )

[miles]

I just watched it on Utube.  The bikes even say Cagiva on them.

[ZED]

Yeah, Cagiva is listed in the credits at the very end too.

[zzr pilot]

Long posts with poor grammer, spelling and no paragraphs are incredibly difficult to read.  

[Scratch33]

Well, the Gran Canyon is more of a dual sport in the "new sense" of the word   But the larger motor and luggage make it a really fine sport touring bike with some off road capabilities.

There was a guy at GP who rode one and loved the bike. I cannot justify one myself right now but they certainly are cool bikes.

My buddy Pix who just relocated back to San Diego used to own a Gran Canyon.  He loaned me the use of it when I visited him in 2003 - I did a fantastic day ride through Julian and up & down Mt. Palomar.  Cool bike indeed.

[canyonchaser]

I was at a track day with the Multistrada and there was a guy there with a Cagiva Gran Canyon.  The two bikes have many similarities in terms of ergos.  I'm sure he could find a MTS620 for not much, MTS1000 for  a little more (but have a SSA instead of 2 spar) an 1000S for a bit more or plump for an 1100.

I don't think there was anything specifically on the Gran Canyon that would make it outshine the Multi on dirt roads (it may have come with a 19" front wheel, rather than the 17" on a MTS).

I can honestly say, that I've owned few bikes that are as gleefully fun to ride in most every condition, dirt included as my MTS.

Our local Ducati Shop has a pristine MTS620 with bags and everything selling for a song because its winter in SLC.

Contact Salt Lake Motorsports and ask for Chris if interested.  And BTW, they are the most reputable motorcycle shop of any kind that I've ever dealt with.  Wonderful folks!
http://www.saltlakemotorsports.com/

dp

[ajf]

Long posts with poor grammer, spelling and no paragraphs are incredibly difficult to read.  

I usually stop reading after really bad spelling or syntax.  But this time I got past the fifth word - and was rewarded with delicious irony.

[ToadRide]

Incredibly difficult to read? Ya godda be kidden me. Or , in translation for you, " you have to be fooling with myself, kind Sir. Pip pip, ta ta and all that."

[zzr pilot]

proper syntax can only add to the eloquent rendering of the written word.....

[motomodo]

Well, at least he capitalized.

[atypical1]

proper syntax can only add to the eloquent rendering of the written word.....

Funny, I think that his colloquial style added quite a bit to his paragraph and added a touch of "realism" to it. Sort of like he was just chatting with a group of friends.

[ZED]

Alright!  What's all this then?  Carry on, nothing to see here.  Keep going about your business.

OK then, back on topic.  Here's the bike that started the thread; the Cagiva Canyon 500.  It does look kind of like a multi.  

[atypical1]

I see more F series BMW than MTS.

[ZED]

It definitely has some BMW resemblance.  The Red one looks more like a cross between the Ducati ST line and the BMW F650GS.  If it had the ugly raised fender, it would definitely look like it spawned the F650GS.

[ToadRide]

Wow. That's a nice looking bike. Zed. Where can he get one in Canada?

[atadaskew]

That bike is different than the Grand Canyon. The version that started this whole thing has a Ducati L-twin motor.  This one has (I believe) a Rotax 500cc single.  Very similar to the Pegaso and the BMW F.
Of course, I'm sure I'll be corrected here.
But, the look IS similar.

[ZED]

I haven't seen a Canyon for sale in Canada.  I have seen a Ducati Elephant or two for sale though.  (the KLR-like Ducati)  I looked at a couple of dealers on the net and couldn't find the nice blue one that I had seen last year though.  Still, they do exist up here.  There is a local dealer here in Calgary (where I got mine) that has a good ear to the ground for good Ducatis and may be able to help if someone is seriously looking.

However, one has to recognize that it's an older Italian bike.  Some of the rumors seem to be true.  While my Ducati starts beautifully and purrs, I've talked to people that have had the older Ducati Dual-Sports.  One guy I met in Utah said that he couldn't get the damn thing to start unless you parked at the top of a long hill. (tough in Utah I suspect).  

If it was me I'd go with a KLR as a Dual-Sport.  They're cheap and reliable.  Oh, wait, that's what I have.  If the guy's really insistant on older Ducati version, then they are available, just harder to find.  

As for the picture I posted, that's what I found in a google search.  Those that wish to can debate the precise lineage.  I don't know the bike personally (look at the link for source and photo credit)