Cagiva Gran Canyon

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The successor to the Elefant, the Gran Canyon 900 retains the Ducati desmodue engine with fuel injection. It is regarded as a more road-oriented bike but is still capable on the dirt, although probably not in the league of the Elefant. Maybe "cafe motard" would be the best way to describe it! The frame is based partly on the 'fant.

The Gran Canyon name was shortlived - as of 1999, the bike has been superseded by the Navigator, which uses a Suzuki TL-1000 engine. So we bid farewell to the days of Ducati-powered Cagivas.

Ross Samuelson is one of the first Elefant owners I know to buy a Canyon. Elefant parts are a difficulty in some areas since Ducati and Cagiva have split, so I asked Ross to check what bits might retrofit from the Canyon to the E900/750.  If you're interested in modifying your bike, particularly cams, injection and wheel/tyre combos, Ross has done all this. Thanks for the following, Ross (further down are some more observations by new "Canyonisti").

Here are my observations on the similarities (or otherwise) on the Gran Canyon to E900 so far. I preface all the comment by saying I no longer have the E900 to take any detailed measurements off.

1. the rear sprockets are the same with the exception of the sprocket carrier bolt holes. 10mm bolts with a 17 mm head are used on the E900, 8mm bolt with an allen key head are used on the GC. The hole in the centre is the same as is the bolt spacing

2. OOPs , I nearly forgot, the GC runs a 525 chain std, not a 530, therefore sprocket is thinner. This also means the counter shaft sprocket is not interchangeable. While it is thinner(525), therefore you run a wider chain (530) on it, this is not a recommended practice. you'll bend the links in the chain very quickly.

3. The swingarm seems to be quite similar along with complete rear suspension. It has quite a lot harder shock rates than the E900. The section shape of the swing arm extrusion seems a little different, but same dimensions, same ends, same axle etc.

4. the chain roller under the swing arm is the same, but there is no top chain roller.

5. The whole rear sub frame, battery, battery mount etc is totally different. Although it seems it may bolt onto the frame at the same spots.

6.The frame essentially seems the same. There is far more strengthening around the head stock. I suspect some of the little hang - off brackets would be different.

7. The airbox is different in its bottom section due to the injection, but the lid is the same. Air cleaners are interchangeable as are the snorkels, although the snorkels are a lot longer in the GC with none of the flexible tubing attached as per e900.

8. The brake are totally different and would nt interchange unless you changed the whole system. They are Nissin as distinct from Brembo.

9. Forks are totally different but front wheel seems to be the same. Larger diameter discs and the speedo drive is on the opposite side to E900's. Looks very similar to E750, I think it is the same. Rear wheel is now 4.25" wide.

10. Switch gear looks the same, possibly interchangeable. Ignition coils look different/bigger - maybe these could be the answer to weak coils on the e900's?

Here's what Michael Sizemore had to say on the Ducati Monster list after switching to the Canyon camp:
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 22:49:50 -0600

I just traded in my '97 900M on a new Cagiva Gran Canyon, so I thought I would pass this comparison info on for anyone interested.  Let me explain that I live in flatland, USA, where it's 400 miles of superslab an any direction to hills or curving roads, so my motivation was to find something more comfortable and capable of motorcycle camping as well as sport riding.

The Cagiva is definitely more comfortable with its wider and deeper seat more suited to my larger ass size.  The suspension has a lot more travel and handles rougher pavement like the frost-heaved stuff we have around here better.  Although it has the same motor as the Monster, it's quieter and more civilized feeling than my Monster with its 2 into 1 loud exhaust system.  The side stand doesn't retract on its whim and the rear brake doesn't squeal.  I like the 916-style twin headlights and under seat exhaust system.  For a lower purchase price than a Monster it has some features such as tach, clock, fuel injection, stainless steel brake lines, adjustable brake and clutch levers, and tool kit that should have been standard on the Monster.  It also has a hard luggage option, but this is not yet available through my dealer.

As you might expect, it rides smoothly, and the fuel injection tuned for better midrange makes for good, usable power.  It has more weight up top, so it wants to lean over at very slow speeds and does not turn in as quickly at speed.  With its dual sport tires it probably doesn't have the ultimate grip of the racier rubber of the Monster, but this grandpa will probably never test the limits of even those.  There is some delay during braking while the suspension compresses that I am not used to with the Monster.  The seat height is almost too high for this short-legged guy, but I am hoping that it will settle or that I will be able to adjust it down a bit.  Very unnerving to tiptoe around in gravel.

The first tank of gas went nearly 40 miles per gallon which is better than the Ducati ever got; however, I was doing gentle low rev break in miles.  After the next tank full that got about 75 miles per gallon, I figured out that the durn odometer and trip meter are graduated in kilometers which I verified against interstate mile markers.  I guess the break in will take longer than I thought.  Anyone have any ideas on odometer gearing to make it tally miles instead of kilometers?

Things I have found that I don't like are the wire wheels, the goofy mud fender on the rear wheel, the dual gas tank fillers, and the fact that it doesn't have a centerstand.  There isn't any aftermarket stuff for it yet, and it will probably be such a low volume thing that there may never be much except Ducati engine stuff that will also work in it.  My magnetic tank bag won't work on the plastic gas tank.

