Cagiva Gran Canyon 900 test

Cagiva Gran Canyon 900 test

The power of feelings

Forget the technical data, don’t think in terms of ready-made patterns, forget terms like enduro and funbike, and above all forget the elephant: Cagiva has built a completely new, very emotional motorcycle.

She stands in the office dripping wet, small puddles slowly forming on the carpet. She doesn’t notice anything, is completely blown by the wind, and her flow of speech could at best be stopped by the Silvretta dam: “That’s it. This is maximum fun on two wheels. You haven’t seen anything like this before. Sweeps around corners like lightning, that thing. And this engine? goes like a slingshot. You turn the gas tap and it catapults you over the Alps. Have ?? all of them left on the San Bernardino and along the Via Mala. Later they threw the ignition keys of their superbikes in the air and shouted: Who wants the crutches? "
The objection to whether she would like to put it aside first, that one had already heard of people who were suddenly webbed, does not penetrate her. Eva Breutel, Italy correspondent for the MOTORRAD editorial team, is already infected: from the Cagiva Gran Canyon 900 virus.
“I just wanted to drive. Forgot everything around me, the rain, the storm. Refueling too. Pathetic indicator light. Just overlooked. And of course no reserve tap. But it doesn’t matter. This only happens to you once. Exactly 20.6 liters go into the tank when you fill both sides. The two filler necks are cumbersome, but they look original. Like everything about the Canyon. "
The woman will catch a terrible cold.
"Look at her. And forget the top case. Was only installed because you can’t do anything with the luggage rack. Everything slips down. In addition, there is no anchorage for lashing straps. Too stupid. It is actually a good touring motorcycle in itself. Poor wind protection, yes, but otherwise: very comfortable. Wide, comfortable bench, no annoying engine vibrations … "
She must know. After all, Eva has covered the Varese-Stuttgart route, i.e. 600 kilometers. With unyielding severity she droned a Gran Canyon out of the ribs of Cagiva superior Claudio Castiglioni for test purposes, although originally only a driving report was planned on site.
»I tell you: With this machine, Cagiva has finally achieved another great success. And they know that, the mood is very good down there, in Varese. Cagiva is dead … "
It can only happen to an Italian motorcycle enthusiast that, out of sheer enthusiasm for a new Tifosi bike, she does not notice how her feet mutate into tadpoles.
Not correct. The Gran Canyon nests in everyone’s heart. There’s something like passion involved. And it starts with the sitting position: upper body slightly bent forward, knees dynamically bent, the high, wide handlebars well under control. You don’t just sit down and drive off: you plunge into life.
Right in the middle. Fast, weird, beautiful. With a dreamlike security you land on the right line, you can entrust yourself to the free play of forces and think about alternative forms of movement. For example: drive backwards. We have a wheel. Throttle between your teeth, a finger in your nose. Any bet ?? the Canyon would go along with it.
The 232 kilogram heavy Cagiva demonstrates in an impressive manner that good handling and high weight do not have to be incompatible opposites. Your driving behavior has something like that? yes … holistic. Everything is just right: impeccable straight-line stability, precise steering, easy-grip radial series tires. And then these almost perfectly coordinated spring elements. Marzocchi in front, Boge behind. In pair skating, they master the triple Rittberger of high chassis art, combine stability, sensitive responsiveness and comfort. May the streets be overgrown with chilblains, the Canyon crashes over it unmoved. The only thing against which it defends itself: Braking in an inclined position.
What the modified Ducati 900 SS engine does in the Cagiva is phenomenal. The V-two-cylinder gets going with unheard-of vigor. Powerful and yet so gentle. Like a cat about to jump. The rear tire bites into the asphalt, the front wheel strives skyward. Which would also explain the shortfall in the sprint from 0 to 100 km / h. Note, however, the draft notes: A Honda VTR 1000 can hardly keep up and the 900 SS can no longer see any land.
Sure, the briefly translated twin runs out of air on the top, of course, measured 70 hp are not the world. Anyone looking for top performance is on the wrong trip. This is about resilience, about the desire to flick from one curve to the next on the long line of Desmos.
L.The culture and starting behavior of the 900s are at the highest level. The fuel consumption is limited. The fact that it comes without a catalytic converter despite electronic injection is bitter. What else is there? The gear. Hard exact goal. And the clutch calls for a strong hand. The lever is adjustable for this. You like that too. In general, the Cagiva knows how to please with nice equipment details. On top of that, it is processed properly. However, anyone who likes to take their motorcycle apart just to reassemble it could despair of it. There are so many little screws. It’s more for the heart, this Canyon.

Conclusion – Cagiva Gran Canyon 900

Individually ?? but anything but capricious. Well ?? But by no means boring: the world needs such motorcycles. The Gran Canyon is a real driving machine that pigeonhole thinkers will struggle with. Neither enduro nor fun bike nor anything else. Just a motorcycle. And how: A two-cylinder with enormous acceleration, a chassis for traveling, racing and swarming, a charisma that is second to none. The only catch: the price. Much too high at around 18,500 marks. Cagiva should recalculate as quickly as possible.

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