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Cagiva Gran Canyon motorcycle review - Riding

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Cagiva Gran Canyon (1998-2000)

Detail	Value
Engine size	904cc
Power	70bhp
Top speed	117mph
Insurance group	12

	MCN ratings	Owners' ratings
Overall
Engine
Ride & Handling
Equipment
Quality & Reliability
Value

MCN overall verdict

Cagiva’s Gran Canyon is a great motorcycle to ride, with nimble handling, lazy, easy-to-love power and plenty of tuning potential. Sadly, though, it’s let down by crummy component quality and ridiculous servicing costs. It shines around town or on A-roads, but it’s a less assured performer on longer, faster routes.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Cagiva Gran Canyon's 904cc V-twin, DOHC desmodromic motor comes from Ducati’s lovely old 900SS. It makes a mere 63bhp at the back wheel, but there’s decent low-down shove from the fuel-injected, air-cooled lump and a goodly mid-range, too. It can quite easily be taken out to 944cc and there a re-chip kit that releases a further 12bhp.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Cagiva Gran Canyon's short gearing, narrow tyres and wide bars make for a quick-turning and flickable machine that loves to romp from corner to corner. The seat and screen are day-long comfortable, and the package still works well with a pillion. The Nissin twin-piston brakes worked well when new, but all bikes will benefit from braided steel hoses.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Cagiva Gran Canyon has little in the way of equipment – you don’t even get a centrestand and the clocks are marked on in kilometres. Watch out when you fill the 20-litre tank via the twin filler caps – it’s easy to overfill and spill petrol everywhere.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Cagiva Gran Canyon's motor is expensive to service thanks to the Ducati motor’s cambelt system (£700-£800 every two years), the fuel-injection occasionally throws a wobbler, bolts need Loctiting in place and spares are hard to source.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

You can pick up a late model Cagiva Gran Canyon for about half the price of an equivalent BMW 1150GS. But the GS is more reliable, more powerful and less of a financial gamble. If you must buy Italian Cagiva’s Suzuki TL1000S-powered Navigator is a much better bet. Find a Cagiva Gran Canyon for sale.

Insurance group: 12

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1998: Cagiva Gran Canyon introduced.
2000: Cagiva Gran Canyon discontinued.

None.

Specifications

Top speed	117mph
1/4-mile acceleration	13.2 secs
Power	70bhp
Torque	55ftlb
Weight	193kg
Seat height	825mm
Fuel capacity	20 litres
Average fuel consumption	36mpg
Tank range	155 miles
Insurance group	12

Engine size	904cc
Engine specification	4v V-twin, 6 gears
Frame	Tubular steel cradle
Front suspension adjustment	None
Rear suspension adjustment	Preload, rebound
Front brakes	Twin 296mm discs
Rear brake	240mm disc
Front tyre size	100/90 x 19
Rear tyre size	150/70 x 17

Owners' Overall Rating (2 reviews)

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Corner slayer

davemacc

Average rating

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Overall
Ride and Handling
Equipment
Quality and Reliabilty
Value
Engine

This is the best bike i have ever owned, i've had about 15 bikes from 350LC to 748R and whilst these were superb at scratching, the Gran Canyon is superb at everything.Commuting,touring,mountains,motorway,gravel track,wheelies, it does the lot but most of all you can't stop smiling! It pulls so hard low down, even from high gears with a roar you can never tire of hearing. Supremely comfy and wide bars mean you can bomb through the bends without any ridiculous hanging off hysteria. I recommend putting the front hub onto a 17in front wheel (you can shorten the spokes by an inch),then put on supersports rubber. I have Pirelli Diablo's on my bike, the smaller front quickens the slightly lazy steering and obviously grips like a sportsbike. The conversion is cheap and turns the bike into a 70bhp, 120mph, v-twin supermoto (albeit a heavy one) which destroys just about anything in the twisties. It's done 30,000 km with no problems whatsoever including a 5000m tour of Europe. This bike is a keeper,and you can buy a good one for less than 2 grand. Just awesome.

19 March 2008
Surprise Package

honeybee40

Average rating

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Overall
Ride and Handling
Equipment
Quality and Reliabilty
Value
Engine

Having commuted to central London on a Suzuki SV650 and loving that great little engine and the handling I moved onto a Honda Pan European which was brilliant to get to Spain on after which I had a Yamaha Virago 750 which was just great for cruising about on enjoying the scenery. Each of those bikes was good in its own way but only the Cagiva seems to manage to all of the things that the 3 others did and I still wallk away from it and look back to admire it! It's very comfortable for long runs and you can spend hours in the saddle. It's nimble and compact enough to commute on and is high up to see over the traffic. It is relaxed enough to pootle about on without having to feel that you have to squeeze every last ounce of power but the greatest thing about it is that it is fun! Every time I get on it the power and handling make me smile. It has a simple set up which seems to work - it gives you confidence but also feels like you've achieved something when you'ver ridden it hard. The engine is gutsy and sounds great but not vibey or annoying and although its top speed is relatively modest compared to sportsbikes the acceleration and torque are great with decent brakes and mirrors that work! I also like that fact that there are so few around (although all Ducati dealers support them) and this rareness makes for what I think will become a classic for those who like some style and flair with the pragamatic and the fun. High Recommended.

23 April 2007