Mike Sizemore
Springfield, Illinois

Good to have a woman's perspective on the bike too. Sue Schofield had this to say:

I'm the (proud) owner of a red 1999 Gran Canyon 900, picked up in December 1999. The bike has one previous owner, and  had 1600 Kms on the clock. It's fitted with Pirelli MT80 tyres, and Fiamm horns. The other extras on it are a trip computer (push bike type)  and a top box. I've just added an Optimate charger  lead and a BMW type 'cigar lighter' socket under the seat to power my mobile phone, UHF radio and heated jacket.  My dealer traded the bike for my 20,000 mile ZZR600 and a high mileage Yam XJ600 so I didn't pay any cash for the exchange.  I was looking at the new Transalp, or  another TDM 850  - I've had two. The new Transalp was too expensive though for a 650, and I like about 70-80 HP on a touring bike.  I would have gladly bought a new Elefant if there had been one around. The Cagiva will be used for touring in France and Italy  this year.

I understand the Canyons are built at Varese in Italy in the same building as the current Monsters. A Ducati  in all but label?

When I first rode the Canyon  I expected some wind blast, and got it, the Canyon has a teeny fly screen which serves only to attract flys. I had a spare 'tall' windshield from my other bike  - a 1200 Bandit, and this looked like it would fit. I drilled four holes in the Cagiva fly screen, and bolted on the Bandit screen  to the flyscreen with nylon number plate bolts. Voila! Wind blast is much reduced, and riding the bike in a downpour last week I could actually see the road ahead. There is still some blast on my shoulders but the new screen is a big improvement. The screen is a Bandit 1200 'tall' flip replacement  sold by M&P in the UK  and looks like a factory part when fitted to the Cagiva, a hacksaw is needed to trim off a couple of cms each side of the screen, but it's a moments work once the screen is on the bike. (M&P +44 990 703030)  M&P also list Ermax +10cm screens for 750 & 900 Elefants.

The engine is, as far as I can tell an two valve per pot injected 900ss from the current 900 Monster, also the swing-arm looks very Monster-ish. Brakes are Nissin, not  Brembos, and the bike has a 19" front wheel, rather than the 21" on the Elefant(?) . Canyon has two fuel tanks of 10 litres each, linked by a balance pipe, so you get two filler caps to fight with at petrol stops. I suspect the bike is de-geared/de-tuned  a bit for the Canyon, but it hits 150 KM/ph easily with plenty in hand. The bash plate is made of ABS and the fuel injection pump or something is mounted under it, directly at the front of the bike. So hitting a rock means no fuel injection. Hmmm.

 What else? The battery is one of the newer gel types mounted flat under the seat. Getting at it involves  removing  too many screws, hence the BMW socket and Optimate lead so I can plug in a charger anytime.

I run the bike on Silkolene 10/40 synthetic. Stock exhausts are Lafranconi and are quiet. I have a loud can on the Bandit, and it's a relief to get off it. The quiet cans will stay on the Canyon.

The Canyon's handling is terrific, as you'd expect, and the slim profile makes for some chucking about in the twisties. Ride quality is firm, but nicely damped. I've left  the rear suspension on stock settings,  -the front is not adjustable. Suspension travel is quoted as 6.7". I like the Pirelli MT80's, my previous dual-sports  bikes have had Michelins on, but they did not like the road in the wet.

 Gripes are the heavy clutch, and lack of luggage for the bike, Non-Fango make a set, but my previous Givi and Baglux bits are no good. The idiot lights on the dash are useless in sunlight. The clutch sounds like two skeletons fighting in a bucket of rusty nails. There's character for you.
The side stand is mounted just a bit too far back for me to get my toe on it to put it down. Otherwise, the bike is fine.

There are little Elefants all over the bike, on the ends of the swingarm etc. I haven't counted them yet.

Adjusting the chain tension last week I noticed a bit of corrosion inside the swing arm on the adjuster tensioner bolts. My ZZR actually snapped off a seized tensioner bolt after a couple of salty winters, so I intend to pull the bolts out and grease them. I sprayed inside the swingarm with WD40 as a temporary measure. The bike came with a Scott-Oiler from the previous owner, which I like. Cruising round the Ardennes last year on my Scott-Oiler equipped Bandit I got grumbles from following riders about oil spray from the chain-oiler greasing their visors. They shouldn't have been at the back! Warren mentions chain-roller guides on the Elefant, on the GC there are nylon guides/skids.

The Gran Canyon has been superseded this year (2000) by the Cagiva Navigator, powered by a Suzook TL1000 twin. Both the Canyon and Navigator, are I think more super-motord than dual-sport. I don't know how many were made, my bike  has frame number 709, registered in the UK in June 1999.

The Gran Canyon was voted 'Bike of the Year' or some such by UK Motorcycle News in 1998. Despite that, it's a great bike, full of character, including the small oil leak from the crankcases. But it's Italian. What did I expect?

My other, other, bike is a 1976 Morini 3 1/2, another red Italian V-twin with Lafranconi exhausts...

Best wishes

Sue (south coast, UK)