The Moto Morini Granpasso can look a bit odd at first with its agressive adventure bike styling and tall stature.Moto Morini is set to challenge the leaders in the Adventure-sports bike market with its growling Granpasso. With fierce competition from BMW’s R1200GS and KTM’s 990 Adventure, and with competitively priced bikes like Triumph’s Tiger in the frame, the Granpasso slots neatly into the nine grand price bracket (not US price, rumor place the Granpasso as a future American import, but for now Moto Morini is Euro-only – MCUSA ed). But where does it fit in relation to performance?

It’s an odd looking beast, a beady-eyed cross between a long distance adventure bike and an aggressive athletic one. There’s a quirky mix of the angular bodywork, stylish trellis frame, twin spotlights and a rough-road-ready bash plate. And it’s tall. As someone who’s forced to trawl the internet for jeans that’ll fit a 36inch inside-legger, there are moments when I’m grateful of my elongated limbs. Reaching the floor from the 870mm (34.25 inch) seat is hardly a stretch for me, but even I’d have to invest a bit of forethought before stopping on uneven ground. But if you’d struggle to top six foot on tip toes, read on, as there is a lower seat available.